Chapter 6: Raising Arms and Traveling with Qu Yuanshan at Gu Shi Ting

  After a while, when the teacher's mood had calmed down, Zhou Wenbo lifted the door curtain and entered the hall.

  Only in the study on the left side, Lin Shi was seen with disheveled hair and holding a green letter, her eyes were slightly red, still with a hint of sadness.

  Zhou Wenbo took off his boots and walked onto the mat, kneeling down on both knees and knocking his head to the ground.

  Then he straightened up his upper body, stood upright like a pine tree, and sat up straight on the mat.

  Seeing Zhou Wenbo come in, Lin He finally calmed down and carefully examined this youngest disciple: "It seems you've recovered quickly. I once said that the Zhou family is intelligent and eager to learn, humble and fond of elegance, destined for greatness, not a short-lived and fragile life."

  Zhou Wenbo knew that Lin Shi had great talent but was not successful, and in his spare time he would often discuss the teachings of Huang-Lao with elegant monks or talk about Buddhism with Chan masters. Although at heart he remained a Confucian scholar, he also had a deep understanding of Buddhist and Taoist teachings.

  Lin He was the youngest son of Lin Shenshi, a great Confucian scholar in the late Tang Dynasty. Lin Shenshi was the top scorer in the imperial examination in the tenth year of the Xiantong reign and held official positions in various counties in the capital city, bringing benefits to his hometown. He was well-versed in Confucian classics and wrote "Continuation of Mencius" (two chapters), "Confucian Model" (seven chapters), "Hong Ci" (five chapters) and "Collected Works" (two volumes).

  After the Huang Chao rebellion, he occupied Chang'an. Emperor Xizong and all officials fled, but Lin Xiangru alone was fearless in the face of danger, stood up and led the government army to welcome the enemy. Due to exhaustion, he was defeated. Huang Chao offered him an official position, which he refused. Lin Xiangru cursed at Huang Chao from his bed, and eventually had his tongue cut off and was executed at the age of 37.

  When Lin Xiansi died, Lin He was only two years old. Later, his elder brothers either died in battle or lived in seclusion in the countryside. Moreover, he was born in a chaotic era and had a lot of knowledge but no opportunity to use it. So, he followed the example of Zhuge Kongming, a hero of the late Han Dynasty, and devoted himself to farming and teaching his disciples without interruption.

  Lin He Cai is eight feet tall, with a profound family learning background. His height is over 8 chi (about 1.84 meters), which was extremely rare in ancient times. He has sword-like eyebrows and a nose like a hanging gallbladder, looking elegant and refined, and can be called a handsome middle-aged man.

  "Can I pull down the homework?"

  Zhou Wenbo hastily presented the "Exhortation to Study" which he had written two days before.

  Lin He took it over and read it aloud.

  "'Virtue is nurtured by the people, righteousness is based on family and country, propriety is established to correct oneself, and wisdom is achieved through deep thinking.' 'Extraordinary talents can achieve extraordinary feats; extraordinary affairs require extraordinary people to plan them.' I didn't expect you to have such profound words. Your writing is solemn and powerful, with a strong and vigorous tone, which captures the true spirit of Yan and Liu, far surpassing your previous three articles!" After reading this short essay on how to cultivate talent, how to select, and how to appoint talented people, Lin He nodded repeatedly, expressing great admiration for it.

  "Then go and study it." Zhou Wenbo took the book handed over by the teacher, titled "Continuation of Mencius", which was written by Lin Shenshi, and then retreated.

  As soon as Hong Zhuang arrived at this place, she went to look for Lin Yan'er. The two of them were similar in age and temperament, and they got along well with each other, making a perfect pair of playful sisters.

  Back in the house, Zhou Bao had already cleaned up the two rooms that hadn't been lived in for half a month. This attendant was diligent and quick-witted, with no other shortcomings except for not wanting to read books.

  Lying in bed, Zhou Wenbo had no heart to read books and couldn't help but think about his current situation.

  It must be said that Lin Shi is not only talented, but also has a profound skill in teaching and educating people. Among his five disciples, there isn't one who is simply a bookworm; each of them has their own strengths.

  Cui Hao Cui Xuan De is good at poetry and books, suitable to be an educator or a great scholar in the future. Wang Yuan Wang Fei He has a meticulous mind like hair, if managing accounts and warehouses, he will definitely be suitable for logistics work.

  Lin Xizhong's only son, Lin Yunlin, had a noble and elegant character, was humble and courteous, and was a modest gentleman. In politics, whether as a populist official or a clean stream, he was naturally a leader.

  Zhuge Yu Zhuge Yunyang, both literary and military talents are unmatched, fond of reading history, meticulous in researching military books, swordsmanship is extraordinary. In Zhou Wenbo's opinion, this eighteen-year-old fourth brother's future prospects are likely to be the most promising among all brothers, becoming a general or prime minister is not out of the question, and his achievements may even surpass those of his distant ancestor, Shu Han Chancellor Zhuge Liang.

  China has always had many heroes, and in a chaotic world, heroes emerge. If the Qin Dynasty did not perish after the second generation, who would have imagined that a small county like Pei would produce great talents such as Xiao He, Cao Shen, Fan Kuai, Lu Wan, and Xiahou Ying? Today, when the world is fragmented and divided, it is precisely the time for heroes to show off their prowess. If I can achieve something in the future, I will definitely try to recruit these brothers-in-arms.

  The next day, the sky was clear and the snow had stopped in the second half of the night. Pushing open the door, it was a beautiful scene with silver decorations and an extraordinary charm.

  "Junior Brother Zhou, today we brothers had an appointment to gather at Qiu Shi Pavilion, sit and discuss the Tao, recite poems to express our aspirations. Now with snow covering the four sides of the landscape, it's even more elegant and refined. Would you like to join us?" Just then, Wang Yuan and Lin Yun were already outside the door, and the one inviting him was Third Brother Lin Yun.

  "Appreciating the plum blossoms in the cold and snow, expressing the blockages in my heart, all of you fellow brothers are truly delightful! How can I not follow your orders?" Zhou Wenbo had been full of energy since his transmigration, unable to sleep at night, and every day he would meditate to cultivate his spirit. Early morning was when his vital energy was at its peak, and this gathering with his fellow disciples was something he had longed for.

  Guoshi Pavilion is a elegant place on the top of a small hill nearby, said to have been built in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and because it is located in a remote wilderness, it has not been destroyed by natural disasters or human calamities.

  Gu Shi Ting only has rugged small roads here, and the three of them naturally walked on foot. Along the way, they chatted a few sentences, their poetry matched, respectful like Wang Yuan, elegant like Lin Yun, also in high spirits, what joy!

  Cui Hao and Zhuge Yu rushed over from Yichuan by carriage, arriving at Qushi Pavilion at noon.

  On the top of Guoshi Pavilion, white snow covers the roof, shrouding the entire field, with the red sun hanging in the sky. Golden sunlight shines on people's bodies, bringing a hint of warmth on this snowy and sunny day.

  Five brothers, similar in age, have been together for many years and have deep feelings for each other. They are all modest gentlemen who usually don't have any conflicts or unpleasantness between them. They can be called close friends who appreciate the elegance of life and behave elegantly, sharing wine and joy, exchanging poems to harmonize with each other.

  Although Zhou Wenbo didn't have a solid foundation in classical literature, this body originally had some abilities, although compared to several of his fellow disciples, it was still somewhat lacking, but not completely unable to participate.

  However, as time went on, Zhou Wenbo, who was not eloquent enough, became less and less capable of speaking. On the other hand, Cui Hao, who was usually serious, and Lin Yun, who was gentle, were both passionate in their words and poems. After careful reading, it can be seen that Cui Hao's poem has a desolate tone, while Lin Yun's poem is full of optimistic emotions.

  Zhou Wenbo also understood this. Master brother Cui Hao was orphaned at a young age and was adopted by Lin Shifu. He had great prestige among his fellow disciples, and his Confucian studies were unparalleled among his peers. In a prosperous era, he would surely have won top honors in the imperial examination, been appointed to high office, and achieved great things.

  However, the world has been in chaos for over thirty years, where can a hero show his skills? Cui Hao exhausted his mind and only got the position of county magistrate of Yiquan, which is not a bad official position in peaceful times. Unfortunately, in this era, local military officers dominated everything, big or small, and a small county magistrate like him was just an idle post, with nothing to do for nine out of ten days. He was quite close to Zhuge Yu on ordinary days.