The autumn of the twenty-first year of Da-ye laid in at the master's hut and at the cold-spring camp.
The ninth moon gave way to the tenth. The tenth gave way to the eleventh.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the past three months at the master's hut — the *Royal Regulations*' accumulating *taxation chapter* had, at the past second moon of the autumn, been completed at Heizi's accumulating *response-piece* of perhaps three hundred and twenty characters. By the small specific accumulating reading at Lao Wen's eye at the dusk of the response-piece's accumulating finish — the piece was at the small accumulating *real* shape of an accumulating *new-state's accumulating early-officer's-first-year-decision-on-taxation*. By the small specific accumulating reading — the lad had laid in the small accumulating *real* reading of how an accumulating *new* state would, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past forty years' Sui-court accumulating taxation reading, lay in its accumulating early taxation at the small accumulating *light-and-stable* shape rather than the *Da-ye's accumulating heavy-and-extractive* shape.
Lao Wen had said in the small low voice at the dusk of the response-piece's finish: *yes, lad. By the small specific accumulating reading at the past four months at the *Royal Regulations* — the lad has, at twenty-six and three-quarters, laid in the small accumulating *real political reading* of an accumulating *new state's accumulating senior-officer's accumulating first-decade decision-shape*. By the small specific reading I am giving — the lad will, at the small accumulating *moment after the master's accumulating end*, take this reading into the small accumulating *new* state's accumulating service.*
The next chapter — the *Education chapter* of the *Royal Regulations* — laid in at the early eleventh moon. By the small specific accumulating reading at the dusk of the second week of the eleventh moon — Heizi had read the *Education chapter's* accumulating first three sections.
The *Education chapter* was — by the small specific accumulating reading at Heizi's accumulating eye on it — at the small accumulating *more idealized* shape than the *taxation chapter*. It laid in the small specific accumulating *Liji's accumulating original* shape of how an accumulating *Son of Heaven* would, by the small specific accumulating reading at the *Liji's* original, lay in the small accumulating *eight teachings of the country* (the small accumulating *six classics* and the *six arts*) at the country's accumulating young.
Lao Wen at the cot said in the small low voice: *lad. By the small specific accumulating reading at this dusk — the *Education chapter* is, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past forty years' Sui-court reading, at the small accumulating *more difficult-to-implement* shape than the *taxation chapter*. By the small specific reading I am giving — an accumulating *new state* would, at its accumulating early shape, lay in perhaps the small accumulating *real* shape of the *six classics' accumulating first reading* at the small accumulating *post-childhood education* of the country's accumulating *officer-class candidates*. The country's accumulating *common-people education* would, by the small specific reading I am giving, perhaps lay in only at the small accumulating *third or fourth decade* of the new state.*
He paused.
"By the small specific reading I am giving — the lad's accumulating reading on the *Education chapter* should, by the small specific reading I am giving, be at the small accumulating *real political reading* of *what an accumulating new state can do at its accumulating first decade* and *what it would defer to its accumulating second or third*. The lad's accumulating *response-piece* on the *Education chapter* will, by the small specific reading I am giving, lay in this distinction."
Heizi nodded.
He filed it.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the dusk of the third week of the eleventh moon — the snow began. By the small specific reading at the past five days — the wind had laid in at the small accumulating *cold-and-real* shape of the past year's *cold-and-long winter* of the past Da-ye twentieth.
By the small specific accumulating reading at Ah Chou's accumulating careful eye at the past five days — the master had, at the past three days, begun the small accumulating *winter-cot* shape. The combined tea was, at this dusk, at the small accumulating *every-three-hours* shape.
Ah Chou said in the small low voice at the dusk of the third week: *Heizi-zhang. By the small specific reading at the past three days — the cough is, at this winter's beginning, at the small accumulating *winter-deeper* shape that is, by the small specific reading I am giving, perhaps a fraction worse than the past winter's beginning at the small accumulating *winter-deeper* shape. By the small specific reading I am giving — the master will, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past two winters' accumulating combined tea, perhaps hold this winter at the small accumulating *probable* shape. The accumulating *certain* shape is, by the small specific reading I am giving, no longer at the small accumulating *certain*. The master is — by the small specific reading I am giving — at the small accumulating *real shape of an accumulating sixty-six and a half year old man at his accumulating fourth winter at the cot*.*
He paused.
"By the small specific reading I am giving — the lad should prepare at the small accumulating *winter's possible end* shape. The accumulating *Pang Yu's accumulating real campaign* of the small accumulating *third moon of the twenty-second year* is, by the small specific reading I am giving, at the small accumulating *probable* moment of the *real moment*. The accumulating *winter's end* before that is, by the small specific reading I am giving, at the small accumulating *possible* moment."
Heizi nodded.
He filed it.
He went to the cot's-side at the dusk.
He said in the small low voice: *master. Ah Chou's winter reading.*
Lao Wen looked up from the *Royal Regulations*.
He said in the small low voice: *yes, lad. By the small specific accumulating reading at this dusk — the master accepts. The master is, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past sixty-six years and a half, at the small accumulating *real* shape of an accumulating *old man at his accumulating fourth winter at the cot* with — by the small specific reading I am giving — perhaps less margin than at the past winter.*
He paused.
"By the small specific reading I am giving — the lad will, by the small specific accumulating reading at this dusk, lay in the *Education chapter* at the small accumulating *steady* shape through the winter. The lad will, by the small specific reading I am giving, lay in the small accumulating *Education chapter's response-piece* by the late winter or the early spring. The lad will, by the small specific reading I am giving, complete the *Royal Regulations* at perhaps the small accumulating *second moon of the twenty-second year*."
He paused once more.
"By the small specific reading I am giving — Pang Yu's accumulating *first wave* will, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past peddler, come perhaps at the same moment, perhaps at the small accumulating *third moon* — by the small specific reading I am giving, perhaps a moon after the lad's accumulating *Royal Regulations*' accumulating completion. The accumulating *Zhongyong's* fourth round will, by the small specific reading I am giving, lay in afterward."
Heizi nodded.
He filed it.
That night Heizi at his watch sat at the small banked fire.
The wind was — by the small specific reading at this evening — at the small accumulating *real cold-and-long-winter* shape of Ah Chou's accumulating naming.
He listened.
The shape of the silence on this watch was — by the small specific reading at this evening — the shape of a small specific *senior sub-officer-and-apprentice* whose accumulating master was, at the dusk, at the small accumulating *fourth winter at the cot* with the small accumulating *less margin* of Ah Chou's accumulating saying.
He filed.
He sat his watch through.
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