The north wind is biting, and yellow leaves occasionally fall around my feet.
Zhu Ping'an, with his schoolbag slung across his shoulder, walked out of Li's house leisurely. However, the sun was still hanging in the west and it would take some time before sunset.
Zhu Pingan took a quick look at the direction and walked towards his mentor, Old Master Sun's house. The door was open as usual. Zhu Pingan straightened his clothes and walked into Old Master Sun's house.
There was only the master's wife at home. Zhu Ping'an said that his teacher, Mr. Sun, was still teaching at the school on the hillside, so he greeted the master's wife, said goodbye to her and went to the hillside.
Since Zhu Ping'an passed the imperial examination, the reputation of Master Sun's private school has become more and more famous. Some wealthy families offered a lot of money to hire Master Sun as a teacher for their children, but Master Sun refused them with a smile. In addition, many people from other towns came here to send their children to study under Master Sun. Master Sun welcomed them, but they had to take care of their own food and accommodation. Some people gave up because the distance was too far, but there were still people who bought land and property nearby, just so that their children could study in Master Sun's private school.
Zhu Ping'an went up the hillside, passed through the bamboo forest, and the private school was right in front of him.
After not seeing it for a while, the private school has expanded a lot and the conditions are much better. In the private school, Master Sun is leading the children to recite the Analects of Confucius. The children's ups and downs of reading are clear and pleasant to the ears, like a spring breeze: Gentlemen are open and honest, while villains are always worried.
The younger children in the classroom were in the front row, while the older ones, such as Zhu Pingjun, were in the back row. After Master Sun led the children to read the Four Books and Five Classics, he went to Zhu Pingjun and others in the back and explained to them the key points of eight-part essays.
"Eight-legged essay is the writing of the times. Writing is for the times. We should keep pace with the times and not stick to the old ways..."
Old Master Sun's hair is all white, but he is in very good spirits, his hands and feet are very agile, his face is rosy and full of energy.
Zhu Pingan stood quietly at the door, not disturbing the teacher's teaching.
The children sitting in the front row couldn't stand the loneliness and looked out. They found Zhu Ping'an standing at the door and looked at him curiously. These children were all strangers. They didn't know what this big brother standing at the door did, so they looked at Zhu Ping'an with curious eyes.
After Mr. Sun finished explaining the eight-part essay to Zhu Pingjun and others, he left them with an eight-part essay topic and asked them to bring it to class tomorrow.
When Master Sun turned around to check the children's dictation, he found Zhu Ping'an standing respectfully at the door.
"The student has met his mentor."
Zhu Ping'an stretched out his arms, bent his right hand slightly, placed his left hand on it, and moved his arms from his forehead to his chest, while bowing his upper body at a 45-degree angle to greet Master Sun.
"Well, okay." Old Master Sun stroked his beard and nodded. He couldn't be more satisfied with Zhu Ping'an.
"I'm sorry for disturbing your class, teacher. I hope you'll forgive me." Zhu Ping'an saw that the students in the school were startled by the sound of his greetings to the teacher at the door, and he couldn't help but apologize to the teacher.
"No problem." Old Master Sun smiled and shook his head, then led Zhu Ping'an to the front and introduced him to the students in the private school, "This is Brother Zhu Zihou, whom you often talk about."
Then most of the children in the private school were like modern star chasers. They were full of admiration and asked Zhu Pingan all kinds of questions. After Zhu Pingan answered their questions, they were like they had drunk two taels of wine, their faces flushed with excitement, and they showed off to the children next to them.
It is estimated that by next year, the number of students in Mr. Sun's private school will increase. The school valley system proposed by Zhu Ping'an will be implemented in Xiahe Village next year. According to the estimation of the village elders, the number of children going to school will be several times more than in previous years.
"Zihou, you will explain this sentence to the junior students." After stabilizing the order of the private school, Master Sun gave the podium to Zhu Ping'an and asked Zhu Ping'an to explain this sentence of the Analects to the curious students in the private school.
Just now, Master Sun led the children to read the Analects: A gentleman is open and honest, while a villain is always worried. Master Sun asked Zhu Ping'an to explain the Analects to his students, on the one hand to satisfy the students' curiosity, and on the other hand to check Zhu Ping'an's recent homework situation.
"A gentleman is open-minded, while a villain is always worried. A person who is open-minded is broad-minded; a person who is always worried is often worried. This sentence means that a gentleman is open-minded and calm. A villain is petty and worried about gains and losses. So, from now on, we should all be gentlemen."
Zhu Ping'an stood in front, calmly and explained this sentence to the students in the private school in a simple and easy-to-understand manner.
"Brother Zihou, what is a gentleman?" a child asked with his cheek lifted.
"A gentleman has no worries or fears in his heart." Zhu Ping'an smiled slightly.
"Is it that simple?" the child was puzzled.
Hearing this, Zhu Ping'an couldn't help but laugh. This was so much like a scene in the Analects of Confucius. Back then, there was a student named Sima Niu who had a conversation with Confucius in the same way.
Zhu Ping'an then explained Yu Dan's explanation of this part in the Modern Lecture Room to the children in the private school in simple and easy-to-understand language, combining it with Master Zeng's explanation and his own understanding.
By drawing on the advantages of Lecture Room of Hundred Schools, the children in the private school listened with great interest; Master Sun who was sitting at the back kept nodding his head, his eyes shining, and he was very satisfied with his disciple Zhu Ping'an. It was only because he had mastered the entire Analects that he could speak to this level.
"Zihou, when you go to the capital, your teacher will have something to wait for you."
After Zhu Ping'an finished speaking, Master Sun said something to him.
What this sentence means is that I have high expectations for your trip to Beijing for the exam this time.
Hearing this, Zhu Ping'an was a little flattered. You know, before, when Zhu Ping'an took the boy's exam, Master Sun didn't have high expectations for Zhu Ping'an; when Zhu Ping'an took the provincial exam, Master Sun didn't say so either, but just encouraged him with his eyes; this time he was taking the metropolitan exam and the palace exam, competing with the best talents in the entire country. He didn't expect that the master would be so confident in him.
"I will definitely work hard and live up to the expectations of my teacher." Zhu Ping'an bowed deeply and assured Master Sun that he would work hard and not let him down.
Not long after, a streak of crimson sunset shone into the private school through the window. In the distance, large patches of white clouds in the sky seemed like flames burning up half the sky under the afterglow of the sunset.
After finishing school, Zhu Ping'an said goodbye to Master Sun, and then he and Zhu Pingjun crossed the single-plank bridge and went to Xiahe Village as usual.
"Brother Zhi, after the New Year, I will also take the Tongsheng exam."
While walking on the road, Zhu Pingjun suddenly said something with a serious face.
Then Zhu Pingan's mind flashed with the scene of his uncle Zhu Shouren and Zhu Pingjun taking the Tongsheng exam...
"I wish Brother Jun a great success." Zhu Ping'an looked at Zhu Pingjun and wished him sincerely.
"Haha, you think so too. I also think I will pass." Zhu Pingjun grinned, then became a little worried, "What if I pass but my dad hasn't? How will my dad face me?"
Well
You think a lot. (To be continued.)