Fifty-five lingering souls of Kong Yingda (Part 2)
Having understood the situation, Suning smiled helplessly and began to examine the appearance of this school. It was still his first time attending a class in an ancient school. The atmosphere was antique and elegant, with four bronze tripods at each corner, about 40 seats in total. Each seat had a soft cushion on it, but no chairs! Then there was a desk with writing instruments, ink, paper, and inkstone on it. Hmm, Xuan paper was indeed precious - only one sheet of Xuan paper was placed on the table, while all the others were... well, rough yellow paper, which was slightly better than the paper used for funeral offerings. The price was like heaven and earth apart, absolutely not worth the money...
But even the highest imperial academy, Hongwen Academy, cannot afford enough paper, it can be seen that paper is now so precious. So making paper is also an indispensable part of my own series of getting rich plans. Of course, the benefits of making paper will last for thousands of years and must be dedicated to the country, dedicated to the great Li Erbai, and then Li Erbai stands on the stage enjoying the flowers and applause, Su Ning as the inventor, in the background Enjoying a little dividend is also justified...
Suning was still thinking about his own get-rich plan, when he looked up and saw an old man with a grey-white beard standing in front of the students. A pair of eyes stared straight at him, and when he met his gaze, he smiled slightly and shifted his attention away, scanning everyone as he said: "I am Kong Yingda, thanks to the emperor's kindness, from today on, I will be the head of this Hongwen Academy. I suppose you all have heard of my name?"
Hehe, I'm not very strict with my lessons, and the workload won't be too heavy. Compared to what you had before, it's definitely an improvement. However, what I say, you must do. Otherwise, the imperial cane bestowed by His Majesty is prepared for you! I don't care about your identity or your parents' identity; once you enter this school, you are my students! If you fail to meet expectations, violate discipline, disrespect your elders, and bully your peers, I will severely punish you! There's no room for discussion!"
After finishing speaking, the old man raised a long ruler made of unknown material in his hand, and suddenly there was a sound of swallowing saliva all around...
What Su Ning cares about is not that ruler, but that person...
Kong Yingda
Isn't this old guy supposed to be staying at home for a whole day and night, but he's still not coming out of the study room until now? Didn't we agree that he wouldn't eat or drink anything for a whole day and night? What about being disheartened and demoralized? What about being weak and feeble? What about mobilizing the whole family?! How can an old guy who hasn't eaten for a whole day have such energy?!
His face is rosy and full of energy, his spirit is extremely good. Is this the look that someone who hasn't eaten or drunk for a day and night should have?! This guy must be cheating! This isn't scientific!
Yesterday, he had just lectured this old man in the imperial court, and Suning still had a few points of self-satisfaction, thinking that he was quite like Zhuge Liang debating with a group of Confucian scholars. However, in the instant when he exchanged glances with Kong Yingda, Suning read a kind of "interest" from Kong's eyes, and suddenly became somewhat enlightened. He suddenly thought of a possibility: could it be that the imperial edict sent to the Kong family by Emperor Li was at play?
Emperor Li II knew that Kong Yingda's lack of vitality was not due to illness, but loneliness. So he told Kong Yingda about Su Ning's intention to enter the Hongwen Academy to study and asked if Master Kong had any thoughts on taking up the position of head of the Hongwen Academy. Emperor Li II's ability to understand people's hearts reached a high level, and an imperial edict was like a shot of adrenaline for Kong Yingda, who had been in a state of lethargy, giving him a boost of energy and motivation. With renewed vitality, Kong Yingda took up his new position at the Hongwen Academy with great enthusiasm.
Isn't this old man still holding the position of Giving Things? That's a very important substantive position, specializing in sealing the emperor's edict, and is specifically opposed to Li Er. Does this old man have time to teach at the Hongwen Museum? I guess it's just a friendly cameo. But what does the position of that museum owner mean? Honorary museum owner?
"You don't have to worry that I, the old man, will be too busy with official duties to teach you, not at all. I've already resigned from my position and will devote myself wholeheartedly to being the master of Hongwen Academy, teaching you all with utmost care!" A hint of a pleased smile appeared on Old Man Kong's mouth, especially when he saw Su Ning's thunderstruck expression, his heart felt even more delighted! You little brat, I'll see just how capable you are, as His Majesty said, 'near water tower', let's see everything you've got!
Such news is not good for either Suning or the students of Hongwen Academy. Kong Yingda is a descendant of Confucius, and emperors must show him courtesy. He can be blamed, but no substantial actions can be taken against him. Doing anything to Kong Yingda would be shaking one's own ruling foundation, unless Kong Yingda commits treason or betrays the country to foreign peoples...
The emperor was like this, let alone others. Kong Yingda's knowledge and status were a guarantee of his personal safety. Other old Confucians may still have some worries, but Kong Yingda didn't need to. Who dares to overthrow the second elder of the Kong family? At least for now, no one dares...
Su Ning suddenly understood! Li Er is a clever guy, this is a three-birds-with-one-stone move! He got Kong Yingda into the Hongwen Academy to focus on his studies, and for such an important position as Shi Zhong, he can arrange for a sycophant to take over, reducing the constraints on his own imperial power! At the same time, let Kong Yingda thoroughly test himself, see how much he still knows that is unknown to others, and dig into his own depths! Next, he can also use Kong Yingda's prestige to intimidate the group of young nobles, improve the teaching level of the Hongwen Academy, improve the academic level of these young nobles, and it seems like a good way to deal with the meritorious officials and imperial relatives...
Li Chengqian suddenly felt a wave of despair, and the awakened Changsun Wuji also sensed this weak breath. Other royal descendants and official descendants also felt the disappearance of freedom...
"I inquired about your level of understanding from the teachers who taught you before I came, and I have some idea, more or less. As Confucius said, 'teach students according to their aptitude'. I won't intentionally make demands on you, so you can be at ease. However, San Yuan Bo Su Ning, I don't understand you very well yet." Old Man Kong has indeed started firing at Su Ning...
Su Ning gritted his teeth and stood up.
"I've heard that you used to follow your deceased master and learned a wide range of things, both profound and practical. I must say, I'm impressed; your master was indeed a great mentor. However, what exactly did you learn? How did you study? What books have you read? You need to tell me, so I can decide how to instruct you." Kong Lao said with a smile as he slowly walked up to Su Ning's side.
Reading books? Four Books and Five Classics? Suning has always been busy making up for the lack of knowledge about Tang Dynasty figures, and is not very familiar with cultural things like the Four Books and Five Classics. As for other books, there is no understanding at all.
Su Ning took a deep breath and recalled the old man's teaching methods, saying: "This is something that even I'm not very clear about. Master takes his disciples on a journey, teaching them along the way, and everything he says and does is related to what we see and hear on our journey. For example, when Master sees someone stealing and being caught, he'll first ask us what's going on, why it happened, and how to solve it; when he sees people fighting, he'll also ask us why people quarrel, why they fight, where the root of the problem lies, and how to solve it.
When it rains, the master will ask his disciples why it rains; when it snows, the master will ask his disciples why it snows; when there is a drought, the master will ask his disciples why there is a drought; when the people have no harvest, the master will also ask his disciples why this is so. The master rarely gives his disciples clear answers because he believes that in the world there are not many standard answers, all questions change with the passage of time, and the answers also change, nothing remains unchanged.
The disciple had never seen the master holding any book to explain the meaning of the book to him, but only constantly took him to experience all kinds of things, and explained various principles. The master said that the greatest learning in the world is in the human world. If you see through the human world, all principles will be clear. At that time, reading books is actually self-cultivation and has nothing to do with real learning, because the knowledge in the book is also what predecessors saw, heard, thought, and gained. The problems and solutions of thousands of years ago have long since changed beyond recognition. If you only read the principles in the book, you will never be able to solve any practical problems.
"Reading is to learn from the predecessors' hard work, the spirit of pursuing truth and keeping one's original heart, not just for the sake of reading books. If one only sticks to dead knowledge and doesn't know how to make any breakthroughs or changes, then they can only become a bookworm, useless to the country, the people, and even their own family. Therefore, I have never read any books and don't know what books to read, please tell me, Master."
After finishing, Suning bowed to Kong Yingda, and when he raised his head, Kong Yingda was already stunned, with his mouth slightly open, staring at Suning, unable to speak; the others were not much better than Kong Yingda, the young men and women here were all of a certain age, the youngest being around eight or nine years old, starting to understand some reason, Suning's words, they almost all heard it clearly, naturally also understood what Suning meant.
Li Chengqian was thoroughly shocked, he really couldn't have imagined that Suning had such an experience, and he really couldn't have imagined that Suning learned in such a way. If he could also learn like this, and travel the world like this, wouldn't he be just like Suning? Thinking back to those old Confucians lecturing him on those dry and tasteless books, Li Chengqian felt an unprecedented sense of disgust!
I don't want to learn those things! If I'm going to learn, I'll learn what Su Ning has learned! Even if it means bowing down to him as a teacher! I must learn what he has learned, that's the real way, the real learning! Li Chengqian roared in his heart...
