Chapter 166: Absolutely Impossible

Liu Cuicui and Li Tieniu had also heard that the academy in Qinglu County wasn’t well-regarded. Among the neighboring counties, it was considered one of the worst.

The best academy in the area was in Taizhou City!

The Taizhou Academy was practically a government school, single-handedly founded by Elder Prince Pingyan. Because it had the backing of a regional prince, its faculty was exceptionally strong. Not only did it poach renowned scholars from academies everywhere, but also xiucai and juren with official degrees who came regularly to give lectures. Rumor had it they even hired a few retired court ministers from the capital to teach there.

Among all the prefectures in the region—even counting official academies—none could match the Taizhou Academy’s resources. Sending a child there was like stepping one foot into officialdom. If some eminent scholar took a liking to them and they forged a marriage alliance, they could expect a meteoric rise, soaring straight to the top.

Word was that Zhang Cheng, the county magistrate of Clear River County, had studied at the Taizhou Academy for two years before transferring elsewhere for various reasons.

When Liu Cuicui and Li Tieniu heard this, their hearts pounded wildly. They were overjoyed, as if their own son were already enrolled at the Taizhou Academy—parading through the streets on horseback during holidays, decked out in festive red.

After returning home, they grabbed some gifts and hurried to the home of Liu Dahu’s enlightenment tutor to inquire about the Taizhou Academy.

But the tutor urged them to abandon the idea. The Taizhou Academy only admitted local children with Taizhou household registration. Out-of-towners could enroll, but only as “visiting students,” for a maximum of three years—and just once in a lifetime.

That was why so many visiting students from elsewhere cherished those three years. They were usually already accomplished scholars preparing for the imperial exams and came to the academy for a solid foundation before taking the tests.

Moreover, the tuition for visiting students was more than double the normal rate, and they had to pay each instructor separately for every subject.

For a child Liu Dahu’s age without Taizhou registration, “visiting” at the Taizhou Academy was nothing short of a pipe dream.

Liu Dahu’s tutor knew the family’s character well. He had already tendered his resignation at the end of last year and wouldn’t teach the boy starting next year.

Still, out of duty as a teacher, he advised Liu Cuicui and Li Tieniu that the Liu family wasn’t a scholarly lineage, and their circumstances were modest. There was no need to bankrupt themselves pinning all their hopes on Liu Dahu.

Besides, the boy had mediocre talent and a wild temperament. A place like the Taizhou Academy might not even tolerate him.

Rather than exhausting the whole family to force him in, only for him to get expelled, it would be better to find a nearby academy. If Liu Dahu grew up a bit more, understood his parents’ sacrifices, buckled down to study, and someday earned a xiucai degree to exempt the family fields from taxes—that would be the Liu family’s good fortune.

His meaning was clear: Liu Cuicui and Li Tieniu’s dream of Liu Dahu topping the imperial exams and securing an official post was absolutely impossible.

You could tell from three what a child would be like at eighty. Liu Dahu’s tutor had been teaching him since he was three—for six full years. How could a master not know his student’s future prospects?

But Liu Cuicui and Li Tieniu acted as if they were bewitched, dead set on getting Liu Dahu into the Taizhou Academy. Yet whether it was the household registration or the required silver, it was far beyond their reach. The couple spent days sighing in frustration.

Until…

Liu Cuicui heard from a neighbor who had returned from the Taizhou Mine for the New Year that her two younger sisters had opened two shops in Taizhou City and seemed to have moved their household registration there too.

By the time she got this news, the New Year festivities were long over. Liu Cuicui and Li Tieniu stayed up all night hashing out a plan. At dawn the next day, they set off with New Year’s gifts, bringing Liu Dahu along.

…

“Grandma, I don’t want to go! Grandma, Second Aunt pinched me! If Grandpa were still alive, no one would dare bully me. Grandma, your grandson can’t bear to leave you!”

How could Old Lady Liu know that this tearful grandfather-grandson farewell was just a ploy by her eldest daughter’s family of three? Seeing Liu Dahu cry so heartbreakingly, tears welled up in Old Lady Liu’s eyes too.

“Liu Dahu, be good. Get up and go home with your parents. Come back anytime you miss Grandma,” Second Lady Liu said, still trying her best to separate Liu Dahu from Old Lady Liu.

With a sharp cry from Liu Dahu, Old Lady Liu swung her hand and slapped Second Lady Liu on the shoulder. “Why are you tormenting the child?”

“No! I won’t go home! I want to live with Grandma!” This time, Liu Dahu was truly determined to stay—not just for the bright future his father had envisioned, but because he’d tasted the good life these past few days. The food here was better than at home, and there was more to do. Every day he stepped out, it was like a market fair: shops everywhere. Once they opened, he could buy whatever he wanted.

His third aunt’s place was poor; he’d searched everywhere and found no silver or copper coins. But Second Aunt’s shop counters and drawers had them. He’d sneak over every day to pocket a few coppers and had already saved up a fair amount, just waiting for the shops to open so he could spend.

The village kids didn’t like him, but his little cousin never minded—even after Liu Dahu pinched him to tears. The boy never tattled and just scampered happily after him.

Liu Cuicui couldn’t hold back any longer. Ignoring her husband’s tug, she jumped down from the cart and knelt beside Liu Dahu. Embracing him, she wept—for the parting, but even more hoping he’d get into the Taizhou Academy. “Liu Dahu, it’s Mom who let you down. Mom… last year’s harvest was bad; the grain stores are nearly empty. My other two sisters—one guards the granary, the other the oil barrels—steady, reliable days. We… we can’t afford to raise this child anymore, Mom…”

Zhang Quan, the first worker to arrive, froze at the scene, unsure whether to leave or carry on with his duties.

Spotting Zhang Quan, Wu Wei’s eyes lit up. Seizing the moment when no one was watching, she sidled up to him and whispered, “Go report to the officials—say there’s a disturbance. Be discreet; don’t let Third Sister lose face.” She slipped a ingot of silver into his hand. Zhang Quan understood instantly, nodded to Wu Wei, scanned the crowd to ensure no one saw, then slipped away.

Old Lady Liu was clearly moved. These past few days, she’d reflected on herself and knew who had given her this comfortable life. But… what was one more child? Just another mouth, another pair of chopsticks. She couldn’t bear to refuse outright but didn’t dare agree on the spot either. Instead, she cast a pleading look at Liu Cuiwei.

Liu Cuiwei was trembling with anger. In the old days, she might have thought that as long as Liu Cuicui and her husband weren’t around, one more child was no big deal. But things were different now.

How could Liu Cuiwei not see through Liu Cuicui and her husband’s scheme? They’d hired a tutor for Liu Dahu since he was three; he couldn’t just drop out at nine. And raising a scholar boy cost how much silver? Look at Second Brother-in-law and his wife, toiling day and night.

From Zhang Cheng, Liu Cuiwei had heard bits and pieces: from enlightenment to office, the Zhang family had spent hundreds of taels—not even counting the books in his study!

Liu Cuiwei strode forward and declared loudly, “Eldest Sister, we’ve already divided the family. Even if we hadn’t, Second Sister is married with her own kids. Weiwei and I are still unmarried girls. If Liu Dahu were a niece, fine—but he’s nine now, getting bigger by the day. Proprieties between men and women get in the way. We can’t raise your son for you!”

The onlookers nodded in agreement at Liu Cuiwei’s words. Two young women running a shop was hard enough. The kneeling boy looked like a sturdy little calf; in a few years, he’d be a man. What sense was there in unmarried aunts raising a boy? And was the father dead? That strapping man, pushing out his own flesh and blood?

Hearing Liu Cuiwei speak up like this, Wu Wei breathed a true sigh of relief. Her Third Sister had grown—no longer the timid, quiet girl of before. Now she knew how to refuse and could stand on her own.

Wu Wei had anticipated today’s drama, so it came as no surprise. Her only worry had been Third Sister caught in the crossfire, which was why she’d held back. Now that concern was gone, Wu Wei relaxed completely. She had no intention of getting involved—this was the Liu family’s business. So she dragged over a long bench, placed it at the rice shop’s entrance, hiked up her skirt hem, and sat down.

Who couldn’t enjoy a good show?

The shop hands arrived one by one for work and stared blankly at the scene before their store. They crowded around Wu Wei for instructions. She just smiled. “We’ll open late today. Get the special-price rice ready and bring it out. Send two men to guard Second Owner—make sure no one hurts her. Ignore the rest.”

The hands obeyed. The two best fighters shouldered through the crowd to flank Liu Cuiwei, while the others carried on methodically with their tasks.

Wu Wei was very pleased.

After a while longer, Zhang Quan returned with a team of bailiffs dressed as constables. They were still about fifty paces away when Zhang Quan pointed from afar. Then he deliberately slowed his pace, putting some distance between himself and the bailiffs.

Zhang Quan had greased their palms with silver, so the bailiffs naturally played along. Wu Wei watched the whole scene unfold and chuckled to herself.

The merchants and passersby gathered to watch the commotion scattered like startled birds at the sight of the officials—those who needed to leave hurried off, while the rest dashed back indoors.

“Mom…”

“Grandma…”

“What are you lot doing!” barked the lead bailiff. His shout startled Liu Cuicui and Liu Dahu so badly that their sobs caught in their throats.

Old Lady Zhang and Old Lady Liu both went pale at the arrival of the officials. Zhang Shuisheng leaped down from the carriage with a placating smile and stepped forward, but he spotted Wu Wei standing in the shop doorway, waving him off. He immediately turned aside and cleared a path for the bailiffs.

“Second Niang, the bailiffs are here on official business,” Wu Wei said. “Help Mom steer clear and get back inside.”

“Got it.” Second Lady Liu supported Old Lady Zhang as they retreated to the Oil Pressing Workshop. Liu Cuiwei tried to do the same with Old Lady Liu, leading her toward the rice shop. But although Liu Dahu had stopped crying, he still clung desperately to his grandmother’s leg.

Not until one of the bailiffs precisely smacked the back of Liu Dahu’s hand with his sword scabbard did the boy finally release his grip. He let out a scream like a stuck pig, allowing the grandmother and her grandson to separate at last.