Chapter Ten: Neglect

After completing twenty repetitions of “One Two Three Four Five Six Seven,” Xu Ruojin handed in her work just before class ended.

Her diligent attitude slightly eased the displeasure in Teacher Wang’s heart, and he went on to teach her about conversions and units of measurement. For example, four hundred wen of copper cash for one shi of rice, one thousand wen for one tael of silver, and ten taels of silver for one tael of gold—these values could fluctuate with the seasons and political climate.

Xu Ruojin committed these facts firmly to memory. Xu Zimo, however, did not fare so well. He failed to recite the ninth passage of the Analects in class and, after twenty swift strikes on his palms, Teacher Wang left the room with his books without another word.

Lianqiao hurried over to apply medicine and a cold compress to the young master’s hands, her practiced movements and calm expression making it seem as ordinary as a meal. Xu Ruojin swallowed her words of comfort, keeping silent as she returned to her own courtyard with Spring Grass.

She needed to rely on her memory to recognize every character in the "Three Character Classic," and she had to work even harder to improve her abysmal handwriting. She was still too weak to change her dire status within the family, but reading and learning depended solely on her own willpower. If she couldn’t even manage that, she might as well hang herself with a noodle.

Back in their shabby little courtyard, Xu Ruojin put aside any thoughts about the stark difference in their circumstances. She took out her books to continue studying, but Spring Grass sat nearby, clearly with something on her mind.

“What’s wrong?” Xu Ruojin looked at her in surprise.

Spring Grass spoke earnestly, “Second Miss, do you really intend to take Lianqiao as your dowry maid?”

“I was just trying to scare her a bit, you took it seriously?”

“It isn’t I who believed it, but Lianqiao did.”

“What do you mean?” Xu Ruojin sensed she might have made a mistake and set down her book to listen.

Spring Grass let out a long sigh. “She’s an ambitious one. For her, following you to the Zhang household is far more appealing than marrying the old master’s attendant.”

Xu Ruojin looked puzzled, her eyes fixed on Spring Grass.

Seeing the young miss didn’t understand, Spring Grass blushed deeply. “To go with you as a dowry maid to the Zhang family, she might hope to become a concubine’s attendant. If she were to catch the master's attention and bear a child, she could be raised to the status of a concubine. She… she would see that as a rise in status compared to being a household-born slave.”

“Oh…”

Only now did Xu Ruojin realize there was such a thing. She glanced at Spring Grass, “And you? What do you think about this?”

“I would never!” Spring Grass said, her voice trembling with emotion. “My mother and I were cast out from a great household. She left me and drowned herself, leaving me alone… I’d rather starve than ever climb into my master’s bed!”

Seeing Spring Grass’s eyes welling with tears, Xu Ruojin quickly took her hand and patted it in reassurance.

Clearly, Spring Grass had her own share of untold sorrows, but with her by her side, Xu Ruojin suddenly felt a little more secure.

“Don’t be afraid, don’t worry. You still have me,” Xu Ruojin said, though she herself was unsure—her own fate was uncertain; what could she possibly offer Spring Grass?

Spring Grass, slowly composing herself, shifted the topic back to Lianqiao. “You need to pay more attention to her. Just now, while you and Third Young Master were studying, she kept pestering me with questions—especially about your temper and preferences. Who knows what trouble might come of it.”

“I really did take things too lightly.” Xu Ruojin thought back carefully to Lianqiao’s behavior that morning. Ever since Xu Zimo had appeared, Lianqiao had been particularly attentive—even the tea she poured was a special jasmine honey blend.

She had thought Lianqiao was only eager to please because of Xu Zimo’s presence, but now she realized there was another motive. She had been so focused on her handwriting that she hadn’t given it much thought.

Looking back, the stark contrast between Lianqiao’s initial indifference and her later fawning eagerness was too much to ignore.

Xu Ruojin sighed. Spring Grass saw being taken as a dowry maid as a bitter fate, yet for Lianqiao it was a coveted opportunity. Ultimately, she realized her own judgments about beauty and morality were too subjective—how could she have overlooked such a crucial difference?

Having earnestly reflected on her mistake, Xu Ruojin pushed the matter aside. Nothing was more important than her studies; this had to be her top priority. At the very least, she couldn’t let Teacher Wang look down on her.

Xu Ruojin stayed up all night reading.

The next morning, when Spring Grass opened her eyes, she found the young miss still seated at her desk. Thinking she herself had overslept, she quickly got up, only to see that dawn had barely broken. The red veins in Xu Ruojin’s eyes made her heart ache.

“Second Miss, you must take care of yourself. How can you endure a whole night without sleep?”

“It’s all right, I didn’t mean to study so long—I just lost track of time.” Xu Ruojin leaned back and closed her eyes, finally noticing the stiffness in her neck.

“I’ll fetch you some water to freshen up.”

“Bring me a basin of cold water—the colder, the better.”

Spring Grass hesitated a moment but quickly hurried out.

Xu Ruojin closed the "Three Character Classic" and smiled in satisfaction at her night’s effort.

There were one thousand one hundred and forty-five characters in the book. Relying on her memory, she had recognized every one and committed the entire text to heart.

The first step is always the hardest. She couldn’t afford to let Teacher Wang teach her just a handful of characters each day—that progress would be far too slow, and she didn’t have the luxury of time.

Everything depended on herself. Once she got past these initial hurdles, she could shed the label of “illiterate.”

Spring Grass soon returned with water. Xu Ruojin splashed her face with the icy water, the chill snapping her fully awake and banishing all her fatigue.

Change, she thought, would begin from this very moment.

After breakfast, Xu Ruojin took Spring Grass to class. They were two quarters of an hour later than the day before; Xu Zimo had already finished breakfast. Lianqiao greeted them as they entered, her eyes crinkling with delight. “Greetings, Second Miss. Have you had your breakfast?”

“I have,” Xu Ruojin replied, glancing at Spring Grass, who met her gaze in silent understanding. Though nothing was said, both of them realized just how seriously Lianqiao had taken her words.

“I’ll pour you some tea, Second Miss. Teacher Wang won’t arrive for a while yet—please, have a seat and rest,” Lianqiao said, darting away with a cheerfulness utterly different from her cold reception the day before.

Xu Ruojin massaged her forehead, uncertain how to respond. She decided to head straight for the study and wait for Teacher Wang alongside Xu Zimo.

Xu Zimo was in no mood for idle chatter. From early morning, he’d been struggling to finish yesterday’s assignment—ten pages of writing, with six still to go.

Teacher Wang arrived late that day. Instead of checking Xu Zimo’s work first, he asked Xu Ruojin to hand over the characters he had assigned her.

After reviewing her work, Teacher Wang considered whether he should introduce twenty more characters that day. Or perhaps a five-character quatrain would be more appropriate?

Xu Ruojin, seeing him hesitate, took out her copy of the "Three Character Classic." “Teacher, I memorized this entire book last night and this morning. I can recognize nearly all the characters now—would you like to test me?”

“Ah?” Teacher Wang was momentarily stunned, and Xu Zimo put down his pen, staring at her with his mouth agape.

Xu Ruojin returned to her seat, spread out paper, dipped her brush, and looked at Teacher Wang with utmost seriousness.

“‘At man’s birth, his nature is good… Take heed, and strive with diligence.’”

Watching Xu Ruojin painstakingly write all one thousand one hundred and forty-five characters—though her hand often cramped and she had to set the brush down to rest—Teacher Wang could not help but feel a surge of emotion.

Such a diligent and hard-working student—why couldn’t she have been born a son, rather than a daughter?