Chapter 3 Lin's Ancestral Hall

Since His Majesty arranged for Tingsheng to mourn for Mei Changsu, Tingsheng and his group came to the Lin Clan Ancestral Hall that day and began a month-long mourning period.

According to the rules, he could not eat for the first three days and had to kneel in the mourning hall all day.

Since Tingsheng was weak, Xiao Jingyan really loved this child, so from the beginning he allowed Tingsheng to eat some liquid food during the diet, and comforted Tingsheng not to mind. If his master was still alive, he would not want to see Tingsheng fall ill because of mourning for him.

Late at night, the eunuch brought a bowl of porridge and placed it in front of Tingsheng, bowed, and left.

Tingsheng's eyes were dull, thinking of the birthday banquet of the emperor's grandfather that day, Su Zhe's identity was clear, and almost everyone in the hall that day knew that Su Zhe was Lin Shu back then, and even Shu Hong, who had always been with Meng Zhi, had heard this rumor. The next day, Shu Hong happened to be shooting arrows with Tingsheng and accidentally told him about this. Tingsheng was surprised to hear this, but he didn't say anything. However, he felt an inexplicable sense of sadness in his heart, which he couldn't express.

It turned out that his teacher was Lin Shu, the person he had heard of when he was young in Yeyou Court, the person he had envied and admired, the person his mother had mentioned several times, the person whose name even His Majesty, who was still the Prince of Jing at the time, would ponder and hum for a long time when he heard it.

From that day on, on the basis of knowing his teacher for a long time, he also knew Lin Shu.

Perhaps it was because smart people never needed to ask too much to understand everything. Even after revealing his identity, Mei Changsu never mentioned his identity to Tingsheng, and Tingsheng never asked.

It was already midnight, and the little eunuch came to Tingsheng again. Seeing the untouched porridge, he was a little at a loss and stared at Tingsheng silently for a while.

Tingsheng looked at the tablet with Lin Shu's name on it, and slowly said, "Don't prepare any food for me in the next three days. I understand your majesty's love for me, but I can't eat a bite of food in this mourning hall. It's not hypocritical, it's just hard to swallow." Having said this, the eunuch bowed and took away the porridge. It was late at night, and the breeze was blowing. The Lin family ancestral hall seemed particularly cold. Suddenly, Tingsheng felt that his back seemed to be much warmer. Looking back, it turned out that Lu Yuan had put a cloak on him. Next to Tingsheng, Lu Yuan knelt on his knees and stood up straight. Tingsheng glanced at Lu Yuan, the man who had been following him since he came out of Yeyouting. Lu Yuan lowered his eyes and said softly, "Sometimes I really envy you for being the master's apprentice." Perhaps because Lu Yuan and Shu Hong grew up with Tingsheng, and then the three of them left Yeyouting at the same time, there was no estrangement between them because of Tingsheng's change of identity. In Tingsheng's heart, in the world, besides Mei Changsu, it was these two childhood playmates who could make him feel at ease.

"Yes, it is my luck to meet the master in this life." Tingsheng said slowly, his eyes became soft and crystal clear.

"Lu Yuan, I'm afraid, I'm really afraid." Tingsheng, who has always been introverted, revealed the truth.

Lu Yuan took Tingsheng's hand, without saying a word, and listened to him.

"This palace looks gorgeous, but behind this splendor there are so many bitterness and helplessness. I thought Yeyouting was a prison, until I came to the palace, I realized that I was from one prison to another."

Lu Yuan listened carefully, and his heart was also mixed. Yes, in the past two years, although they were young and ignorant of the world, the elders around them kept many things secret, but it was also because of their young age that they could inadvertently know a lot.

"Lu Yuan, even the emperor grandfather who is so cold in the eyes of everyone was once a young man with great ambitions," Tingsheng's eyes wandered a little, "I'm afraid we will change too."

"No, as long as we don't want to change, we will never change." Lu Yuan's eyes were firm. He was an honest man, and the truth he said seemed simple but plain.

Tingsheng raised the corner of his mouth slightly, recalling the scene when he first went to the teacher's house for class.

"Tingsheng, do you know what is most important to a tree?" The teacher asked.

Tingsheng looked up at the teacher and met his gentle eyes, "Is it the trunk?" Tingsheng answered.

Mei Changsu put his hand on Tingsheng's shoulder, very warm, and said, "It's the root of the tree."

Tingsheng was curious about the teacher's answer, and his face looked a little embarrassed. Changsu saw the boy's appearance and laughed.

"Tingsheng, look at this tree. Although it looks tall and lush, it can't grow to this size without the loess and water." Changsu held his shawl and continued, "All things in the world are interdependent and inseparable."

Tingsheng straightened his body and listened carefully to Mei Changsu's teachings, with his eyes full of respect and yearning.

"Tingsheng, remember, filial piety to parents, love for wife and children, this is human nature. Loyalty to the emperor and love for the country, upholding justice, this is justice. However, all things in the world are precious, and you should not harm them because of a momentary thought, this is heaven's law." Mei Changsu told Tingsheng his expectations word by word, his tone was like a father teaching his son, "If you encounter a choice in the future, think about what you said today. Don't forget these eight words, loyalty is the foundation, kindness is the source." Tingsheng frowned and nodded vigorously without making a sound, but since that day, Mei Changsu's words have always stayed in Tingsheng's mind and heart, and have never forgotten. In the next three days, Lu Yuan stayed by Tingsheng's side, and the two teenagers both dieted for three days. On the fourth day, he started to drink some porridge. In fact, Tingsheng had thought about consoling Lu Yuan that he didn't need to be like him, but then he thought that for people like them who have no home, it would be an honor if they could mourn for an elder in this life. Isn't this a kind of warmth? Even though that person is no longer here, he has never left his heart.