Chapter 37 – The Quarrel
At the end of July, Shang Yulou took those children away and left Qinghe County.
The eastern courtyard returned to normal, with Lord Bai Jiu still presiding over Qinghe.
The Bai family’s eldest young master, Bai Mingzhe, was busy traveling back and forth between Qinghe and Heihe. The Heihe distillery had just received a sky-high order and was in a frenzy of activity. Every matter, no matter how small, had to be reported to Lord Bai Jiu first. Only after he nodded could instructions be passed down. Everyone worked with extreme caution, afraid of making even the slightest mistake.
Bai Rongjiu sat drinking tea and reading. When he saw Bai Mingzhe coming, he advised calmly:
“You’re the chief manager of the Heihe firm. Whatever needs doing there, just go ahead and do it boldly. If others see you running back and forth like a messenger boy, it’ll hurt your reputation. You handle things well—I’ve always trusted you. Besides, such constant travel is too tiring. From now on, there’s no need to do that.”
Bai Mingzhe smiled.
“I’d rather be your little assistant for a year, Lord Bai Jiu. Following you would teach me more than ten years of reading ever could.”
At that, Lord Bai Jiu suddenly remembered something.
“Speaking of reading, I heard something’s been going on at the clan school lately?”
Bai Mingzhe hesitated briefly, then replied, “It’s nothing serious. Just children fooling around—you needn’t worry. My younger brother got into an argument with another boy; they shoved each other a bit. The teacher already punished them.”
Lord Bai Jiu put down his book and frowned slightly.
“Since it’s children’s business, let them resolve it themselves.”
Bai Mingzhe acknowledged the order and was about to leave when he heard Lord Bai Jiu add, “Jing’er, go to the clan school for me and keep an eye on things. If anyone refuses to study properly, expel them.”
Bai Mingzhe paused mid-step, turned as if to speak, but stopped.
Lord Bai Jiu continued evenly, “A letter arrived today from the provincial capital. At the end of the year, they’ll be selecting a few students to go to Beiping for advanced study—anywhere from three months to a year. A foreign missionary has already been arranged to teach English there. Once they’ve learned enough, they’ll be sent abroad for further study. All expenses will be covered by the clan fund.”
Bai Mingzhe was astonished and delighted. He hadn’t expected such good fortune. Nowadays, studying abroad wasn’t merely a matter of having money—you needed recommendation letters from those who had already been overseas. Securing such a path was anything but easy.
The Bai family in the provincial capital was different from the Qinghe branch. The main household’s influence was vast—connections reaching from the Beiping central government down to the river and canal administrations. This was a rare opportunity others could only dream of, and now, a few slots were even being offered to Qinghe’s clan school. It was an unexpected blessing indeed!
Overjoyed, Bai Mingzhe personally accompanied Xie Jing to the clan school.
On the way, after checking no one was around, he said quietly, “Little Xie, you’ve been by Lord Bai Jiu’s side for some time, so I won’t hide it from you. The clan school’s little scuffle was actually quite a fuss, though it’s just childish nonsense. I didn’t want to disturb Lord Bai Jiu with such trivialities. If you hear rumors, don’t take them too seriously—they’re just ten-year-olds running their mouths.”
Xie Jing nodded.
Bai Mingzhe went on, “Did Lord Bai Jiu mention the study-abroad selection? Are there any requirements—like exams or teacher recommendations?”
Xie Jing said, “The letter only arrived this morning. Lord Bai Jiu didn’t go into detail, but it sounded like there’ll be further screening in Beiping. Last year, some students were chosen, but two couldn’t keep up with the English lessons, so this autumn they couldn’t sail with the rest and must stay another year.”
Bai Mingzhe was surprised, “So even if they fail the first time, they get another chance?”
Xie Jing nodded, “Yes, but if they still can’t keep up after that, then it’s over.”
Bai Mingzhe sighed, “That’s how it should be. So many people would kill for such an opening—you can’t keep waiting forever. Honestly, if it weren’t for the old master of the main branch having been one of the first to study abroad, we’d never have such luck. I heard Lord Bai Jiu also spent a few years in England as a child, following the old master. When he first came back, he even spoke half foreign words. Took him half a year to fix it! Now he speaks perfect Mandarin.”
Xie Jing smiled and nodded.
Lord Bai Jiu’s tutors were all remarkable men—among them, Mr. Huang Mingyou was closest to him, having personally taught him since youth. His northern accent came from that very teacher.
At the Clan School, Bai Mingzhe dropped Xie Jing off, explaining he was there to supervise, then cheerfully went off to share the good news about studying abroad with the teachers.
Xie Jing entered the classroom quietly. He had attended here for a few days before; his old seat was still there.
The teacher was out during recess, and the classroom was in chaos—boys shouting, chasing one another, not a moment of peace.
Xie Jing stepped lightly. His old seat was taken, so he chose another vacant one. Before long, someone spotted him and ran off to tell Bai Mingyu.
Bai Mingyu came bounding over, plopped himself on Xie Jing’s desk, and grinned, “Hey, Little Xie! What brings you here today?”
Xie Jing looked up, and before he could answer, Bai Mingyu leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, “There’s nothing fun here. This afternoon’s class is boring—teacher always dozes off halfway through. When he’s asleep, let’s sneak out, yeah? There’s a new cook at the theater’s private box—makes the best pastries! I wanted to bring you some last time. Ever had peanut crisps?”
Xie Jing shook his head, “I’m not going.”
Bai Mingyu blinked.
“Why not? Don’t like peanut crisps? Then how about lamb hotpot?”
“I came here for something else.”
“Something else? What?”
“…To see you all study.”
Bai Mingyu stared at him, puzzled, then clicked his tongue.
“You’re way too serious. Who actually studies all day long?”
Xie Jing, good-natured as ever, replied, “You’re right, Second Young Master. But I’d still like to listen today. I never had the chance to attend school before—I want to hear more of the teacher’s lessons.”
Bai Mingyu thought for a moment.
“Alright, then I’ll stay too! I’ll keep you company.”
Still childish at heart, he was delighted to have a companion. He had his followers move a desk over so he could sit beside Xie Jing, shared his textbook, and before long was calling him “Little Xie” over and over, warm and familiar.
The class bell rang, but the teacher hadn’t returned. The room was still full of laughter and chatter.
Suddenly, a fifteen-year-old student in the front row slammed his desk and shouted, “Enough! Are you ever going to stop? You come here just to play instead of studying, and you’re disturbing others who want to learn!”
Bai Mingyu jumped, then snapped back, “The teacher’s not even here! What are you yelling for?”
The boy turned, his face tight with anger, “You Bai family people really think you can do whatever you please, huh? Just because this school belongs to your clan doesn’t mean you can act lawlessly!”
Bai Mingyu flared up.
“Who are you calling unreasonable? Come out and say that again!”
“You, Bai Mingyu!” the boy retorted, unafraid though he was thinner and smaller. He stood tall, his eyes bright with indignation. “You skip class and fool around—that’s your business. But you can’t go around beating classmates just because of an argument!”
Bai Mingyu was stunned.
“Who did I beat?”
“You beat my cousin, Fang Jiwu!”
“Who’s that supposed to be?”
“Don’t play dumb!”
Bai Mingyu genuinely couldn’t recall anyone by that name. The clan school had three classes and over a hundred students—he couldn’t know everyone. But he recognized his accuser: Wang Jingqiu, the top student every year, the one his father and elder brother constantly compared him to. Every time report cards came out, he’d hear that name until his ears rang.
Unlike other schools, the Bai clan school had a courtyard monument carved with the best students’ names. For years, it was all “Bai”s—until Wang Jingqiu appeared, taking first place three years in a row.
Bai Mingyu had been scolded endlessly over it.
But what could he do? He simply couldn’t beat the boy’s grades. And Wang Jingqiu was the rigid, righteous type—utterly by-the-book. Bai Mingyu had long avoided him whenever possible.
Wang Jingqiu, on the other hand, had little patience for the spoiled Bai second son. But today, with his cousin injured, he couldn’t swallow the insult and confronted him head-on.
“Whenever I fight, I own up to it,” Bai Mingyu shot back. “But I never laid a hand on your cousin. Don’t pin that on me! However bad he’s hurt, I’m not paying a cent!”
“Who wants your money! I want you to apologize!”
“In your dreams! I told you I didn’t hit him! Stop twisting words!”
“Three days ago you quarreled with him right here in class. Everyone saw it,” Wang Jingqiu said angrily, his chest heaving. But as his gaze swept the room, every other student avoided his eyes—none dared back him up. Gritting his teeth, he demanded,
“They might be afraid of you, but I’m not. I just want justice. Three days ago, did you or did you not overturn Fang Jiwu’s desk and threaten to beat him?”
Bai Mingyu frowned, vaguely remembering that incident.
“Yeah, I flipped a desk. So that kid’s your cousin?”
“Then you admit it! You lured him to the eastern alley and had him beaten!”
“Don’t talk nonsense! I didn’t do that! Ask anyone—I’ve been at the theater all week eating cakes and hotpot. Haven’t even been near the east side.”
Several others chimed in agreement. Whatever else might be true, the skipping-class and hotpot part certainly was—they’d gone together three times already. The new cook, Master Ma, sliced lamb paper-thin, and the sesame sauce was divine.
Just thinking about it made them hungry again.
Wang Jingqiu’s face flushed red with fury as he realized everyone was siding with Bai Mingyu. He threw up his sleeves and snapped, “You’re all in this together! Of course they’ll defend you!”
