Yan Zhitui grumbled and groaned as he boarded the ox cart clutching his corn. The old servant called out to the ox, but finding it wouldn’t move, discovered the wheels had sunk into soft mud and couldn’t get out. The guard grinned broadly with a “heh heh” laugh. The old servant began cursing at the guard: “You good-for-nothing with no sense! Seeing the cart stuck in the mud and not knowing to come help—I’ll beat you to death, you ill-mannered bastard!”

After speaking, he was about to swing his whip to strike. The guard had no choice but to run to the back of the cart and push with all his strength, eager to send these two old thieves—worse than highway bandits—on their way. Just thinking about how his wages would be docked made his heart sink heavily.

The ox cart got back onto the official road, but Yan Zhitui spoke no more. This new grain crop’s yield wouldn’t be less than five dan. If it really could be ground into flour and eaten the same way as wheat, the Five Grains might very well become Six Grains. The term “Five Grains” had been used for over three thousand years, and now in the Great Tang it would forcibly become “Six Grains”—what did this represent? Great merit! When a gentleman establishes himself through conduct, speech, achievement, and virtue, he reaches the great Dao that connects to Heaven. Yun Ye educated the villagers and cultivated himself alone—this was establishing conduct. The magnificent *Elementary Mathematics* of 430,000 words, every character a pearl—this was establishing speech. Fighting desperately to provide disaster relief in Hebei, earning praise from ten thousand people, selflessly献出 献出offering potatoes and corn to ensure the world would never again worry about famine—this was boundless merit. Could it be that this young fellow was advancing on all fronts, preparing to become a sage on the spot?

It was just that earlier, forcibly taking someone’s daughter as a disciple and breaking her brother’s leg—this couldn’t be considered the conduct of a gentleman. His disciple was the same—for the sake of learning some skills, treating brotherly affection like worthless grass. From this point alone, one could see Yun Ye’s deficiency in moral education. The Helan family merely wanted to reclaim their already-betrothed wife, yet were nearly exterminated on the spot. If Wei Zheng hadn’t used a stratagem to delay things, the Helan family might already be in full mourning by now. Taking revenge for the smallest slight, swift as raging fire—typical youthful temper. Then again, Yun Ye possessed extraordinary intelligence and achieved success at a young age. If he didn’t have a bit of youthful rashness, that would be too strange.

Yan Zhitui couldn’t figure it out—in one day he had learned of two extremes of Yun Ye. Which was his true face? He would need to examine him face-to-face. The weather was oppressively hot, and the old man’s body ultimately couldn’t withstand it. Leaning against the cart’s wall, in a half-dreaming, half-waking state, he returned to the Yan family estate on the outskirts of Chang’an.

Yan Shigu was very worried about his grandfather’s health. On such a hot day, he had left home with just one old servant driving an ox cart, not allowing anyone else to follow. Now the sun was setting in the west and he still hadn’t returned—it was truly worrying. His heart couldn’t help but grow anxious. Every day the old ancestor lived, the Yan family gained another share of fortune—they couldn’t afford any mishaps.

The household servants sent out to search hadn’t returned yet when an ox cart slowly drove in through the memorial archway entrance. Wasn’t that Uncle Yan sitting on the cart shaft? He rushed over in two or three steps, about to speak, when he saw Uncle Yan wave his hand and say softly: “The old master has fallen asleep. Don’t disturb him—today’s outing has truly exhausted him.”

Yan Shigu didn’t waste words. He directly had the gatekeepers remove the threshold, allowing the ox cart to drive straight to the north wing where his grandfather resided. As soon as the cart stopped, he heard Yan Zhitui speaking: “Home already? This old man played thief today and is utterly exhausted. Seems I don’t have many good days left to live. Yan Shou, go call all those good-for-nothings here—I have something to say.”

Two broad-shouldered, stout servant women emerged from the doorway carrying a small sedan chair. Yan Shigu helped the old ancestor sit properly and said in a low voice: “Old Ancestor, if you feel stifled and want to go out to see the sights, just give the word. Wouldn’t it be better for your grandson to accompany you? Chang’an has changed greatly these past years—your grandson could explain things to you.”

Yan Zhitui rolled his eyes and ignored his grandson, only busying himself with instructing the maids who had gathered around to take his day’s harvest from the cart. He patted the sedan chair and was carried into the main hall.

The maids busied themselves changing the old ancestor’s clothes, washing his hands, and cleaning his face. After all this activity, the entire Yan family, old and young, already stood bowing in the main hall awaiting the old ancestor’s instruction.

There were many people—white-haired elders as well as young children. Yan Shigu also stood obediently behind his father without speaking. He could tell that his grandfather’s outing today had not been pleasant.

Yan Zhitui, seated on the soft couch, didn’t have several of his elderly nephews and younger relatives sit down as usual. When he opened his mouth, he didn’t speak of grievances first, but of kindness: “Going out today, I received hospitality from the Lantian County Magistrate. I drank a bowl of excellent tea, and he graciously gifted me three potatoes. Shigu, tomorrow you personally go to his residence to express thanks. Don’t be arrogant—bring gifts with you and thank him properly on my behalf.”

Yan Shigu quickly assented. Although the other party was merely a minor county magistrate, going to express thanks on behalf of an elder wasn’t shameful.

“Has the Yan family fallen into decline? All the meritorious nobles in Chang’an have been granted these potatoes by His Majesty—why is it only the Yan family that hasn’t received any? Has the Yan family’s virtue deteriorated, or have you not worked hard to obtain them?”

The Yan family’s eldest son, Yan Zishan, quickly said: “Father, our family also received a grant, but this child thought it was nonsense. How could one mu of land produce twenty or thirty dan of grain? This was nothing more than Yun Ye seeking attention, using sleight of hand to create a boring auspicious sign—just like the qilin that appeared in the former Sui, where they stuck gold foil on a pig and called it a qilin. It was merely a tactic adopted by the court to stabilize people’s hearts. Those potatoes were unspeakably ugly, so this child had someone feed them to the pigs.”

Hearing Yan Zishan’s words, Yan Zhitui couldn’t help but cough. After finally catching his breath, he said to Yan Zishan: “Zishan, come here.”

Yan Zishan smiled and came before his father, lowering himself to hear what instruction his father had, only to see his father tremblingly raise his palm and slap him across the face.

Seeing his old father’s furious appearance and not daring to ask why, he quickly knelt down, repeatedly saying that this child knew his error and asking his father to punish him but not to harm his health with anger.

Seeing their father slapped by their grandfather—something that hadn’t happened in nearly sixty years—all the younger Yan family members behind him knelt down, asking the old ancestor to take care of his health and not damage it with anger.

“Zishan, the last time you got beaten was probably when you were fifteen and went to a brothel, wasn’t it?” Yan Zhitui said to his already seventy-plus-year-old son with a reminiscent look.

Yan Zishan’s old face reddened slightly as he lowered his head and said: “At that time this child was immature and foolish around, going to make trouble before my body was fully grown. Father’s punishment was deserved. I just never imagined that nearly sixty years later, I would again receive Father’s instruction. Looking across the entire Great Tang, who else at seventy-four years of age can still receive a father’s discipline? How many can obtain such fortune? This child only hopes such fortune can continue forever.”

Yan Zhitui paid no attention to his son’s comforting gesture. He picked up a huge potato from the low table on his own and said to Yan Zishan: “The Yan family venerates our ancestors but doesn’t believe in ghosts and spirits. Since our ancestor Yan Hui’s time, we’ve striven for excellence in learning—learning farming from old peasants, asking fishermen about water’s nature, seeking ultimate truth from beggars. We’ve never dared to be complacent. We don’t believe in ghosts and spirits, but we believe in facts. Zishan, what reason made you lose the courage to investigate the truth?”

“Who told you potatoes couldn’t produce twenty or thirty dan? Have you planted these things? On what basis do you disbelieve Yun Ye’s words? Relying solely on speculation, you made a judgment and treated a treasure of the realm as waste to feed pigs. What a blind Yan Zishan you are!”

Yan Zishan was greatly shocked. He raised his head to look at his father, only to see his father close his eyes with a defeated expression, the age spots on his head and face seeming even more prominent.

He could only turn his gaze to Yan Shou, who had gone out with his father. Old servant Yan Shou was the only servant in this room. Seeing the eldest young master looking at him, he answered: “The eldest young master thought wrongly. These potatoes truly yield twenty to thirty dan per mu. Today, this old servant accompanied the old master to the fields where potatoes were planted. We happened upon the Lantian County Magistrate harvesting potatoes. They were very meticulous—the measured mu of land indeed produced over three thousand jin. To determine the average yield, they measured another mu. The old master calculated that the difference in yield wasn’t great. All this was witnessed by the old master and this old servant with our own eyes—it cannot be wrong.”

When Yan Shou finished speaking, Yan Zishan was stunned. This impact was too great for him. He had continuously refuted the rumors of one mu producing twenty or thirty dan in front of everyone. The reason those families who had planted stayed silent was because they were waiting to see him make a great fool of himself. Laughably, he thought they had been refuted speechless by his arguments. He had been waiting to see how Yun Ye would handle the situation, when all along Yun Ye was waiting for him to lose face.

“This old man played the thief today, running to the Yun family’s crop fields to steal crops. Fortunately I succeeded. Look—this thing is called corn, also a new crop. It tastes sweet, and reportedly isn’t inferior to wheat in the slightest. But the yield is like heaven and earth in comparison. This old man estimated that one mu of land can produce at least five or six dan. This thing differs from potatoes—it’s true grain. If the Yan family fed potatoes to pigs, then so be it—our family won’t compete with pigs for food. But this corn was stolen by this old man. Since I stole it back, it belongs to our family. I asked about it—in another month the corn will mature. After it matures, this old man will go to the Yun estate again to steal some mature ones back. Next year we’ll plant more. This old man strives to live another year to watch this corn take root and sprout in the Yan family. Otherwise I won’t be able to close my eyes.”

“Father, it’s all this child’s self-righteousness that caused this great error. The matter of going to their door to request corn seeds—leave it to this child. No matter how difficult, this child will obtain them.”

Yan Zhitui touched his son’s face and said with a smile: “When has the Yan family ever bowed its head? Your face is still valuable—it cannot be easily damaged at the Yun estate. When an elder scolds a teenage youth, it’s because he thinks highly of him. Even if we’re wrong, our family won’t admit it. Your father has long since passed the stage of acting as he pleases. When I steal their corn, their guards still have to help this old man push the cart.”

“I’ve discovered a wonderful thing.” Yan Zhitui’s aged face was filled with childlike cunning. Yan Zishan’s heart cried out in alarm—whenever his father showed such a smile, earth-shattering statements were sure to follow.

After fully enjoying the knowing gazes of his juniors, Yan Zhitui finally said with great laughter: “This old man has discovered that being a thief is addictive! This successful theft has left this old man refreshed and invigorated. How can such a pleasant experience happen only once? The Yun estate needs to be visited several more times—that’s the proper way! Ha ha ha ha…”