Chapter 38
Watching the Master leave the classroom, Qiu Yanqi turned back, his eyes gleaming as he said to Fang Yu, "Brother Fang, the Master told you to collect the assignments and take them to the Masters's room."
"I heard."
Fang Yu didn't yet understand the sense of honor such tasks held in the eyes of the other students. Currently, there were no so-called class monitors or class representatives in the classroom; these tasks could be done by anyone. Whomever the Master casually called upon was just that person.
Qiu Yanqi, however, didn't see it that way. He lowered his voice and said, "Last time, the Master just had Liang Minxu distribute some essays once, and he got so carried away with pride. After that, he was always rushing to do any tasks for the Master. Now, he can't exactly strut around the classroom anymore."
"Shouldn't he have stopped feeling proud long ago?" Fang Yu shook his head with a smile. After the embarrassment at the academic gathering and the poor performance in the minor exam, Liang Minxu had completely withdrawn, his presence in the classroom greatly diminished. It was unclear whether he was deliberately hiding himself or had been cold-shouldered by everyone.
Days of study followed a regular pattern, repeating daily: listening to lectures, composing poetry, writing essays... The days were repetitive and dull. Since opening the Book and Tea House, business had been brisk. Qiao Hezhi was busy managing household affairs and keeping accounts both inside and outside the home. Delivering meals had changed from daily to every two days, then every three days, with no fixed schedule. Fang Yu could only complain bitterly about this.
At the same time, Master Zhang seemed to genuinely regard him as a class monitor. Tasks like collecting and distributing assignments, leading morning readings, and other such duties were regularly entrusted to him. Recently, the Master had even taken to staying in the classroom to drink tea and grade assignments, leaving Fang Yu to sit at the lectern and supervise everyone's studies.
His classmates jokingly called him the "second-in-command." Unknowingly, he had transformed from the formerly obscure student who huddled in the corner, needing to curry favor and invite others for drinks, into a respected and sought-after "second-in-command" whom everyone flattered and who could command a following with a single call. He couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder at this change.
Rather unambitionously, he found himself nostalgic for his previous carefree life: arriving at the classroom just on time, and leaving the moment the dismissal bell rang. Being an unobtrusive, laid-back person, drinking tea, exploring new eateries, and writing guides—those days were easy and joyful.
But now, that was impossible. Master Zhang arrived early every day and, seemingly aware of Fang Yu's habit of cutting it close, had assigned him to wait at the door early each morning to record the names of late students. Because of this, he couldn't be late himself. After recording for a while, he realized he had usually been the latest arrival. The Master's intention wasn't really to have him record latecomers but to find a way to make him come early, preserving his dignity in the process. Master Zhang's thoughtful approach left Fang Yu feeling too ashamed to continue arriving just on time.
Not being able to cut it close in the morning was one thing, but it was also impossible for him to leave early after dismissal in the afternoon. The moment class ended, classmates would kindly invite him out for tea or drinks. He almost always declined, earnestly advising everyone not to waste time on such unproductive socializing, and assuring them that even without treating him, he would treat everyone equally.
Over time, people stopped trying to curry favor by inviting him for tea or drinks. Instead, they started bringing their essays to consult with him. After all, peer assistance was currently popular in the classroom, and it was an idea he had proposed himself. He couldn't very well go back on his own words and refuse to help.
A short discussion might take the time of one incense stick; a long one could last half a shichen (1 hour). His classmates would become utterly engrossed, talking incessantly. Amid this enthusiastic pursuit of learning, it proved quite effective. Those who usually didn't dare ask the Master about their essays found it easier to voice their doubts and discuss their insights and viewpoints with a fellow student.
Fang Yu sat cross-legged in his seat, loudly calling out the names of the students in the classroom. Previously, he would go around to each person to find them and hand out the essays. If someone wasn't at their seat and returned to find their essay missing, it would cause a fuss—lots of trouble for little appreciation. Now, calling out names and having them come to his seat to collect their work, although it might seem a bit like he was putting on airs, was actually much more efficient. It ensured each student received their essay and saved him the legwork.
"Tong Jinsheng."
"Wu Shuyou..."
"Coming, coming!"
Hearing the response, Fang Yu raised his hand to pass the essay over. However, before the person could take it, a bamboo-woven box appeared on his desk first. Through the bamboo slats, Fang Yu seemed to catch a whiff of cured meat. He couldn't help but look up.
Wu Shuyou looked somewhat shy and said softly to Fang Yu, "Brother Fang, today Master Zhang called me to the Master's room and praised me. He said my essay showed independent insight and significant improvement. He even left comments on it."
"I thought about it, and this really isn't my own achievement. If Brother Fang hadn't tirelessly discussed essays with me all this time, I certainly wouldn't have dared to write this way." Wu Shuyou pushed the box closer to Fang Yu. "My father says one must repay kindness received. It's just some rustic cured snacks from our family. I hope Brother Fang won't find them beneath you."
Fang Yu certainly remembered this Wu Shuyou. Although there were over twenty scholars in the classroom, not all were xiucai; some were tongsheng, but there were no students who hadn't even passed the tongsheng exam.
This Wu Shuyou was a tongsheng. He looked very honest and simple, and was usually the one most fond of following Fang Yu around to ask about essays. Fang Yu might not excel at other things, but he had a bit of a knack for teaching, having been a substitute teacher and taught many students before transmigrating into this book.
Seeing how diligent and eager to learn Wu Shuyou was, and finding him somewhat reminiscent of a simple-minded neighbor, Fang Yu patiently tutored him on essays. He noticed Wu Shuyou actually had his own insights and ideas, but had a bad habit of heavily imitating the flowery, ornate writing style of famous scholars. He would often patch together bits and pieces, resulting in essays that were a jumbled mess.
It was actually similar to the original owner's flaw, but the original owner was more skilled, knowing to imitate the same type of flowery, ornate writing, so the resulting essays weren't too strange. This was probably why Wu Shuyou remained a tongsheng while the original owner had become a xiucai.
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