Chapter 859: Lushan Academy

Translator: Atlas Studios    Editor: Atlas Studios

In the past, in the Yu Residence, Yu Youyao had taken care of Yu Shansi but also distanced herself from him. She did not expect that after leaving the capital, she would no longer have any grudges with Yu Shansi.

She smiled and asked, “Have you had breakfast?”

Yu Shansi subconsciously shook his head. “I only allowed half a day off, so…” I left for the Yu Garden at dawn.

“You can’t skip breakfast for a day. You have to be more careful in the future. Don’t tire yourself out.” Yu Youyao looked at Yu Shansi and instructed gently. After saying that, she instructed Chun Xiao, “Go to the small kitchen and see if there’s anything to eat. Bring some over.”

Xia Tao bowed and left.

Only the siblings were left in the reception pavilion. Yu Shansi quickly asked, “Is my Eldest Sister feeling better?”

Yu Youyao nodded. “I’m much better. I’ll be fine after recuperating a little more in the future.” At this point, she changed the topic. “You’ve been in the North for so long. Are you used to it?”

Yu Shansi also nodded. “The North is quite good. The Yue Fei’s Residence has also taken good care of me. I’m studying at the Lushan Academy now and living in a school building.”

Then, he chatted about many things in the academy.

The academy did not allow servants to be brought along. The students had to handle their daily lives themselves. Mr. Xian Yun and Mr. Hu Shan only conducted half a day of classes every day and taught as they pleased. They would teach whatever they thought of and stuck to the rules. How much they could learn depended on themselves.

There were no examinations in the academy, nor was there a competition for knowledge. However, every month, the teacher would bring the students out to travel for ten days. They would visit famous mountains and rivers, go to the small courtyards of farmers, engage in farming, and so on. After that, they would ask every student to submit a piece of homework or articles, paintings, music, calligraphy, and so on.

In the academy, not only did it teach Confucian classics, including the Four Books and Five Classics, as well as the Three Fundamental Bonds and Five Constant Virtues, but it also taught Taoism, Buddhism, and so on.

They taught preparatory literary studies, but they didn’t just teach this.

The academy was divided into the east courtyard and the west courtyard. The east courtyard provided systematic learning, but they did not require students to compare their knowledge.

The west courtyard taught military strategies and martial arts.

It could be said that the students were good at both civil and military matters.

Yu Youyao was deep in thought. It turned out that Mr. Xian Yun and Mr. Hu Shan had opened an academy in the North because of Yin Huaixi.

When it came to teaching, Yin Huaixi was the first to say, “The teaching content includes the Four Books and Five Classics, and the Three Principles and Five Changes, but it’s not restricted to Confucianism and Daoism.”

Out of the eight-part essay of the imperial examination, two questions were required to come from the Four Books and the Five Classics. The answers to the questions had to come from Zhu Xi’s Annotations to the Four Books and the Three Principles and Five Changes. Since the students had to argue based on the questions, the candidates’ freedom to explain was limited.

The range of questions and answers restricted the thoughts of the candidates. Therefore, in order to take the examination, the only books that the candidates could study mechanically were the Four Books and Five Classics, and the Three Principles and Five Changes.

If they studied the books mechanically, they would only be bookish.

The imperial examination was to choose outstanding talents in all aspects, not mediocre people who only took the examination for the sake of it.

The eight-part essay only contained foolish wisdom.

Only culture could enrich a person’s horizons, knowledge, and breadth of mind.

Looking at the past dynasties, the prosperity of culture also represented the prosperity of a dynasty.

She did not expect that in just three to four months, the academy had already done well. Yu Youyao smiled. “Are you able to keep up with your studies?”

Yu Shansi hesitated for a moment before saying, “My foundation is not bad. In addition, Mr. Hu Shan cares about his relationship with the Yu Residence and usually gives me a lot of guidance. I can still keep up.”

However, in the end, he was not as agile as his Big Brother and the others.

After entering the Lushan Academy, he realized that Mr. Xian Yun and Mr. Hu Shan were famous. Students from all over the country came to study, and it was difficult to enter the academy.

Although his foundation was not bad, he was still a little mediocre compared to the other students in the academy. It was all thanks to his Eldest Sister that he could enter the academy to study.

He recalled that in the past, when he was in the residence, every time his Third Sister asked him about his studies, she would say that she was encouraging him, but her eyes subconsciously revealed disappointment.

Thinking about it, His Big Sister would be very disappointed!

Yu Youyao smiled again. “Didn’t I give you a set of notes earlier? There’s a lot of logic in it. You should study more often and test it with your studies. I think you’ll gain something.”

Yin Huaixi had written the notes for her in the past. There were more than ten books, including the Four Books and Five Classics, Heavenly Works, and history books.

As everyone at home liked the books, she got someone to make a few copies and give them to her siblings.

Yu Youyao paused for a moment. “I sent you to Wushan Academy because Mr. Xian Yun and Mr. Hu Shan are very reasonable. It’s also good for you to learn from them and broaden your horizons. Your studies are your own. If you feel that you’ve benefited, you’ve learned.”

Hearing her sincere words and ordinary tone, Yu Shansi finally felt relieved. “Shansi has learned something.”

Yu Youyao tested his studies again. The questions she set weren’t too difficult, but they often seemed tricky. He needed to apply what he had learned, integrate them, and change flexibly before he could answer.

Yu Shansi was not fluent in answering, but he was still commendable. It was obvious that his foundation was indeed solid.

Yu Youyao was quite satisfied and subconsciously smiled.

This also made Yu Shansi feel relieved.

Next, the two of them chatted about the recent situation.

Yu Youyao told her about what she had seen and heard along the way from Quanzhou to Xiangping City.

Yu Shansi had also mentioned that earlier, the teacher had brought the students to the countryside to help plow. They had gone to look at the sweet potato seedlings, watched the breeding of silkworm eggs, and so on.

After that, Yu Shansi couldn’t help but ask, “Big Sister, I don’t know.” He stammered and lowered his head uneasily. Even his voice became much softer. “How’s the capital?”

Yu Youyao put down her teacup and did not hide anything. “The capital is still the same. The Yu Residence is fine. Previously, there was news from the clan that Yu Zongzheng had raised the status of Concubine Jiang to his wife. Our Third Sister is praying for our Grandmother in the clan’s nunnery. Our Father takes good care of her and often sends some expensive medicinal herbs and supplements to nourish her body.”

If she did not do anything wrong, she was not afraid of ghosts knocking on her door. She felt that she was worthy of anyone in the Yu Residence, so she could naturally mention it calmly.

Her grandmother did not deliberately hide everything that had happened in the residence from Yu Shansi. Yu Shansi was also at the age where he could tell right from wrong, so she would not bother to explain anything.

She would only be the eldest daughter of the first wife, a woman of a noble family, and a sister.

It was just right.

No more, no less.

Her conscience was clear.

That was all.

The grudge between her, Yu Jianjia, and Yang Shuwan had nothing to do with Yu Shansi, so she would not vent her anger on him. Whatever Yu Shansi thought was not within her plan, so she would not care.

Although she had brought Yu Shansi to the North because she “sympathized” with him and couldn’t bear to see his life ruined at such a young age, most of it was to communicate with her and the Yu Clan and show them that although she had returned to her mother’s clan, she still cared about the Yu Clan.

This way, they could all be related to the clan, and outsiders would not guess anything.

Perhaps some people would find it unreasonable.

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