“Zhonghe Weiyu…” ‘Damn, what does that mean?’ Adam Sullivan cursed inwardly, and a string of words flashed through his mind. He couldn’t help but blurt out, “This sentence comes from the fifth line of the first chapter of the Doctrine of the Mean: ‘When perfect balance and harmony are achieved, Heaven and Earth are in their proper places, and all things are nurtured.’”

“Correct. And what does it mean?” Mr. Sullivan nodded and smiled.

“These four characters are the essence of the entire Doctrine of the Mean. The ‘Zhongyong Fen Zhang’ explains: ‘With balance and harmony, one clarifies the unity of substance and function; with proper placement and nurturing, one clarifies the ultimate achievement of benevolence and sincerity.’” Adam Sullivan decided not to be surprised anymore, opened up and spoke fluently: “That is to say, ‘balance and harmony’ is the goal. In dealing with people and matters, in speech and action, one must be impartial and moderate, harmonious and appropriate. How can one achieve this? ‘Proper placement and nurturing’ is the method.”

“How does one ‘properly place and nurture’?” Mr. Sullivan asked solemnly, as if discussing scholarship with a peer.

“Zhu Xi said: ‘Placement means to be at peace in one’s position. Nurturing means to allow growth.’ According to Zhu Xi’s explanation, ‘proper placement and nurturing’ means ‘being at peace and allowing growth.’ As scholars, we should abide by our duties and follow the way of Heaven, and thus we can achieve ‘proper placement and nurturing’ and ‘balance and harmony.’”

※※※

After finishing, Adam Sullivan stood quietly in the hall, silently savoring what he had just said, as if he had gained some insight.

Mr. Sullivan also closed his eyes slightly, saying nothing, as if he too was reflecting.

Only Fourth Young Sullivan didn’t understand a thing, naturally feeling bored out of his mind, but not daring to leave on his own. He stood there scratching his head, feeling uncomfortable all over.

Fortunately, the two of them didn’t remain lost in thought for long. Suddenly, Mr. Sullivan clapped his hands and laughed heartily: “What a fine ‘abide by one’s duties and follow the way of Heaven’—you have truly mastered Zhu Xi’s teachings.”

Adam Sullivan hurriedly replied modestly, “I merely recited the text and added a bit of my own understanding. You flatter me, sir.”

“Not at all.” Mr. Sullivan stroked his beard and smiled. “How old are you this year?”

“Thirteen,” Adam Sullivan replied softly.

“To reach such a level at thirteen shows your great talent and diligence. Remarkable, truly remarkable!” Mr. Sullivan sighed. “If only my fourth son had half your intelligence, he wouldn’t be like this now…” As he spoke, he glanced at Fourth Young Sullivan, his expression turning cold again: “Useless! Neither accomplished in literature nor in martial arts, lazy and idle!”

Fourth Young Sullivan thought to himself: ‘I knew nothing good would come from you not letting me leave.’

Adam Sullivan also thought: ‘Here comes the main topic.’ Sure enough, Mr. Sullivan turned his head, smiling, and said, “Adam Sullivan, I said earlier there would be a reward for the right answer. What kind of reward would you like?”

Adam Sullivan rolled his eyes inwardly, thinking: ‘Is there really a choice here?’ He put on a sincere smile and said, “A gift from my elder is not something I dare refuse, nor dare to choose.”

Chapter 11: All Things Are Inferior (Part 2)

“Hahahaha…” Mr. Sullivan burst into hearty laughter. Suddenly, he felt that this young man before him might have a bright future… He himself had studied and served as an official, so he naturally knew that to stand out in this world, one must excel both in scholarship and in conduct. Scholarship is the prerequisite, but conduct ultimately determines one’s achievements.

The young man before him was neither servile nor arrogant, neither impatient nor rash, gentle and refined, upright on the outside and flexible within—truly not your average bookworm… For some reason, he suddenly thought of his own mentor, Lord Shaohu.

At this thought, Mr. Sullivan couldn’t help but shake his head and smile to himself: ‘Why would I think of my mentor? Was he like this when he was young?’ But in the end, he changed his original intention—not to make Adam Sullivan a study companion for his youngest son, but to have them study together as equals: “Adam Sullivan, the Shen family school is the top private academy in Shaoxing. Would you be willing to study there diligently before the county exam… and, of course, help me keep this rebellious son in line and let him learn from you?” The last sentence was directed at the drowsy fourth young master.

Even with Adam Sullivan’s steady mind, he couldn’t hide the surprise on his face… He had thought he couldn’t escape the humiliating fate of being a study companion, but from Mr. Sullivan’s words, he was to study alongside Fourth Young Master as equals. This was… wonderful.

There’s only a single character difference between “study companion” and “study partner,” but the meaning is worlds apart—the former is akin to a master-servant relationship, while the latter is a bond between classmates. What Adam Sullivan didn’t know was that if Mr. Sullivan hadn’t been an official and seen the world, he would never have made such a decision.

※※※

Adam Sullivan agreed in a daze, and Mr. Sullivan was very pleased with his reaction… Although the boy didn’t smile this time, he looked much more agreeable.

Mr. Sullivan decided to strike while the iron was hot. He reached into his sleeve, but found nothing but empty air. Slightly embarrassed, he put on a good face for his son and said, “Friends share their wealth. From now on, you two are classmates. If you have plenty of money and Adam Sullivan is short for the moment, what should you do?”

Fourth Sullivan was quick-witted. He hurried forward, took out a silk money pouch from his chest, weighed it in his hand—it was a good four or five taels heavy—and, heart aching, handed it to Adam Sullivan: “Friend, take it and spend as you like.”

Adam Sullivan thought: ‘If I take this money, you’ll hate me for sure.’ So he bowed to Mr. Sullivan and said, “Thanks to your kindness, sir, for giving Adam Sullivan the opportunity to study. That is already a great favor.” Then he smiled at Fourth Sullivan: “But as for this money… I absolutely cannot accept it.”