Chapter 8: Second Young Master Hong
“You must be the Second Young Master Hong, right?”
From the side, Mrs. Gao hurried out of the courtyard gate and greeted him with a smile, “Please come in for a cup of tea, Second Young Master. Class will be over soon. My husband does not allow anyone to disturb him while he is teaching, so please forgive us.”
“Greetings, Mrs. Gao. I am Hong Zhenye, and I am a fellow student of Li Xuedong.” Second Young Master Hong dismounted and gave Mrs. Gao a deep cupped hand salute. He then followed Mrs. Gao into the Gao Family Small Courtyard.
Before long, class was over, and Li Xuedong came running into the next-door small courtyard.
Mr. Gao stood at the entrance of the schoolroom, hesitated for a moment, and did not follow.
He had thought about County Magistrate Huang’s advice from yesterday again and again, and by this morning, he felt he had grasped some of its essence.
Old Master Hong liked to sponsor talented poor scholars, likely wanting to offer them kindness and build friendships before they became Recommended Scholars or Jinshi Scholars. It was similar to how Old Master Kuan of the Li Jiawang Study Room sponsored Li Xuedong for his Prefectural Examination and Courtyard Examination before he became a Xiucai Scholar. If Xuedong passed the Xiucai Scholar examination, Old Master Kuan could use Li Xuedong to control the Li Clan, reaping immense benefits. If Xuedong failed, it would only cost a few taels of silver, a small sum they wouldn’t care about.
Coincidentally, Xuedong and Second Young Master Hong both passed the Prefectural Examination in the same year. Having Second Young Master Hong act as an intermediary, allowing two young boys to interact, would forge a camaraderie of fellow students from their early days, a friendship built on mutual support during difficult times, which was far deeper, longer-lasting, and more heartfelt than mere sponsorship.
This Old Master Hong, like that Old Master Kuan, was a formidable person!
In the Gao Family Small Courtyard next door, upon seeing Li Xuedong come running over, Hong Zhenye quickly put down his tea cup and stood up, cupping his hands in greeting, “Brother Li!”
“Hong,” Li Xuedong only managed to say the first syllable of Hong before getting stuck.
Calling him Brother Hong felt too presumptuous and arrogant. Calling him Senior Brother, as they did in school, was definitely wrong. In his haste, Li Xuedong followed his instinct, cupped his hands, and bowed, “Second Young Master.”
“Are you making fun of me?” Second Young Master Hong raised his eyebrows high.
“No, no!” Li Xuedong quickly waved his hands, his face flushing with embarrassment.
“You, you are such a bookworm! We are fellow students from the same year. If I call you Brother Li, you should naturally call me Brother Hong. I am older than you, after all.” Second Young Master Hong patted Li Xuedong’s shoulder from his superior height.
He was a full head taller than Li Xuedong.
“Forgive me, Brother Hong.” Li Xuedong was extremely flustered.
Half of his fluster stemmed from his complete lack of experience in such social interactions, and the other half was due to his need to ask for a favor, which made him feel inherently inferior and guilty.
“Your home…” Second Young Master Hong moved from Li Xuedong’s left to his right, looking at the worn clothes on Li Xuedong’s body, covered in patches.
The last time he saw Li Xuedong, his clothes, while not fancy, at least had no patches. Now, his clothes were patched upon patched, with patches of different colors, making him look as shabby as a beggar.
Weng Weng had told him that Li Xuedong’s parents had passed away, and his family was extremely poor.
Looking at how thin he was, his sallow complexion, and these patched clothes, alas, this Li Xuedong was far poorer than he had imagined!
“My home is far away.” Li Xuedong became instantly nervous, thinking Second Young Master Hong wanted to visit his home.
If he were to visit his home, at this hour, how could he entertain him at noon? There were not many chickens left at home, and only one silver coin remained. His Eldest Sister needed that one silver coin to buy cotton for weaving.
“That’s what I mean. Your home is far away. How about you stay at my place before the Courtyard Examination? We can live together. If you’re not used to it, I can have someone prepare a small courtyard for you to live in by yourself. What do you say?”
Second Young Master Hong quickly turned back. He had almost blurted out the word “poor” just now.
“No, no, I…” Li Xuedong hadn’t fully processed it and instinctively refused first.
“I’m telling you, don’t be polite with me. We were fellow students in the County Examination and the Prefectural Examination, we’re practically brothers! Besides, regarding your home, I don’t mean anything else. We’re brothers, don’t be polite, and don’t overthink it.” Second Young Master Hong scratched his head.
Seeing Li Xuedong so thin and timid, he didn’t quite know what to do.
“Being allowed to study alongside you is already a great kindness. Great kindness requires no thanks. If…” Li Xuedong finally remembered Mr. Gao’s instructions and quickly expressed that he would be grateful, remember it, and repay it.
“We’re brothers, no need for such polite words!” Second Young Master Hong clapped Li Xuedong, making him stoop down.
“My family is poor, Brother Hong, your great kindness…”
“That’s exactly what I mean!”
Hearing Li Xuedong utter the word “poor,” Second Young Master Hong breathed a sigh of relief and clapped Li Xuedong again, making him stoop down further.
“Since your family isn’t well-off, don’t be polite with me. I didn’t dare to say the word ‘poor’ for fear of hurting you.”
“What’s there to be hurt by saying ‘poor’? Thank you, Brother Hong, your great kindness.” Li Xuedong couldn’t think of anything else to say, and a fine sweat broke out on his forehead from nervousness.
“Don’t be polite, don’t be polite! I just said you are magnanimous, that the poor cannot be moved. How about you pack your things, and I’ll bring a carriage tomorrow to pick you up?”
“No, no, it’s not that, I mean, it’s like this, my studies are not good, except for Investigation of Things, everything else is also very poor. I need to study with Mr. Gao. Could I perhaps visit your home for five or ten days to study with Mr. Shao for half a day or a day?”
“Um, if it’s inconvenient, you… um…” Li Xuedong stammered and his tongue felt tied.
To freeload a teacher at someone else’s home without paying a single copper coin, and then to ask for this and that, he was already embarrassed and put in a difficult position. Yet, this Brother Hong’s enthusiasm was hotter than fire!
Alas, he didn’t dare to stay at the Gao family’s for several months!
Visiting every five or ten days to ask for guidance in person was what he and his sister had agreed upon. This was the best solution. If that wasn’t possible, then they would see if they could borrow some Investigation of Things books to read on his own.
“Convenient, convenient! Why wouldn’t it be convenient! Three days, five days, ten days, eight days, all are fine! Let me think.”
Second Young Master Hong pinched his chin with two fingers.
“How about this, I’ll go back and tell Mr. Shao, and let Mr. Shao see how many days a week it’s appropriate for you to visit. I’m telling you, Investigation of Things is a subject that really requires careful study. If no one explains it to you, you won’t be able to understand it just by reading books!”
“Thank you, Brother Hong, Brother Hong’s great kindness.” Li Xuedong breathed a sigh of relief and quickly cupped his hands in a deep salute to thank him again.
Second Young Master Hong chuckled, “You just said that great kindness requires no thanks, and now you’re thanking me again. From now on, don’t say ‘thank you’ or ‘great kindness.’ We’re brothers, no need to be polite.”
Li Xuedong became flustered again, cupping his hands, his mouth open, but he couldn’t speak.
He still wanted to say thank you, to say this was a great kindness, but the other person had just said that great kindness requires no thanks.
Second Young Master Hong looked at the awkward and stunned Li Xuedong and burst into laughter. While laughing, he patted Li Xuedong’s shoulder, “You, you are truly a bookworm! Alright, I’ll go back and talk to Mr. Shao first, and I’ll come back tomorrow.”
“I’m telling you, we are legitimate fellow students and brothers. You absolutely must not be polite with me. Alright, we’ll meet again tomorrow.” Second Young Master Hong cupped his hands towards Li Xuedong, called out his farewell to Mrs. Gao, mounted his horse, and left.
Li Xuedong saw him off to the courtyard gate and watched Second Young Master Hong jiggle the reins and start riding. He let out a long sigh of relief, raised his hand to wipe his sweat, and his shoulders sagged.
Alas, Brother Hong’s enthusiasm was too much pressure for someone like him who had never experienced such social interactions. It had truly put him in a difficult position!
