Zhan Feiyu, standing as punishment, exhaled a breath and gave a self-deprecating smile, "Eloquent words can corrupt virtue, and a moment's impatience can ruin a great plan. The ancients truly did not deceive me!"
She understood the principles, but the thought of feigning politeness to Madam Zhan, or even trying to appease the second master Zhan, made Zhan Feiyu want to say, "This concubine cannot do it."
After a long while, having calmed her emotions, Zhan Feiyu silently recited the Analects and its annotations...
Seven or eight schoolchildren, backpacks slung over their shoulders, came running and suddenly stopped. They stared, dumbfounded, at Zhan Feiyu, who was standing as punishment.
"Did I not wake up? How am I seeing Xiao Yu standing as punishment."
Shan Wazi, after swallowing his cornbread in a few gulps, rubbed his eyes and laughed heartily, "I must still be dreaming, haha, Xiao Yu is the master's favorite student."
"Even if the master punished Senior Brother Lin, he wouldn't punish Xiao Yu!"
In the courtyard, Master Lin's voice rang out sternly, "The day's work begins in the morning, why aren't you coming in to study!"
Shan Wazi and the group of young students cried out in unison and hurried inside. Calls rose one after another, "Master."
Looking at Shan Wazi, whose mouth still had traces of cornbread crumbs, and then at the other young students whose hair and clothes were messy from running, Master Lin couldn't help but glance outside the courtyard. Compared to Xiao Yu's diligence and self-discipline, they were truly far behind.
"Master." The other students who arrived successively were older and more composed. Although they were surprised to see Zhan Feiyu standing outside as punishment, they only cast curious glances.
Old Uncle Dong struck the bronze plate. After three clangs, everyone sat down properly, opened their books, and began their morning recitation.
Hearing the sound of reading from afar, Zhan Dalang panicked. His left palm began to ache again. He would be beaten with a board for being late, and those who repeatedly failed to mend their ways would be punished doubly. This month, Zhan Dalang had already been late twice.
"Zhan Feiyu!" Zhan Dalang, who had been worried about being beaten, froze for a moment and then suddenly laughed. He cursed viciously, "You have your day too! The master should expel this unfilial and disloyal little beast from the private school!"
"Zhan Xiujun, if she is a little beast, what are you, who also bears the surname Zhan?" Zhu Peng, who arrived with a leisurely stride, asked with a hearty laugh, looking disdainfully at the grim-faced Zhan Dalang, "If even a fool like you can waste food and money to study, when will you be the one to be expelled from the private school first!" Zhu Peng
"You!" Zhan Dalang cowered. He dared not confront Zhu Peng directly.
After Liu Wangcai had brought people to smash and destroy the Zhan family's property with fierce expressions, Zhan Dalang suddenly realized the gap between himself and Zhu Peng. Any servant from the Zhu family could easily kill him, and his father had repeatedly warned him not to offend Zhu Peng.
"Coward!" Zhu Peng sneered contemptuously at Zhan Dalang, who dared not retort and fled covering his face.
His gaze involuntarily turned to Zhan Feiyu. Zhu Peng's expression was awkward. His father had actually arranged for him to be engaged to Zhan Feiyu, but the engagement was broken off due to his elder brother's interference, and it almost led to enmity.
"My father has returned. The three members of the Liu family were beaten and have been expelled from the Zhu family," Zhu Peng dropped this sentence and entered the courtyard. Before this, he never knew that his elder brother would be so wary of him, even sabotaging his own engagement.
Although Zhu Peng did not fancy Zhan Feiyu at all, who would want to be engaged to a chubby girl? She was so good at studying, wouldn't she be annoying with her constant use of classical phrases in the future? Zhan Feiyu stood for half an hour and was finally called to the study by Master Lin.
"It is not easy for a farmer's son to study, and it is even more difficult for a woman," the earnest instruction sounded. Master Lin looked at his calm young disciple and said again, "Scholars cherish their reputation. Since you wish to pursue the imperial examinations, you should cherish your reputation even more."
"Master, I understand." Zhan Feiyu nodded. She knew she was wrong but would not change.
Master Lin was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "If this happened to someone else, what would you do?"
"Appeal to their emotions, reason with them, and entice them with benefits." The answer was crisp and decisive. Meeting Master Lin's suddenly fierce gaze, Zhan Feiyu smiled innocently.
To win over the third master Zhan and his wife through familial affection.
To reason with Old Master Zhan and the eldest master Zhan, making them understand the impact of Zhan Feiyu's studies, not only on the Zhan family but also on the village and the clan, elevating studying and entering officialdom to a new height.
As for Madam Zhan and the second branch, they would be offered benefits. If coercion and enticement were combined, it would be the best strategy.
After hearing these words, Master Lin was amused to the point of laughter. But looking at the chubby little face with two small pigtails, and eyes that were innocent and bright, all his anger dissipated. "Fine, you may go out now."
Zhan Feiyu thought Master Lin would continue to question her. She had plans, but it was inconvenient to reveal them to the master. Having escaped a predicament, Zhan Feiyu bowed respectfully and turned to leave the study.
...
In the blink of an eye, it was the middle of the month, the rest day. The Zhan family had been in a strange balance these past few days. With the intervention of the village head and the old clan elder of the Zhan clan, the village gossip was also suppressed.
Zhan Feiyu brought the slip of paper tucked in her book close to the candlelight and burned it. She picked up her wolf-hair brush and continued practicing calligraphy until midnight. Zhan Feiyu tidied the desk simply, blew out the candle, and lay back on the bed to rest.
In the profound silence, every slight sound was amplified. However, those who had worked in the fields all day had long since fallen asleep and naturally could not hear this faint sound.
In the darkness, watching the dark figure climb over the wall, Zhan Feiyu smiled, her lips curling. After waiting for a moment, she activated her golden finger, concealed her figure, and left the courtyard.
The night was dark and the wind was high, the preferred location for murder and robbery was undoubtedly the forest behind the village. Zhan Lao Er tightened his clothes, inexplicably feeling someone behind him. After a few steps, he suddenly turned around.
The northwest wind swirled fallen leaves. The path behind him was empty. Under the pale moonlight, houses were hidden in the dark, deep night.
A false alarm, Zhan Lao Er quickened his pace. Upon entering the forest and seeing the person waiting there, he immediately showed a respectful smile, "Young Master."