Chapter 3, Diaries and Sleep Talking

Shameless scoundrels

It is now the Longqing era

Very well, as long as I can pass through the elder sister's place, in the future I can justifiably sever ties with that fellow who is suspected of having a penchant for Longyang, and clearly delineate the boundaries

At that moment, a loud voice from outside suddenly echoed, belonging to the second daughter.

From a young age, he was sent to the Wang family private school to study the classics, enduring the monotonous daily routine of learning the Four Books and Five Classics, without any winter or summer breaks, and rarely engaging in social interactions. Apart from the private school teacher and classmates, he had little contact with outsiders. When it came time for the preparatory county examination, provincial examination, and the imperial examination, the pressure was even more intense than modern college entrance exam training. He was confined at home, hiring a seasoned scholar to teach him, and he lost count of how many practice questions he tackled, how many articles by predecessors he studied, and how much knowledge of the eight-legged essay he was imparted. In his diary, he even solemnly noted that "the greatest evil is lust, while the foremost virtue is filial piety," which was the first rule of his family education. Since his awakening, he had not seen any maidservants apart from his sisters, which clearly indicated the strictness of his family upbringing.

Isn't this inappropriate? Wang Fulian, fearing to reveal any flaws in front of his relatives while also wanting to gather more information, ultimately felt a stronger sense of crisis. This time, I was injured, and I owe it to my uncle's care. I have even met the midwife sent by Young Master Cheng, so how could I not personally go to greet my uncle?

Mother ... ... don't cry anymore ... ... when I grow up ... ... I will definitely come to find you ... ...

Wang Yuanguan was at a loss for words. She gestured for Jin Bao to step back first, and when she approached Wang Fulian, she hesitated slightly and asked, "Younger brother, how did that Young Master Cheng send someone here yesterday?"

Seeing Wang Fulian confidently place a letter in front of her, Wang Yuanguan felt both gratified and moved. She was gratified that her younger brother had finally begun to understand some of the complexities of human relationships, and she was moved by his trust in her. She quickly took the letter and, after reading it from beginning to end, her brows furrowed in anger, and her face turned pale with rage.

Wang Yuanguan, understanding and considerate, spoke up at that moment: "Uncle is not an outsider; you are still recovering from your serious injury, so there is no need for you to go out to greet him. I will go outside to take a look; you stay here and wait. Uncle will not hold it against you."

Elder sister, brother, and uncle have arrived

This book, "The Analects with Collected Commentaries," although its cover is wrapped in mulberry paper, appears quite old, clearly having been frequently read and perhaps even carried around at all times. However, upon glancing at it, he discovered that he had a memory of its contents in his mind, as if he could recite them after just a glance. He initially thought this was a compensation from heaven for him, but when he closed his eyes and tried to recall and organize his thoughts, he realized that it was not just this; he could also remember a great deal of disorganized content from the Four Books and Five Classics, as well as the Eight-legged Essay and other topics. He then understood that this was likely something deeply engraved in his bones from the extensive recitations by Wang Fulian, which remained chaotic in his mind even when all other memories had faded away.

The Wang family is a prominent clan in Huizhou, tracing its ancestry to Wang Hua, the Duke of Tangyue, as its founding ancestor. The family has thrived in the six counties of Huizhou for several hundred years. In just the She County, there are over a dozen branches of the clan, with at least several hundred members. Among them, the Wang family branch in Qianqiu, Songming Mountain, was originally unremarkable. After migrating from Xiuning County, they have lived and thrived here for over a dozen generations. Initially, they farmed in the mountain valley for generations, with their family being at most moderately prosperous. Consequently, although there were private schools like in other small mountain villages in Huizhou, no one ever attended school.

Wang Fulian was lost in thought when he suddenly heard these indistinct words. He immediately looked towards the head of the bed, only to find that Jin Bao had not yet awakened; he was merely mumbling in his sleep, and a hint of panic was visible on his face.

Wang Fulian gritted his teeth in anger, yet he turned around to comfort his elder sister, saying: "Elder sister, one can know a person's face but not their heart. In any case, the person I befriended is not worthy. I will definitely not associate with him in the future"

He glanced around and suddenly noticed a book resting in the corner of the bed against the wall. Previously, he had been so preoccupied with the words of Jin Bao that he had not paid attention to anything else. At this moment, he carefully shifted his body and reached out to grab the book. Upon opening it, he saw that the cover prominently displayed "The Analects with Commentary," authored by Zhu Xi, which immediately caused him some annoyance

Wang Fulian could not help but feel a twitch in his temple again, and he straightforwardly asked: "Jinbao, do you talk in your sleep?"

Several generations ago, a courageous elder named Shouyi emerged from the countryside, leading his six brothers to engage in the salt trade, quickly becoming prominent merchants in the Huai and Zhejiang salt markets. After amassing wealth, the brothers gave back to their hometown by funding various academies in She County. Their eldest grandson, Mr. Nanming, even achieved the status of a successful candidate in the imperial examination and rose to the position of Governor of Fujian. However, the diary only refers to him by this title, mentioning that he is a distant relative, without disclosing his name. For Wang Fulian, the most critical issue is not only that this person's name is absent from the notes but also that such a person stands before him, and he does not recognize him

The blank spaces on the pages are densely filled with small script notes. Initially, they appear to be orderly, likely the class notes taken while listening to the teacher's lectures. However, after flipping through a dozen pages, it gradually becomes evident that it is more than that. The characters become increasingly smaller, requiring considerable effort to barely make them out, yet they seem to resemble diary entries. Some describe the struggles of studying, others complain about being unable to go out all day, and some excitedly boast about the teacher's praise. There are accounts of notable figures from the Wang family, complaints about being teased by two younger sisters, and also expressions of deep longing for a sick father.

But as soon as he finished speaking, before any action could be taken, a voice like a thunderous bell came from outside the door: "Shuangmu, are you really okay?"

At this point, Wang Yuanguan hesitated again. She was uncertain when she would be able to return to her family to visit her younger brother. The rumors outside were so rampant; should she give Wang Fulin a heads-up? ... But he was still weak in health ...

He has never had a good impression of Zhu Xi

Unknowingly, he became engrossed in it, and the originally vague figure of Wang Fulian gradually came to life in his mind, while he finally recognized the era in which he found himself

Little brother, have you woken up?

Wang Fulian did not expect Jin Bao to have such a strong reaction suddenly, which startled him. Just as he was about to get out of bed to help him up, a voice came from outside the door

Ah? It was... when I was watching over my father, I dozed off for a moment. When I was startled awake by a noise, I accidentally fell and bumped myself!" Jinbao hurriedly lowered his head even further, not daring to lift his eyes.

Young brother... Wang Yuanguan could not help but reach out her hand to tidy up Wang Fulin's messy hair at the front. Seeing him a bit awkward, she couldn't help but laugh, "If you can think this way, then your elder sister can rest assured. This time you were injured by thieves, and since our parents are not around, although your uncle is taking care of you, I still requested my in-laws to allow me to come back and take care of you for a few days. Now that you have awakened, I must return to my in-laws' home."

The Master said, "Is it not a joy to learn and to practice what you have learned at the right time..."

The primary task at hand is to address this crisis, yet the resources available for public relations in response to this crisis are utterly insufficient

However, the elder forgot; what should a fourteen-year-old boy's mindset be? Fortunately, the thing I feared the most did not happen, it was just a false alarm, truly thankful to heaven and the Buddha

After reading so many diaries, he no longer felt, as he initially did, that Wang Fulian was merely ignorant and deceived; instead, he thought that the young man was truly pitiable

In a household without servants, there are only tenant farmers to clean and sweep. If I could have the fragrance of ink accompanying me while I read, what is there to worry about in solitude

Wang Fulian furrowed his brows, secretly thinking that Jinbao's elder brother, Wang Qiu, was truly despicable, having sold his half-brother. Not only that, but he also did not spare their mother. However, upon hearing the last mumble, he found himself both amused and exasperated. Straining to listen, he discovered that Jinbao had continued reciting the Analects. Although there were some parts that were unclear, the parts he could hear were fluent and skillful, word for word without error. Just as he was finding it interesting, the murmuring suddenly stopped. He looked down and saw Jinbao drowsily opening his eyes. As their gazes met, Jinbao immediately sat up straight with a start.

After all, the original owner of this body seems to have completely lost their soul, leaving behind no memories of human emotions or worldly affairs. Even now, he can only make a preliminary judgment based on clothing and dialogue, concluding that the current time is mostly during the Ming Dynasty, although it could also be a completely different alternate space-time.

However, these memories are quite disordered, with fragments from here and there; relying on them to take any imperial examination is simply wishful thinking

In the past twenty years, approximately five or six members of the Wang family in Qianqiu have successfully passed the imperial examination as scholars. Although Wang Fulin, a fourteen-year-old scholar, is young, he is not only the last on the list but has also garnered an unfavorable reputation, making it uncertain whether he can rely on the support of his clan. Moreover, his father has not returned to his hometown for many years and seems to have little interaction with the clan. His mother, from the Wu family of the southern foothills of Wushi Rock Town, has an uncle, Wu Tianbao, who is the clan leader of this branch. However, compared to the more prominent branches of the Wu family, this branch is small and lacks resources, with most merchants only achieving a modest level of prosperity, and there are no capable relatives to assist him.

Wang Fulian was still pondering Jin Bao's unusually intense reaction, contemplating the reasons behind it while also reflecting on his own crises, inevitably becoming somewhat distracted: "In any case, I haven't taken anything from you, so you need not worry too much, elder sister"

Before she could finish her words, Wang Fulian suddenly interrupted her with a serious expression: "Elder sister, although Young Master Cheng and I entered school in the same year, we are not yet familiar enough to exchange servants. During several banquets, he often brought along a young attendant with an ink fragrance, speaking to me in ambiguous terms. This time, when he entrusted the toothless old woman to send this autumn maple, his words were even more unbearable. Elder sister, take a look at his letter."

Wang Yuanguan glanced at Jin Bao, her brows slightly furrowed: "What happened to your forehead?"

He can be considered a history enthusiast, aware that by this time, Emperor Jiajing had become a thing of the past. As soon as Emperor Longqing ascended the throne, he delegated power to a cabinet composed of prominent figures such as Xu Jie, Gao Gong, and Zhang Juzheng, indulging himself in pleasures. Although there were occasional minor disturbances in the north, the Central Plains had enjoyed a long period of peace. However, when it comes to specific major events, how could he possibly remember every single one? Moreover, he could not expect a small scholar from the mountains of She County to record what was happening in the capital, which was thousands of miles away. Having a reign title as a reference was already quite good; the specific year was not mentioned in the diary. He could always probe others later for more information.

Suddenly, he saw within the tiny print the past interactions with that young gentleman, Cheng. Wang Fulian first became acquainted with someone during the county examination; the other party was two years older. They ranked third and fourth in the county examination, respectively, and then their ranks in the provincial examination were also close, thirteenth and fourteenth. However, in the metropolitan examination, perhaps due to performance issues on the day, their essays had slight discrepancies, resulting in them being the last two on the list, yet this brought them closer together. As he focused intently on the end, he found that familiar name—Mo Xiang—and recalled several passages, stating that the young gentleman Cheng had met with Mo Xiang several times.

Father... you are awake!

Fortunately, regarding family circumstances, due to a reverence for ancestors, Wang Xiaoxiu repeatedly mentioned them in his diary, recalling them with great detail

Jin Bao stumbled up from the ground, his forehead marked with a bruise. He dared not cry out in pain and hurriedly staggered to the door, cautiously pulling it open, and called out with his head lowered: "Auntie"

To enjoy a leisurely life, one must not only fulfill the wishes of one's parents but also address the immediate issues at hand—it's not just about the entanglement between oneself and that cursed Young Master Cheng, but more importantly, who is actually opposing oneself, to the extent of using the charges of filial impiety and cheating to trap him. This not only concerns one's reputation but also impacts future living conditions

Eldest sister Wang Yuanguan married into the Xu family branch on Doushan Street in Huizhou Prefecture. The Xu family has many members, and her brother-in-law is not even a scholar, holding little influence. Second sister Wang Shaoyun and younger sister Wang Youhan are still waiting in the boudoir. Given this situation, it appears that Wang Yuanguan specifically rushed back from the city due to the absence of her parents.

Ah? Jinbao did not perceive this as a jest; his lips instantly lost all color. Suddenly coming to his senses, he began to bang his head against the ground, exclaiming, "Father, I will not dare again, I will never dare again! I will not dare to eavesdrop on others reading in school, nor will I dare to practice writing in secret!"

Wang Yuanguan had always known that this younger brother was singularly focused on his studies since childhood, with a somewhat reclusive personality. Advising him was often counterproductive, and she never expected Wang Fulin's reaction to be so indifferent. After hesitating for a moment and recalling the rumors about the scholarly community she had heard from her husband, she couldn't help but cautiously say to the librarian: "Logically, since you have already entered school, it is common to have a book boy to assist with writing materials. However, that Qiu Feng is handsome, yet his character remains unknown. Moreover, accepting such a generous gift requires reciprocation; twelve taels of silver is not a small sum..." She couldn't help but cautiously say to the librarian: "Logically, since you have already entered school, it is common to have a book boy to assist with writing materials. However, that Qiu Feng is handsome, yet his character remains unknown. Moreover, accepting such a generous gift requires reciprocation; twelve taels of silver is not a small sum..."

Do not, do not sell my mother

It seems that all of this was written with great effort during moments of distraction, and using such small characters is merely to avoid detection by the elders

"Don't sell my mother... brother, I beg you..."

Wang Fulian possesses a keen self-awareness. In his previous life, he had some exposure to classical texts and still retains fragmented memories of the Four Books and Five Classics. However, this does not mean he can skillfully compose a good piece of regulated verse; he might as well give up on the path of the imperial examination. Moreover, the waters of the Longwan era have become too deep over the years. He worked too hard in his past life, and now being a leisurely small landowner is quite satisfactory.

Hearing the voice of his elder sister, Wang Fulian immediately snapped at Jin Bao: "Get up quickly, the elder sister is here! If you anger her, do you still want to stay?"

This simple sentence caused Jinbao to jump up like a startled kitten. He took two steps back, only then realizing his loss of composure, and subsequently knelt down, biting his lip, and said softly: "Father, I did not mean to. My brother has hit me many times, but I just cannot change. What did I say in my dream?"

In the end, while writing, the mood was quite excited, and the final stroke of the character for "loneliness" was drawn out long. Wang Fulian couldn't help but smile, and at the same time, he let out a great sigh of relief

"You didn't say much either." Wang Fulian smiled as if he were being magnanimous. Seeing Jin Bao appear relieved, the corners of his mouth curled into a sly arc, "You just recited a lengthy passage from the Analects."

He had a very sound sleep. When Wang Fulian woke up again, he saw the canopy above his head, the cedar bed beneath him, Jinbao who was sleeping at the head of the bed, and the bright sky outside. He had no choice but to accept reality, while seriously contemplating what he should do next

Can this title be changed

Only when the matter fell upon him did he realize that even the smog, toxic food, and soil pollution he had once vehemently criticized on the forum were preferable to being suddenly cast into such a strange era

Using his unhealed injuries as an excuse, he directly sent away the middle-aged woman, who was clearly a matchmaker, with a message. As evening approached, after returning home, Wang Fulin hastily ate a little something to quell his hunger, feeling utterly exhausted in both body and mind. He simply lay down on the bed and fell asleep. In a daze, he vaguely heard the voices of women outside, but he was too lazy to pay attention to what gossip they were indulging in.