The servants in the main hall of the Ye residence were seeing their master eat for so long for the first time.
After dinner, Tianxuan accompanied her mother for a walk in the garden to aid digestion. Half an hour later, she went back inside to change her clothes, took out her wooden sword, and practiced martial arts in her own courtyard.
My master instructed me that I must not slack off in my martial arts practice.
After changing out of the young master's long robe, he looked even more dashing in a black short-sleeved outfit.
After a few simple warm-up exercises, I started practicing each move one by one.
Tianxuan was so focused on her practice that she didn't notice her mother and two older brothers watching her silently from a distance.
"Mother, Fourth Brother's martial arts skills don't seem to be just for show," Ye Liangcheng said softly after watching for a while.
“His master is a chivalrous man, so what he teaches is certainly not just empty talk.” Watching her youngest son’s agile movements, Xia felt her eyes well up with tears again.
For countless days and nights, she prayed for her son to return safely to her side. She didn't ask him to be a good student or to be successful; she just wanted him to be safe and well.
However, looking at it now, after being abused by that beast for more than seven years and only spending two short years with Hong Xiaoniangzi, to uninformed bystanders, it's impossible to know what this child went through.
Those hellish days must have been unbearable even for an adult. For a young child like him to survive and be so radiant now is truly a blessing.
"Mother, I know what gift is appropriate for my fourth brother," Ye Liangxian whispered.
Seeing his mother and second brother looking at him, he said proudly, "I want to give my fourth brother a good sword. I'll go find one tomorrow."
"Good swords are expensive. Are you sure you can afford them?" Ye Liangcheng lamented that he hadn't thought of that, while ruthlessly criticizing his third brother, who was unusually smarter than him.
Ye Liangxian thought about it very seriously: "It's okay, I'll just take out all the money I've saved since I was a child. If it's not enough, Mother, can you lend me some? I'll write an IOU and pay you back when I grow up and earn money."
"Alright, go and find it. I've also thought of something. Tomorrow I'll sew a few sets of martial arts clothes for your fourth brother by hand. They need to be sweat-absorbent and breathable." Madam Xia had been worrying about how to make up for her son's shortcomings while also finding clothes that he needed and truly liked. Hearing her third son's suggestion, she was inspired and said with great pleasure.
Seeing that his mother and unreliable third brother had already made up their minds, Ye Liangcheng became a little anxious, his mind racing, wondering what he should give as a gift.
"There's no need for such trouble. Fourth Brother is going to cook tomorrow, right? I'll go with him to buy the ingredients. I think he'll definitely enjoy it." After saying that, Ye Liangcheng felt that his reaction wasn't too slow.
The small kitchen in my fourth brother's yard was fully equipped with utensils, but he never had the chance to give his brother a nice pot.
But can a living person die from holding their urine? People can always find a solution. If you're willing to put in the effort, you're not afraid of not finding a suitable method.
Furthermore, these ideas can be extended indefinitely. When my fourth brother is cooking, I can light the fire myself, or help out. Wouldn't that be an easy task?
Ye Liangcheng thought he had thought things through very thoroughly, but only after he actually did it did he realize that he couldn't do a good job of something that seemed simple and didn't require any skills!
"Yes, I am very pleased with you all. However, you have been on leave from home for several days. I will allow you two more days at most. You will continue to go to the academy the day after tomorrow," Madam Xia said thoughtfully.
The two brothers nodded in agreement. Since their fourth brother had already returned home, they would have plenty of time to spend with him in the future.
"Mother, my fourth brother is also going to the academy. Have you and Father decided which academy to send him to yet?" Ye Liangxian asked, thinking of something.
Ye Liangcheng immediately said, "You're the only one who thought of this. Father, Mother, and Brother have already thought of this problem. However, our academy has very high requirements for new students, as you know."
Father could use his influence to plead with the headmaster, but we also need to consider that even if Fourth Brother gets into the academy, and the two of us can protect him, wouldn't he feel inferior?
After hearing his second brother's words, Ye Liangxian fell silent. Of course, he knew all this.
Although they held high social status, what people looked down upon in the academy was whether their academic knowledge met the standards for admission.
Otherwise, those who get in through connections will truly be looked down upon.
"I've discussed this issue with your father. If it doesn't work out, we'll invite a tutor to the manor to teach him first. When he's ready, it won't be too late to send him to the academy," Xia said.
Currently, there are two academies in Jiaozhou City. One is located within the city, which is the academy where my second and third sons are currently enrolled.
There was another academy located twenty miles away from Jiaozhou City, which was the academy where the eldest son studied.
No matter which academy it is, with her husband's connections, the fourth daughter, Tianxuan, can get in. But once she gets in through the back door, is it really good for Tianxuan?
Xia had already learned from her husband that Tianxuan did study and practice writing every day with that young lady Hong. However, it wasn't with a tutor; it was taught by that young lady Hong herself. It wasn't that Xia looked down on that young lady Hong, but rather that she was a young woman, suffering from amnesia, and not very old. No matter how high her reading level was, could it possibly surpass that of a proper teacher?
I've been busy these past two days, and Tianxuan only just got home. It's not appropriate to test him on his level right now, as I can't get a sense of his progress without making any assumptions. I'm afraid Tianxuan might overthink things.
Although a desk, writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone were prepared in Tianxuan's room, the couple did not have any particular intention in mind. They just felt that it was necessary to prepare them for him, and they did not care whether he needed them or not.
Let's observe for a few days. If Tianxuan isn't interested in reading, then let him do whatever he likes. Practicing martial arts like he is now is also a good thing.
It can strengthen the body. If he wants to become a military general when he grows up, we will support him; if he doesn't want to, that's fine too.
After finishing his practice and getting all sweaty, Tianxuan realized that someone was watching him from a distance. He smiled and pretended not to see them.
However, if it were Master and Mother, they would have noticed this long ago.
The maid Qinglian, who had been standing by, stepped forward and handed him a dry cotton towel. She then took the wooden sword from his hand and carefully placed it back on the shelf in the young master's room.
The servant boy, Xizi, immediately went to fetch water for the young master's bath. Tianxuan waited until the sweat on her body had dried a bit before entering the small bathing room.
The next morning, after breakfast, Ye Ren'an changed into his official robes and went to the government office.
Ye Liangcheng called two servants to take Tianxuan to buy ingredients. On the way, Tianxuan specifically asked her second brother about the family's dietary preferences and who had any dietary restrictions.
Although he had observed them carefully while eating together, he still felt it was better to ask just to be on the safe side.
The head chef, along with the cooks and servants in the mansion's kitchen, whispered among themselves, wondering if the young master, who had just returned, could manage to cook.
They whispered a suggestion to the head chef to prepare for the worst, just in case the young master messed things up; they couldn't let the masters of the manor go hungry...
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