“Child, from now on you’ll stay in the village and read books to everyone every day. As for the food for you and your younger brother, if every household in the village eats just a little less, there’ll be enough for you two. You’re a scholar, so take these books and study them well. If you can pass the imperial exams and earn a title, our whole village will share in the glory. When Guangling Village at the foot of Nanshan produced a tongsheng, that old man surnamed Zhou actually put on shadow puppet shows in the village for three days—what an honor that was.

As for me, your grandpa, I’d love to invite a shadow puppet troupe too, but the young men in our village just aren’t up to it. They’re all skilled hunters in the mountains, but when it comes to reading and writing, each one turns into a blockhead. The same young men who can kill tigers start trembling when they pick up a pen, and can’t even draw a proper circle after half a day. It’s enough to make this old man furious.”

Henry Clark’s shoulders and back were thumped loudly by the old man. What else was there to say? In just one day, he’d gone from being called a young man to a boy, and then from a boy to a child. The old man had become a grandpa, so how could the grandson have any objections? Especially since this grandson was still worrying about what to eat tomorrow. In this situation, the old man was definitely going to be his grandpa.

“Clan leader grandpa, I have no problem studying, and I think passing the tongsheng exam shouldn’t be too hard. Just give me a year or so, and I guarantee I’ll bring back a tongsheng title from the county for you. If I can get more books to read, getting a xiucai title in three years shouldn’t be a problem.”

Henry Clark just didn’t believe it would be that hard. He was a proper liberal arts graduate, and the exams he took back then were no easier than these. He’d fought his way through thousands of competitors to become a top student. Now, taking an exam equivalent to a junior high schooler’s level for tongsheng shouldn’t be too difficult.

Henry Clark’s words moved the old man to tears. Grabbing Henry Clark’s hand, he said, “Good child, good child. Grandpa doesn’t want you to stay in the village your whole life. As long as you can write ‘Dou Sha County, Dou Sha Village’ as your place of origin on the exam paper, grandpa will be satisfied. When I die and go to see our ancestors, I’ll have something to say.

You’re a seed for studying, and your younger brother is a clever child too. If you two study hard, the village will support you even if we have to sell our pots and pans. From now on, you’re the children of this village, and you must say so to everyone.”

The old man was sobbing uncontrollably, but his last words were spoken with such authority that Henry Clark dared not disobey in the slightest. Perhaps this was the dignity of the family patriarch.

Henry Clark was afraid people would ask about his origins, but now, with the old clan leader’s gag order, probably no one would dare defy it. The Song Dynasty was still a clan-based society, and the old clan leader held absolute authority within the clan. His word was more effective than the harshest laws. If he said the Henry Clark brothers were children of the village, then the two of them, body and soul, belonged to Dou Sha Village. Anyone who dared question it would likely be stuffed into a pig basket and thrown into the pond by the old clan leader. It sounded cruel, but this kind of authority lasted all the way until the end of the feudal dynasties.

The old clan leader was determined to completely erase the past of the Henry Clark brothers. In his eyes, they were just children. As long as everyone kept telling them they were children of Dou Sha Village, over time, they would truly become people of Dou Sha Village.

Chapter 7: Studying

Since everyone was getting what they wanted, Henry Clark didn’t object anymore. The old clan leader once again comforted Henry Clark with heartfelt words, gave his son a few instructions, and then left with a big bundle of gifts, strutting off to the village head’s banquet.

The old clan leader’s son was a man in his forties, and he was truly strong—his broad shoulders looked like they could carry a mountain. A hundred or so catties of rice slung over his shoulder was like carrying a blade of grass. Henry Clark followed behind with the books and writing supplies sent by the old clan leader.

This sudden change left him dizzy. In just one day, all his problems had been solved. From now on, he could happily be a rice worm in the village. As long as he passed the tongsheng exam, he would be respected by everyone for life.

The old clan leader’s surname was Cang, and everyone called him Old Reed. His son’s name was Ethan Reed. In Henry Clark’s memory, Ethan Reed was a kind of prickly plant that could stick to people’s or animals’ fur and travel everywhere.

Ethan Reed truly lived up to his name—clinginess was in his nature. Even after carrying in the rice, he didn’t leave. Instead, he rubbed his callused hands together awkwardly, wanting to speak but unable to get a word out.

“Uncle Reed, if you have something to say, just say it. As long as it’s something I can do, I’ll definitely agree. We’re family now, so what’s there to be embarrassed about?”

“Well, well, Xiao Zheng, your Uncle Reed has been illiterate his whole life. Because I can’t read, I’ve been cheated out of a lot of game by those black-hearted restaurants and inns. This can’t go on. You two brothers are scholarly seeds, so study hard. The village won’t miss the food you two eat. Could you maybe teach Xiao Shu to read too? I don’t expect him to pass the tongsheng exam or anything, just hope that in the future, the game he risks his life to catch won’t be cheated away by those black-hearted shopkeepers.”

Hearing this, not only was Henry Clark stunned, but Jack Clark, who was lying on the rice sack, was also stunned. For the first time, they realized the importance of knowledge. It turned out that without knowledge, you really could be bullied.