Chapter 2517: Mobilizing for School

"Rest assured," Hou Qing continued. "Following the Senate always leads to better days. I've heard the Chiefs plan to promote fish farming throughout Guangzhou Prefecture, adapting techniques to local conditions. You've come ashore, true, but you can't compete with families who've worked the land for generations—learning to till fields at this point would be a struggle. Fish farming, though, should come naturally to people like you."

He Lizhi stroked his chin, looking troubled. "The Chiefs may not realize, but fish farming is no simple matter. All the fry for Canton Prefecture come from the West River, and the techniques for catching them have been monopolized by Jiujiang villagers for centuries. If the Chiefs truly want to promote fish farming, they'll need those people's cooperation."

"The Chiefs always find a way," Principal Tian said. "Perhaps they have other methods."

"What methods?"

"I don't know..." His mind remained fixed on student recruitment. Regardless, this was—

Hou Qing glanced at He Lizhi, who said, "I'll figure something out. Let's go see Sister-in-law Zhou."

When the three left the latrine construction site, they found a crowd of villagers and children gathered around Zeng Guiyu and an unfamiliar man who appeared to be writing something.

"It's so beautiful!" a child cried out, and murmurs of admiration rippled through the onlookers.

"What do you know about reading? You just say it's beautiful," a villager teased.

"I can too read!" the child protested. "Winter goes, spring comes... something east south west north something something... bitterness something... something river celebration something life..."

The crowd erupted in laughter.

Another child read aloud properly: "Winter goes, spring comes, joy in the east, south, west, and north as we bid farewell to the old year. A magnificent land. Bitterness ends, sweetness arrives, gazing at lakes, seas, and rivers to celebrate a new life."

"Can you teach me to write?" one child asked.

"Sir, please write a pair for me too!" another villager chimed in. "I've moved into a new house and want to paste a couplet on my door!"

Kuang Lu was in reasonably good spirits today. After days of exhausting travel, he hadn't touched a brush in too long. Though the brush, ink, and paper here were crude, they sufficed for practice. He smiled and said, "My calligraphy isn't free. One salted fish buys one pair of couplets."

"Salted fish we've got plenty of!" At this, everyone scattered to fetch their dried and salted fish. Kuang Lu didn't mind the humble payment—he simply spread ink across the red paper. Writing couplets was basic work for any scholar, and the phrases came ready-made. He knew most people here were illiterate, and the Kun rebels' learning was equally limited. Using obscure allusions or literary essays would only confuse them, and worse, might invite someone to find fault and cause trouble. Better to stick with common, auspicious platitudes.

Hou Qing and Tian Liang exchanged glances. The stranger's attire, his bearing, and especially that hand of elegant standard script—better than any they'd ever seen. Such skill was impossible without years of bitter practice under a renowned teacher. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell this was a young master from a noble family. Why would someone like him come to a fishing village to write couplets?

Tian Liang thought of himself—principal of the Nanhai National Demonstration School, yet frequently writing characters wrong and always crooked. Shame flooded through him. His face flushed crimson.

Hou Qing noticed and asked with concern, "Ah Liang, why is your face so red? Do you have a fever?" She reached out to touch his forehead.

"No, I'm not sick..." Tian Liang stammered, his face reddening further.

Meanwhile, He Lizhi had found Sister-in-law Zhou to discuss her eldest son's schooling. As they talked, she began to cry. "I know I'm ruining his future, but if I let him go, what will he eat? There are three younger siblings at home who need food too! This is simply our fate!"

Tian Liang and Hou Qing knew she spoke the truth, but at this moment, they could think of nothing except appealing to the villagers.

He Lizhi whispered with Zeng Guiyu for a while, then walked into the center of the crowd, cleared his throat, and addressed them. "Fellow elders and villagers, our village is lively today. The Chiefs sent people to help us build public toilets. Sister-in-law Zhou's boy scored highest on the test and can attend the Chiefs' school. This is a significant event for our village. But everyone knows the situation in Sister-in-law Zhou's family. Let's hear your thoughts."

"Lizhi, I've got to be honest—reading books seems pretty useless to me," one villager replied.

"The Chiefs exempted our fish tax and let us come ashore. That's already more than enough."

More voices joined in, but none expressed any willingness to help Sister-in-law Zhou's family.

He Lizhi felt humiliated. He glanced nervously at Hou Qing and Tian Liang.

By now, Tian Liang had steadied himself. He decided to seek help from the noble young master before him. "Sir, your calligraphy is exceptional—you must be a scholar. I'm just a soldier, not good with words. Would you speak about the benefits of reading?"

The request surprised Kuang Lu. He hadn't expected this fake Kun rebel to ask for his advice. He'd grasped the situation well enough: the Kun rebels recruited students regardless of background, which actually aligned with Confucius's principle of "education for all without discrimination."

The problem was that since ancient times, education had never been something the poor could afford. A family needed at least ten mu of fertile land to support one scholar. As the saying went, "Poverty breeds wicked schemes; wealth nurtures conscience." These villagers were former Tanka people who'd drifted on the water, already struggling to survive. Little friendship existed among them—they'd become neighbors only because the Kun rebels had allowed them to come ashore and build houses. Expecting mutual aid now was naive. High-sounding principles like "ordaining conscience for Heaven and Earth, securing life and fortune for the people, continuing lost teachings for past sages, and establishing peace for all future generations" would accomplish nothing, no matter how eloquently spoken.

Kuang Lu straightened his clothes. "Reading has many benefits. You can become an official, a clerk, an apprentice in a shop. At the very least, you can teach village children and scrape by with food and clothing. Isn't that easier than scratching for a living on the water or in the mud? Take my couplets—everyone sees my calligraphy is beautiful, so everyone wants a pair. In this short time, I've earned dozens of salted fish. This is the countryside. In Guangzhou City, unless you're close friends or relatives, you couldn't get one from me without paying several taels of silver as a writing fee."

The villagers laughed at this. The man talked big—several taels for a pair of spring couplets!

Seeing these unruly folk clearly didn't believe it, Kuang Yan felt compelled to defend his young master. "Truly, summer insects cannot comprehend ice! My young master is from the Kuang clan of Dali, a family of scholars for generations. His calligraphy and painting are pieces that even Master Qiu Tao couldn't put down, sighing that he himself was inferior. What would any of you know!"

"So arrogant! Who is Master Qiu Tao?" someone asked.

"The Vice Minister of Rites, Master Chen Jisheng!"

Silence fell. Fear spread across every face, and no one dared speak.

Though common folk possessed little formal knowledge, they knew something of the top gentry in their region. Chen Zizhuang's paternal and maternal families were both prominent in Nanhai, with clan members serving as officials for generations. He himself had placed Third in the imperial examinations—Tanhua—rising to Right Vice Minister of Rites and Academician Reader-in-Waiting, lecturing daily before the Chongzhen Emperor. His reputation was immense. Similarly, Li Daiwen of Foshan had risen to Right Vice Minister of Revenue, establishing the Li clan as the undisputed premier family of Foshan Fort.

The awkward silence hung heavy. Tian Liang, already slow of speech and clumsy with words, felt completely lost. Fortunately, Hou Qing rescued him.

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried that unique penetrating quality characteristic of women. "Folks, the Great Song Chiefs excel at everything because they've read many books. They sent literacy teams to teach everyone to read and admit your children to school because they want better lives for you—lives where you're no longer bullied. Soon, the Chiefs will send agricultural technicians to teach fish farming. Don't laugh—without education, you won't even raise fish as well as the Chiefs do. Sister-in-law Zhou's child has this opportunity to attend school. He represents our whole village's hope. Distant relatives aren't as good as close neighbors. We've all endured hard times. Let's support each other."

The crowd remained silent. Kuang Lu suppressed a wry smile. Your intentions are good, he thought, but this is asking a tiger for its skin. The Tanka have no clan system. This hastily-formed village is just a motley gathering—why would anyone respond to a few calls from village elders? Yet he felt it would be a pity for the child not to attend school—even an Australian school. He spoke up: "These dozens of catties of salted fish will count as my donation. Sell them to provide living expenses for Sister-in-law Zhou's eldest son."

With him taking the lead, Zeng Guiyu felt his face had been saved. He immediately responded, "Look, everyone! This guest has helped Sister-in-law Zhou. We're all Tanka—we must do our part! I'll state my position first: I don't have money, but if anything useful is needed, I'll contribute my labor."

Someone else spoke up: "Doctor Hou saved my life. Whatever she says, goes. I truly can't spare anything either, but tell me how I can help—count me in for physical work!"

"Count me in!" Several more voices joined.

He Lizhi struck while the iron was hot. "I count eighty-five households in our village. Regardless of family size, each household contributes five catties of fish per month. The village will collect them, sell them in town, and use the money as a living allowance for her eldest son. When he succeeds someday, he can repay everyone. What do you say?"

Five catties of fish per month wasn't burdensome. Everyone agreed it was manageable and voiced their approval. Sister-in-law Zhou thanked them profusely and brought her child to kowtow to Kuang Lu.

He raised his hand slightly. "No need to kowtow. I only hope he studies hard and never forgets to repay the village elders who helped him."

With that, he nodded to Zeng Guiyu and turned to leave, but Tian Liang stopped him. Kuang Lu tensed, wondering if his identity had been exposed and this simple-minded fake Kun intended him harm.

Instead, Tian Liang spoke with guileless sincerity: "Mr. Kuang, your handwriting is truly excellent—you must have read many books. I'm Tian Liang, principal of the Nanhai National Demonstration School. Our school has just been established, and we still need teachers. We're currently recruiting qualified candidates. If you could come teach the children to write, it would make our school so much better."

(End of Chapter)