Huo Shufan looked at his grandfather in confusion and asked:
"Why are you visiting Mr. Wei?"
"Apprenticeship!"
"...Why do you want to take a Yue countryman as your teacher?"
"Because this great scholar from the Yue Kingdom is very extraordinary!"
Huo Xi turned to look at Huo Shufan and said: "This is not Grandpa's idea, but Concubine Li's idea. Although you have the reputation of being the first of the three most talented people in Guangling, and even though you have the status of a scholar, it is still too low. .”
"Originally, grandpa wanted you to join the Confucian sect of Mr. Hua... But this old guy doesn't know how to praise, so he refused the 10,000-tael silver note that grandpa sent!"
"Grandpa thinks that Concubine Li's move has two meanings."
"First of all, this scholar pays attention to one disciple. If you become Wei Xuanmo's disciple, your status as a scholar will be higher, and you will become the consort of the Sixth Princess, the nobles in Kyoto, or the princes and princesses in the palace. I will also look at you favorably, which can be regarded as a favor for the Sixth Princess."
"Second... Master Wei accepted Xiang Ji's invitation the day after arriving in Kyoto. It seems that his relationship with Xiang Ji is quite unusual. If you become his disciple, you can also distance yourself from Xiang Ji. Closer.”
Huo Shufan pondered for a moment, his face becoming more and more confused.
He leaned over and asked in a low voice: "Grandpa, my father is a close official of His Highness the Crown Prince... Let's talk about it, shouldn't our Huo family be on the side of His Highness the Crown Prince?"
"Why did grandpa mention that he wanted to get closer to Prime Minister Ji several times? Could it be... is there some reason that the grandson doesn't know about?"
Huo Xi stroked his long beard and smiled slightly:
"You will understand. Grandpa and your father will handle these matters. The most important thing for you now is to become Wei Xuanmo's disciple...even in name."
"Then get married to the Sixth Princess."
"The Sixth Princess is a woman after all. She is petty and restrains you a little tighter. This is normal."
"In your future career as consort, you must not reverse the wishes of the Sixth Princess, and you must have a good relationship with Concubine Li... This is very important to our Huo family!"
Huo Xi nodded thoughtfully, "My grandson understands."
The carriage stopped, and the grandfather and grandson got out of the carriage and stood in front of the solemn red door of Duke Yan's mansion.
At this moment, Wei Xuanmo, a great Confucian from the Yue Kingdom, also stood in front of the huge archway of Taiyue College with a few of his most proud disciples.
A tall stone tablet was recently erected next to the archway of Taiyuan University.
Wei Xuanmo and his disciples were looking at this stone tablet.
There are several lines of extremely elegant words engraved on the stone tablet:
Set your heart for heaven and earth!
Make a living for the people!
Continuing the unique learning for the Holy Spirit!
May peace be created for all eternity!
——Li Chenan!
Wei Xuanmo hunched over slightly and read these lines for half a cup of tea.
Then he stretched out a hand and touched the stone tablet, then touched the three words Li Chenan, and then turned around and looked at his disciples.
"Back when I was teaching here, there was no such stone tablet, and of course there was no school motto engraved on it."
"Li Chenan, he is the one who said such thought-provoking words!"
"He said this in front of tens of thousands of students and people when he entered the south gate of Yujing City more than ten days ago!"
"Master, I remember that when we came to Yujing City, after you heard about Li Chenan's poems, you didn't seem to take him too seriously... So what about now?"
He turned around and pointed at the stone tablet, and said seriously: "Master, I have traveled to many countries in my life and met many Confucian celebrities from many countries."
"They may have great works that have been passed down to the world, or they may have out-lined ideas to educate people."
He turned around and looked at his disciples, and said very seriously: "The so-called great Confucians in the world are all old enough to understand destiny and even listen to it. But Li Chenan, he is only seventeen!"
"These few sentences are the most accurate and inspiring words that I have seen in my life, which describe the purpose of reading for scholars!"
"As a teacher, it is not an exaggeration to call it the Holy Word!"
When Yan Biao and other young men heard this, they were immediately shocked.
Of course they could understand the lofty ideology in these sentences, but they never expected that their teacher would elevate these sentences so high!
Holy words... Doesn't this mean that he, Li Chenan, has surpassed the great Confucians and can stand shoulder to shoulder with the saints?
"I know that you are dissatisfied, and I will not blame you. You are all sixteen or seventeen-year-old boys, so you should be dissatisfied, but...!"
Wei Xuanmo suddenly increased his tone, stroking his white beard, and there was a hint of worry in his eyes.
"Have you ever thought about it?"
"If the students of Ningguo really regard Li Chenan's words as sacred words, if they really set up a lofty ideal of reading because of this... Ningguo will see huge changes!"
"Such a change is unpredictable. I believe that after one generation or at most three generations, a new situation will emerge in Ningguo's officialdom and among the people!"
"There may still be people in the DPRK who are just sitting there and eating nothing, but there are more people who are working hard for this country!"
"When the atmosphere in the officialdom improves, the lives of ordinary people will naturally improve."
"My teacher often tells you that the prosperity of a country does not depend on how powerful the officials in the court are, but how rich the people's pockets are... Only when the people are strong can the country be rich!"
"The converse is not necessarily true, such as that of Xiye Kingdom!"
"This is the importance of thought, which is the spirit that scholars should understand from books and from traveling thousands of miles!"
"Li Chenan had already realized this when he was only seventeen years old. Master Hua carved these words of his on a stone tablet erected in front of the archway of Taiyue College... He certainly hoped that these words could awaken the youth of Ningguo and guide him. These young people pursue the ideals in these words!”
"As my teacher, I also hope that you can keep this sentence in mind with an open mind! Spread it back to our country of Yue, so that the scholars in our country of Yue can also understand the ultimate meaning of reading!"
"Only in this way can the State of Yue become stronger and continue to suppress the State of Ning. Otherwise... after three generations, the State of Yue will no longer be the opponent of the State of Ning!"
Yan Biao and others bowed and said, "Disciple, I understand."
When they looked at the words on the stone tablet again, their expressions were obviously more humble.
I just have a young mind, so I feel that those three words Li Chenan at the end are a bit annoying.
"Let's go, I will take you to meet Master Hua."
Wei Xuanmo led several disciples into the tall archway of Taiyue College. As he walked, he said:
"I heard that when we were in Guangling City, Mr. Hua and Li Chenan hit it off, and they became close friends because of Li Chenan's poems."
"My teacher will take you to visit Hua Lao. The purpose is not to ask Hua Lao for advice, but to listen to Hua Lao's story about Li Chenan."
"Emperor Ning Guo issued an imperial decree for Li Chenan to participate in the Mid-Autumn Festival Cultural Festival. This is both a good thing and a bad thing for you."
“It’s important to know your opponent.”
"Of course I don't believe that you will lose...but I am also worried that it will not be easy for you to win!"
