Simulation becomes reality, have I ever looked down upon the eternity?

Chapter 243 Heaven moves forward, and a gentleman should constantly strive for self-improvement!

[The Xie family's ancestral home is in Rongyang, and after they became prosperous, they were also called Rongyang Xie. ]

[There are many rules in the mansion, and every one of them reveals the majesty and solemnity of a large family. ]

[In this class of families, every young lady and gentleman has a kitchen in their courtyard, where they prepare three meals a day, as well as midnight snacks. The stove never goes out for twelve hours.]

[But the courtyard where you and your mother live doesn’t even have a stove for making a fire.]

[Since you got your last name, every month on festivals or birthdays, a vegetarian snack is sent to your family.]

[When these delicacies were delivered to you and your son, they were often leftovers or food from the previous night.]

[In the huge Xie Mansion, you and your son only receive six taels of silver per month, which is already tight. Add to that the many deductions made by the housekeepers, and by the time you get your money, you are often left with only four taels of change.]

[You are at the age of growing up, and your mother spends almost all of the little money she earns on you.]

【My mother is getting thinner and thinner! 】

[This year, you just turned three years old, and the young ladies and gentlemen in the courtyard had already started their journey of reading and learning to read with the help of their "tutors". This is "early education".]

[In the Da Qi folk, children begin their enlightenment at the age of six, first learning numbers and the names of the four directions. Then, from the age of six to eight, they study classics such as "Elementary School Collection", "Longwen Whip Shadow", "Youxue Qionglin", "Thousand Characters", and "Hundred Family Names" in order to lay a solid foundation for their studies.]

[Your mother went to the clan to inquire about your studies, and received only a cold answer, "Not yet!"]

[This year, you were only four years old, and had grown up. Your height was comparable to those young men and women in the courtyard. Your mother took good care of you.]

[However, despite being a descendant of the Xie family, your clothing and the quality of your clothes are not even as good as those favored maids in the compound.]

[My mother also only has one set of presentable clothes, which is locked deep in the closet and not easily shown to others.]

[You often ask your mother out of curiosity: "Why can the children in other yards wear new clothes?"]

[“My brothers had new clothes every day. They had wooden horses, kites, tiger-skin hats, and many other toys I had never seen before.”]

[You are four years old and growing fast, so your clothes change sizes frequently. Your mother alters last year’s autumn clothes and gives them to you.]

[She has great craftsmanship and can always hide the traces of sewing and mending skillfully.]

[However, because the fabric of the clothes was different, it could still be seen and the other kids in the courtyard made fun of it.]

[You threw the clothes on the ground in anger, but your mother didn't scold you, but washed them quietly. ]

[There is a hint of envy and loneliness in your tone, and you lower your head slightly. ]

【“They don’t like playing with me.”】

After hearing this, your mother gently taught you, "A gentleman will not worry because his food and clothing are not as good as others. That is why a gentleman wears a coarse cloth but has a jade in his heart."

[A gentleman will not feel sad because his food, clothing and daily expenses are not as good as others. A true gentleman, even if he wears coarse clothes, has talents and virtues as beautiful as jade.]

[“The movement of Heaven is vigorous; the gentleman should constantly strive to improve himself.”]

[You were still young, and although you didn't fully understand what your mother said, you nodded.]

[My mother kept the simple courtyard in good order. The green vegetable fields were full of vitality, and the melon sheds were scattered in an orderly manner. Although the courtyard was not big, it was full of a warm atmosphere.]

[A stove was even built in the courtyard. ]

[Two years later, you are already six years old, and the children of your generation in the Xie Mansion have already started to read and practice calligraphy, and practice martial arts to strengthen their bodies.]

[But you are still left in the small courtyard, and your mother rarely takes you out. ]

[Because whenever you and your son go out, you are always ridiculed and mocked.]

[“The shame of the Xie family, a lowly son.”]

[“A vixen who seduced the master of the house, a woman who does not know etiquette.”]

[These whispers behind your back will echo behind you like a shadow whenever your mother takes you by her side.]

[Of course, the servants and stewards of the Xie Mansion were not so bold, but behind them, they all had the instructions and tacit approval of the mistress.]

[My mother has a gentle personality and rarely argues with others. She usually just pulls you around.]

[In the spring of the same year, your mother went to the Xie family clan to ask about your studies. You were already six years old, and it was time for you to start studying.]

[In the Great Qi Dynasty, Confucianism was used to govern the country, and all the nobles in the court were scholars. ]

[The imperial court also selected officials through the imperial examination system, which tested the Confucian classics.]

[There is also a Tongsheng exam, and anyone who is seven years old or older can take the exam. In addition to being proficient in Confucianism, they must also be proficient in riding and shooting, and practice swordsmanship.]

[In the clan, the mistress of the family said after meeting the mother, "If a child is born out of wedlock, first observe his moral character, otherwise he will destroy the etiquette of the family."]

[The Xie family is a family of scholars, but your father, Marquis Dingyuan, made the family famous through military achievements.]

[The mistress of the Xie family, based on your background, denies your studies.]

【The mother argued with reason, but was driven out of the clan hall.】

[When your mother returned to the courtyard and saw you waiting at the door early, her heart softened.]

[She has suffered so much injustice over the years that she rarely sheds tears, but now she is hugging you and sobbing softly, feeling sorry for her child who has not been treated fairly.]

[This year, my mother's health became increasingly worrying. She became thinner and thinner, as if a gust of wind could blow her down.]

[In the winter of the same year, it snowed heavily, and my mother's condition took a turn for the worse. It became very serious and she was bedridden.]

[In such a difficult time, the only maid in your room also chose to leave. ]

[Almost all the cooking and medicine making were done by you alone, and you accompanied me every night and I dared not sleep.]

[As your mother watched you standing in front of a stove that was taller than you and cooking, you were only six years old, and she couldn't help but burst into tears, wetting her pillow.]

[The good news is that in the spring of the following year, you were very happy, and your mother's illness surprisingly got better.]

[But your mother said to you, "If you don't seek fame for Guan'er, she will die with regret."]

[But you said in a serious tone: "Mother, please don't say unlucky words."]

[You still have no idea about your studies, so your mother decided to teach you how to read first.]

[The Xie Mansion has assigned you a new maid named Wutong. She is two years older than you and is new to the mansion.]

[Although Wutong is a maid of low status, your mother has never blamed her. Instead, she treats her as her own daughter, raising her with care and teaching you two to read.]

[Wutong calls you Young Master, but you treat her like a sister.]

[This year you are already seven years old, and you are beginning to understand things. You are also gradually realizing that your status as an "illegitimate child" has made you neglected in the mansion and unloved by the nobles.]

【What's worse, your father hates you. 】

[You have only seen your father from a distance once, on Mrs. Xie’s birthday.]

[He is heroic and majestic, with an imposing manner and broad shoulders, as if he can carry your entire courtyard. ]

[However, he never looked directly at you and your mother. He just smiled and hugged your younger brother Xie Yu, who is one year younger than you, in the crowd.]

[Your brothers and sisters of the same generation have already started school, and the Xie family also has an academy for the descendants of the family to study. ]

[The school was noisy, and many of the Xie family members were late for classes and skipped school.]

【There are only a few people who are dedicated. 】

[And you, every time you pass by the school gate, deliberately stop and listen intently. ]

[If any of the housekeepers find out, they will immediately drive you away without letting you wait even a moment.]

[Another year passed, and you heard that Xie Yu, the youngest son of the mistress of the Xie family, who was one year younger than you, had passed the Tongkat Ali examination at the age of seven.]

【Xie Yu was very smart since he was young. He could read at the age of four, write poems at the age of five, and write essays at the age of six. He was known as a child prodigy.】

[For this reason, the family held a grand banquet, and prominent figures in Bianjing, people from the nine major families, and their families, young men and young ladies, all came. ]

【It's so lively! 】

【At this time, your family seemed to remember your existence and invited you and your mother to attend. 】【Mother rarely put on the clothes that were locked in the closet and took you to attend the party. 】

【The banquet was packed with guests, and people were toasting each other, making it very lively. 】

[You also met the ladies and gentlemen from the Xie family and other families.]

[Each of them is gorgeous and extraordinary, wearing gorgeous clothes, red tassels and jeweled hats, white jade rings on their waists, swords on their left and perfume bottles on their right, looking like gods.]

【You are dressed simply, standing between them. 】

You think of your mother's words, "A gentleman wears coarse clothes but has a jade in his heart. As Heaven moves forward, one should constantly strive to improve himself."

【There is no envy in my heart. 】

[You and your son are at the most secluded spot in the room.]

[This time, your father is still at the border and has not been able to return. ]

[The banquet gradually reached its climax, and each family sent congratulations to "Xie Yu", including the branches of the Xie family. ]

[For a moment, congratulations were heard one after another. The children at the center of the banquet wore scarlet gems, had white lips and red teeth, and their eyes sparkled with a proud light.]

[Someone loudly congratulated, "Brother Yu, when you grow up you will definitely inherit your father's business and earn another title of marquis for the Xie family!"]

【After hearing this, the smile on Xie's mistress's face became even more intense.】

[When you heard this, you also held your mother's hand and said firmly: "Guan'er, you will also earn a living as a marquis in the future."]

[“Not for the Xie family, only for my mother!”]

【Mother touches your head with a smile.】

[The atmosphere of the banquet became more and more lively, with lights and decorations everywhere, and a festive atmosphere was everywhere. ]

【The old lady Xie, who was sitting in the first seat, was also in high spirits, looking at the descendants of the Xie family present with kindness, her eyes full of satisfaction.】

【The Xie family is becoming more prosperous! 】

【The guests were drinking and chatting happily. 】

【The mother stood up at this time and walked straight to the center of the field.】

[Attracting many curious and puzzled looks, a weak woman slowly knelt down. ]

[The place was noisy, so I couldn't hear clearly what was said at the beginning, I only heard what was said at the end.]

[Although the voice is weak, every word is clear. ]

[“I am a humble woman, my life is as thin as weeds, my life is as fragile as paper, so my death is not a pity. However, my son Xie Guan has the blood of Rongyang Xie family flowing in his body, the blood of Dingyuan Marquis.”]

[“Now he is eight years old, but he still stays at home. I have sent him to school many times, or asked him to learn from private schools, but the clan has not understood him.”]

[“The Xie family was founded on etiquette, and my second uncle is also a great scholar of the time. Now that the adopted son is uneducated, has poor personal ethics, and is not in accordance with etiquette, how can he inherit the title!”]

[The banquet gradually became silent.]

[As the crowd recalled the "old case" from eight years ago, the atmosphere at the banquet became subtle again.]

[“Xie family’s illegitimate child?” Someone whispered, “Could it be the mother and son who sought fame at Xie Yu’s Hundred Days Banquet?”]

[It is not uncommon for aristocratic families to have children living outside the family or to have new wives living outside the family.]

[However, few of them have come to light, especially among the nine clans of Da Qi.]

[Confucianism advocates governing the country, cultivating oneself, and pacifying the world, and believes that one should clean up one's own house before cleaning up the world. ]

[However, if one cannot even properly handle family affairs, how can one win the support of the people and take on the responsibility of governing the country and bringing peace to the world? ]

【After hearing this, the mistress of the Xie family looked even gloomier. Marquis Dingyuan was at the border, and as his legal wife, she was in charge of the Xie family's backyard. She naturally could not tolerate such a family scandal, and she looked at her mother fiercely.】

[It will also affect her reputation! ]

[Confucianism places the greatest emphasis on education. It is the fault of the father if he fails to educate his children. This is obvious.]

[If this matter is handled incorrectly, the Marquis of Dingyuan in the Great Qi will become the laughing stock of the people in Bianjing City tomorrow! ]

[At the banquet, the guests were either drinking or talking in low voices, but their eyes were all unconsciously looking over here, waiting for the storm to subside.]

[The mistress of the Xie family brought the person in charge, as well as the clan elders.]

【Lift high and drop gently. 】

[“Xie Guan, you can start studying this autumn. All expenses will be paid by the Xie family’s eldest wife.”]

[The matter was easily resolved, and the party became lively again. ]

[Mother kowtowed and apologized, and Xie's mistress smiled, as if it was just a trivial matter.]

[However, the three people who were in charge at the time were beaten to death on the spot in front of you and your son.]

[Beating a family slave to death to correct family traditions was a common practice in Daqi, and no one cared. ]

[Mother takes you to say goodbye and go back home.]

[From now on, you will only have about one or two taels of monthly salary, and there will often be guards outside your courtyard, making your life even more depressing and uneasy.]

[That autumn, you did not go to school as you wished, because your mother was seriously ill again.]

[The atmosphere in the courtyard is unusually heavy. For some reason, this year's courtyard is much colder than in previous years.]

[The official doctor in Xie's house prescribed medicine for my mother, but it seemed to have no effect. My mother's condition became worse and worse, and her body became thinner and thinner.]

【By the end of autumn, my mother was already ill and bedridden, unable to get up.】

[You and the maid Wutong hold the medicine, walk to your mother's bedside, and feed her carefully.]

[That day, the mother seemed to be in good spirits and radiant. She chatted with you for a long time and said, "It's a pity that I haven't seen what Guan'er will look like when he grows up. He must be very handsome."]

[“I don’t know whose daughter will get the chance.”]

[“Study hard, not for your mother, but for yourself!”]

[You look at your mother's thin face, and you don't know why you feel so sad.]

[“Guan’er, do you still remember what your mother often said to you?”]

[You slowly say: "Heaven moves with vigor, and a gentleman should constantly strive to improve himself."]

[The mother smiled, took Wutong's hand and said, "Wutong, Guan'er is still young, so I'll leave everything to you from now on."]

【Wutong was at a loss.】

[Mother said gently: "Guan'er, go out and close the door. Mother will have a good sleep."]

[You walked out of the room, a light rain fell from the sky, and you looked down at the water surface of the large water tank in the yard. ]

[The reflection of your face is round and round, but you can no longer see it clearly. ]

[The next day, my mother passed away.]

[You cried until your eyes went blind.]

[You are nine years old this year. Your mother has passed away. Although you have a father, you are alone in the world.]

[Hint: The destiny talent has been awakened, "Rare wisdom", "Calmness in the heart", "The spirit in the pen"]

【Do you want to collect it now? 】

The words on the cauldron slowly froze.

Yu Ke was silent for a while, without any hesitation.

【receive! 】

(End of this chapter)