At the foot of the mountain, Cyan Mountain Village.
The sky was just getting light, and a young boy hurriedly opened the door.
"Chang Qing, don't rush off, here are two wild eggs, take them to eat on the road."
A middle-aged man, whose figure was slightly hunched and had strands of silver in his hair, stuffed two eggs into the boy's hand.
"Dad, Mom isn't well, it's better for mom to eat them, I'm not hungry."
Su Changqing looked at the eggs in his hands, swallowed, but still handed them back.
"Cough, cough, silly boy, Mom's already eaten, take these and eat on the road, how can you study on an empty stomach."
A woman walked out of the house, looked at the boy kindly, and gently touched the boy's head.
"Dad, Mom, I will study hard!"
After a moment of silence, Su Changqing nodded heavily, took the eggs, and ran off like the wind towards the distant foot of the mountain.
The couple amiably watched Su Changqing go off into the distance, only relaxing after he was out of sight.
"Can't see him anymore, right?"
"Yeah, he's out of the village, shouldn't be able to see him."
"Ah, pretending is so exhausting for me..."
With a flicker of light, the woman who had just been unwell and coughing became rosy-cheeked.
A noble aura emanated from her very bones, making her appear dignified and graceful.
'Ye Shu' turned to look at the villager beside her, shook her head amusedly, and said:
"The dignified Great Emperor's family patriarch, the Su family patriarch is pretending to be an old man here, people would laugh to death if they knew."
The middle-aged man who had just been hunched gradually straightened his back, his figure was tall and powerful, merely standing there seemed to tread the heavens underfoot.
'Su Nan' grumbled at the words: "You think I wanted to?"
"Unless you want Chang Qing to turn out like his older brothers? One is rebellious, the other arrogant, are either of them material for a Young Master?"
"This time, I let Chang Qing start from the bottom, casting aside the family background, to endure hardships, he absolutely must not become a wastrel!"
Ye Shu sighed in response.
For this youngest son, Su Nan was truly ruthless, moving to Cyan Mountain Village as soon as Chang Qing was born.
Or rather, they established Cyan Mountain Village, because the entire village was composed of Su family members.
They pretended to be mountain villagers, working at sunrise and resting at sunset.
And they maintained this act for eighteen years; during these eighteen years, they neither taught Chang Qing cultivation nor knowledge.
It was purely to shape his character and set proper perspectives.
It wasn't until two days ago, when Chang Qing came of age, that Su Nan paid a huge price to invite a teacher for him.
The contemporary Confucian Immortal, Li Qingchen!
"I've heard that Mr. Li is extremely strict in teaching, will Chang Qing be able to handle it?"
Recalling that leader of literary arts, Ye Shu voiced her worry.
"Being strict is good, that way he won't become complacent. I've told the teacher not to give him special treatment, the stricter the better."
Su Nan laughed confidently: "Besides, how easy is it to take a teacher as one's mentor?"
"Just watch, in a moment Chang Qing will come back dejected, I've already discussed it with Mr. Li, to accept him only after he tries three times."
"This way, Chang Qing will cherish the hard-won opportunity more and will study diligently."
Having failed twice in education before, Su Nan had made thorough preparations this time.
"Chang Qing shouldn't have a problem studying, he... is very smart, when I taught him to read, he remembered in just one go," Ye Shu said hesitantly.
Over the years, although they did not teach Chang Qing other knowledge, basic literacy and writing were still learned.
She recalled that Chang Qing learned very quickly then, um... extremely quickly.
Su Nan waved nonchalantly, smiling with confidence:
"Heh, no problem? That is the contemporary Confucian Immortal, just watch, Chang Qing will be back by noon..."
...
On the trail of the Cyan Mountain.
In coarse linen garments, Su Changqing raced on, facing the morning light.
Villagers who were up early to the fields, seeing Su Changqing, greeted him with smiles.
Only after Su Changqing ran off did they gradually put down their farming tools and began discussing quietly.
"Why is the Young Master up so early today? Did the Patriarch make a new arrangement?"
"You don't know? The Patriarch invited a teacher from the Central State yesterday to be the Young Master's enlightenment teacher."
"Huh? Who could warrant our Patriarch's invitation? That's a big deal!"
"Heh, heh, the Grand Master of the Sacred Academy of the Central State, the Confucian Immortal Li Qingchen, is that qualified enough?"
"Hiss... it's enough, enough, to have the leader of literary arts as his enlightenment teacher... the Patriarch really pulled out all the stops."
Everyone was amazed, Li Qingchen's fame was intimidatingly large.
Among the vast literary scholars across five domains and ten countries, only Mr. Li has ever been honored with the title of Confucian Immortal.
He was the leader of the literary path, a formidable person who could shake the whole literary world with a stamp of his foot.
Yet unexpectedly, such a figure was just the enlightenment teacher for the Young Master.
"If for an enlightenment teacher, they invite a Confucian Immortal, who would the Patriarch invite once the Young Master starts cultivation?"
A robust man murmured, and failed to restrain his aura, causing the surrounding space to emit a wailing sound.
"Dad, I also want to study."
A young boy beside the robust man looked up, gazing longingly at the man.
"Study my foot! Do you think your old man is a quasi-emperor too!"
The robust man glared, and the boy quickly shrank his neck and ran off.
"Tch, if I can't study then I won't, I'll just have the Young Master teach me."
The boy muttered under his breath, and with one step, he was already a hundred zhang away.
...
Unaware of the discussions behind him, Su Changqing continued on.
On his way, he carefully took a bite of the precious egg, eyes showing determination.
"I've been here for eighteen years, and I don't even know what dynasty it is."
"This time the village finally has an old scholar who failed the exams, I must not miss this learning opportunity!"
No one knew, at the age of ten, he remembered memories from a previous life.
Whether it was a dream or a reincarnation, in any case, it is a great fortune.
With the experiences and knowledge of another lifetime, couldn't he easily change the course of this life?
However, Cyan Mountain Village was too secluded, with only a dozen households, remote from other villages or towns, even the dynasty it was in was unknown.
But now the opportunity had finally arrived!
A few days ago, an old scholar who failed the exams came to the village, his father earnestly pleaded and spent the family fortune to secure a chance for learning for him.
"Mom and Dad, rest assured, I will not let down your expectations!"
Thinking of his parents, who had worked hard all their lives, Su Changqing's eyes softened.
This life's family, although not wealthy, had extremely good parents.
They weren't highly educated, knew little of life's principles, and weren't physically strong, but they highly valued his education.
Even small matters often led him to the right values and life perspective.
Especially this time, the news of the old scholar coming was known throughout the village, even the neighboring Brother Er Niu cried to attend but was directly beaten until his leg was broken by his father.
Yet his parents were extremely supportive, not only spending all their resources but also pleading earnestly for a long time.
For a couple born and raised in the mountains all their lives, having such recognition was truly rare.
In any way, whether for himself or not to let his parents' efforts and expectations go in vain, this time, he must succeed in becoming an apprentice!
"Huh..."
Before long, a wooden house at the foot of the mountain came clearly into view.
Su Changqing took a deep breath, his expression turned solemn; he adjusted his disheveled sleeves and slowly approached the door, bowed respectfully, and spoke gently,
"Student Su Changqing, here to seek study."