Chapter 130 The Third Child Goes to School
Ye Yanping: "But Master Zhao, you look... okay!"
"Thank you for your comfort." Zhao Xingjian smiled and said, "In fact, I was extremely grateful for my ordinary face back then. In my dynasty, a prince consort cannot enter the court as an official. Although I can enjoy a life of luxury, I cannot achieve great things and serve the court. This goes against the original purpose of my hard study. Therefore, I prefer this runner-up to the top scorer."
"Then why are you now..." Ye Yanshun hesitated to speak.
Zhao Xingjian gave a bitter laugh. "You want to know why, with my talent and knowledge, I didn't serve in the imperial court, but instead came to this obscure little village to be a teacher, right?"
Ye Yanshun said apologetically, "I don't know if this has touched upon Master's privacy. If you care, you can keep it to yourself. I understand."
"There's nothing I can't say. After I passed the second place in the imperial examination, I was appointed a seventh-rank editor in the Imperial Academy. Three years later, I joined the cabinet as a regent. For someone from a humble background like me, it was a meteoric rise. As for what happened later, it's simply that the closer you get to the center of power, the more you can see the ugliness of those in power. When disappointment accumulated to a certain point, I chose to follow my heart, dedicate myself to the mountains and rivers, and live a carefree life."
"Is the imperial court also so dark and corrupt?" Ye Yanshun asked curiously, "I thought it was only in Xianchuan County!"
Zhao Xingjian said, "All crows are black. You're asking me this today because you're planning on taking the imperial examination?"
Ye Yanshun glanced at Ye Buwei.
Ye Buwei said, "A Shun, you heard what Master Zhao said just now. I have always disapproved of you taking the imperial examination. This is the reason why the current imperial court is not worthy of such a large number of scholars and patriots."
"But Daddy, I still want to give it a try." Ye Yanshun mustered up the courage to say, "I don't understand officialdom yet, and I can't think about things that far ahead. Right now, I just want to prove myself."
"You kid, why don't you understand your father's painstaking efforts?" Luo Qiuyue pretended to be angry and glared at Ye Yanshun, then turned to Ye Buwei and said, "Old Ye, it's useless for you to say these things. He won't turn back until he hits the wall. He has to experience it himself before he understands. I think it's better to let him take the exam to become a scholar first!"
If you pass the examination to become a scholar, you can be exempt from paying taxes. Why should people be so against money?
Ye Buwei pondered in silence.
"Master Zhao, do you regret taking the path of imperial examination?" Ye Yanshun asked.
Before Zhao Xingjian could answer, Ye Buwei said, "Alright, no need to ask, just go and participate."
"Daddy!" The usually polite and reserved young man jumped up from his seat, his face full of joy. "Thank you, Daddy! I don't know what the future will hold, but if I give up the imperial examination, I will regret it for the rest of my life!"
Zhao Xingjian: “…”
Young man, you only have to blame yourself for knowing too little about your own life experience.
With your status, what imperial examination do you need to take?
…
Three days later, in the morning, Ye Yanshun set off for Mingyu Academy.
All other pursuits are inferior, only reading is superior. This was a major event for Heihe Village, and the entire village went to the city gate to see him off.
The children, soundly asleep in their beds, were pulled out and, bewildered, listened to their parents' instructions: "See? If you study well, you can go to Mingyu Academy and bring honor to your family!"
"You three be good at home. Uncle will bring you some delicious food when he comes back!" Ye Yanshun touched the heads of the three little ones.
"Yeah!" Little Dumpling nodded vigorously.
Cucu, you must remember this!
Ye Yanshun sat on the cart. In the bag beside him, apart from the necessities of life, there were meat patties and snacks specially prepared by Yunniang.
"Mom and Dad, sister-in-law, brother, I'm leaving." Ye Yanshun's eyes were a little hot.
This was the first time in twelve years that he had left his family to live outside. Although he was only going to school at the academy, he felt reluctant to leave when he thought that he could only go home once a month.
"Study hard, your elder brother will pick you up at the end of the month." Luo Qiuyue touched his head.
"Give more of the meat patties and snacks to the teacher and classmates, and get along well with them." Yunniang instructed.
"Thinking that you are not at home and I have to use such a big bed all by myself, I feel so...uncomfortable..." Ye Yan pretended to wipe the corner of his eyes.
Ye Yanshun burst out laughing.
"Let's go!" Ye Yanping pulled the cart.
"Uncle village head, fellow villagers, please go back quickly!" Ye Yanshun waved to everyone.
"Yanshun, study hard and bring honor to our Heihe Village!" the village head shouted.
"Our Heihe Village has never produced a scholar, so it depends on you, Yanshun!" said the villagers.
Ye Yanshun's heart was filled with excitement, and he silently made up his mind: I must study hard, make a name for myself, and benefit the people!
But when he saw Zhao Xingjian in the crowd, he couldn't help but think that Master Zhao must have thought the same thing back then.
I'd better not think about it too much for now and wait until I pass the exam to become a scholar.
As the cart drove away, the villagers slowly returned to the village.
At the moment the city gate was closing, a voice came from afar, "Don't close the door, don't close the door yet!"
Several figures hurried over. The village head poked his head out and saw several unfamiliar faces. "Which village are you from? What's going on?"
The tall, thin man in the lead wore a patched jacket with trouser legs that were much shorter, revealing his thin legs. He forced a fawning smile on his skinny face, "Is this Heihe Village? We're here to look for Yunniang!"
"Looking for Yunniang? Are you Yunniang's relatives?" The village head took a look and saw six or seven people, young and old. They came to visit relatives with their families.
"Yes!" The tall and thin man licked his cracked lips, "I am Yunniang's elder brother."
He pointed to the middle-aged woman next to him who looked shrewd and said, "This is my mother."
The woman grinned ingratiatingly, revealing her yellow teeth. "Could you please tell Yunniang that someone from her family has arrived?"
The Ye family members had not walked far and heard every word of the conversation.
"Someone from your mother's family is coming?" Luo Qiuyue looked at Yunniang with a smile, "That's a rare guest, let's go outside to greet him!"
Luo Qiuyue had never met Yunniang's family, and Yunniang had never mentioned her family, so Luo Qiuyue knew nothing about this in-law.
She only knew that after Yunniang got married, she only returned to her parents' home once when her father-in-law passed away last year, and she was not very close to her parents' home.
Yunniang's face looked a little bad. "What are they doing here? It's really strange."
At this moment, the woman saw Yunniang through the half-open city gate and immediately shouted excitedly to the village head, "Yunniang! I saw Yunniang, that's my daughter!"
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