Chapter 77

"Second Brother, can you show me some of the texts you've written?" Wang Ju said.

"That, that..." Li Wan Yuan stammered, "My writing isn't good enough to show!"

"Remember, the first element of learning is diligence. The path to the mountain of books is through hard work, and the sea of learning is crossed in a boat of hardship."

Wang Ju remembered that in his previous life, someone suggested reducing the pressure on children, which he thought was nonsense! He even suspected it was pushed by public intellectuals. Many people might forget everything they learned once they entered university or entered society, but it was precisely this pressure that could cultivate more talents. Even if only one in a thousand students could become a talent, the large population base would turn into a driving force. Although Europe and America have advanced technology, don't forget your own foundation. Otherwise, the large population base would become a burden, or like India, if they don't change, they won't catch up in a hundred years no matter how relaxed the situation is.

"Secondly, perseverance. If you give up, even rotten wood won't break; if you persist, even metal and stone can be carved! Don't study hard today and slack off tomorrow."

"Humility. If you don't understand, ask. Don't pretend to know what you don't. Even Confucius accepted guidance from children. When three people walk together, one of them must be my teacher! For example, in the prefectural school, I know the professor lectures on some incorrect things and teaches at a pace I can't tolerate."

"You can't compare yourself to me."

"Yes, the professor has to cater to the majority of students." Wang Ju said with some pride, as catering to other students held him back. In fact, the county school had been holding him back since last year, let alone the prefectural school, which was like a remedial class.

"Why do I still listen attentively? Although there are errors, most of what he says is correct, and some parts can still inspire me. This is the spirit of humility. It's not shameful to be ignorant, but it is shameful to pretend to know. It's not shameful to make mistakes, but it is shameful not to correct them. Ignorance is not ugly, and making mistakes is not ugly, but pretending to know when you don't is ugly, and not correcting mistakes is even uglier. Correcting mistakes is the greatest virtue. Be quick to learn and not ashamed to ask questions!"

"Finally, a learning method."

This time, Wang Ju wasn't just bluffing; it was the result of his two lifetimes of learning, the insights of a super scholar.

Li Wan Yuan had no choice but to frown and reluctantly show Wang Ju some of his writing.

Wang Ju looked at it.

Li Wan Yuan thought Wang Ju would mock him, but he didn't. It was poor, as expected by Wang Ju, but a few years in the prefectural school weren't entirely wasted. Although his foundation wasn't as good as Zhu Jun's, it was still a little better.

After looking for over an hour, Wang Ju made a study schedule for him, specifying how much time to spend on what each day, and said, "If you persist for two to three years, you can become a candidate for the imperial examination."

The number of candidates in Yan Prefecture was very small, but that didn't matter. Everyone was on the same starting line, and they were all poor. Moreover, the Li family had money, though money alone wasn't enough. Even if the examiners wanted to be lenient, they would at least pass him. If he could pass, spending a little more money would secure the candidate status. With this status and his family background, Li Wan Yuan's future would be secure.

"Let's do this. You will study with Wang Chu." Wang Chu was San Niu, and Wang Ju also made a study plan for his younger brother.

However, unlike the current education system, Wang Ju also taught his younger brother practical skills and critical thinking, emphasizing the application of knowledge. He wanted to ensure his younger brother didn't become a bookworm.

Wang Ju wasn't insulting his future brother-in-law but motivating him. Your study attitude isn't as good as mine, but it shouldn't be worse than my younger brother's.

Li Wan Yuan's mouth was bitter.

After a while, he said, "Brother-in-law, I have something to tell you. Niu Jia's Second Son beat up Ding Jia's Third Son badly."

"Oh."

The Ding family had lost everything, but they hadn't been completely destroyed.

They had to sell their properties, dismiss their servants, and the Niu family had broken off the engagement. They went from a first-class household to a third-class one. Even the seven or eight cousins of Ding Buling fought over the remaining property, but Ding Buling still had a couple of shops. If he were content, he wouldn't worry about food and clothing. However, he would never regain his former influence. The Zhao family had let them off, and although Wang Ju was angry, he didn't pursue the matter further.

"Niu Jia's Second Son met Ding Jia's Third Son on the street, insulted him, and provoked a fight. In the end, Ding Jia's Third Son was badly beaten."

"Niu Jia's Second Son is too troublesome," Wang Ju said.

The Zhao and Ding families had such deep enmity, yet they had let it go. The Niu family had a good relationship with the Ding family, and breaking off the engagement was understandable. The Ding family's decline made them unsuitable for the Niu family. Everyone was a merchant, and merchants were practical, but insulting someone after breaking off the engagement was wrong.

"About that couplet..."

"Don't worry."

The tone and structure were fine, but the key was the imagery.

What is imagery?

A single sound stirs all things to stillness, the stars grow sparse as the audience falls silent.

In September, the cold pounding of the pestle hastens the falling leaves, and the ten-year-long military service brings thoughts of Liaoyang.

In autumn, a thousand miles of sorrow, a guest often far from home, a hundred years of illness, alone on a high platform.

The misty vapor rises over Yunmeng Marsh, the waves shake Yueyang City.

Bamboo is lovely after the new rain, the mountains are beautiful at sunset.

In the fragrant spring, the green of the plane trees, the clear night, the cuckoo's cry...

These are the best couplets with true imagery, the true essence of writing!

Not something like "smoke locks the willows by the pond, cannons guard the city of Zhenjiang."

If Wang Ju remembered correctly, over the past few hundred years, only two couplets could勉强 match in imagery: "lanterns hang low over the water, smoke locks the willows by the pond," but this became the upper line, and the word "hang" was勉强. Reversed, the first characters "smoke" and "lantern" both have the "fire" radical, still勉强, and not a qualified couplet. Only "smoke locks the willows by the pond, maple melts in the autumn of Haiyan" could勉强 match.

Over the past few hundred years, countless people had racked their brains to come up with a barely qualified couplet.

How could the Niu family find a qualified lower line in half a month? Would they come up with something like "smoke locks the willows by the pond, reeds burn in the sea pot"?

...

An old tree, cold crows, the sun setting in the west.

Ding Jia began to close the shop.

The dozens of punches from Niu Jia's Second Son had also beaten him awake. He finally understood the warmth and cold of human relationships and the fickleness of the world.

But it also brought a good thing. Ding Jia became more diligent, putting aside his pride and personally managing the business, arriving at the shop earliest and leaving the latest.

Ding Buling was quite comforted by his third son's change.

Although the family had fallen, as long as the people didn't fall, they could start over.

If the people fell, even the largest fortune would be lost.

After closing the door, Ding Jia was about to leave when a hand tapped his shoulder. He turned around to see a scholar wearing a headscarf standing behind him.

"Are you the third son of the Ding family?"

The accent sounded like someone from southern Shaanxi. Ding Jia asked suspiciously, "Yes, who are you...?"

"I want to discuss a business deal with you."

"Go on."

"Do you want your family to rise again?"

"What do you mean?" Ding Jia asked, alert.

"If you do, give me two hundred strings of cash, and I will make your family rise again."

"Please go cool off somewhere," Ding Jia said angrily. The Ding family could still come up with two hundred strings of cash, but he absolutely couldn't.

"Don't rush to refuse. If my plan doesn't make your family rise, you don't have to pay."

This was a deal. Ding Jia thought for a long time and said, "Wait a moment."

He went home and called his father, Ding Buling.

Since it was a matter of listening first and paying later, they might as well listen.

Ding Buling also looked at the scholar suspiciously. The scholar smiled slightly, "I am from Huazhou."

"Huazhou?" Ding Buling's eyes lit up, "May I ask your surname?"

"You don't need to ask my surname, but you can listen first." The scholar explained his plan.

"Why did you choose our family?"

"I am just a poor scholar with no connections."

This reason alone was enough, and there was a second reason: the enmity between your family and the Zhu and Zhao families. However, the scholar gave Ding Buling some face and didn't mention it.

"How do you guarantee you won't leak it?"

"What benefit would I get from leaking it? If you're not sure, you can give me fifty strings of cash first, and pay the rest after the matter is settled."

"Deal." Ding Buling immediately gave him fifty strings of cash. The scholar took the money and left. Ding Jia carefully pondered, "Father, it's a good plan."

"It is a good plan. This shows that one should not judge a person by their appearance and should not underestimate anyone."

PS: This is the fifth update. The remaining updates will start from 8:00 AM. How many more updates depend on you, or rather, on your recommendations, votes, and collections. Hehe.

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