Rogue Scholar (15)

Yan Jing Ze didn't know anything about Lord Zhou's family.

After writing a book for Li Xiucai and the others that day, the County Magistrate Zhu specifically mentioned "things are precious because they are rare". Yan Jing Ze felt that it made sense. Instead of continuing to sell his own writing for twenty wen per character, he asked the bookstore shopkeeper for three days off to buy New Year's Eve goods or something.

Wei Lingxiu also asked for leave.

When he asked for leave, Zhao Xiucai let out a long sigh of relief.

Zhao Xiucai's family background was average, and his ranking in the exam was average, and he failed to get a good teacher… After taking a local examination, he realized that it was difficult for him to go further, and immediately gave up the juren examination.

Over the years, he has nothing to do after teaching, so he will also continue to learn. He has not forgotten his previous knowledge but his level is really average.

At least, right now, Wei Lingxiu has asked some questions that he can no longer answer.

Sometimes Wei Lingxiu mentions books that he has never even read!

Receiving such a disciple, really make people painful and happy… Zhao Xiucai thought about it and brazenly went to his former classmates to ask for academic advice, by the way, also boast a few words about Wei Lingxiu.

Wei Lingxiu, who was praised by Zhao Xiucai, was being forced by Yan Jing Ze to recite the book.

The Chinese New Year will be around ten days later. Recently, several households in Xing'an Village have killed pigs, but Yan Jing Ze simply went to buy a pig back.

The pig's head is smeared with salt to be used for ancestor worship during Chinese New Year. As for the pork… half of the pig is marinated and eaten slowly, the remaining half is divided into two, and Yan Jing Ze leaves the front legs to eat at home. He picked up the remaining pig's hind legs.

When Yan Jing Ze was marinating the pork, Wei Lingxiu was reciting the book next to him. Now seeing Yan Jing Ze's actions, he curiously asked, "Brother Yan, what are you doing?"

"Go deliver meat to my mother," Yan Jing Ze looked at Wei Lingxiu: "You can go with me."

"Okay." Wei Lingxiu stood up happily and then heard Yan Jing Ze say: "You continue to recite, and if there are any mistakes, I will remind you."

Wei Lingxiu didn't read anything less about the scriptures in the previous ten years and he copied a lot of various Buddhist scriptures. He knew all the words and understood roughly the meaning, but he couldn't recite…

So now he stares at Wei Lingxiu every day to memorize the book.

Wei Lingxiu: "..."

Yan Jing Ze walked in front carrying a pig's leg, Wei Lingxiu followed behind with a book, walking and reciting…

The people in Xing'an Village are not surprised.

Although the children in the village are still afraid of Yan Jing Ze, those adults, however, have a much better impression of Yan Jing Ze: "Yan Da seems to have really changed for the better."

"Before, he wanted to get vegetables to eat in my vegetable field, and even gave me money!"

"He bought furniture with Old Liu and also gave money."

"The sun really came out from the west…"

...

Yan Da has really changed a lot, as well as that Young Master Wei.

They always thought he would be beaten by Yan Da, yet he wasn't!

Yan Da was actually quite nice to him…?

How can Yan Jing Ze not hold Wei Lingxiu? When he saw that Wei Lingxiu was reciting a book while following closely behind his back, he wanted to kiss him.

Unfortunately, he didn't dare.

When he first had the memory of the original owner, he felt that Wei Lingxiu must have loved the original owner miserably, but after talking with Wei Lingxiu, he realized that it might not be.

Wei Lingxiu would follow him to leave the Wei's house, maybe it was just that he was bullied in the Wei's house and didn't want to stay there anymore.

In his previous life, Wei Lingxiu was in a more serious situation. He was whipped by his family and his friends avoided him like a plague. He probably… could only stay there with the original owner?

It's different now!

Now that Wei Lingxiu has other choices, would he not like him? But he was reluctant to let Wei Lingxiu be dependent on him…

Yan Jing Ze is entangled.

Wei Lingxiu also struggled.

When they were first in the Wei family, they were being framed, Yan Jing Ze always protected him, and even made him feel that Yan Jing Ze was fond of him. But these days, Yan Jing Ze did not express anything at all…

Is it… because Yan Jing Ze does not like him? It was only when he had given money to Yan Jing Ze that Yan Jing Ze was willing to help him?

They walked for an hour before they came to the village where the original owner's mother was.

The original owner's mother was not beautiful, she was just an ordinary rural woman. When the original owner's father sold her, he actually gave her to a childless bachelor in the neighboring village next door and let her give birth to that bachelor's child.

This bachelor was short and could not work, so he could not marry a wife. After having the original owner's mother, he treated the original owner's mother very well, so the original owner's mother remained. Later, after giving birth to two sons and a daughter, she stood even more firmly on her feet.

Before the original owner found work in the casino, he often came here. The original owner's mother was poor at home and would not give the original owner money, but when the original owner came, she will still give a mouthful of food… Later, the original owner worked in the casino, he did not put this mouthful of food in his eyes anymore. The two families are far from each other so he never came again.

Today, when Yan Jing Ze came over, this forty-something, thin and old woman was taken aback.

Yan Jing Ze didn't say much. He left a quarter of the pig behind, gave her a purse containing a dozen silvers, and took Wei Lingxiu away. He continued to stare at Wei Lingxiu reciting the book.

Here in Xing'an Village, there are green vegetables and radishes to eat in winter, and everyone will buy dried bamboo shoots and seaweed for New Year's Eve, so there are a lot of things to eat.

When he got home, Yan Jing Ze cut the soaked dried bamboo shoots and started chopping up the pig's feet to make dried bamboo shoots stew.

As a result, while chopping, he suddenly saw a sedan chair being carried this way, and a man walking next to the sedan chair even asked, "Excuse me, is this Master Yan's residence?"

"Master Yan?" Yan Jing Ze was puzzled.

"That's Master Yan Jing Ze, I heard he's also called Yan Da, does he live here?" He asked respectfully, he was dressed as a subordinate, but he also looked like he had read books.

"Yes." Yan Jing Ze said, as soon as the knife went down, the pig's feet was easily chopped away.

"Where is Master Yan?" another voice sounded. Yan Jing Ze raised his head and saw a middle-aged scholar coming down from the sedan chair.

"I am Yan Jing Ze." Yan Jing Ze went down with another slash.

The middle-aged scholar was a bit speechless: "You don't have to say jokes…"

However, as soon as the middle-aged scholar's voice fell, Li Xiucai, who was left behind because the road was not good, caught up: "Lord Zhou… Lord Zhou, have you already seen Master Yan?"

Middle-aged scholar: "..."

The middle-aged scholar was dumbfounded.

This middle-aged scholar was Lord Zhou from the county next door. He loved calligraphy the most. He was shocked when he saw Li Xiucai and others' greeting cards that day, and wanted to have a good discussion with Li Xiucai and others.

As a result, Li Xiucai and others told him that those greeting cards were not written by them, but by another person, and all the greeting cards were written by one person!

Lord Zhou could not wait to see this person, came over by boat, got off the boat, and hurriedly let people carry him to find someone.

The result… This butcher looking-man is that outstanding calligraphy master, Master Yan?

Lord Zhou was stunned.

Yan Jing Ze finally finished chopping the pig's feet: "Gentlemen, please come in."

Lord Zhou went in and saw an empty hall with only a desk, and a young man of 17 or 18 years old sitting at the table, reading a book, other than that, there was nothing.

But he was not disappointed.

Because when he approached the desk and looked at it, he saw the characters that left him in awe.

Yan Jing Ze took the time to show Wei Lingxiu dictation these days using the fonts he had just learned.

It's good to let Wei Lingxiu see more of this good handwriting to improve his level of appreciation.

The most important thing is… he also wants to show off!

Wei Lingxiu praised him every day these days!

Now, the papers Wei Lingxiu took to memorize were held by Lord Zhou like a treasure.

Yan Jing Ze had to show Lord Zhou what he was capable of. Because Lord Zhou never left, he also asked Lord Zhou to stay for dinner and have a meal of dried bamboo shoots stewed with pig's feet.

The bed he bought and the table and stuff, the carpenter Old Liu in the village hadn't made it yet. The table and chairs used to invite Lord Zhou to eat were borrowed by Lord Zhou's entourage from the neighboring farmhouse.

Then, Yan Jing Ze made another fortune from Lord Zhou.

It is really too easy for a scholar to make money. Of course, it can be so easy, mainly because he is too smart!

"When you pass the examination, you can go to the old man, and the old man will discuss learning together," Lord Zhou said to Yan Jing Ze before leaving.

Li Xucai was envious but when he thought of Yan Jing Ze's talent, he felt it was rightfully so.

After making a lot of money from Lord Zhou, the bookstore was going to be closed, so Yan Jing Ze simply did not go to copy books, but spent a good New Year at home.

Of course, before that, he didn't forget to let the casino people spread the word that Lord Zhou had come to his house.

So, there was another rumor in Donggu County: "Have you heard? Lord Zhou from the county next door has gone to Yan Da's house."

"Why did he go to Yan Da's house?"

"Maybe it has something to do with Wei Lingxiu…"

"Isn't it said that Wei Lingxiu's mother's family is quite powerful?"

...

Wei Zhiyuan, who had a hard time convincing the clan to drive Wei Lingxiu out of the house: "..."

Okay, now he doesn't dare to do it.

Wei Lingxiu's mother's surname is Zhou, and that Lord Zhou next door is also surnamed Zhou, could they be related?

He has been suppressed by the Zhou family for so many years and he is still being suppressed… The more Wei Zhiyuan thought about it, the more frustrated he was, but there was nothing he could do.

Last year, the bed and table that Yan Jing Ze bought were delivered, so they could finally sleep comfortably without having to eat on the desk anymore.

In addition, the clothes and such that Yan Jing Ze had people make for himself were also done.

However, even if he wears a long gown, he still doesn't look like a scholar…

Thankfully, he has not been in the sun much lately and has actually turned much fairer!

After the New Year, the county exams are about to begin!

Yan Jing Ze has already got a linshi who can guarantee for him. The next step is for him and Wei Lingxiu to find three other children, five of whom will act as each other's guarantors.

This person…

In a school run by a certain xiucai in town, some students are in class.

As they went on, a large man in a long dress suddenly came in from outside.

"I heard that there are students here who can't find anyone to guarantee for each other? How about joining me?" Yan Jing Ze grinned towards that xiucai.

The xiucai was confused: "Yan Da?"

"It's me," Yan Jing Ze said.

"How dare you come to my place to fool around… Hurry and get out of here now!" the xiucai slapped the table and said.

Yan Jing Ze's face turned cold, he stared at the man, "What did you say?"

That xiucai subconsciously trembled: "No… I did not say anything."