Long ago in Henan, there lived a poor young man named Le Yangzi.
One day, he found a piece of gold on the road and joyfully brought it home to his wife. She responded gravely: "I have heard that a man of aspiration does not drink from the 'Dao Spring' (associated with theft), and an honest man does not accept handout food. Moreover, picking up lost valuables tarnishes one's character."
Ashamed, Le Yangzi threw the gold away in a field. Deeply moved, he resolved to leave home and study under a distant master.
A year later, he returned. When his wife asked why he came back so soon, he smiled and said, "Only because I missed you terribly while away."
His wife turned pale. She grabbed a knife, ran to her silk loom, placed the blade on the delicate fabric, and spoke agitatedly:
"I reeled each strand from cocoons and wove this fabric inch by inch with the shuttle. If I cut it now, all my devoted effort and time would be wasted. Your studies are the same. You must constantly remind yourself how much more there is to learn to build noble character. To quit halfway is like cutting this silk in one stroke."
Determined by her words, Le Yangzi bid farewell immediately. He studied diligently in that faraway place for seven full years and finally achieved success.