Chapter 7: Reading

Chopping wood is still as enjoyable as ever. Today, Yun Zheng's speed in chopping wood has increased significantly. He has also changed into the same style of clothing as the other boys, wearing baggy pants and a buttoned jacket. Aside from having shorter hair and slightly fairer skin, he looks no different from the other children as he walks along the mountain path

Having a bag of rice at home, Yunzheng still borrowed an axe to prepare to go up the mountain to chop firewood. Chopping firewood has now become a form of tempering one's character. If in the past it was driven by the necessities of life, now Yunzheng wants to genuinely experience the living conditions of the Song Dynasty and quickly integrate into this collective of the Song Dynasty

Uncle Cang, please feel free to speak your mind. As long as it is within my capabilities, I will certainly agree to it. We are now family, so why make things difficult?

The son of the old clan leader is a robust man in his forties. He is indeed very strong, with broad shoulders that seem capable of lifting a mountain. Carrying a hundred or so pounds of rice on his shoulder feels as light as a straw. Yun Zheng follows behind with the books and writing materials sent by the old clan leader.

Yun Jianqiang saw the tears in Yun Zheng's eyes, reached out a small hand to help wipe them away, and softly said: "I will never run around again, I will just wait for you at home"

I warn you, if you dare to do such indecent things again, I will beat you into a fool, and then you can go wash with them. A twelve-year-old child should understand everything they need to know; within that small body resides a precocious heart. Bathing and washing with those young girls is inappropriate, and this flaw must be corrected.

The cocklebur truly lives up to its name, being clingy by nature. The rice has already been brought in but does not leave; instead, it fidgets with a pair of calloused hands, eager to speak, yet when it opens its mouth, not a single word comes out

Upon hearing these words, not only was Yun Zheng taken aback, but Yun Jianqiang, who was leaning on the rice sack, was also stunned. For the first time, they realized the importance of knowledge; it turned out that without knowledge, one could be bullied, and this was indeed true

I am only 3 years old! Just as Yun Jianqiang finished speaking, he received a heavy slap on the back of his head again

Today, the sale of firewood went very smoothly. I took on a new job, which is quite fair; a load of firewood costs three wen, with no deception towards young or old. Yun Zheng looked at the three wen in his hand, reflected for a moment, and then put it into a cloth bag

Yun Zheng roughly pulled him away from the mulberry picker and shouted, "Where have you been? Why are you not listening at all? What if you get lost?"

What you have done? Yun Zheng immediately recognized that such a simple drawing was definitely not something that belonged to the Song Dynasty

Seeing Yun Jianqiang nodding firmly, Yun Zheng no longer needed to pay attention to these mulberry-picking women. A good man should not quarrel with women; it is only right to take Yun Jianqiang home for a meal. They are merely simple sketches, so why have they all become so frenzied

This abrupt change left him feeling dazed; within a single day, he had resolved all his difficulties. From now on, he could happily live as a rice weevil in the village, and as long as he passed the examination to become a student, he would be respected by everyone for a lifetime

By the time he returned home, it was already dusk. Yun Jianqiang was nowhere to be found, and the little yellow dog was also missing. Yun Zheng was greatly alarmed; he jumped down from the bamboo house and shouted like a madman. After calling out twice, the little yellow dog appeared at Yun Zheng's feet, wagging its tail, while Yun Jianqiang was also found lying in the arms of a mulberry picker behind the bamboo house.

In their leisure time, the children play a game with bamboo chopsticks, which is not unusual aside from the necessity of counting. A group of children lies on the ground, focused and calm, using bamboo chopsticks to pick up other scattered chopsticks. As long as they do not disturb the other chopsticks and successfully count the ones in their hands, they have succeeded.

The rice in the small pot is cooked, and the bamboo rat soup in the clay pot is also ready. Although only salt was added, the two of them enjoyed it very much. After dinner, Yun Ye sat by the fire in the hearth, reading. He had already promised the old clan leader that he would not let the old man down for the bag of rice he had gifted.

The old clan leader's surname is Cang, and others call him Old Cang. His son's name is Cang Er. In Yun Zheng's memory, Cang Er is a type of thorny plant that can stick to the skin or fur of people or animals and run around everywhere

Yun Zheng was washing rice and cooking today. While going up the mountain, Cang Wa caught a bamboo rat. Not wanting to eat it himself, he gave it to Yun Zheng, who then found some bamboo shoots and mushrooms, preparing to stew a fragrant bamboo rat soup.

Yun Jianqiang was also reading a book. After a while, he said to Yun Zheng: "Elder brother, do you plan to rely on these things and books to establish yourself in this era?"

Since it was a matter of mutual benefit, Yun Zheng did not object any further. The old clan leader once again sincerely comforted Yun Zheng, instructed his son, and then left with a large bag of gifts, feeling quite pleased as he headed to the village head's place for the banquet

Upon hearing that Yun Jianqiang and a group of young girls went to wash cloth, Yun Zheng's face immediately darkened. He slapped the back of his head and helplessly said: "Can't you have a bit of morality? When they wash cloth, they are not wearing clothes, specifically going to the back of the small hill, and men do not go there. Don't you know?"

Yun Jianqiang suddenly said to Yun Zheng, "Elder brother, I was naughty today. Why didn't you hit me? I heard that when children are naughty, their parents usually grab them and give them a beating. You were already very angry earlier, so why didn't you hit me? I really want to know what it feels like to be punished by a parent"

Yun Zheng said with a bitter smile: "What else can I do? Here, I am almost useless; I cannot carry anything on my shoulders, nor can I lift anything with my hands. What else can I do except walk the old path of studying for exams? You must also study; as long as we can pass the examination and become scholars, we will be able to navigate this world with ease"

Life is the best teacher. In a short period, these children can count the chopsticks in their hands, transforming a small handful of bamboo chopsticks into a large one. Yun Zheng firmly believes that as long as this game is played a few more times, it will not be a problem for them to calculate their little firewood money.

The startled Yun Zheng was immediately besieged by those mulberry-picking women. He could not understand what they were saying, but he knew they were very agitated. One of the women even took out an embroidered piece to show Yun Zheng.

Yun Jianqiang took out three coins from his small pocket and placed them on the table, proudly saying: "I drew a few little patterns for them, and Sister Xiaohua gave me three coins to buy candy. Today, I also went with them to wash the cloth..."

Well, well, Xiao Zheng, your uncle Cang has been a lifelong blind man, having been deceived out of many catches by those unscrupulous taverns and eateries due to his illiteracy. Continuing like this is not a solution. You two brothers are seeds of knowledge; focus on your studies. The village does not lack for your two mouths to feed. See if you can help Xiao Shu learn to read as well. I do not expect him to pass the imperial examinations in the future, but I only hope that the catches he earns with his life will not be taken advantage of by those unscrupulous shopkeepers.