The commotion in the courtyard of the youth academy naturally carried into the building.
As soon as the teacher heard the words “My lord,” he quickly walked outside and happened to hear what Zhang Jing was saying.
However, he did not step forward to interrupt.
The reason he had been discharged from the army was not because he lacked ability, nor because he had suffered severe injuries.
Rather, it was because he could read and write.
As a result, he had become the village elder of this settlement.
The lord had even given him a rather imposing title:
Principal.
A group of children emerged from the building.
Seeing so many unfamiliar faces in the courtyard, they did not dare speak and instinctively hid behind the principal.
“A real man only needs to cry for a little while!”
With tears at the corners of his eyes, Zhang Jing laughed and scolded:
“If you keep crying, you’ll make me cry too. And if that happens, you’ll be in trouble!”
“I… I won’t cry anymore, my lord.” The middle-aged man hurriedly wiped away his tears.
“I… I won’t cry anymore.”
“Do you have any children?” Zhang Jing gently patted the man’s back, helping him calm down.
“No.” Once his emotions had settled, the man lowered his voice and said:
“I joined the Way of the Great Peace during the Xiping era. Before that, my parents had already starved to death.”
“Almost twenty years ago…” Zhang Jing could not help sighing.
The first year of the Xiping era was 172 CE.
That era name had been used for seven years, and now it was already 193 CE.
“Yes, my lord.” The middle-aged man nodded heavily.
“It has been eighteen years since I joined the Way of the Great Peace.”
“Tell me.” Looking at the man, Zhang Jing asked:
“Is your body still capable of carrying on your family line? If it is, I’ll find a way to help you.”
“My lord, this…” The man was completely stunned.
Then his old face flushed red.
He was nearly forty years old.
During all his years in the Way of the Great Peace, he had never behaved recklessly, leaving him alone and unmarried to this day.
And now his lord was offering to find him a wife.
The happiness was so sudden that he felt both overwhelmed and embarrassed.
“Stop hemming and hawing.” Pretending to be angry, Zhang Jing said:
“Just tell me whether you can or not. Don’t worry about anything else. Even if you can’t farm, do you think I’d let you go hungry?”
“My lord, I can!” The middle-aged man looked at Zhang Jing and nodded firmly.
“That’s more like it.” Zhang Jing said:
“When I get back, I’ll have the village head make arrangements for you. Whichever family marries their daughter to you, I’ll exempt them from taxes for ten years.”
“You can continue staying at the youth academy, and you’ll always have food provided here.”
“And once you’re married, I’ll exempt your household from taxes until the day you die.”
At present, Zhang Jing could not afford generous military pensions.
But whatever lay within his means, he would do his utmost to provide.
Old veterans and disabled soldiers were treasures.
Only when other soldiers saw how these men were treated would they be willing to fight fearlessly and risk their lives in battle.
It sounded rather calculating.
Yet that was reality.
Even so, no warlord and no dynasty had ever gone as far as Zhang Jing had.
“Long live my lord!” The middle-aged man prostrated himself on the ground, his face flushed with emotion as he cried out:
“If I have another life, I will still serve my lord—holding your stirrup and leading your horse, wielding my blade against your enemies. And when I have children, I will raise them to become your soldiers as well, without regret even if death comes nine times out of ten!”
“Get up.” Zhang Jing helped him to his feet and said:
“Those straw sandals you weave are quite good. In a few months, once commerce opens up throughout Yan Province, you can give the things you make to the village head. He can exchange them for money, and you’ll be able to help support your household.”
“So what if you’ve lost your legs?”
“As a soldier under my command, under Zhang Yuheng, don’t lose heart. Better days are still ahead.”
“Yes, my lord! I believe in you!” The middle-aged man’s eyes shone with hope, filled with anticipation for the rest of his life.
“You’re Principal Li Hei?”
After patting the veteran on the shoulder, Zhang Jing turned toward the teacher who had come out of the building.
“This subordinate, Li Hei, greets my lord!” Li Hei hurriedly cupped his fists and bowed respectfully.
“At ease.” Looking at the children, Zhang Jing said:
“You taught them well just now. Even if it’s only the Ji Jiu Pian (Quick Primer), your task is to make sure every one of them can recognize all the characters.”
“In the future, schools will be established in the townships and counties.”
“The central government will establish academies.”
“If all these children can pass the examinations and enter those schools, you too will have the opportunity to teach there.”
“And if your scholarship proves exceptional, you may even have the chance to govern a county.”
“Do not allow yourself to be confined by this small courtyard before your eyes.”
“And do not abandon your studies.”
“Knowledge has no end. Only then will the future hold limitless possibilities.”
Zhang Jing could not help feeling that his ability to paint grand visions was becoming smoother and more natural.
He had truly reached the point where he could spin them effortlessly.
“This subordinate will forever remember your teachings, my lord!”
Li Hei’s face flushed red with excitement as he respectfully cupped his fists and declared:
“In the future, I will devote myself wholeheartedly to teaching and scholarship, and I will not disappoint your expectations, my lord.”
“My lord, the meal is ready!” At that moment, Zhang Niu came running over, panting heavily.
“Then let’s go.” Zhang Jing nodded slightly and stepped forward to pick up a toddler of about three years old.
Smiling, he said: “Let’s go together. Dian Wei, have someone carry this brother.”
“Yes, my lord!” Dian Wei respectfully acknowledged the order.
Then he personally stepped forward and, under the astonished gaze of the middle-aged man, lifted him onto his back.
“Little fellow,” Zhang Jing said with a smile as he looked at the child in his arms.
The boy neither cried nor fussed, though his hair was yellowish from poor nutrition.
“What is your name?”
“My name is Li Bai!”
The little boy looked at Zhang Jing with hopeful eyes and replied in a clear, childish voice:
“The teacher gave me that name. Nobody knows who my father and mother are. Big Brother, do you know?”
“Li Bai—that’s a fine name.” *the greatest Chinese poet of all time
Upon hearing it, Zhang Jing nearly threw the child out of sheer surprise.
Fortunately, since Li Hei had chosen the name, there was nothing strange about it.
In a gentle voice, he said:
“Of course Big Brother knows. But that’s a question you’ll have to wait until you’ve grown up to hear the answer to.”
“Mhm! Then I’ll grow up as fast as I can!”
The little fellow nodded vigorously, his face filled with innocent delight.
Before long, the group arrived at the village head’s administrative office.
Nearly three hundred villagers were already gathered there waiting.
“My lord.” Zhang Niu approached carrying a bowl of hot porridge.
Pieces of meat could be seen floating on top, clearly prepared especially for him.
“Li Hei.” Holding the wooden bowl in one hand and carrying the child in the other arm, Zhang Jing walked to the side and sat down casually.
“Go bring the other children over.”
“Yes, my lord.” Li Hei respectfully cupped his fists and complied.
“Come on, open your mouth.”
After setting Li Bai on the ground, Zhang Jing began enjoying the simple pleasure of feeding the child, who obediently opened his mouth.
“Zhang Niu.” Once all the children had gathered around, Zhang Jing handed the bowl over and instructed:
“Distribute the meat among them. Then prepare another bowl for me. Don’t make decisions on my behalf again.”
“This subordinate obeys.” Zhang Niu’s expression changed immediately.
He quickly accepted the bowl and then handed it to Li Hei.
After all, distributing food among the children was not really appropriate for him to do personally.
Zhang Jing asked: “What kind of meat is this?”
“All thanks to your benevolence, my lord.” Zhang Niu respectfully replied:
“It’s rabbit meat. It was delivered from the pavilion yesterday—about three jin in total. More meat will be sent from the pavilion tomorrow as well…”
While Zhang Jing and Zhang Niu were speaking, Taishi Ci carried a bowl of hot porridge and quietly approached Dian Wei.
“General Dian,” he asked curiously, “what’s the story with this rabbit meat?”
— The end of the Chapter–
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