Chapter Fourteen: Visit Meng Lao to Show His Aspirations
Mr. Meng lives in the southeast of Ethnic Studies, on a small high ground, in a small courtyard surrounded by mountains and water.
There is a plant called bitter bamboo planted around the courtyard, which is very similar to bamboo on earth, except that the bamboo joints are lavender and have small white flowers with a faint smell.
When the smell of this bitter bamboo flower enters the human nose, it will make people feel bitter, but this bitter taste can keep people's brain awake and stimulate their spirit.
In this world, scholars like to plant this kind of bitter bamboo in their residences. The smell of it is better than the effect of cantilevering, awls and thorns on the buttocks.
It is said that Emperor Gongde discovered this kind of bitter bamboo when he was pacifying the southwest, and he admired the characteristics of this kind of bitter bamboo. After the founding of the country, he required that this kind of thing be planted around all schools. He once said: "Eat the bitterest of hardships, and then you will be better."
"Be a master." Scholars regard this as a model!
Soon, Zhang and Sui arrived in front of the courtyard and asked the book boy to announce. After a while, the book boy came out and led them into the courtyard.
The courtyard is not big, but the layout is very elegant. As soon as you enter the door, there is a winding verandah. There is a gravel pavement under the steps. There is a gurgling stream on the side of the wall. It seems to be the inflow of the Junshan Mountain Spring. It flows from the north to the east along the veranda.
out.
In the southwest of the courtyard, there is a flat area with some stone lock sticks placed around it. There are even a few unopened long blades on a wooden frame, making it look like a small martial arts arena.
Zhang Sui was a bit stunned. Is this the residence of a scholar over seventy years old?
Mr. Meng was moving his body there. When he saw them coming in, he nodded and said, "You guys sit down for a while and wait for me to finish this exercise exercise."
As he spoke, he put on a martial arts posture and stretched his limbs one by one. Although he was older and his face was full of wrinkles, his movements were clean and neat, and he looked energetic, not as if he had passed the age.
An old man in his seventies.
The two of them did not sit down, but stood aside and watched Mr. Meng practice his exercise method.
Zhang Sui looked at Mr. Meng's movements, which were a bit like the Baduanjin on earth.
Zhang Sui's former director played music in front of the library every day and played Baduanjin. The old director put on practice clothes, which looked a bit like a fairy. Later, he attracted a group of old ladies to practice with him.
My wife even came over to make trouble for me.
Thinking of this, Zhang Sui couldn't help but smile.
After a while, Mr. Meng finished his movements and took a long breath. A stream of white air spurted out three feet away. It condensed for a few seconds before dissipating. Zhang Sui was a little surprised. Is this Qigong?
Mr. Meng looked at Zhang Sui's surprised look and smiled at Zhang Sui: "This is a method passed down from a literary sage. It is most suitable for us scholars to nourish our qi and keep fit. If you pass my test and get in, you will also be able to do it."
I’ll teach it to you. Lin Xi has been practicing it for almost more than a year, and the effect is pretty good.”
Lin Xi bowed quickly, stood up and replied: "Thank you, teacher, for teaching me the exercise method. My body has become much stronger this year, and I can handle it with ease when practicing outside. The situation last year will never happen again."
Zhang Sui learned on the way here that Lin Xi mainly studied water conservancy dredging from Mr. Meng. This was related to his experience. His parents and relatives died in floods. Lin Xi never forgot about this. After becoming a disciple of Mr. Meng, he specialized in water conservancy dredging.
of learning.
This subject is the most practical. Lin Xi is thin. In the early days, he followed the ethnology gentlemen over mountains and rivers and suffered a lot. Once he fell into a river and was almost washed away when he was exhausted. Fortunately, the teacher who led the team was
Proficient in water properties, he rescued him.
Later, Mr. Meng taught him the exercise method. After more than a year of exercise, his body became stronger and he never suffered from physical exhaustion again.
There is no such thing as a weak scholar in this world. Since Li Zhi established the Tang Dynasty, physical exercise and literary classes have been ranked as equally important in terms of education.
In Li Zhi's words, the body is the capital of everything. Without a strong body, there is no way to have enough energy to deal with political affairs. The requirements for physical fitness when evaluating officials are quite high. Although the Yan Dynasty replaced the Tang Dynasty, the physical fitness was not evaluated when evaluating officials.
Retained.
After Mr. Meng sat down, Zhang Sui and Lin Xi sat down next to each other. Mr. Meng took a sip of tea and asked Zhang Suida: "Have you considered what knowledge you want to learn from me?"
Mr. Meng is so loud. Other teachers only focus on one subject, but he is proficient in all subjects. He is worthy of being an expert who has been in Wenlan Pavilion for forty years.
Zhang Sui said respectfully: "Although I am studying literature, I have no interest in officialdom. In my spare time, I read a lot of historical travel notes. Coupled with a serious illness, I feel that life is only a short hundred years.
In this situation, you should not only read thousands of books, but also travel thousands of miles to see the vast world and appreciate the thousands of miles of scenery. Only then will this life be worthwhile."
Mr. Meng stroked his beard, nodded with a smile and said: "I am ambitious. I thought that after reading many books, I would go and see the world described in the book, but I was burdened by the secular world and had too many worries, so I could not make the trip.
Since you have this ambition and have the support of the Zhang family, you might as well study mountain geography, archeology and history. This will allow you to have a certain understanding of the world, and then experience it yourself to confirm it one by one.
"
When Lin Xi heard Zhang Sui's ambition, he couldn't help but admire and envy him.
Mr. Meng took a sip of tea, seemed to be thinking, and said: "This world is not just the world you see in books, there are many incredible places. If you are destined, you may have some luck."
Zhang Suidao: "I still need more guidance from Mr. Meng so that I can have a direction and know where to start."
Mr. Meng thought for a while and said: "You first study history and archeology with Mr. Shu Qian. I will make a list of books for you. You can ask your family to prepare them for you. When you read them thoroughly and pass my test
. Then you can go out to experience and go on your journey of thousands of miles."
Zhang Sui stood up and bowed to thank him. Mr. Meng told him to come back in three days to get the book list, and then asked them to leave.
Zhang Sui and Lin Xi were able to go out. Lin Xi said with envy: "It seems that Mr. Meng attaches great importance to his senior fellow apprentices. I have been studying under him for almost three years, and I have only seen him give reading lists to two senior fellow apprentices. Those two senior fellow apprentices
Now they are all the leaders in their subjects."
Zhang Sui smiled and said: "Junior Brother Lin, don't be envious. Didn't you also learn the teacher's skills? The teacher only taught you after he recognized your potential."
When Lin Xi heard this, he also smiled.
When the two of them arrived at the school building, Lin Xi said: "Brother, how about I take you around and let you recognize Mr. Shu Qian's class, so that you don't have to look for it yourself tomorrow."
Zhang Suidao: "Then I'll trouble my junior brother."
Mr. Shu Qian's class was in the southwest of the school building, and the two of them arrived in just a short walk over a cup of tea. Along the way, Zhang Sui asked Lin Xi about Mr. Shu Qian's situation, and Lin Xi told him everything he knew.
Shu Qian was not very old, he had just turned fifty, which was the prime time for him to engage in learning.
It turns out that Mr. Shu once served as the right historian of the imperial court and was the historian responsible for compiling the official history of the previous dynasty. However, because the history of Li Zhi was not to his liking when he was compiling it, he still went his own way after being reminded many times. In the end, he was demoted all the way and was later demoted to Beijiang.
Daokui Prefecture serves as a historian in charge of the local history museum.
Shu Qian studied under Mr. Meng for several years, gained a lot of knowledge, and inherited Mr. Meng's upright temper. He stayed in Kuizhou Prefecture for two years and was extremely marginalized. In the end, he simply left and returned to his hometown of Chenzhou.
Mansion.
Later, after Mr. Meng heard about his situation, he sent him a letter and recruited him to Kunzhou Prefecture, where he enrolled in the historical research school of Professor Zhang Family Studies.
Mr. Shu Qian is extremely proficient in the historical research of previous dynasties. The Tang Dynasty lasted for eight hundred years. During this period, the court system, policies formulated, some large-scale projects, people's living customs, etc. can be said to be from the court to people's livelihood.
Mr. Shu Qian has done some research on various developments and evolutions.
In fact, when the Tang Dynasty evolved into the middle and late stages, whether due to historical inertia or other reasons, the country still embarked on the path of land annexation and the rise of the bureaucratic gentry class. Later, various parties separated themselves and the Yan Dynasty Taizu rose, eventually overthrowing the Tang Dynasty.
Established the Yan Dynasty.
It was time for class at this time. Zhang Sui and Lin Xi came to Mr. Shu's classroom window and looked in. Standing in front of the podium was a strong man with a beard, black hair, and a pair of sleeves rolled up halfway.
Showing the bumps on your arms.
This is Mr. Shu Qian, who is over fifty years old? He is completely incompatible with Zhang Sui’s image of a teacher. Are all the teachers in this world such tough characters? Mr. Meng is still very active even in his seventies.
Mr. Shu is also a strong man at first glance.
Zhang Sui kept saying to himself in his heart: "This is not the earth, it is a different world that is several times bigger than the sun. Just get used to it, get used to it!"
Maybe Zhang Sui and Zhang Sui were standing outside the hall for too long, and Mr. Shu Qian spotted them. Mr. Shu Qian's eyes widened: "Who is sneaking around outside? Just come in after the lecture. If you don't listen, get out!"
"
Lin Xi smiled bitterly at Zhang Sui and whispered: "Our teacher has a bad temper. I heard that many of his colleagues were beaten by him when he was an official, and they were demoted all the way." Zhang Sui was speechless.
Shu Qian saw them muttering and making no move, so he walked towards them with a three-foot-long teaching stick in his hand.
Lin Xi was a little panicked, and quickly pulled Zhang Sui forward, bowed, and said: "Mr. Shu, Mr. Meng asked me to bring Senior Brother Zhang to recognize your class. In the future, he will follow you to learn the study of historical research." Lin Xi
Mr. Meng’s name was directly used.
Zhang Sui glanced at Lin Xi, secretly praised him, turned to salute Shu Qian who was approaching, and said respectfully: "Student Zhang Sui, on the order of Mr. Meng, came to report to Mr. Shu and learn history from you.
The study of textual research.”
Shu Qian stepped forward, looked Zhang Sui up and down, frowned and said, "Boy, I've heard of your reputation. If you dare to come here to study, aren't you afraid of offending me and having your legs broken?"
Zhang Sui couldn't help but smile bitterly. This reputation really spreads far and wide. It is possible that some students told Shu Qian about Zhang Sui's original situation. Zhang Sui remembered that Shu Qian had not come to teach when he left the clan school.
Zhang Sui bowed and said sincerely: "Mr. Shu, after my student suffered a serious illness, he regretted his past absurdities very much. Now he has changed his mind. I beg you to follow Mr. Meng in the way of writing. Mr. Meng knows that I have knowledge of historical research."
I am interested and specially asked me to study with Mr. Shu. I also ask Mr. Shu not to dislike students who are dull."
Shu Qian saw that his attitude was sincere, and he did not see the frivolous and naughty look that others said. So he put down his teaching stick, nodded and said: "Then you come in first and listen. After class, go to the steward and ask him to give it to you."
You prepare relevant books and officially come to class tomorrow." After saying that, he ignored the two of them and went straight back to class.
Lin Xi let out a breath, relaxed, and whispered to Zhang Sui: "Brother, please go and listen to Mr. Shu's class first, and I will leave first."
Zhang Sui saw his expression of surviving a disaster, and couldn't help but feel speechless, saying: "As for that? Are you so afraid of Mr. Shu?"
Lin Xi looked like he was being cautious and said, "Just look at how quiet he is in class. Those who don't obey have been beaten away long ago. Just wish yourself well."
After saying this, he ignored Zhang Sui and left quickly.
Zhang Sui turned around and looked at the classroom. It was indeed very quiet.
Mr. Shu was holding a teaching staff, dancing and talking, and was spitting. Zhang Sui shrank his neck and bowed slightly at the door. Shu Qian was talking to himself and ignored him. Zhang Sui lowered his head and sat down in the back seat.