The next day, before dawn had even broken, Lin Heyu was shaken awake by Ji Huai.

“What are you doing!”

Lin Heyu was somewhat irritable upon waking. He slept in Ji Huai’s bedroom, on a couch placed in the corner. Lin Heyu could sleep soundly anywhere, but he hadn’t expected to be dragged out of bed by the energetic Ji Huai before daybreak.

“Get up quickly. We agreed on a study plan, and not a single day can be wasted.” Ji Huai was already fully dressed. It had to be said that ancient clothing was indeed complicated and difficult to wear. Even after being in this dynasty for so long, he had only recently learned how to properly put on these intricate garments.

However, based on Ji Huai’s experience watching historical dramas, the clothes he wore belonged to the poor commoners. They were complicated, but not excessively so. If they were the clothes worn by nobles and officials, “complicated” wouldn’t even begin to describe them.

Unable to resist Ji Huai’s pestering, Lin Heyu struggled to keep his heavy eyelids from sealing shut. With great effort, he restrained his temper and grumpily put on his clothes.

Ji Huai didn’t mind the child’s attitude. After ensuring Lin Heyu had tidied himself up properly, he took out a book scroll. The two of them stood in the faint morning light of the fenced courtyard and slowly unrolled the scroll.

In this era, Ji Huai discovered that the Analects remained a key text for examinations. The ancients thoroughly studied the Four Books and Five Classics, with the Analects being the most important. The thoughts and legacy of Confucius had continued unbroken for hundreds and thousands of years. Whether in the current Qing Country or the 21st-century China he came from, the principles of conduct and behavior still adhered to the ancestral heritage.

However, the Analects were still too advanced and premature for the students he was currently teaching. His students varied in age but were uniformly at the same learning level, primarily because Li Village had only one Cultivated Talent and only one Teacher. The original Ji Huai would teach strictly by the book, never considering the students’ comprehension levels or adapting his teaching to their abilities. It was as if teaching was merely a task for him he cared only about completing the syllabus, not about how well the task was accomplished. In his own time, this would have been a serious violation of the teaching principles of “teaching students according to their aptitude” and “educating through instruction.”

Ji Huai sighed, feeling sorry for these children. However, the original Ji Huai did have his merits he charged very little in tuition fees, allowing many village children to attend the schoolhouse. Still, not many families actually sent their children to study, mostly because they were too impoverished, and the children were needed as laborers, making it impossible for them to attend school.

Gazing at the gradually rising sun in the distance, Ji Huai watched as the gentle morning sunlight slowly devoured the boundless darkness, struggling above the horizon. He turned to Lin Heyu, who was nodding off, and asked, “Have you read the Analects?”

Ji Huai had assumed that given Lin Heyu’s mischievous and lazy nature, he surely hadn’t read it. To his surprise, Lin Heyu, with bleary eyes, nodded and mumbled a weak “Mm-hmm.”

Ji Huai was somewhat astonished. Lin Heyu appeared older than Li Yuanyuan and Li Xiaohu from the schoolhouse, nearly reaching the age for tying his hair and wearing a cap. It wasn’t strange that he had read the Analects.

“Come on, recite a few lines for me,” Ji Huai said, growing interested. Although he was a science teacher who taught physics, he still had some interest in literature. After all, he was a versatile teacher capable of substituting for Chinese language classes.

Lin Heyu opened his eyes, squinted halfway toward the rising sun on the horizon, and blurted out: “Men at their birth are naturally good…”

“…That was the Three Character Classic.” Ji Huai waved his hand, signaling Lin Heyu to stop. “Then today I’ll teach you the Analects. Study well, so you can achieve Imperial examination success and realize the fairness and justice in your ideals.”

Yesterday, Lin Heyu’s words had awakened something in Ji Huai.

He came to this world with a mission too. Since he could no longer teach his beloved students from before, teaching these children in Li Village had become his mission. Lin Heyu had asked why high officials who received imperial salaries couldn’t understand propriety and wisdom – then why not squeeze himself into the circle of power and strive to change everything?

In this era, as long as one studied diligently and achieved Imperial examination success, whether Commoner or Offspring of influential families, everyone had the possibility of Becoming a high-ranking official.

Ji Huai’s words were spoken lightly, yet carried infinite hope and power. Lin Heyu suddenly became clear-headed, staring blankly at the emerald-green figure haloed by the morning light. After a long moment, he opened his mouth.

“Ah?” Lin Heyu widened his eyes, pointing at himself. “Me?”

Ji Huai frowned slightly at Lin Heyu’s unmotivated appearance. With a stern expression, he said, “Yes, you. Think about how many outstanding students I’ve taught – many even got into Tsinghua and Peking University. How could I fail to teach someone like you?”

“Hey, wait, what do you mean ‘someone like me’?” Lin Heyu thought for a moment and found something else wrong. “Hold on, what are Tsinghua and Peking University? And how many students have you taught? We only have a few students attending the Schoolhouse here. I don’t remember…”

“Ahem.” Ji Huai coughed, interrupting Lin Heyu’s endless questions, and said calmly, “Let’s not mention past matters.”

The confusion between Lin Heyu’s brows grew heavier. He always felt that today’s Teacher was acting strangely again, always saying things he didn’t understand.

During their casual conversation, they hadn’t read many pages, but time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was time for school.

Ji Huai also put away the scroll in his hand and led Lin Heyu toward the front courtyard’s Schoolhouse.

In the Schoolhouse not yet fully illuminated by sunlight, no students had arrived yet. But behind a large tree outside the Schoolhouse, Ji Huai spotted a small figure.

It was A Hua.

A Hua was engrossed in reading a crudely made bamboo scroll, completely unaware of Ji Huai and Lin Heyu’s arrival.

Ji Huai, with his hands behind his back, stepped over the stone steps and smiled with satisfaction.

“A Hua, you came early. Why not come inside?” Ji Huai walked to the Schoolhouse entrance and pushed open the door. As expected, there wasn’t a single child inside. At this hour, no one had come to class yet.

Ji Huai’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, but he remained gentle with A Hua.

Hearing the voice, A Hua finally noticed the Teacher’s arrival. She immediately placed the bamboo scroll into the satchel in front of her, clasped her hands together, her delicate little face full of struggle and hesitation. Finally, she fumbled in her bag, pulled out a handful of copper coins, and knelt with a thud before Ji Huai.

“Respected Teacher, please accept this humble girl’s bow.” A Hua didn’t dare call herself a disciple. Even though Ji Huai had said yesterday that she could come to the Schoolhouse to study, she didn’t dare ask her elderly grandmother to accompany her to worship Confucius and present the Tuition fee for enlightenment. She could only come alone, without proper etiquette.

Tears of grievance and injustice welled up in A Hua’s eyes, yet she knew there was no precedent for girls to receive an education. She didn’t know how to properly observe etiquette and respect traditions either. She had brought all the money she possessed – every coin painstakingly saved from selling flowers in town.

Ji Huai was completely taken aback by A Hua’s kneeling. He quickly stepped aside and bent down to help her up. “What are you doing this for?”

A Hua’s face flushed crimson as she whispered, “Teacher, I know this isn’t enough for the tuition fee, but I’ll work hard to save more. I… I have no family to accompany me for my enlightenment education with the Teacher, and… and I’m not qualified to pay respects to Confucius either. I… I’m ashamed.”

A Hua’s voice trembled on the verge of tears. After yesterday’s excitement faded, she had come to face the harsh reality. Despite her young age, she bore all responsibilities alone.

Ji Huai had heard some things about A Hua from Lin Heyu – her grandmother was ill, her mother had passed away early, she managed everything at home by herself, and she had a gambling father who was rarely home.

She’s a child born to suffer, Ji Huai thought with a aching heart.

He gently stroked A Hua’s smooth long hair. Today she wore different clothes than yesterday – much prettier and cleaner, seemingly new without the stiff, faded marks from repeated washing.

“Get up. I don’t care about those formalities. Anyone who wants to study can come to the schoolhouse. Elaborate rituals are just formalism. Confucius wouldn’t blame you, and I certainly won’t either.”

A Hua choked back sobs. “Then please accept these copper coins, Teacher. Consider it A Hua’s humble offering.”

Ji Huai looked at the scattered coins resting on her not-so-fair palm, wondering how long she must have sold flowers to save this much. He shook his head, reluctant to accept.

Lin Heyu stood to the side, remaining completely silent throughout, quietly observing his Teacher. This was the same Teacher he had once disliked the most, yet now Ji Huai was undergoing earth-shaking changes.

Kind, sincere, free-spirited, unconcerned with minor details, unafraid of worldly conventions, not pedantic, not arrogant – he seemed like a completely different person from the Teacher of before.

Lin Heyu couldn’t help wondering: Could nearly drowning really change a person so thoroughly? As if he had become someone entirely different?

Before Lin Heyu could sort out his thoughts, A Hua grew increasingly anxious.

“Teacher, please take it quickly. If you don’t, my father will find this money and gamble it away anyway. It’s better to give it to you – this was meant for my tuition fee. Even if it’s not enough yet, I’ll slowly save more. Please don’t disdain it for being too little – I’ll definitely work hard.”

A Hua’s voice carried urgency, her words rapid and frantic as she tightly grasped Ji Huai’s hand, pressing the coins into his palm.

Reluctantly, Ji Huai had to accept them. Before he could say anything more, their conversation was interrupted by cheerful noises outside the courtyard gate.

Li Xiaohu and the others had arrived for class.

Ji Huai helped A Hua up, then walked to the entrance, watching the little beansprouts file in.

“Li Xiaohu, you’re late.” Ji Huai put on a stern face, holding the disciplinary ruler with thoroughly intimidating presence.

Li Xiaohu, leading the group, hadn’t expected to run directly into the Teacher. He swallowed nervously, pressed his lips together, and tremblingly extended his hand with full awareness of the consequence.

But the little bean sprout on his back protested, crying out loudly.

The disciplinary ruler in Ji Huai’s hand didn’t descend. It appeared Li Xiaohu’s lateness was due to caring for his younger brother at home – today he had brought the young child along.

Ji Huai sighed, somewhat regretting the promise he had made to Li Xiaohu that day. Having a non-verbal infant in the classroom made the difficulty of teaching skyrocket.

“Go in, but don’t let it happen again.”

Ji Huai waved his hand, his expression stern as he watched Yuan Yuan trying to sneak in.

“Yuan Yuan”

“Why are you late too?”

Li Yuanyuan trembled all over and explained fearfully, “I… my mother is sick. I was taking care of her.”

“Really?” Ji Huai narrowed his eyes, trying to detect any flaws in Li Yuanyuan’s expression.

“Mhm.” Yuan Yuan’s voice was somewhat dejected. “My mother’s legs always hurt during extreme heat or cold.”

Thinking of the fierce Aunt Li, Ji Huai’s face also showed concern. He waved his hand, allowing Yuan Yuan to enter. “After class, I’ll go check on Aunt Li.”

“Okay.”

After the last student had taken their seat, Ji Huai returned to the front of the classroom and lightly tapped the table.

“Class begins.”

“Go-od mo-rning, tea-cher…”

The childish voices, drawn out in long tones, echoed at the moment the sun rose. As countless crimson clouds illuminated the sky, a new generation’s hope was also steadily rising.