Having left the A-section, Chu Ning did not return to the dormitory but instead diverted to the gatehouse.
Here, each student could write a letter and have the gatekeeper help them send it out.
In the two months since coming to the academy, Chu Ning had written two letters home and one to Director Huang.
The content of the letters to his old aunt was mostly to reassure her of his safety, to prevent her from worrying, while the letter to Director Huang mainly focused on his martial arts progress at the academy.
Chu Ning considered himself a poor college student, and Director Huang the philanthropist who donated money for his college education, reporting his academic progress to the philanthropist to make him feel that his donation was not in vain and to give him a sense of accomplishment.
One may not necessarily expect you to succeed, but at the very least, you should show that you have not forgotten the kindness shown to you. If you also achieve excellent results on this basis, it would be even more gratifying.
After first writing a letter to his old aunt, Chu Ning picked up his pen to write a second letter.
[Uncle Huang:]
[Your nephew Chu Ning sends his regards.]
[As with the previous letter, I would like to begin by thanking Uncle Huang for his help that allowed me to practice martial arts at the academy. After several pleasantries, I get to the main subject.]
[Having been at the academy for two months, I am aware of the difficulties of learning martial arts and have not dared to slack off, practicing day and night. I am of limited talent unlike my peers. When confused, I seek advice from the martial master or encounter reprimand, I become even more respectful and attentive, not daring to retort; patiently waiting until he is pleased, then asking again. Thus, though foolish, I have still learned something.]
[In terms of living quarters, I have no luxurious food to savor. My dorm mates all wear fine garments and caps adorned with red tassels and precious stones, white jade rings at their waists, a sword on the left, and fragrant pouches on the right, appearing like divine beings; whereas I am in my coarse robe and worn clothes among them, with hardly any desire for luxury. He who finds joy in his own pursuits does not mind his own lack compared to others. Hence, my diligence is indeed arduous...]
[...]
[...]
After finishing, Chu Ning paid the gatekeeper five pieces of silver to send out the two letters immediately before heading back to the dormitory.
As he entered the dormitory, the scent of meat filled the air.
Chu Ning swallowed, thankful that he had enjoyed a very full meal this time.
In the small courtyard, Ji Yang was fishing beef out of a pot. Seeing Chu Ning return, he hurriedly called out, "Chu Ning, I bought a cow's leg earlier and have cooked it. Come and have some with me."
"I ate my fill in the dining hall," replied Chu Ning. "Had I known you were bringing back beef, I would've eaten less. Now I really can't eat anymore."
Chu Ning lifted his clothes to reveal his round belly, and Ji Yang laughed, "Now it's my fault? I didn't tell you to stuff yourself."
Lying on his bed, Chu Ning listened to Ji Yang quietly dealing with the beef bones and leaving the dormitory. Although Ji Yang tried to eat his beef leg without making noise, the aroma of the meat was undeniable. Chu Ning stared at the ceiling, realizing that half of what he wrote in the letter to Director Huang was a true reflection of his feelings.
In the entire academy, he probably came from the poorest background.
For one's strength to increase quickly, nutrition had to keep pace.
In this era, nutrition meant eating meat, and these students who passed the assessments could afford to do so, unlike him, who essentially had to eat grass every day.
To say he wasn't envious?
That would be nonsense.
If not envious, why would the author of "Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng" remember his classmates' clothing and food so vividly?
Chu Ning simply closed his eyes, listening as Ji Yang tiptoed out with the beef bones; he sighed in his heart, sensing that the friendship with his dorm mate Ji Yang was nearing its end.
If he refused today using a full stomach as an excuse, what about tomorrow?
If he were to eat the beef Ji Yang bought...
Once or twice would be fine, but any more, and Ji Yang might start feeling uneasy.
Although Ji Yang's family was not poor, it was not extremely wealthy either; their martial master was his uncle by marriage, not his direct uncle.
If Chu Ning continued to refuse and Ji Yang ate beef by himself in the dorm, it would also make him feel awkward and embarrassed.
A gradual drift apart between the two was inevitable.
It wasn't Chu Ning's fault, nor Ji Yang's.
The fault was that he was too poor.
...
...
Day 70.
Chu Ning's strength reached 410 pounds.
Over these seven days, it had only increased by 20 pounds.
Continuing at this rate, reaching 500 pounds in three months was looking risky. It was time to rely on dietary supplements to break through to the third layer of "Bull Demon Strength."
Chu Ning went to the dining hall and bought back a cow's leg for thirty taels of silver, ten times the price outside the academy.
Half a month ago, a leg of beef only cost twenty taels.
Medicinal herbs were even more expensive, some so costly that Chu Ning turned away as soon as he asked for the price.
He could only sigh at the notion that the sellers were shrewder than buyers.
The owner of the mess hall had thoroughly grasped the psychological changes of the students.
In the beginning, all students were confident in themselves, and beef and medicinal herbs did not sell well since the prices were so high.
However, as the three-month deadline approached, those students whose strength did not increase as desired became anxious, willing to buy regardless of the high cost.
Just like desperate gamblers who knew the interest rates were steep yet dared to borrow, believing that one winning bet would cover their losses.
Chu Ning placed the beef leg into the pot to boil and didn't call for Ji Yang because Ji Yang no longer returned to the dormitory.
When Ji Yang first started eating the beef leg, he felt awkward eating it in front of Chu Ning, so he would go to Dormitory A8 to eat with Huang Chen of Room A8, but would return to sleep at night.
According to Ji Yang, Huang Chen's father was also a martial master and had a good relationship with his father's brother.
But when Ji Yang saw Chu Ning fetching water for Huang Chen, he stopped coming back that evening. Whenever Chu Ning encountered Ji Yang while fetching water for Huang Chen, Ji Yang acted as if he hadn't seen him.
Chu Ning understood that Ji Yang felt ashamed to share a dormitory with him.
After all, among so many students, he was the only one doing chores fit for a servant.
However, Chu Ning did not mind because he had anticipated this outcome and bore no ill will towards Ji Yang, as such were the prevailing attitudes of the world.
Just like the scholars of ancient times who, despite being impoverished and depending on others for food, refused to work as accountants or engage in commerce, for while poverty could be seen as a low point, engaging in business or working for a merchant was considered demeaning.
The difference in mindset and cognition had nothing to do with the individual.
After finishing four beef legs in four days, Chu Ning's strength reached 440 pounds.
He still had not broken through to the third layer of Bull Demon Strength.
There were fifteen days left until the assessment.
He had no money left to buy more beef legs.
The students of the 'A' series had already paid up until the end of the month and were unlikely to give more.
They weren't fools; if they were to be eliminated in the three-month assessment, any extra money given would have been wasted.
If there was no assessment, Chu Ning wouldn't be in a hurry, for even without eating beef, his strength would steadily increase by three pounds daily, amounting to a thousand pounds over a year.
But the key issue was the academy's assessment; not reaching five hundred pounds meant he would have to leave.
Being kicked out meant he couldn't serve at the yamen and would miss out on the latter three layers of Bull Demon Strength.
"Should I seek out Instructor Liu and cheat once again?"
Chu Ning muttered to himself but then immediately dismissed the idea.
If he hadn't been exposed by the instructors, he might have gotten away with it using Director Huang's influence, but the instructors all knew he didn't have a close relationship with Director Huang, and the academy wouldn't allow him to cheat again.
...
...
Huang Residence.
Huang Zhongtai rode his horse back to the residence; servants came forward to take the horse while the butler walked beside him, reporting the major events that had taken place at the Huang Residence and in Daning County during the month he was away.
After the report, the butler hesitated, and Huang Zhongtai, noticing the butler's reluctance, asked, "Is there anything else?"
"Master, there's another letter from Chu Ning from the academy."
The butler hesitated because a month ago, when a letter from the academy arrived, claiming to be from Chu Ning, the master had just glanced at it and then dropped the subject.
"Oh, bring it to me to see."
As Huang Zhongtai spoke, he walked inside, and the butler hurriedly handed him the letter.
Huang Zhongtai opened the letter, and after a few glances, he stopped in his tracks, his face betrayed deep emotion.
"Master?" The butler, seeing his lord halt, was curious about what the letter contained to move him so profoundly.
"This lad has great perseverance!"
Huang Zhongtai remarked emotionally, and instead of continuing to his bedroom, he turned toward the study.
PS: The contract status has changed, adding another chapter to celebrate!