Chapter 66: Handed Down by Ancestors

For scholars, without books, they could not broaden their horizons.

Now it was different. Fang Jifan had silver. He bought all kinds of handwritten copies and printed collections from the market, and read them freely. Moreover, Ouyang Zhi and the other two had passed the provincial examination and became Provincial Graduates. Their status was greatly different now. They began to meet friends through literary gatherings from time to time, and their learning improved a lot.

Fang Jifan used a free-range method to deal with these three guys. But to prepare for next year’s Metropolitan Examination, Fang Jifan gave them many practice questions. There was plenty of time now. Fang Jifan clearly knew the questions for next year’s Spring Imperial Examination. In the twelfth year of Hongzhi, Emperor Hongzhi ordered Li Dongyang, the Crown Prince’s Junior Guardian, Minister of Rites, and Grand Secretary of Wenyuan Pavilion, and Cheng Minzheng, the Right Vice Minister of Rites and Hanlin Academician, to be the examiners for the Metropolitan Examination. Fang Jifan also clearly knew the questions for the Jihai year’s Metropolitan Examination and Palace Examination.

However, this Metropolitan Examination would have a small incident. It would involve the exam cheating scandal of examiner Cheng Minzheng, the Jiangnan talent Xu Jing, and Tang Yin.

This… was a truly unique Metropolitan Examination.

Fang Jifan’s thoughts shifted, and he smiled slightly.

As for Ouyang Zhi and the other two, Fang Jifan was not worried. Because he truly would not cheat, nor did he plan to have any dealings with future examiners. He only needed to give some ‘practice questions,’ then hide the real questions among a sea of practice questions, letting his three disciples practice writing essays.

Ouyang Zhi and the other two, to prepare for the exam, indeed worked extremely hard. From early morning until midnight, they desperately practiced questions and read books frantically, not daring to slack off even a bit.

Unexpectedly, today they had such leisure.

Fang Jifan looked at Ouyang Zhi and the other two with an expression that said “I am your father.” He sat down, brushed the dust off his clothes. “Oh, hello there. Why aren’t you studying today?”

The three looked at each other, then looked at Grandmaster Fang Jinglong.

Fang Jinglong grinned and laughed. “Your father recently had a sudden idea. Well, it’s like this, son. The day before yesterday, I went to check the accounts. Ah… quite a lot of silver was gone again. If this continues, how can we manage? That million taels of Sycee Silver from selling ebony, with your spending, the family’s cash is almost gone. Only one shop in the Eastern Market and a manor outside the city remain. Jifan, your father has high hopes for you. I don’t expect much else, just that you protect our shop and farmland. Don’t get angry, don’t get angry. Your father means that it’s all my fault as your father. In the past, I neglected to teach you properly. For the Fang Family’s last bit of property, your father must lead by example.”

He looked at Ouyang Zhi and the other two appreciatively and said with relief, “These three disciples’s disciples have read books. People who have read books give different ideas. What is moral education? Moral education is teaching by words and example. Isn’t that right, Disciple Ouyang…”

Ouyang Zhi quickly nodded, sweating with shame. “Yes, yes, yes. Grandmaster is absolutely right.”

Fang Jinglong then spread his legs and sat boldly, saying excitedly, “Today, your father will teach by words and example, to show you how to live frugally.”

Fang Jifan listened, stunned. So he even brought in outside help.

Only… Fang Jifan looked at his three disciples. Damn it, you are my disciples, yet you went to teach my father, your mentor’s father, to deal with your own mentor?

Ouyang Zhi, seeing his Esteemed Mentor’s fierce gaze, was immediately too scared to breathe heavily. He hurriedly lowered his head. “This disciple deserves death.”

Fang Jifan felt amused inside. These three didn’t dare to breathe heavily in front of him. Was he that scary? Ah, actually, I am just like you, a good young man striving to improve. However, he still had to put on a cheeky expression, cross his legs, point his nose upward, snort coldly, and only look at the roof beam.

Fang Jinglong laughed. He was afraid that his ‘teaching by words and example’ would make his son uncomfortable, so he tried his best to use a gentler tone to avoid upsetting his son.

His son still had a brain illness. He must not overstimulate him.

“This teaching by words and example, ahem… actually, to put it simply, is about being diligent and thrifty in managing the household. How to be diligent and thrifty? It means not spending money recklessly on things that shouldn’t be spent. Of course, Fan’er, your father is not saying you spend money recklessly. Your father means, like now, the weather is chilly. We need to burn charcoal. If we don’t burn charcoal, wouldn’t we freeze to death? Right?”

Fang Jifan looked at his father with a blank face. He really could not understand what this historically worst parenting expert wanted to do.

When Fang Jinglong reached this point, he sighed inwardly. Poor, really poor. After he checked the accounts office’s books, he realized that million taels of Sycee Silver had been spent like flowing water. Not only that, it was also embarrassing. Now everyone on the streets knew that his son had become a spendthrift.

This could not continue. This family probably would not last a few more years with Fan’er’s spending. So… he must learn from past mistakes. He must make Fan’er manage the household to understand the cost of rice and firewood.

“But look, the price of charcoal this season is really rising fast. One jin actually increased to over forty wen. It’s truly killing us.” Fang Jinglong showed a pained expression, but then laughed again. “Since we need to manage the household, we must save. Look at your father. I cannot let the family freeze, but I also cannot spend money recklessly. Fan’er, look at this…”

He pointed to the brazier on the ground.

Fang Jifan then noticed the brazier at his feet. It was sizzling and steaming, as if… it was burning not charcoal, but coal balls.

“This, do you know what it is?” Fang Jinglong played a little mystery.

Fang Jifan blurted out, “Smokeless coal…”

“Huh?” Fang Jinglong was stunned. “Haha, my son is knowledgeable! Haha, to tell you the truth, this smokeless coal only became popular in the last couple of days. Someone sent a few jin to the Duke of Yingguo. The Duke of Yingguo tried it, and the effect was very good. It’s even more interesting than charcoal. Fan’er, don’t you feel very warm now? This smokeless coal is really good. Of course, that’s not the main point. The main point is, it’s cheap. Your father went through great trouble to have someone buy it. It’s said that currently it’s only a trial sale, with only a few hundred jin supplied. Your father bought it to tell you a principle: Money that should be spent must be spent, so we don’t freeze or starve. But money that shouldn’t be spent really doesn’t need to be spent. Think about it, now that we’re burning this smokeless coal, don’t you feel like those who burn charcoal are the biggest fools in the world?”

“…” Fang Jifan’s face turned red, he wanted to speak but stopped.

Fang Jinglong seemed to feel that his teaching by words and example had an effect. He immediately perked up, his eyebrows dancing with joy. “When buying things, you must buy things that are good and cheap. This principle is actually similar to you spending so much silver to buy that wasteland in the Western Hills. Buying the wasteland in the Western Hills is like those who buy charcoal. If you buy it, people will laugh at you… You… can you understand your father’s meaning?”

Fang Jinglong blinked hard, hoping his son would have an epiphany.

Fang Jifan shook his head. “Not really.”

“This still isn’t clear…” Fang Jinglong slapped his thigh, somewhat anxious. He wanted to explain further.

Fang Jifan was already extremely annoyed. He said casually, “But this smokeless coal is produced in the Western Hills.”

Fang Jinglong laughed heartily. “The Western Hills produce coal, hmm… what you said… hmm? The Western Hills produce smokeless coal…”

Fang Jinglong’s eyes widened, somewhat disbelieving.

Fang Jifan slapped the desk with a bang, making Fang Jinglong and Ouyang Zhi’s three hearts skip a beat. Fang Jifan said, “This smokeless coal is indeed produced in the Western Hills. Father… you’re squandering the family wealth! This coal is worthless in your son’s hands. Yet you asked someone to spend money to buy it? Things that grow on our own land, you can just pick them up. They’re worthless! And you spent money? How could I have such a father? Dozens of wen, just wasted by you like that. I finally understand why everyone calls me a spendthrift. When you drink water, think of its source; trace the root cause. It’s all because you set a bad example, the upper beam is not straight and the lower beams are crooked. You led me astray!”

“…” Fang Jinglong’s old face first turned red. This stern reprimand actually felt very reasonable to him. This teaching by words and example… seemed to have failed.

But then, Fang Jinglong’s body shook.

Wait.

The coal is produced in the Western Hills?

Then… the Western Hills belong to the Fang Family.

This… was it possible?

“Fan’er, don’t scare me?” Fang Jinglong mumbled. “We’re not joking.”

Fang Jifan shouted, “What joke?! If it weren’t so, how would I know about smokeless coal!”

Suddenly, Fang Jinglong’s body reflexively shuddered.

He first held his forehead, feeling a bit dizzy.

It was terribly heavy.

But then, his eyes widened like copper bells, and he laughed wildly, his voice shaking the tiles. “Hahahaha… The ancestors have virtue! I, Fang Jinglong, have taught my son well!”

Fang Jifan looked strangely at Fang Jinglong. A terrifying thought emerged in his mind: his own thick-skinned nature must be hereditary. Hmm… definitely.