earing Momo Chang’s honest statement, Chang Hu shi finally felt awkward . She sat up straight and stopped talking . Momo Chang cast her daughter-in-law another disapproving glare before continuing slowly, “After my short-lived son died, if it were not for Master Ye who sent guards to escort us, we didn"t even dare to bring my son’s coffin to our hometown . Thanks to Master Ye that Nian’s father could have his bone buried!”

On these words, Momo Chang started to choke with sobs with her eyes turning red . Minglan comforted her right away, “Momo, don’t be so upset, that’s not good for your health . You are the only one Sister-in-law Chang and her two kids could rely on . ” Chang Yan and Chang Nian also came over to console their grandmother .

“Madam, pardon me for acting like this . ” Momo Chang recovered herself and wiped the tears with her handkerchief while saying that with a smile .

Right at this moment, Mama Hua brought Rong here .

“Rong, look who’s here?” Minglan said with a smile . “Come give your obeisance to Momo . ”

Rong was wearing a light-red shimmery coat in gauze, which made her face look tender and fair . After she arrived, she glanced at Momo Chang, Chang Yan and Chang Nian at first . Then she gave her obeisance reverently while saying in a low voice, “Momo, pleasure to see you . ”

The look on Momo Chang’s face was complicated . She seemed to sympathize Rong but also a bit sick of the girl . After Momo Chang adjusted the expression in her eyes, she said, “You . . . did have grown up . You look prettier, that’s great . ”

Rong raised her head to look at Minglan and opened her mouth . However, she still didn’t utter anything .

Momo Chang looked at Minglan and said bluntly, “Rong is so lucky to have a madam like you . She’s a stubborn girl, don’t take it personally . She needed to be taught and disciplined . ”

Minglan nodded and didn’t say anything . After that, she asked Rong to sit by the side . Momo Chang stared at Rong for a while and then turned around to say to Minglan, “We have talked for a long time but I haven’t asked about your condition, Madam . And how’s Master Ye doing lately?”

Having seen the deeply concerned look on Momo Chang’s face, Minglan was touched . Then she said gently, “Everything is fine . I have just started to manage the family affairs, there are lots of things I need to learn . Master is busy at work, but he is always in a good spirit . ”

After hearing Minglan’s sincere words, Momo Chang’s wrinkled face beamed, “That’s great, truly . I’ve said that Master Ye is a promising young man . I knew one day he would bring glory to his family!”

Minglan fixed her eyes on the kids who were sitting there . Chang Yan was whispering to Rong right now . Chang Nian sat upright on his seat while listening to the adults’ conversation . Then Minglan smiled and asked, “So, I haven’t asked about Yan and Nian . What do they usually do in ordinary times?”

Momo Chang glimpsed at her grandchildren and answered smilingly, “The girl could read a few words and do some needlework . I’ll find her a decent family to marry into . Nian is studying now . ”

Minglan turned around to look at Chang Nian . The boy heard them talking about him and then stood up right away . Minglan stared at this boy and asked him tentatively, “Like aversion to evil deeds and affection to beauties . What does this phrase come from?”

Chang Nian took a look at Minglan with a seemingly surprised look . The next second, he put on a serious look on that immature face, saying, “What is called being honest to oneself? Never deceive yourself . Hate evil deeds like aversion to stink and pursue goodness like affection to beauties . From The Great Learning . ”

“What is the meaning?” Minglan asked again .

Chang Nian answered fluently, “We should not only be honest to others but also to ourselves . Being honest to ourselves is like the feelings we have when we hate the stink or adore beauties . ” The boy’s voice still sounded childish but his att.i.tude was clear and his words were convincing .

Minglan raised her eyebrows and commented nothing but only asked again, “According to (the character of ) the village, judge the village; According to (the character of ) the state, judge the state . Where does this come from?”

Chang Nian chuckled with two of his tiger teeth exposed and said in a clear voice, “ 

Who is firmly established is not easily shaken .

Who has a firm grasp does not easily let go .

From generation to generation his ancestral sacrifices

Shall be continued without fail .

Cultivated in the individual, character will become genuine;

Cultivated in the family, character will become abundant;

Cultivated in the village, character will multiply;

Cultivated in the state, character will prosper;

Cultivated in the world, character will become universal .

Therefore:

According to (the character of) the individual,

judge the individual;

According to (the character of) the family,

judge the family;

According to (the character of) the village,

judge the village;

According to (the character of) the state,

judge the state;

According to (the character of) the world,

judge the world .

How do I know this is so?

By this . ’ It’s from Tao Teh King . ” (Borrowed from Lin Yutang translation ofTao Teh King . )

Before Minglan raised any question, Chang Nian already began to explain, “Diffusing one’s fine character in a family, a village, a country and even the whole world will extend the virtue . Moreover, observing others according to one’s own condition will help us know everything in the world . ”

Minglan smiled this time while feeling amazed inwardly .

Considering a simple a.n.a.logy, if one wanted to take the imperial exam, the Four Books and Five Cla.s.sics were like the compulsory courses for him . As for other books such as Tao Teh King, those were all optional courses for the examinee . What surprised Minglan a lot was that a young boy who lived in the countryside would have such a solid foundation of knowledge . Minglan remembered that when she had learned the article which Chang Nian had just recited, she had transcribed a whole page of annotations . However, this boy only used a few words to conclude the article in a clear and simple way . That really was impressive .

Minglan turned around and looked at Momo Chang with a meaningful look . Momo Chang felt quite comfortable seeing the evident admiring and surprised look on Minglan’s face . She looked at her grandson proudly, with happiness all over her face .

“Where is Nian studying now?” Minglan asked .

Momo Chang sighed and answered, “When we lived in my hometown, he was taught by an old scholar in the countryside for a period of time . After we arrived at the capital, he learned with a tutor from the countryside in a private school, but Nian always read the books by himself . ” According to the looks on Momo Chang and her grandson’s face, this tutor was less than their satisfactory .

Minglan started to ponder with her head lowered . There truly was distinction in everyone’s talent in studying . She didn’t want to make her own family look bad . Actually, the studying atmosphere in Sheng family was excellent . Not only had every man in her family pa.s.sed the imperial examination, Sheng Hong also supervised Changdong and urged him to study every day . However, to be honest, Changdong didn’t study as well as the boy in front of Minglan .

Although Chang Nian was younger than Changdong, his behaviors and style of conversation were more natural and graceful . This boy hadn’t shown a sign of fear in front of the n.o.bles, nor was he in an indignant or jealous mood while visiting a rich family . He was only appreciating everything around him with an optimistic att.i.tude, being neither humble or pushy, like an adult of n.o.ble character .

Only until then did Minglan understand Momo Chang’s former action .

If Chang Nian wanted to be an official in the future, his family background must be clean . Otherwise, he would become an easy target for his enemy in official circles . Having a grandmother who had used to be a wet nurse was fine, but his grandmother’s name must not be registered on the servants list . Perhaps, Momo Chang had considered for her only son like this before .  

Every parent is admirable!

Seeing Minglan remaining silent with her head lowered, Momo Chang said tentatively, “Madam, you are from a literary family . I heard that your brothers are all good at studies . . . ” Minglan raised her head and said with a smile, “I’m flattered, Momo . My father does value the children’s studies very much . My little brother is about the same age as Nian . He is also studying in a school right now . ”

The school where Changdong studied was the famous Hai Family School . The school faculty included Lin Sheng (scholars who lived on government grants), Xiu Cai (One who pa.s.sed the imperial examination at the county level), Jin Shi (A successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), the retired old scholars and some famous literary celebrities who made a long stay in the Hai family . Every time Changdong came home from school, there would be dark circles under his eyes .

Momo Chang said in a trembling voice, “If you can find Nian a good teacher, I’ll be so grateful, Madam!”

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