Chapter 865: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 865: The Announcement of the Civil Examination Results (3)
Xin'er, feeling a little embarrassed, stuck out her tongue and whispered, "I was just joking, not really complaining. I still remember those hard days we went through!"
Mo Yan's expression softened upon hearing this. "Just remember, no matter how much better our lives get, we must never be wasteful. Think about how difficult it is to grow those grains—it's the farmers' hard work and sweat that make it possible."
"Yes, I understand!" Xin'er nodded earnestly and finished the remaining half of the cake, appreciating the sweet flavor of the flour.
Sheng'er, who had been listening quietly, nodded her little head and said in a soft voice, "Sister Yan, Sheng'er remembers it too."
"That's right, our Sheng'er is the most obedient!" Mo Yan praised, unable to resist pinching Sheng'er's chubby little round face.
In the blink of an eye, the little girl had been with the Mo family for two years. Because she had been so well protected by them, the dark days of her early life were slowly fading from her memory. She had always been a gentle and quiet child, and as she grew, she was bound to become a graceful and gentle lady.
While there was nothing wrong with being a lady, Mo Yan still hoped that this younger sister would be a bit stronger. After all, soft and delicate flowers were the ones most easily taken advantage of.
Mo Qingze, sipping his tea, looked fondly at his three daughters, his eyes filled with deep affection.
The family of four enjoyed their time together when suddenly, five or six young scholars came up to the Mo family's tea table and stood respectfully. They greeted Mo Yan and Mo Qingze with deep bows: "Greetings, County Princess, and greetings, Master Mo."
The Mo family was surprised that anyone recognized them and came over to greet them. They froze for a moment. After a brief pause, Mo Qingze stood up and returned the greeting, politely asking, "May I ask what brings you, gentlemen, to seek out Mo?"
The six men were all young, no older than twenty-five or twenty-six. Among them, two were from the capital, and the other four were scholars from the Jiangnan region. Their primary reason for approaching the Mo family was to get familiar with them. If they could make an acquaintance with the renowned Mo Qingze, it would be an unexpected benefit.
After the Taihe Hall examination, some people had tried to inquire about Mo Qingze's whereabouts, hoping to visit and ask for his guidance. However, despite their efforts, all they could learn was that Mo Qingze was from the capital and lived in a village on the outskirts of the capital. Any further details seemed to have been deliberately erased.
Some of them, with their connections, even went to the government office to inquire about Mo's household registration, but they were told there was an official order preventing the release of any information about the Mo family.
When this news spread, the scholars began to realize that the Mo family had powerful backing and did not want anyone visiting them. They speculated that the person behind them might even be the Crown Prince. Believing they had discovered the truth, the scholars no longer dared to inquire privately.
But even if they had gathered information, what good would it do if the Mo family’s doors were always closed to visitors? They could not just force their way in.
Now, seeing that Mo Qingze didn’t seem to carry any air of arrogance, the six scholars immediately relaxed. One of them cupped his hands and, with some excitement, said, "Master Mo, we have admired you for a long time since the Taihe Hall examination. We’ve been unable to meet you until now. Today, we are fortunate enough to encounter you and wanted to pay our respects. We hope you won’t mind."
Mo Qingze, hearing this, paused for a moment, then humbly replied, "I am but a person of shallow learning. You are too kind in your praise."
The scholars, seeing his humble response, felt even more favorably towards him and continued to flatter him. "Master Mo’s talents are obvious for all to see, and your humility is something we all should aspire to."
"Indeed, Master Mo’s performance during the Taihe Hall examination is still vivid in our minds. If it weren’t for today’s special circumstances, we would certainly have asked you for advice."
"Yes, yes! Hearing just one of your words is worth more than ten years of study. It's a pity we’ve never had the chance to approach you before!"
(End of Chapter)
No comments: