The Bookish Scholar of the Red Mansion

Chen Heng feels lucky to have met a teacher like Wang Xianming.

Perhaps most people would dislike Wang Xianming as an old boy. He himself failed the imperial examinations many times, so what good things can he teach? But things don't look like this. Wang Xianming is ninety-nine years old this year. He has long given up the idea of ​​continuing the scientific examination and is concentrating on teaching and educating people.

Unlike those scholars who have to teach and prepare for the imperial examination at the same time, they say they teach others, but they are all cramming. Whether they learn or not depends entirely on the individual disciples.

In addition, when Wang Xianming was young, he studied under his father-in-law, which also broadened his horizons. He can barely comment on whether the article is good or bad. He can also explain the meaning of the four books and five classics.

More than thirty years of continuous academic life gave Wang Xianming a deep understanding of the detours and mistakes in the imperial examination. It's a pity that he woke up too late. A person's best learning time is limited. After a certain point, reading again is just to find the answers to life.

Now these things will be turned into nutrients and watered on Chen Heng's seedling. Just like the Four Books, most people in the world start reading from The Great Learning, but Wang Xianming believes that it is better to start from The Analects of Confucius.

This is how he explained to Chen Heng: If The Great Learning and The Doctrine of the Mean are compared to mountains supporting the sky, then The Analects is the earth that carries them. Climbing mountains from the beginning can certainly broaden one's horizons and open doors.

But The Analects of Confucius is what determines how high your mountain can be, whether it is a panoramic view of all the small mountains and the five mountains, or whether it is a arrogant night with hills rising from the flat ground.

Only by laying a deep foundation and allowing yourself to understand its subtleties can your mountain keep rising until you can see the moon through the clouds and look down at the world. Even though the mountain is high, if you exercise your foot strength, climbing up will be more efficient.

What about Mencius? Chen Heng asked.

Wang Xianming shook his head and said: It is like a clear spring flowing down from a high mountain. When you reach the top of the mountain, you can stand at its source, swim down the river, and ride the wind all night. Wouldn't it be nice? So we are going to write Mencius is read last.

Chen Heng understood, so he focused his mind on The Analects of Confucius without daring to be distracted in the slightest.

It is also the benefit of one-on-one teaching that Wang Xianming can always use the time he spends teaching others to explain the meaning of the scriptures to Chen Heng, breaking the knowledge into pieces and feeding it to him. One teaches carefully and the other learns quickly, so the progress will naturally be rapid.

After the classics class in the morning, calligraphy is still devoted to calligraphy in the afternoon. The popular style in examination halls nowadays is the Guange style. Because it is clear at a glance and has regular movements, it has been very popular among examiners since the founding of the Yong Dynasty.

But Wang Xianming still insisted that Chen Heng start practicing regular script, although regular script requires a lot of time and the results are slow. But as long as you master it, you will be able to understand other calligraphy in the future, and it will be a breeze to write.

By the time this class is over, there will still be about half an hour left in the day's study. During this time, the two usually chatted. Wang Xianming would tell some things he encountered or saw, such as anecdotes from the imperial examinations and the current situation in the government.

This is one of the few opportunities for Chen Heng to learn about the outside world, so he always turns into a curious baby during this time and asks questions. Wang Xianming regarded him as his own child, so the two of them talked behind closed doors, so naturally they were not too restrained.

…………

…………

On this day, the two teachers and students finished their classes and sat chatting with each other. The two of them were talking about a scholar in Jinling who was dismissed by the examiner because he used the incident of Li Tang as an example in his article.

Can it still be like this? Chen Heng blinked, wondering what kind of taboo this good Li Tang had violated in the Yong Dynasty.

You said that when the Holy Emperor ascended the throne, why did you choose Wu Ding as the reign name? Wang Xianming was a good boy. Seeing that Chen Heng couldn't think of it, he explained: The Supreme Emperor still lives in the palace now.

Chen Heng suddenly realized, as if he had discovered some big secret, he opened his mouth to spit out: Could it be Xuan...

Hush, be quiet. Wang Xianming patted Chen Heng's little head and joked again, Do you know now why my master asked you to take out the Filial Piety Book and read it when you have nothing to do? Today's imperial court values ​​filial piety the most.

The one who created the figurines is also afraid of the latter. Chen Heng nodded in agreement.

Wang Xianming burst out laughing. He liked the cleverness in this child. Everything is clear at a glance, and it is very enjoyable for him to teach.

Then tell me what else can be seen from the year number? Wang Xianming picked up the teacup and continued to spread Chen Heng's thoughts. Since he accepted Chen Heng as his disciple, he naturally did not want to teach a pedantic scholar who only knew what he was doing.

Who can't memorize the Four Books and Five Classics? What really determines Chen Heng's future are those things that make sense.

Chen Heng thought hard for a long time before he tried to speak: The reason for using force is because Your Majesty understands the art of war and is good at military affairs. By using Ding, does he want to become a great leader?

As soon as Chen Heng finished speaking, Wang Xianming's hand holding the tea stopped in mid-air. He looked at him for a long time and then said: Young people are scary. I was already thirty years old when I figured this out.

Before, I failed the imperial examination again and again, and I often blamed the examiners for being ignorant and having different preferences. Wang Xianming shook his head and sighed, Think about it now. When the Supreme Emperor was in power, he was getting older, and his favorite things were the songs and dances of the prosperous times. Because of his lack of talent, the wording in his articles is difficult to come up with new ideas, and he suffers from repeated losses. When the new emperor ascends the throne, I am still immersed in this road, wasting years and not knowing the emperor's will, how can I achieve high school.

Then think about it again, what kind of reign name will the Holy Emperor choose after Wu Ding's reign name passes?

Probably literary.

Why? Wang Xianming asked with great interest.

Hardness cannot be sustained, and softness cannot be maintained. Literary skills and martial arts will lead to a prosperous age. Emphasizing martial arts and suppressing literature, emphasizing literature and suppressing martial arts are all behaviors in troubled times. Knowing that he was talking to his master, Chen Heng's words could not help but be more unrestrained.

Wang Xianming nodded and warned: Unless you are a high school Jinshi, you should not say such things to outsiders.

Yes, Master.

Chen Heng understood the teacher's profound meaning and naturally would not refute.

It is now the tenth year of Wu Ding. Let's wait and see if your guess is accurate.

What if it's not accurate? Chen Heng couldn't help but be curious about the meaning behind the teacher's words.

Then I'll punish you by copying the Four Books and Five Classics three times. Wang Xianming smiled very proudly.

Yes. Chen Heng had a bitter look on his face. He didn't ask about the reward for guessing, and the teacher didn't take the initiative to mention it, so of course there wasn't one, so asking was in vain.

In the days to come, Chen Heng continued to maintain this rhythm, reading in the morning and practicing calligraphy in the afternoon. He did not dare to relax for a day. After more than half a year, Chen Heng memorized the four books by heart.

At this point, Chen Heng will enter the next stage and choose one of the Five Classics as his own classic. At the same time, at the request of Wang Xianming, he will also start reading articles by Sima Xiangru, Han Yu, San Su and other literary giants.

These literati who have left a profound mark on history have been tested for their wonderful words and the flourishing of their articles. Often reading their articles can help you develop your own context and intention when writing.

In order to get these article textbooks for Chen Heng, Wang Xianming had to take the village's ox cart to the county bookstore to buy them every fifteenth day when it was his turn to take a break. This money was not paid by Lao Chen's family, but by Wang Xianming himself.

Don’t think that they are cheap and cost less. Take the books Chen Heng read before as an example. The Three Character Classic, which has only a few words, costs a thousand words. Books such as the Four Books and Five Classics, with good layouts or annotations by sages, can be priced at more than three taels, and this is just one copy.

Looking back at the old Chen family, they worked hard for a year to earn more than 20 taels. This does not include eating, drinking and paying taxes as a family.

Wang Xianming's care for Chen Heng is evident.

On this day, I just had a rest.

Chen Heng rested at home and took advantage of the holiday to help his family with some farm work. Wang Xianming got on the ox cart in the village early and was going to pick up the books he had ordered.

Just today, a carriage came to Shanxi Village, and a thin scholar got out of the carriage. Under the guidance of the villagers, he came to the door of Wang Xianming's house.

The scholar stood at the door and looked at it for a long time before calling out the master. When Ms. Liu walked to the door and saw who was coming, she was first surprised and then delighted: Lin Xiucai! Why is it you?

Hahaha. The scholar laughed heartily and said proudly: It's just me, senior sister.

Why are you here? I heard from dad that you have been in the capital.

Hahaha, senior sister, you are making no sense. When we meet again after a long separation, aren't you going to let me come in first for a cup of tea?

Look at me, come in, come in.