Chapter 122
While his two sons went back to get the money, Old Man Wen walked up to Wen Shi, looking somewhat displeased.
"Your father's little bit of money will be spent by you sooner or later."
Wen Shi didn't say anything. He didn't think he was wrong. In the past few years, his second brother and fourth brother had been working hard in the shop, while he and his fifth brother hadn't been there much. Buying land now was for their own good.
"Your older brother said before that once you become an official, you still have to spend money to bribe people."
"Father, you don't need to worry about this. You're getting old, just enjoy your retirement."
Old Man Wen glanced at Wen Shi and said nothing more. Even though he refused to admit he was getting old, the increasing amount of white hair on his head was undeniable.
Once the money was raised, things became much easier.
In the evening, Wen Chuanzong returned with the children. Wen Shi asked his second brother to drive the mule cart directly to the city so that they could see the school and get familiar with the way. If it was acceptable, they could pay the tuition and have the children come to study the next day.
Wen Chuanzong and Xiuyu were also in the car. The second son and his wife were also full of anticipation. Yuqin had already brought the money. She trusted Wen Shi very much.
Although they've spent a huge sum of money, the land will belong to them in the future.
Old Man Wen was willing to pay to help buy the land, and even if she didn't work, she wouldn't complain. She and her husband, along with the fourth son and his wife, were all capable. Ten acres of land wasn't a lot, but it wasn't a small amount either. They didn't pay taxes, and all the grain they harvested belonged to them.
They are not afraid of hardship; as long as they can make money, that's good enough.
When the elderly couple passes away, these ten acres of land will definitely be divided equally between their two families, so they won't lose out.
"Third brother, it's really good for you to be an official now."
After Xiuyu finished speaking, Wen Chuanzong pursed his lips.
The weather was sunny and a gentle breeze was blowing. Wen Shi was focused on enjoying the scenery along the way, and when she heard her sister-in-law's words, she didn't say anything.
His success today is inseparable from his previous efforts.
After entering the city, the mule cart traveled more smoothly. Wen Lao Er was very focused and, following Wen Shi's directions, soon arrived at the school gate.
The school wasn't old, and there were quite a few students inside. Xiuyu stood at the door and immediately made up her mind.
"Let's go to this place, my husband."
Wen Chuanzong didn't speak. He was a little worried about the money. He had a lot of money to support, and although he didn't have to pay for food and drink, he also needed to study, so the expenses couldn't be small.
Moreover, he has an exam to take this year, which is only a few months away, and he will have to go back to the prefectural city then.
A sensible person wouldn't go through all that trouble, but considering the future, he still insisted on coming. Actually, it would have been fine after the exam.
But deep down he was still afraid that if he lost this opportunity, he would never have another chance. Besides, the academies in the capital were definitely better.
He really put his mind to his studies, but it wasn't long. Occasionally, when the night was quiet, Wen Chuanzong would feel that his chances of success this year weren't that great. If he was lucky enough to pass the imperial examination, that would be great, but if not, he would have to wait another three years.
He wanted to find another way out, but unfortunately, he wasn't cut out for business, so he could only persevere.
When Wen Leqian came out and saw the whole family, he greeted them one by one, and then walked up to Wen Shi.
"Third brother, no problem, this is the place."
Wen Jinyu had never been to school, and his parents had rarely spoken to him about it. He seemed somewhat timid, especially in front of strangers.
Hearing his father's words, he tugged at his mother's sleeve, looking somewhat reluctant.
The two sons of the eldest son were very excited and happy. After the students left, Wen Shi led them in to find Master Xu. Wen Chuanzong's two sons were not considered to be just beginning their studies.
They can already recognize and write characters.
Seeing his elder brother's parents go inside to talk to the teacher, Wen Chuanzong's youngest son glanced around, stood listlessly in the courtyard, and when he saw Wen Shi, he thought of something and walked over in a few steps.
"Third Uncle, I've read all your notes, but there are still many things I don't understand."
He stood to the side, looking very serious. Wen Shi and Wen Leqian were standing in the courtyard when they suddenly heard these words, and Wen Shi was a little puzzled.
"My notes?"
At his age, looking at his notes wouldn't be of much use, since he wasn't even a student yet.
"Yes, Third Uncle, you gave it to Fifth Uncle before. After Fifth Uncle finished reading it, he took it to Grandpa and Grandma to let Dad read it. My mother took it home first, but she didn't give it to my father directly. She gave it to my eldest brother to copy first. My eldest brother copied it too slowly. It's not long since he finished copying it. Now it's in my hands. I've almost finished reading it, but I haven't copied much yet."
"After I finish copying it, I'm going to give it to my dad."
Upon hearing this, Wen Shi understood. He wasn't a petty person, and glancing at Wen Chuanzong and his wife out of the corner of his eye, he didn't say anything.
"Write down any questions you don't understand, and you can ask me later, or ask your fifth uncle."
"Third Uncle, you're really amazing. When I was studying in the county, all the teachers praised you."
Seeing the adoring look in her nephew's eyes, Wen Shi smiled. The second nephew in front of her was only eight years old, but he was indeed very smart and articulate. When she spoke to him, she deliberately lowered her voice.
"Fifth Uncle, you should actually kick that wretched mother and son out. They have no right to eat and drink in the house."
"What do you mean by 'bitch mother and son'?"
Wen Leqian opened his eyes wide and asked with some curiosity.
"It's that Ah Mian, and her son. This is what my mother told us in private."
Wen Leqian looked at his father, and Wen Shi's expression changed almost imperceptibly. His sister-in-law really was something else.
“Listen to your third uncle. It’s fine to say this among family members, but you must never say it to outsiders.”
Amian is indeed a concubine, but she is now pregnant, and that child is Wen Chuanzong's, who will be his brother in the future.
It would be best if the brothers in this family could get along harmoniously. If others knew this, who knows what they would say. The capital city values etiquette and law, and even a son born out of wedlock is still raised by his legal wife.
Of course, their family wouldn't be so particular, and Xiuyu wouldn't want to raise other people's children. Amian would probably be even more reluctant to let Xiuyu raise the child.
"You will also be pursuing a career in education in the future. You should know that reputation is very important. Even if your father is alive, you should still call her 'Auntie' at least."
"Third Uncle, I'll listen to you. I won't tell anyone outside. My mother said that that little bitch will take a share of the money my father left for me and my older brother."
The child looked sullen and clearly angry as he spoke.
"Second brother, does Uncle have a lot of money?"
Wen Leqian asked with some curiosity.
"There probably aren't any now, but it's hard to say what will happen in the future."
Wen Shi didn't speak. He gestured for his son to be quiet. By the time the others came out, they had already paid the money.
We don't need to worry about the two eldest sons, but there are some things we need to tell them.
On the mule cart that took the father and son back, Wen Shi said to his two nephews, "This capital city is not like a county. When you study here in the future, you must be obedient and not bully others. Some families may seem ordinary, but they are not good people behind your back. You should know that, elder brother."
Wen Chuanzong was taken aback. He finally understood. On the way, he began to earnestly educate his two sons, telling them never to cause trouble, never to bully others, and that studying hard was the right thing to do.
Despite having an official position, Wen Shi is not a particularly famous or high-ranking official. He is very powerful in the local area, but he is not well-known in the capital. He is considered a low-ranking official and does not even have the right to attend court. He currently has neither power nor wealth.
After sending the father and son back, Wen Lao Er drove the mule cart to take the whole family back to Ping'an Village. They knew the distance along the way and it wasn't very far. Since they were traveling by cart, the children wouldn't get tired or suffer.
At night, Yuqin talked to Wen Lao Er.
"Our livelihood and our son's education have been taken care of, and there shouldn't be any major problems for the time being. Let's work hard. In the end, we still have to stand on our own two feet."
Wen Lao Er nodded in agreement.
“This school is really not cheap, but by the end of the year when these two pigs are big enough, we can sell them for money and that should be enough. Once we come down from the ground, you can’t be idle; we have to work hard.”
"Don't worry, it's all for our son."
"Life has finally gotten better."
Looking at the spacious room, Yuqin felt even happier.
"I will get up early tomorrow to feed the child well so you can take him to school."
If they were to be sent together, then Wen Lao Er would be the most suitable person to take care of the black mule. He is the one who takes care of it on a daily basis. The eldest brother doesn't dare to touch the black mule at all now, especially since he also has to study.
It's impossible for the fourth or fifth child; they don't need them right now. It can only be him; the couple only has one son.
The following morning, Wen Shi took his son to school, and after arriving there, he went to the Hanlin Academy without looking back.
Wen Leqian had been studying for a year, and this year he didn't cry or make a fuss. He sat quietly, and soon his brothers arrived.
Wen Jinyu couldn't read, so he wasn't assigned to the same classroom as him. He had to start learning from the beginning. As for the other two, they had been studying for several years and could write. None of the brothers were assigned to the same classroom.
It wasn't until lunchtime in the cafeteria that Wen Leqian saw his third brother, who was holding a soup spoon and crying.
Of course, he wasn't the only one crying; everyone sitting with him was crying. Among this group, he stood out from the crowd, being older and much taller. Wen Leqian went over to comfort him for a few words before following his close classmates to the front to line up for food.
The school only has one meal at noon. The food isn't very good, but it's enough to fill you up. After a while, you get used to it. You eat at home in the morning and evening, and lunch is vegetarian. You can improve your meals when you go back home.
"Leqian, why don't you come to our house for dinner after school? My mom bought a big leg of lamb at the market yesterday and said she's going to roast it for me."
"Thank you for the invitation, but I don't know when my dad will pick me up, so I can't go. He said if he doesn't come after school, he'll have my second uncle take me home first."
Wen Leqian sighed.
"Oh well."
"And what about your mother?"
"My mother also has things to do."
"You're amazing! The teacher taught us to memorize poems today, and you were the first one to be able to recite them."
"hey-hey."
Wen Leqian took a bite of food. He knew his father would check again when he got back. It was like this every day; no matter how late it was, Wen would check.
From recognizing characters to memorizing texts, his father never neglected his studies, and he dared not relax either.
"We might be writing calligraphy in the second half of this year. A relative gave me a few Huzhou calligraphy brushes. I'll bring one over for you tomorrow."
Thank you.
"You're welcome."
They were all teenagers, and they ate at different times. Wen Leqian ran into the other two brothers after he finished eating. They were laughing and joking, and seemed to be having a great time.
He didn't think much of it; they weren't in the same classroom, and they could only see each other once at noon.
In the afternoon class, he perked up and began to learn another poem.
Master Xu first had them recite the texts. They all knew most of the characters, and he would teach them any they didn't know. After reciting, he would explain the characters, and then have them memorize them.
Despite the playful banter, everyone is very serious during class.
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