Chapter 31

In the hall, a group of people gathered around Master Yu, who was seated in the center, like stars surrounding the moon. They raised their cups, offering praise from time to time, while below, flutes and reed pipes played in unison, and twelve young women danced gracefully, making the atmosphere pleasant and refreshing.

Master Yu, seated in the center, had a smile on his face, which resembled a piece of jade.

Twenty thousand taels of silver were brought in at his command. This was not just about the silver, but also about his influence within the family.

However, when he saw someone approach, he couldn't help but frown. The person leaned in and whispered a few words into Master Yu's ear. Master Yu straightened his posture and said with a smile, "Please continue to enjoy yourselves. I have some matters to attend to."

"Master, please do as you please!" Several people said with flattering smiles. Master Yu didn't say much and left. Two soldiers immediately followed him.

At the entrance, eight lamps were brightly lit, casting light on the steps. When Mr. Kou returned, he knelt at the bottom of the steps. Master Yu, standing on the higher step, gave him a cold glance. He then listened as the soldier reported the situation, his face remaining expressionless. When the soldier finished, he said, "Master, that's it!"

Master Yu listened and said with a cold laugh, "Rubbish! You acted without my permission, and not only that, you returned without accomplishing anything! You've disgraced our Yu family."

At this, he coldly took out a whip and threw it to a soldier. This soldier had a three-inch-long scar on his face, which glowed red in the lamplight. He silently took the whip and looked at Master Yu for instructions.

"However, this rubbish knew to return and confess, which shows he understands the master-servant relationship. For this, he can be forgiven. Give him thirty lashes to show the family rules!" Master Yu said, waving his hand.

The soldier immediately responded, understanding the measure. He knew Master Yu only wanted to "punish" him, not to cripple or kill him. He then went out, and soon the sound of lashes could be heard. Mr. Kou was tough and didn't make a sound.

Hearing this, Master Yu's face showed a faint, almost imperceptible smile. He looked around and said, "Go back and give him some medicine for his wounds, and twenty taels of silver."

After saying this, his eyes narrowed as he gazed into the distance, "How dare he insult me?"

Even though it was a subordinate who acted on his own, the humiliation still made him angry. However, he was a very deep and composed person, and after saying this, he turned and went back inside.

When he entered the hall, the atmosphere was like a warm spring breeze, showing no signs of any disturbance.

Among the people who came to dine, there were more scholars than usual, some even wearing the scholar's sword. They all looked spirited and were not from the local area. They read the poems on the third floor, some praising and some dismissing them, with various expressions.

"Sir, the wind and rain are getting stronger. Why don't you come in and sit down, and we can chat about our ages and exchange ideas!" a scholar called out loudly.

Ye Qing smiled and waved, saying, "Sir, your invitation is a great honor, but I have matters to attend to today. Please understand."

Ye Qing, holding an umbrella, walked over to the innkeeper. The rain and wind had already soaked half of his clothes. On the upper floor, several scholars looked at each other, and one of them sneered, "Pretending to be noble, we are all scholars, yet he refuses to come."

"Sir, you are right. His talent is lacking, so he must find other ways to gain fame... It's not easy..."

These words were deliberately spoken loudly, and the sound carried over, fully displaying the scholars' nature. In the rain and wind, Ye Qing heard this and was momentarily speechless.

It seems that even after studying the classics, the scholars of the Daoist school and the Confucian scholars are not much different at this stage. This is called character.

Whether openly or subtly, the insults came with the wind and rain. Ye Qing had to pretend not to hear. When he reached the entrance, he put down his umbrella and saw the innkeeper's surprised expression. He smiled and said, "Boss, is there a caravan going to Meixi tomorrow? I want to travel with them. Also, I need to contact someone—He Mao."

The next morning

The streets were slippery, and a caravan had already reached the entrance to Meixi Lake after half an hour.

A simple and elegant pavilion was built by the lake, connected by a covered walkway. Many locals came here to enjoy the autumn, so it was built for that purpose. At this time, many people were taking shelter from the rain.

As Ye Qing passed a pavilion, he glanced inside and called out, "Stop!"

The caravan slowly stopped, and He Mao came over. Ye Qing casually threw a five-tael silver ingot to the caravan and left with Qianqian.

"Meeting you, Brother Ye!"

"Meeting you, Brother He!" Both bowed. At this moment, a dark cloud loomed overhead, and large raindrops fell. Ye Qing smiled and said, "It's been a while. This trip to Meixi is really troubling you."

"Brother Ye coming to Meixi is a great honor. The rain is heavy, so please rest for a moment before going. I have prepared some wine and dishes, so there's no need to wait in vain!"

Looking at the table, there were stewed ducks, stir-fried meat strips, ham, chicken claws, and some pastries. He Mao pointed to the dishes with his chopsticks and smiled, "Please enjoy!"

Ye Qing agreed and sat down to eat. Although he doted on Qianqian, he had to let her stand. The two of them drank together.

After a while, both nodded and smiled. Ye Qing said, "The 800-mile Taiping Lake has several major rivers and a network of streams. Among the largest streams is Meixi, which has six turns as it enters the lake, hence the name Liumei Mouth."

Liumei Mouth is by the mountains and the water, very quiet. Most of the residents are local fishermen and officials. The houses are ancient and elegant, with a thousand-year-old riverside atmosphere, quite different from the prosperity of Taiping Town.

"If you like it, why not stay for a while?" He Mao said with a smile.

"I will stay for a while, but I have one more thing to ask of you, Brother He." At this moment, Ye Qing's smile faded, and he recounted the events of the previous night.

He Mao listened quietly without changing his expression, then pondered, "That person is not a concern; he is clearly a servant of the Yu family. However, you have slightly disgraced the Yu family, so there might be some trouble."

"The Yu family is not just any family. Their ancestor, Yu Wenxian, followed the First Emperor to conquer the land. He was upright and diligent, rising to the position of Governor of Yingzhou and Duke Jingwen."

"When a disaster occurred in the state, he submitted a memorial, impeached the corrupt officials, opened the granaries, and provided relief to the famine-stricken people. The people built a shrine to honor him."

"However, this title was not hereditary. His son, Yu Shiqing, inherited the title and served as a governor."

"Yu Wenxian had a title, a position, and the people's respect. He was also enlightened by someone. His ancestral tomb is on Huangding Mountain, with a half-moon shape, divided into five layers, with stone statues and a stone memorial tablet. The feng shui is excellent, so after his death, he became a deity, and the Yu family's seven sons are all talented."

"Although they are no longer a noble family, they have a long lineage and are still considered a prominent family in the region."

He Mao didn't say much, but his words were concise and to the point, clearly explaining the Yu family's background. Ye Qing understood clearly. Just as he was about to speak, He Mao said calmly, "But, Brother, don't worry. Although the Yu family is powerful, they can't interfere here. I guarantee that as long as you are in Meixi, no one will dare to touch you."

"However, as a scholar, your status is still low. If you can pass the examination to become a scholar, you will be safe. If you can become a provincial candidate, even the Yu family will have to give way—these are the rules of the world, and they cannot be easily broken."

"Regardless of the intention, the person who spoke about your poetry and essays was right."

Becoming a scholar or a provincial candidate means you are part of the true 'scholarly class.' It's not easy to move against you.

Ye Qing thought for a moment and said, "Brother He's words, I will never forget. This trip to Meixi is partly to relax after passing the scholar's examination, but becoming a scholar or a provincial candidate requires a lot of effort. Although I want to, I fear I may not succeed."

"Yes, the path of the scholar is long and difficult." He Mao sighed, "It's hard, so I shouldn't speak lightly of passing. I was being pretentious."

"However, with your talent, if you focus and work hard, you should be able to become a scholar and a provincial candidate within ten years."

Ye Qing wanted to laugh but didn't. The rules of this world are understood by the people of this world. Even with Ye Qing's talent, as long as he doesn't dare to defy the world by revealing some hidden Daoist texts, his talent, no matter how good, still needs fortune to balance it.

With the foundation of the Ye family, becoming a scholar and a provincial candidate within ten years is already due to Ye Qing's youth and early fame in the county.

Now, being famous in the county, and possibly throughout the region in ten years, even though fame does not equal fortune, the accumulation of it is significant. At that time, there will be opportunities.

But can I wait that long?

This Dragon Lord's Feast, I must attend.

Of course, he couldn't say more, so he continued to drink and eat. As the hour approached, the rain stopped, and Ye Qing said solemnly, "While in Meixi, I will need your care, Brother He."

"Small matter!"

The ox carts headed towards Meixi Town. Ye Qing found an inn in the town, arranged to stay, and bid farewell to He Mao. In the room, he placed a bag of silver on the table, all nine-eight silver ingots, still with a frosty sheen. "Qianqian, this silver is for your expenses these days. Don't go out unnecessarily. If you need anything, contact the He family directly. I will be gone for a few days, so be careful."

Qianqian smiled, "Master, don't worry. I understand. You are a man of great deeds, but be careful on the road."

Ye Qing didn't say much, put two ten-tael silver ingots in his pocket, thought for a moment, and took a string of coins, then went out.

The rain fell continuously, splashing on the lake and creating ripples, with mist enveloping the sky. The water's spiritual energy filled the air.

The lake was a vast white expanse, and the mountains were hidden in the mist.

Ye Qing walked along the shore, but he was puzzled. Although Meixi was not large, it had several miles of lakeshore. Where could he find a boat?

At this moment, the white mist ahead stirred, and the sound of oars could be heard. A voice asked, "Do you want to board the boat?"

Ye Qing was startled, touched his invitation, and smiled, putting away his oiled paper umbrella, "Yes, I want to board."

He realized he had misunderstood. The invitation was clearly a magical item, and someone would respond when he reached the lakeshore.

The page with ads starts

The page with ads ends