Prologue Four: The Wrath of a Common Man, the Might of a Scholar (Part One)

They set out at dawn and only arrived at the county seat by dusk. The journey had truly stifled this group of youths. The ox cart was small to begin with, and with seven or eight people squeezed together enduring the jostling of the trip, any excitement they felt at departure was long gone. Fang Zheng himself was thoroughly exhausted. So, he led everyone straight to an inn to settle in for the night.

This matter left Fang Zheng a little frustrated. He had spent three years in Azure Ox Village since arriving in this world, never venturing elsewhere. In the village, because of his status, all his needs—food, clothing, daily use—were provided by the community. He had never handled money. Only now, as he prepared to stay at the inn, did he realize this oversight. Fortunately, the old village chief had made arrangements in advance: several men from the village traveling with them carried ample gold and silver. Among them, a tall, stern man with a dark face was the old chief’s son, named Zhang Meng. He was in charge of logistics and security for the whole group.

Sitting alone in his room at the inn, Fang Zheng cradled a cup of tea, his thoughts adrift. The students and the accompanying men shared another room and were already resting. At Zhang Meng’s insistence, Fang Zheng had his own room. Though he didn’t fully agree with such special treatment, he saw no point in opposing it stubbornly. Yet, he was uncertain about his future path. After the students completed their exams, they would be admitted to the county’s official academy to continue their studies. As for him, their teacher, he would be out of a job. After all, Azure Ox Village was so small, and not every year brought children of school age.

The county academy had its own teachers. Fang Zheng had no intention of returning to Azure Ox Village. Since fate had brought him to this world, he couldn’t resign himself to spending his life in that tiny hamlet—he wanted to see the world. Still, spiritual pursuits required material foundations. The most pressing question now was how to survive. As a modern man, he should have many advantages in this world. Moreover, Fang Zheng had been a top student, and his mind was filled with knowledge. But after careful thought, he had decided to forgo many ideas. The world must develop at its own pace—things too ahead of their time could be more curse than blessing. History had seen many such examples, and those who walked too far ahead rarely met good ends.

No matter how much he pondered, he found no clear answer. For now, he could only take things one step at a time. If the day came when he had no other choice, he would have to set aside his scruples.

Draining his cup of tea, Fang Zheng set it down. The innkeeper had brought hot water for washing, which sat on the shelf by the table. Fang Zheng washed his face, closed the door, and went to bed to rest.

The night passed without incident. Early the next morning, Fang Zheng was awakened by the sounds outside—not from his students, but from the bustle of the inn’s breakfast market. Early risers filled the main hall downstairs, having morning tea and chatting about news and gossip, making the place lively and animated.

No longer sleepy and feeling refreshed after a solid rest, Fang Zheng rose and dressed. He called for a servant to bring hot water, washed up, and was just about to head out when Zhang Meng’s voice came from outside the door: “Mister Fang, are you awake?”

“Brother Zhang, come in. I didn’t bolt the door—I just woke up and was about to look for you.”

At his reply, Zhang Meng pushed open the door and entered, smiling at Fang Zheng standing by the table. “Everyone was exhausted yesterday. If not for the commotion downstairs, I’m sure we’d all still be asleep. But the children are all clamoring about being hungry and want to go eat. I was just coming to invite you to join us—hope I didn’t disturb your rest.”

“You’re too polite, Brother Zhang. Just call me Fang—no need for formal titles, especially since after today I won’t be teaching these children any longer.”

“That won’t do,” Zhang Meng said, his face serious and voice suddenly emotional. “The old chief said it: you’ll always be Azure Ox Village’s teacher. Even if you don’t teach in the future, you’re still our teacher. If any brat dares forget it, I’ll break his leg!”

Fang Zheng felt a warmth in his heart and let the subject drop, smiling instead. “Since the children are hungry, let’s not keep them waiting. They only had some dry rations on the road yesterday, then went straight to sleep last night without dinner. They must be famished by now.”

“Right, I’ll fetch them now,” Zhang Meng replied, going out at once.

Fang Zheng waited in the corridor. The rooms they occupied were all adjacent, just a few steps apart. It took only a moment for Zhang Meng to gather the students. When they saw Fang Zheng, they all greeted him with a respectful “Good morning, teacher!” Fang Zheng answered them with a smile, feeling a unique sense of fulfillment.

As their group descended, they drew the attention of the main hall’s diners. Seeing these young scholars, people began to whisper and speculate. Clearly, news of the official academy opening had already spread, and the patrons quickly guessed their identities and origins.

With more than forty in Fang Zheng’s group, the main hall became crowded at once, and there weren’t enough tables and benches. The servants bustled around, trying to make arrangements. Fang Zheng led his students to stand quietly by the stairs, all of them silent and a little solemn, which made the boisterous hall fall into sudden hush.

At that moment, a diner with a weathered face and a kind smile picked up his half-eaten bowl of bean curd and said to them, “Why don’t you take this table? I’ll go share with someone else.” Caught off guard by the gesture, Fang Zheng hurried forward, clasped his hands in thanks, and behind him the students chorused, “Thank you, uncle!” The voices, though young, carried a certain strength. The man smiled, nodded, and took his bowl to another table. Seeing this, other diners began to combine tables on their own, soon freeing up nearly ten tables. The servants, delighted to have the problem solved, worked even more diligently to clean up.

Fang Zheng was moved by the scene and bowed in gratitude, receiving friendly smiles in return. His students followed suit, bowing deeply in thanks—a moment likely to be etched in their memories.

Once the tables were ready, Fang Zheng had everyone sit in groups. Zhang Meng placed the orders with the server. The breakfast selection was varied—fried dough sticks, wontons, bean curd, mutton soup, and more. Zhang Meng ordered each person bean curd and fried dough sticks. For Fang Zheng, he ordered mutton soup, but Fang Zheng politely declined, explaining he did not eat mutton, and switched to bean curd as well.

After breakfast, about a quarter of an hour had passed. The crowd in the inn’s hall had thinned, while outside the streets were growing livelier. The students put down their bowls and looked expectantly at Fang Zheng. They had long hoped to explore the county seat, but in front of Fang Zheng, none dared to ask. Privately, however, they had pestered Zhang Meng about it many times. Fang Zheng understood their thoughts but was concerned for their safety. Seeing their eager faces, Fang Zheng hesitated, then decided to grant this small wish. With several adults to watch over them, nothing should go wrong. Besides, the exam wasn’t until the afternoon, and there was no need to cram at the last minute. Learning required accumulation; a few hours of last-minute effort would be of little use. Letting them stroll the town would be a good way to relax.

With that thought, Fang Zheng smiled at the youths. “I know you all want to explore the town, so let’s go. Just be careful—don’t get into any trouble.” Then he turned to Zhang Meng. “Brother Zhang, what do you think?”

Zhang Meng laughed. “These little rascals have been pestering me for days. If we don’t let them out, they won’t settle down in the inn anyway. Let’s go have a look around—I haven’t visited the county seat in years myself.”

Hearing Zhang Meng’s agreement, the group of youths cheered with delight.