“Earlier, I went to the county office to help out. There was a big incident outside, and many people still haven’t returned. I truly didn’t expect to see you again!”

He warmly led Grace to another room. “Look, would you be comfortable staying here?”

“We usually stay here to sleep, eat, and study... I’ll find you some books later. You can sleep on this bed.”

“Oh, and there are set meal times every day. Someone will bring food into the courtyard—just go with them to eat.”

“There are about twenty people in the law room, all just like you, preparing to become clerks...”

Once this person started talking, he just wouldn’t stop, chattering on and on, his lips constantly moving, never pausing for a moment.

“We get one day off every ten days. We just had our day off yesterday, so you’ll have to wait another ten days. The rest of the time, you’re not allowed to leave the courtyard.”

“If any outsiders come, lock the door well and don’t argue with them...”

He was still going on and on when suddenly someone outside called his name.

Thomas Lane looked at Grace with reluctance. “Brother Grace, I’ll come back later!”

Once he left, Grace Foster immediately felt the room become much quieter.

The inner room was very small, with a passage in the middle and a bed on each side. The other bed was neatly made, and a short sword hung on the wall—nothing else.

Grace tidied up his bed, sat down, took out a cake from his chest, and began to eat heartily.

The courtyard was especially quiet; there was no sound of reading. From the window, he could see the empty courtyard outside.

Under the sunlight, the courtyard shimmered with heat waves, making even the light look blurry.

Grace finished his water and lay down on the bed, closing his eyes to rest.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, but the courtyard grew dim, and the sound of shuffling, chaotic footsteps appeared.

“Bang!!”

A loud crash.

The door was violently kicked open.

Grace Foster quickly turned over, sat up on the bed, and looked toward the door.

A group of people staggered into the room, soon blocking the entire space. They looked down at Grace Foster on the bed from different angles.

The leader stood right in front of Grace Foster, head lowered, his gaze moving back and forth between Grace Foster and the bundle beside him.

“Have you never learned the importance of respecting your teachers and elders?”

“Since you’ve come to study, why haven’t you come to pay your respects to your senior brothers?”

Grace Foster could smell the strong scent of malice and greed from them.

He didn’t say a word.

After waiting a moment and seeing he didn’t respond, one of them grew angry and raised his hand to slap him. “How dare you be so rude?!”

The others quickly stopped him.

The leader spoke again, “There are rules in the county school. Newcomers like you must pay respects to your senior brothers, state your name, remember everyone’s names, and greet them morning and night from now on...”

“In Great Qi, we value morality and etiquette. Without etiquette, there can be no learning. This is also to teach you how to behave... Are you mute or something?”

Grace Foster still didn’t speak, and the leader began to get angry.

Grace raised his head and stared coldly at the leader, who didn’t even dare meet his gaze.

“So insolent! Did you learn your manners from your mother?!”

The leader shouted harshly.

Grace Foster’s left eye twitched, a hint of fierceness flashing in his eyes...

“What are you doing?!”

Suddenly, someone outside shouted.

The crowd blocking the room quickly made way. Thomas Lane walked in, frowning and full of anger.

“It’s so late and you’re not studying—what are you all doing here?!”

“Go back! All of you, go back!!”

Hearing his shout, none of them dared argue. They just glared at Grace Foster before leaving one after another.

Thomas Lane watched them leave one by one. When they were gone, he finally closed the door.

He put the book in his hand aside and looked at Grace Foster.

“These people are ruthless. I just saved your life!”

“The one leading them is a Qihu. I don’t think he’s here to study. If it weren’t for me...”

He muttered a few words, then naturally sat down on the bed opposite Grace Foster.

“Brother Grace, don’t worry too much. With me here, they won’t dare cause trouble. They only have a few days left anyway—they’ll be taking the exam soon.”

“In the past, these minor clerks were forcibly conscripted, with no salary, so no one wanted the job. Now that there’s a salary, a bunch of people are fighting for it. That’s the way of the world.”

“There was no salary before?”

Grace Foster spoke.

Thomas Lane nodded. “That’s right. Not only did minor clerks not get paid, even officials didn’t! It wasn’t until after Emperor Xiaowen of Later Wei that officials started getting salaries. As for clerks, they only got paid after Emperor Wenxiang.”

“Emperor Wenxiang was both a civil and military genius. It’s a pity... he was killed by a cook.”

“The current emperor is even more extraordinary. In the past, the county office and county school weren’t like this. No one dared cause trouble—everyone, from top to bottom, was virtuous...”

As Thomas Lane spoke, his eyes were full of nostalgia, but his tone grew heavy.

“Mr. Lane.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m going to rest now.”

“All right!”

Thomas Lane nodded and climbed onto the bed opposite.