Chapter 10: A Complete Falling Out

Xue Rui kicked the broken ruler in front of Peng Ying, standing his ground as he declared, “I accept that I couldn’t answer, and that as the school scribe you must discipline us for minor faults. But to hit with such force—I cannot accept that!”

He hadn’t snapped the ruler in a moment of impulsive anger; it had been a calculated move. Peng Ying’s authority was limited; the harshest punishment he could dole out was striking the palm. If Peng succeeded this time, there would surely be more beatings in the future. By breaking the ruler now, Xue Rui figured Peng would be at his wit’s end.

What would Peng do next, brawl with him right here in the archives? If he truly dared, he’d not only lose all dignity, but become the laughingstock of the astronomical scholars, the butt of countless jokes.

Sure enough, Peng Ying didn’t dare lay a hand on Xue Rui. He stomped his foot and shouted, “You, Xue Rui! Not only do you defy your teacher, but you refuse discipline—such behavior is nothing short of betraying your masters and ancestors!”

“You exaggerate, Scribe Peng. Even a father disciplining his son is advised to use light punishment, never excessive force. How much more so for a school scribe? A few heavy blows from your ruler, and my hand would be useless for half a month—I couldn’t write or work. Then, no doubt, you would accuse me of neglecting my duties. That’s why I had no choice.”

Xue Rui stood tall, hands behind his back.

“Very well, it’s true what they say—like father, like son! Your father ignored the times, and you are lawless. Just wait until my father returns. He’ll see you flogged a hundred times. I’ll see if you dare act so arrogantly then!”

Peng Ying, out of options, could only invoke his father’s authority.

“We’ll talk about it when he comes back,” Xue Rui replied, utterly unfazed. With this campaign, Peng Deqing was unlikely to return—he might very well die at Tumu Fortress. How could he possibly flog Xue Rui then?

“What’s going on here?”

The students in the archives were stunned. The scene now looked as if Peng Ying was the one being punished, fuming with anger, while Xue Rui remained calm, as if nothing had happened.

Peng Ying was nearly apoplectic. Never in all his years in the academy had he been defied so brazenly; the anger choked him, leaving him breathless. It was a long moment before he managed to spit out, “You just wait! I’ll make you pay!”

With that, he stormed out of the archives.

The moment Peng Ying left, the room erupted.

Liu Jin gave Xue Rui a thumbs-up. “I, Liu Jin, have never admired anyone—except you. You’re a real man!”

“Peng really lost face this time, ha!” Chen Li said, thoroughly enjoying Peng’s humiliation.

Others crowded around as well, expressing their admiration for Xue Rui’s courage.

“Don’t celebrate too soon,” someone warned. “Xue Rui’s really made an enemy of Scribe Peng. He won’t let this go. He’s probably already plotting something. Even if he swallows his anger for now, once the Director returns, he’ll pay Xue Rui back twice over!”

The discordant voice came from the other side of the room. Everyone turned; it was Fan Yan, who kept his distance, clearly not wanting to get involved.

Liu Jin sneered, “Fan Yan, are you scared? If you’re frightened, go and beg Peng for forgiveness. Tell him you have nothing to do with us.”

Fan Yan sighed, “I’m just stating facts. Scribe Peng and the Director are like father and son. Embarrassing Scribe Peng is like slapping the Director in the face. When the Director returns, won’t Xue Rui be like a fish on a chopping block, at their mercy?”

The others had to admit he had a point, and their faces grew serious.

Liu Jin thought for a moment, then tried to reassure Xue Rui, “Don’t worry. My father holds some sway here. When he returns, I’ll ask him to protect you. We’ll think of something. It’ll be fine.”

“It’s such a trivial matter, the Director probably won’t even care. By the time he’s back, Scribe Peng will have forgotten all about it. He’s famous for his forgetfulness, after all,” someone joked.

“That’s right. It’s not a big deal. At worst, you’ll get a few whacks and need a few days to recover.”

Since none of them would be on the receiving end, no one seemed particularly concerned.

“A trivial matter?”

Fan Yan shook his head. “You’ve all forgotten what happened to Scholar Liu a few years ago, haven’t you?”

At this, everyone’s expression shifted subtly.

Xue Rui didn’t know who this Scholar Liu was, but judging from the others, it couldn’t have been good.

Liu Jin was silent for a long time, then unexpectedly said, “Xue Rui, maybe you should just apologize to Scribe Peng. It’s just saving face—no one will laugh at you.”

Chen Li added kindly, “Yes, at worst you’ll suffer a few blows. That’s better than having the Director settle accounts with you later.”

Xue Rui couldn’t understand their sudden change in attitude, but replied gravely, “A man must have principles. Peng Ying deliberately targeted me; I was right to resist. Even if he put a knife to my throat, I won’t admit fault!”

The others saw he couldn’t be swayed and soon dispersed.

Liu Jin patted his shoulder and murmured, “Be careful. You’re not the only one the Director has sent to prison.”

Their words were vague, clearly avoiding something. Xue Rui didn’t press further, though suspicion gnawed at him. Could this Scholar Liu have been the very same person Liu Jin mentioned, sent to prison by the Director?

“Damn, if only I could look this up online right now!”

Xue Rui’s curiosity was overwhelming. What secret was so grave as to change everyone’s attitude so radically? It was baffling.

…

Meanwhile, Peng Ying, his blood pressure rising with anger, left the archives and headed straight for the registrar’s office.

As he passed his father Peng Deqing’s office, a clerk who usually handled tasks for Peng Deqing approached him. Noticing Peng Ying’s ashen face, the clerk assumed he was unwell and asked with concern, “Scribe Peng, are you all right?”

“None of your damn business!” Peng Ying snapped, not even looking up. He brushed past, seething.

The clerk, caught in the crossfire, could only curse his luck. Shaking his head, he was about to leave when Peng Ying called back, “You there, come here.”

Resigned, the clerk stepped forward. “What do you need, Scribe Peng?”

After a moment’s thought, Peng Ying lowered his voice and instructed, “After work, take two helpers and follow that new student, Xue Rui. Find a secluded spot and teach him a lesson. Do it quietly—don’t let anyone find out. Don’t cripple or kill him, just make sure he feels some pain!”

The clerk was startled. He glanced around before whispering, “Is this the Director’s order?”

“My father told me, does it matter who gave it?” Peng Ying shot back.

The clerk forced a bitter smile. “I just fear that with the Director absent, if something goes wrong, he’ll get in trouble.”

“What trouble could there be?” Peng Ying retorted. “Xue Rui’s father offended my father and is already in prison, close to death. You’re just being asked to rough up his son a little, and you’re hesitating? My father’s wasted years on you!”

“I work for the state, not for the Peng family!” the clerk wanted to snap, but didn’t dare.

After weighing the risks, he figured there was little risk in teaching a young student a lesson. Peng Ying was ordering it, after all; if anything went wrong, he would be the one to take the blame.

With this in mind, the clerk cupped his hands and said, “Don’t worry, Scribe Peng. I’ll see to it.”