Regardless of whether he accepts a disciple or not, at least Zheng Yucheng is still willing to give advice on intellectual problems, which is already rare. What he fears most is that he will be rejected thousands of miles away and difficult to approach.
Zhao Cheng left Huangyuji and went to Dashun Building first. Thanks to Zhang Dashun's help, Yu Qingyu should tell him.
For this result, Zhang Dashun had already expected it. He was afraid that Zhao Cheng would fail to become his disciple and would be discouraged, so he comforted him: "This Zheng Yucheng is not easy to get close to, but don't worry, I will persuade him again in two days. "
Zhao Cheng thought for a while and asked: "As a Confucian scholar, how could Mr. Zheng not have any students? During the years he has been studying Confucian classics, he has at least given lectures in person, and those who attended the lectures were all his students."
"Moreover, he didn't mind teaching me any academic difficulties. He said that if I had any questions, I could ask him for advice."
"This shows that Mr. Zheng is still willing to teach and educate people, and he is not afraid of giving lectures and clearing up doubts for others."
Zhang Dashun nodded repeatedly after hearing this: "Yes, I am usually very willing to talk when fishing. I am not withdrawn."
Zhao Cheng guessed: "Then he doesn't want to accept students, maybe because he was hurt by his students, so he refused to accept disciples."
"Mr. Zhang, he once studied Confucian classics in Yanzhou. Have you heard anything about him or his disciples?"
Zhang Dashun frowned and thought for a while, then shook his head and said, "I am not a member of the officialdom. I don't know much about these people. If you have any acquaintances in Yanzhou, you can inquire about them. Unfortunately, most business travelers have gone home this season."
Qinghe County belongs to Yunzhou. Although it is adjacent to Yanzhou, it is still hundreds of miles away from Yanzhou. Even if you rush there now, you may not be able to find out. What's more, the round trip takes more than a month, which will inevitably miss your study time.
Zhao Cheng said: "It doesn't matter, I'll think of a way."
He wanted to study under his master, which was to achieve two goals. In addition to being fully prepared for the imperial examination, it could also be used as a protection of his identity so that Hong Yuankui would not dare to use tactics against him easily.
But if the apprenticeship fails, it is not that there is no other way, it just requires a little more effort.
After returning home, Zhou Rushuang happily greeted her.
Zhao Cheng could see that this little girl was getting happier day by day, with no worries about food and clothing, and she gradually regained the innocence and liveliness she should have had at her age.
"Mr. Liu! Mrs. Liu next door brought freshly steamed chestnut cake!" Zhou Rushuang's eyes revealed joy and relaxation.
"Yeah." Zhao Cheng was still thinking about becoming a disciple, a little absent-minded.
"Mr. Lang! I sewed a robe for you today. You can try it on later." Zhou Rushuang's fingers were almost pricked into sieves in order to sew the robe properly.
However, because the stitches are neat and precise, it is very rare for Zhou Rushuang to reach this level when sewing clothes for the first time.
Zhao Cheng was a little doubtful whether the clothes sewn by Zhou Rushuang would fit. After all, she was just an amateur tailor. Zhao Cheng still trusted the ready-to-wear shops more.
But he couldn't say it directly to dampen the little girl's enthusiasm, so he said: "Don't worry about that, wait until I come back in the evening and try again. I have something to go out later."
"If your husband goes out later, he will look even more beautiful in this new robe." Zhou Rushuang couldn't hide her excitement.
Zhao Cheng had no choice but to deal with it casually: "Well, let's wait until I get back in the evening to deal with the trouble of changing."
Zhou Rushuang's warm eyes showed a little bit of disappointment: "Oh."
She said in a very small voice: "Then wait until Mr. Lang comes back and try again."
At this time, Mr. Dong poked his head out of the west wing and said to Zhao Cheng, "Going for a walk?"
Zhao Cheng looked at Mr. Dong. The expression on the old master's face did not change much, and he still had a stern face.
"Okay, let's go for a walk together."
The two of them went out one after another, leaving Zhou Rushuang standing in the yard in despair, stroking the bamboo flute that Zhao Cheng had made for her.
Zhao Cheng and Mr. Dong walked along the street, but Mr. Dong stopped talking at this time and just walked with his head down.
Zhao Cheng followed behind, wondering what kind of medicine Mr. Dong was selling in this boring gourd.
The two of them walked to the Qingshui River and walked along the river bank. When they reached an open area, Mr. Dong stood still, looking at the water in the distance and the flying golden ducks. He turned to Zhao Cheng and said, "Are you going to become a disciple today?"
Zhao Cheng nodded: "That's right, but it's a pity that he didn't succeed. Mr. Zheng doesn't accept disciples."
Mr. Dong glanced sideways at Zhao Cheng: "Do you know why he doesn't accept disciples?"
After he asked a question, without waiting for Zhao Cheng to answer, he said to himself: "That's because Zheng Yucheng was tricked by his disciples."
"He has been studying Confucian classics in Yanzhou for sixteen years. He has accepted more than one disciple, but none of them were favored by him. Until the tenth year of Taihe, his most proud disciple participated in the interpretation test and won the first place. The following year, he went to Beijing to participate He took the provincial exam and was exposed as cheating.”
Zhao Cheng's heart moved. Sure enough, his guess was not wrong. Zheng Yucheng's heart must be here.
Mr. Dong sighed: "The specific situation is no longer clear, but it was undeniable that his disciples' actual level was insufficient at that time, so the first place in the examination was questioned."
"For a time, rumors that Zheng Yucheng cheated for his disciples were rampant. Some people said that he leaked the questions, while others said that he made marks on the papers because of his status as a Confucian scholar."
"The emperor sent people to thoroughly investigate the case. In the end, no evidence of Zheng Yucheng's guilt was found, so it was dropped."
"Zheng Yucheng retired from old age and returned to his hometown to become a fisherman by the Qingshui River."
Zhao Cheng didn't expect that there was such a complicated inside story behind it, and it also involved official secrets. He was surprised how Mr. Dong knew about it.
After Mr. Dong finished telling this secret, he glanced at Zhao Cheng with relief: "Now do you know why Zheng Yucheng refused to accept a disciple?"
Zhao Cheng did not answer this obvious question, but instead asked: "Mr. Dong is neither a member of the officialdom nor a close friend of Mr. Zheng, so how did he know these things?"
Mr. Dong smiled bitterly: "Because that disciple Zheng Yucheng happens to be my distant relative."
"Okay, now you should have found the reason. Whether you can succeed in becoming a disciple depends on how you do it."
"But don't be too happy too early. According to my guess, Zheng Yucheng is determined not to accept any more disciples. You don't have to waste your efforts."
Zhao Cheng didn't say anything. He wanted to try again. Now he knew where Zheng Yucheng was on guard. If he didn't give it a try, he would always feel unwilling.
If it doesn't work, it's not too late to think of other ways.
But in that case, time would be even more pressing, and Hong Yuankui might appear in front of him at any time with a group of government officials.
