Chapter 119: Wang Ge Gets Beaten

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When Master Zuo arrived, he paced with measured, square steps, graceful as an immortal. But on his return... it reminded Wang Ge of the childhood game “Eagle Catching Chicks” from a past life.

Indeed, every step the Master took was echoed by his disciples. Sima Nan’s younger brother clutched Master Zuo’s bamboo ruler tightly in his left hand, crying, while holding Biàn Zì’s left hand with his right. Biàn Zì’s right hand was firmly grasped by another disciple. One after another, they formed a line, stumbling and crying as they moved along.

The wailing was earth-shaking! Several of the younger disciples limped as they walked.

Passersby at the obstacle course burst into laughter; Master Zuo’s face flushed crimson with embarrassment.

The cause? Young Lady Sima, aware that Liu Bo was ignoring her, felt hurt, but crying outright was too humiliating. So she first called out, “I miss Father, how about you all?”

“Wah... I miss Father too.”

“Ah... I’ve long missed Mother.”

“Wah... I miss Grandmother.”

And so it ended up like this. Wang Ge and Xie Ju walked at the back of the line, sighing, truly embarrassed.

The next day, the servants delivered the first batch of wooden slips Wang Ge had made to Liu Bo.

Three days later, the servants came again.

Liu Bo was lost in thought, realizing she had caused Wang Ge some trouble and was trying to avoid suspicion.

Well, this was not the time or place for him to express his feelings. If she was to take the master craftsman exam in May, then before the exam, or even before the grand craftsman competition in Shanyin County, no one should disturb her.

So, he would keep things distant for now. A year later, she would be older, and their ages would be more suitable for mutual regard. By then, he was confident he would be admitted to the Imperial Academy and have a reputation, making it easier to ask his uncle to approach Wang’s grandparents and reveal his intentions.

This time, the servants returned with Liu Bo’s neatly copied and bound wooden slips, strung with hemp cord. Wang Ge lightly touched these treasured heirlooms, careful not to smudge the ink.

Xie Ju opened a volume, admiring the elegant Han-style clerical script, and praised, “Liu Langjun, you have put your heart into this.” Looking up, he saw Wang Ge sniffing the ink with a lack of pride and told her, “This is pine soot ink—it’s good ink and doesn’t smell bad.”

Wang Ge knew ink was precious, but Huan Zhen had never explained how to make it, so she truly didn’t know how rare and valuable it was. “Huzi, do I owe Liu Langjun a big favor? Pine soot ink is hard to make, isn’t it?”

“It is. After burning pine soot, it must be finely sifted and mixed with glue—half the amount of the ink’s paste. Even the poorest pine soot ink must be pounded in an iron mortar at least thirty thousand times with the juice of ash bark and egg whites. The more it’s pounded, the better the soot and glue bind. Then it must be left to dry for months—if it’s warm, the ink smells; if cold, it won’t dry, causing the ink to flake at the slightest breeze. During drying, it must be turned every day.” Xie Ju hesitated but told the truth, “If I were him, helping you copy books, I wouldn’t use pine soot ink; I’d just fake it with furnace ash mixed with pigskin glue.”

The more Wang Ge heard, the more overwhelmed she felt. In both her past and present lives, she hated owing favors. Even with Huzi as a friend, she never wanted to be indebted. For example, when making the sky ladders and small smoke baskets, she always repaid favors to the best of her ability.

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“I’ll go cut wood.” Since she owed a favor again, she’d repay it! Wang Ge was full of energy, slinging her basket on her back and picking up her saw, planning to make more wooden slips before thinking of how to return the favor.

But just a few steps out of the tent, she collided with a young man recklessly charging down the obstacle course path from the cliff. Though Wang Ge tried to dodge, he still struck her arm.

“Ah!” The man smelled of alcohol. Without a word, he slapped Wang Ge to the ground, picked up a cloth sack he’d dropped, and kicked her, shouting, “A wood-cutting maidservant, carrying a saw and can’t even watch where you’re going!”

“Help! Help!” Wang Ge shouted, desperately hitting his foot with her saw.

“Xie Tangzhou, stop!” Xie Ju’s eyes were bloodshot as he rushed over, snatched the saw from Wang Ge, and raised it, wishing to strike the man dead—but this man was officially his clan uncle.

Anger boiled over.

“How dare you... how...” He was so furious he cried.

Wang Ge got up, luckily her hand wasn’t scratched.

“Clan mate Wang?”

“Yes, clan mate Wang!”

“Come quickly! Someone’s bullying a clan mate Wang!”

One by one, the younger disciples came out of the tent.

Sima Nan’s younger brother was furious and raised his small hand, but could only slap Xie Tangzhou’s waist.

“I’m family of the Xie clan, your clan uncle, really a misunderstanding!” Xie Tangzhou bowed and gave respectful greetings to each young disciple.

“Even Xie clan members can’t bully others!” Biàn Zì brushed dust off Wang Ge’s clothes, pointing at the footprints on her leg. “You kicked her? If you don’t explain yourself today, we’ll find Master Zuo to demand the Xie clan make things right.”

Xie Ju seethed, “How dare you commit such a villainous act and cling to my name? In broad daylight, in front of all my clan mates, you bully my young one? Is that so?”

“Ouch.” Xie Tangzhou acted as if he was in terrible distress. “Do you want your clan uncle to kneel and beg for forgiveness? Huh?”

He bent his waist further and said in a pained voice, “Young gentlemen and ladies, look at my age now. Even if I’m a bit muddled, can’t I just apologize? Really asking me to kneel and make amends? It’s bad for both of us! Huzi, say a few words for your uncle. Let’s let this slide today; people are coming and going, making a fuss wouldn’t be good. I promise to bring a proper gift later to sincerely apologize to this young lady.”

Sima Nan’s younger brother was about to speak but was stopped by Biàn Zì shaking his head.

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“Clan mate Wang.”

“Sister Ge.”

Biàn Zì and Xie Ju spoke together, then Xie Ju said, “Sister Ge, he is indeed my clan uncle, but don’t be afraid. Tell the truth—who collided with whom just now?”

“He hit me. He charged straight down here. These are his footprints. I tried to dodge but couldn’t get out of the way.” Wang Ge’s left cheek was already swollen and burning with pain, showing he had struck her with full force; if it wasn’t deliberate, it showed how cruel he was.

Before the disciples could rally, Xie Tangzhou immediately slapped himself hard on both ears. “Young lady, enough? My legs aren’t good, that’s why I rushed down the hill. It’s really not all my fault. You’re at fault too—you just stood right in the middle of the path instead of walking around.”

“If your legs aren’t good, why drink and come down the hill? Besides, maybe you were drunk and saw things wrong, choosing to run into the path where I was dodging!”

“No nonsense! I had a little wine, but I’m not drunk!”

“Drunk or not, let me test.” Wang Ge raised her right index finger and asked, “In front of all my clan mates, what number is this?”

Xie Tangzhou feigned pain, spat, and said, “Young lady, you’ve learned a few characters and already look down on people. That’s a one!”

Wang Ge raised her index and middle fingers. “Look again! What number is this?”

“Ha... two!”

Wang Ge made an “OK” gesture and asked, “Look again! What’s one plus one?”

“Three!” Xie Tangzhou dragged the sound out, puffing out his chest.

Seeing Wang Ge still about to ask a fourth question, Xie Ju immediately shouted, “You don’t even know one plus one equals two, and you won’t admit you’re drunk?”

In an instant, not only did Xie Tangzhou’s legs go weak, but the shorter disciples also covered their mouths, afraid to make a sound.

They all thought the same: Clan mate Ge was cheating—just now they almost shouted “one plus one equals three” for that bad young man!

(The end of this chapter)