Chapter 1482: Chapter 1482: Test Your Skills
Duke Zhou Residence in the capital, Yu Yi walked out of the main courtyard but didn’t return to her own yard. She turned to her personal maid and said, "Go find Ming Ling and tell him I have something to discuss."
The maid knew this must be about Yu Yueyang and dared not delay. "Understood."
Today, Ming Ling and Ming Feng did not go to the garden. The two young boys were studying together. When Ming Ling heard his sister calling for him, he thought it must be something important. He quickly stood up and signaled the old servant to fetch his cloak.
As he stepped out of the room, he asked the maid, "Did my sister say what she wanted to talk about?"
The maid replied, "The young master will know once he goes over."
The Zhou family garden was a costly construction from the past, with many beautiful spots. Even during winter, it stayed warm as some areas were fitted with glass.
Yu Yi waited for her younger brother in a small pavilion. When she saw him approaching, she gestured toward the warm tea. "Have a cup to warm yourself."
Ming Ling didn’t feel cold at all. "Sister, what’s the matter?"
Yu Yi signaled the maids nearby to leave before discussing her intention to test Yu Yueyang.
Ming Ling felt uneasy. Was the Yu family arranging a marriage for his sister? His small face puffed up in silent protest.
Yu Yi, amused, pinched her brother’s cheek. "I’m entrusting you with a task. Go test him personally."
Ming Ling held a stern expression. "Alright, I’ll test him thoroughly."
Yu Yi sat inside the small pavilion. "Then I’ll wait for your findings right here."
As she mulled things over, she decided that secretly observing Yu Yueyang might not be proper. Sending her sharp-eyed young brother as a test was the better choice; children have a natural intuition about such things.
Ming Ling’s eyes darted around. "Alright."
In the village, Chang Li led his son to the home of the boy they had just encountered. The dwelling was made of four thatched cottages, the courtyard was remarkably clean, and a lone mother hen could be seen wandering about.
Chang Li’s gaze landed on the firewood pile, forming an impression. "This household has their Clan’s support."
Ming Hui thought the same. They stood there for a while before the boy they had seen earlier came out, looking shy. He said, "Sir and young master, what brings you to my home?"
Chang Li responded, "I saw you selling firewood earlier and wanted to see which family this capable child belongs to, so we followed you here."
The boy’s expression relaxed. "I am from the Wang Clan. Our Wang Clan has strict family rules, and all the children are well-behaved."
Chang Li nodded in agreement. He had already seen this earlier and confirmed that the Wang Clan had a solid reputation. Listening to the boy’s sincere praise and trust in his Clan, he smiled. "The rules of the Wang Clan are indeed admirable."
Hearing this, the boy became cheerful, only to realize it was impolite to leave guests standing outside. Hurriedly, he said, "Sir and young master, please come inside. There’s not much at home, but we can at least offer hot water. Please come in and warm yourselves with a drink."
Chang Li was surprised by the boy’s courage and entered the yard with his son. "Sorry for the trouble."
During their conversation, they learned that the boy’s father had died in battle and his mother had later remarried. The compensation silver was managed by the Clan; the family received monthly allowances of two hundred coins until the compensation money was fully depleted. The same arrangement applied to the Clan’s orphans, even for those whose mothers hadn’t remarried—the silver was still held by the Clan.
Because of the Clan’s involvement, the children’s direct relatives dared not covet the silver. If caught, the punishment could be severe, resulting in expulsion from the Clan. In times of food shortages, experienced elders knew how difficult life would be without the Clan’s protection.
The boy was talkative. Every day, he faithfully carried firewood in exchange for food. He showed perseverance and clear thinking. His family also had two other children—a twelve-year-old brother who went to the Clan school at dawn and the youngest, a five-year-old sister.
Ming Hui listened with interest before asking, "What about orphans who don’t belong to the Wang Clan?"
The boy’s expression dimmed. "Our Clan cannot help them. My grandfather, the Lizheng, has tried, but the more he intervenes, the worse their circumstances become."
Chang Li inquired, "Are their lives truly that miserable?"
The boy nodded solemnly. "Our village has two other families of outside surnames whose fathers also died in battle. One widow hanged herself the same night, leaving the children behind to suffer even more. Another widow remarried but failed to protect her child, who continues to face bullying and hardship."
Chang Li thought to himself: Clans as strict and organized as the Wang Clan are rare. Most orphans face similar dire conditions.
Chang Li and Ming Hui left without giving money, but they did leave some dried meat from their pouch. The young boy looked at the meat like it was treasure, thanking them profusely.
After gathering information, they had to see for themselves. Families without Clan support lived on the outskirts of the village. Two households were well-known due to their struggles related to children and compensation silver. They encountered a child from the Bu family, whose mother had remarried. The child wore a straw coat and broken shoes, with frostbitten sores covering his feet. However, they did not see the children of the Tong family. Chang Li grew anxious; he didn’t want to linger in the village, as he planned to visit nearby settlements swiftly. By then, he would have the County Magistrate coordinate aid for the children. Once the capital’s reply arrived, the orphans could be sent there. He feared delays would leave some children unable to survive.
Chang Li felt a heavy weight in his heart and quietly told his son, "If it hadn’t been for your grandfather’s proposal, many of these children wouldn’t make it through the food shortages."
Ming Hui opened his mouth, finally understanding his grandmother’s saying about the privilege of being born into a better life. "Father, once the Imperial court takes charge, these children will eat well and dress warmly."
Chang Li patted his son’s head. "Indeed."
In the capital, Yu Yueyang was utterly confused before realizing he had caused a blunder. His cheeks flushed red.
Ming Ling was even more bewildered. He had been pondering how best to test Yu Yueyang but hadn’t come to a decision yet. Then, while returning from the latrine, he encountered Yu Yueyang, who, leaning on a railing, looked lost in thought. Suddenly, someone called out to him unexpectedly, startling Ming Ling so much that he lost his balance and bumped his head against the railing.
Yu Yueyang flusteredly explained, "I saw the young master standing in a dangerous spot and called out to warn him. I didn’t expect to frighten him."
Upon learning this, Yu Yi was shocked and rushed over. Seeing the red mark on her brother’s forehead, her eyes immediately reddened with guilt. "It’s my fault."
Yu Yueyang exclaimed, wide-eyed, only to see Miss Zhou look like she was on the verge of tears. He became even more unsettled. "No, no, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have shouted. I should’ve just walked over, and then this wouldn’t have happened."
Yu Yi calmed down and realized the truth—that her brother had merely been startled, not intentionally harmed. She looked at Yu Yueyang with a complicated expression: this man hadn’t even been tested yet but was already in danger of offending her brother.
Yu Yueyang’s face turned redder and redder, betraying his awkward emotions. Faced with Miss Zhou, he stammered more and more. "I—I didn’t mean to."
Ming Rui narrowed his eyes. Something felt off to him. Moments later, he heard Ming Ling laughing.
Indeed, Ming Ling laughed. Despite the bump on his forehead, it wasn’t a serious injury. Yu Yueyang was just overreacting, thinking he was gravely hurt—this man was quite amusing. "I’m fine, not hurt at all. I just wasn’t standing properly, so there’s no fault on Yu Gongzi’s (Young Master Yu’s) part."
Yu Yueyang felt that the little master from the Zhou family was truly kind-hearted. He smiled broadly. "Still, I was careless."
Ming Ling stepped closer. "Yu Gongzi’s dimples are so big. May I touch them?"
Yu Yi felt embarrassed. "Ah, Yu Gongzi, please don’t mind my brother’s words."
She shot her brother a warning glance.
Yu Yueyang, however, showed no hesitation. He took pride in his dimples, seeing them as lucky features. Laughing, he said, "Of course."
Squatting down, he leaned forward, letting Ming Ling actually touch them. The boy wasted no time, raising his hand and poking them.
Yu Yi watched her brother’s mischievous actions. Not only did he touch them, but he also pressed on the dimples with one finger, playfully flexing his hand and seemingly finding Yu Yueyang’s demeanor a little silly.
Ming Ling withdrew his hand and bowed politely. "Ming Ling apologizes for any offense and thanks Yu Gongzi for your kindness earlier."
Yu Yueyang straightened up and returned the gesture. "There’s no need for formality, young master."
Ming Rui’s smile faded slightly. Where he had once seen Yu Yueyang as flawless, he now looked at him with scrutiny. "Let’s return; everyone else is waiting for us."
Yu Yueyang agreed, quickly followed along, but couldn’t resist glancing back. To his surprise, Miss Zhou was looking right at him. Embarrassed, his face turned red, and he quickly averted his gaze, not daring to look back again.
Yu Yi touched her face lightly. "Am I so frightening?"
Ming Ling grinned. "Sister, Yu Gongzi is just shy."
Yu Yi chuckled, reaching out to touch her brother’s forehead. "It doesn’t hurt?"
"It doesn’t. I just have delicate skin."
Yu Yi took her brother’s hand. "So, what do you think of him?"
"He’s easy to tease."
Yu Gongzi must definitely be afraid of his sister.
Yu Yi didn’t respond. Ming Ling asked, "Sister, is he the one?"
Yu Yi’s eyes curved in a smile. "Take a guess."
Ming Ling said confidently, "It must be him. If you weren’t satisfied, you wouldn’t be asking me what I think of him."
Sighing, he lamented his limited literacy skills. He wanted to write a letter to their parents now.
Inside the palace, Zhou Shuren looked composed and unfazed under the Second Prince’s scrutiny. Tsk tsk, he didn’t feel the slightest bit guilty. After all, the Emperor’s decision to increase their studies had nothing to do with him!
The Second Prince’s remorse was so intense it felt physical. Not only had he met the Third Imperial Uncle yesterday, but the Second Imperial Uncle appeared as well—accompanied by Zhang Jinghong, whose maturity made the Second Prince acutely aware of his own naivety. The blow to his ego was profound, and today, additional coursework was required of him!
The Crown Prince smiled subtly. His younger brother was growing up, though his study workload remained low. As the elder sibling, the Crown Prince was fretting over their education!
The Emperor seemed oblivious to his second son’s unease, addressing Zhou Shuren instead. "Marquis Zhou is skilled at educating children. Do you think the coursework I’ve arranged is too little?"
Zhou Shuren felt the intense gazes of the princes upon him and dreaded the thought of saying anything that might provoke. "Minister believes..."
A deliberate pause followed—a calculated move. Seeing the princes’ tension, Zhou Shuren smiled and said, "Minister believes it’s appropriate."
Back in the village, Chang Li and Ming Hui had just returned to the Lizheng’s house when a little girl appeared. Her face was bruised, purple in spots, and her forehead still oozed blood. The Lizheng burned with rage, saying, "Come, I’ll go with you."
The little girl sobbed tearfully. "My brother is dying; his body is burning hot. He’s locked up in the woodshed. Waaa!"
Chang Li asked, "Lizheng, what’s going on?"
The Lizheng didn’t want to explain—it was a disgrace to the village. He wished he had never allowed these outsider surnames to settle here.
Without saying another word, the Lizheng hurried off. Ming Hui whispered, "Father, let’s go see."
Chang Li felt a sinking dread. "Alright."