Chapter 26

A bowl of white, crystal-clear noodles was served in a large bowl. On top of the white, translucent noodles, one side was drizzled with a thick, dark brown sauce, emitting a rich aroma of meat. On the other side, finely sliced vegetables were neatly arranged, their fresh colors contrasting beautifully with the meat sauce and noodles, making them even more tempting. Chinese cuisine, whether simple or luxurious, always emphasizes the combination of color, aroma, and taste, and this bowl of noodles achieved all three. Xia Hongsheng carried the bowl of fried sauce noodles to Xu's father, placed it in front of him, and sat down beside him without a word. Dinner was not yet ready, and Xia Hongsheng had squeezed out time to make the fried sauce noodles himself. Xu's father was hungry, and the scent of the sauce on the noodles made his appetite grow even more.

Without any hesitation, Xu's father picked up his chopsticks, leaned in, and took a deep breath. Instantly, the rich aroma of meat filled his nose, and his mouth began to water uncontrollably. He quickly swallowed, not wanting to lose face in front of the two young men. He stirred the noodles in the bowl, picked up a mouthful, and his eyes lit up. Then, he began to eat rapidly, one mouthful after another, without even pausing to chew. Indeed, it was no wonder they were father and son; the way they devoured the noodles was exactly the same as when Xu Qixian ate the oil-splashed noodles the day before!

The large bowl of noodles was quickly devoured, and Xu's father put down his chopsticks, looking somewhat embarrassed at Xia Hongsheng and his son. He took the handkerchief offered by a maid, wiped his mouth, and said, "Hehe, Nephew Jingshi, I apologize for my rudeness. Yes, the noodles are excellent, and I understand your intention. You are a smart person, but even smart people can be misled by their intelligence. I hope you will remain true to your original intentions and serve the people well."

Xu Qixian's father felt deeply gratified by the gratitude Xia Hongsheng expressed through the bowl of fried sauce noodles he had made.

The tea business was thus settled. Xu Qixian's father, with his keen insight, saw the potential in the tea made by the roasting method and decisively took on the business, offering Xia Hongsheng a generous 50-50 split to bring him on board. This decisiveness impressed Xia Hongsheng, as roasting tea was still a novelty, and Xu's father had only tasted the tea Xu Qixian had brought back, yet he was willing to offer a 50-50 split, showing his bold and decisive nature.

The saltwater at home had been completely used up, so his sister-in-law bought more salt. Xia Hongsheng specially asked her to bring back some of the poorest quality salt soil, planning to continue his experiments when he had the time. However, after learning that the salt business was monopolized by the government and the sale of private salt was strictly prohibited, Xia Hongsheng's enthusiasm waned, and he prioritized the more profitable tea business. Now that the tea business was temporarily settled, he had time to continue his experiments.

However, there was another matter that needed attention.

The monthly holiday at the academy was approaching. According to the rules, the holiday should be every ten days, but the academy only had one day off, during which students could relax and not attend classes, giving them time to listen to Xia Hongsheng's pitches and join the interest groups. The poster was already prepared, and Xia Hongsheng had written the content himself, which Xu Qixian had copied. It was ready to be posted under the big locust tree in the academy on the morning of the holiday.

As the holiday approached, the students were looking forward to a day off from their studies. Whether in the Tang Dynasty or in modern times, the anticipation of a weekend is likely the same. Xia Hongsheng prepared his speech and even wrote a speech to stir the students and attract as many as possible to join his interest group.

Finally, the holiday arrived, and Xia Hongsheng got up early, ran to the academy, and posted the large red paper on the locust tree. When the students woke up, washed up, and came to the courtyard, they immediately noticed the eye-catching red paper on the locust tree and curiously approached to see what it said.

"At the beginning of ancient times, who transmitted the way? When the upper and lower were not formed, how could they be examined? In the dark and dim, who could reach the end? In the vast and empty, how could they be recognized? In the bright and dark, what was the purpose? How did the three elements of yin and yang combine, and what were their origins and transformations? The sky is ninefold, who measured it? What great work is this, who started it? Where are the eight pillars, and why is the southeast deficient? At the edge of the nine heavens, where are they placed? In the corners, who knows their number? Where does the sky meet, and how is it divided into twelve? Where do the sun and moon belong, and how are the stars arranged?" The opening lines of Qu Yuan's "Heavenly Questions" were murmured by some of the older students, and the text continued: "Why is the sky clear, and the earth turbid? Why do birds, beasts, and plants live and die? Why does the thunder stop, and the sky shine? What is wind, what is rain, and what is the principle of snow, moon, and fog? What is the reason for the change of the four seasons? Knowledge comes from the investigation of things, and when things are investigated, knowledge is gained. I want to explore the principles of all things. Fellow students, are you willing to join me?"

More and more students gathered around the poster, and Xia Hongsheng, seeing the right moment, ran out of the classroom, parted the crowd, and stood on a square stone under the locust tree. He took a deep breath and said loudly, "Fellow students, please listen to me!"

Xia Hongsheng bowed to the students and said, "One day, I saw lightning and thunder and suddenly wondered how they were formed. I searched through ancient texts but found no answers, only Qu Yuan's 'Heavenly Questions.' I couldn't help but ask the same questions. How high is the sky, and what is the earth? Why does the sun rise in the east and set in the west? Why are there four seasons? I want to know how mountains are formed, how water flows, why birds can fly, and why insects burrow into the ground. Everything in the world has its principles, from the great changes of the earth to the common things around us. I want to explore these principles. Are there any fellow students who share this interest?"

After speaking, Xia Hongsheng looked at the students, but they all stared at him with strange expressions, completely unmoved. Some even started to call for the teachers.

Xia Hongsheng was almost furious. This was not at all what he had expected! Do these students have no curiosity at all? That's not right; even Master Yan has a strong curiosity, so why wouldn't these young students be interested?

Biting his lip, Xia Hongsheng shouted, "Have you ever seen someone take chestnuts from a fire? Do you want to know why? Have you ever seen someone put their hand in a pot of oil without getting burned? Have you ever seen something that can make people fly? Have you ever seen those who pretend to be gods and spirits draw red blood on yellow paper with a knife? Do you want to know the principles behind these things?"

This time, someone finally reacted. A student chuckled and asked, "Xia, are you going to perform magic tricks?"

Xia Hongsheng was furious. "Perform your own magic tricks, you and your whole family!"

The students started to cheer and actually began to demand that Xia Hongsheng perform a magic trick.

The scene was not at all what Xia Hongsheng had expected. This was supposed to be an inspiring speech, but it had turned into a magic show before it even started!

It was a failure! Hmph, these students are not worth teaching!

In the distance, someone had called the headmaster, and Xia Hongsheng quickly turned around, tore down the poster, and jumped off the stone, but the crowd pushed him back, and he couldn't break free. By the time he finally managed to get out, Master Yan was already in front of him.

"What are you all gathered here for? Disperse immediately, or do you want to study all day?" Master Yan shouted at the students, and they scattered like birds and beasts, disappearing in a flash.

"Student greets Master Yan." Xia Hongsheng bowed dejectedly.

Master Yan nodded, took the red paper from Xia Hongsheng, unfolded it, and read it. He then smiled and returned it to Xia Hongsheng, saying, "So, you failed?"

Xia Hongsheng nodded.

"The ways of heaven are mysterious. Who among us mortals can truly understand them? Even the immortals you met in the mountains still live in this world. You want to find like-minded people to study the principles of things, but these students have just started their studies and lack the knowledge to understand such principles. Talking about abstract concepts is not as practical as being down-to-earth. I believe these students care more about where they will go to play today than about these abstract questions. Talking about the changes of heaven and the principles of all things is not as exciting to them as a magic show." Master Yan patted Xia Hongsheng's shoulder and said, "Moreover, when Confucius first started teaching, he had few followers. To be practical, sometimes you need to attract people. If I didn't have some reputation in the scholarly world, would this Luanzhou Academy be as large as it is now? If you want to promote the study of the principles of things, you need to do something to show its benefits. When people see the value, they will come to you."

Xia Hongsheng was stunned but then understood. He had been too hasty and too abstract. People care more about practical matters, like what they will eat next. Without experiencing the warmth of the sunrise, who would know its warmth? Without experiencing a storm, who would know the intensity of the rain? The study of the principles of things is the same. Without experiencing it, how would anyone know its value? If there is no fragrance, how can it attract people?

If the study of the principles of things is like a hidden wildflower, what is lacking is the fragrance to attract people. Once the fragrance spreads, people will come to appreciate it.

From now on, I will spread this fragrance.

Xia Hongsheng felt relieved, and his dejection lifted. This failed attempt was not entirely a failure. At least it made him realize what he was lacking and gave him a clearer direction.