Liu You arrived at Gaojia Village with his wife, son, and three cartloads of coal.
If his shop had been small, there would've been no place to store it all—but fortunately, his shop had once been a pleasure house, quite spacious indeed. The three carts of coal were all dumped into one of the elegant private rooms, turning the place black with soot.
While Liu You busied himself unloading, Madam Liu took their son for a stroll through this strange and "new" village.
She quickly realized that her husband hadn't exaggerated—this place wasn't a "village" at all. It was more like a city, even more prosperous and bustling than Heyang County itself.
The streets were lined with dazzling goods, leaving her eyes spinning.
At the roadside, an old woman was selling radishes—eight copper coins per jin.
Madam Liu thought, My husband's earning well now; buying a little radish won't hurt. She promptly bought a jin and let her son carry it.
A few steps further, another old lady was selling cabbages—ten coins a jin. It had been three years of drought; she couldn't even recall the last time she'd eaten cabbage. She bought a jin of that too, and her son now had both hands full.
Then they passed a fabric shop selling thick cotton-padded jackets—five taels of silver each. That wasn't expensive; that was the normal price. Normally, such warm clothing was something only the sons and daughters of landlords could afford. Ordinary folk wore rough hemp and shivered through the winter.
Especially now, in these years of disaster, few dared plant cotton; the price of cloth had gone wild. Yet here in Gaojia Village, a fine cotton jacket was still only five taels.
She felt it was cheap—but still didn't dare buy one. When my husband earns a bit more, she thought, we'll get one for our boy. We adults can manage.
Just then, a group of children walked past.
They were all under ten years old, chattering as they strolled—reciting poems!
One said, "I learned a new poem today, by a Tang poet named Li Bai! 'Before my bed, the moonlight glows…' Uh… what comes next again?"
Another laughed, "Ha! I learned 'Plowing the fields beneath the noon sun!'"
Madam Liu saw that these children were about her son's age, yet all could recite poetry. Envy pricked her heart. Ah, my boy hasn't even begun learning his letters… Now that we have money, we must send him to study.
She hurriedly asked an old woman selling vegetables nearby, "Excuse me, does Gaojia Village have a private school?"
The old woman grinned, revealing a few remaining teeth.
"There's no private school here—but there's a real school! All the children study for free."
"What? Free schooling?" Madam Liu was astonished. "No tuition?"
"None at all!"
At that, Madam Liu couldn't sit still. After asking for directions, she grabbed her son's hand and dashed toward the school.
At the gate, the guard was dozing when she rushed up, shouting, "I heard the school here doesn't charge tuition—is that true!?"
The startled guard blinked awake, then smiled knowingly. Since the day Gaojia Village's school opened, he had seen this scene countless times. Every time a family of new immigrants arrived with children, it played out exactly the same way.
So he rattled off his well-practiced speech like a machine gun:
"Go to the fifth floor of the teaching building, find Principal Wang's office to register. Your son will be placed based on his level. Then pick up textbooks at the library on the same floor, and proceed to the assigned classroom…"
He finished with a casual wave. "Off you go!"
Now, women can be forgetful about directions, recipes, or street corners—but when it comes to their children, they transform entirely. Madam Liu's mental energy exploded like a storm of chakra; she remembered every word flawlessly.
She grabbed her boy's hand and bolted up five flights of stairs as if she had wings, bursting into the principal's office in a gust of wind. After a rapid exchange with Principal Wang, she dashed next door to the library, the gale of her running scattering Song Yingxing's research papers like confetti.
Song Yingxing jumped up, shouting, "Who dares run wild in the library!?"
Before his words had even finished, Madam Liu had already received the textbooks and teleported straight to First Grade, Class Five.
She placed her son before the teacher with a bow.
"Sir, my boy is dull-witted. I must trouble you to discipline him well. If he misbehaves, please, do not hesitate to beat him soundly."
The boy stood there, stunned—left hand holding a jin of radish, right hand a jin of cabbage.
With one smooth motion, Madam Liu swapped the vegetables for Elementary Language and Elementary Mathematics textbooks, then gave him a firm kick into the classroom.
The teacher: "…"
Madam Liu: "I entrust him to you, sir!"
Teacher: "…"
Madam Liu: "During the holidays, I'll bring gifts to thank you."
Teacher: "…"
Madam Liu: "Son, study hard. Only by doing so can you become a great official one day!"
Teacher: "…"
Madam Liu: "Pardon me for my rudeness—this foolish woman will take her leave."
She turned to go, but the teacher suddenly spoke:
"Madam, wait."
Madam Liu paused. "Yes?"
The teacher sighed softly.
"What I'm about to say comes from Dao Xuan Tianzun's teachings. Please listen carefully."
Madam Liu blinked in confusion. "Dao Xuan… Tianzun's decree?"
The teacher said gently:
"Do you know why children rarely share their thoughts and feelings with adults?"
Madam Liu's expression turned serious. "I do not. Please enlighten me, sir."
The teacher nodded.
"When a child says, 'This roast duck is delicious,' parents always reply, 'Then you must study hard so that you can afford roast duck when you grow up.'
When a child says, 'That dress is so pretty,' parents reply, 'Then study hard so you can buy one someday.'
When a child says, 'Being an official looks impressive,' parents reply, 'Then study hard so you can become one.'"
He paused, smiling faintly. "Do you understand?"
Madam Liu's face flushed red; sweat beaded on her forehead.
The teacher continued,
"Dao Xuan Tianzun said—learning is important, but not so important that you twist every joy in life to revolve around it. Respect this colorful, living world, and let your child love learning freely."
He smiled kindly.
"I will do my best to be a good teacher to your son. Please—be a good mother to him."
Madam Liu bowed deeply before she left the school.
Trivia Section
1. Schools in Ancient China
In traditional China, education was typically available only to the wealthy. Most children attended private academies (sishu, 私塾) where scholars taught Confucian classics in small groups. Public education was extremely rare until modern reforms.
Gaojia Village's "free school for all children" represents a revolutionary idea—a blend of Confucian morality and modern egalitarianism, showing how Li Daoxuan's influence bridges tradition and progress.
2. Why the Chinese Love Poetry
Poetry has been the soul of Chinese culture for over two millennia. From the Book of Songs (詩經, 11th century BCE) to the Tang and Song dynasties, poems were not merely art—they were moral lessons, emotional expression, and political commentary.
In ancient China, a cultured person was expected to "recite poetry, quote the classics, and paint." Children learning Li Bai and Meng Haoran symbolize the passing down of not only language but the rhythm of Chinese civilization itself.
3. Education and Social Mobility
Madam Liu's excitement about free schooling captures a truth of imperial China: the only way for commoners to change fate was through study and the imperial examinations (keju, 科舉).
Even in this fictional world, her instinct reflects a cultural reflex thousands of years old—reading changes destiny (读书改变命运).