Valuing Virtue and Career

When Ji Yuan stood after withdrawing his skill, the fallen leaves and dust within the small courtyard were still ceaselessly spinning.

Without clocks or watches, without internet or phones, Ji Yuan's biological clock had become extremely precise now. This wasn't because Ji Yuan was special, but because the common folk here were mostly the same.

Those with regular schedules followed the heavenly timing and had an accurate sense of time, even in the 21st century on Earth.

It was now approaching evening, and Ji Yuan planned to go out to eat.

In his previous life, Ji Yuan could only make egg fried rice and had never really cooked. In this life, he hadn't learned either, and finding it troublesome, he always solved his meal problems by eating out. At most, it cost ten to twenty coins, at least just a few coins.

Adjusting his attire and smoothing his hair, Ji Yuan headed out. There was no need to lock the small courtyard; after all, no one in this place dared to come.

Weaving through Tianniu Quarter, he took shortcuts he had already familiarized himself with. Occasionally, he would encounter one or two residents of Tianniu Quarter, most of whom would avoid walking near Ji Yuan. Some would even pass by without greeting him.

After half a month, everyone had basically figured out that Ji Yuan was living in Ju'an Pavilion. It was best not to get involved with such an unlucky place.

Ji Yuan didn't mind. With his hands behind his back, he walked onto the street with a carefree stride characteristic of the Ji family.

As he exited the quarter's entrance, it suddenly seemed lively outside, with the noise of the street everywhere.

After practicing martial arts, Ji Yuan's foot speed had greatly improved. Walking for seven or eight minutes, he arrived at his usual Sun's Noodle Stall, one of the several eateries he frequented.

At the stall, a large sheet of oil paper and white cloth served as a canopy. Four small tables and a wooden cart were Old Master Sun's tools for earning money.

From a distance, Old Man Sun spotted Ji Yuan walking over.

"Oh, Mister Ji is here! Haven't seen you for two days, please have a seat!"

Before Ji Yuan even got close, he could smell the aroma of food from the stall. Hearing the familiar greeting, he smiled in response.

"Do you have any offal today?"

"Yes, yes, yes!! I had a feeling Mister Ji would come today, so I specially saved some good things for you! Someone outside the city had an old plow ox die, and I got quite a bit of beef offal. Much rarer than lamb offal!"

Old Master Sun was good with words. Didn't small vendors rely on return customers?

And this Mister Ji seemed to be a learned man. His eyes, which regular customers privately discussed as possibly being blind, allowed him to walk just like an ordinary person. To common folk, this was a rare thing, so some diners privately speculated that Mister Ji was an extraordinary person.

"Good, good, good. Give me one bowl of braised noodles and one bowl of beef offal!"

Ji Yuan sat down with a smile and ordered his dinner. Although Master Sun's offal had simple seasonings, because the ingredients were good and it had been braised, it had no fishy smell and was flavorful—very delicious.

"Coming right up!"

Old Man Sun hurriedly got to work.

Not far away, Yin Father and Son, having finished their work at the academy, were heading home. With the start of school approaching, Yin Zhaoxian had been leaving early and returning late every day, and Yin Qing often went to help. Today was a rare early return.

As they passed this street corner, it was Yin Qing's sharp eyes that first spotted Ji Yuan in front of the noodle stall. He quickly tugged at his father's sleeve to get his attention.

Yin Zhaoxian had long wanted to visit Ji Yuan. Now, half a month had passed, and this Mister Ji had a rosy complexion and was safe and sound. His guess about the changes at Ju'an Pavilion was becoming more and more certain.

Seeing that Ji Yuan seemed not to have noticed the father and son, Yin Zhaoxian thought, "Better to do it today than tomorrow." After a moment's thought, he pulled Yin Qing and deliberately detoured a distance, walking back from afar, this time with Sun's Noodle Stall as their destination.

"Master Sun, two bowls of braised noodles, please!"

Yin Zhaoxian greeted the stall with a beaming smile from close range. Old Man Sun, who was busy cooking noodles for Ji Yuan, saw Yin Zhaoxian and was extremely warm.

"Oh, if it isn't Master Yin! Come, come, come, please have a seat!"

The opening of an academy in the county was a big deal for the people of Ning'an County. Master Yin, this prospective master, now knew quite a few people.

"Hmm!"

Yin Zhaoxian responded indifferently, dusted off his attire, and led Yin Qing to sit at an empty table. Then, as if suddenly noticing Ji Yuan, he spoke.

"Oh, you must be Mister Ji, right? I heard a cultivated scholar had recently moved into the quarter. If not for the heavy affairs of the newly opened academy, this humble one would have visited long ago!"

Yin Qing's face flushed. It was the first time he had seen his father pretend so well.

Ji Yuan had already noticed Yin Father and Son earlier, but he didn't know why they had walked past and then turned back. When they came to the noodle stall, he understood they wanted a "chance encounter" with him. He almost laughed out loud.

"That's me. Master Yin of Tianniu Quarter is erudite, and Ji has heard of him long ago!"

Ji Yuan turned his head toward Yin Father and Son, allowing Yin Zhaoxian to see clearly for the first time those eyes with a pale hue.

"This must be your son, Little Yin Qing, right? As expected of a scholarly family, able to teach such a good child!"

"Mister Ji, you still remember me!!"

Yin Qing looked at this great mister with curiosity and embarrassment.

"Hahaha, Ji has always remembered the favor of a load of water! If you two don't mind, how about sitting at my table? Of course, if Little Yin Qing is scared, forget I said it!"

Yin Qing scratched his head awkwardly. He understood that Mister Ji still remembered the time he dared not enter Ju'an Pavilion.

"How dare I refuse Mister Ji's invitation? Qing'er, let's sit over there!"

Exactly what he wanted, Yin Zhaoxian immediately brought his son over to sit.

"Noodles ready~~ Mister Ji, Master Yin, Young Master Yin, your braised noodles! The beef offal will need a moment!"

Old Man Sun carried the food and placed it on the table.

"Good, good, thank you very much!"

Ji Yuan smiled and nodded at Master Sun. Yin Zhaoxian, who was sitting calmly, was startled, then quickly thanked Master Sun as well.

As the saying goes, scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants. As a top figure among the scholars of Ning'an County, Yin Zhaoxian wouldn't go so far as to look down on a street vendor like Old Man Sun, but deep in his bones, he considered himself superior. Besides, business was business—why thank?

But Ji Yuan had thanked him; if he didn't thank him, it would make him seem superior to Ji Yuan.

"Hey hey, you flatter me, you flatter me."

Old Man Sun said this, but his face was beaming with pride. He went back to preparing the food with noticeably more energy. Setting aside how Mister Ji was always like this, being thanked by Master Yin made Old Man Sun feel immensely honored.

Ji Yuan smiled faintly, said nothing, picked up his chopsticks, and began eating his noodles on his own.

Thanking service staff, delivery drivers, and food couriers was a habit Ji Yuan had carried over from his previous life. In fact, having read some heartbreaking news stories in the past, people with habits like Ji Yuan's had been growing more numerous in that former life.

But in this world, through his observations over Some Time, Ji Yuan found that class-based thinking was deeply ingrained. Some people might be well-mannered and educated, but it all depended on who they were dealing with. This was also why Ji Yuan increasingly felt that the County Town God deserved respect.

Seeing Mister Ji eating his noodles without a word, Yin Zhaoxian hesitated for a moment, then didn't speak either, simply calling his child over to eat together.

The entire meal had an awkward atmosphere. Mister Ji didn't seem inclined to chat, only urging the Yin father and son to eat together when the Beef Offal was brought out.

Ji Yuan didn't consider himself a sage. Judging from Yin Qing's character, Yin Zhaoxian was hardly a cold-hearted man. But Ji Yuan felt that a teacher should do better—the students he taught, if they passed the imperial exams in the future, would become officials tasked with building the nation.

When they were nearly finished eating, Yin Zhaoxian insisted on paying the entire bill. Ji Yuan said nothing, but before leaving, he offered Yin Zhaoxian a single sentence.

It left Yin Zhaoxian standing there, stunned for a long time, that sentence still echoing in his mind.

"Master Yin, peddlers and porters are the mirror of the state. A teacher must value virtue and conduct, to stand as a model for others!"

Yin Qing grew impatient by the noodle stall, tugging at his father's hand.

"Daddy, Mister Ji is already gone. When are we going home?"

Yin Zhaoxian snapped back to reality, looking at his son, then at Old Man Sun, who was now swamped with a growing crowd of customers.

"Let's go, home. Tomorrow morning, we'll go to Ju'an Pavilion to visit Mister Ji."