"Beneath the East Flower Gate, they shall proclaim my name!"
In the neighboring courtyard, Zhang Zai stood with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the sky with heroic fervor.
Unfortunately, his bookboy was nowhere near as composed.
He poked his head out of the room, a stack of books in his arms and a look of utter despair on his face.
The boy's surname was Chen, and his given name was simply Yi.
He was twelve that year, with a round face, small eyes, and a few freckles across the bridge of his nose.
He was a house-born servant of the Zhang family and had followed Zhang Zai since childhood, so he knew his young master's temperament inside out.
Talent, he had. Ambition, he had in abundance. Silver, he had none. A thick skin, he certainly had.
"Young master!" Chen Yi dumped the books on the ground and dusted off his hands.
"Could you stop shouting?" He stood beneath the veranda with his hands on his hips.
"Provincial Graduate Wei lives next door. With you yelling like this, he'll think a madman has moved into our house!"
Zhang Zai turned around. Rather than getting angry, he walked over with a broad grin.
He reached out with both hands, caught Chen An's head between them, and shook it from side to side as though kneading dough.
"What do you know? What do you know?" Zhang Zai said as he shook him.
"Do you know what Provincial Graduate Wei just said? He said..."
Zhang Zai instantly mimicked Wei Nisheng's tone and manner.
"'Since we're neighbors, I'll surely trouble you from time to time. I hope we can hone our learning together, Brother Zhang, and attend the Spring Examination together!'"
"Hone our learning together! Attend the Spring Examination together!"
Zhang Zai