“Brother, I want to go to school.” Daya raised her head and said this sentence with absolute determination, which startled Yun Ye. This wasn’t China fourteen hundred years later, and Daya wasn’t a dropout child unable to attend school due to poverty. She had a teacher—a white-bearded, seventy-year-old Confucian scholar.
“Aren’t you attending classes? Isn’t Master Songyuan teaching you well? He’s a good teacher I specially invited from Chang’an for you. Haven’t you always enjoyed attending Master Songyuan’s classes?”
“The teacher says I’m intelligent and talented, and he has nothing more to teach me. In a few days he’ll request to resign from brother. That way I’ll have no teacher. Brother, I really love studying. Please let me attend classes at the academy, all right?”
For the first time, Daya pulled on Yun Ye’s sleeve and shook it back and forth, acting coquettishly. This sort of thing had always been Xiao Ya and the others’ exclusive privilege—Daya had never done it before.
“All right, all right. Brother’s getting dizzy. Let brother sit down and we’ll discuss this matter slowly. Aren’t there still Runniang, Xiao Ya, and the four directions girls? Does Master Songyuan also have nothing left to teach them?”
He felt somewhat displeased in his heart. As a teacher, you must teach good students, but you must also teach poor students. You can’t pick and choose. If all teachers were like you, wouldn’t all students be left to run wild? How could they make any progress?
“Sister Runniang has never attended classes. Xiao Ya always runs away—I can’t catch her. Xiao Dong counts money all day. Xiao Nan tinkers with food all day. Xiao Xi and Xiao Bei follow the guards practicing martial arts. I’m the only one attending classes.”
In order to attend school, Daya finally revealed the truth about class attendance. So that was it. This matter was probably also approved by Grandmother. The old lady didn’t like girls attending classes, always saying it was useless for girls to study. In the future, if their learning was too good, it would embarrass their husband’s family. Knowing how to read was enough; being able to write letters counted as qualified. Her grandson was too clever—if the girls were equally clever, it would provoke Heaven’s jealousy, and who knew what calamities might descend. So as long as those girls reached the level of being able to write letters, she didn’t care and let them run wild. Daya loved studying, so she had persisted all along, until the scholar Wen Songyuan had taught all he could and had to stop.
“Yun San, call all the young ladies of the household here for me. I have questions to ask.” Yun Ye was very angry. Having just emerged from illiteracy, one by one they were unwilling to attend classes. This was the Yun Family’s disgrace. Other matters could be forgiven, but this matter alone could not be tolerated. Yun Ye understood too clearly what kind of influence a knowledgeable mother would have on her children. He absolutely didn’t want the next generation of the Yun Family to become stupider with each generation, until they all ended up wiping their noses and herding sheep. If that was the outcome, why was he even establishing an academy?
The sisters entered one by one. Originally giggling and pushing each other, when they saw Yun Ye’s stern face, they quieted down one by one. Even the most mischievous Xiao Ya obediently stood there without making a sound.
“Who gave you permission not to attend classes? Didn’t I explain all the reasons to you? Why are you still so thoughtlessly fooling around? Runniang, you’re the eldest among them. You speak.”
Unknowingly, Yun Ye’s voice began to become severe. This was something the sisters had never experienced before. In the past, their brother always spoke to them in a soft, gentle voice. Now there was suddenly a huge contrast, which was somewhat hard to accept. Looking at how they trembled fearfully, especially with Xiao Ya’s tears already spinning in her eyes, Yun Ye felt somewhat softhearted. But thinking of the consequences, he could only steel his heart and continue questioning.
“Brother, Grandmother said girls don’t need to understand too much. Being able to read and write letters is enough.” Runniang said boldly.
“Grandmother is getting on in years—these ideas are outdated. Able to write and read letters? How is that different from an illiterate rustic? My Yun Family will not produce wastrels. Girls must also be proficient in poetry and prose, comprehend worldly affairs. This time I’ll forgive you. From now on, you must study diligently and not be negligent. Every three days I will examine your coursework. Runniang, you’re not allowed to run wild to the Qin household anymore. You’re a grown girl now—you must know restraint. Xiao Ya is not permitted to cause trouble in the marketplace anymore. Xiao Xi and Xiao Bei are also not allowed to practice martial arts. Only after catching up on your studies can you continue. Xiao Dong, if I see you fiddling with that money jar again, I’ll confiscate it. Xiao Nan is also not allowed to tinker with food. Devote yourselves to learning. Rather than saying you all made mistakes this time, I should say that I, as your brother, haven’t cared enough about you.”
“Education is a lifelong matter. Right now it seems useless, but in the future you’ll know the difference between having learning and not having it. You will all become wives and mothers in the future. If you’re all unreasonable, how will you assist your husbands and educate your children? How will you manage household affairs? Not knowing anything while having vast family wealth—how long can that last? Remember, no matter who you marry in the future or what kind of life you lead, you must remember the importance of education. This concerns the great matter of your children and grandchildren. There cannot be the slightest carelessness. Do you understand?”
The sisters all responded quietly. Seeing they had all acknowledged it, Yun Ye relaxed his stern face. Xiao Ya burst into wails and threw herself into Yun Ye’s arms, crying heartbrokenly. The other girls also surrounded Yun Ye crying. Daya felt terribly guilty.
Holding and comforting the younger ones, he said to Yiniang: “During this time you also need to learn how to manage the household. With your sister-in-law away, you must take charge. Consult well with Steward Qian—these are all very important matters. You must also supervise your sisters’ studies. Actually, I feel I’ve been most unfair to you. There’s still time now—learn what you can.”
“If Daya hadn’t brought up wanting to attend school today, it would have harmed you all for life. I’m not qualified as the family head. Only caring about the academy and the court, I’ve neglected you all. It’s brother’s fault.”
“Brother is the best brother in the world. We’re just too lazy, only thinking about playing instead of studying. It won’t happen again. We’ll earnestly seek instruction from Master Songyuan.” Yiniang also said to Yun Ye through tears.
At this moment, white-bearded Master Wen Songyuan paced in with measured steps. The old gentleman had one characteristic—he never hurried on his way. Even if a house caught fire, he would remain unhurried and composed. He paid great attention to self-cultivation. According to Old Qian, Master Wen’s hair was always combed neatly. Though there wasn’t much of it, it appeared very spirited.
“Master Songyuan, these past days I have been negligent, causing the master’s coursework to be unable to proceed. This is my fault. I hope the master won’t blame me. I have also disciplined these unworthy sisters. I beg the master to consider their ignorance and teach them anew.”
Master Wen swept his eyes over the girls and stroked his beard, saying: “Teaching is this old man’s duty. How dare I refuse? Naturally I’ll follow the Marquis’s orders. However, this old man has already imparted all his knowledge to your household’s eldest young lady Daya. This child is intelligent and talented, able to draw inferences from one instance. This old man is ashamed—my learning is shallow, and I can no longer teach this child, lest I mislead the young.”
The old gentleman still held favorable feelings toward the Yun Family. The family style was simple and honest. Although the young ladies didn’t enjoy studying, they were still well-behaved good children who treated him, their teacher, with great respect. Women’s education had never been valued anyway. The Yun Family being like this was already a rare enlightened household, so he never asked whether the children attended classes or not.
“From now on, I hope the master will teach them strictly, treating them just like boys. Punishments like the disciplinary ruler—the Yun Family won’t mind. Please feel free to act as you see fit, master. Since Daya has already graduated from the master’s instruction, please provide a letter of recommendation so I can find her a new teacher.”
Master Wen naturally nodded repeatedly. Teaching girls like boys would be much easier. You must know that girls feared punishment even more than boys. This way, his classes would be taught much more easily.
Yun Ye truly had no way to judge learning. He could only take Daya to the academy and ask Master Li Gang to examine her to see what level she had actually reached. Three years—could a little girl really empty out an old Confucian scholar’s belly of learning? Yun Ye somewhat disbelieved it.
Li Gang was also very curious. However, out of regard for the reality that the Yun Family only produced prodigies, he and Master Yushan cheerfully examined Daya for over an hour. Fortunately, Daya was familiar with Li Gang and Master Yushan, so she was somewhat natural. If it had been other teachers, embarrassment alone would probably have left her unable to speak a word.
After the examination concluded, Yun Ye waited for the old gentleman’s evaluation. Who knew Li Gang would wave his hand and ask Yun Ye: “How many more prodigies like this does your Yun Family have? If there’s one two years younger, how about betrothing her to my little grandson?”
“I don’t know. The rest only care about playing around—can’t tell yet. If your little grandson has the ability, let him go find one at the Yun household himself. I won’t object. Though I estimate your little grandson will die miserably at their hands.”
“Then it’s settled. My grandson is no ordinary person either. In a few days he’ll come to the academy to study. If he really does entice away one of your Yun Family girls, this old man takes no responsibility.”
The old fellow was living extremely comfortably now. His son Li Shaozhi was naturally dull and incompetent—just not cut out for the bureaucracy. With his father supporting him, he stubbornly remained in his Guanzhou hometown in Hebei as a deputy magistrate. As Li Gang grew older, Yun Ye simply used military connections to transfer him to Chang’an for a post, with his official rank also slightly promoted by one grade. This was according to Li Gang’s instructions—he knew very well what kind of person his son was. He could handle being a sixth-rank minor official, but if placed in a position of independent authority, he would definitely cause problems. Following his instructions, he was placed in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices as a supernumerary official.
Li Gang had long despaired of his son, but toward his youngest grandson Li Anren, he showed exceptional affection. This year the boy was only eleven years old. According to Li Gang’s own boasting, he had a photographic memory. Whether this was true or not was unknown, but it certainly verified that strange cycle of one strong generation followed by one weak generation. Yushan also liked Daya. Supported by Daya as he left the room, he was all smiles, continuously praising how the Yun Family would produce another talented woman like Xie Daoyun. Back in his day, it was because Xinyue wasn’t by his side—if she had grown up beside him, she wouldn’t be inferior to Daya. This made Li Gang and Yun Ye laugh heartily, directly saying Master Yushan was thoroughly jealous.
Master Yuanzhang finished his class, held his teapot and took a sip. After asking why everyone was laughing, he casually asked Daya a few questions and said: “If your brother didn’t have the knowledge transmitted by those extraordinary people, he wouldn’t be worthy of carrying your shoes.”
These old fellows were advanced in years and had long seen through worldly affairs. They most loved watching the young people’s playfulness, turned deaf ears to court matters, locked themselves in ivory towers, lived leisurely lives, studied learning they enjoyed, and wrote a few strokes whenever inspired. Naturally disciples would compile them into volumes and print them as books. For them, newly printed books fragrant with ink were their greatest love.
The academy was full of eccentric people obsessed with books, who only knew how to teach and educate. Two years ago they still had thoughts of making their way in official careers, but who knew that after staying at the academy for a long time, they forgot their original intentions one by one and fell in love with this place. Being an official might not earn more respect than being a teacher at the academy.
Fortunately, Yun Ye had found Xu Jingzong. This fellow who loved power faced countless documents awaiting approval every day, suffering yet happy. Whenever he had leisure time, he always had a feeling of being manipulated by others lingering throughout his entire body.