Henry Clark started banging his head against the table again. He had no idea how to explain to Chief Foster that Mr. David Harris called this mountain Shenxiu Peak—a name so elegant. If he wrote in his own essay like Chief Foster, “Today, this old man climbed Nipple Mountain…” Henry Clark wondered if the romantic Tang poets ever had the guts to write something like that. He himself would rather die than write an article so embarrassing it would be laughed at for a thousand years.

“Speak properly. If this thing really exists, we can take on this job. Although the county magistrate is stingy, he’ll still pay twenty or thirty strings of cash for the work. This is extra labor—does he really expect me to pay out of my own pocket?”

Chief Foster dragged Henry Clark up to the mountaintop, pointed at the clearing, and asked Henry Clark where the pond was. Since Mr. David Harris said he could see the little river while washing his feet here, and the river was to the north, the spot he sat must be to the south. The laborers, following Henry Clark’s directions, cleared the weeds there, and after just two swings of the hoe, they hit bluestone.

Chief Foster ordered the laborers to hurry up. Soon, a large pit paved with blue stone slabs appeared. Chief Foster grinned with satisfaction, told the laborers to cover it back up, and even grabbed a handful of grass to throw on top of the pit. He gave Henry Clark a hard slap on the shoulder and said, “Don’t tell anyone. This is money heaven has bestowed on us. Kid, good job. Five strings of cash—I’m buying this idea from you. From now on, this trick is mine. Don’t tell outsiders. Let me, Old Foster, play the military strategist for once.”

Hearing Chief Foster’s words, Henry Clark was about to go bang his head against a tree again.

Old Foster grabbed him and said, “Too little, huh? Eight strings, that’s the most I can do. My brothers still need to eat!”

“You’re trying to get me killed, Foster. Let me call you Foster like your brothers do—do you really think this is appropriate?” Henry Clark’s question left Old Foster dumbfounded. He mulled it over for a while before saying, “How is giving you money harming you?”

“I’m thirteen this year, my little brother is three. You want the two of us to keep five strings of cash at home? How are we supposed to survive? Five strings can buy a top-quality ox. For that kind of money, there’ll be more than one or two people willing to kill for it. If this isn’t harming me, what is?” Henry Clark shouted angrily at Chief Foster.

Old Foster blinked for a while before finally understanding. He squatted in front of Henry Clark and said, “Kid, now you’ve really made me see you in a new light. Lust is a bone-scraping steel knife, and money is a life-shortening poison. Many people know this, but when it’s right in front of them, few can resist. So, how should I thank you? I, Old Foster, may be rough, but I don’t do underhanded things. You’re smart—think of a safe way and tell me.”

Henry Clark cupped his hands to Chief Foster and said, “Only someone like you would be so considerate. If it were someone else, I’d pretend to know nothing. This is good people getting good rewards. Just consider it my thanks for letting me be the bookkeeper and sparing me from labor.” As he spoke, he scooped up a handful of rainwater and showed it to Old Foster, saying, “What is this? To me, it’s the King of Hell urging my death. Half a day I can endure, but over a month, getting soaked every day—even the strongest body can’t take it. I’ve seen the people buried in the trenches these days—sixteen of them, all stronger than me. If something happens to me, my little brother at home won’t survive either. You may not care, it’s just a small favor to you, but to me, five strings of cash for two lives is worth it.

To be honest, I never planned to just throw my life away. I still want to take the child student exam, then the licentiate exam. If my ancestors have accumulated virtue, maybe I’ll even get my name called at Donghua Gate. I want to try to reach for it.

My teacher is a recluse. Though I’ve learned a lot of miscellaneous knowledge, it’s the most profound learning. Just in terms of mathematics—not to boast—there are few in this world who can match me.

It’s just that becoming a presented scholar through miscellaneous studies isn’t what I want. Now that I’ve returned home, I want to start from the child student exam and step by step fulfill my dream. The child student exam is just a test of mastery of the Four Books and Five Classics—just rote memorization, not difficult. If Foster can help me find five people to vouch for me so I can take the exam, I’d be deeply grateful.”

Chief Foster’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He stammered and swallowed hard, saying to Henry Clark, “You want your name called at Donghua Gate?”

Henry Clark nodded and said, “Why not? My teacher said the great talent selection of the Song Dynasty is, in the end, a joke. A few essays can decide a person’s fate, a couple of poems can send someone soaring—how hasty! As a disciple, I naturally want to test whether my teacher’s words are true.

The county exam is in February, the prefectural exam in May, the academy exam in August. I want to see if I can pass all three in a year and bring back the title of licentiate. Please, Foster, lend me a hand. Henry Clark will never forget your kindness.”

Chief Foster’s eyes were already bulging as far as they could, so he just opened his mouth wide. Rainwater from his bamboo hat flowed into his mouth, but he didn’t even notice. He had been completely stunned by Henry Clark’s words.