vrcanaries Chapter 252, four sentences by Hengqu
Chapter 252, four sentences by Hengqu
Fang Zhili said, "No rush, no rush. Yang Jiadian is also in the capital now. Zhang Mo is returning to the capital with Ji Xun to report on his duties for the New Year. He Jinbao and Zhao Xiancheng are also coming to the capital for the New Year. We, your former brothers, can get together then."
"Alright, alright." Lin Ziping sensed the sarcasm in Fang Zhili's words and replied with a forced smile.
As they were talking, the servants brought out the wine and dishes.
"Alright, you brothers, eat and drink well here. Now come with me." Fang Zhili waved his sleeve.
"Go with you? What are we going to do?" Lin Ziping asked.
Fang Zhili said, "Didn't you want to visit the head of the Fang family?"
"Yes, yes," Lin Ziping said, as if he had just remembered. "Wait for me, I'll just say a few words to them and then leave."
"Don't worry, sir, we'll be here waiting for you to come back." Before Lin Ziping could speak, Fan Ji said, "I'll keep an eye on them, sir, don't worry."
Lin Ziping stepped forward, patted Fan Ji on the shoulder, and then looked around at the others, saying, "Thank you for your trouble."
After saying that, he left with Fang Zhili.
Fang Zhili and Lin Ziping walked at the front, with tall white walls on both sides, covered with narrow windows. Every now and then, people dressed as scholars would stick their heads out of the windows to greet Fang Zhili.
Fang Zhili bowed and responded to each of them.
This distance lasted for about a hundred meters.
After passing that high wall, there is another long staircase. After passing the staircase, the view suddenly opens up.
"Brother Lezheng, what was that just now?" Lin Ziping asked.
Fang Zhili stopped and looked to both sides, asking, "What do you think of this place, Shaoying?"
Lin Ziping, mimicking Fang Zhili, looked around and said, "The scenery is beautiful and very open."
"Shaoying, do you know how long it takes to walk from the foot of the mountain to here?" Fang Zhili asked.
Lin Ziping calculated the time it took him to come up from the foot of the mountain and replied, "It took me about two hours to walk here today."
Fang Zhili smiled and shook his head, saying, "How could it be possible to get there in two hours? It would take an average person thirteen years, and some people would never be able to get there even if they spent their entire lives. Fang's ancestor was a commoner who learned the Way at the age of thirty. He took up the imperial examination and saw the difficulties people faced in studying. So he built a school to provide education for poor students, which has continued for over a hundred years."
As he spoke, Fang Zhili's eyes shone, and his tone was full of pride.
"To establish a heart for heaven and earth, to establish a destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of the past sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations." Zhang Zai's "Four Sentences of Hengqu" suddenly popped into Lin Ziping's mind.
"Well said!" Fang Zhili praised. "If Shaoying continues with the imperial examinations, we can work together to do something for the world!"
?
Lin Ziping looked completely bewildered.
Looking at Fang Zhili's excited expression, it turned out that he had just recited Zhang Zai's "Four Sentences of Hengqu".
Explanations now are futile.
He could only awkwardly laugh and say, "Brother Lezheng, you flatter me."
Fang Zhili pulled Lin Ziping's hand and said, "Come on, come on, I'll take you to see my grandfather."
Lin Ziping was pulled and stumbled, but he steadied himself and quickly followed Fang Zhili's steps.
The two walked hurriedly for half an hour and arrived at a simple and elegant courtyard.
Fang Zhili, pulling Lin Ziping along, pushed open the door and entered without waiting for the servant to announce their arrival, calling out, "Grandfather, Grandfather..."
"You're about to become a father, why are you still so reckless?" A voice came as the two entered the house.
Lin Ziping looked at him and found his features somewhat familiar; he appeared to be about the same age as Fang Zhili.
"Young Master Youwei," Lin Ziping said, bowing respectfully.
The person who spoke looked at Lin Ziping, his eyes full of doubt.
Fang Zhili asked, "How do you know my cousin?"
"Back then, Moshan Academy was very grateful to Young Master Youwei for helping Tao Ju'an and me out of that predicament," Lin Ziping said, cupping his hands in thanks.
"Tao Ju'an," Fang Youwei repeated, then smiled and said, "It was just a small favor; it's kind of you to remember it now!"
"Cough cough!"
Two coughs came from behind me.
Fang Zhili quickly turned around and bowed, saying, "Grandfather."
"Why did Yue Zheng arrive in such a hurry?" Lin Ziping recognized the voice; it was the voice of Consort Fang Qingmiao.
Fang Zhili bowed and greeted her, "Auntie."
Lin Ziping also clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Your Highness, Imperial Concubine."
Fang Qingmiao said, "Father, this is Lin Ziping who accompanied me on this trip home."
"You are Lin Ziping?" After a long pause, the speaker continued, "I have heard of you. Come closer so this old man can have a good look at you."
Lin Ziping took two steps forward, slightly raised his eyes, and met a pair of gentle and wise eyes.
“He’s clever,” the old man said.
Lin Ziping secretly sized up the person in front of him. He had the appearance of a kind and benevolent person, and his speech and behavior were gentle and refined. His face was kind, but the deep nasolabial folds on both sides of his nose added a touch of seriousness. As he stroked his white beard, he added a touch of otherworldly elegance.
Fang Zhili said, "Shaoying, this is my grandfather."
Lin Ziping recalled the strategy he had devised for the Fang family last night. The current head of the Fang family was Fang Qingmiao's older brother, who was also Fang Youwei's father. However, the pillar of the Fang family was the previous head, Fang Zhen.
Although the head of the Fang family would not hold a position in the imperial court, the headmaster of the Imperial Academy would definitely be a member of the Fang family. In this era of respecting teachers and valuing the Way, this led to the Fang family having a very high reputation among scholars, especially when Fang Zhen was the head of the Fang family.
Previously, no prominent family except the Zhou family would send their daughters to the palace. Fang Zhen was the one who started this practice. As Fang Qingmiao entered the palace, others began to follow suit, and the imperial court and the aristocratic families became even more closely bound together.
Lin Ziping pulled himself out of his thoughts, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Headmaster Fang."
"Haha." Fang Zhen laughed loudly, "I'm no longer the headmaster. Now I'm just a leisurely old man, reading books, fishing, and raising pets."
Fang Zhen looked at Lin Ziping: "Now is the era of you young people. The road may be long, but you will reach your destination if you keep walking. Can you read Xunzi?"
"I have some knowledge of it," Lin Ziping replied.
"Though the path is near, you will not arrive if you do not walk; though the task is small, you will not succeed if you do not do it." Fang Zhen recited, "If you have your own insights, have you ever taken the imperial examinations? Why not continue?"
“Grandfather, Lin Ziping was a scholar who passed the imperial examinations. If it weren’t for the fact that merchants’ families couldn’t continue taking the exams, and his uncle was also a… he might still be your student now,” Fang Zhili explained.
He then added, "He just said, 'To establish a heart for Heaven and Earth, to establish a destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of the past sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations.' Isn't this consistent with the late Emperor Taizu's last instructions?"
Fang Zhen was taken aback upon hearing this, and after a long while, he looked at Lin Ziping and shook his head: "You actually have such thoughts? Alas, what a pity, what a pity."
No, I didn't, that's not my idea!
Lin Ziping repeatedly denied it in his heart. It was fine to quote the famous sayings of the ancients, but he couldn't take advantage of their inability to claim copyright and shamelessly claim them as his own.
"Master, you may not know this, but I learned it from a book. It was said by an elder named Zhang Zai, and I was deeply moved at the time," Lin Ziping explained.
Fang Zhen asked in confusion, "How come I, an old man who has read extensively, have never seen this before?"