Chapter One, the inconspicuous figure of the Northern Town Duke's residence

The classroom is located in a side hall near the second gate, and the teacher is a well-known Confucian scholar from the northern region. Previously, he had instructed Chen Wen, the legitimate eldest son of a noble family, who was already of age and aspired to pursue a literary career.

It is only natural for a prestigious family of top-tier generals to have extremely reliable methods of foundational training

If one wishes to live comfortably, one must behave honestly according to the rules of the official residence; otherwise, the consequences will be quite dire

Not being called into the ear room to sit and wait, nor being offered tea and snacks, Chen Ying had long since become accustomed to it and would not bother to argue with a senior maid of the main courtyard, maintaining a very calm mindset

"Third Young Master, it is time to get up!"

It is not that the public office is reluctant, but rather that as the Duke of the North, who guards the vassals in the border regions, he has made an extraordinary decision

Chen Ying wore a blank expression as he reluctantly led the chubby boy to the classroom.

However, Li Ma behind me, after such a long time, still could not let go. I turned around just in time to see the anger in Li Ma's eyes and slightly shook my head to signal her not to show any signs.

Here they come, Liu Lvyuan will first attend to the three young gentlemen for their washing and rinsing, and the young maid will come right away to arrange their hairpins

The two young maids, who had been busily working in the small courtyard, hurriedly set down their tasks, one carrying a basin and the other holding a silk cloth, rushing into the room to assist the young man with washing and rinsing, while also tidying up his messy hair

To put it bluntly, it remains a question whether the teacher knows more than he claims to know

Chen Ying did not feel neglected; as a concubine's son without a biological mother to care for him, it was already quite generous of his legitimate mother to not show overt disdain and impatience.

The lady of the public office waved her hand and directly dismissed Chen Xiong, the little chubby boy who had thrown a tantrum upon hearing about the class.

Third Young Master, it is almost time; it would be better to go to the main courtyard to pay respects early!

Chen Ying sat upright on a small chair, truly disinterested in the trivial matters of the official residence's inner quarters, yet regrettably, his status did not permit him to ignore them

Saying this, she paid no attention to the expressions of those around her, her smile friendly, a stark contrast to her previous indifference. She kindly suggested, "Since there is a small kitchen in the courtyard of the aunt, why not prepare an extra portion for Ying'er?"

Throughout the year, comprising three hundred and sixty days, regardless of whether it is windy, rainy, or snowing heavily, or even during the sweltering heat of summer, he must adhere to the rules and faithfully go to the main courtyard to pay his respects

A lazy voice of a young man came from inside the room, followed by the sounds of getting out of bed, dressing, and the faint noises of moving about. After a short while, footsteps were heard, and the intricately carved wooden door swung open.

Third Young Master, yesterday the Madam received a letter from the Eldest Young Master sent from the capital, and her mood was quite good, so today there is no need to stay with the Madam for too long

Sister Lingque, has mother gotten up?

Glancing at the sky outside, Li Ma's round face revealed a hint of concern as she opened her mouth to remind

Three young boys, hurry back inside; the weather is dry and cold, and it won't feel good if you catch a chill

Understood, Mama Li, I will get up right away

Looking at the neatly arranged books on the desk, stacked into a considerable pile of classics and historical texts, Chen Ying, feeling frustrated, could only think to shout: Confucius is amazing

According to past habits, I found an inconspicuous corner to sit down, observing with my eyes on my nose and my nose on my heart, becoming a little transparent

Standing in the center of the main hall, Chen Ying performed a standard greeting to her stepmother, meticulously ensuring that not a single flaw could be found.

I thought it was just another ordinary morning, but unexpectedly, Aunt Zhao suddenly spoke up, using him as a joke, and said with a playful laugh: "Is it that you are not having a good meal in your own courtyard?"

However, he said nothing, feigning a look of disdain for studying, while his mind wandered far away during the teacher's lecture, carefully contemplating the golden finger in his mind

Li Ma pulled the young man's hand and led him into the warm bedroom, making him sit in front of a copper mirror that was half a person tall. She smiled and said, "Hua Hong, come over and help the Third Young Master arrange his hair, or else we will get scolded when we get to Madam's place!"

Oh, look at Ying'er’s appetite, she ate two large bowls in one go

Before long, a maid led Chen Ying into the main hall of the rear courtyard, where the Lady of the Duke of Zhenbei, whom he referred to as 'mother', was already fully dressed and seated in the main position

As Chen Ying's wet nurse and the only trusted confidante left by her deceased mother, Li Ma privately spoke out for Chen Ying, but unfortunately, it was of little use

Aunt Zhao's expression was slightly cold, and before she could speak, the lady of the household said leisurely: "Sister, you are overthinking it. Ying'er has been training in martial arts with the guards in the residence and has made quite a bit of progress. It is normal for her to consume more food on days when she exerts herself more!"

After that, he continued to huddle in the corner without making a sound, completely indifferent to the commotion in the main hall of the back room

A minor disturbance thus subsided, and after having some snacks following the meal, with the time to class not far off, Chen Ying formally took her leave from her stepmother

In the end, the one who suffers is only Chen Ying, the illegitimate son without a mother to protect him

Chen Ying stood up, his expression dull as he shook his head and said, "The food in the big kitchen is very delicious, I enjoyed eating it very much"

As a legitimate son of a noble family whose biological mother passed away early, I had very little autonomy before reaching adulthood and establishing my own household outside the family.

He simply regarded the journey to the main courtyard as a form of exercise

Oh, the Third Young Master has arrived, I shall go report to the Madam right away

Fortunately, there is a more incompetent Chen Xiong to take the blame, which allows Chen Ying to quietly play the role of a poor student, giving outsiders a favorable impression of lacking literary talent.

Last night, the Fourth Young Master was playing around and broke a set of palace porcelain tea utensils. Today, he must be more careful and not let Aunt Zhao trap him with her words

When it was time for breakfast, Chen Ying did not move forward at all; instead, he quietly took a seat at the end of the table. Every action he took was in accordance with the dining etiquette of a standard aristocratic family. He silently finished two large bowls of rice and cleared away half of the delicious dishes in front of him, only then feeling satisfied and putting down his chopsticks after eating to the point of being eight-tenths full

The Lord of the North has two legitimate sons and two illegitimate sons, and without the support of closely related clans, he places great importance on the education of his four sons. Even in such a large estate, the educational resources for the two illegitimate sons will not be lacking.

The Duchess displayed a calm demeanor and a tranquil tone, gesturing for Chen Ying to sit aside, without revealing any signs of affection.

The small courtyard where Chen Ying resides is close to the boundary wall, naturally separated from the main courtyard of the back residence by a considerable distance. At his walking pace, it would take at least half an hour to reach there.

The son of the chief steward has achieved merit in the military; do not forget to extend your congratulations!

Soon, the main hall became lively

Fortunately, his mind was quite mature, and within his youthful body resided the soul of a traveler, which allowed him to remain unaffected by the conflicts in the public residence's courtyard, living safely until the age of ten

The Lord of the North has three concubines, and it seems they have made an agreement, each bringing their own children to pay their respects to the mistress.

Go, go, and attend class together with Xiong Er

A young boy, about ten years old, with a half-worn, outdated brocade robe, standing at the door with disheveled hair and a height of five feet, has a cheerful smile on his face.

As a renowned military figure of the Great Qi Empire, the Lord of the North Town commands an impressive force of 300,000 troops as a powerful vassal in the borderlands. His residence is naturally vast, with a series of buildings that exude a grand and imposing atmosphere, resembling a small city.

What she can do is to endure hardships alongside Chen Ying without being deterred by wind and rain, while also helping to resolve some disturbances from the servants

The attitude of the spirit sparrow was neither warm nor cold, revealing a standard smile that was difficult to categorize as either. It turned and returned to the main hall of the courtyard.

Two busy little maids, around twelve or thirteen years old, were bustling about when a shrewd-looking middle-aged woman with a round face approached the tightly closed master bedroom door and gently knocked on the wooden door, calling out.

The two concubines, Aunt Qian and Aunt Sun, were equally radiant, accompanied by the fifth-ranked illegitimate daughter of the household, Chen Ya, and the sixth-ranked illegitimate daughter, Chen Zhi, both around seven years of age, all of whom were charmingly beautiful young girls

I appreciate the kind intentions of my aunt

Chen Ying did not feel fatigued; her body was upright, her steps very steady, and her breathing rhythmic, with her chest and abdomen rising and falling in a regular pattern, embodying the essence of the foundational training methods of the public office.

... ...

Chen Ying carefully examined the bronze mirror; the once disheveled and lazy-looking youth had transformed into a handsome young man with his hair tied up in a small crown.

Alright, I will set off now

The Great Qi Empire, the Northern Public House in the northern town, a secluded small courtyard in a certain part of the back residence

After taking the silk scarf handed to me by Mama Li to wipe my face, I smiled and asked the head maid standing at the door of the main courtyard.

Look at that chubby face glistening with oil, and the arrogance on his face; it is evident that he is living quite comfortably, and his temperament has been somewhat spoiled by indulgence

It takes just half an hour to reach the main courtyard gate, as the body's vital energy and muscles gradually begin to move, and a thin layer of sweat forms on the forehead

Chen Ying stepped forward to pay her respects, but Aunt Zhao and Chen Xiong, mother and son, completely ignored her. However, Aunt Qian and Aunt Sun slightly nodded their heads, while the two young girls at their feet promptly called out, 'Third Brother'.

The dawn light gently breaks, the air is dry and slightly cold, and the entire residence of the public office awakens from its silence, including this secluded small courtyard adjacent to the back wall.

Before the age of seven, there were indeed horse-drawn carriages available for riding, but after turning seven, such good fortune ceased to exist

The child pays respects to the mother

Among them, Aunt Zhao was dressed in a fiery red brocade, with a beautiful face and an extraordinary temperament. Beside her was Chen Xiong, the fourth-ranked illegitimate son of the public house, who was a year younger than Chen Ying and was a plump little boy.

Fortunately

Although he was merely an unimportant illegitimate son of the public office, he did not neglect to learn the etiquette and certain rules of noble families

With a giggle, she greeted the only two little maids in the courtyard and then headed towards the main courtyard with Mama Li

What he said about his son is that he will also have to go to the battlefield in the future, so he must be trained from a young age to avoid losing face when he grows up

Three years of uninterrupted training have established this foundational breathing technique, which can mobilize most of the body's muscles and bones, as an instinct of the body

Otherwise, the glory of the public office, the awkward identity, the flattery of the servants, and the unflinching yet extremely harsh suppression can undoubtedly lead a legitimate son without the protection of a biological mother to develop serious psychological issues

It is not that he despises these Confucian classics, but rather that he memorized them long ago, with various scholars' commentaries firmly etched in his mind

Enger has arrived, please sit down and wait for a moment to dine together

Either one is left with a sense of despair, submissively complying all day long, or one becomes psychologically distorted, filled with resentment

Although the three concubines are all of lowly status, their family backgrounds are not insignificant. The mistress of the official residence, in the absence of any conflict of interest, would not act too harshly; exchanging a few smiles and engaging in casual conversation can also serve to alleviate boredom