Chapter 12

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Faced with Chen Xiliang's stern rebuke, Chen Sanlang was somewhat taken aback. Overcoming his significant psychological barrier, he had finally assumed the role of Sanlang... In his view, when ancient people expressed repentance to their parents, they definitely had to kneel. If they didn't kneel and stood to say "I was wrong," it would be like whistling to their father in later generations and saying, "What's the matter, Dad?" and they would probably get beaten up.

But why was Chen Xiliang's reaction so intense? It was as if he had lost face, as if kneeling wasn't necessary in ancient times? Didn't TV shows depict it that way? Help, why do I feel like an idiot... Chen Sanlang, who had been praised since childhood in his previous life, felt like finding a block of tofu to bash his head against.

Actually, it wasn't his fault, because TV directors didn't know that in the Song Dynasty, people didn't kneel.

Before the Song Dynasty, there was kneeling, but the ancients "sat on the ground," which was a form of kneeling, also called proper sitting. This was a posture where both knees were on the ground. From the pre-Qin period to the Five Dynasties, kneeling was a form of sitting etiquette, expressing gratitude and respect when sitting. When standing, they would perform a bow.

However, at that time, mutual bows were equal, as the saying goes, "If you come and I don't return, it is impolite." The emperor and his officials were also equal, all adopting the kneeling posture when meeting, only differing in primary and secondary roles, not in high and low status. Unless it was for worshiping heaven, earth, and ancestors, which was a one-sided bow, because heaven and the dead could not return the bow.

In the Song Dynasty, high-legged seating furniture like stools and chairs completely replaced low-legged seating furniture. Proper sitting was abandoned, and the byproduct of proper sitting, the "kneeling ceremony," changed in meaning, making the mutual bowing ceremony asymmetrical. The seated person was high and mighty, while the kneeling person prostrated themselves at the feet of the seated person. In the eyes of the Song people, this was full of humiliation. It was only used for worshiping ancestors and heaven, or for surrendering and confessing.

Who would kneel? Slaves and criminals! For ordinary people, they only knelt to the second most important person, which was the emperor... whom the Song people affectionately called "the official." For the rest, like relatives and teachers, they didn't need to kneel...

As for when the Chinese started kneeling, they should sincerely thank Yelü Chumai's invention. The Mongols originally had a relatively weak sense of hierarchy, and this talented Yelü brother decided to use the kneeling ceremony to correct this. When Ögedei ascended the throne, he told Chagatai, "You are the Khan's brother, but in terms of status, you are a minister and should kneel to the Khan. If you lead the way in kneeling, no one will dare not to bow." Thus, Chagatai led the Mongol tribes to perform the double-knee kneeling ceremony to Ögedei. From then on, kneeling became widespread in the Mongol Yuan dynasty, changing from the most solemn form of gratitude to a greeting. The more they knelt, the more they lost their dignity and integrity...

The saying "After the Battle of Yamen, there is no China" is largely due to the widespread use of the kneeling ceremony.

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Chen Sanlang didn't know where he went wrong, but he soon realized that if he didn't have to kneel to his father in this situation, he probably wouldn't have to kneel in many other situations. Maybe just to the emperor? Come on, the president of the country, how far away is that? Chen Sanlang felt he would never see the emperor in his lifetime.

Regardless, not having to kneel all the time made him feel much better about this evil old society.

The benefit of his mistake was that Chen Xiliang was shocked, thinking that this child had deeply recognized his own mistakes and was repenting in a sincere manner.

A gentleman has seven things he does not blame his children for: "Do not blame in public, do not blame when they are remorseful, do not blame at night, do not blame during meals, do not blame during celebrations, do not blame during sorrow, and do not blame when they are sick." He had planned to severely reprimand this lawless child, but now he changed his approach, speaking in a gentle tone: "Sanlang, remember, people make mistakes throughout their lives, but some mistakes are absolutely not to be made. Make one mistake, and your life is ruined."

Chen Sanlang sincerely accepted the lesson.

Little Liulang listened attentively, looking up at his father and asking, "What mistakes can be made repeatedly?"

"No mistakes can be made repeatedly," Chen Xiliang lovingly patted Liulang's head and said softly, "The sage said, 'If one makes a mistake and does not correct it, that is the real mistake.' Remember that?"

"Um, I remember. I will only make each mistake once," Liulang said in a childish voice.

"Brat, you'll definitely be a troublemaker in the future," Chen Xiliang laughed, and his heart felt a bit lighter.

At noon, Erlang returned. Seeing his younger brother's pale and thin appearance, he couldn't help but shed tears.

"Let's talk on the way. Go find a cart," Chen Xiliang had already packed the things they were taking, which included the children's clothes and books, with only a few daily necessities. But since they were moving, it was still quite heavy.

Chen Chen quickly went out with Dalang and soon returned with a cart. The three of them loaded the packages and boxes onto the cart. Sanlang wanted to help, but no one let him... his father and brother treated him like a child, which made him feel very uncomfortable.

When he first arrived, although he found himself in a ten-year-old body, there were two even younger children who needed his protection, so he still felt like an adult. Now that his father and brother were back, he had become the one to be protected, finally feeling the psychological gap... this feeling of being ignored and powerless was truly maddening.

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Before leaving the Chen family, Chen Xiliang led his four sons to the ancestral shrine to offer incense. This time, Sanlang was smarter; he only knelt when Erlang did, and followed whatever Erlang did, avoiding any mistakes.

Kneeling before the ancestral shrine, holding a stick of incense, Chen Xiliang's tears streamed down. He said in a hoarse voice, "In the third month of the year Renyin in the fifth year of the Qingli era of the Song Dynasty. Your unworthy son Xiliang, with my unworthy grandsons Chen, Ke, Xun, and Zao, respectfully inform the revered spirits of our ancestors: 'We were born and raised on this land, and should daily offer sacrifices to our ancestors in the temple. Now, we are leaving our homeland and will not see our ancestors day and night, nor can we worship them on festivals. This is a great betrayal of human feelings, but it is truly unavoidable. We beg our ancestors to forgive us...'" By this point, Chen Xiliang was already in tears. Chen Sanlang couldn't understand this emotion, but he could understand it from another perspective... this should be a significant right that was now being taken away, naturally causing him pain.

"Your unworthy son swears today, starting from Chen Xiliang, that his descendants will not return to their hometown until they achieve success!" Sanlang missed the beginning of Chen Xiliang's words due to his distraction, but he didn't miss the most important part: "When will we pass the imperial exams and become officials? When will we recognize our ancestors and return to our roots!"

Sanlang didn't have time to gasp in shock. At this point, Erlang began to repeat his father's oath, and the brothers followed each sentence. Even the youngest Liulang had a solemn expression, completely different from his usual playful demeanor.

After making the oath with his children before the ancestral spirits, Chen Xiliang turned and left, pushing the cart away without looking back at his ancestral home.

In the main hall, Chen Xishi watched through the half-open door, witnessing everything that had just happened. Seeing no one, he turned back, muttering to himself, "If the second son ever becomes successful, how will he face us?"

"Success, pah..." Lady Hou, still wrapped like a mummy, said with disdain, "I heard that those who pass the imperial exams are all 'Literary Stars' from heaven! Has your Chen family produced an official in the last eight generations?"

"Nonsense, I had a teacher specifically check it," Chen Xishi, who hated her indiscriminate attacks, said, "Our Chen family has excellent feng shui. This generation will produce a great official."

"Then why are you driving them away?" Lady Hou believed in these things the most.

"Of course, my son is also studying!" Chen Xishi finally revealed his deepest thoughts, "Who says a family can produce two officials? What if he passes? What about Dalang? If we drive them away, Dalang will still have Siliang, and it will eventually fall on us."

"Truly clever!" Lady Hou finally admired her husband, who was indeed very cunning. She grumbled, "If the Chen family produces an official, it should be my son. Look at Dalang and Siliang, both with broad faces and large ears, signs of good fortune. Unlike the second son, who has a sharp mouth and a monkey face. He should look at himself in the mirror! Acting all high and mighty, dreaming of eating swan's flesh!" Thinking of something else, she worried, "Are you sure that if they leave, the Chen family's feng shui will be ours?"

"Idiot, they are five people with no special skills, just holding a stack of IOUs that can't be cashed. They won't starve to death, but they won't think about the imperial exams. A toad dreaming of eating swan's flesh!"

"Truly impressive..." Lady Hou praised endlessly, now looking at her husband with new respect.

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With Dalang and Siliang seeing them off, the five Chen Xiliang and his sons boarded a cargo ship bound for Leshan. The ship would spend the night in Qingshen County, which was also their destination.

The ship left Shiwang Village, and Chen Xiliang took one last look at the familiar landscape before lowering his eyelids and lying down to sleep. He hadn't slept for a day and a night and was exhausted from the journey and the move.

His four sons, with Erlang playing with Liulang and Wulang quietly accompanying Sanlang, noticed that Sanlang was much more silent than usual...

Chen Sanlang and Chen Ke gazed at the receding bamboo sea, feeling very uneasy. Now he realized that he must have traveled through time? But why do others, when they travel through time, know everything and can do anything, as if they have a cheat code? In his previous life, he wasn't worse than anyone else, except for occasional impulsiveness. Why, in the Song Dynasty, did he seem so ignorant, useless, and stupid?

It had only been a few days, and he had almost been exiled and forced into military service, relying on a stepfather to give up everything to save him. This time he escaped, but what about next time? Next time, even his father might be powerless...

The future was uncertain, and Chen Sanlang was filled with worry. As the sun set, Qingshen County was in sight.

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