Chapter 29 Encouraging Learning

  "Little brother, what are you thinking?" Ma Feifei asked, seeing Shi Dong being silent for a long time.

  "Oh, nothing." Shi Dong pulled back his thoughts and suddenly remembered something, "Big brother, what were you and Xiao Gong Ji arguing about just now? Why was there such a big crowd?"

  "Hey! It's weird to bring this up, but didn't you go in to meet the master? Suddenly a large group of people came, all brought by Lei Huan, saying they wanted to see your joke..."

  The two of them chatted as they walked towards the library.

  Not long after the two of them left, Ah Cong walked over with his back bowed, a pair of warm and spirited eyes gazing in the direction they had gone, a faint smile floating at the corner of his mouth, he coughed twice, then continued on his way.

  As he walked and walked, his figure gradually faded away...

  Still a dozen or so zhang away from the Book Pavilion, Mao Feifei stopped in his tracks, scratched his head, and nodded with a look of caution: "That's the Book Pavilion, the person in charge is our Fourth Shixiong, he's a bit strange, Shi Dong you must be careful how you respond."

  "What's wrong, Fourth Master is not easy to talk to?"

  "It's not that he doesn't speak well, it's just that I don't understand what he's saying at all, and listening to him for too long gives me a headache!"

  Shi Dong smiled slightly, recalling the information he had gathered from Wang Baobao earlier. He said that this Fourth Master's name was Huang Xiaoru, an old scholar who spoke in a rather affected manner, and estimated that his way of speaking was too refined, causing this gentleman to not understand him.

  Thinking of this, he smiled at Mao Feifei and said: "If you're afraid, then wait here, I'll go alone."

  "Who's afraid? Choosing a magic technique is a big deal, let's go! I'll accompany you there!" Ma Feifei glared with her eyes and pulled Shi Dong forward.

  As I approached the Tibetan Scripture Pavilion, I could hear the distant sound of someone reading aloud. The voice was clear and melodious, with a rhythmic cadence that sent shivers down my spine. The reader's emotions were palpable in every word, making me feel uneasy all over, and suddenly, goosebumps appeared all over my skin.

  Shi Dong's eyes widened slightly as he hastily focused his mind and will, drawing out the true energy from his dantian to circle around his lingtai, only then did he feel a bit more at ease.

  He turned his head towards Mao Fei and saw that he let out a long breath, with an odd expression on his face, apparently also needing to circulate his Qi to resist.

  Shi Dong was secretly on guard, thinking that this Fourth Master Shi was indeed not a good person to get along with, and he would have to be careful in his response later.

  He immediately calmed down and walked to the front of the library, only to see that it was a cave built with three floors high, with a pavilion and a corridor, which was quite elegant.

  A brook babbles along, with lush trees and grasses dotting the surroundings. A bridge arches over it, and under the faint misty clouds, this library is set off as if in a fairyland, making one feel carefree and joyful at a glance.

  In this dreamlike paradise, the sound of reading aloud grew louder: "The Master said: 'Learning without thought is labor lost; it is only by learning from others that we can come to know what is true. The green antelope takes its color from the blue sky and yet appears even bluer than the sky; ice is formed from water and yet is colder than water. A straight tree is made crooked by being pressed against a wheel, and a piece of wood is made round by being placed on a lathe. Even if it is subjected to wind and rain, it will not become straight again, for the lathe has made it that way. Therefore, when wood is put under the press, it becomes straight; when gold is smelted in the crucible, it becomes pure; and when the gentleman studies widely and daily examines himself, he will be enlightened and his actions will be without fault.'"

  Every word was loud and clear, like a strike on the heartstrings. Shi Dong and Mao Fei flew up onto the arch bridge, and upon hearing such a reading voice again, they suddenly felt dizzy.

  Shi Dong hurriedly operated his internal energy to resist, but beads of sweat the size of beans had already appeared on his forehead. He looked at Mao Feifei with his eyes and saw that he also looked embarrassed, shaking his head slightly and saying in a low voice: "I don't know... I don't know why, today's reading sound is particularly... unbearable, let's not go over there for now..."

  This is probably some kind of test. Following the sound, he saw a white figure sitting on the second floor, wearing a high hat and long beard, an old scholar holding a book in his hand, shaking his head and reciting non-stop.

  "If one does not ascend a high mountain, he will not know the loftiness of the sky; if one does not look down into a deep valley, he will not know the thickness of the earth; if one does not hear the words left by the former kings, he will not know the greatness of learning. The children of Gan, Yue, Yi, and Di are born with the same voice, but grow up with different customs; it is education that makes them so. It says: 'Alas! You gentlemen, do not enjoy ease and comfort without exertion. Be calm in your positions, and love what is right and straight. The spirits will hear you, and bring you good fortune.' There is no spirit greater than the Way of Transformation, and there is no blessing longer than being free from calamity."

  He recited up to this point, and the old scholar paused for a moment, closed his eyes and leaned against the window frame, his chest rising and falling slightly, as if he was pondering the meaning of the text.

  Taking advantage of this opportunity, Mao Feifei let out a sigh of relief, hastily wiping the sweat from his forehead with one hand and cupping the other to say: "Younger brother..."

  Shi Dong yanked at his sleeve, shook his head, and Mou Feifei didn't know what he meant, so she swallowed back the words "disciple pays respects" and looked at him in confusion.

  Only Stone moved slightly and furrowed his brow, tilting his head as if also pondering something along with the old scholar.

  Mao Feifei was quite impressed with this brother, thinking to himself: "I'm a rough and unrefined person, unlike my younger brother who is clever and quick-witted. Just because I don't understand the scriptures of Fourth Brother doesn't mean that my younger brother won't be able to grasp them either." So he sat down cross-legged, his big eyes fixed intently on Shi Dong, waiting to see how he would respond.

  I have pondered the matter all day, but it is not as good as learning from others for a moment; I have stood on tiptoe and looked into the distance, but it is not as good as ascending to a high place to see far. Ascending to a high place and beckoning, one's arm does not become longer, yet those who see are many; calling out with the wind at one's back, one's voice does not become swifter, yet those who hear are numerous. Borrowing a chariot and horses is not having nimble feet, yet one can travel a thousand li; borrowing a boat and oars is not being able to swim, yet one can cross rivers and streams. The birth of the gentleman is not different from others, but he is good at borrowing from things.

  He recited up to this point, showing a pained and distressed appearance, continuously pounding his chest, and with both hands stretched out, as if wanting to grasp something from the air, extremely reluctant and regretful.

  Mao Feifei looked completely bewildered, on the one hand operating his internal energy to defend himself, while on the other hand he went to look at Shi Dong. He saw that Shi Dong had also sat down cross-legged, and although his complexion didn't look particularly good, he was still gently shaking his head and reciting something under his breath, his eyes gleaming with a faint light.

  He couldn't help but feel a deep sense of admiration and secretly thought: "My younger brother's skills are profound, he can actually withstand it effortlessly, impressive, impressive!"

  "In the south, there is a bird called the Meng Chui. It uses its feathers to build a nest and ties it with hair to a reed. When the wind comes, the reed breaks, and the eggs are destroyed. The nest itself is not flawed, but what it is tied to is. In the west, there is a tree called the She Gan. Its stem grows four inches long and grows on top of a high mountain overlooking a deep chasm. The tree's stem is not able to grow long, but where it stands is. A plant growing among hemp does not need support to stand upright; white sand mixed with ink becomes black along with it. The root of the Orchid is actually the Shu, its fragrance is fragrant, but gentlemen do not approach it, and common people do not wear it. Its quality is not unattractive, but what it is associated with is. Therefore, a gentleman must choose his neighborhood when living, and he must seek out scholars when traveling, in order to avoid evil and approach what is correct..."

  The old pedant went on reciting all the way down, and after about the time it takes to eat a meal, he finished. By this time, Mao Fei felt dizzy and nauseous, and hated that she couldn't jump off the bridge and drown herself once and for all.

  Just as he thought it was finally over and wanted to get up, the old scholar shook his head and began to recite again. Mao Fei secretly cried out in distress, and could only desperately use her inner energy to resist, her whole body drenched in sweat.

  He couldn't help but stare at Shi Dong, who was reciting poetry with the old scholar, shaking his head and swaying to the rhythm, looking rather pleased with himself.

  Seeing the sworn brother's appearance, Mao Feifei let out a sigh of relief and immediately went all out to resist with his full strength, thinking: "My younger brother is indeed a divine person, I, Old Mao, cannot lose too much face either, hold on! Must hold on!"