Jia Zheng is a good person

The servant who pushed over the Bu family earlier was seriously injured, with two broken ribs.

The Jia family later hired a doctor to examine him, and then gave him ten taels of silver before sending him and his family far away to their estate outside the capital.

Before leaving the mansion, when questioned by Lai Da and the others, the servant insisted that he had been bewitched and couldn't stand Jia Yun showing off, and that no one had instructed him to do so.

This explanation might not be entirely believed by discerning people, but since the aggrieved party, Madam Bu, was unharmed, Jia Yun did not pursue the matter further, and the matter was thus concluded.

However, after this incident, Jia Yun's "reputation" for breaking bones and injuring people with a single blow that day spread like wildfire among the servants and even the collateral relatives of the Ning and Rong mansions.

In the past, people only knew him as a bright student who was good at reading and getting things done.

Only now do I realize that Master Yun, who lives in the west corridor, is actually a skilled martial artist! Moreover, he's a ruthless character who dared to fight in front of the matriarch for his mother!

Those who might have looked down on them in the past because of their orphanage and poverty, or who tried to take advantage of them, now greeted Madam Bu with utmost respect and courtesy, calling her "Aunt Bu" or "Fifth Sister-in-law," and dared not show her the slightest disrespect.

When has Mr. Bu ever received such treatment?

At first, I was a little anxious, but seeing my son's calm demeanor and increasingly composed manner, I gradually felt at ease.

She touched the thick cotton quilt and silver charcoal that her son had added to the house, and looked out at the window that no longer let in any draft. She was filled with emotion and thought to herself, "The ancients said, 'A mother's status rises with her son's,' and it's true... My Yun-ge'er has really grown up."

After the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, the festive atmosphere eased a bit, and Jia Zheng indeed began to focus on Jia Yun's studies.

On this day, he personally led Jia Yun, prepared six gifts as a form of formality, and solemnly went to the south of the city to visit a learned old scholar surnamed Du.

This person once served as a Doctor at the Imperial Academy, and was indeed very learned, but he was somewhat aloof.

When they arrived at Mr. Du's elegant but somewhat desolate study, the old gentleman was initially very polite, seeing that it was Mr. Zheng of the Rongguo Mansion who had personally introduced them.

He stroked his gray beard and asked Jia Yun gently what books he usually read and what his thoughts were.

Seeing the old gentleman's friendly attitude, Jia Zheng felt somewhat relieved and answered on his behalf: "Sir, this is a young man from my family named Jia Yun. He is eager to learn and is preparing to take the imperial examination next year. I hope that you will not hesitate to give him your guidance and help him improve."

Mr. Du's gaze swept over Jia Yun carefully.

Although his clothes were somewhat worn, they were washed clean. Moreover, he was composed and handled matters with grace, and there was a rare tranquility between his brows.

So the gentleman asked with a smile, "May I ask which branch of your household you are, sir? Judging from your bearing, you are not like an ordinary young man."

Jia Yun felt a slight tightness in his chest, but still respectfully replied truthfully: "In response to your question, sir, my family lives in the west corridor. We are of the same clan as the Ning and Rong families, but... I am ashamed to say that although we share the same lineage as the two Dukes of Rong and Ning, we are descendants of a collateral cousin, and our blood ties have become distant."

"West corridor? Beyond the fifth degree of mourning?" Mr. Du's smile visibly faded.

His body, which had been leaning slightly forward, slowly leaned back, returning to the wide back of the chair. Even the hand that was stroking his beard slowed down, taking on a casual air.

Mr. Du simply gave a curt "Oh," his tone instantly becoming distant and polite: "I see. Alas, to my shame, my energy has been declining in recent years, and my hearing and eyesight are failing. I rarely take on students anymore, for fear of misleading them."

Moreover, the path to the imperial examinations ultimately depends on one's own diligence. Without a solid foundation, even the most renowned teachers' daily guidance will be futile. Since you, my esteemed friend, have resolved to pursue your studies, in my humble opinion, you must diligently and earnestly work on the Four Books and Five Classics. A deep foundation is the only proper way forward.”

What followed were nothing but empty words of encouragement like "Aim high" and "Work hard," with not a single word touching on the fundamentals of learning, let alone the matter of taking on disciples.

Jia Yun understood completely.

This is because the other party immediately looked down on him upon learning that he was not a direct descendant of the Rong and Ning families, but merely an insignificant collateral branch.

Jia Zheng, standing to the side, had a face that was a mixture of red and green.

He had meant well with the intention of mentoring younger generations, but he never expected that this renowned old scholar would be so snobbish, blatantly judging people based on their status. This was a slap in the face to him.

Jia Zheng suppressed his anger, not wanting Jia Yun to suffer this invisible humiliation any longer. So he immediately stood up, exchanged a few polite but indifferent words, and then took Jia Yun to leave.

On the way back to the manor, the carriage rumbled along.

Jia Zheng felt a tightness in his chest.

He glanced sideways at the young man beside him, who, despite his setback, still stood tall. He recalled the young man's talent and spirit in the mansion a few days ago, and compared it with Mr. Du's shallowness and snobbery. He felt both angry and sorry for him.

He reached out and patted Jia Yun's slightly thin shoulder heavily, saying gently, "Good child, don't take this to heart, and don't be discouraged. It's better not to worship such people who are all talk and no action! In the pursuit of knowledge, the key is to study diligently on your own. Famous teachers are certainly helpful, but they are not a necessity."

Come with me to Wenhua Studio, where I'll pick out some fine writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, and also have two decent new outfits made. Remember, whatever you need for your exams, your family will never lack anything!

Jia Yun felt a sudden warmth in his heart, and most of his gloom dissipated. He bowed deeply, his voice trembling with a barely perceptible sob: "Grandson... thanks Master Zheng!"

Jia Zheng was even more pleased to see that he remained calm in the face of both honor and disgrace.

After finishing his business and returning to his residence, he did not immediately send Jia Yun back, but instead took her to his study, which was filled with books.

He then ordered his servant to brew some fine tea and had Jia Yun sit down. He himself paced in front of the rows of bookshelves, sometimes picking up a book to read a few pages, and sometimes pondering for a moment.

Finally, Jia Zheng selected several books, including the meticulously annotated "Collected Annotations on the Four Books," a selection of essays by former top scholars, and even several notes on his reading of history in his youth.

"Yun-ge'er, come here." Jia Zheng solemnly placed the books in Jia Yun's hands. "These books are useless to me now, but you should take them and study them carefully. There are some annotations in them that may give you some inspiration. If you have any questions about learning, you can always come and ask me."

Jia Zheng's actions showed that he regarded Jia Yun as a promising nephew, treating him almost as well as his grandson Jia Lan.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Jia Yun bowed deeply once more, saying, "Your Excellency's kindness is truly appreciated; I will certainly work diligently and strive to live up to your expectations!"

He looked at the composed young man before him with satisfaction, but a new plan suddenly formed in his mind.

"Yun-ge'er," Jia Zheng pondered for a moment, then stroked his beard and said, "In a few days, I'll take you to meet Li Jijiu—your brother Zhu's father-in-law. He's been at the Imperial Academy for many years, and his students are all outstanding. He must know some truly talented teachers who don't care about social status."

Jia Yun quickly bowed and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Master Zheng."

Jia Zheng sighed softly, his expression somber: "I didn't want to trouble my in-laws. But thinking of how your brother Zhu passed away so young, I always feel guilty towards Li Wan."

He paused, then continued in a low voice, "Now that I have to beg him for your education, I feel even more guilty."

The two then engaged in another round of testing and instruction. An uninformed outsider might have mistaken it for a scene of filial piety and parental love.

Meanwhile, the more satisfied Jia Zheng was with Jia Yun, the more he couldn't help but compare him to someone else. The more he compared them, the more his anger rose up – it was his precious son Bao Yu, who was born with a jade in his mouth.

Just then, a maid came to report: "Master, Second Master Bao has come to pay his respects."

Baoyu was simply going through the motions.

To everyone's surprise, upon entering, they saw Jia Zheng sitting there with a sullen face, with Jia Yun, who had just been preparing to take his leave, standing beside him.

When Jia Zheng saw Bao Yu's languid face, and thought of his usual dislike of reading books and spending his time in the inner chambers, he was immediately filled with rage.

She immediately stood up, pointed at Baoyu, and began to scold him sternly: "You good-for-nothing brat! Look at Yun-ge'er! He comes from a lower social class than you, yet he knows how to strive for self-improvement and study diligently! And look at you! You spend your days playing and fooling around, knowing nothing about officialdom or economics. How will you support your family in the future? I don't think you're even as good as one of Yun-ge'er's fingers!"

Caught off guard, Baoyu was once again subjected to a barrage of insults. Seeing Jia Yun present, he blushed with embarrassment but dared not refute her.

He could only hang his head and avoid everyone, feeling extremely wronged, but he could only hope that this torment would pass quickly.

Taking advantage of his father's turn as he paced around, Baoyu secretly glanced at Jia Yun.

The other person's face was calm, his eyes were clear, and he showed no sign of smugness, which made Baoyu feel even worse.

Just then, a servant announced from outside the door: "Sister Yuanyang from the old lady's room has arrived."

As they were talking, Yuanyang came in carrying a brocade pouch and said with a smile, "Master, the old lady asked me to give this to you."