Chapter 21: Studying Hard, Astonishing the Family

When it came to Li Daping, excitement lit up his face as he tried to appear calm. “My son Su designed a new kind of plow and took the blueprints to the county blacksmith to have it made. They call it the Curved Shaft Plow, and it works wonders. One person can easily pull it, steer it, and turn around with no trouble at all.”

The uncle looked stunned. “Are you serious?”

“Would I lie to you? If you don’t believe me, you can come to our field and try it for yourself. I’ll show you how it’s done,” Li Daping said, quite pleased with himself. This way, he could flaunt their new plow and get some free labor at the same time.

“Alright, I’ll give it a try.” The uncle was half-convinced, half-doubtful, but genuinely interested.

The whole Li family headed to the field, and Li Daping earnestly taught the uncle how to handle the plow.

“I’ll pull it, let me pull it!” Li Zhengqiang volunteered eagerly, as if he’d just received a new toy.

Now the uncle took over the handles while Li Zhengqiang pulled. Though it was their first time working together, they moved in perfect harmony.

The uncle quickly got the hang of it—who knew managing and pulling a plow could be this easy?

He handled the plow with skill, and Li Zhengqiang pulled with joy.

Soon, more people arrived at the field. “Uncle Wu, are you helping out at Uncle Li’s place?” Lately, everyone’s fields were busy; no one would spare time to help elsewhere.

But when they looked closer and rubbed their eyes, they saw one person pulling and one person steering the plow. How could that be possible?

They wondered if they were seeing things.

Li Daping, cool as ever, took the chance to show off again, earning a host of envious glances.

The Li family straightened their backs with pride—they had every reason to be proud.

“So Su really improved the plow. This Curved Shaft Plow looks incredible,” everyone said, their desire plain on their faces. If only they had such a plow for themselves.

“I want to give it a try…” It was impossible not to be tempted.

“You? Didn’t you say Su was just a boastful dreamer last time? Now you want to try? Maybe I should be the one to try!”

“And you didn’t say anything? Out of the way, you shameless bunch.”

Those who hadn’t badmouthed the Li family before came up to try the new plow, and Li Daping was happy to oblige—after all, they were plowing his fields for free.

As for those who’d always been at odds with his family and spoke ill of them, they didn’t have the nerve to ask and could only look on with envy and longing.

“What’s so special, anyway? It’s just a plow,” some grumbled, their words tinged with sourness.

People took turns trying the plow, and by the end of the day, they’d plowed several plots for the Li family, making astonishing progress.

The Li family grinned from ear to ear, delighted beyond measure.

……

Because Li Su worked so diligently every day, Lin Ze, Ren Shuhua, and Qin Ming were swept up in his momentum and began to work hard as well.

Lin Ze had already resolved to do well in the civil service exams for his mother’s sake.

The three of them studied with Li Su, but the experience was humbling.

“You’ve already memorized it?”

“You can recite it just like that?”

“What? Are people really so different? I always thought it was just because I didn’t put in the effort, that my heart wasn’t in it. But now that I’m trying, all I get is frustration.”

Li Su blinked innocently. “You don’t have to compare yourselves to me. I have a photographic memory—I just remember things faster.”

“Is that kind of talent even real?”

“But even if we don’t compare memorization skills, we can’t keep up with your arithmetic either.”

The three fixed Li Su with accusatory stares, as if his very existence was a blow to their confidence.

Li Su: … Maybe I should show them one of my eight-legged essays—then they’d know what real nonsense looks like.

After reading a few essays, Li Su decided to try writing one himself and ended up laughing at his own attempt.

If he asked his teacher for help with writing these essays, his teacher would probably think he’d lost his mind.

Li Su wondered if he needed to find a tutor specifically for eight-legged essays; otherwise, it’d end up being a huge obstacle—not just a stumbling block, but something that would drag him down completely.

“Alright, stop looking at me like that. You should each make a study plan that fits your own pace. Everyone’s plan should be different.” At least, his was nothing like theirs.

“Fine, we’ll make our own plans.”

Li Su nodded. “Then let’s all take the county exam together.” He didn’t dare suggest they all become top officials—one step at a time.

If the four of them could all pass the county exam, that would be fantastic! They had to study—no one wanted to be the one holding the group back.

Qin Ming, out of the four, was the most anxious. Lin Ze was good at math, Ren Shuhua had a scholar for a grandfather, and Li Su—well, he was off the charts in both arithmetic and memorization. Only Qin Ming lacked a particular advantage and was most likely to fall behind.

If all four of them took the exam and he was the only one who failed…

No! Absolutely not!

Qin Ming resolved to study like mad.

But in truth, Lin Ze and Ren Shuhua also worried that they’d be the only one left behind and abandoned by their brothers, left alone in misery.

Li Su had no idea what the other three were imagining, but he saw the shocked and determined looks on their faces, as if they’d just survived a fright and were now resolved to work harder.

Li Su: ??? What on earth are you all thinking behind my back?

“Hurry up and draw up your plans. Then we can supervise each other and check if we’re sticking to them,” Li Su said.

The three immediately took out paper and pens and began drafting their plans.

Li Su left them to it and returned to his own reading—maybe if he read enough, his eight-legged essays would improve.

He consoled himself with this thought, though he had a feeling these essays would not come easily and he’d need to put in much more effort.

Lin Ze and the others racked their brains, writing and revising, peeking at each other’s plans, scribbling more, comparing, then writing again.

Li Su rubbed his forehead, unsure if having them make their own plans was a good idea after all.

At last, the three finished their plans. “Su, take a look at mine,” Lin Ze said, handing it over first.

Li Su glanced through it. “Are you sure about this? Don’t overdo it…” Only one hour of sleep a night? That’s just two hours out of twenty-four.

Lin Ze looked puzzled. “Is it really possible to study oneself to death?”

Li Su: … Are you trying to jinx me?

“It’s not studying to death, it’s that so little sleep will wear your body out and you might just drop dead,” Li Su said, speechless.

Ren Shuhua and Qin Ming quickly withdrew their own plans to make revisions.

Once all their plans finally passed Li Su’s inspection, the three let out a collective sigh of relief. Making the plan had been the hardest part so far.

They decided to start following their new study schedules tomorrow and to enjoy one last day of relaxed studying today.

They’d study hard and shock their families!

“Su, want to come blow off some steam with us today?” Lin Ze suggested.