Chapter 4

PS. Here's today's update, and I'm also taking the opportunity to promote the 515 Fan Festival on Qidian. Everyone has 8 votes, and you get Qidian coins for voting, so I humbly request your support and appreciation!

Xiaoliang is the son of Ye Chunqiu's second uncle, and he is a bit older than Ye Chunqiu. It is said that Ye Chunqiu's father was so devoted to his studies that his second uncle's children were born before he even had a family. It wasn't until he passed the examination for the degree of xiucai that the family started to arrange his marriage, but then his father suddenly ran away with Ye Chunqiu's mother...

As the eldest son of the second branch, Ye Liangchen was well-read and well-mannered, and Ye Taigong doted on him immensely. He always considered himself the heir to the Ye family.

Ye Liangchen pursed his lips, "Have you finished your homework, Chunqiu? Master Zhou will be checking it soon."

When Ye Liangchen spoke, he always had a condescending tone, which annoyed Ye Chunqiu. He replied without showing any emotion, "Thank you for the reminder, Cousin. I stayed up all night and finally finished it."

Ye Liangchen smiled faintly. His academic excellence was his pride, and he said with a restrained smile, "It's good that Chunqiu is working hard. Don't be like your uncle, who barely passed the xiucai exam and then... ha ha... you need to make your uncle proud."

Ye Chunqiu couldn't help but think, "What a clown," and he responded indifferently with an "Oh," then ignored him.

Ye Liangchen continued with a smile, "Since you're here, you should listen to Master Zhou's lectures. Come, I'll give you my seat, the one at the front, so you can catch up on your studies."

The others burst into laughter. Ever since Ye Chunqiu started school, Ye Liangchen had been targeting him. By giving up his seat, he was trying to make Ye Chunqiu sit at the front, but Master Zhou already had a grudge against Ye Chunqiu.

It was probably because... his father had eloped. In this era, people like Master Zhou, who were hypocritical scholars, would hate by association and naturally dislike the child born after the elopement.

Moreover, Master Zhou was hired by the second uncle. During class, he usually ignored Ye Chunqiu.

Ye Liangchen went to his desk, picked up the bamboo basket that held his writing materials, and the 13-14-year-old boy looked at Ye Chunqiu with a meaningful gaze.

Ye Chunqiu knew Ye Liangchen's ulterior motives. The other cousins also joined in, saying, "Yes, yes, Chunqiu, don't waste Cousin's kindness."

"Sit at the front, and Master Zhou will pay more attention to you."

If he sat at the front, he would be a fool. Master Zhou was already looking at him with disdain.

Ye Chunqiu wanted to find a secluded corner and didn't want to argue with these kids.

Just then, Master Zhou cleared his throat, having entered the room unnoticed.

The students immediately fell silent and hurried back to their seats. Ye Liangchen, quick on his feet, sat at a seat in the back with his bamboo basket.

At this moment... Ye Chunqiu realized he was in trouble.

All the seats except the one at the very front were taken. This second cousin was so devious.

Ye Chunqiu couldn't hesitate, as Master Zhou's eyes were already glaring at him. He pretended not to notice and sat down in the empty seat.

This seat was right under Master Zhou's nose. Master Zhou, holding a ruler, would wave it around to show his strictness, and the sound of the ruler cutting through the air was intimidating. The wind from the ruler hit Ye Chunqiu's face, and he felt like he was about to wet himself.

As for Master Zhou, his face darkened when he saw Ye Chunqiu sitting at the front. He thought Ye Chunqiu was shameless, and that this illegitimate child of the Ye family had taken the best seat, which was a waste. He preferred Ye Liangchen sitting there, as it made him feel more at ease.

So, with his trademark triangular eyes, he gave Ye Chunqiu a sinister look but didn't dare to act out. He began, "The county exam is approaching, so all of you must study harder. Today's lesson is..."

Ye Chunqiu didn't understand Master Zhou's classical language. He tilted his head, pretending to listen attentively. It wasn't that he didn't want to study, but Master Zhou's dislike of him was obvious, and his lectures were boring. Ye Chunqiu preferred to study on his own with his light brain and practice calligraphy rather than listen to Master Zhou's cold and dull lectures.

Now, hearing Master Zhou's monotonous "lun ren wei lun, zhan san cai bi yi qi shi," he couldn't take it anymore.

At first, he managed to stay awake, but eventually, his neck slumped, and his head hit the desk with a thud.

Ha ha ha...

Laughter erupted, and Ye Chunqiu rubbed his eyes, seeing Master Zhou's murderous gaze.

Oh no!

Ye Chunqiu quickly sat up straight, but his head was still dizzy.

Master Zhou barked, "Ye Chunqiu!"

Ye Chunqiu finally snapped to attention, "Student is here."

Master Zhou's face twisted in anger, and he waved his ruler in the air, the sound slicing through the air. His strength was considerable, and the ruler suddenly stopped in mid-air. His eyes glinted menacingly, and he suddenly straightened, his face calm, but his eyes still fixed on Ye Chunqiu, with a sharp, piercing look.

Damn...

This was the sign that Master Zhou was about to use both words and actions.

Although Ye Chunqiu didn't interact with Master Zhou much, he knew that this expression usually meant he was about to be beaten.

"You... stand up!" Master Zhou said deliberately slowly.

Ye Chunqiu had no choice but to stand. A wise man doesn't seek trouble, and at twelve, he wasn't about to act tough.

Ye Chunqiu respectfully asked, "What does Master Zhou need?"

Master Zhou didn't even bother to look up and said, word by word, "What did I just teach?"

Ye Chunqiu was taken aback and replied instinctively, "What did Master Zhou teach?"

Laughter erupted again, and Ye Liangchen, sitting behind Ye Chunqiu, laughed so hard he almost choked.

Master Zhou pounded his chest and felt a sharp pain in his heart. What a disgrace! You, the bastard son of a big-footed woman, clearly won't amount to anything, yet you take the best seat and even fall asleep. Sleeping is one thing, but to say, "What did Master Zhou teach?" with such shamelessness...

So, Master Zhou roared at Ye Chunqiu in a Ma Jingtao-style bellow, "I taught the 'Dongguan Kaogong Ji' today!"

Ye Chunqiu's body stiffened. If you had said that earlier, the "Dongguan Kaogong Ji"... he would have searched it on his light brain.

At that moment, Master Zhou was already swinging his ruler toward him.

"Wait!" Ye Chunqiu quickly said, "Master Zhou, please wait."

Master Zhou's ruler paused instinctively, but his anger intensified. Fortunately, he hadn't learned the Nine Yin Bone Claw, or he would have torn Ye Chunqiu to pieces.

Ye Chunqiu continued, "Master Zhou's lecture on the 'Dongguan Kaogong Ji' was excellent. I remember Master Zhou recited: 'The wheelmaker makes the wheel, cutting the three materials at the right time. When the three materials are ready, the skilled craftsman combines them. The hub is made to turn smoothly. The spokes are made to point straight. The rim is made to hold firmly.' This is from the 'Rites of Zhou,' which is profound and extensive. Master Zhou's explanation was also very vivid. The wheelmaker makes the wheel, cutting the three materials at the right time, correct? The sages revered the rites, so the rites cannot be abandoned. Even the small craft of making a wheel contains the principle of each person performing their role. Listening to Master Zhou's lecture is truly worth more than ten years of study. I am enlightened, enlightened..."

The ruler hung in the air, frozen in place.

Master Zhou was stunned. This guy... could recite it verbatim, without a single mistake. He... wasn't sleeping?

The classmates, who were about to laugh, couldn't anymore, especially Ye Liangchen, whose smile froze, looking like a mask.

[The 515 Fan Festival is coming soon. I hope to continue to climb the 515 red envelope list, and on May 15th, the red envelope rain will reward readers and promote the work. Even a small amount is love, and I will definitely update well!]

Page flip AD starts

Page flip AD ends