As the sun began to set, Er Lang returned with San Lang.
The moment Jiang Wan saw San Lang, she wanted to avoid him, because San Lang always insisted on practicing calligraphy with her as soon as he got home.
Practicing calligraphy was truly tedious, and Jiang Wan usually avoided it whenever possible. So, she quickly thought about what excuse she could use to get out of practicing calligraphy today.
Unexpectedly, San Lang saw her but didn't call her. Instead, he carried his schoolbag back to his new room and stayed inside, not coming out.
Jiang Wan felt that this child was acting very strangely.
Normally, San Lang would excitedly pull her to read and write every day after returning home. Today, he was so quiet; he clearly had something on his mind!
Could he have been bullied by someone!
The thought made Jiang Wan anxious. She ran to San Lang's door and pushed it open. Then, she saw half of a bare bottom!
"Ah!"
Jiang Wan quickly turned around, her face burning red.
San Lang was also startled. He quickly pulled his clothes down, his face turning purple with embarrassment.
"Wan Wan, why didn't you knock before coming in?"
Jiang Wan swore she hadn't done it on purpose. How could she have known San Lang was looking at his own bottom in his room?!
Why would he look at his own bottom for no reason?
No, she thought she had glimpsed a few red marks on his bottom just now!
Jiang Wan immediately forgot her embarrassment and rushed in, intending to pull down San Lang's pants to see what was going on.
San Lang was terrified. He quickly grabbed the waistband of his pants and shouted, "Wan Wan, what are you doing? Why are you pulling down my pants?"
But his strength was no match for Jiang Wan's. In just a few moves, his pants were pulled down, revealing the half-bare bottom she had seen earlier.
Several deep red marks were crisscrossed on San Lang's buttocks.
The reddened areas were slightly raised compared to his normal skin, showing how hard the person had hit him!
Jiang Wan's eyes ached from seeing those swollen red marks.
With an icy expression, she asked, "Who did this!"
San Lang didn't answer her, merely pulling his pants back up silently.
Jiang Wan grabbed him and asked word by word, "Who hit you!"
San Lang remained silent.
Jiang Wan, furious, yelled at him, "Are you mute!"
Chen Yuezhi heard the commotion and came over. "What's going on? San Lang, did you bully Wan Wan again?"
Jiang Wan suppressed her anger and said, "Mother, little brother was beaten. His bottom is swollen!"
Chen Yuezhi was startled and quickly went to pull down San Lang's pants.
San Lang: ...
Upon seeing the swollen injuries, Chen Yuezhi's eyes immediately welled up with tears. Then, she went to pull down San Lang's other pant leg.
That half of his bottom had the same marks.
Jiang Wan was so angry she felt like she was about to explode.
"Little brother, who exactly hit you! Say something! If you don't speak, I'll tear down your darn schoolhouse right now!"
Her little brother, whom she wouldn't even bear to touch herself, had been beaten like this by someone else!
She felt like killing someone right now.
San Lang, afraid Jiang Wan would actually tear down the schoolhouse, said, "I displeased the teacher, so the teacher punished me. Mother, Wan Wan, it's fine, it was just a few hits with the board. My bottom has plenty of flesh, it doesn't really hurt."
It was indeed that eccentric old man!
Jiang Wan was so angry she wanted to hit someone. Those marks were so deep; how could it not hurt.
"Why did he hit you! Just because you displeased him, he can hit people as he pleases?! Is he tired of living!"
Seeing Jiang Wan about to lose control, Chen Yuezhi quickly picked her up.
"Wan Wan, don't be angry. Teacher Zhong is your little brother's tutor. If your little brother did something wrong and angered the tutor, it's normal for the tutor to punish him."
As a mother, she naturally felt heartbroken seeing her son beaten.
But he was her son's tutor, and punishing him was for his own good. How could she harbor any resentment?
Not only could she not resent, but she also had to be grateful for the tutor's strict discipline.
Jiang Wan was extremely angered by Chen Yuezhi's statement.
"Can a tutor hit students as they please? How can they teach students like this! No, this matter cannot be let go. I must seek justice for my little brother!"
Chen Yuezhi quickly stopped her, "Wan Wan, don't be unreasonable. It is only natural for a tutor to educate students, and even parents cannot interfere. Besides, it's just a few hits on the bottom; it's not a big deal."
San Lang pursed his lips and also said, "Wan Wan, don't be angry. I'm not the only student who gets beaten at school; some students are beaten several times a day."
Jiang Wan suddenly felt a little confused. Was it possible she was overreacting?
Could teachers in ancient times really administer corporal punishment to students so freely?
Even if that were the case, she still felt incredibly angry.
Her little brother was so smart and clever; how could he possibly anger that old man?
No, she had to have her little subordinate keep a close eye on him at school. She had a feeling that old man would still harm her little brother.
Seeing that Jiang Wan had finally been appeased, San Lang couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief.
Chen Yuezhi, feeling sorry for San Lang's bottom injuries, brought him some medicinal powder. She had him take off his pants and lie face down on the bed, carefully applying the medicine.
"Don't anger the tutor again, understand? You are there to study, you cannot afford to displease the tutor, understand?"
San Lang, lying on the pillow, mumbled an "Mm" in a muffled voice, acknowledging her words.
Chen Yuezhi didn't think much of it. After tidying up the medicine powder, she got up to attend to other matters.
They had just moved, and there were many things waiting to be sorted out. She was usually busy and could only take advantage of this brief free time to get things done.
Jiang Wan deliberately leaned close to San Lang and transferred some of her special abilities to him.
San Lang was distracted and didn't even notice that the pain in his bottom had quickly disappeared.
Jiang Wan's eyes flickered. She had a strong intuition that San Lang being beaten was not a simple matter.
The next morning, because Chen Yuezhi had to attend to Er Lang's marriage arrangements, she had already taken leave from Physician Jin the day before. Therefore, Jiang Pan took only San Lang to the county.
The carriage first went to the private school, and San Lang jumped off the carriage first.
It was still very early, and he was the first to arrive.
"Father, drive slower."
Jiang Pan was in a good mood. He waved at San Lang and said, "Listen well to the tutor's lectures."
After Jiang Pan left, San Lang's expression turned grim.
Looking at the entrance of the private school, he felt very resistant and didn't want to step inside.
So, he casually found a corner, put down his schoolbag, and squatted down next to it.
Gradually, more students arrived.
Someone noticed San Lang squatting in the corner and圍 (wéi - surround) him. The one leading the group was Zheng Cui'er's younger brother, Zheng Xiaoshan.
However, he was no longer called Zheng Xiaoshan. He had changed his name to Zheng Yushan.
After Zheng Cui'er was married off as a concubine, the Zheng family had registered their household in Yaoxian. Not only that, but a few days ago, the Zheng family had sent Zheng Yushan to the private school, making him San Lang's classmate.
He led a group of children and cornered San Lang against the wall.
"Yo, thief, you're here! You actually dare to come to school?"
"Did you bring the stolen money? The teacher said that if you don't return the money, you'll be expelled from the private school!"
"As expected, a lowly wretch from a poor place, greedy for money, you even dare to steal Zheng Yushan's money. Do you know who he is? He's Master Wan's brother-in-law. You're stealing his money, aren't you afraid of dying?"
San Lang stood up angrily, glaring at Zheng Yushan. "I'll say it again, I didn't steal your money!"
Zheng Yushan looked at him triumphantly. "Still denying it! The teacher said you stole it, so you stole it! Thief! Your whole family are paupers, all thieves!"
San Lang, enraged and losing all reason, swung a fist at Zheng Yushan's smug face.