Chapter 3, Enlightening with Emotion

Having finished breakfast, it was already late. Ye Chunqiu hurriedly carried his book box to the clan school

However, running script is related to manual dexterity, and one must not resort to shortcuts or clever tricks

Master Ye said lightly: "Prepare a courtyard for the father and son to reside in, and let Ye San attend to them"

Children are all like this, most adept at forming cliques, not to mention that Ye Chunqiu is a transfer student

In that case, Ye Chunqiu should not be mentioned any further

Ye Chunqiu was enjoying the steamed buns sent by Ye San. These buns were large and hard. During his time at the Ye family, he always complained about the food here, as most of it was leftover from the previous night, clearly meant for the long-term workers in the estate. In response to this, Ye San felt quite helpless. Whenever asked about the matter, Ye San would merely shrug and say that he had gone to the cook, and this was all he could get. The kitchen was managed by the second madam.

Uh ... there is no way, because my father gets up even earlier

This grandson has never returned to Fenghua County, so how could he know about this article

Ye Chunqiu is by no means a paragon of virtue; with readily available resources, there is truly no need to resort to the arduous study of the Eight-legged Essay.

Lord Ye showed a look of astonishment, gazing at Ye Chunqiu in disbelief

The old man is not enlightened

Of course, it is his father, Ye Jingjiao

The second wife is the wife of the second uncle, and she is also Ye Chunqiu's second aunt. It is not that Ye Chunqiu wants to insult anyone, but in the end, he still mutters to himself, that second uncle... is not a decent person

The small regular script characters have begun to take shape, but Ye Chunqiu is not satisfied with this, for he knows that in this era, running script represents the face of a scholar. One's knowledge can be discerned at a glance as soon as the pen is set to paper.

After half an hour had passed, many calligraphy practice sheets were already scattered in disarray throughout his small study.

Ye Chunqiu glanced back and saw that it was his cousin Ye Liangchen

It is not that he wishes to be lazy, nor is it out of a love for calligraphy; rather, there are those who are well-versed in knowledge, while he is merely knowledgeable in a superficial manner. The knowledge within his mind is diverse and all-encompassing, encompassing poetry and prose, and even the eight-legged essay can be easily crafted by him. If he were to devote his thoughts to this, such a person would be considered insane

When Ye Chunqiu mentioned the need to recite the article, several children standing nearby could not hold back and burst into laughter

Where is that young master, his mother is... a big-footed village woman...

The implication is that this article must be extremely important in Ye Jing's mind; if it were not important, how could it serve as a talisman for Ye Chunqiu? This son... actually fled home for a woman, but... in his heart... it is not entirely true that he does not have this father.

Ye Chunqiu turned a deaf ear to this and boldly entered the school, hearing someone behind him say: "Chunqiu ... ... "

The Ye family was naturally unfamiliar to Ye Chunqiu, and he needed some time to gradually adapt to life here

At this moment, however, no one in the hall could manage to smile.

"The young master of the Chang family has arrived," someone murmured softly

Ye Chunqiu enunciates clearly, each word pronounced either in a high or low tone

Ye Taigong's mood was complicated, his face showing signs of fatigue, and he had lost the intention to use family discipline. He merely cast a cold glance at Ye Jing and said: "From today onwards, you are confined to the house, and you are not allowed to go out for a year. If there is a next time, I will not hesitate to beat you to death. Ye Song ... ... "

Ye Chunqiu had mentioned the issue of meals to his father several times, but his father was only concerned about his academic performance and showed little interest in material matters. Whenever Ye Chunqiu spoke ill of his uncle, his father would adopt a stern expression and recite the principle that a nephew should not speak ill of his uncle.

This unfilial son, who ran off with a woman, yet his grandson can recite his writings fluently, which shows that... the unfilial son still has this father in his heart

Ye Chunqiu sighed inwardly, yet shook his head and spoke word by word: "Those who established nations in ancient times must have fortified the perilous mountain valleys as their strongholds, or turned their backs to the Mang Mountains while facing the Luo River..."

The old man's eyes casually fell on Ye Chunqiu, deliberately showing a sense of detachment towards him. He coldly remarked: "Just now, you made a mistake in one part. The phrase 'truly heaven-made and earth-set' should be followed by 'however, the advantage of geographical conditions is not as good as that of human harmony.' However... at such a young age, being able to remember these is still acceptable. Do take care of yourself."

Ye Chunqiu recited the article verbatim, looking at the now calmer face of Lord Ye, and with a pitiful expression said: "In the past, when my father wanted to hit me, all I had to do was recite this article, and my father couldn't bring himself to strike me. Now that I have recited the article again, won't grandfather refrain from hitting father?"

One of the younger ones murmured softly, "Why is this cousin so foolish?" As soon as he finished speaking, an aunt behind him pinched him hard on the back, causing him to immediately fall silent, not daring to make a sound.

Ye Chunqiu continued: "Whether it is the river that embraces the lake, all for the sake of the magnificent scenery..."

The Ye family's ancestral school is situated next to the ancestral hall. In the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions, prominent families place great importance on the education of their descendants, which is why this ancestral school is quite impressive

It was merely the tone, yet it carried a hint of mockery

Old Master Ye's face trembled, and he could only sigh

After the hour of the rabbit had passed, Ye Chunqiu opened the window, and the morning light filtered through the thick fog, pouring into his chamber

Look at them, it is evident that they feel they are wasting their efforts

At this time, there were already a few direct and collateral descendants coming to school. Upon seeing Ye Chunqiu, everyone had different expressions, yet no one came to greet him

Lord Ye's expression unexpectedly softened; he closed his eyes and let out a gentle sigh

Uncle Er arranged for Ye Jing and his son to stay in a small courtyard located in the southeast corner of the residence. It cannot be described as luxurious, but even if Uncle Er were to be excessively demanding, he would not dare to be overtly blatant about it, as this was a directive from the old master. Therefore, the small courtyard was quite decent, featuring a small hall, two side rooms, and a servant named Ye San to take care of Ye Jing and his son.

This article cannot be considered highly sophisticated; it is merely an ordinary local note.

He flicked his sleeve and departed in solitude

Soon, the matter of Ye Chunqiu's education was put on the agenda. Ye Jing repeatedly requested his second uncle, and eventually, the second uncle, who was in charge of the family, could no longer resist and finally made arrangements with the clan school, allowing Ye Chunqiu to enroll in school

Ye Chunqiu firmly believes that this article is undoubtedly one of the few brilliant works of his grandfather's lifetime. When this article was written, it was also the moment when his grandfather was most proud and extraordinary. Now, reciting the article from Ye Chunqiu's mouth is enough to evoke a certain resonance within him

Yes, son will take care of it right away

How should I put it... Ye Taigong is a local gentry, and the county is mostly focused on repairing the river embankment. Since the embankment has been built, it is only natural to erect a monument to commemorate it, as this is a traditional practice of the ancients. Ye Chunqiu darkly speculates that this is likely because the county magistrate was quite enthusiastic when the Ye family donated money and grain, thus he invited Ye Taigong to compose a text, and then, quite 'naturally', praised it, leading to its inscription on the monument.

He has set down his pen, exhaling white breath. Ye San brought in the tea and snacks: "Young Master, hurry and eat. The Master has given instructions. Once you finish eating, you must go to the clan school early, do not be late."

Every day, the old man urges his own studies, but Ye Chunqiu's studies are always focused on practicing calligraphy

Ye Chunqiu retrieved information from the optical brain, and the author of the article was none other than Ye Taigong. Ye Taigong is considered a notable figure in Fenghua County, and there are always traces of him in the local chronicles. Among these, one such article is included, with the county records stating: The county magistrate applauded and called for a stone tablet to be inscribed on the riverbank, to be passed down to future generations

Sigh

Then Uncle Er suddenly looked as if he had seen a ghost

In the south, snow is always stingy; after falling for a day or two, the blanket of silver quickly vanishes, leaving only a trace of residual snow on the rooftops. After a while, the bare branches in the small courtyard begin to show a hint of green, and the weather gradually warms up. Ye Chunqiu has been attending school for half a month now, rising early each day. Before the fog has lifted, he gets dressed and washes up.

Uncle Er had recovered from his shock and cast a cold glance at Ye Chunqiu, yet he obediently asked, "What instructions do you have, Father?"

The elder's words carried great weight, and everyone understood that the eldest of the Ye family had returned to the gates of the Ye family once again