Chapter 064

Author: Feast of Masks

Raws: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3185016

Translated by Gumihou

 

After dropping this devastatingly thoughtful question, Shen Fu continued speaking; his words were as relentless as an avalanche as he spoke slowly, “Since the deceased, Sun He, died of an old ailment, Headmaster Gao could have left the matter as it was. If he truly wished to make use of this opportunity for revenge, it was a simple matter to drop the body before Qingyuan Academy under the cover of darkness and be done with it. Why construct such a needlessly elaborate scheme?

Furthermore, though Headmaster Gao was the head of an academy, he was still just a Xiucai. And yet, for the son of a wealthy merchant, you are willing to risk it all and lie, claiming that the youth had died to achieve your goals? Just what had happened that could have driven you to such lengths?”

The final ‘you’ was directed at Sun He (crane).

As these doubts were laid out one by one, Sun He’s complexion shifted from white to red, then from red to ashen white. He looked utterly terrified.

Even so, he forced himself to remain composed and even attempted a smile, which twisted his features into something grotesque.

Seeing him like this, a cold light flickered in Xue Tingxiang’s eyes.

Humans are strange creatures. When they committed evil, they felt neither shame nor remorse, no matter how monstrous their deeds. Yet, when faced with danger, these shameless beings actually felt… fear?

What is there to be afraid of? Xue Tingxiang never understood this. If one dared to act, they should be prepared to pay the price of their failure.

“This humble student knew nothing. The Headmaster merely told this student that… something had happened at the school and that I should return home to alleviate my parents’ worries. Therefore, I stayed home, claiming illness…” It was not a bad excuse. However, the liar lacked skill. Anyone with eyes could tell that the youth was lying.

Shen Fu was naturally unconvinced. He sounded even more intrigued as he asked, “By your telling, you are entirely innocent. That the true villain is Headmaster Gao?”

Sun He did not look at Gao Youzhi, only gave a stiff nod.

Before leaving home, his father had personally warned him: No matter what happens, deny everything!

So long as he did not admit guilt, there would always be room to manoeuvre. With their wealth, they could even get him out of a murder case. Not to mention, both Magistrate Hu and Gao Youzhi had taken their silver.

With that thought, Sun He managed to recover some semblance of composure. “If the Lord doubt my word. My Lord may question Headmaster Gao.”

Gao Youzhi was in no better state, but the die was already cast. If he bore all the blame alone, Magistrate Hu and the Sun family might still protect him in secret. However, if he tried to drag others down with him, neither the magistrate nor the Sun clan would ever forgive him.

“This matter had nothing to do with him. I was the one who sent him away.”

Shen Fu laughed as though he had just heard an excellent joke.

As the hall held its breath, waiting to hear his judgement, Shen Fu suddenly turned to Xue Tingxiang, “And what of you? Do you have anything more to say?”

Xue Tingxiang was unsurprised by the sudden attention.

In terms of innate talent, Shen Fu was not the most outstanding in his generation. He was, at best, an average scholar. His exceptionally gifted peers were those who passed the Imperial Examinations young and went on to become outstanding scholars and officials, while he remained a Juren at his age.

However, it was because he lacked innate talent that Shen Fu worked harder than most to reduce the gap. That hard work, coupled with a genuinely sharp mind, was honestly terrifying.

When Xue Tingxiang had put forward his argument earlier, he may have unconsciously revealed a weakness. Because he knew, deep down, that the role he played today did not reflect his true nature.

The real him never did things by halves. If he chose to strike, it was a strike to kill. No hesitation. And yet, the him today had blunted his own edge and did not cut right into the heart of the matter.

Then again, what was the real him?

Once again, a fog of bewilderment flowed over him as he recalled that dream.

After a moment’s thought, or was it a few? He looked up with a complicated smile and said, “This humble scholar wishes to tell a story.”

“Speak.”

And so, Xue Tingxiang told a story.

It was a story pieced together from fragments of information he had collected, coloured perhaps, by his own hidden emotions. The tale was one of deep feeling and lingering sorrow.

The protagonist was a village boy, raised free of care in the fields. His family may not be wealthy, but he had both parents and a loving grandmother. He was happy.

As he grew, understanding came. At a certain age, the poor but loving parents suddenly decided that it was unfair for their son to remain a peasant farmer, toiling in the harsh fields. Their child was so bright and intelligent; surely he deserved a better future? Even if he could not bring glory to the family, surely he could at least become a scholar teacher for their village? If he could open a private school and educate the village children, just like the scholar one village over, that would be good too.

Thus, the parents gathered all their savings and sent him to the village school for his first lessons. Thus, began his life with books.

How bitterly difficult it is for a farmer’s son to become educated? Only he who had gone through the trials would know. The poor scholar could barely bring himself to touch the ink and paper purchased with his parents’ blood and sweat. While they laboured under the sun, he stayed in the comfortable shade, studying.

There were times he resented the books. If they had not existed, he would not be in this helpless, shameful position. He could have worked the fields with his parents and been content with life

Books were the source of all evil in his life. He hated them and yet was still entranced.

However, the farmer’s boy soon abandoned such useless thoughts. His parents had already spent everything they had on his education. He could not let their efforts go to waste. He had no choice but to continue his studies.

Time went on, and the farmer’s boy became a youth.

A well-educated, sensible and respectable person of their village. However, it was not enough. The village teacher had nothing more to teach him. To advance his studies, he had to enter a proper school. So his parents rallied once more and gave all they had for him, even selling their land to send him to the most reputable academy they knew.

Thus, with the weight of his family’s hopes on his shoulders, he arrived at the school. However, the academy was nothing like the wonderful place he had imagined.

A poor farmer’s boy was just that, poor.

He arrived in patched clothes, and the best clothing he had was the scholar’s robe which the school had handed to him like charity.

The youth concealed his fear and timidity under the robe. Like a snail, he inched forward in his studies. When a storm arose, he withdrew into his flimsy shell, waiting for the winds to subside. Then, he would cautiously emerge and continued his slow ascent.

However, the world was a cruel place and the school rife with vices. Its very foundation was rooted in self-interest and naked ambition. Its students were just as self-serving—mocking the poor, bullying the weak and fawning upon the rich. They flatter the strong and trampled upon any they could.

The worst were the pampered sons of wealthy houses who treated human lives like dirt. He was their source of amusement, to be mocked when amused, to be kicked when irritated.

He dared not speak of it, could not speak of any of it. For he had the hopes of his family upon his shoulders. He could only endure. Endure and hope to one day leave this place with his head held high.

Sadly, he underestimated the horror held within human hearts, and so lost his life.

Thus the story ends.

 

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The silence that followed was so profound that even breathing felt loud.

A laugh burst out from somewhere. It was a light chuckle that floated upon the heaviness of a burdened life. Elsewhere, the sounds of faint sobs could be heard, choked and smothered.

In the crowd, Zhao’er had a hand over her mouth as tears streamed down her face. Mao Badou, Li Datian, and Chen Jian all wore complicated expressions, their eyes reddened with tears.

Further back, a refined and handsome youth hid behind the crowd, tears soaking his face.

“Is this the story you wished to tell?” Shen Fu said, he sounded a little daze.

Xue Tingxiang let go of the faint smile on his face and nodded.

“Why have you not spoken of this earlier?”

Why indeed? Did he really have to explain why?

Shen Fu studied the slender, frail-looking youth, standing against the solemn weight of the magistrate’s hall.

In fact, the youth had been braver than expected. He had turned the tides through unconventional methods, rescuing his headmaster and fellow students alike.

He had some cunning to him, which clearly showed in that flashy back-and-forth exchange with Magistrate Hu. He handled everything meticulously, offending no one, respecting every person involved except for Gao Youzhi. Well, every narrative needed a villain, and perhaps if given a choice, the youth would have spared even that character.

In the end, no matter how clever he was, the youth was a weak farmer’s son. What power would he have against a county magistrate, the headmaster of Huyang Town’s finest academy or the wealthy Sun family? Any of them could have crushed him without much effort.

Yet, he still came. Armed with nothing but wit and cunning, he managed to carefully extract his headmaster and classmates with the barest offence against those with power.

In the end, it was he, Shen He, who had shattered the delicate balance created by this youth.

There was admiration, pity and something like rueful respect in Shen Fu’s eyes as he stared at the youth. When Xue Tingxiang caught sight of the look, he realised that Third Young Master Shen must have been overthinking matters again.

In truth, the Young Master really had been overthinking Xue Tingxiang’s actions. In fact, [1] Headmaster Lin Miao had the right of it; the cunning youth Xue Tingxiang was just that. A cunning, petty character who could stand before a crowd and deliver a moving speech lamenting the piteous fate of countless unseen ‘Sun Hes’ in the world, and yet still seek the most advantageous path for himself.

So, why had he changed his tactics this time?

It was because Shen Three was too much of a busybody!!

“I appeared to have ruined your plan.”

People of high status have always been careless with their words, having no need to guard their tongue for fear of retaliation. Shen Fu, ah, Shen Fu, why don’t you take a good look at the people around you?

Xue Tingxiang blinked at this comment. His fair and refined face added to the air of innocent bewilderment as he answered, “What do you mean by that, Third Young Master?”

Shen Fu let out a little laugh and stood. “If you do not understand, then forget it.” A moment later he added, “May I ask, just how did Sun He die?”

“May I not answer?”

Shen Fu sighed, “Very well, if you choose not to speak, I shall not press. You have my admiration. Should you have time in the future, do visit the Shen residence. Just mention my name, Shen Fu, and someone shall bring you to me.”

Without waiting for a reply, he stepped past Xue Tingxiang and patted him lightly on the shoulder before taking his leave. His attendants, startled, hurried to follow.

By now, the courtroom had already descended into chaos. Sun He’s parents were wailing as though their souls were being torn apart. Gao Youzhi and Sun He lay sprawled like men whose bones had been pulled from their backs, limp and broken.

A sudden weariness washed over Xue Tingxiang. He looked up at Magistrate Hu, who appeared flustered at the head of the hall.

“Your Excellency, may my teacher, my classmates, and I take our leave?”

“Yes, yes, go!”

With the magistrate’s permission secured, Xue Tingxiang did not spare others a glance as he moved forward to support Lin Miao and led him out of the courtroom.

Only when they stepped past the county yamen gates did the noise behind them finally begin to fade.

Xue Tingxiang let out a relieved laugh and turned to speak with Lin Miao and the others when someone rushed over. This person barrelled into him, grabbed him into a tight hug and burst into loud, messy sobs.

“Gou’er! You tell me now. Were you also bullied in the town school? Tell elder sis now! Who bullied you? I’ll beat them up for you!”

Zhao’er clung to him, crying so hard that snot and tears streamed down her face, looking very pathetic. Yet, her raw, earnest worry sank into him like a warm stone. It felt solid and grounding.

Once again, he was glad that she never learned the truth about Sun He. Otherwise… who knew what she would have imagined.

“What nonsense are you thinking of?” he sighed.

 

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Life at Qingyuan Academy soon returned to its usual tranquillity. The students who had fled home came trickling back.

Lin Miao, Teacher Meng and Teacher Mo said very little about the incident. It was as though the incident never happened. While a few students muttered their dissatisfaction, no one dared to voice their opinions openly. Partly due to respect for their teachers and headmaster.

Everything felt peaceful and serene. There were times when Xue Tingxiang marvelled at the sense of peace within the school and had to wonder whether it was due to the influence of Lin Miao and the two teachers.

As for the other students, whether they felt shame or regret for their actions, each had their own burden to carry. A person’s life was built upon such experiences, after all. Whether one’s decision was right or wrong would not matter in the grand scheme of things. The consequences of their decision would scatter in the wind, the only constant was the road ahead.

Everyone must walk their own path and take responsibility for every step.

To err is human, to forgive is divine. Lin Miao was someone who embodied this saying very well. Once, Xue Tingxiang had hated such men, deriding them as weak and idealistic. However, after all he had experienced, he had gained a different understanding.

Because, alongside the quiet tranquillity of this place, he also saw shame on his classmates’ faces. Perhaps, they would also grow from this experience and would, little by little, grow to become responsible men. After all, how many youths could truly remain unmoved when the mountain collapsed before their very eyes.

After returning to the school, Mao Badou had fretted endlessly about how Magistrate Hu might retaliate against Xue Tingxiang for the humiliation he had suffered at the youth’s hands. Xue Tingxiang had explained repeatedly that, with Shen Fu as a witness to the proceedings, no matter how resentful the official might have felt, he would not dare to openly retaliate.

And indeed, the event that followed soon proved him right. Magistrate Hu swiftly imprisoned both Gao Youzhi and Sun He (crane). Qinghe Academy collapsed overnight, and families who had paid dearly to send their sons to the school arrived in droves to demand explanation.

After having paid so much money only for the academy to close down, how could anyone accept it? This was especially true for students from ordinary families.

As the turmoil continued, another story spread among the common folk. Headmaster Lin Miao had refused to abandon his students in times of danger, choosing instead to accompany them into prison and protect them. With such a touching story making its rounds, students began flocking to Qingyuan Academy in droves.

This was probably a scene that Teachers Meng and Mo had always hoped for, but when it actually happened, they discovered the truth of the saying ‘though the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak’.

It was at this time that another incident occurred: Hu Lianshen was suddenly taken away by the yamen officers.

 

[Gumihou: Uh oh, I know that guy was sus!]

 

[1] Added details, because it seemed relevant to draw the parallel

 

 

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