Chapter One, The Concubine Gives Birth to a Son

Although the mother and son did not have spare money to buy books, Lin Eryang had already copied many of the books needed for elementary education several years ago and placed them in the courtyard

At this time, it is the season of February, when all things begin to sprout. The spirits of the fields start to bud and grow, and among the fields, there are many children from farming families tending to their cattle and sheep, allowing them to graze by the roadside

The cow shed is located outside the Lin family's courtyard, so after he walked out of the cow shed, the main gate of the Lin family appeared before him. Just as he reached the entrance, he saw two young boys, one tall and one short, returning from outside with book boxes on their backs

In the yard, there is a well, and at this moment, a slender and beautiful woman is struggling to draw water from the well.

Lin Zhao rubbed her belly

Yuezhou Prefecture, Shanyin County

Her surname is Zheng, and now everyone calls her Lin Eniang. As for her original name, no one has ever heard her mention it, and when others ask her, she remains tight-lipped.

Soon, the Lin family's courtyard was right before my eyes

They are all legitimate offspring of the main branch, having entered the private school in Donghu Town for elementary education since the age of six or seven. It is said that the eldest, Lin Xian, has already begun preparing for the Tongsheng examination. Once he passes the county-level examination, he will officially attain the title of Xiucai, which will significantly improve the fortunes of the Lin family's branch in Donghu Town.

His mother is a concubine of the Lin family, and she comes from a background of the entertainment industry. She was bought with a large sum of money by Lin Qingyuan, the father of Lin Zhao, who is a scholar. Although she is a courtesan who sells her art but not her body, once one enters a brothel, they are considered a slave, and even if they manage to escape that status, they cannot avoid being looked down upon.

In this secluded little courtyard, Lin Zhao was reciting his lessons to his mother while shaking his head and muttering to himself.

In her early years, Lin Erniang was the courtesan of the Misty Rain Pavilion, proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Her scholarly achievements were exceptionally high, surpassing those of her husband, Lin Qingyuan, and even exceeding those of the average degree holder.

More than ten years ago, the courtesan of the Misty Rain Tower in Yuezhou was bought back by Lin Qingyuan at a high price, and since then, she has vanished without a trace in Yuezhou

Upon meeting two elder brothers, Lin Zhao respectfully cupped his hands and bowed in greeting

It is precisely for this reason that Lin Zhao has been looked down upon by others since childhood

Lin He scoffed with disdain

However, Lin Zhao did not feel inferior because of this; every day, he cheerfully went out to tend to the cattle, and after the sun set, he returned home just as cheerfully.

Due to her mother's frail condition, Lin Zhao hurried over to assist her mother in drawing water. Through the efforts of both mother and son, a bucket of clear well water was finally drawn up.

The sun is about to set, and after exchanging a few words with the young man, the farmers also shouldered their hoes and returned home

Lin Sanlang led his large blue ox and leisurely made his way home

The Lin family is a prominent clan in Yuezhou, with the main household residing in the city of Yuezhou. The family has produced two successful candidates in the imperial examination in the past, becoming wealthy and influential. However, the Lin Zhao family is considered a branch of the main lineage and can only reside in Donghu Town, assisting the Lin family in managing the agricultural properties in Donghu Town

I have met my elder brother

So you can only tend to cattle for your entire life, along with your...

This is a small courtyard, so small that apart from a courtyard measuring two to three zhang on each side, there are only three rooms. Fortunately, although the courtyard is small, it is well-equipped, and everything that should be there is present, allowing life to continue.

Alright, I will recite it to my mother

Zhao Er is back

These two young men, the older one appears to be around fifteen or sixteen years old, while the younger one seems to be only about thirteen or fourteen years old

He has a fair complexion, and although he is still young, it is already evident that he possesses a striking appearance. Even when dressed in simple cloth garments, his looks are hard to conceal.

Along the way, there were some farmers who recognized him and greeted him

There is nothing more to be done, you may return now

Soon, the sun was about to set. The cowherd yawned, jumped down from the back of his large blue ox, and began to lead it home.

However, you must first recite the礼经 silently before you can eat

Lin Zhao smiled faintly

If you don't go home soon, it will be dark.

The majority of the farmers I just passed by and greeted are tenants of the Lin family

After a bucket of water was brought up, Lin's mother first reached out to wipe the sweat from Lin Zhao's forehead, her tone gentle

They are Lin Xian, the eldest son of the Lin family, and Lin He, the second son, who are also the elder and second elder brothers of Lin Zhao

Lin Xian and Lin He, both of whom had just returned from their private school, were originally engaged in a lively discussion about trivial matters from their studies. After hearing Lin Zhao's remark, the elder brother Lin Xian remained relatively composed, merely nodding in acknowledgment to Lin Zhao. However, the younger brother Lin He exhibited a greater sense of pride; he raised his head high and responded in a tone that was neither warm nor cold.

Lin Zhao smiled faintly and nodded at Lin Xian

So Lin Zhao shook her head: "I don't know"

Is Lin Jiabao back home from grazing the cattle?

Lin Erniang, born as a courtesan, naturally possessed striking beauty. Lin Zhao also inherited his mother's looks almost perfectly, having been exceptionally handsome since childhood

It is known that the eldest son of the Lin family, Lin Xian, has been in school for eight years and still does not comprehend the classics. Although he is preparing for the scholar examination, it is highly likely that he will not even pass the preliminary examination. The second son, Lin He, is even less capable, as he has not yet read through the Four Books and Five Classics.

Given your unattractive appearance, I shall not hold it against you...

Lin Zhao nodded and said, "The cattle have returned."

Not even qualified for basic education, he could only be assigned by his mother to tend to the cattle

He walked in the Lin family's courtyard for a while and finally pushed open a courtyard gate in a secluded corner

In contrast, the eldest and second sons of the Lin family are difficult to describe in terms of their appearance.

Lin Zhao had never received any formal education, so naturally, she should not have known how to write the character for "cow".

Originally, even though he was a collateral descendant of the Lin family and his family background was not very good, he should not have fallen to the point of herding cattle. However, his origins were quite poor, as he was the illegitimate son of a concubine from the collateral line.

Has the cattle returned?

Of course, the living conditions in a two-room apartment are still lacking in many ways. In the larger apartment, one can frequently see meat dishes, whereas here in Lin Zhao's place, one can only barely fill their stomach.

He has his own ideas

His name is Lin Zhao, and he is the third young master of the Lin family branch in Donghu Town

This beautiful woman is Lin Zhao's mother

Moreover, the two of them are exceedingly unattractive

Do you know how to write the character '牛'?

In terms of scholarship, Lin Zhao today is far superior to his two foolish brothers.

Lin's tone is gentle, yet the content of her speech is very firm

Lin Zhao first led the cow into the barn, skillfully tossed some hay into the trough, and then patted off the straw clinging to his body before swaying out of the barn

Speaking, he stepped into the house with his younger brother, glancing back at Lin Zhao as he walked

Lin Erniang reached out to touch Lin Zhao's hair and said with a smile, "Today we will have white flour."

It is worth mentioning that Lin Zhao's father, Lin Qingyuan, was a scholar with a degree. He originally taught in Donghu Town, but a few years ago, he used connections to secure a position elsewhere. Now, he works as a clerk in the Yaojiang County government next door, and he generally returns home only once or twice a year

This is also one of the reasons why Lin Zhao was too lazy to argue with the two of them

He had just mentioned this when the boss, Lin Xian, pulled his younger brother and frowned, saying: "Don't say anymore, after all, she is a concubine. Father will be back in a while, and if he knows you are speaking recklessly, he will scold you again"

Then he dusted himself off and walked into the courtyard

Among them is a child who appears to be around 12 or 13 years old, with a dogtail grass in his mouth, lying on the back of a large green ox, half-closing his eyes, leisurely and carefree

After leaving the cow outside for a whole day, it must be starving to death. Mother, what are we going to eat later?

Their main house and the second house live and eat separately. Lin Zhao and her son only go to the account room once a month to collect some expenses, and then they cook and eat on their own.

The young man known as Lin Sanlang smiles and nods at everyone