Ever since Erbao started learning martial arts, Ling Chufeng would occasionally come to teach him, either at the farm on the outskirts of the capital, or take him to Feixue Villa. Thanks to Erbao, he and Cheng Chen also went to Feixue Villa once.
Feixue Villa is built in a place close to mountains and water, at the foot of Tianlong Mountain and next to Cuifeng Lake, with beautiful scenery.
On February 10th of the 25th year of Yuankang, Dabao, Shitou, and Huo Rui took the Tongsheng exam.
Cheng Chen prepared things for the two of them early in the morning. His husband was very nervous when he took exams in the past, but he was not so nervous about Dabao's exam this time. He arranged for someone to prepare food.
However, he still gave them detailed instructions to take their belongings with them. "Dabao and Huo Rui, don't be nervous. Your father and Song Bai's father both said you will definitely pass, so you will definitely pass."
Sixteen-year-old Dabao was already a little taller than his father. He listened to his father's detailed instructions without getting bored. He smiled and said, "We've already taken care of everything. We're not nervous. Don't worry, Dad."
"Well, go ahead. The earlier you arrive, the earlier you can enter."
After watching them get on the carriage, Cheng Chen returned with a sense of relief. Wang Yu held his hand and said, "Don't worry, it's still early. Do you want to sleep a little longer?"
Cheng Chen shook his head: "No, they have to take the exam for four days and come back in the evening. I have to prepare some food they like."
The three of them had solid knowledge and passed the exam on their first try. In April, they took the college exam again and passed it on the first try. Dabao even won the top three places. After that, the three of them devoted themselves to studying and prepared for the provincial exam three years later.
Spring went and autumn came, time flew by. They had been living in the capital all these years. After waiting for Dabao to get married, Wang Yu and Cheng Chen sent Wang's father and mother back to Yuxi Village.
Afterwards, he took Cheng Chen to travel around Dali and showed him the beautiful scenery of mountains and rivers. Some people grew up and some grew old over the years. After seeing off Wang's father and mother, he settled down in Yuxi Village and never went anywhere else.
The old house in Yuxi Village has been expanded to four courtyards. Wang Yu, Cheng Chen and their family live in one, and the other two belong to Dabao and Erbao. They have already started their own families and don’t come back often.
However, Wang Yuchengchen does not feel lonely because the most important people are always by his side.
Yuxi Village has developed very well in recent years. Yuxi Academy has grown from a primary school to a large-scale academy. Many learned people, including Jinshi, Juren and Xiucai, have emerged from the academy.
Yuxi River, Yuxi Village, Yuxi Wine, and Yuxi Academy are all well-known to everyone in the Dali period. It is said that this place is blessed with outstanding people and beautiful scenery, and has produced such good wine and so many talents.
Since Wang Yu came back and lived in Yuxi Village, he occasionally taught students at the academy, which led to more and more students coming to the academy.
Everyone knows that the Wang family has three top scholars in the imperial examination, which has become a legend in the world. People believe that Wang Yu, a son of a farming family, has achieved such success because of his good education, so everyone comes to listen to his lectures.
He could not resist the enthusiasm of these students, so Wang Yu gave a lecture to the public at Yuxi Academy every month.
Today was the last lecture. Looking at the audience filled with young, fresh faces, Wang Yu held up a collection of poetry and said, "Today I'm going to talk to you about someone. Do you know whose poetry collection I have in my hand?"
The students who were closer recognized the words "Collection of Poems by Song Ziheng"
The student said, "It belongs to Mr. Song Ziheng."
This collection of poems brings together all of Mr. Song's poems from his youth to old age. It is very good. Wang Yu has indeed done what he said at the beginning, collecting all of Song Boyan's poems into a book.
Wang Yu nodded and continued, "You all know that Song Ziheng is the Imperial Tutor, but did you know he's also from Fang County? He was my classmate, and he's a very talented person. It's not an exaggeration to say he's the God of Literature. Do you know how old he was when he started learning?"
The students below shook their heads.
"I started my education at the age of fifteen, passed the examination for a student at seventeen, a scholar at nineteen, a juren at twenty-two, and ranked second in the imperial examination at twenty-three. I never failed the exam."
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard a burst of exclamations from the audience and the discussion among the students.
Wang Yu paused to quiet the students and asked, "Why do you think he passed the imperial examination so quickly?"
Students below: "I heard he has a photographic memory."
"He took Mr. Chonghua as his teacher."
"He only worshipped after he passed the exam."
“He’s diligent and hard-working.”
"You're all right. Besides Song Ziheng's talent, his most important attribute is diligence. He can stand outside the courtyard in the dead of winter to listen to his teacher's lectures, or he can copy books day and night. He knows he has a great talent for studying, but he has never been proud or lazy. He is even more diligent than others."
"So, not everyone is naturally gifted. Hard work is equally important. Confucius said: 'If you don't learn fast enough, you will still fear losing it.'"
"Today is my last time lecturing at the academy. You are all the hope of the younger generation of Dali, like the sun at eight or nine in the morning. I hope you will work hard and study hard, so that you can be successful in the imperial examinations and become a useful person for Dali and the people."
After Wang Yu finished his lecture, he went out and saw Cheng Chen waiting outside. Both of them were no longer young and had gray hair, but their feelings were as sincere and strong as when they first met.
"Let's go home." Wang Yu smiled and took Cheng Chen's hand and walked back slowly.
"I asked the kitchen to make some porridge at noon. Didn't you say you wanted some yesterday?"
"Yeah, I want to drink."
After lunch, the two of them lay under the crabapple tree to digest the food. A breeze blew by, bringing a hint of coolness. Cheng Chen stood up and went to the room to get a blanket.
The two of them lay together, covered with the same blanket. Wang Yu turned his head to look at Cheng Chen, his eyes smiling gently, "Dabao and Erbao both wrote back. They said they would be back in a few days, right?"
Cheng Chen narrowed his eyes and nodded: "Well, they will definitely come back for your 70th birthday."
Wang Yu looked at the three or two beams of light shining through the leaves of the crabapple tree above. This tree was planted the year he and Cheng Chen came back. Now it has grown so big and so lush. If the space was not still there, he would almost forget where he came from. The distant memories have become blurred. He has lived in this world for decades. It's his seventieth birthday. Time flies.
"I miss my two little grandchildren. Yu'er looks so much like you."
Dabao has two children, a son named Wang Zhishi and a younger brother named Wang Zhiyu. The younger brother looks very much like Cheng Chen, which makes Wang Yu dote on him even more. He spends half a year a year with them in Yuxi Village.
Cheng Chen smiled and said, "Fortunately, Shi'er is a sensible and good child. Otherwise, if you were so partial, he would definitely be jealous."
Wang Yu laughed and said, "You are all good kids. Coming here, it is really worth having you in my life."
Wang Yu looked up and continued to look at the light coming in. There seemed to be a ball of light. He thought he was seeing things, so he blinked and continued to look. It was indeed a ball of light. How could his eyes become a ball of light?
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