Miao Chu

Chapter 13 Satisfying Hunger
Cheng Zijian wept uncontrollably, and by the end, he had completely forgotten himself.

He might not be crying over those few steamed buns and bread, but rather using this opportunity to cry about himself.

If there were a doctor here, he would most likely be able to tell that this person had been holding back their emotions and finally had the opportunity to express them.

The person opposite him, seeing him cry, did not try to persuade him, but simply let him cry on the spot.

Cheng Zijian cried for a while. After his emotions subsided, he realized his embarrassment. Seeing that the eldest brother was getting bored, he quickly wiped his tears and snot with his sleeve, cupped his hands in apology, and said, "I'm sorry, I was rude..."

The other party ignored him, but suddenly asked, "Cheng Zijian?"

Cheng Zijian nodded.

"Are you a student living outside the dormitory? What year did you enroll?"

Cheng Zijian answered honestly.

The man looked at him and then asked about his place of origin and background.

At this point, Cheng Zijian's mind was completely blank. He answered whatever was asked, even things that the other party hadn't asked. For some reason, he told them everything: how poor his family was, how he had studied diligently day and night from the countryside, how he had finally entered the Imperial Academy, but no matter how hard he studied, he couldn't make much progress. He was extremely frustrated and felt that his future was bleak, but there was no way to retreat.

After listening, the other person said, "You were able to pass the Imperial Academy entrance exam, which already puts you far ahead of others. Why are you acting so self-pitying and belittling? Where did all those books go?"

After saying that, he took a stack of things from the table next to him and threw them onto the table in front of him, saying, "Take these and read them—but what good is it if you just read other people's articles without writing them yourself, or write them without learning from them?"

A stack of articles was suddenly thrown at him. Cheng Zijian was stunned and didn't know how to react, but he still subconsciously reached out to take it.

After taking it, he was about to look down at it when he heard the other person ask again, "You've been enrolled for over two years, and you still need to borrow the 'Wei Criminal Code'? Why can't you memorize it?"

Cheng Zijian felt a chill run down his spine from the question, feeling even more nervous and upset than when his teacher asked him something he didn't know at all during an examination.

But his mind wasn't completely blank, and he suddenly remembered—when did the school ever say that we had to memorize the *Wei Xing Tong*? The teacher never mentioned it! And it wasn't on the exam!

Whether sensing his inner turmoil or not, the other person continued, "If a student of the Imperial Academy doesn't memorize the penal code, how will he impeach corrupt officials in the future? How will he discuss politics? How will he deliberate on matters? If he gets an official position, how will he be in charge of criminal matters? If you get a degree, will you just become a local official like this?"

"Instead of learning about criminal justice, you have the time to think about these trivial matters."

At this moment, Cheng Zijian's eyes were dry; the tears seemed to have turned into sweat on his forehead.

He suddenly realized that his self-pity just now seemed somewhat superfluous and even ridiculous.

"Although I have the 'Wei Criminal Code,' it contains too many of my own annotations and wild claims, so I cannot give it to you. Since you are interested in studying, I will show you a way—on the second floor of the library, in the T-shaped room, on the fourth shelf of the 'rain' shelf, you will find the 'Jianlong Revised Criminal Code.' This is the latest version. Why don't you find some time to copy it for a couple of days? Wouldn't that be more useful than borrowing it to read?"

Then he asked, "Did you remember it?"

Cheng Zijian nodded hurriedly.

The man then asked, "Then repeat it: in which year was the penal code revised? On which floor and on which shelf?"

Cheng Zijian felt a chill run down his spine.

He never expected to have to take the exam again on the spot. But he was someone who had fought his way up from the Fuzhou Prefectural School, overcoming numerous obstacles to reach the capital. He couldn't possibly be a fool. After thinking hard for a moment, he immediately replied, "It was re-established during the Jianlong era and is kept in the T-shaped room on the second floor of the library, on the cloud... no, the rain-shaped shelf, yes, the rain-shaped shelf has four layers..."

Upon hearing his reply, the man finally nodded.

Cheng Zijian felt a sense of relief and a strange sense of joy when his teacher nodded.

“I am not good with words, but if you are willing, I can show you my writing skills.” The man turned to look at the water clock and said, “There is still half an hour before the bell to ring.”

He pointed to an empty table ahead and said, "There's paper and pen over there. Go and write a short essay on the policy question. As for the topic..."

There was paper in front of him. The man lowered his head, picked up a pen, dipped it in ink, and casually wrote down a title. He handed it to Cheng Zijian and then said, "This title—it doesn't need to be long. Just draft a beginning and an end, and set up the framework. Time is of the essence. Wait for me..."

He paused, then suddenly seemed to remember something, opened a covered bowl on the table, and said, "I'll come and check it after I finish breakfast."

This person's actions, tone, and assignments were excessively domineering, leaving Cheng Zijian no room for choice.

What's even more amazing is that Cheng Zijian, a sensitive and shy person, didn't feel uncomfortable at all. Instead, he was filled with gratitude and wanted to do his best so as not to disappoint him.

With the civil service exam just around the corner, everyone is either busy filling in the gaps in their knowledge or, like Cai Xiu, striving to find opportunities in various academic gatherings.

No one's time comes easily, and giving pointers on someone's writing is never a simple task.

Honestly, if Cheng Zijian were to offer guidance to someone at this moment, unless they were extremely close, he would also waver and be somewhat unwilling.

Cheng Zijian took the question without hesitation, thanked him, and was about to step forward when he couldn't resist his curiosity and secretly glanced at the bowl as he passed by.

But what they found inside the bowl that the man had opened was not any other food, but a bowl of porridge that looked like rice.

In early spring, the mornings and evenings are cold. The porridge is already very thick, and if it is left uneaten for a long time, it will solidify.

Cheng Zijian immediately thought of the story of "drawing porridge with broken pickles".

He couldn't help but glance at the other person, but then paused for a moment.

What a handsome face!
But his eyebrows were like swords, and his eyes were like black ink; his features were so sharp that people dared not look him in the eye.

He was dressed in an ordinary long gown. With Cheng Zijian's discerning eye, he couldn't tell the value of the fabric, but he felt that the clothes were very clean. Wearing them, he looked neat, tidy, and well-fitting, much better looking than the clothes worn by ordinary people.

Plain clothes are naturally inferior to brocade robes.

But for some reason, Cheng Zijian felt that this person had more presence than Cai Xiu, who was dressed in brocade robes and had a powdered face.

—Could such a person be so poor as to have to drink cold porridge, just like Mr. Xiwen?
As an outside student, I can still afford to eat with the monthly stipend from the Imperial Academy. He is able to study in the same dormitory as Cai Xiu and has such talent. He must be an inside student. It is not right for him to be like this!
Although he didn't know why, Cheng Zijian couldn't bear to watch any longer. He moved the food box on the table over and said, "Brother, are you not used to eating mutton? We also have mung bean paste glutinous rice and yellow steamed buns..."

The other person didn't need any side dishes. He picked up his chopsticks and was about to eat his porridge when he looked up at Cheng Zijian. Seeing that Cheng Zijian was staring at his bowl and rambling on, he replied, "I don't care much about food. I only eat to fill my stomach. I only care about convenience and don't care about anything else."

(End of this chapter)