The next day, news came from Zhang Dashun that Zheng Yucheng was willing to meet Zhao Cheng.
The meeting place was Huangyuji by the Qingshui River.
Zhao Cheng got up early and scanned the "Five Classics of Justice" to deepen his memory. He put on a plain white robe, tied up his hair neatly, and then headed to Huangyuji.
Every spring flood, a large number of yellow croakers gather here near this rocky beach that protrudes from the river to breed and give birth, hence the name Huangyuji.
Zhang Dashun, as the introducer, also accompanied Zhao Cheng.
In late October, the cold dew had passed, and in the early morning the lawn by the river was already covered with a light layer of frost.
The two of them walked along the river and soon saw an old man sitting on a cattail grass ball not far from the water in Huangyuji, holding a fishing rod and fishing.
Zhang Dashun winked at Zhao Cheng and walked over first.
"Old Zheng, I didn't expect you to come so early. The person behind me is Zhao Cheng."
Then he said to Zhao Cheng: "This is Mr. Zheng, why don't you come over to see me?"
Zhao Cheng quickly took two steps forward, bowed his hands and said, "Zhao Cheng has met Mr. Zheng."
It seemed that he was different from the eccentric temper Zhang Dashun said. This Zheng Yucheng had a kind expression. He glanced at Zhao Cheng and said, "Sit down, don't be restrained."
Then he said to Zhang Dashun: "The two of us can just have a chat. You have a lot of promises in your restaurant. Go and do your business. You can invite me to your restaurant for a drink someday."
Zhang Dashun laughed loudly and said: "No problem, then you two can just chat, I will go first."
After Zhang Dashun left, Huangyuji returned to the morning tranquility. Several black swallows flew across the water quickly, causing ripples.
After Zheng Yucheng threw the fishhook, he sat there steadily with the fishing rod in hand, looking at the float on the water intently, seeming to have forgotten that Zhao Cheng was beside him.
Zhao Cheng waited for a while and saw that Zheng Yucheng had no intention of speaking. Then he believed what Zhang Dashun said. This gentleman did have a weird temper.
Is this to test my determination?
Does not speaking count as concentration?
But if this stalemate continues, it will be a waste of time. Zhao Cheng doesn't want to sit here fishing with an old man.
There are many ways to waste your life, and you don’t have to choose the one you don’t like.
"Cough!" Zhao Cheng coughed, intending to say something to break the deadlock. Unexpectedly, before he could speak, Zheng Yucheng had already spoken.
"Young man, you don't have enough concentration."
Sure enough, Zhao Cheng cursed in his heart, even though he had seen in the media before the scenes where the ancients tested the opponent's determination, and almost always spent time waiting to see who could lose his composure first.
Zhao Cheng originally lived in an extremely fast-paced environment. He had to trot to the toilet every day. He worked from early morning until nightfall, and it was normal for thousands of houses to be lit up with lights.
In such a cruel environment, Zhao Cheng developed his quick and alert reaction ability and his ability to seize clues from complicated intelligence.
Both of these skills are naturally and instinctively opposed to time-consuming.
Because the purpose of wasting time is nothing more than to solve the problem, but if the problem can be solved quickly by relying on quick reactions and grabbing clues from complex intelligence, then wasting time is meaningless.
"Isn't it natural that the concentration is not as good as Mr. Zheng's?" Zhao Cheng flattered him.
Zheng Yucheng smiled and skipped the topic, and then asked: "Which sutra do you focus on on weekdays?"
The Five Classics are: Zhouyi, Shangshu, Mao Shi, Book of Rites, and Spring and Autumn Period. These five classics will be tested in the examination, so every student who wants to take the imperial examination must read all five books.
But for students, among these five sutras, they have to choose one as their "natal" sutra to "practice", which means to focus on it.
Zheng Yucheng's question "Which sutra should be emphasized" was to see how much Zhao Cheng had mastered and which aspect he focused on.
The emphasis of the Five Classics is different.
According to Confucius, "Six arts are responsible for governing one thing. Rituals are used to restrain people, music is used to promote harmony, writing is used to express Taoism, poetry is used to express ideas, ease is used to deify people, and spring and autumn are used to express righteousness."
The meaning of this passage is that the Six Classics have the same role in governing the country.
"Li" is used to regulate people's way of life, "Music" is used to promote people's harmony and unity, "Book" is used to record past deeds and regulations, "Poetry" is used to express emotions, and "Book" is used to express emotions and ideas. "Yi" is used to observe the magical changes in the world, and "Spring and Autumn" is used to understand the subtle meanings and weigh the right and wrong.
Because the Book of Music was lost, only the Five Classics remain.
It is said that "the poems are gentle and generous, the books are sparse and far-reaching, the etiquette is respectful, frugal and solemn, the Yi is clean and quiet, and the spring and Autumn period is a comparison of events." From the readers' different emphasis on the Five Classics, we can also figure out the personality and temperament of this person.
Zhao Cheng thought for a moment and said, "I'd like to focus on the minister."
Zheng Yucheng was silent and stared at the water. The float was sinking and rising with the waves.
Zhao Cheng finally couldn't help but said: "Don't you make a nest when fishing?"
Zheng Yucheng said: "What is making a nest?"
Zhao Cheng described it: "If the fish were a group of hungry people, they would be the rice grains scattered out to make their nests, and the big white-flour steamed buns on the hooks."
"When hungry people see grains of rice on the ground, it would be slow and laborious to pick them up and eat them, so they will swallow the steamed buns on the fishing hook. The grains of rice are like nests."
Zheng Yucheng suddenly realized and said with a smile: "I have never made a nest before, but the method you mentioned is interesting. I can try it another day."
He continued the topic just now and said: "The "Poetry" is stupid, and the "Book" is false. Since you focus on Shangshu, you should remain calm and not exaggerated."
"Mr. Zhang mentioned you and said that you are a rare talent and hopes to become my disciple."
"Here today, I will give you a solid explanation. Normally, I can give you some guidance on some of your learning difficulties, but there is no master-disciple relationship between you and me."
"If you want to become my teacher..." Zheng Yucheng shook his head and said nothing.
It was one thing that Zhao Cheng wanted to find someone to help him with academic problems, but more importantly, he wanted to use his status as a master and apprentice to add a layer of protection to himself and deter Hong Yuankui.
Now it seems that Zheng Yucheng's intention is that for Zhang Dashun's sake, he can exchange knowledge, but he will never accept a disciple.
Sure enough, Zhang Dashun was right, this Zheng Yucheng was indeed not easy to become a disciple.
Zhao Cheng did not stalk him. He believed that there was no unbreakable defense in the world, and there was nothing impossible that could not be done. If there was, it was because he had not found the right method.
There must be a reason why Zheng Yucheng doesn't accept disciples. It is not easy to find this reason and break his guard.
Zhao Chenggong bowed respectfully to Zheng Yucheng: "Zhao Cheng thanks the old gentleman here."
