Before leaving the house, Zhizhi handed Ye Jingchen a booklet.
When Ye Jingchen opened it, he found that the booklet contained the prices of daily necessities such as firewood, rice, oil, and salt, with the time noted after each price.
The handwriting on the booklet was neat and regular script, with each character vigorous and powerful, unlike what a beginner would write.
"We've only just started learning to read and write, and our handwriting isn't very good, so we specially asked our teacher to write it down for us. If we were to write it ourselves, it would not only waste paper and ink, but it might also look terrible," Zhizhi explained.
Ye Jingchen carefully examined the booklet. It wasn't thick, only eight pages long, but each page was filled with the prices of various items.
“This booklet is very well written, and it’s exactly what I need. However, you are still young, so let’s focus on your studies first. How about we start recording this in three years?” Ye Jingchen said to Zhizhi with a smile.
These children are too young. Although what they are doing is not dangerous, their age itself is fraught with danger and uncertainty.
Knowing this, I feel unworthy of receiving it.
They used to wander the streets and alleys every day, just to beg for a few bites of food. People around them avoided them like the plague, and even beggars could bully them.
But now, they no longer have to worry about food, and they can walk upright and openly down the street. It feels great.
"Now you should focus on your studies and improve yourselves. Three years from now, I hope you can record these things yourselves," Ye Jingchen said.
He set a three-year timeframe for two reasons: firstly, to give them three years to study and allow them to grow up a bit more.
Secondly, three years is enough time for those around them to lose their impression of them, and their changes are less likely to attract attention.
He didn't want anyone other than Xie Shaoling and Xie Chang'an to come to this house again.
If someone with ulterior motives finds out what he's doing now, it could easily be used against him to sow discord between him and the emperor.
"In the next three years, I will arrange your household registration documents. If Xiao Ye and the others have the talent for studying, they can take the imperial examination in the future. As for you and Xiu Xiu, my sister plans to open a special girls' school in Da Yuan. If you study well, you may be able to become female teachers at the girls' school in the future, teaching more girls to read and write and broadening their horizons."
Zhizhi's eyes lit up, and the children surrounding them were also quite excited. Taking the imperial examinations and becoming a female teacher were things they had never dared to dream of before, but now they had become a possibility!
"Xiao Ye, you and your brothers and sisters are amazing! You're like saviors from heaven!" Zhizhi said excitedly to Ye Jingchen.
"We've only provided you with a learning opportunity. As for how much you learn, that depends on yourselves. If you have a bright future, it will be something you earn through your own hard work," Ye Jingchen said with a smile.
In fact, studying is also a matter that requires a lot of talent. Willingness to learn and ability to learn well are two different things. However, those who have experienced hardship before will cherish the hard-won learning opportunities more than the average person, and will work harder than the average person. And hardworking children usually do well in the future.
After returning to the palace, Ye Jingchen planned to visit Ye Jinghe first and secretly give him the food he had bought outside the palace.
However, as soon as he stepped out of his bedchamber, before he even reached the side hall, he saw a small figure sitting in a pavilion not far from his bedchamber.
At the same time he saw Ye Jinghe, Ye Jinghe also noticed him and immediately ran out of the pavilion and rushed towards him.
"Brother, you're finally awake! I've been waiting for you all afternoon!" he complained as he buried his face in Ye Jingchen's arms.
Ye Jingchen picked him up and weighed him in his arms.
Perhaps because he's eating, drinking, and sleeping well, Ye Jinghe's weight is increasing rapidly. Every time I hold him, he feels much heavier than before.
Ye Jingchen felt a great sense of accomplishment about this.
Ye Jingchen felt guilty for leaving the little boy alone for so long, so he simply carried him back to the side hall.
Having plenty of time today, he strolled around the streets, eating and shopping, and before he knew it, he had bought a lot of food.
He kept some for himself and secretly hid it in his bedchamber, and also gave some to Ye Jinghe.
For this reason, he specially asked Fangfei to choose a long robe with wide sleeves for him, so that he could stuff all the food into his sleeves.
His sleeves were stuffed with so many things that some almost fell out when he hugged Ye Jinghe, but Ye Jinghe managed to grab his sleeve.
Touching his brother's bulging sleeves, Ye Jinghe was initially surprised, then his eyes crinkled with a smile.
In fact, the food outside the palace, in terms of taste alone, could never compare to the meticulous cooking of the imperial chefs. However, this food was specially brought to him by his brother, and it was a unique dish, so it was especially delicious to Ye Jinghe.
The resentment he had harbored all afternoon naturally dissipated when he saw his brother pull out a bunch of novel foods he had never seen before from his sleeve.
He deliberately left some room in his stomach for dinner, planning to sneak a bite under the covers that night.
After all, his consistent principle is that he feels at ease only when he eats delicious food promptly.
The next morning, when Ye Jingchen walked out of his bedroom, Ye Jinghe was waiting at the door as usual. However, unlike before, his expression was somewhat listless, as if he hadn't slept well and was feeling sleepy.
"Did you play the nine-linked rings game under the covers again last night?" Ye Jingchen asked casually.
Although Ye Jinghe already knew how to solve the Nine Linked Rings puzzle, and Ye Jingchen later gave him many other toys, he still had a special fondness for the Nine Linked Rings puzzle and would often take it in his hands to solve it.
Ye Jinghe covered his mouth and shook his head, as if he was about to yawn but was holding it back.
Ye Jingchen noticed that he didn't have dark circles under his eyes, so he didn't ask any further questions.
However, when it came time for breakfast, Ye Jinghe still seemed uninterested and barely ate any food. Only then did Ye Jingchen realize that something was wrong with him.
"Where do you feel unwell?" Ye Jingchen pulled him closer and asked.
"I'm fine," Ye Jinghe replied calmly.
Ye Jingchen didn't believe it, so he reached out to touch his forehead and found no signs of fever. He then squeezed his little hand, and the temperature of his palm was normal.
Ye Jingchen was puzzled, "Then why did you eat so little for breakfast?"
Although Ye Jinghe was the youngest among them, he had the best appetite and never missed a meal.
"I'm not hungry," Ye Jinghe said. As he spoke, he subconsciously reached up and touched his face.
"Summon Imperial Physician Zhang," Ye Jingchen ordered directly.
The old doctor arrived quickly.
Ye Jingchen informed him of Ye Jinghe's situation.
The old doctor first took Ye Jinghe's pulse. Ye Jinghe cooperated well during the pulse taking, but when the old doctor asked Ye Jinghe to open his mouth for a look, he covered his mouth with his hand.
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