Chapter 035 – Liu Clan Academy (Part Two)
No matter the era, educating children is a massive expense. Even for a prestigious clan like the Liu, it can’t be guaranteed that every member is a wealthy tycoon. Some of the less fortunate Liu clan members barely scrape by to maintain their dignity.
For families with average incomes, having more children naturally leads to more poverty.
Don’t be fooled by their seemingly decent appearance; their quality of life is quite concerning. When a family is struggling to put food on the table, how can they possibly afford their children’s education? Thus, the establishment of clan academies significantly alleviated the educational burdens for many.
The fees for hiring teachers are financed by the clan, and most parents only need to send their children to the academy. They get two free meals a day, and any leftovers can be taken home. Every month, they also receive supplies, like clean ink and bamboo slips.
In ancient times, the cost of education was extremely high, and the poor simply couldn’t afford it, leaving them with far fewer opportunities to rise above their station compared to the aristocracy.
The aristocracy holds most resources and is willing to invest them in the disciples of their clan, teaching them to read and write while nurturing a sense of belonging to the family. When these children grow up and succeed, they can reinvest their gained resources into the education of the next generation…
The birth and continuation of an aristocratic clan rely on this virtuous cycle.
Jiang Pengji clutched the bamboo slips. Thanks to Liu Lanting’s memories, reading and recognizing characters wasn’t too difficult, but writing was an entirely different story.
“Not only the clothes and people, but even the writing tools are such a pain!”
Jiang Pengji faced her pen as if it were a formidable foe. However, the soft brush tip simply refused to cooperate, producing marks that looked like bizarre excrement. After a few failed attempts, she threw the brush aside, destroying the now embarrassing evidence.
However, having such a rare moment of awkwardness, comments flooded the screen in amusement, making it hard for her to see.
【Pretty Soldier A-Yuan】: Good and evil are eventually rewarded; karma is real! Don’t believe it? Just look up; does heaven spare anyone? #NosePick
【Magical Girl A-Feng】: Woman, beg me, and I might teach you! #Grimace
【Host V】: No begging here!
Jiang Pengji mumbled quietly, “I shouldn’t have agreed to go to that ridiculous clan academy…”
Outside, the maidservant Ta Xue quietly peeked in and asked, “Second Young Master, is something the matter?”
“No, I just accidentally dropped my brush…” Her lips nearly formed a straight line as she looked at the brush lying on the ground, reminiscent of her own life-and-death rivalry. Even amidst a sea of mocking comments, she sighed and bent down to pick it up.
The audience, unfazed by Jiang Pengji’s refusal, somehow found a way to copy and paste a lengthy segment about the basics of brush strokes.
Jiang Pengji’s brows tightened as if they were going to tie in a knot. Following Liu Lanting’s muscle memory, she gripped the pen, synchronizing it with the copied brush stroke basics from the comments, and began to shakily copy with the aim of matching Liu Lanting’s handwriting.
To her, Liu Lanting’s memories served as supplementary material—unconsciously accessible, they wouldn’t affect her innate memory and emotions.
However, there was a downside. Without deliberate cues, Jiang Pengji’s habits and actions remained largely her own, significantly diverging from Liu Lanting’s. Even if she tried to imitate him, it was easy for those close to her to spot the differences.
The study didn’t lack bamboo paper; in fact, there was an uncountable amount for practicing. With a monthly supply being five bundles, Liu Lanting barely used half a bundle, saving the rest, which amounted to several boxes collected over time.
Initially, writing with a brush felt awkward; the brush tip was too soft, and an accidental slip would result in terribly ugly characters.
However, after several attempts, she started to find her rhythm.
Utilizing her ability to finely control her arm strength, she gradually discovered her style. After practicing on a few sheets of paper, her writing began to resemble Liu Lanting’s handwriting about fifty percent. Naturally, since she was practicing based on Liu Lanting’s memories.
The viewers in the live stream were amazed as they witnessed Jiang Pengji’s handwriting transform from “lying down” to “standing up.”
Such strong learning ability—why not be the leading streamer? Some viewers who had studied calligraphy even shared their struggles, recounting how they’d practiced until their arms and wrists were swollen and could barely move, jokingly adding, “You’re simply out of this world, Host!”
Though she had managed to grasp some basics, changing ingrained writing habits takes time.
Checking the sky outside, Jiang Pengji piled bamboo slips onto her desk, then retrieved properly sized bamboo paper, starting to transcribe.
【Pretty Soldier A-Yuan】: As a literacy-challenged person… What on earth is this writing?
【Cleaving the Wilderness】: I can barely make out a bit; the host seems to be copying the Analects. I remember ancient books were super expensive. Given the Liu family’s collection, they must be well-off and hold a higher social status…
Upon seeing this while copying, Jiang Pengji responded abruptly.
【Host V】: Yeah, Liu family isn’t doing too bad. If I were a commoner, I’d probably be live-streaming how to literally tear apart a living person in a bandit stronghold or navigating the deep woods while teaching you how to survive in the wild.
【Sword Domineering Over the River and Hills】: 2333 I understand the deep woods survival stream, but tearing apart bandits—what’s up with that?
【Host V】: This ignorant ancient era is chaotic. Hejian County is relatively orderly, but nearby, many bandits have become outlaws, robbing passing merchants for a living. A solitary woman is prime meat for them.
So, if those bandits come across her, Jiang Pengji wouldn’t let them go, as they certainly wouldn’t let her live.
Just like her previous encounter with those bandits; they would never spare a bunch of delicate noble girls. To them, they were just tools for release, not humans. What good is talking about morals and ethics? What use is desperate pleading?
The only things that could be useful were her wits and hands.
【Host V】: Either be taken advantage of by dozens of bandits and become their plaything; lucky to get pregnant, she might live a few more days, while the child born would become a future bandit… or just raise a knife and let them die!
At this point, Jiang Pengji momentarily paused her pen, then continued, her tone softening slightly.
【Host V】: I know many things might be hard for you to accept, but you are the audience; I am the one living through it.
They are merely spectating, able to switch channels whenever they want, with just a flick of a finger.
But Jiang Pengji must carve her own path in life, not depending on those spectators.
Wrapping up the notes, she planned to further review other skills that Liu Lanting had.
Just then, the quiet system surprisingly chimed in.
“Host, how about a quick boost?”
