Chapter 8: Being a Model Teacher

Oh, did the young master ask someone to write this for himself?

"Brother, take a look at this piece of calligraphy," Zhang Feng said with a smile, placing a piece of writing on Zhang Dayou's desk. "If you think it's good, you can give me 1 coin, and I'll give it to you. I want to buy some sugar figurines to play with."

Looking at the poem he had written in traditional Chinese characters in one breath, Lin Mufeng felt a sense of accomplishment and was quite satisfied. He deliberately chose to write in traditional characters to cultivate his writing habits, after all, he was living in an era where traditional characters were prevalent.

"Why should Lin be overly modest? Please grant me your insights." Zhang Dayou once again clasped his hands in a gesture of respect

Mr. Lin, I hope you will forgive my boldness in visiting you!" As Zhang Dayou spoke, he cupped his hands in greeting and instructed the officials to set down the packages of fruits and tea snacks as gifts.

Lightly murmuring, she remarked that the young master's handwriting was just like that. When he was taking the scholar's examination, his poor handwriting nearly caused the examination officials to reject him. In the end, it was the old master who spent a considerable amount of silver to ensure he passed. What is there to see in that?

During the Ming Dynasty, there was no vibrant nightlife like that of modern society. Lin Mufeng, feeling utterly bored, first practiced calligraphy for a while, then forced himself to lie on the bed and read the "Four Books and Five Classics" for a time, and finally fell into a deep sleep while holding a bound book.

... ...

Lin Mufeng looked at him with a hint of confusion, and in his heart, he understood a bit. He was certain that this Lin fellow's handwriting was quite poor, at least not as good as his own; otherwise, this old man Lin wouldn't be so surprised. But? That doesn't seem right either. Since he was able to pass the examination to become a xiucai, his handwriting should be decent, shouldn't it

Inner courtyard

"Yes, yes, I was so overly excited that I momentarily forgot. Qingyun, you should show the words written by the young master to the young mistress, quickly!" Old Lin took a breath and handed it over with both hands.

Inner courtyard. Old Lin, for the first time in over half a year, pushed open the door and barged in, exclaiming: "Young Mistress!"

... ...

"Miss, I believe that the old steward is honest and straightforward, and he would never lie or deceive. Could it really be written by the young master?" Qingxia interjected as she walked over from behind.

Zhang Feng glared at Old Lin with disappointment, his eyes darting around. "What's so great about it? I'll just leave, hmm, this calligraphy is quite good, I'll take it back to show my brother..." With that, he picked it up and ran off

Sir, Mu Feng's calligraphy is truly unworthy of the grand occasion; how could I possibly present such a disgrace? I am ashamed! At this moment, Lin Mu Feng began to understand; it must have been Zhang Feng who, after taking his calligraphy back, piqued Zhang Da You's interest.

Oh, it is Brother Zhang Feng. When did you arrive? Hehe. I am just scribbling a few lines, and it seems I have made you laugh. Lin Mufeng put down his pen and asked, "Did you come to see me for something? Wasn't the fish I owed you already returned yesterday?"

"You flatter me, esteemed sir." Lin Mufeng smiled slightly, feeling somewhat confident in his calligraphy. He had originally studied fine arts, and historically, calligraphy and painting have been intertwined; calligraphy was also one of his foundational skills.

Hehe, I think, please help me catch a few more, oh, your fishing skills are truly remarkable, even better than Er Danzi's at Zhang Laowu's place. My fish have all been taken away by Er Danzi and his friends, I want..." Zhang Feng chuckled as he approached and tugged at Lin Mufeng's robe sleeve, pleading.

"Young Master Zhang, my young master is a respectable scholar, a person of status, and he must diligently study in preparation for the provincial examination. How can he casually go down to the river to catch fish?" Old Lin entered holding a pot of tea, frowned at Zhang Feng, and said, "Young Master Zhang, it would be best if you returned now."

Lin Mufeng shook his head and continued to browse through his thread-bound books

Old Lin stared for a long time, every wrinkle on his face trembling with excitement. Suddenly, he picked up the two pieces of calligraphy just written by Lin Mufeng and ran out.

The west wind is fierce, the wild geese call in the frosty morning moon. In the frosty morning moon, the sound of hooves shatters, the trumpet's sound is choked. The grand pass is indeed as solid as iron, yet now we step forward to start anew. Starting anew, the Cangshan Mountains are like the sea, the setting sun is like blood

"Hello, Huahua Dasha, I didn't expect your handwriting to be quite good!" A slightly immature voice sounded from behind, startling him as he hurriedly turned around. Zhang Feng was dressed in a long blue robe, wrapped in a moon-white headscarf, with a hint of surprise on his delicate face, standing there with a smile.

Zhang Feng curled his lips, "Isn't that the flamboyant young master Lin Mufeng from yesterday?"

This left Lin Mufeng somewhat amused and bewildered

"A person's character is reflected in their writing. I am greatly impressed; I never expected that in this small place of Yanshen Town, there would be such a talented individual as Lin Shengyuan!" Zhang Dayou's eyes were filled with admiration, as he was also a scholar and naturally recognized talent. Suddenly, he bowed deeply and said, "Lin Shengyuan, I have long wished to invite a teacher to instruct my younger brother in his studies, so that he may no longer be so unruly all day... I hope you will grant me this favor!"

Liu Ruomei lazily set down the book in her hands, furrowing her delicate brows, "Qingyun, what is it that has you so alarmed? You don't seem to have the demeanor of a proper young lady at all"

The character reflects the person; one can observe a person's talent and learning through their writing. My brother's judgment is never wrong. The so-called dandy may not necessarily be a true representation. Ah Feng, shortly accompany my brother to pay a visit to this Mr. Lin. " Zhang Dayou examined the calligraphy, but casually took out some loose change from his pocket and tossed it to Zhang Feng.

"It is like this, Da You heard his younger brother say that Lin Shengyuan's calligraphy possesses a unique character, so I have come to request a piece of his writing." Zhang Da You chuckled, but his eyes glanced towards Lin Mu Feng's study.

In the afternoon, the inspector Zhang Dayou unexpectedly paid a visit with Zhang Feng.

No, the old steward said it was personally written by the young master

Young Master, please write a few more words! Old Lin stood up, looking at Lin Mufeng, and said with a tremble

"Zhang Feng, come over to greet the gentleman." Zhang Dayou's clear voice reached Lin Mufeng's ears, leaving him in a state of confusion and dizziness—becoming a role model? The transition from a wayward son and spendthrift to a role model seemed a bit too rapid.

Although the inspection position is lowly ranked and considered insignificant, it is still a position within the government. Lin Mufeng, having only arrived in the Ming Dynasty for a mere two days, understands that one should not easily offend officials, especially the "local officials" at one's doorstep. With this thought in mind, he gestured for the guests to be seated and walked to the study with Zhang Dayou.

Wonderful! Zhang Dayou clapped his hands in delight, saying, "The characters are well-formed, the strokes are spirited, flowing like clouds and water, with twists and turns, presenting a myriad of scenes! Coupled with this poem 'Night Cry of the Black Crow' by the poet Li Bai, it can truly be said to complement each other perfectly, simply exquisite!"

Light Cloud, is this really made by the young master in the kitchen

At the edge of Huangyun City, the crows long to roost, returning to perch and caw on the branches. In the loom, the Qin River girl weaves brocade, with green gauze like smoke separating her from the window's words. Pausing the shuttle, she nostalgically remembers the distant one, alone in the solitary room, tears falling like rain. Lin Mufeng pondered for a moment, then took up his brush to write this poem by Li Bai in his proficient slender gold script.

Liu Ruomei stood there, her deep and beautiful large eyes revealing a faint hint of wonder, without saying anything further, she fell into deep thought

hetushu.com.com ......

Honorable Zhang, your presence graces my humble abode. I, Mu Feng, have failed to welcome you properly; please forgive my transgression! Lin Mu Feng looked at Zhang Dayou and the smug Zhang Feng in confusion.

"Come on, brother, you have no idea how bad his reputation is. He indulges in all sorts of vices, from drinking and gambling to womanizing. I even heard that his wife has separated from him." Zhang Feng extended his hand, "Please give me some money, brother."

Old Lin poured a cup of tea and handed it to Lin Mufeng. He casually glanced at the square table and exclaimed, "Young Master, did you write this?"

He picked up the pen and wrote in regular script the large characters "Yanshen Town, Yidu County, Qingzhou Prefecture, Lin Mufeng". After putting down the pen, he smiled slightly and said, "Old steward, how is it?"

Ah, young master, your calligraphy is truly exceptional, even more beautiful than the paintings sold in antique shops on the street! I remember your previous handwriting—goodness, could it really be that the old master is watching over us from above!" Old Lin, surprisingly moved to tears, suddenly knelt down on the ground with a thud, bowing several times.

"Yes, miss, Qīngyún witnessed it with her own eyes"

He informed Uncle Lin that in the future, the young master should not be made to perform such menial tasks. Come, Qingyun, Qingxia, let us try it together

Miss, this fish has gone cold, but you should still give it a try

But she immediately stopped mumbling, let out a scream, and ran inside, "Miss!"

A night of silence. As dawn broke, faint sounds of footsteps and conversations from passersby could be heard on the street outside the residence. Under the service of Lin Hu, Lin Mufeng managed to complete his morning routine. It was merely a basin of clean water, a towel, and a bowl of salt water for rinsing.

Zhang Feng, although not young anymore, is extremely mischievous and is not someone who can be relied upon. He spends his days causing trouble in Yanshen Town with a group of young boys, earning a reputation as a notorious troublemaker. When someone throws a stone from the east or urinates on a book from the west, everyone only dares to suppress their anger out of respect for the inspector. This young master has just begun to change his ways; although he appears somewhat "strange," he is moving in the direction of "studying well." How could Old Lin allow him to continue associating with Zhang Feng?

"Not bad," Lin Mufeng casually replied, putting down his pen and turning to rummage through the bookshelf, hoping to find a book that was relatively "easy to understand" to read.

The playful Qingyun stuck out her tongue, but quickly leaned over and handed over a piece of calligraphy, saying, "Miss, could you take a look and tell me who wrote this?"

"Enough of this nonsense, A-Feng, how old are you? Still playing with those childish things. A-Feng, you are not young anymore; you are at the age where you should be getting married. If you keep acting like this, how can you face our deceased parents?" Zhang Dayou admonished in a low voice, but as his eyes fell upon the calligraphy, he was taken aback. "A-Feng, this writing is so vigorous and spirited; who is the author?"

Qingyun stood at the door, her delicate face slightly furrowed as she said, "Old steward, weren't you told not to let you all enter the inner courtyard?"

After finishing breakfast, he still went to the study to practice calligraphy. In fact, his foundation in calligraphy was already quite profound, having practiced for over ten years since childhood. Although this body was not his own, the hand that wrote was still under his conscious control, and with a little familiarity, he was able to wield the brush with ease and grace.

The sky gradually darkened, and a crescent moon quietly ascended the treetops. A gentle breeze blew, and the night was as tranquil as water

Is it him? Indeed, my brother's judgment is remarkable. This person is composed and calm, unflustered in the presence of officials; he must be a person of great talent.

"No, absolutely not, it is impossible." Liu Ruomei suddenly stood up and said, "What trick does the young master want to play this time? Forget it, let him be, Qingyun..."