Chapter 22

At this time, it was late autumn, and the wind, carrying a chill, swept by, refreshing the body. A cart pulled by oxen was patrolling the fields, and Ye Zifan sat comfortably on it, observing everything around him.

What caught his eye was a vast expanse of farmland, dotted with thatched cottages, with small bridges and streams weaving through them. He could also see water buffalo grazing on the riverbank and grassy slopes, and the smoke from cooking fires and the barking of dogs, forming a picturesque rural scene.

Ye Sheng sat around Ye Zifan, silent, his demeanor vastly different from a few days ago. Ye Zifan also remained silent, and the father and son were in a heavy silence.

They arrived at a farmhouse, and the head of the village, Sun Guatian, hurriedly came to greet them.

"Follow me!" Ye Zifan said, getting up and heading inside. The farmhouse had a small hall, which was very clean, used for inspections by the master of the house.

Ye Sheng, head down, followed behind.

Once inside, Ye Zifan had regained his composure, sitting behind a tea table. A rough servant girl brought tea, and as Sun Guatian entered and bowed, Ye Zifan sipped his tea and said directly, "I called you in to ask about the reclamation of the Nan Yu River. The village hasn't reported the reclaimed land yet. What's the reason?"

Sun Guatian quickly replied, "Sir, the village has reclaimed land, totaling 654 acres. However, the river water rises and falls unpredictably, and the newly reclaimed land is not yet fertile. The crops planted are sparse, and it's hard to even cover the costs, let alone report it."

Seeing Sun Guatian's nervousness, Ye Zifan smiled, "The clan is aware of this situation, so this time, the clan has allocated ten oxen, some farming tools, and one hundred taels of silver to promote this matter."

Hearing this, Sun Guatian was overjoyed, wiping his sweat, and said, "With the clan's support, this matter can be handled. In no more than three years, I guarantee the land will be fertile, and we will meet the grain quota every year!"

Ye Zifan smiled and pointed at Sun Guatian, saying, "You, when urged, you look troubled, but when funds are allocated, you smile. What a petty appearance."

"I am a house-born son, a petty person!" Sun Guatian said, making Ye Zifan laugh, "What a sharp tongue, not in vain that I had you study for a few years!"

After laughing for a while, Ye Zifan's smile faded, "Have you seen Ye Sheng?"

Without waiting for Sun Guatian's response, he waved his hand and said to Ye Sheng, "Sun Guatian has many commendable qualities. He has been in charge of the village for ten years, and except for the unpredictable weather, he has achieved a bountiful harvest every year. He is also incorruptible and has no thieves. This is rare. You should learn from him and manage this farm."

"The reclamation of the Nan Yu River will be under your charge. If you can manage these 654 acres well, I can recommend you to the clan and get you more private land."

Ye Sheng responded softly, hiding his resentment. This attitude made Ye Zifan sigh inwardly. Though he knew it was useless, he still said, "I hope you can understand my heart as a father, learn from others' strengths, and achieve something. Now, go and handle it!"

Ye Sheng left with a gloomy face.

A few days ago, he was still the honored young master of the clan, reading and discussing poetry, enjoying fine wine and women, living a life of ease. But the results of the child examination immediately brought him down to the dust.

Not to mention outsiders, even his own father now treated him like a servant, and he couldn't even hear orders from below.

"Am I, the honored young master, to spend the rest of my life with chickens, ducks, and cattle, facing the yellow earth and crops, as a farmer?" As he stepped out, Ye Sheng clenched his fists, his nails digging into his flesh, "I am truly unwilling!"

Seeing Ye Sheng leave, Sun Guatian bowed and smiled, saying, "Sir, your earnest teachings will surely be understood by Young Master Sheng. I will do my best to help and handle this matter."

Ye Zifan smiled bitterly, "You are not an outsider. Sheng has always been proud, and making him do these things is surely hard for him."

"However, after failing the examinations three times, his future is bleak. I have made the best arrangements. If he handles this matter smoothly, he can be rewarded with fifty acres of private land. If he does more, I will support him further, and getting three to five hundred acres is not a problem. He can live a comfortable life."

"If he is unwilling and does not take it seriously, even I, as his father, cannot help him. Well, let's not talk about this, it makes me feel weary!" Ye Zifan put down his teacup heavily, sighed, and paced around the small hall.

Sun Guatian did not speak. He had seen this kind of thing many times.

If you pass the examination, you become a person of high status. If you don't, your only way out is to work for the clan. Many house-born sons would vie for the position Ye Sheng was given!

As Ye Zifan paced, his mood gradually calmed, and he sat down to drink tea, composing himself. "I have another matter this time, about Ye Qing's land."

"Ye Qing originally had one hundred acres, mortgaged ten acres, and the government gave ten acres. I know these lands are scattered now, but things are different now. Arrange for one hundred and twenty contiguous acres, with at least thirty acres of prime land, and reissue the land deed to Qing's household."

"The monthly silver allowance is not your concern, but the farm's monthly vegetables and seasonal fruits must be delivered, without delay."

Sun Guatian listened, knowing this was expected. Though he was envious, he still responded, "Yes, Sir, I understand. I will handle it personally, without any mistakes."

Seeing the time, it was nearly noon. Sun Guatian, being perceptive, immediately said, "It's almost evening. I will immediately instruct the kitchen. The farm doesn't have a grand feast, but we can kill a few chickens and ducks, prepare some good soup to serve Sir and Young Master, and you can talk more."

Ye Zifan was tempted but sighed, "No, what needs to be said has been said. Talking now would just be nagging. I need to return and handle some matters!"

With that, Ye Zifan got up and left in the ox cart. The distance to the manor was not too far, and he arrived at a high corridor, from which he could clearly see the courtyard below.

It was a well-kept courtyard, with three main rooms and three side rooms on each side. However, it had not been repaired for a long time, making it look a bit dilapidated.

The Ye Manor, in fact, was a series of such courtyards, forming its current layout through generations.

For three days, Ye Qing had not left his room, attracting some attention.

Unlike the outside speculation, Ye Zifan, being experienced, knew that Ye Qing was likely familiarizing himself with his new status as a child scholar, studying the Daoist techniques to aid his future cultivation. After some thought, he did not enter but instructed his attendants, "If Qing comes out, tell him to come to the clan hall once!"

"Yes, Sir!" a servant replied.

In the courtyard, in the small study,

Ye Qing was meditating with his eyes closed, feeling a deep darkness. This was the sea of consciousness, with only a faint light illuminating a small area.

This was the light of the mind illuminating the sea of consciousness, this was "enlightenment."

The human sea of consciousness is vast and deep, yet illusory. Studying classics can open up light, even if the owner is unaware.

This illuminated area is the true realm of the sea of consciousness.

If one can understand the Dao, the entire sea of consciousness will be illuminated, and with the infusion of spiritual energy, rapid progress can be made.

This path of Dao before technique is extremely profound.

Ye Qing had experienced this once. Though he felt a grayish mist, he was not anxious, only silently cultivating his mind and refining his true intent.

After an unknown period, his divine sense suddenly shook, and with a "boom," the entire sea of consciousness paused, becoming silent.

This was a terrifying sensation, but Ye Qing was not alarmed. Indeed, after a moment, a beam of light exploded, instantly illuminating a large area.

Ye Qing opened his eyes and saw a stream of energy flowing through, this stream condensed into a white color, but with threads of red, and its core was the ancestral hall.

In this moment of enlightenment, Ye Qing's gaze penetrated the ancestral hall, seeing three divine seats emitting golden spiritual light, absorbing incense and each radiating a solemn will.

This scene lasted only a moment, and everything disappeared, leaving only the aura in the room.

In his room, there was only a faint white mist, barely visible, but his body was different, with white mist gathering, and some yellow mist mixed in.

"Finally, the eyes of wisdom are open!" Ye Qing thought, feeling that the white mist was the result of his status as a child scholar and the resources he possessed.

The yellow mist, however, was from the copper cup. With his new vision, he saw the cup surrounded by golden light, with faint mystical runes, and in the cup, only a thin layer of golden luck, almost at the bottom!

"Passing the child examination indeed consumed most of the luck, but it is still much more than what I can bear now!" This cup of luck, though small, was equivalent to fifteen cups of red luck or two hundred cups of white luck... compared to Ye Qing's current limited luck capacity, it was like the difference between a water vat and a wine cup.

"However, the capacity of the luck vessel is fixed and cannot be increased. Eventually, it will be insufficient. The only way is to enhance my own destiny capacity!"

Experience from Earth and his previous life told him that luck, like money, is meaningless when static. It gains power and value through circulation and use.

The Great Cai Law: Select scholars by their writings, and rank them by their luck!

The Chuanlin Notes discussed the imperial examinations.

Initially, the list is based on writing, not luck. The minimum requirement is that the person can do something, not just cause trouble. As long as one has true talent, even with bad luck, the court will not hesitate to grant luck.

In the final selection, the ranking is based on luck, not writing. Even with a sea of luck, it cannot withstand waste, so there is a consideration of investment and returns!

Ye Qing reflected that his current luck, though sufficient for a comfortable life, was far from enough to pass the next examination for a scholar or a candidate.

The next step was the county examination, with over two thousand child scholars accumulated over the years, all supported by their families or with noble destinies or extraordinary talent. Though he had foresight, his luck was exhausted from two rebirths. Relying on his current luck to pass the examination was a mere dream!

No wonder so many heroes and talents had to rely on their clans.

But could the Ye Clan be the tree he could rely on?

Ye Qing smiled bitterly. He believed that the clan would support him after he passed the child examination and showed talent, but the Ye Clan was a large family in the county, only a third-rate one in the prefecture. How much support could they really provide?

The Ye Clan had not produced a candidate in forty years, which spoke volumes.

After a moment of silence, Ye Qing let go of this thought. To achieve greatness, he must strive on his own.

The path is difficult and needs to be opened!