earing Momo Chang’s honest statement, Chang Hu s.h.i.+ 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 s.h.i.+mmery 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 s.h.i.+ (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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