Chapter 1639 - Students of the Community School

However, when he turned into Yongqing Street, Zhang Yu could not help pausing to linger. A vacant lot here hosted hawkers selling every manner of food and entertainment—especially the hawkers showing Australian films. Recently, Australian films had been produced at a remarkable pace. Originally, after a new film was released, at least half a year would pass before another. Now, astonishingly, a new film appeared nearly every month. It was almost month's end again, and he could not resist checking whether any new films had arrived.

Looking closer, they were still showing The Burning of Zhongzuo Station, The Test, Lingao Scenery Such-and-Such Month Issue, Eunuch Sanbao Voyages to the Western Ocean, and the like. No new films—so he lost interest. Beside him, hawkers selling rice noodles, oil cakes, and such shouted enthusiastically, making Zhang Yu's stomach rumble. However, he touched the few copper coins in his sleeve, swallowed hard, lowered his head, and hurried toward the community school.

Because he had lingered quite some time on the way, he arrived at school late. The teacher of his grade had indeed not yet arrived—only "Senior Student" Wu Ming was leading everyone in reciting texts. This Senior Student Wu was easiest to talk to, and since both shared an interest in Banditology on ordinary days, they had much common ground.

As for the teacher, he was currently obsessed with the newly released Mark Six Lottery. This lottery had only appeared suddenly in the past few months but had instantly swept through Guangzhou. When it came to gambling methods, Guangzhou Prefecture had five hundred if not a thousand. Among them were all manner of schemes, but none were as simple and accessible as this Mark Six Lottery. One bet cost little, and the lottery drew twice every ten days. It soon attracted multitudes of citizens to participate.

The teacher was merely one of thousands of addicts. Once during class, the group of students had been reciting: "The Master said: 'At fifteen I set my heart on learning; at thirty I stood firm; at forty I had no doubts; at fifty I knew the mandate of heaven; at sixty my ear was obedient...'" when suddenly the teacher shouted: "I have got it!"—startling Zhang Yu, who had been daydreaming. Then the teacher rushed out of the room in a flurry, leaving a classroom of students staring blankly at one another.

Later he heard from the senior student that the teacher had found numbers in the classic text and actually won a third prize of five taels of silver. Since then, the teacher's passion for gambling had soared even higher. Last month, Zhang Yu actually spotted the teacher at the entrance of a Mark Six Lottery shop, discussing hot numbers with a group of short-shirted laborers, spittle flying—completely lacking his lofty classroom demeanor. Recently, whenever he came to the community school, it was even more perfunctory—merely going through the motions.

After reciting a few passages absent-mindedly, the senior student announced: "The teacher wants everyone to carefully study the thirteenth essay in Selected Essays of the Times."

Good students obediently took out books to study. Li Ziyu beside Zhang Yu winked and made faces for a while. With tacit understanding, he nudged his good friends Zeng Juan and Chen Shixin in front and behind. The four packed up their schoolbags and swaggered out to play truant. The senior student never interfered anyway.

Running out of the study room, the group of friends talked and laughed, fully enjoying the pleasure of truancy. The owner of a book rental stall by the street saw them and waved: "Young Masters, the latest Romance of the Three Kingdoms comic book has arrived."

They stopped immediately, rushed forward, grabbed a comic book each, found a bench in the crowd, and buried their heads in reading. Shixin could not bear to spend money, so he simply leaned over someone's shoulder to read along.

Though the books printed by the Australians used simplified characters, there was no difficulty once one grew accustomed. Moreover, the artwork was exquisite. Even a few old ladies read with relish—though of course they were reading drama stories, dabbing away tears at the tragic parts.

After a long time, the group reluctantly returned the comic books to the shelf, searched up and down again, and seeing no new titles, paid their coins and squeezed out. They did not forget to shout loudly: "Remember to notify us when new Three Kingdoms arrive!"

"Lord Guan is still the most formidable," the friends, still immersed in the story, chattered in discussion.

"Next episode they should attack Xuchang."

"Nonsense! Didn't you see the preview? Next episode is Fleeing to Mai Castle."

"It's scaring Cao Cao to death first before fleeing to Mai Castle—my grandmother told me."

"Don't argue. The next episode comes out in ten days."

"This comic book only comes out one issue every ten days. I really can't wait that long."

Talking and laughing, the group made their way to the Pearl River's edge. Before them lay a boat-shaped stone—precisely the Haizhu Stone, then one of the Eight Sights of Yangcheng, called "Pearl Sea Clear Waves." Upon the stone stood the Wenxi Shrine, and within the shrine, heads bobbed in crowds. They did not join that bustle, but turned toward their "Secret Base" by the river: beneath a great banyan tree along the embankment.

As soon as they sat down, Shixin pulled out an Australian charcoal pencil from his schoolbag and began copying the comic book he had just seen. The other three were accustomed to this. Zeng Juan proposed: "Let's play Legends of the Three Kingdoms."

Li Ziyu said while digging through his schoolbag: "Don't rush. Yesterday my family bought a new game from the Hair-people."

Zhang Yu looked. "Assistants of Great Ming? Is it the Hair-people's Promotion Map?"

"Much more entertaining than Promotion Map. I heard it was created by Prince Ma the Eight-Character Royal Exemption of the Bandit Song. The Hair-people revere this worthy predecessor most of all—he can protect family safety."

Everyone studied the instructions while listening to Li Ziyu's explanation and quickly grasped the rules. The more they played cards, the more engrossed they became.

"You're colluding with the Eunuch Party!"

"I want to submit a memorial to defend myself."

"The Senior Grand Secretary's royal favor is almost depleted—hurry and impeach!"

After playing cards for an hour, Li Ziyu successfully reached the pinnacle of rank and power. While the three packed up, joking with each other, the topic quickly veered toward Liaodong affairs. Thanks to the Hair-people's military magazines, these young men no longer regarded generals' single combat as the essence of war. Articles read in journals had transformed into their own thoughts, rushing forth from their mouths:

"We must form a spear phalanx."

"Right—as long as we thrust to the right, the Tartars will be helpless."

"Shaking long spears can deflect arrow rain."

"Only javelins can break the enemy!"

Zeng Juan felt deeply moved, shaking his head: "Even if the Tartars excel at fighting and each can match ten men, those capable of combat number no more than two hundred thousand. My Great Ming has a vast population. Selecting one from every hundred—selecting two million elite spearmen—exterminating bandits and slaughtering Tartars is certain! Hateful that court officials are all wine sacks and rice bags. Kill all the lords in the court, and Liao affairs and Bandit affairs need not concern us."

Zhang Yu scoffed. "Two million? Where would we find so much money to recruit soldiers?"

The concept that fighting wars cost money also came only after reading Australians' military magazines.

"Liaodong has thousands of miles of fertile fields. The Liao people were slaughtered empty. We can grant elite soldiers Warrior Land Grant Certificates. Recover Liao and receive land. Would the generals and soldiers dare not give their lives?"

Before Zhang Yu could respond, a steam whistle came from the river surface. A Hair-people steamship pushed through waves and spray, traveling upstream. Several sailors in short hair and short clothes busied themselves on the deck. Though long accustomed to the sight, a wave of powerlessness still surged through everyone's hearts.

Shixin also put down his charcoal pencil, muttering: "Hair-people's firearms are fierce. What can we do? What can we do?"

Li Ziyu sneered. "Though Hair-bandit firearms are fierce, my Great Ming also has great killing weapons yet to be deployed."

Zhang Yu knew Li Ziyu's eldest uncle was a battalion commander in the Guangzhou Front Guard, so he frequently boasted of seeing the Great Ming's Wubei Zhi. He immediately asked: "Is it the Fire Dragon Out of Water you mentioned last time?"

"No, no." Li Ziyu wagged his finger and assumed a scholarly air. "This object is called Flying Sky Sand Tube. Take two rockets tied together upside down. Upon hitting the enemy ship's awning, it sprays poison sand, specifically targeting Hair-bandits' eyes."

"That's nothing extraordinary either."

"The most amazing thing is that after finishing spraying poison sand, the other rocket can ignite backward to launch, flying back to our camp. Though Hair-bandits possess sharp firearms, they surely have never witnessed this. They will be inexplicably terrified in their hearts. Our official troops attack taking advantage of the momentum—breaking the bandits will be as easy as flipping a hand!"

Everyone could not help praising and acclaiming. Zeng Juan was especially excited: "My Great Ming abounds in talents. Though Hair-bandits are fierce for a time, they surely cannot match my Great Ming's depth."

Zhang Yu thought carefully: How many people can this divine weapon scare? How many times can it bluff? Wouldn't it be better to cancel the flying-back rocket and load more poison sand and gunpowder? But Li Ziyu's family had produced military officers for generations and could access books they themselves could not see. He was considered the leader of their small circle—so it was better not to question publicly.

Here Zeng Juan grew indignant: "My Great Ming possesses such divine weapons yet cannot use them, precisely because these corrupt officials collude with Hair-bandits. I heard the other day Purple Treasure Studio summoned Guangzhou gentry to hold some Sea and Heaven Feast Crowd of Warblers Gathering—lewd sounds and obscene language drifted outside the building."

"To destroy a country, first corrupt its scholars' spirit. How venomous are the Hair-bandits' intentions!"

"Hair-bandits have no ruler or father, are licentious by nature, and are most practiced at colluding with shameless villains!"

They cursed vigorously. Shixin, who had been silent, said hesitantly: "Actually, I feel the Hair-people are also not bad. They don't disturb people, they keep promises in their dealings. Even merchants prefer doing business with them."

Li Ziyu ridiculed: "You speak such kind words for Hair-bandits—why don't you go shave your head?"

Zhang Yu suddenly realized: "Could it be, Shixin, you went to see the Hair-people?"

At this, everyone perked up, pressing Shixin together to reveal the truth. Shixin had to admit he really had grown curious a few days ago and run to the Great World construction site by the river to explore.

"That Great World is truly magnificent." Shixin swallowed. "Though not yet finished, there are iron frames inlaid with glass everywhere. No dragons or phoenixes painted—yet bearing a different kind of grandeur. And those steel machines—truly inspiring both awe and fear..." He had watched with fascination and could not help taking out drawing paper and charcoal pencil to begin sketching.

Just as he was drawing vigorously, a voice sounded beside him: "The perspective here is wrong."

Startled, Shixin looked back to see a smiling Hair-person—tall and straight, obviously a True Hair-bandit. Shixin had seen True Hair-bandits from afar, but this was his first time being so close. He felt somewhat afraid yet also unwilling to submit. He had taken up charcoal drawing after seeing unprecedented illustrations in the Hair-people's books. Though without a teacher, relying on his own talent, he always achieved seventy or eighty percent likeness. Viewers invariably praised it as wonderful. And now he was being criticized as wrong?

That True Hair-bandit simply sat down beside him, conversed with him for a full half hour about perspective principles and painting techniques, and even produced a Hair-person picture album. Those lifelike oil paintings and sketches opened Shixin's eyes wide. Finally, the man even invited him to Lingao, saying there was a place specializing in learning painting there. After learning to paint, jobs would be plentiful.

"You don't really want to go to Lingao, do you?" Li Ziyu said sternly. "That would be following thieves! Besides, you have no academic degree. Painting well just makes you a painter artisan—how much money can you earn?"

"I don't know." Shixin's eyes were full of confusion. "Actually, I really don't want to study. Don't want to take the xiucai exam—I probably wouldn't pass even if I did. I just want to paint. Thinking of being able to paint such paintings... it's worth it even if I die."

Thinking of their own futures, no one could mock anymore, and they fell into silence.

(End of Chapter)