35: Chapter 35 Teachings

Seeing this, Ye Tianhao and Ye Tianyao both subconsciously held their breath.

They were terrified of startling these bright-feathered Mountain Delicacy Chickens. The birds pecked at the rice in Ye Jing's palm with light, swift movements, occasionally glancing up at him with eyes that showed none of their previous fear.

Ye Jing smiled and said to his two grandchildren, "This is the first step of domestication—letting the beasts lower their guard around you. Once we move on to penning them, our family will be able to raise quite a few of these Mountain Delicacy Chickens!"

Ye Tianyao's face was full of surprise. "Grandpa, does that mean we can eat Mountain Delicacy Chicken every day from now on?"

"You little foodie..." Ye Jing sighed helplessly.

At that moment, the curious Ye Tianhao frowned and asked, "Grandpa, what if we encounter fierce beasts that refuse to be domesticated no matter what?"

"Well..."

"I know!" Ye Tianyao suddenly jumped up and said with innocent directness, "If they won't listen, just kill them!"

As soon as she said this, Ye Jing gasped, and even Ye Tianhao looked at his sister in disbelief.

As Ye Tianyao's cheerful words settled, even the wind in the forest seemed to pause for a moment. The Mountain Delicacy Chickens in Ye Jing's palm seemed startled by the sudden movement; they flapped their wings twice but quickly settled back down to continue pecking at the food.

This decisive, ruthless streak was exactly like his eldest son, Ye Xuan. Ye Jing felt a cold sweat of helplessness.

Once the golden spirit rice was finished, the Mountain Delicacy Chickens spread their wings and left.

This made Ye Jing quite annoyed. He didn't know how much of his golden spirit rice these chickens had eaten, yet they still came when there was food and left when there was none.

If they really couldn't be tamed, he might as well do as Yaoer said—catch them all, kill them, and sell them for money.

After taking his two grandchildren down the mountain, Ye Jing noticed Zhang Youqiang sitting by the edge of the fields. He was propping up his chin with a miserable expression, still looking at Ye Jing with distaste.

Ye Jing ignored him and walked straight home.

Zhang Youqiang let out a sigh and muttered to himself, "Just who is selling that golden spirit rice?! They've gotten me scolded!"

Ever since the golden spirit rice appeared, the powerful and wealthy in the county seat had been clamoring for it. This had drawn the attention of the Tang Family, and Zhang He had been ordered by them to find the source of the rice.

But how was a landlord like Zhang He supposed to know where to find such rice?

In his frustration, he had given Zhang Youqiang a thorough tongue-lashing.

This left Zhang Youqiang extremely depressed.

He couldn't grow golden spirit rice himself, so what was the point of just worrying here!

"Zhang He, what's so great about you? Just because you've sucked up to the Tang Family?" Zhang Youqiang cursed indignantly. "Scolding me like that! Dammit! You're just a lackey!"

"Hey, have you heard? The Ye family really did buy new land. Five mu all at once, and they're already farming it!"

"No way, has the Ye family really become that rich?"

"Old Man Ye is impressive!"

At that moment, several Liu Village villagers passed by, talking in amazement. Zhang Youqiang heard every single word.

His eyes widened in disbelief. He walked up to the villagers and questioned them harshly: "Ye Jing bought land?! Is that true?"

The two villagers were startled by Zhang Youqiang's intensity. Seeing his fierce expression, one of them said tremblingly, "Yes... it's true. We didn't believe it at first either, but I saw the Ye family members out there farming it!"

"Impossible! Old Man Ye's family is so poor, how could they afford land?!" Zhang Youqiang asked skeptically.

"We don't know about that. Maybe he made a lot of money hunting on the mountain?" The Liu Village villagers didn't know either.

Zhang Youqiang felt it was absurd. He was a hunter by trade; if hunting was that profitable, wouldn't everyone become a hunter? Why bother farming?

Though he found it strange, he had no clues. He let the two villagers go and could only curse under his breath as he continued to guard his own few mu of fields.

Returning home, Ye Jing saw several children with satchels walking past the courtyard gate, talking and laughing.

Ye Jing saw that these children seemed to be going to the private school. Generally, when children in the village reached the age of six, they could attend the school.

There was a scholar in the village, an old Xiucai who had repeatedly failed the imperial examinations. Disheartened, he had become a teacher in the village. As long as one paid the tuition gift, they could enroll.

Previously, Ye Jing's family was destitute and couldn't afford the money, so his two sons had started farming early and were completely illiterate.

Now that the family's conditions had improved, it was the perfect time to let his grandchildren study, so the Ye family could finally have some 'ink' in their bellies.

Thus, Ye Jing went home and saw Ye Tianhao swinging a small wooden sword, practicing some moves. He walked over and asked, "Haoer, do you want to go to the school?"

Ye Tianhao was surprised. "Grandpa, I can go to school?"

Ye Jing nodded. "You're not a toddler anymore. It's time you learned to read with the other village kids."

"Grandpa, I want to go too!" Hearing this, Ye Tianyao quickly ran over.

Ye Jing smiled. "You're a little girl, and you want to study too?"

"Yes! If Brother goes to school, I won't have anyone to play with!" Ye Tianyao immediately replied, fearing Ye Jing wouldn't agree.

She was quite attached to her brother, Ye Tianhao, and didn't want to be separated from him.

Seeing this, Ye Jing had no objections. Since the family had money now, he naturally couldn't neglect the education of the younger generation.

The village school also accepted female students. As long as they studied hard, they wouldn't grow up to be 'blind with their eyes open'—illiterate.

"Haoer, what about you?" Ye Jing asked the silent Ye Tianhao.

Ye Tianhao looked up and said, "If Grandpa wants me to go, I'll go!"

"Haoer, you can't say it like that. Studying is for your own benefit; you must study well for yourself, not for me," Ye Jing laughed.

Seeing that both grandchildren had agreed, Ye Jing smiled.

"Alright, I'll discuss it with your father tonight, and then I'll send you both to the school!"

That evening, when Ye Jing mentioned wanting to send the two grandchildren to school, the family naturally all agreed.

The next day, Ye Jing prepared the tuition gift. This 'gift' was the tuition fee, usually just a few strips of cured meat.

But since these were his grandchildren, Ye Jing naturally placed great importance on it. He sent the old scholar five catties of cured meat and two dried pheasants.

This was definitely no small amount in the countryside.

He also urged the old scholar to take good care of his two grandchildren.

The old scholar's eyes went wide. Stroking his beard, he accepted the gifts with a beaming smile and said repeatedly, "Brother Ye, rest assured, rest assured! Your grandchildren look so clever, and with an elder like you who values education so much, they are bound to be successful in the future. I will certainly teach them with all my heart and not fail your trust!"

Ye Jing nodded, then carefully gave Ye Tianhao and Ye Tianyao a few more instructions, telling them to be obedient at the school, study hard, and not be mischievous. Only then did he turn and leave.

There were already over a dozen students in the school, mostly children from nearby villages. Seeing two new students arrive, they all looked on curiously.

Ye Tianhao had a steady personality and showed a different kind of presence even at a young age. As soon as he started school, he fit right in with the other kids.

Although Ye Tianyao was a bit shy, she got used to it over time. Following her brother every day, she soon thrived in the school.

Moreover, the siblings were naturally bright and clever, quickly mastering the teacher's lessons. They were often favored by the old scholar.

With the grandchildren at school, the two sons were responsible for continuing to farm the land at home.

Ye Jing was now free of burdens. Seeing that he finally had some rare free time, he immediately thought of how he had been practicing the Body Forging Method these past few days.

He hadn't even touched the Black Whirlwind Axe Technique yet. Such an offensive skill definitely needed some hands-on practice!