OFTLHFRO C26

Chapter 26: Dare to Act, Dare to Bear

Before those parents could even open their mouths, the landlord Liu’s son shouted, “I won’t! Why should I apologize to those two mud-legged peasants? I wasn’t wrong, their father really is a catamite!* He lets men sleep with him! Looking like that, and still grinning all over the streets—if that isn’t shamelessly flaunting his charms, then what is?!”

Landlord Liu also said, “That’s right, my son didn’t say anything wrong. Why should he apologize? Giving you twenty taels of silver—is that enough?”

As soon as he said it, Landlord Liu caught sight of Huo Yan’s gaze. Feeling guilty, he quickly looked away and took half a step back.

Huo Xiang, who had been crying for quite some time, clenched his fists in fury when he heard this. Once he grew up, he swore he would kill them!

Luo Mingchen stepped forward and asked, “Your family are landlords, right?”

Liu Jinbao smirked smugly. “So what if we are?”

“With so much land in your household, yet you still look down on those who farm it. Trace back eight generations, and your ancestors were also mud-legged peasants. The family business passed into your hands, and with the brains you’ve got, it won’t last long. At most, you’ll squander everything within two or three years. By the time your father is in the ground… oh wait, he might not even be buried yet, you two will already be begging on the streets together.”

Luo Mingchen sneered coldly at Landlord Liu. “You’re no smarter yourself. Spoiling your son like this. Twenty taels of silver? As if that could cover anything. Truly, ‘like father, like son’—just as stupid as pigs. Sworn brothers are recognized by law, yet as soon as you see sworn brothers,* you insult them. Should I take that to mean you disapprove of the laws set by the imperial court? Are you trying to overthrow the court’s rule?”

At these words, even Landlord Liu, fool as he was, knew he couldn’t agree. “That’s nonsense! When have I ever disobeyed the laws of the imperial court?”

“Then when have you ever seen me working as a catamite in a pleasure house? Children might not understand, but how could you, as the father, not know better? You close your eyes and just make accusations. If a man doesn’t smile while doing business on the street, how could he sell anything? So by your reasoning, every vendor, every merchant, is a catamite, all flaunting themselves, is that right?”

By this point, Luo Mingchen turned toward the other children’s parents. “Some of you also do business, don’t you? Yet your sons are happy to be toadies for this kind of person. Isn’t that laughable?”

Hearing this, several people’s faces changed, and the way they looked at Landlord Liu’s son shifted—after all, they were merchants themselves.

But Liu Jinbao still didn’t realize what was wrong. “What honest person would sell things for a living? Merchants are lowborn, and you’re just degrading yourself!”

Landlord Liu froze. Saying such things at home was one thing, but blurting them out in public? That was as good as offending everyone present!

Seeing how the others glanced over, Landlord Liu hurriedly tugged at his own son. “How can you say that in front of people?”

Liu Jinbao rolled his eyes. “Father! What are you afraid of? It’s the truth, I didn’t say anything wrong.”

Landlord Liu rubbed his nose in embarrassment.

Teacher Mo’s face darkened as he listened. “This is going too far! You will immediately apologize to the two Huo students. If not, then you won’t be allowed to come to the academy anymore!”

Liu Jinbao sneered. “Then I won’t come! My family has plenty of money. Tons of academies beg me to join. They even ask my father for donations to repair their school buildings. Do you think I care about staying here?”

“You ignorant brat!” Teacher Mo snapped coldly. “Since that’s the case, this humble Baisleaf Academy* cannot accommodate your exalted self. Pack your things and leave at once!”

Only then did Landlord Liu panic. “Teacher Mo, Jinbao didn’t mean it like that.”

“I understood his meaning quite clearly. No need for you to explain further.”

Growing annoyed, Liu Jinbao barked, “Father! Why are you afraid of him? Our family’s so rich. Do you think we can’t find a better teacher? I’ve long had enough of him! He won’t take money, won’t accept gifts, and acts like he’s so high and mighty.”

In anger, Landlord Liu slapped him across the face. “Shut your mouth!”

Though Baisleaf Academy wasn’t that famous, Teacher Mo had been the county magistrate’s teacher. If one wanted to pursue an official career in the future, such a connection was invaluable. The county magistrate was sure to favor his teacher’s students when writing recommendations.

Liu Jinbao, stunned by the slap, stared in disbelief. “Father! I’m your own son! And you’d hit me over an outsider?!”

Landlord Liu frowned. “Hurry and kneel to Teacher Mo, kowtow, and admit your mistake!”

“I won’t!”

Howling this out, Liu Jinbao stormed off in rage.

Landlord Liu couldn’t hold him back. All he could do was smile apologetically at Teacher Mo. “I’ll bring that brat back immediately to apologize.”

“No need,” Teacher Mo said evenly. “This year is only half done. For the remainder, I’ll have someone calculate and deliver your family’s school fees back to your residence. Your son needn’t attend again.”

Left with no choice, Landlord Liu hurried away to find his son, planning to bring him back and personally speak with Teacher Mo.

Turning to the others, Teacher Mo asked, “And what about you? Do you also wish to change academies?”

The three children quickly shook their heads.

“If not, then apologize.”

Teacher Mo had no patience left. Today’s events had enraged him enough. To think that a student he had personally taught turned out like this. And he had never seen the boy’s true nature until now—what a bitter joke!

Once the instigator had fled, the remaining three could only obediently apologize.

Unlike Liu Jinbao, their fathers owned mere shops. They weren’t wealthy landlords; for them, studying was their one path to advancement.

Huo Yuhui watched the three with mixed feelings, though his face stayed calm as he accepted their apology.

Because whether or not he accepted, it made no difference to them. Refusal would only make him seem narrow-minded. Thus, accepting an apology was not the same as forgiving—it was just keeping appearances.

Luo Mingchen felt the same. He didn’t care either way, so long as everyone could coexist peacefully at the academy in the future.

Even so, Teacher Mo required restitution. “You will each pay for the medical costs of the injuries. In addition, each of you will take five strikes of the ruler and copy the ‘Standards for Being a Good Student and Child’ one hundred times. Starting tomorrow, after lessons you will each copy it ten times before you may leave, and you will also clean the academy.”

Then he turned to the more severely injured Huo Yuhui. “Although you were the victims, you still participated in the fight. So you too must accept punishment. Given your injuries, the five strikes of the ruler may be delayed, but you still must copy the text after school to reflect. However, you are exempt from cleaning the academy.”

Having said that, Teacher Mo paused, then asked Huo Yuhui, “Do you have any objections?”

Huo Yuhui struggled to stand, bowed, and said, “The student accepts.”

Teacher Mo nodded, then turned to the others. “And you?”

They too replied, “We accept…”

If they didn’t, they’d be expelled outright, and then beaten at home as well.

Some parents murmured that five strikes of the ruler was a bit too harsh.

One lady even tried, “Teacher, perhaps one strike a day instead?”

Teacher Mo gave no reply. Instead, he ordered the little bookboy to bring over the ruler. “Hold out your left hand. You’ll need your right to copy texts and do housework.”

The three of them: “…”

Huo Xiang, watching Teacher Mo discipline the three troublemakers, felt great satisfaction. But when his own turn came, he couldn’t help feeling nervous.

Luo Mingchen nudged his shoulder. “Go on. If you dare to act, you must dare to accept the consequences. Violate the academy’s rules, and you must bear the punishment. Next time, think twice before acting.”

Hearing that, Huo Xiang stopped trying to hide, and bravely stretched out his left hand.

Footnotes:

• Catamite – an insulting term here, referring to a boy or male sex worker kept for the pleasure of men in brothels. This is a slur used to attack the protagonist’s family background.
• Sworn brothers (契兄弟, qì xiōngdì) – a formalized relationship, recognized in some dynasties as legally binding, where two men swear brotherhood, becoming kin outside blood ties.
• Baisleaf Academy (百葉書院, Bǎiyè Shūyuàn) – a private school. The term “書院 (shūyuàn)” was used historically in China for academies where teachers taught Confucian texts and ethics.