Chapter 258

When there are children in the house, life seems to pass incredibly quickly; busy with work, busy with caring for the child, and in the blink of an eye, autumn has arrived again. Wang Xiujin personally brought people to deliver grain to several children, faithfully keeping his promise. The royal youngsters were overjoyed, siding with Wang Xiujin, believing that Royal Merchant Wang was a good person, and that their uncles and elder brothers at home had misunderstood him. Some even speculated that certain individuals had intentionally slandered Royal Merchant Wang in front of them. Wang Xiujin had not intended merely to keep his promise, but inadvertently won their favor.

The other royal children who did not receive Wang Xiujin’s friendly grain sponsorship obediently went to their estates to harvest. Previously ignorant of the hardships of labor, accustomed to leaving food unfinished and refusing meals they didn’t like, these young nobles, after a year of farming and reaping, came to deeply understand the toils of the farmer. Hearing from the estate workers that there was no tax on the estate, but that ordinary farmers had to pay grain after the autumn harvest or money in lieu of grain, the straightforward helpers told the young masters that the grain they harvested was not even enough to pay taxes. If they were truly farmers, their families would be forced to starve for the coming year. This realization filled the young nobles with guilt.

Wang Xiujin firmly believed that children were inherently good; if they turned bad, it was mostly due to their environment. Of course, there were undeniable exceptions—those destined for a crooked path from birth—but such cases were rare. Aside from these exceptions, if one guided children correctly when their character could still be shaped, a change was possible. The transformation of the royal children was, as Wang Xiujin expected, yet it came as a surprise to their elders. Seeing the children’s significant changes, all hesitation vanished, and they resolved to send them to farm every year, to temper their bodies through labor.

After the autumn harvest, the first lesson at the academy centered on an essay provided by Wang Xiujin, an excerpt from "Mencius: Gaozi II," featuring that famous passage about Heaven imposing great responsibility. Wang Xiujin had never imagined he could recite the whole text from memory, and as he transcribed it, he couldn't help but reflect that, whether in his previous life or this one, during life's downturns and hardships, it was this very passage that sustained and encouraged him. Otherwise, how could he have persevered?

The essay was taught in the classroom, recited by the royal children, and carried to the halls of power. The civil officials praised Wang Xiujin’s literary talent, though some seized upon it as a pretext, claiming that “the nation will surely perish” was reckless speech. For Wang Xiujin, whatever the civil officials schemed was but a trivial matter; his academy taught royal children, and if these heirs felt no sense of crisis, believing that resting on their forebears’ achievements would preserve the nation, then, without him saying so, Great Liang would not long endure.

After the emperor praised Wang Xiujin’s literary skill, he saw the officials’ memorials and was both amused and angered. He did not tell Lord Wang or Old General Li about it, but handed the matter directly to the Investigative Bureau, instructing them to uncover the people behind these officials and, once identified, to arrest them. Within days, the capital was awash in blood and turmoil once more.

Wang Xiujin, busy with various affairs, remained unaware. The Li and Wang families knew something, but said nothing to Wang Xiujin. Before submitting the essay, Wang Xiujin had already mentioned that he had found it in miscellaneous books; he merely thought it suitable for royal children and transcribed it for them to understand its meaning. The emperor had just praised it, yet the censors insisted on making a fuss. Were they opposing Wang Xiujin, or suggesting the emperor was blind? If they suffered at the emperor’s hands, it was their own fault.

At the academy, the royal children’s attitude grew ever more earnest. The teachers were gratified, and when this reached Wang Xiujin’s ears, he nodded in approval. His hard work in transcribing the essay had not been wasted, but he soon put the matter aside—he had too much to occupy him. Since the children were learning diligently, he need not worry further.

The storm stirred by the essay ended without Wang Xiujin’s awareness. After tending to his shops and workshops, the year rolled around to its end, and Wang Xiujin was like a spinning top, so busy that even Ya Chang saw little of him. Fortunately, though Li Linshan was busy, he still found time to spend with their son. By the time Wang Xiujin finished his tasks, it was already year’s end, and the steward was bustling about preparing for the New Year. Festive spirit filled the house.

Ya Chang was especially delighted to see his little father finally free, trailing him everywhere, step for step, refusing to nap at the usual time, just following his little father around. Wang Xiujin held his son and coaxed him, seeing Ya Chang’s wide eyes and his tiny hands clutching his clothes. The little one’s manner made Wang Xiujin both laugh and ache with tenderness, prompting constant self-examination—had he neglected his son for work? If Ya Chang didn’t want to sleep, then so be it; he would play with him.

As he played, Wang Xiujin pondered and noticed that Li Linshan seemed not to have gone to the frontier this year; last year he hadn’t gone because someone had come from the frontier, but this year there had been no such word. When Li Linshan returned, Wang Xiujin mentioned it. Li Linshan looked at him, “There were other matters this year. The fourth prince took people from the Investigative Bureau.”

Wang Xiujin nodded, but wondered how long the bureau had even existed—did it have enough force? Yet this was not really his concern, so he put it out of mind. Since Li Linshan was not going, he need not worry.

Just before the New Year, freshly slaughtered beef and mutton arrived from the estate. Wang Xiujin instructed the cook to slice it, and the whole family gathered to enjoy hotpot. He also had the cook mince the beef offal, stew it with sauce and carrots, so his son could eat it with rice. Ya Chang seemed to love it, eating heartily when Wang Xiujin fed him. Li Linshan watched their son wait for his meal, “The other day, Nurse Li said Ya Chang can eat with a spoon now.”

“He may be able to use it, but the strength is uneven, and food spills as he eats.” Wang Xiujin recalled how he himself looked when first using a spoon as a child, and laughed. “Let Ya Chang practice slowly—today, let little father feed him, alright?” Ya Chang was very cooperative, eyes fixed on the bowl, nodding vigorously.

Li Linshan, seeing the warm scene between father and son, sat beside them, his expression softening. “Can Ya Chang eat hotpot yet?”

“Not just yet!” Wang Xiujin thought for a moment. “Let’s wait until he’s older. I worry that eating solid food too early will upset his stomach—best to be careful with young children.”

Li Linshan propped his head in his hand, watching, “Ya Chang is eating more and more, just like me. Grandfather said that as a child, I could eat three bowls of rice in one meal and be hungry again soon after.”

“To have a good appetite is a blessing,” Wang Xiujin said, not pausing as he fed his son, who ate so eagerly that it made Wang Xiujin feel hungry himself. “Watching my son eat is especially appetizing.” That evening, Wang Xiujin ate an extra plate of meat.

This year, the Li family was more complete than ever; though the second master and his spouse had returned, after the New Year their children would head south to reunite with their father. Wang Xiujin prepared many gifts for his cousins—food, clothes, toys, everything. He had stocked up on firecrackers the cousins liked, hoping to make their last New Year in the capital lively, since who knew when they’d return next. He did not want them to leave with any regrets.

Once again, the palace canceled the New Year banquet. The reason given was the princes felt it would waste too much grain. The excuse sounded flimsy, but no one dared inquire further; if the emperor gave a reason, so much the better, and if not, who would dare question him?

Without the palace banquet, the general’s residence was lively indeed. Li Linshan led his younger siblings outside to set off firecrackers, while Wang Xiujin held his son indoors listening to the noise. Ya Chang was still too young—the cold might harm him. He stayed quietly in his little father’s arms, unmoved by the commotion outside, and when bedtime came, started to yawn. Rocked for a while, he soon fell asleep. Wang Xiujin gazed at Ya Chang; children were cutest when asleep. Though Ya Chang was well-behaved, caring for him while awake was exhausting and required much effort.

After putting his son to sleep, Li Linshan finished with the firecrackers, sent his siblings off to play elsewhere, and returned to their courtyard.

“This morning, little father said we must find a wife for Big Brother after the New Year,” Wang Xiujin remarked, referring to Li Linshan’s eldest half-brother, who would come of age after the New Year and was due to be matched.

Li Linshan fell silent. He was not fond of his half-brothers; as a child, his status was clear, and though the half-brothers openly and covertly excluded him, they dared not cause serious trouble. His father favored them highly, and were it not for his grandfather’s restraint, anything could have happened. Later, after surviving the battlefield and returning home, his father’s attitude changed, and then a succession of family matters followed. Li Linshan bore no grudges, but would not grow close to them either. “If he doesn’t wish it, let him decline.”

Wang Xiujin observed Li Linshan’s subdued mood, recalling his earlier circumstances and realizing he’d misspoken. “Though I’d rather not meddle, it’s best to keep an eye on things, lest a troublemaker is brought into the family.”

“Once he marries, he can move out,” Li Linshan said as if it were the most natural thing. Wang Xiujin was puzzled.

Li Linshan, thinking of the Wang family’s environment, understood Wang Xiujin’s confusion. “He is only a concubine’s son; it’s normal for him to be separated out.”

Wang Xiujin blinked in understanding. The distinction between legitimate and illegitimate sons in ancient times was no trivial matter; though Li Xiujin’s mother was respected, his status would not change. The legitimate son was the heir, while illegitimate sons were born to concubines—calling them young masters was a courtesy. “It’s no trouble, little father just mentioned it, it’s merely lending a hand.”