This sounds like a perfunctory excuse, and the attempt to placate is far too obvious. Lin Fang, infuriated, stood up and angrily grabbed Lin Wen, pushing him from behind toward the door. Worried that his sister might exert too much force and twist her own foot, Lin Wen went along with her push, voluntarily stepping out while incessantly apologizing, “Little sister, Second Brother was wrong. Don’t be angry. Second Brother came to bring you books—don’t you want them?”
“Hmph! Who said I don’t want them? Leave the books, but you get out!” Snatching the still-wavering book from Lin Wen’s hand, she glanced at it—a travelogue—and casually placed it on the table. But she wasn’t about to let Lin Wen off so easily. “Hmph, always trying to sweet-talk me. Fang’er won’t pay you any mind!”
Lin Wen had already been pushed out of the room, but Lin Fang didn’t let go, steering her second brother toward their mother’s main quarters. Lin Wu, who happened to have a day off from school, was currently reciting passages in front of their mother. Later, the whole family would head to the rental district in the south of town to listen to Dog Egg’s mother tell stories.
“Young Master Qi?”
Blackie? Hearing Lin Wen’s call, Lin Fang peeked out from behind her second brother. Qi Biao was dressed in a blue robe today, looking less menacing than usual in his typical black attire. Behind him trailed his ever-youthful, baby-faced attendant. Lin Fang found it curious—why would such a ruthless master choose an attendant whose demeanor and appearance were so mismatched with his own? Truly bizarre.
Stepping out from behind her brother, Lin Fang curtsied to Qi Biao. “Thank you, Young Master Qi, for the flying needles. Lin Fang will take great care of them.”
Instead of responding immediately, Qi Biao seemed lost in thought, staring intently at Lin Fang. Just as she thought he was about to play his usual inscrutable act, he spoke. “Does Sixth Miss wish to attend a girls’ school?”
Huh? Lin Fang was startled. How did he know? Had he overheard her earlier conversation with her brother? Are you a thief, eavesdropping on private talks?
“Sixth Miss, don’t misunderstand,” Qi Biao said, looking slightly uncomfortable. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. It’s just that my hearing is exceptionally sharp. When I arrived, I happened to catch your exchange with Second Young Master, hence the question.”
Seeing his sister’s annoyed expression, Lin Wen interjected, “Young Master Qi, my little sister was merely speaking offhand. She’s still young—don’t take it seriously.”
Shifting his gaze away from Lin Fang, Qi Biao resumed his usual stoic expression. “There are no girls’ schools in Shengcheng, but the capital has them.”
Lin Wen smiled. “The girls’ schools in the capital are only for daughters of officials. Though our father holds an honorary title, he’s a merchant. Whether my sister could attend remains debatable. She’s still young—there’s no rush.”
“That’s not entirely true,” Qi Biao said, unusually talkative today. “Though Elder Lin is a merchant, General Li serves in the court. If his niece wishes to enroll, as long as she’s exceptionally talented, it’s not impossible.”
Exceptionally talented? Lin Wen’s heart stirred. His sister wasn’t just talented—her memory alone was unmatched.
Only daughters of officials can attend? So, it’s basically an elite school? Lin Fang had no interest in elite schools, especially all-girls ones. While they might house brilliant minds, the scheming and pettiness weren’t something her guileless self could navigate. Even if she were cunning enough, she wouldn’t want the mental exhaustion.
Not wanting to outright reject his well-meaning suggestion, she put on a pitiful face. “Fang’er wants to go to school, but she doesn’t want to leave Mother and Father. Fang’er is still too young—let’s talk about it when she’s older.” She adopted the clingy-child act. Even if it was an excuse, it was also the truth—she’d hate to part from her parents.
Qi Biao’s expression darkened. The idea of a child clinging to their parents was a distant memory for him—one he could barely recall.
Unaware that her words had stirred painful memories in someone else, Lin Fang mused to herself: Is the current emperor also a transmigrator? Or perhaps his ancestors were? Otherwise, why were so many systems so similar—even more refined—to those in her past life? Take, for example, the hierarchical archiving system from village to town, or the fact that women could work and earn money just like men.
The educational system of this dynasty also mirrored that of her previous life: Enlightenment, Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced, and University—corresponding to preschool, primary, middle, high school, and university education respectively. Enlightenment and Elementary schools were accessible even in rural areas, with both public and private institutions available. Intermediate schools were only established in county-level cities or higher administrative regions, Advanced schools were located in provincial capitals, while universities were exclusively situated in the capital.
Elementary examinations were conducted at the county level, and those who passed were referred to as “child scholars.” For intermediate studies and beyond, candidates had to take national examinations. Passing the intermediate level conferred the title of *xiucai*, equivalent to a middle school graduate and a mark of literacy. Advanced graduates were called *juren*, comparable to high school graduates, making them eligible for official appointments. University graduates, known as *jinshi*, were a select few, personally assigned positions by the emperor. Beyond that were master’s and doctorate holders—rarities on par with pandas. Lin Fang mused that anything higher would surely qualify as a national treasure.
From intermediate level onward, schools split into civil and martial tracks. Lin Wen, Lin Meng, and Qi Biao were all in intermediate studies—Lin Wen in civil, Lin Meng and Qi Biao in martial. Advanced studies further divided into liberal arts and engineering, much like high school streams. Those fortunate enough to reach university specialized in even finer disciplines. Age was no barrier—if you failed the exams, you remained stuck at your current level. Lin Boshi, for instance, never passed intermediate studies even at forty, so he never earned the xiucai title. But if you were prodigious enough to master the curriculum early, even a child could attend university.
Yet all this applied only to men. For women, many outdated customs persisted: foot-binding, the belief that “virtue trumps talent,” and the absence of girls’ schools. Lin Fang scoffed inwardly—if the emperor really was a transmigrator, he must’ve been mentally unwell, his brain either door-slammed or donkey-kicked.
“Little sister, little sister! I recited well today—Father rewarded me with extra sweets! What do you want? Fifth Brother will buy it for you!” Lin Wu jingled his coin pouch enthusiastically. This was likely his increased allowance for the day.
Unlike Lin Wen, who saved his daily allowance for strategic spending, Lin Wu splurged all his money on sweets. Though now lean and handsome, there’d been a time when he was nearly spherical—no amount of martial training could offset his sugar intake. Worse, it rotted his teeth, forcing their eldest brother to take custody of his allowance, doling it out only for justified expenses.
Lin Fang shook her head. “Fifth Brother, keep it for yourself. Whatever I want, Mother and Father will get it for me.”
“Alright! That charcoal pencil you mentioned the other day—Fifth Brother’s figured it out. Once it’s ready, I’ll bring it to you.”
The “charcoal pencil” was Lin Fang’s makeshift term for a graphite pencil. Tired of the hassle of grinding ink and cleaning brushes, she’d longed for something like a pencil or pen. Naturally, she’d delegated the task to dexterous Lin Wu—and true to form, he’d made progress surprisingly fast.
The family, plus one “Blackie,” marched grandly to the southern rental district. Lin Wu, Little Rope in tow, eagerly veered off to a snack stall, while the others headed to their reserved spot. Storytelling happened nightly, but daytime sessions were reserved for school breaks.
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