Liu Qingshu fell into deep thought and did not continue to question him in the early morning. He just followed Liu Qingshu silently on horseback.
I don't know how long it took, but Liu Qingshu suddenly stopped and looked at his feet in a daze.
In the early hours of the morning, I pulled the reins and looked back.
I saw a dung beetle at Liu Qingshu's feet, pushing the dung ball hard. Because Liu Qingshu's feet were blocking the way, the dung beetle could not move forward.
In the early hours of the morning, I looked at the dung beetle and then at the entranced Liu Qingshu. A smile appeared on his face. It seemed that Liu Qingshu could still be saved.
Time passed slowly, but the dung beetle never gave up, trying hard to climb over the "hillside" that was quite difficult for it.
In the end, perhaps by chance or too much effort, the dung beetle finally pushed the dung ball over Liu Qingshu's feet, and slowly crawled into the grass on the roadside under the watchful eyes of Ling Chen and Liu Qingshu.
Liu Qingshu held his hands tightly, his breathing became more rapid, and his eyes gradually became brighter.
"Master Three Burials, I understand!" Liu Qingshu shouted excitedly.
"Oh? Really? What have you learned?" Ling Chen asked with a chuckle.
"If I don't work hard, how will I know that I can't do it? If I don't work hard, how can I live up to the expectations of my folks!?" Liu Qingshu explained in a hurry.
"If I go back like this, everyone will be disappointed in me, even myself!"
"So?" Ling Chen's smile became brighter and he tilted his head and continued to ask.
"So! I'm going to Beijing to take the exam! I'm sure I can pass it! I'm sure I can!" Liu Qingshu roared excitedly.
"Hahahaha... Children can be taught..." Ling Chen laughed loudly, pulled the reins, and continued to move forward.
"Master Three Burials! Thank you very much!" Liu Qingshu quickly caught up and shouted.
"Why are you thanking the poor monk? Why don't you thank yourself." Ling Chen said nonchalantly.
"Thank myself?" Liu Qingshu was a little confused.
"You can't figure it out yourself. It's useless even if a poor monk talks nonsense. He relies on heaven and earth and people. It's better to rely on yourself than anyone else." Ling Chen explained warmly.
"In your life, you will meet many people, good and bad, noble and evil, many, many, but they can only stop you for a while, and they cannot help you for the rest of your life. Do you understand?" Ling Chen pulled the reins, stopped his horse and looked at Liu Qingshu and said .
"Master's words are inspiring, students... must keep them in mind!" Liu Qingshu was stunned, solemnly adjusted the white washed scholar's robe on his body, and looked at Chen Qingshu to the end.
"We are destined to meet each other, no need to be polite." Ling Chen smiled lightly and shook his head and continued to drive the horses along the official road.
"Master's kindness of admonishment will be deeply appreciated by the students. Master deserves this gift." Liu Qingshu quickly caught up with the book box on his back.
It is not an exaggeration to say that it was an enlightenment for Liu Qingshu in the early morning. Liu Qingshu was really grateful for the advice in the early morning.
"Haha, please remember this kindness well. If you have the chance, just pay it back to the person you deserve." Ling Chen shook his head in disapproval.
"The person who should pay it back? Shouldn't it be you, Master?" Liu Qingshu didn't understand again.
"Where are your relatives and friends, the people who support you in rushing for the exam? Where are your parents and fellow villagers?" Ling Chen looked sideways at Liu Qingshu and asked.
"This..." Liu Qingshu fell into a daze.
Snapped!
Liu Qingshu suddenly slapped himself hard, with such force that Liu Qingshu's dark face swelled up visibly.
"I'm such a beast!!" Liu Qingshu cursed angrily.
Looking at Liu Qingshu in the early morning, I couldn't help but laugh. Liu Qingshu was not stupid, he was just a little impatient. There were countless such people since ancient times.
They only have their own goals in mind, and nothing else is that important to them.
It can be seen from Liu Qingshu's words after he woke up from the beginning that he subconsciously felt that if he did not rush for the exam, he would disappoint everyone, including himself, but he did not consider whether anyone would understand his giving up.
Maybe his parents and friends saw that he was too tired and didn't want him to continue rushing for the exam? After all, those who are qualified to go to Beijing to take the exam have official status. They may not have to worry about food and clothing, but at least they will not starve to death.
"Good scolding, right scolding." Ling Chen clapped his hands and said with a mocking smile.
"Master..." Liu Qingshu looked at Chen Chen blankly. Although he didn't care about Chen Chen's ridicule, he didn't quite understand it.
"Remember to scold yourself often in the future. It will be good for you and everyone." Chen Chen said while suppressing his smile.
"Why is this?" Liu Qingshu asked.
"Scold yourself often and wake yourself up, and you won't forget your original intention. If you pass the exam, you will at least be a good official, what do you think?" Ling Chen asked softly.
"Master, the student understands that he will be a good official and an upright official in the future!" Liu Qingshu solemnly promised.
"Look...you still don't understand." Chen Chen shook his head in disappointment.
"Ah? Why is this? The student is really puzzled." Liu Qingshu was confused again. He wanted to be a good official and an upright official. What's wrong with this?
"It's okay to be a good official, but it's not okay to be an upright official." Ling Chen said directly without giving in.
"Why can't an honest official be good?" Liu Qingshu scratched his head. Aren't honest officials good officials?
"The poor monk asked you, what is an honest official?" Ling Chen did not explain directly, but asked Liu Qingshu.
"Not taking bribes, doing things for the people, not wronging good people and not letting bad people go, that is an upright official." Liu Qingshu explained hesitantly.
"No, this is a good official, not an upright official." Chen Chen shook his head.
"Master, what do you mean by an upright official?" Liu Qingshu was a little unconvinced. He thought there was nothing wrong with his explanation.
"A fool is an upright official." Chen Chen smiled and said softly.
Liu Qingshu raised his eyebrows and almost couldn't hold back a punch. Why should an honest official be a fool? Everyone wants their parents to be upright officials, right?
"Hahahaha, you don't understand, right?" Liu Qingshu's expression made her laugh heartily in the early hours of the morning.
Liu Qingshu didn't speak, just nodded silently. If Chen Chen hadn't been kind to him before, he would have turned around and left long ago. How could he listen to Chen Chen's explanation?
"The poor monk asks you, an official who accepts bribes but satisfies everyone, or an official who stays out of the mud, refuses to accept a penny in favor, works hard but does not bring any changes to the local area, which one do you like? "Ling Chen asked.
"I..." Liu Qingshu opened his mouth, but did not say anything. The former did not seem to be a good official, but he did practical things.
The latter seems to be a good official, but has no achievements. This kind of official is to some extent more despicable than a corrupt official.
"Remember, after you receive the money, you have to do something. If you can't do it, you won't receive the money." Chen Chen said.
"If you receive the emperor's salary, then you must serve the people under your jurisdiction and do good deeds for them. If you receive money from the merchants, then you must allow them to operate safely in the local area."
"But... isn't it corruption if you accept money?" Liu Qingshu was a little angry, but didn't know how to argue.
"Who told you that accepting money is corruption?" Ling Chen asked.
"This...that's what everyone said." Liu Qingshu's head couldn't turn around.
"It's only corruption if you take money that you shouldn't take, do you understand?" Chen Ling explained.
Liu Qingshu shook his head, he still didn't understand.
