Chapter 8, Shen Family Courtyard (Middle)

Seeing the commotion they were making, Seventh Miss felt that this matter was bound to fail. Unable to hold back, she interjected, "Great Uncle, it was he who harmed my granddaughter like this."

She smiled at him in silence and said, "Thank you, Young Master Xie, for your guidance." After straightening her faded clothes, she walked in with her head held high

"In response to the esteemed lord, the student humbly acknowledges. "My father often says that when we were in distress, the esteemed lord took us in. My father and I have no way to repay this kindness, and can only engrave it deeply in our hearts..."

Old Master Shen waved his hand and pretended to be displeased, saying: "Aren't you all members of the Shen family? To say such a thing is to be distant." Since the time of Shen He’s father, the family had already split, so they could not really be considered one family. However, if one insisted on being affectionate, it was not entirely wrong.

In comparison, the seventh young lady, who knelt on the ground and was as foolishly plump as a pig, was simply worlds apart from the other; one was like pure snow while the other resembled mud. Unbeknownst to him, the master had fallen into the flaw of judging by appearances, and his heart began to lean towards this younger one.

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However, he has indeed taken an examination at the county school, which can be considered as having participated in the student examination, and naturally, he is qualified to call himself a student, still maintaining the least dignity of a person.

This hall is evidently a place of great importance within the residence. A row of twelve south-facing hall doors is intricately carved with "Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter," "Fishing, Woodcutting, Farming, Reading," and "Qin, Chess, Calligraphy, Painting." The figures are styled in an ancient manner, and the craftsmanship is exceptionally detailed, making it difficult for Shen Mo to look away.

Old Master Shen quickly chuckled, "Please, please rise, there is no need for formalities." This was not because Old Master Shen was approachable or reluctant to have Shen Mo kneel. In this era, kneeling was an essential etiquette to distinguish social hierarchies and establish the authority of superiors, especially in a prominent family like the Shen family, where such matters were taken very seriously.

This middle-aged man is the master of the Shen residence, Lord Shen. It is said that he should not concern himself with such trivial matters; however, in order to uphold the family rules and maintain the family reputation, starting from his grandfather, any fighting or brawling within the clan has been regarded as an affront to culture and a disgrace to the family name, and is strictly prohibited. Once discovered, the head of the family personally handles the matter, and if verified, the offender will be expelled, which is exceedingly harsh

"Fourth Uncle..." Seventh Miss pouted, feeling wronged.

Hetushu.com, seeing Shen Mo's curiosity, the Fourth Young Master leaned close to his ear and whispered: "The one who enters the family by marriage is not to be taken seriously." He then kindly advised, "The old master is quite formidable, so you must be cautious."

He was feeling dizzy from the ramblings of the "Seventh Girl," who spoke in a disjointed manner and with a thick Yongchang dialect, when a young man with clear brows and bright eyes, white teeth and red lips entered from outside. He appeared to be no more than thirteen or fourteen years old. Although his clothes were patched, they were clean and neatly worn, making him increasingly refreshing to behold

After Shen Mo entered, he lifted the hem of his robe and respectfully bowed to the statue of Confucius placed on the table. This action greatly increased the favor that Master Shen had for him. After paying his respects to Confucius, Shen Mo turned to Master Shen and said in a clear voice: "I, Shen Mo, have come to pay my respects to Master Shen."

The seventh young lady knelt before him, weeping as she recounted her troubles.

The Fourth Young Master also felt that with so many people having witnessed the incident, leaving it unresolved would lead to gossip, and he might even find himself in trouble. With this thought in mind, he winked at Shen Mo and said, "Don't worry, as long as it’s not your fault, this young master will speak up for you"

This often creates the illusion that "tongsheng" is synonymous with failure and misfortune, suggesting that their social status is not much better than that of beggars. However, in reality, being able to participate in the imperial examination signifies that the tongsheng come from reputable backgrounds, with three generations of unblemished conduct, no remarried women, and have received formal education, thus being genuine scholars

Silence had yet to speak, but the Seventh Miss, who had been listening intently, could no longer hold back and exclaimed, "This is unacceptable! He has caused me such harm, and it cannot just be left at that"

After passing through several archways, a group of people arrived outside the "Zhonghe Hall" located in the third courtyard. The fourth young master instructed them to wait outside while he went in to announce their arrival.

What is even more precious is that this child walks with dignity and behaves with propriety; at first glance, one can tell that he is a well-educated and cultured individual, undoubtedly coming from a scholarly family.

If this right were to be falsely wielded by others, would the Shen family not be thrown into chaos? Therefore, despite feeling quite impatient, he still had to suppress his temper and clarify the origins and developments of the conflict

After pondering for a moment while pinching his cheeks, he said softly: "Why don't you apologize to Miss Qi? Let's settle this matter privately."

A八仙 table stands before the couplets and family precepts, with the spirit tablet of Confucius placed upright on it. To the right side of the table sits a middle-aged man with a black cap and a Dongpo scarf, dressed in a brown robe resembling a Taoist garment, with three strands of long beard and an elegant appearance.

"No need for formalities." Master Shen chuckled and said, "You must be the son of Master Shen, right?"

Silence was supposed to take the scholar's examination last year, but had to abandon it midway due to his mother's serious illness. This is not something to be ashamed of; on the contrary, it is quite honorable and is a commendable act of filial piety.

Upon entering, one immediately sees a plaque made of sandalwood hanging directly above the flower hall, inscribed with the four ancient and powerful characters "Zhong He Wei Yu". The wall beneath the plaque is elegantly decorated, featuring the family teachings of Zhu Xi carved in running script. The couplets on either side read "Establish the aspiration for self-cultivation, read the books of sages and worthies" in gilded regular script.

This is not difficult to understand ... ? ... Although one may be down on their luck now, who knows if they will turn their fortunes around in the next exam and leap over the dragon gate? Therefore, everyone tacitly understands the importance of moderation, so that they may meet again in the future. Over time, this has formed a kind of rule among the students: except in formal occasions, they avoid kneeling whenever possible.

Silently hearing the voice, he stood up quickly, deeply bowing and saying: "The student, Shen Mo, has come to pay respects to Master Shen."

The Fourth Young Master suddenly felt that this boy, who was three or four years younger than himself, was truly an extraordinary person

The man helped the seventh young lady down from the large cart and supported her as they walked to the entrance of the hall. He then let go of her hand, allowing her to enter on her own, limping as she went, and did not take another step inside.

The reason he does not receive the respect of silence lies in the two words "tongsheng" mentioned by Silence. What is a "tongsheng"? It does not refer to someone who is young and asks for consideration, but rather indicates a certain identity... Those who have participated in the county examination, the provincial examination, and the imperial examination, yet have not obtained the status of a scholar, regardless of whether they are young or old, are all referred to as "tongsheng".

After a while, the fourth young master came out and said: "The master has summoned you to enter."

The Fourth Young Master glanced at the sky outside the corridor and chuckled, saying, "What a refreshing day it is today." He then lowered his head and walked ahead, no longer engaging in conversation.

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In the Ming Dynasty, among the scholar, farmer, artisan, and merchant classes, the "scholars" were held in high esteem and enjoyed privileges, belonging to the ruling class. Although the "tongsheng" (young scholars) were merely at the lowest tier of this class, their living conditions were likely worse than those of farmers, it did not hinder their superior political status.