Chapter 40: The Schemes of Lin Xi and Chen Ping

Xi Sheng murmured softly, “That rascal!”
Uncle Lin, standing to the side, chuckled and said, “Master, these wild greens were picked for you by the young master himself. When he saw you were hot, he wanted to find ice for you. He really does care about his teacher.”
Xi Sheng snorted with proud disdain, “Who asked for your commentary? This remote little town is nothing like the capital—ice can’t be bought just with money.”
“It’s the thought that counts, Master. Who knows, maybe the young master will find some other way to get you ice?”
“Him?” Xi Sheng was clearly skeptical, yet in his heart, he was gratified by his young disciple’s concern, though he refused to show it.

Li Su arrived at the private school. Qin Ming immediately approached him with an arithmetic problem. “Su, Su, help me with this question, will you?”
Li Su glanced at the problem, “Look, you need to…” He patiently guided Qin Ming through the analysis, then explained the method step by step. In his mind, Li Su could think of several solutions, but he chose the simplest to understand.
Qin Ming nodded in sudden enlightenment. “Now I see! You’re the best, Su!”
Lin Ze, Ren Shuhua, and Qin Ming had all made remarkable progress in their studies lately, improving rapidly.
With Su as their guide, even the slowest student would advance.
This put considerable pressure on the rest of the class. With the next private school exam looming, no one knew who would end up at the bottom; it might well be any of them.
Chen Ping cast a venomous glare their way, unable to comprehend Li Su’s streak of luck.
Just a few months ago, they had been equals. Now, Li Su was favored by the teacher and respected by his peers.
Chen Ping had hoped the recent poetry gathering would put Li Su in his place, but instead, it had made Li Su famous, and now many scholars in town knew of him.
Li Su sensed Chen Ping’s gaze and looked up, meeting his eyes. Chen Ping instantly felt as if he’d been pricked, lowering his head at once.
Like a rat in the gutter, he only dared reveal his envy and resentment in the shadows, blaming everyone but himself. Such a person passing the county-level examination would be a miracle indeed.
Lin Ze whispered in Li Su’s ear, “Su, don’t mind him. No one in the school wants to be around him anymore; he looks at everyone with that same glare, as if his suffering is everyone else’s fault.”
After losing the last of his family’s money to Li Su, Chen Ping was left destitute.
He had managed to extract a little more from Lin Xi, but after repaying Li Su, he gambled it all away.

In July, school fees were due. If he couldn’t pay, he’d be sent home to work the fields with the village peasants.
No, that was unacceptable. He had to find a way to get some money!
His eyes darted shrewdly—perhaps he could ask Lin Xi again? Last time, Li Su had stolen Lin Xi’s thunder. If Lin Xi gave him some money, he’d gladly conspire with him.

Chen Ping approached Lin Xi of his own accord, bowing respectfully. “Scholar Lin.”
To Chen Ping, Lin Xi’s success was purely a matter of family wealth. If he’d had the same advantages, he might have passed the provincial exam by now.
Impatience flickered in Lin Xi’s eyes. “What do you want this time? Didn’t you tell me Li Su was no good at poetry? Is that what you call ‘no good’? I’m letting you off easy by not holding a grudge, and yet you dare come to me again.”
After the poetry gathering, Lin Xi’s parents had scolded him. The Lin family had spent money to host the event hoping to pave Lin Xi’s way, but Li Su had stolen all the glory, and Lin Xi had gained nothing.
“Scholar Lin, I wouldn’t dare deceive you. Li Su truly wasn’t good at poetry before; his only talent is in farm-themed verses!”
“Because he’s a peasant at heart, he feels more deeply about such things. But in any other genre, he’s certainly no match for you!” Chen Ping hurried to defend himself, convinced his reasoning was sound.
Lin Xi was half-convinced, half-doubtful. “Is that so?”
Chen Ping nodded vigorously. “Yes! We used to be good friends, but ever since he started spending time with your brothers, he’s been too proud to associate with me.”
“Think about it: if he were really a poetic genius, wouldn’t everyone have heard of him by now? He’d be as famous as you! Clearly, he just lucked out on the topic at the gathering.”
After the poetry meeting, Lin Xi had wanted to trouble Li Su, but his father, having learned from Madam Lin that Li Su was close friends with Lin Ze, had warned him off. If Li Su succeeded in the examinations and rose to prominence, the Lin family would regret making an enemy of him.
With Lin Ze as a connection, they could cultivate a good relationship—instead of offending a talented youth.
His father instructed him to forget the whole affair and focus on his studies, aiming to pass the provincial exam.
So Lin Xi had let it go. But now, hearing Li Su was only skilled in farm poetry, a new scheme took root in his mind: he would expose Li Su’s true colors and show everyone he was no poetic prodigy!
“Enough, I understand.” Lin Xi began to plot how to unmask Li Su in public. Still, for now, he had to study hard; if he could pass the provincial exam in one go, what would Li Su or Lin Ze matter? And as for Madam Lin…

A flash of dissatisfaction and resentment crossed Lin Xi’s eyes. Chen Ping smirked to himself, hoping Lin Xi would ruin Li Su, drive him out like a stray dog.
“Scholar Lin, I’m willing to keep an eye on Li Su for you in the school and help you whenever needed—all I ask is a little silver…” Chen Ping’s eyes gleamed with calculation.
Lin Xi looked down on him, tossing a few taels of silver as if tossing a bone to a dog. “Take it. I’ll need your cooperation in due time. Now go.”
Chen Ping caught the silver pressed to his chest, bowing repeatedly. “Thank you, Scholar Lin.”
Contempt filled Lin Xi’s gaze. Was this wretch fit to call himself a scholar?
“Li Su has also taken a master, though it seems mysterious—only Lin Ze and a few others know the details.” Chen Ping relayed everything he knew about Li Su to Lin Xi.
Lin Xi made a mental note to have someone investigate, but he doubted Li Su could have found a worthy teacher.
After all, the only respected provincial graduate in town was his own master, who hadn’t taken on students recently. As for the few other somewhat reputable scholars, none had taken new disciples lately either.
Chen Ping left, putting on a cheerful front, but inside, he resented Lin Xi as well. So he had a bit of money—what was there to be so arrogant about? If he had real abilities, he wouldn’t need to rely on his wealth.
Meanwhile, Li Su returned to the Sheng household, unaware that Chen Ping and Lin Xi were scheming again.
Li Su carried two basins of different sizes to the well, preparing to make ice.
Uncle Lin asked, bewildered, “Young master, what are you doing with those basins by the well?”
“I’m making ice,” Li Su replied nonchalantly.
Uncle Lin was stunned. “What did you say? Making ice?”
Xi Sheng happened by, catching those words. His mouth twitched. “What you need is a doctor,” he said, tapping his temple.