"Ah? The imperial examination was only delayed for two years? This is not much different from no punishment. You are so young, it won't be a big deal even if it is postponed for five years." Fang Daniu asked doubtfully.
"Two years is enough time for many things to happen. If the Left Prime Minister comes on a private visit, it would be fine for me not to return the gift, but if he comes on an open visit with his private soldiers, the gift must be returned. Did he send a generous gift?" Fang Yun said.
Fang Daniu said: "Yes, I gave you a pair of blood jade carps, which look just like real red carps."
"As expected, this gift has to be returned. Let's go home first."
"Yes, sir. We suddenly received a lot of invitations this afternoon. Several ladies from other upper residences gathered at our house in the afternoon. They kept praising how great the master was, making the ladies smile from ear to ear. Even I was very happy." Fang Daniu said as he went to pull the reins of the horse to stop the carriage.
"Yeah." Fang Yun got out of the car, and a white shadow rushed out. Little Meteor also followed slowly and circled around Fang Yun.
Fang Yun walked into the room holding Nunu, chatted with Yang Yuhuan for a few words, and asked about the details of Zuo Xiang's visit. It turned out that Zuo Xiang first congratulated Fang Yun profusely and praised him, and then said that he had something to discuss, but he did not tell Yang Yuhuan what it was.
Sitting on the chair, Fang Yun did not touch the visiting invitations on the table, but thought about the purpose of Zuo Xiang's visit.
"The court meeting was suspended because of my nonsense, and then the left prime minister came to visit. It is unknown whether it is true or false. Liushan is not just Liushan of one person. He has the Miscellaneous Family and the Zongsheng behind him. I am already at odds with him. What is his purpose in visiting this time?"
Fang Yun thought for a long time and considered many possibilities. Finally, after eliminating the possibility of "reconciliation", he found that all possibilities were of no benefit and most of them were harmful.
"Once the arrow is shot, there is no turning back. Since I have already made the choice, I must continue along this path. Any hesitation will lead to unpredictable consequences. The conflict between the Miscellaneous School and me is essentially about the struggle for the Holy Path. The struggle for the Holy Path is more cruel than business wars, military wars, and political wars. If there is a slight problem at a critical moment, I will die and the Holy Path will collapse. So many noble families are betting on me. The Jing** party and the Liberal Arts Department all think I am one of them. If I make the slightest move, I will be completely isolated."
"What's more, the path chosen by the Miscellaneous School has been proven impossible by countless forces in later generations. We must sever our ties with Prime Minister Zuo!"
"No matter what the Left Prime Minister wants to talk to me about, I must not talk. However, the Left Prime Minister and Grand Secretary of the court came to visit in person. This gift must be returned."
Fang Yun thought again of the most acute contradiction in Shengyuan Continent right now, the conflict between etiquette and law.
The source of Legalism can be traced back to Guan Zhong, but Guan Zhong's inheritance was interrupted. Confucius was then canonized as a saint. It was not until the appearance of Xunzi and Li Kui, and their disciples, that Legalist thought was gradually perfected.
However, Xunzi and Li Kui were both taught by Confucius, so later Legalists all acknowledged that law originated from "ritual". However, as the human race developed, the role of "law" became increasingly important, which made the Legalists have higher demands and wanted to improve the status of law and make it equal to "ritual".
This is a fact that is difficult for other families to accept. But Fang Yun does not object in his heart. After all, a sound rule of law society can obviously promote human development.
However, the concept of etiquette is too broad, involving the world and all living things. It plays a vital role in Shengyuan Continent, and its status remains unshakable.
Even now Fang Yun is considered the number one of the younger generation, with huge contributions. However, because he said Yang Yuhuan was more important than the women of the Mengsheng family, he angered a group of old scholars and has been excluded by the "Rites Hall" of the Holy Academy.
After figuring everything out, Fang Yun went to talk to Yang Yuhuan and found some gifts of equivalent value to the blood jade carp and packed them up.
Afterwards, Fang Yun picked up a few pages of the court meeting summary and read them.
All incumbent officials of the fifth rank or above, and retired officials of the third rank or above, who are in the capital can receive a paper summary of today's court meeting, while those outside the capital will receive a written summary.
Grand court meetings are usually held on the third, sixth, and ninth days of every ten days, while small court meetings are held at irregular intervals. Emergency court meetings will be held if there is a major event.
Fang Yun looked through the summary of today's emergency court meeting. At the beginning of the meeting, some appointments, appropriations, transfers, policies, etc. were determined. At the end, there were excerpts of the ministers discussing how to reward him, but it was interrupted because of the chaos and would be renegotiated tomorrow.
Early the next morning, Fang Yun sent Fang Daniu out to inquire.
Not long after, Fang Daniu came back to report.
"Master, the Left Prime Minister has already gone to the Jade Warm Pavilion. He is probably already attending court with the other ministers."
"Well, let's go and take the gifts to the Left Prime Minister's Mansion."
"Ah? Yes, sir!"
Fang Daniu looked confused and hurried to prepare the car.
The September morning breeze was cool. Fang Yun sat in the carriage, looking out the window quietly.
Soon, the Fang family's carriage stopped in front of the Left Prime Minister's Mansion. Fang Daniu put the gift box on the carriage, took Fang Yun's visiting card, and went forward to knock on the door.
“Boom boom boom…”
The tin door knocker with an animal face knocks against the vermilion door, making a crisp sound.
A door on one side opened, and a handsome middle-aged man in a dark blue student's uniform appeared.
Without waiting for the middle-aged man to speak, Fang Daniu bowed slightly and said, "I, Fang Yun, a candidate in the imperial examination, a minister in the cabinet, and Marquis Wen, am here to visit His Excellency the Left Prime Minister." Then he handed out the visiting card.
The doorman's expression remained unchanged. He took the visiting card with both hands and read it carefully. He then looked at Fang Yun who was standing at the steps in front of the door, bowed and said, "I greet Lord Wenhou. Lord Zuo Xiang is attending court. Please come in and wait for a moment."
Fang Yun said, "Since Lord Zuo Xiang is not at home, I will come another day." After saying this, Fang Yun turned around and entered the carriage neatly.
The Liu family's doorman, Fang Daniu, and the coachman all stared at the swaying door curtain in amazement. This was too straightforward.
"Present a gift." Fang Yun said.
"Oh? Yes!" Fang Daniu hurriedly ran a few steps, picked up the gift box, ran back to the door, and handed the gift box to the doorman.
"Get in the car and go home." Fang Yun said.
When the driver saw that something was wrong, he immediately drove the car away without saying a word, and Fang Daniu hurriedly jumped on the car.
The car drove for a long time before Fang Daniu finally reacted and muttered quietly, "Scholars have a lot of thoughts. It turns out that they deliberately chose to visit when Zuo Xiang was not at home. It doesn't matter whether they meet or not. Anyway, they have arrived and the gift has been returned."
After Fang Yun returned home, he formally reported to the academy, received various necessary items for new students, and then returned to the first dormitory.
Fang Yun accepted Qiao Juze's advice and did not deliberately target the Ten Kingdoms Competition. He should study for the Jinshi Examination. There are less than three months before the Jinshi Examination. Whether he can become the first place in the examination is very important, and whether he can become the champion in the palace examination is even more important.
The most important point is that the top scholar can get the rapid advancement that only the grand secretary can have in advance. The difference between a Jinshi or Hanlin who has rapid advancement and one who has not is almost incomparable.
Fang Yun first read the teaching guide of the Juren class at a glance.
The Ten Kingdoms had a relatively complete education system long ago. Although the main course content was the classics of the saints, the textbooks were various types of books such as commentaries, annotations, and annotations. These explanatory textbooks were the bridge for students to access the classics of the saints.
Fang Yun read the teaching guide carefully and found that it was similar to the teacher's teaching objectives and exam points. He would never have taken it seriously before, but as his level of education improved and his knowledge and horizons broadened, he realized that it was very important.
The most basic application of the teaching guide is to know what the internal examination of the academy will test. Many students can see it, but Fang Yun saw at a glance that this is a teaching guide. It is also the vein of the Holy Way!
Because those who can write textbooks for the academy must be at least great scholars, and grand secretaries have no qualifications at all to interfere with textbooks of this level.
If a great scholar has a deep understanding of a certain part of the holy way, then the content of the textbooks he compiles will naturally focus on that part.
The Holy Way is great. Fang Yun knew that he was not qualified to touch it yet, and at least he had to become a university scholar, but everything he knew and learned was in preparation for touching the Holy Way in the future. They were all cornerstones of varying sizes.
Whether you can touch the Holy Way does not depend on the hand of the Holy Way that is finally extended, but on the cornerstones under your feet.
However, the direction and method of stacking the cornerstones are very important.
What you learn is very important.
After Fang Yun read the teaching guide at a glance, he quickly read through all the textbooks. After finishing them, the same book appeared in the world of strange books.
Fang Yun closed his eyes and sat down, and the first three volumes of "The Commentary on Zuo Zhuan" appeared before his eyes.
The "Spring and Autumn Annals" is a history book written by Confucius. Because it was written by a sage, it is called a "classic" or "classic". The "Zuo Zhuan" is a history book that supplements and expands the "Spring and Autumn Annals". Later, Du Yu of the Jin Dynasty interpreted the "Zuo Zhuan" and formed a set of "Collected Commentaries on the Zuo Zhuan". This kind of interpretation is called annotations.
Later, Jiang Hechuan, the Minister of Literature of Jing State, interpreted the "Collected Commentaries on the Zuo Zhuan" and formed the "Commentary on the Zuo Zhuan". This style of explaining the "notes" is called "Shu", and "Zhu" is a type of "Shu".
Fang Yun looked at "The Commentary on Zuo Zhuan" with some envy. Once he was qualified to write "Shuo Zhuan", he would have touched the holy way. If he could directly write biographies, annotations or explanations on the holy classics, he would have reached the highest realm of a great Confucian scholar, the Emperor of Literature.
Once you establish your own holy path and write a "scripture" or "classic", you will become a saint instantly.
If one cannot write a "scripture" or "classic", he will never be canonized as a saint in his entire life.
Although "Zuo Zhuan" is a supplement and annotation to "Spring and Autumn Annals", it is also a "classic" at the same time.
Fang Yun accidentally mentioned Zhu Xi's famous saying before, "If there is something wrong, correct it; if there is nothing wrong, encourage yourself." This is actually a sentence in the annotation of "The Analects of Confucius". Zhu Xi had a deep understanding of "The Analects of Confucius", so he formed the sound of the holy way and finally formed the vision of the fish leaping over the dragon gate.
When one reaches the realm of a great scholar, it would be even better if one is good at poetry. If not, as long as one recites one's own annotations on the saints' classics and demonstrates the power of the saintly way, one will be able to contend with the monsters of the same level.
However, both the classics of the saints and the power of the holy way are "strong" but not "powerful" enough. Even the military tactics of military strategists put "planning" first and "killing" second, so the human race needs war poems to make up for the shortcomings of the holy way in this regard.
Afterwards, Fang Yun began to read "The Commentary on Zuo Zhuan" carefully, and then followed the teaching guide to mark the key parts. After a little analysis, he was able to find the parts of the holy way that Jiang Hechuan was proficient in. Fang Yun immediately gave up those unimportant parts and repeatedly savored the important parts.
At this time, Fang Yun was no longer studying for the exam, but for the holy way, for a stronger and more solid foundation under his feet. (To be continued...)