"Zihou's growth has exceeded my expectations. Back then, I thought you were a rough diamond with potential, but now it seems that rough diamond is not enough to describe you." Master Sun stroked his beard and nodded at Zhu Ping'an with satisfaction. Then he continued, "Zihou wrote a calligraphy for this painting, which relieved my worries. I don't have any gifts for you, so I will give you one last lesson."
Last class
Zhu Pingan was very surprised when he heard this. Why did Master Sun say that this was the last class? Did he do something wrong and Master Sun wanted to expel him from the sect? However, Master Sun felt that his words about 100,000 dragon grandchildren circling the wind pond were too unrealistic.
"The last lesson? Once you are a teacher, you are a father to all living beings. From now on, I will always come to listen to your teachings." Zhu Ping'an hurriedly stepped forward and bowed.
Seeing Zhu Ping'an's anxious look, Master Sun stroked his beard and shook his head, smiling, "Zihou, your growth has exceeded my expectations. I have nothing left to teach you. Besides, as the saying goes, a master can only lead you to the door, but it is up to you to practice. You have to walk the road ahead by yourself, Zihou."
"My teacher is knowledgeable and talented. He is far superior to his students both in terms of being a good person and in terms of academics..." Zhu Ping'an hurriedly explained after hearing this.
However, before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Master Sun who gently shook his hand, then looked at Zhu Pingan and continued:
"Zihou, you are talented, hardworking, and ambitious, just like a sharp sword. Your future achievements will be limitless. However, the official career is treacherous and bumpy. Zihou, you must remember what I said today."
Master Sun paused for a moment, picked up the teacup and put it down again, looking at Zhu Pingan who was listening attentively and continued, "A person is like a sword. If you use it lightly, it will hurt you when you move it. It is a dangerous weapon. If you hide your power and act according to the situation, it is a sharp weapon."
What Master Sun meant by this sentence is that being a human is like a sword. You cannot use its sharpness lightly. If you use it casually, it will cause harm, and the sword will become a weapon. You must learn to hide your weaknesses and decide whether to use it based on the situation. In this way, the sword will become a sharp weapon.
After listening to Master Sun's words, Zhu Pingan understood Master Sun's good intentions. Master Sun wanted to tell him that when dealing with people and doing things, especially in the dangerous official career, he should learn to restrain his edge and keep a low profile. He should not rely on his talent to be ignorant of the east, west, south, and north, and show off his talent casually and be arrogant. This will easily arouse the resentment and jealousy of others, and then bring disaster to himself. His talent has become a weapon.
As the saying goes: A gentleman hides his talent and waits for the right time to act. Only by learning to hide one's shortcomings and bide one's time can one seize opportunities and show one's talents at critical moments, just as Sun Tzu's Art of War says: Quiet as a virgin, active as a rabbit. If you don't act, it's fine, but once you act, you must hit the target in one stroke. In normal times, you should be good at hiding your shortcomings and conserving your energy, and when the time comes, you should act decisively and cut the Gordian knot.
He usually keeps a low profile and knows how to hide his weaknesses, then strikes decisively at the critical moment, and a single move can decide the outcome.
"Thank you for your teachings, my teacher. I will remember them." Zhu Ping'an stood solemnly, bowed to Master Sun very formally, and thanked him in a deep voice.
Um.
Master Sun nodded, and then continued, "Be a good person first and then an official. To be an official, you must first learn to be a good person. Of course, Zihou, I am at ease with your character. But there are too many temptations and setbacks outside. Ping An, you must remember that no matter what situation you are in, you must insist on doing good. 'Prepare for good and avoid evil', especially when you enter the official career. Good and evil are just a thought away, but this thought of yours is related to the fate of thousands of people. You must observe and hold on to it."
"I will obey your orders. I will remember what you said. No matter what situation I am in, I will always insist on doing good." Zhu Ping'an nodded vigorously. Master Sun was afraid that he would lose his original heart in his official career. Just like Liu Bei taught Adou, he taught him to use doing good as the standard for how to behave.
"Zihou has such a heart, so I feel relieved." Master Sun nodded gently, and then continued, "Doing good is the greatest joy, not seeking recognition from others, and having a clear conscience; doing evil is the greatest pain, and one is afraid of being known, and is in a state of anxiety all day long. Do good and avoid evil, and your heart will be invincible."
Doing good is the greatest joy. This is a sentence from Zhuangzi? Outer Chapters? The Greatest Joy. Master Sun further explained it. Doing good is the happiest thing because you don't ask others to know and you have a clear conscience. Doing bad is the most painful thing because you are afraid that others will know and you will be in a state of anxiety all day long. However, the law is long and wide and nothing can escape it. Eventually, the truth will be revealed.
What Master Sun said makes a lot of sense. If you do good things and not bad things, you will not leave any handle for your political opponents. If you have a clear conscience, you will naturally be invincible.
"Thank you for your teachings, my teacher." Zhu Ping'an bowed again and thanked Master Sun.
Old Master Sun stroked his beard and shook his hand gently, then went to the writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone, dipped the brush in ink and wrote a couplet on the rice paper. After the ink dried slightly, he gave it to Zhu Ping'an.
The first couplet is: If you want to have a high social status, you must be kind.
The second line is: If you want good children and grandchildren, you must read books.
The couplet is concise and worth pondering. It can be regarded as the family motto that Master Sun gave to Zhu Ping'an, and it is also Master Sun's expectation for Zhu Ping'an. Throughout history, there have been champions from poor families, but few of them can lead a family. It is easy for an individual to succeed, but it is difficult for a family to succeed. As the saying goes, wealth cannot last for more than three years, which is an example of this.
Objectively speaking, the glory of the wealthy aristocrats or gentry lasts much longer than that of the nouveau riche, the poor and the peasant families.
In fact, in addition to the relationship of the social system, family culture is also a big factor. Culture is the life tree of a family, the family’s soft power, and the family’s soul.
Compared with the gentry, the nouveau riche lack background, and it all comes down to culture.
Zhu Ping'an passed the imperial examination and became the top scholar, but he was born in a poor family after all, and his family background was not strong. It was for this purpose that Master Sun gave this couplet to Zhu Ping'an.
To improve your family status, you must be kind. The status of a family is in people's hearts. If you don't have a kind heart and act arrogantly, even if you are successful, you can't be called a family, and you can't be a noble family. To expand and improve your family status, you must pay attention to doing good deeds. Throughout the ages, when natural disasters such as famine occur, those families who can open warehouses to help the people are the great families in people's hearts. After the famine, people will be grateful, and the family will gradually become bigger and stronger, and over time, even if it is not a wealthy family, it will become a wealthy family.
"This couplet is easy to understand, yet profound and memorable. I feel deeply moved. Thank you for the calligraphy. I will pass it down as the Zhu family motto and never forget the teachings of my teacher."
Zhu Ping'an took the couplet and put it away carefully.
Zhu Pingan gained a lot from visiting his mentor and learned a lot from Master Sun. These are all valuable assets in his future life. (To be continued.)