Chapter Ten: Hou Xinjie

The day after returning the money borrowed from the gatekeeper Jian, Ma Jianguo entrusted Ma Yuan with some matters he deemed very important—mainly reminders for a person to be cautious while in Gao City and to take good care of himself.

Afterwards, Ma Jianguo and Ma Yuan visited Ma Jianqun’s antique shop again. After presenting some gifts as tokens of gratitude, Ma Jianguo set off alone, driving his donkey cart back to Huixiang.

Though Ma Jianguo worried deeply about whether Ma Yuan could endure life alone in Gao City, having already decided to send him there, he resolved to let go and allow Ma Yuan to face the world on his own.

Ma Yuan had wished Ma Jianguo wouldn’t leave so soon, feeling a certain fear in his heart. But Ma Jianguo was tied down by affairs back home in Huixiang, so Ma Yuan had no choice but to confront this new life in Gao City alone.

It was Ma Yuan’s first time separated from Ma Jianguo. Although everything in Gao City was unfamiliar, it did not dampen his curiosity. Gao City was different from Huixiang—many things were novel to him, especially inside Quhe Academy, which was filled with all manner of wonders.

Due to the unrest in the world, Quhe Academy had implemented boarding for students starting two years prior, to prevent incidents after school hours and to facilitate unified management.

Ma Yuan was assigned by gatekeeper Jian to live in Guan Ju Pavilion, an intriguingly named building derived from the Shijing poem “Guan Ju”: “Guan guan cry the ospreys, on the islet in the river; gentle and graceful is the lady, a fine match for the gentleman.” It symbolized harmony and tranquility.

Since the academy had limited dormitories, rooms were generally shared by three or four students. Ma Yuan’s roommates were named Wang Xian and Hou Xinjie.

Wang Xian was an elusive figure; Ma Yuan had only learned from Hou Xinjie that Wang’s family was in business, though the specifics were unclear. Wang was very busy and was mostly seen only during classes, making it nearly impossible to meet him otherwise.

Moreover, Wang Xian did not place much importance on academics. His entire family regarded education merely as a façade, with business and earning money being the true path.

As for Hou Xinjie, his family background was prominent—a military lineage. His family held significant military positions, and though somewhat remote from the central power, the Hou family was not one to be trifled with in Gao City.

Despite being a military scion, Hou Xinjie bore none of the arrogance typical of noble families. Instead, he carried a scholarly air. He was the first person Ma Yuan met in Guan Ju Pavilion, leaving Ma Yuan with a favorable impression.

Today marked Ma Yuan’s first day attending classes at the academy—his first experience of formal education in life.

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“Brother Xinjie, you arrived earlier than me. You’ll have to help me out later. I’ve never touched upon these new kinds of knowledge before, so I can’t afford to make a fool of myself on the very first day,” Ma Yuan said on the way, his nerves stretched tight.

Hou Xinjie had practically worn out his ears the past two days, as Ma Yuan relentlessly inquired about every detail of attending classes, eager to understand beforehand.

Coming from the countryside, Ma Yuan was completely unfamiliar with modern culture and wanted to prepare as much as possible before his first lesson.

This, however, troubled Hou Xinjie, as Wang Xian was absent most of the time, leaving Ma Yuan to pester Hou Xinjie incessantly, and Hou Xinjie was helpless.

The first class was Geography. Simply put, it was to gain an understanding of the nation and the world—essential knowledge, especially as the world was on the brink of chaos, and war might soon engulf Gao City.

The geography teacher was Shi Lang, a rough northerner with a loud voice who taught in a straightforward manner.

He spoke quickly, and if one were to lose focus for even a moment, it was easy to fall behind in his class.

Today, Shi Lang was explaining how the Tong River was formed.

The Tong River flowed alongside Tongzhou City, a massive metropolis. The people of Tongzhou depended on the Tong River for life—the river was the mother river of Tongzhou and other riverside cities.

After a brief introduction, Shi Lang paused and asked, “Does any student know how the Tong River was formed? Just give me a simple explanation.”

Hearing this, the classroom fell silent. Everyone lowered their heads, silently hoping not to be called upon.

“Wang Xian, why don’t you answer this question?” Seeing no response, Shi Lang called on Wang Xian, his eyes catching sight of him.

Though Wang Xian was busy and rarely seen, Shi Lang knew him well. Wang was one of the smartest students, with a learning speed that outpaced even the most studious peers.

This made Shi Lang reluctant to reprimand Wang for his frequent absences.

At that moment, Wang Xian was lost in thought, troubled by recent family matters affecting the Wang household, which explained his distraction in class.

“Mr. Shi, I apologize. I was lost in thought. Could you please repeat the question?” Wang Xian stood up calmly and respectfully.

His response sparked laughter throughout the classroom.

Shi Lang chuckled as well. The boy was indeed interesting—gifted in learning, yet with an unusual character that set him apart.

Ma Yuan found this odd. Back in the countryside, if Ma Jianguo caught him daydreaming, he would be scolded harshly, sometimes even disciplined with a rattan cane.

“Alright, I’ll say it again. Wang Xian, how was the Tong River formed? You answer,” Shi Lang said with a smile, not offended by Wang’s earlier comment.

After a brief pause, Wang Xian replied, “The Tong River originates from the Tanggula Mountains. Snow on the mountains melts under the sun’s heat, forming streams that flow down the mountain. These streams carve out river paths over thousands of years, eventually forming the Tong River as it exists today.”

Shi Lang nodded approvingly. The boy was truly smart; if only he could focus all his energy on studying, his future would be boundless.

“Good answer. You may sit down.” Shi Lang waved him off and turned to write three large characters on the blackboard: “Mother River.”

He then proceeded to elaborate on the formation and development of the Tong River, captivating all the students with his thorough explanation.