Chapter 5: The Apprenticeship Ceremony At Haizhou Academy

The next day, after lunch, Lu Shujin returned to the rented courtyard.

There were many such rental courtyards in the Changqing Alley area of the northern part of the city, mostly inhabited by people who came to Yuncheng to make a living. During the day, the area was usually deserted, with locks hanging on most of the small doors. Lu Shujin specifically glanced at Peier’s door and found it wasn’t locked, which struck her as odd.

The embroidery workshop didn’t have rest days, so Peier should have been working at this hour.

Lu Shujin called out “Sister Peier” twice at the door, but there was no response. She then unlocked her own room and went inside.

The room was very simple—just a bed, a pair of tables and chairs, and a low cabinet. The window was also quite small.

Even so, the room felt a bit empty, as Lu Shujin had left very few belongings there. After checking to make sure nothing was missing, she sat on the stool, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and cooled off a bit from the afternoon heat while waiting for Peier to return.

Since Peier’s door wasn’t locked, she probably hadn’t gone far.

But Lu Shujin waited for quite a while and still didn’t see her return. She stepped outside again and happened to see a woman squatting in the courtyard washing clothes with a baby on her back. She called out, “Aunt Miao, why are you washing clothes in the courtyard today?”

Behind the courtyard ran a small alley with a creek and a well by the bank. Most of the women living nearby would wash clothes by the creek. Washing in the courtyard meant hauling water back, which was a lot of trouble.

Aunt Miao turned around and smiled when she saw her. “Shujin, didn’t I hear you started school at Haizhou Academy? Why are you back?”

“It’s my day off today, so I came to pick up a few things and check in on Sister Peier,” Lu Shujin replied, walking into the courtyard and glancing again at Peier’s door—it looked the same as before.

Aunt Miao’s smile faded, her brows furrowed with concern, and she lowered her voice. “Peier… didn’t come back last night.”

“Did she mention where she was going?” Lu Shujin asked with a frown.

Aunt Miao shook her head. “Yesterday she just said she was going out to buy something and asked me to keep an eye on her door. She hasn’t returned since.”

As Lu Shujin pondered this, she headed toward Peier’s room.

The door wasn’t locked, so with a gentle push, it opened. The room was about the same size as Lu Shujin’s, but it was packed with everyday items. Peier had lived here for half a year, and though the room was small, she kept it very tidy—everything was in its place.

This was Peier’s only residence in Yuncheng. She would never stay out overnight without taking anything with her unless something urgent or dangerous had happened, something that prevented her from returning home.

Lu Shujin stepped out and said to Aunt Miao, “Peier hasn’t come back for a whole day—we need to report this to the authorities.”

Aunt Miao quickly wiped her hands and replied, “I wanted to report it this morning, but my husband said we don’t know what Peier might have done before coming to Yuncheng. Maybe she’s a runaway slave, and if she’s caught and taken back, we could get into trouble. So he wouldn’t let me report it…”

Lu Shujin had never asked Peier why she came to Yuncheng, but she had once mentioned that she came here to make a living after her husband died. That didn’t sound like the story of a runaway slave. Regardless, her sudden disappearance made it safer to report the matter.

Lu Shujin and Aunt Miao went to the constable’s office to report the incident. They happened to arrive while the constables were out on patrol, so they had to wait at the entrance for quite a while before any officers returned.

However, after hearing the story, the constables only asked for Peier’s name, origin, and age—none of which Lu Shujin or Aunt Miao could answer clearly.

With no useful information, the constables asked no further questions and simply waved them off, telling them to wait for news.

Lu Shujin felt helpless. There was nothing more she could do for now. And with all the back-and-forth, it was nearly dark. If she didn’t return to Haizhou Academy soon, she might miss the curfew.

After a few parting words with Aunt Miao, Lu Shujin hurried back to the academy.

Having spent most of the day outside, she had to stay up late to finish the essays assigned by her teacher. After completing her own, she even helped Liu Quan and the others with theirs. By the time the candle burned out and the moon rose high, she was rubbing her eyes in exhaustion as she finally lay down to sleep.

The next morning, the academy bell rang on time. It wasn’t until the third chime that Lu Shujin finally woke up. Her eyelids felt heavy as she got up to wash and dress—she nearly ended up being late.

Because she hadn’t slept well and was still worried about Peier, Lu Shujin seemed listless the entire morning. As soon as class ended and the teacher left the hall, she slumped over her desk like a deflated balloon, closing her tired eyes for a short rest.

Wu Chengyun noticed her unusual behavior and looked at her with concern. “Brother Lu, I heard Liu Quan came looking for you again yesterday. Did he lay a hand on you?”

Lu Shujin, eyes still closed, replied lazily, “No.”

Wu Chengyun didn’t believe her. Clenching his fists, he said angrily, “Those ignorant bullies—good for nothing but picking on others. They’re just wasting time at the academy. Did they hurt you badly? I have some medicine for bruises and injuries. Want me to bring you some?”

Lu Shujin found his dramatic tone oddly amusing and said, “Thanks, Brother Wu, but I wasn’t beaten. I don’t need the medicine.”

Wu Chengyun assumed she was just saving face or perhaps had been threatened by Liu Quan into silence. He said with heartfelt concern, “Don’t be afraid, Brother Lu. If Liu Quan dares to bother you again, report him to the teacher. Haizhou Academy is strict—no matter his family background, he can’t keep breaking the rules.”

Though Wu Chengyun meant well, he was a bit too stubborn. And this wasn’t something easy to explain—she couldn’t exactly say she had volunteered to write Liu Quan’s essays. So she chose not to explain and instead changed the subject. “Do you know which hall Xiao Jin is in?”

“He’s in Dingzi Hall,” Wu Chengyun replied, surprised by the sudden question. Then he seemed to realize something and leaned in to whisper, “Are you planning to befriend Xiao Jin? That’s actually a smart move. If you become close with him, Liu Quan wouldn’t dare touch you. But Xiao Jin is unpredictable and reckless…”

Lu Shujin smiled faintly and shook her head without saying more.

Wu Chengyun found his deskmate increasingly mysterious. From her expression, he could never guess what she was thinking. She didn’t talk much either—always buried in her books like a complete bookworm. He had tried all kinds of advice over the past few days, but Lu Shujin remained unmoved. So he said, “The academy uniforms were handed out today. Tomorrow is the apprenticeship ceremony—one of the most important events of the year at Haizhou Academy. Xiao Jin definitely won’t miss it.”

That was the most useful piece of information for Lu Shujin. Her eyes lit up slightly. She stood and thanked Wu Chengyun, then headed straight to the dining hall.

That afternoon, Liu Quan came looking for her when the classroom was nearly empty. Lu Shujin handed him the essay, telling him to copy it over. Liu Quan skimmed through the contents and left happily.

After class, Lu Shujin took the wooden token from her dorm and went to the logistics office to collect her academy uniform.

The emblem of Haizhou Academy was a snow lotus, symbolizing “untainted by the mud, pure in the clear stream,” representing the students’ pure and steadfast pursuit of knowledge. The academy uniform was a pale moon-white color, overlaid with a layer of soft white gauze. The collar was embroidered with the outline of a lotus using just a few strands of golden thread. The sleeves and hem were trimmed with dark green silk embroidered with carp patterns. It also came with a thicker outer robe in cotton white, with large lotus petals tinged with pink at the hem—meant for wear in the cooler autumn and winter months.

This set of academy robes was custom-made by a renowned embroidery workshop in Yuncheng. The materials were luxurious, the craftsmanship exquisite. The fabric felt soft as gauze and had a pure, elegant color. It was light and cool to wear—perfect for summer. Even at her aunt’s house, Lu Shujin had never touched such fine clothing.

Just as she finished putting the garments away, Liu Quan showed up, leaning on a crutch.

Despite his injury, he was determined. Previously, just to come to the academy and make trouble for Lu Shujin, he had endured the pain and told his parents he was fine. Now that he was enrolled, he couldn’t skip class without reason, so he hobbled to school every day.

He began with a few insincere compliments, saying the essay she wrote had passed inspection, and asked her to keep writing. He handed over the new assignment from the teacher and, without saying much else, limped away.

Since the extra assignments from Jiazi Hall weren’t given daily, Lu Shujin had some free time that evening. She carefully studied the topic Liu Quan brought, first writing a detailed commentary. After letting the ink dry, she set it aside and then casually wrote a watered-down version for Liu Quan to submit. She blew out the candle early and went to bed.

After a full night’s rest, Lu Shujin woke up early the next day.

The first rule of Haizhou Academy was to respect teachers and value learning, so the annual Apprenticeship Ceremony was taken very seriously. All students were required to dress properly, wash their hands, burn incense, and enter the ceremonial hall in groups to pay respects to their teachers. No one was allowed to be absent—hence Wu Chengyun’s certainty that Xiao Jin would attend.

Lu Shujin changed into her academy uniform, tied her long hair under the square cap, and gently smoothed the long tassels that hung over her shoulders. The soft white gauze seemed to reflect its color onto her face, making her skin appear delicate and fair. Her eyebrows were pure black, and her eyes gleamed like polished obsidian. Even without much expression, she didn’t seem cold or distant—more like a tender leaf holding morning dew. Standing beneath the eaves, she looked ethereal.

As soon as Lu Shujin stepped outside, she saw students heading toward the dining hall, all dressed in their moon-white academy uniforms. The morning sunlight occasionally caught the golden lotus embroidery on their collars, making it shimmer briefly. From a distance, it looked like clusters of lotus flowers blooming together—a truly delightful sight.

Haizhou Academy was indeed something special.

After eating with the others, Lu Shujin made her way to the ceremonial hall. More and more people were gathering, all standing in the open space in front of the hall. The teachers were already there, each standing beside a wooden placard bearing the name of a different class. Though the students were scattered, they still managed to find their respective class signs and gather accordingly—chaotic, yet orderly.

Lu Shujin didn’t rush forward. She stood a short distance away, scanning the crowd. She didn’t spot the person she was looking for, but she wasn’t in a hurry. She simply waited quietly under a tree.

Students passed by her, and some glanced her way, whispering a few comments. A few recognized her as one of the three underprivileged students admitted this year.

After about a quarter of an hour, she still hadn’t seen Xiao Jin—but she did spot Qiao Bailian. Seeing Lu Shujin standing alone under the tree, he walked over.

When he got closer, Lu Shujin saw him too. She stepped forward and greeted him with a respectful bow. “Greetings, sir.”

Polite, gifted, and clean in appearance—Qiao Bailian found her more and more pleasing to the eye. A smile naturally appeared on his face as he asked gently, “Why are you standing here instead of going in?”

Lu Shujin replied, “It’s a bit noisy in front of the ceremonial hall, which makes it hard to think. I wanted to take a moment here to sort through some questions I had from last night’s reading.”

As a teacher, Qiao Bailian naturally felt it was his duty to help students with their doubts. “What questions do you have?” he asked.

Just as Lu Shujin was about to answer, she suddenly heard someone nearby call out, “Brother Xiao!” Her attention was instantly drawn. She looked toward the voice and spotted Xiao Jin among the many students in moon-white uniforms.

He was tall—easy to spot with just a glance. Like the others, he wore the academy uniform, his hair tied back with a mutton-fat jade crown. His ponytail hung loosely over his shoulders. A cool morning breeze swept past him, occasionally lifting a few strands of hair across his finely sculpted features. His face still carried the drowsiness of someone not fully awake.

Clearly, his uniform was different from the others. The snow-colored gauze over his robe shimmered in the sunlight with a faint iridescence, like the legendary silk of sea jiao (mythical sea creatures) described in books—beautiful and otherworldly.

Xiao Jin was just like that—though he was neither accomplished in literature nor martial arts and spent his days idly, he still stood out in every way.

He looked drowsy, likely from being tired of waking up early. Four or five students surrounded him, calling out “Brother Xiao” from all directions. The people nearby kept their distance, making his little entourage even more conspicuous.

Qiao Bailian, seeing this scene, was immediately irritated. He forgot he was waiting for Lu Shujin to ask her question and took a few steps forward, shouting, “Xiao Jin, get over here!”

The shout snapped Xiao Jin out of his daze. He noticed Qiao Bailian standing under the tree not far away, and as his gaze shifted, it met Lu Shujin’s—her eyes were pure black, without a trace of impurity. He clicked his tongue softly.

The students around him were startled at the sight of Qiao Bailian and quickly abandoned their attempts to curry favor with Xiao Jin. They bowed to the teacher and hurried off. Xiao Jin, now under Qiao Bailian’s stern gaze, had no choice but to change direction and walk over. When he reached them, he bowed and greeted, “Good day, sir.”

Xiao Jin was known for his unruly behavior and lack of discipline. Qiao Bailian had long since lowered his expectations for him. But seeing him today—dressed neatly, looking handsome, and not arriving late—he was already quite pleased. His expression softened as he said, “How many times have I told you not to form cliques in the academy? Why is there always a crowd around you wherever you go?”

Xiao Jin, suppressing his impatience, replied slowly, “They came on their own. And you always say we shouldn’t fight with our classmates. I can’t exactly beat them up, can I?”

Qiao Bailian glared at him. “So now you remember our teachings? Where was that memory when you were brawling in the academy the other day?”

Xiao Jin replied, “Uncle Qiao, you know I’m not very bright. When I get angry, my mind goes blank. Only afterward do I recall your teachings—and I regret it deeply.”

A few words, and Qiao Bailian was angry again. “If you truly regretted it, you wouldn’t have done it twice!”

Xiao Jin lowered his eyes and said nothing. On the surface, he looked like he was obediently accepting the scolding, but his eyes were full of indifference—he was the type who didn’t respond to either kindness or discipline.

Lu Shujin, who had been quietly standing nearby, saw that Qiao Bailian was about to lose his temper again. She quickly spoke up, “Please don’t be angry, sir. Young Master Xiao seems to be sincerely remorseful. After being reprimanded by Master Tang the other day, he accepted his punishment earnestly and thoroughly cleaned the ceremonial hall.”

Qiao Bailian recalled that just a few days ago, Tang Xueli had praised Xiao Jin’s improved essay, saying it showed real effort. He knew that for a rascal like Xiao Jin, even a little progress was a big deal and should be encouraged.

So he calmed down and took the opportunity Lu Shujin offered to de-escalate. “I read the essay you were punished to write. It was indeed an improvement. Since you’ve shown genuine remorse, I won’t pursue the matter of you hitting your classmate. But don’t let it happen again.”

Xiao Jin gave a soft response and lowered his gaze, which happened to fall on Lu Shujin standing beside him.

Just then, Lu Shujin looked up, and their eyes met. At this close distance, he noticed how strikingly black her eyes were—like ink spreading in water—pure and clear. Her fair complexion and the moon-white gauze of her robe made her look utterly spotless.

He suddenly recalled the day Haizhou Academy opened. He had been standing behind a group at the bun stall, listening to them gossip about him. When he threw a bun at them, Lu Shujin had turned to look. While the others turned pale and shrank back, avoiding his gaze, she had stared straight at him, eyes bright and unwavering.

Back then, Xiao Jin had thought, Where did this tough one come from? Even after being caught badmouthing him, she dared to meet his eyes like that—almost like a challenge.

His thoughts drifted, and he appeared distracted again, prompting Qiao Bailian to scold him a couple more times before leading him toward the ceremonial hall.

Just before leaving, Xiao Jin glanced back at Lu Shujin—and saw her smiling at him.

It wasn’t a flattering or ingratiating smile. It was clear and sincere, as beautiful as fine white porcelain. The sight of it made Xiao Jin pause in surprise.

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