No matter how unwilling Jia Lian was, what should have come had come.
Lin Zhixiao from the front yard reported that Old Li had arrived at Rongxi Hall!
Jia Lian felt relieved and threw away the book in his hand." It's a blessing, not a curse. If it's a curse, it can't be avoided." I'm a silkpants. Why should I study like others?”
Laughing at the sky and going out, how can we be people of Penghao?
The meaning was similar, but the concept was far from it.
Then, Lai Da also came to urge him," Second Master Lian, Old Master invites you to go to Dream Slope House quickly!”
"Brother Lian, if you can't answer it later, then forget it." We didn't expect to be born in the imperial examination. If he really wanted to be an official, he could just donate a few dollars. There was no need to waste this effort!”
Jia Lian laughed." That's strange. You didn't expect me to answer fluently. Instead, you said something disheartening!"”
"How many days have you been studying?" Would he be able to make the Chancellor of the directorate look at him in a different light? Stop dreaming! I only hope that you can leave some dignity. If you can at least answer half of the ten questions, I will be satisfied!”
"How can a genius like me be guessed by ordinary people?”
Jia Lian boasted, and Li Wan also came with Sanchun.
"Everyone is here today, as if I am going to the execution ground.”
Jia Lian lifted his legs and walked away.
When they arrived at Dream Slope Zhai, there was an old but vigorous voice inside.
"Although you are temporarily silent, there is no need to belittle yourself. One should know that the times were like a stone. Talented people saw more brilliance, and those who did not have talent painstakingly pondered. There would also be a day when water would wear through stones.”
Cheng Rixing, Zhan Guang, Shan Pinren, and Bu Guxiu all stood at the side with the courtesy of disciples." I will always remember what the old master said to sharpen my mind and knowledge. I dare not forget it for a moment."”
Jia Lian took a deep breath and walked in with his head held high.
Amongst them was a thin and spirited old man with a white beard and two bright eyes.
This person was Li Shouzhong.
Jia Zheng sat beside him.
Jia Lian cupped his hands in greeting and said,"Junior Jia Lian greets Master Li."”
Li Shouzhong saw that Jia Lian was handsome and had an extraordinary demeanor. He did not say anything else but said,"Don't blame the heavens, don't blame people."
Jia Lian did not need to think about it and answered,"Therefore, a gentleman lives in an easy place and waits for his fate. A small person lives in danger and waits for luck.”
"What do you mean?" Li Shouzhong asked again.
Jia Lian muttered to himself,"This sentence comes from the fourteenth chapter of the Doctrine of the Middle Way. It means that you don't blame the heavens when facing your superiors, and you don't blame others when facing your subordinates." Therefore, the gentleman is in a safe position and waits for fate, while the villain takes risks in the hope of success.
The so-called 'living in an easy place to wait for fate' referred to being in a peaceful and dangerous situation, walking in a simple position to wait for fate.
He did not bully the weak, did not cling to the powerful, did not complain about the heavens, and did not blame others. This should be the virtue of a gentleman's self-cultivation. Comparing the two different mentalities of a gentleman and a villain, it could be seen that a gentleman's heart was full of glory and glistening without any personal burden.
The golden mean not only had the side of eager progress and active use of the world, but also the side of obeying the times and knowing the fate, and not being shocked by favor and humiliation. As a gentleman's way of life, the two sides could naturally last long.
It was a pity that once many scholars were in charge, they would always pay too much attention to the former and neglect the latter. They only knew that advancing was the courage of the Confucians, but they did not know that retreating at the right time was the wisdom of the Confucians. Once they were frustrated, they turned to Taoism and Buddhism to seek relief. As time passed, it seemed that the world's free and unrestrained and broad-minded could only be achieved with the help of the thoughts of the Buddhists. It was almost equivalent to letting nature go and forgetting the world. This was really biased.”
Li Shouzhong clapped his hands and smiled.”
Jia Lian smiled and said,"In front of the old man, I dare not say that I understand this word. It's just a random thought. I've occasionally gained something."”
"What a lucky catch!" Li Shouzhong twirled his beard and asked again,"Who is to blame for the destruction of the State of Chu and the imprisonment of Marquis Cai?"”
Jia Lian didn't hesitate." Marquis Cai was at fault. He was rude first and framed later. He didn't know that the lips were gone and the teeth were cold. As a result, King Wen of Chu defeated him one by one. He was really stupid. Xi Hou had made a mistake. The war was a major event of the country. If he used weapons without authorization and became enemies with his neighbors, not only would the country be destroyed, but his wife and children would also belong to others. He really deserved it. The King of Chu had once annexed many countries and plotted too deeply, making a woman bear the infamy of thousands of years. The so-called femme fatale was still wrong until now.”
"In your opinion, only Madam Xi is right?" Li Shouzhong asked.”
"Strictly speaking, she's also at fault." Jia Lian shook his head. She should have stopped Xi Hou when he was angry, but she didn't. When the country was destroyed, one should die for their country, but she didn't. And her biggest mistake was her beauty. But how can you blame her?"
Hearing this, Jia Zheng's face was filled with displeasure." She can't take care of her husband and teach her children, and she can't keep her chastity. Such a woman, even if she's as beautiful as a fairy, she's definitely the same as Meixi and Daji.”
Li Shouzhong clapped his hands and sighed." Brother Cunzhou is right! A woman without talent was virtuous, but she was important in spinning, weaving, and needlework. She only read some of the "Four Books on Women" and "Biography of Women" and recognized a few words. She only remembered these virtuous women of the previous dynasty. Brother Lian later conduct himself in the world, can not be confused by external things, need to stand upright, in order to achieve success.”
Jia Zheng continued,"The old man has taught you earnestly. You must remember it well. Don't take a wrong step." Do you hear me?"
Jia Lian found it strange. It was clearly said to be a test of knowledge, so why was it more and more like an ideology education class? Teach him how to conduct himself and tell him not to be obsessed with women?
This was the truth!
Jia Zheng had never thought that Jia Lian would take the imperial examination and was only using this as an excuse to give him a good beating.
Especially since his father was paralyzed in bed because of this, and it was hard to tell whether he was dead or alive. Jia Zheng felt that it was necessary to let Jia Lian walk the right path and not wander around all day and embarrass his ancestors.
However, if Jia Lian were to know about these words, he would definitely complain. In the entire 'Dream of the Red Chamber', the one who had the most time to do nothing and was the most addicted to women was his good son, Baoyu, alright?
However, Jia Lian was a little cold.
Of course. This was all in the past.
Jia Lian could only nod and accept the scolding.
Li Shouzhong had long heard that Jia Lian was a good-for-nothing, but because of the face of the in-laws, he repeatedly begged before taking the time to come.
He had planned to casually ask a few questions, but he would definitely not be able to answer them. Unexpectedly, Jia Lian's answer made his eyes light up.
She wasn't that shocked, but she could still be considered to have studied.
"Brother Lian, which of the Four Books and Five Classics have you read?" Li Shouzhong asked.”
The Four Books and Five Classics had their own order of study. One should first read the Great Learning, then the Analects of Confucius, Mencius, and the Doctrine of the Meanings. This was the Four Books, then the Book of Changes, the Book of History, the Book of Songs, the Spring and Autumn Annals, and the Book of Rites.
Unfortunately, no one told Jia Lian this. He memorized the books according to the distance and the number of words on the table.
"Old Sir, I only flipped a few pages of the Book of Songs.”Jia Lian indeed flipped through two pages before throwing it away. He remembered the phrase,"The turtledove at the pass is on the continent of the river."”
And Li Shouzhong thought that he had learned the Book of Songs! Moreover, he was able to speak freely about Zuo Zhuan before, so he should be familiar with the Four Books and Five Classics.
Actually, it was a misunderstanding. Jia Lian had not even finished memorizing the Doctrine of the Middle Way, let alone the rest.
So Li Shouzhong asked again,"Have you ever tried Shiwen?"”
Shi Wen is eight-part essay.
It seemed like Yingchun had given him one before?
Jia Lian replied,"I've only seen a few."”
Li Shouzhong smiled and said,"You said to Yan Yuan as a son,'Use it and you will do it. Give it up and you will hide it. Only you and I have a husband.' Try to write an article.”
This was a proposition essay.
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