Chapter 4: All pursuits are of low quality, only copying books is of high value

Ye Chenliang arrived at his desk, picked up the bamboo basket that held the writing tools, and this thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy gazed meaningfully at Ye Chunqiu

Master Zhou's face was contorted with rage, and the ruler in his hand danced in the air for a moment, producing a sharp whistling sound as it cut through the air. Master Zhou's skills were exceptionally profound; the ruler suddenly paused in mid-air, yet his eyes glimmered with a chilling light. He suddenly raised his head, his expression returning to calm, but his gaze remained fixed on Ye Chunqiu. Deep within those eyes, there seemed to lurk a sharpness that could pierce through any pretense.

Master Zhou said sternly: "Ye Chunqiu!"

Master Zhou's pedantic discourse was incomprehensible to Ye Chunqiu, who pretended to listen attentively with a tilted neck. It was not that he was unwilling to put in the effort; rather, Master Zhou's disdain for him was always apparent. Furthermore, Master Zhou's lectures lacked any engaging content. Ye Chunqiu preferred to rely on his holographic brain for self-study after class, practicing cursive script, rather than endure Master Zhou's cold and pedantic teachings.

Ye Chunqiu respectfully said: "What instructions does the Master have?"

Laughter echoed around, and Ye Chunqiu rubbed his eyes, groggily realizing that Master Zhou's murderous gaze was fixed upon him

Master Zhou pounded his chest and stamped his feet, his heart in great distress, scoundrel, scoundrel, you wretched offspring born of a big-footed woman, it is evident that you will amount to nothing, yet you still dare to seize such a good seat, it would be one thing to take a good seat, but you even dare to sleep, sleeping is your prerogative, yet this fellow shamelessly says, "Yes, what is it that the Master is teaching."

Ye Chunqiu continued: "The teachings of the Master regarding the 'Winter Official's Record of Craftsmanship' were excellent. The students still remember the Master reciting: 'The wheel maker makes wheels, and the three types of wood must be cut according to their seasons. Once the three types are ready, the skilled craftsman harmonizes them. The hub is for facilitating rotation. The spokes are for providing straightness. The rim is for ensuring stability.' This sentence is excerpted from the 'Rites of Zhou,' which is indeed profound and extensive, especially the way the Master expounded upon it was remarkable. The wheel maker constructs wheels, and the three types of wood must be harvested in accordance with specific seasons, correct? The sage venerates propriety, thus propriety must not be neglected. Even the humble craft of wheel making contains the principle of each fulfilling their role. Listening to the Master's words just now was indeed more enlightening than ten years of study; the students have been educated, educated... 'The rim is for ensuring stability.' This sentence is excerpted from the 'Rites of Zhou,' which is indeed profound and extensive, especially the way the Master expounded upon it was remarkable. The wheel maker constructs wheels, and the three types of wood must be harvested in accordance with specific seasons, correct? The sage venerates propriety, thus propriety must not be neglected. Even the humble craft of wheel making contains the principle of each fulfilling their role. Listening to the Master's words just now was indeed more enlightening than ten years of study; the students have been educated, educated..."

Your mother ... ...

"Sitting in the front, the Master pays more attention."

Except for the seat that is positioned at the very front, all other seats have been taken. This second brother is quite insidious

Ye Chunqiu could only stand up; a real man does not suffer immediate losses. At only 12 years old, how can he pretend to be a grandson, let alone act like a hero?

Ye Chunqiu was taken aback and instinctively replied, "Indeed, what is it that the Master teaches?"

Oh no

Go sit at the front, that would be foolish, Master Zhou is looking at me and it's quite bothersome

This is a sign that a gentleman not only speaks but is also prepared to take action

Moreover, Master Zhou was hired by Second Uncle, and during class, he has always been indifferent to Ye Chunqiu.

The students, upon seeing this, immediately fell silent like cicadas in winter, hurriedly returning to their seats. Ye Chenliang, quick-witted and agile, had already taken a seat towards the back with his bamboo basket in hand

At that moment, Old Master Zhou coughed, having entered at some unknown time.

Master Zhou was taken aback; this fellow... actually recited it flawlessly, word for word. Wasn't he supposed to be sleeping?

Haha ... ...

Hearing Master Zhou's lullabies such as "The wheel turns for the wheel, and the three materials must be cut at their proper time," he finally could not bear it any longer

Ye Chunqiu finally perked up and said, "The students are here."

Ye Chunqiu could not hesitate, for at that moment, Master Zhou's murderous gaze was already fixed upon him. Ye Chunqiu simply pretended not to see and boldly sat down in the empty seat.

The classmates were originally supposed to laugh, but now they find it impossible to do so, especially Ye Chenliang, whose smiling face has become stiff, resembling a bit of facial paralysis

At this moment, Master Zhou was already wielding the ruler, striking towards him head-on

At first, it was still barely manageable, but later, with a sudden snap, the neck tilted, and the head struck against the desk.

When Ye Chenliang spoke, he always had an air of superiority, which greatly displeased Ye Chunqiu. He replied, without showing any emotion, "Thank you for the reminder, cousin. I stayed up all night yesterday and finally finished it."

Suddenly, the room erupted in laughter, and Ye Chenliang, who was sitting behind Ye Chunqiu, laughed so hard that he almost lost his breath

As for Master Zhou, upon seeing Ye Chunqiu seated in the front row, his expression immediately soured. He believed that Ye Chunqiu was shameless; this illegitimate son of the Ye family had audaciously taken the prime seat, which was a waste of resources. It would have been much more pleasing to his heart if Ye Chenliang were sitting here instead.

Although Ye Chunqiu did not have much interaction with Master Zhou, he was well aware that such an expression from Master Zhou often indicated that someone was about to be beaten

Ye Chenliang, however, smiled and continued, "Since you are here, you should listen attentively to the teacher's lecture. Come, I will give you my seat, the one at the front, so that you can catch up on your previous studies"

He squinted at Ye Chunqiu with his signature triangular eyes, looking rather sinister, but it was not convenient for him to act out. He then said, "With the county examination approaching, all students must work harder. Today we will cover..."

Ye Chunqiu was aware of Ye Chenliang's ill intentions, and he saw that the other brothers from the clan also joined in the commotion, saying: "Yes, yes, Chunqiu, do not waste the good intentions of the eldest brother"

Ye Chunqiu was busy and sat upright with a serious demeanor, yet his head felt extremely heavy and dazed

And wait! Ye Chunqiu quickly said: "Master, please do not act yet."

Ye Chenliang, as the eldest son of the second branch, is well-educated and cultured, excelling in his studies. Therefore, Old Man Ye holds him in high regard, and he has always considered himself the successor of the Ye family

Ye Chenliang smiled faintly, as his studies were the foundation of his pride. With a reserved demeanor, he chuckled and said: "As long as you put in the effort during your spring and autumn years, it is sufficient. You must not follow your uncle's example, who, after much difficulty, managed to become a scholar, only to end up... haha... you need to make a name for your uncle."

At this moment ... Ye Chunqiu suddenly realized that he was in a tragic situation

Master Zhou's ruler instinctively came to a halt, yet his anger intensified. Fortunately, he had not learned the Nine Yin White Bone Claw; otherwise, in the next moment, he would have surely torn Ye Chunqiu apart.

Ye Liangchen is the son of Ye Chunqiu's second uncle, and he is slightly older than Ye Chunqiu. It is said that Ye Chunqiu's father, being engrossed in his career, allowed his second uncle's children to be born, while he remained single. When he finally passed the examination to become a xiucai and the family was busy preparing for his wedding, they were unaware of what had possessed the father, as he ran away with Ye Chunqiu's mother.

Thus, Master Zhou bellowed at Ye Chunqiu in a manner reminiscent of Ma Jingtiao, "Today, I shall lecture on the Winter Official's Record of Craftsmanship"

This location can be described as exceptionally advantageous, almost right under the nose of Master Zhou. Master Zhou, holding a ruler, would brandish it to demonstrate his strictness in teaching. When he became animated during his lectures, he would swing the ruler, creating a sharp sound accompanied by gusts of wind. The force of the wind would hit the face, and being so close, Ye Chunqiu felt a sense of fright that was almost overwhelming.

Ye Chunqiu could not help but mutter to himself: "Silly," and casually uttered an "oh" without much thought, then lost interest in him.

"You ... ... stand up!" Master Zhou said deliberately and slowly.

Ye Chunqiu's body trembled slightly, as he had mentioned earlier, the "Winter Official's Record of Crafts"... Immediately, he activated the light brain search

Ye Chenliang pressed his lips together and said, "Have you completed the homework for the Spring and Autumn Annals? Old Master Zhou will be reviewing it shortly."

The ruler remained suspended in mid-air, yet it suddenly became motionless.

Master Zhou did not even bother to lift his eyelids, and spoke word by word: "What was it that I just taught?"

The people behind immediately burst into laughter. Since Ye Chunqiu started attending school, Ye Chenliang has consistently targeted Ye Chunqiu. He gave up his seat to allow Ye Chunqiu to move forward, unaware that Master Zhou also held a strong prejudice against Ye Chunqiu

It must be because of ... the elopement of the old man. In this era, those who are hypocritical scholars like Confucius Zhou, who harbor resentment towards everything related to their grievances, naturally do not favor the child born after the elopement of this young master of the Ye family.

Ye Chunqiu thought to find a secluded corner, too lazy to argue with a group of little brats