Chapter 283: Don’t Say These Depressing Words
Que'er came back soon, with another person beside him, who was Chai Yuanwei.
Seeing him coming, the three of them quickly stood up and saluted, showing him the proper respect and courtesy.
"No need to be so polite, please take a seat." Chai Yuanwei smiled brightly and waved his hand for the three to sit down.
"Brother Chai, I met you before, but I didn't know that Jiaer's teacher was Brother Chai." Sang Yongjing spoke first.
He was not such a considerate person. It was because Sang Yu pinched his thigh under the table and squeezed out words from between her teeth, ordering him to say some polite words.
Obviously everyone was pretending to be ignorant but they had to go on with the show. The smile on Chai Yuanwei's face was extremely forced.
"Haha, fate, everything is fate."
To avoid Sang Yongjing from continuing to engage in awkward conversation, he simply looked at Sang Xingjia and said, "Since you're planning to become my disciple, I naturally need to examine your abilities first. What do you think?"
"I'll follow your instructions, Master." Sang Xingjia nodded in agreement.
His face was calm, but his mind was full of thoughts.
Yesterday, Master Chai initially did not agree to his request, but later sent Que'er hurriedly to tell him that he could come again today.
There was not enough communication between the two parties, so now they can only improvise. He hoped that the test questions that Master Chai gave him would not be too difficult.
"Que'er." Chai Yuanwei called out to Que'er behind him.
She immediately understood and spread out the more than one-foot-long jute paper in her hand in front of Sang Xingjia, and then placed the brush, inkstone and ink stick on it.
"I thought of a topic yesterday. You can write an article based on it." Chai Yuanwei said calmly, stroking his willow-leaf beard.
Sang Xingjia took the opportunity to look at the spread out jute paper. There were a few sentences written in the two columns on the far right, which were what Chai Yuanwei called the titles.
The question is neither difficult nor easy. It is a policy paper on taxation.
He frowned and thought about the wording and arguments, while Chai Yuanwei asked Sang Yu and Sang Yongjing to leave together. This article would take a while to write.
Que'er didn't follow him directly. She picked up the ink stick and started grinding it. She often did this for her father, and now she was quite good at it.
After the three of them walked a little further away, Master Chai looked at Sang Yongjing and said with a smile, "Brother Sang, if your son can't reach the point, can I still ask you for a filial bamboo?"
He had to settle this matter quickly before the two sides fell out, otherwise he was afraid that he would really have no choice but to plant green bamboo.
Sang Yongjing, who was worried, heard his words and replied hurriedly, "It's just a bamboo. I'll find it and give it to Brother Chai later."
Bamboo was indeed worthless, but it did require a trip up the mountain and some effort. He only hoped that Master Chai would be a little more lenient with Jia'er for the sake of the bamboo.
"Then I would like to thank Brother Sang first." Chai Yuanwei bowed.
The "Three Character Classic" being recited over there had already reached the end. Chai Yuanwei knew that if he was away for a long time, the group of children would probably make a fuss, so he left first.
Sang Yu pondered the words and sentences in this version of "Three Character Classic".
The historical part of the original version of "Three Character Classic" circulated in later generations only went up to the Song Dynasty. As the times changed, people in each dynasty continued to supplement it, and it later became the complete version of "Three Character Classic" with more than one hundred sentences.
However, the "Three Character Classic" of the Daying Dynasty, which has never been heard of, is consistent with the previous historical development.
But during the Five Dynasties, it seemed like a cheat, and the first founding emperor of the Daying Dynasty unified China, proclaimed himself emperor, established a country, and changed the dynasty.
Even the words and sentences in the "Three Character Classic" were changed, which she found quite novel when listening to it.
Sang Yongjing called her several times but got no response, and finally couldn't help but pull her sleeve.
"Yu'er, Yu'er, what are you thinking about? Daddy called you several times but you didn't respond."
"Ah? Dad, what did you just say?" Sang Yu finally came back to his senses.
"I say, do you know what Master Chai's intention is? Whether Jia'er writes an article is good or bad depends entirely on his thoughts. Doesn't that mean whatever he says is true?"
Sang Yongjing had just sat next to Sang Xingjia and opposite Chai Yuanwei, so it was not convenient for him to stretch his head to look at the questions on the paper in front of the other party.
I only managed to sneak a peek at a few words before leaving, and I really couldn't piece together the complete question.
"This matter was originally decided by him, Dad, we are the ones who need help."
Sang Yu couldn't help laughing. Her father was not only tactless, but sometimes he couldn't even figure out his own identity and position. Fortunately, he was willing to listen to her on important matters.
"Ah?" Sang Yongjing was stunned. He thought Sang Yu had already discussed everything with Chai Yuanwei, and now the other party was deliberately making trouble. It turned out that nothing had been finalized yet.
He was already nervous and became even more nervous. He turned around to look in the direction of the pavilion and paced back and forth beside Sang Yu.
"...Dad, don't be nervous. You don't know my brother's skills and abilities yet. He will be fine." Sang Yu trusted Sang Xingjia very much.
Sang Yongjing was like a lit firecracker, and nothing Sang Yu said could comfort him.
"I know what his abilities are for. Whether he will accept me as a disciple or not depends on Master Chai's opinion. What if, I mean what if, he..."
Sang Yu raised his eyebrows and said, "Dad! Don't say such depressing words unless it's an emergency."
Even if Master Chai was not satisfied with Sang Xingjia's answer, it was at most because he did not understand the specific people's livelihood issues well enough, and he definitely did not think that Sang Xingjia was not talented enough.
Those things can be made up for later. With a little training for a year or two, a Gongshi or Jinshi can be produced. I don’t believe Chai Yuanwei won’t be tempted.
When this story gets out, it will greatly increase his reputation. He might even be noticed by a high-ranking official in the court, who might then petition the emperor to reinstate him.
The character and pride of literati are based on the basic conditions of having enough food and clothing.
When Chai Yuanwei first arrived in Lingnan, he might have thought that even if he had to eat simple food for the rest of his life, he could still live a happy and comfortable life.
But after a few years of living like this, could he still have the pride to not bow down for a few grains of rice? If he really still had that, how could he open a private school?
Sang Yu never just looks at the surface when doing things. She will not do anything easily without certainty, unless it is an emergency moment involving life and death.
Maybe it was her calm attitude that infected Sang Yongjing, but he gradually calmed down and even started to think about when to go digging bamboo.
What has been promised must be done. If Chai Yuanwei really accepts Sang Xingjia, he promises to treat digging bamboo as the most important thing and do it tomorrow.
But if I refused, when would he send it again? Or wait another month? By then, the bamboo would surely not survive the transplant, which would piss him off and make him refuse to accept Jia'er as his apprentice.
Thinking of that scene, Sang Yongjing couldn't help but laugh out loud, which made Sang Yu, who felt confused, silently move two steps to the side.
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