Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 149 Library

The sound of students reciting their lessons reached Zhu Wen's ears.

The voice, which he hadn't heard for many years, made him feel especially close to it.

The scene before my eyes suddenly became clear.

It was a drafty thatched house, with cold winds blowing in from outside from time to time, carrying a few snowflakes.

The children seemed oblivious, listening attentively even as their little faces turned red from the cold.

Apart from Zhu Wen himself.

"Zhu Wen!" The gaunt figure suddenly called out his name.

A much older boy behind him whispered, "That Zhu San'er is dozing off in his grandfather's class again."

Zhu Cheng sat on a crescent-shaped stool and pointed the ruler at Zhu Wen's sleepy little face.

"The virtue of a gentleman is like the wind, the last two lines!"

Zhu Wen scratched his head with his palm, frowned and thought for a while: "The virtue of a petty person is like grass; the wind over the grass will surely bend it."

I can still vaguely remember the passages I forced to memorize last night.

"Then, what is the meaning of this sentence?" Zhu Cheng continued to ask, rhythmically tapping his palm with the ruler.

Zhu Wen thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps it is because the virtue of a gentleman is as firm as a rock, while the virtue of a petty person is like a reed in the wind, bending with the wind?"

"Where in Confucius's original words are the words 'rock'?" Zhu Cheng glared, his beard bristling. "How can you interpret the words literally? Your explanations are completely nonsensical."

"I've made a mistake, please correct me, teacher," Zhu Wen said helplessly. In class, he could only address his father as "teacher."

“In pre-Qin classics, the term ‘gentleman’ usually refers to those in high positions who govern the people, while ‘petty person’ refers to us ordinary people. It did not yet have the derogatory connotation of later generations.”

Zhu Cheng's eyes suddenly turned serious: "Confucius' original intention was for gentlemen to take responsibility, cultivate virtue, and serve as role models for the people. If the virtue of gentlemen is corrupted, the virtue of the people will also be corrupted."

"Zhu Wen, since you are wrong, come forward and accept your punishment."

Zhu Wen stood up dejectedly, walked over, and extended his palm.

Zhu Cheng took the ruler and gently tapped his four-year-old son's fair little hand three times. Then, holding up the Analects, he suddenly stood up.

"But I hope that wherever you are, you will always have the heart of a gentleman. If those who sit in the position of 'gentleman' lose the way of the sages, that is their business, but we common people must not demean ourselves!"

Confucius advocated education for all, hoping that everyone would uphold the principles of a gentleman. Later, Mencius elaborated on Confucius's teachings, saying, "Everyone can become a Yao or Shun!"

"Teacher, if even officials can't be gentlemen, what's the point of us peasants trying to make a living from the soil learning to be gentlemen?" A short, chubby child suddenly raised his hand and asked.

Zhu Cheng glanced at him, then smiled and said, "A good question. In my opinion, the common people learn the way of the virtuous in order to correct the mistakes of the virtuous. If the virtuous in charge is not competent, the common people will use the principles they have learned from books to expose the virtuous and bring down the incompetent ones."

"In the era of Great Harmony, the people's wisdom will be greatly enlightened. The common people, with a sense of justice rather than malice, will expose the mistakes of those in power, and those in power will not cover for each other, but will promptly eliminate incompetent 'gentlemen'. At that time, 'the people and the government will be of one mind, and everyone will be like a dragon.'"

The entire room fell silent. The children blinked, as if they understood, yet also as if they didn't.

Zhu Wen felt a dizzying sensation as the world spun before his eyes.

He found himself back in the warm carriage, with Tian Jun resting her head on his lap, her drool wetting Zhu Wen's clothes.

Outside the carriage curtain, the sound of students reciting their lessons could still be heard. Lifting the curtain, one could see a magnificent five-story pavilion standing on the hillside by the roadside, with its flying eaves and bracket sets.

No wonder I had that kind of dream.

Zhu Wen now realizes that the principles his grandfather spoke of were mostly not Confucius's original meaning, but rather his grandfather's own understanding as a down-on-his-luck schoolteacher.

As for "reporting and correcting the virtuous," there is an underlying meaning that cannot be explicitly stated to the children.

Just like the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow Sword in Zhu Wen's hands, it was quite useful for "investigating and correcting virtuous people".

"Lady Zhaoying, where do all these sounds of reading come from in the deep mountains?"

Zhuoying is now riding in the same carriage as Lan Suting, alongside Zhu Wentianjun's carriage, intending to escort them for fifty li before returning.

"Replying to Liangyu Langjun, this library of our sect was built twenty years ago with donations from Alliance Leader Wang Xianzhi," Zhuoying replied in a gentle voice.

"For the past two hundred years, many impoverished scholars have lived in Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries to borrow books. However, my Taishan School has many daughters living in the family, which inevitably raises suspicions of impropriety and can easily distract students."

"When the leader of the alliance learned of this, he donated five thousand strings of cash from his private property. In addition to building pavilions, he also purchased a large number of scriptures and invited hermits to live in the pavilions to guide the students. Over the years, the Zhenyi Alliance has also donated money every year to subsidize the students' food and lodging."

Zhu Wen was suddenly filled with emotion.

Wang Xianzhi's decision was undoubtedly related to his close friend Huang Chao's experience of failing the imperial examination.

"Only by monopolizing books that should belong to all the people can the powerful clans control the world."

"It turns out that Alliance Leader Wang had the foresight to break down the barriers at their root twenty years ago."

Wang Xianzhi was not a perfect person; he was cowardly and made many mistakes.

But in retrospect, his life can still be described as heroic!

The vast collection of scriptures and the melodious sound of reading aloud in the library are a testament to the gathering and inheritance of human wisdom.

These books, passed down through generations, imprint wisdom upon society, thus enabling life to flourish like an everlasting song.

"Although the library is dozens of miles away from Baiyun Temple, if the sisters in the sect truly fall in love with the students, the sect will not stop them. As long as they can afford the redemption fee, they can marry as they please. Unless they are officials or celebrities, the higher authorities generally do not care about the rules of marriage between good and bad people, or the inheritance of lowly status from generation to generation."

The story of "Chuoying" refers to the situation over the past century. As the imperial court weakened and its control over local areas declined, it relaxed its policies on the issue of free people and commoners.

Of course, few students could pass the exams, and even those who did could only find work as private tutors or accountants. For commoners like these, taking wives in brothels was generally ignored by the government. With Wang Xianzhi's formidable reputation, while he was alive, it's likely no scholar would dare to be a heartless man and disrespect the dignified leader of the martial arts world.

"What should we do if we actually pass the exam?" Lan Suting suddenly asked.

"Over the years, there have actually been two who passed the exam, and both of them took their sisters as concubines," Zhuoying said with a sigh.

"The way to repay a debt of gratitude is to make your benefactor your concubine? That's just too unreasonable!" Lan Suting wrinkled her delicate nose, looking quite dissatisfied.

"A brothel owner is not allowed to marry a respectable man; this is clearly written in the laws of the Tang Dynasty." Zhuoying sighed, "As a commoner, no one cares; but if you become an official and are impeached by your colleagues, it's not just a matter of losing your post, you'll also be punished with caning!"

"What Alliance Leader Wang considered for the women of the Mount Tai Sect was the most appropriate solution at the time," Zhu Wen said. "If we really want to change the unjust laws, what other way is there besides overthrowing this world?"

Wang Xianzhi did indeed stand up and try to overturn this unjust world, and paid for it with his life.

Zhu Wen and his ilk could never have known that the temple and monastery-based academic traditions that flourished in the late Tang Dynasty would evolve into the academy culture that would endure for a thousand years. In the future, numerous academies would spring up across the north and south, not only breaking the monopoly of knowledge held by powerful clans, but also allowing privately-educated students to offer their opinions from the common people and to check and balance the officials in the imperial court!

Zhuoying added, "I've loved reading since I was a child, and I often pass by this library and hear the sound of people reading aloud."

“None of the students at Kege Middle School have the knowledge or talent to catch anyone’s eye.” As she spoke, she hugged Lan Suting tightly: “It’s still Sister Zhizhen who makes Zhuoying like her.”

Lan Suting was entangled by the shadowy figure like a beautiful snake, its breath brushing against her cheek, causing her ears to burn, and she remained silent.

Only then did Tian Jun rub her eyes and slowly wake up on Zhu Wen's lap: "How come that fake couple is more impressive at showing affection than us?"

As she spoke, she straightened up and rubbed her cheek against Zhu Wen's face again.

"Oh dear, it's getting late, people should head back now," said Chuoying, instructing the driver to drive the carriage back.

Lan Suting stepped out of the carriage with Zhuoying, lifted the curtain of this carriage, and her face still had a faint blush.

Tian Jun suddenly asked, puzzled, "What is that woman, Zhuoying, doing?"

"If Zhuoying leaves both carriages to us, will she walk back?" Zhu Wen spread his hands: "The carriage is too narrow, and Zhizhen can't ride a horse, so she can only sit on your lap. If you don't carry her, I will."

Tian Jun's eyebrows shot up: "I haven't offended Zhuoying, have I? Why is she playing tricks on me too!"

“You clung to me all the way back to the Moon Palace, and quite a few people were annoyed by it. Perhaps Zhuoying was one of them,” Zhu Wen said calmly, pulling Lan Suting’s hand so she could sit on Tian Jun’s lap.

Tian Jun wanted to say something, but seeing Lan Suting's timid and pitiful appearance, her heart softened immediately. She reached out and hugged Lan Suting's waist, and said fiercely to Zhu Wen, "Then you are not allowed to touch Zhizhen again, or I will chop your hand off."

"I won't touch it. If I get involved with you, you jealous person, how could I dare to have my cake and eat it too?" Zhu Wen said lazily, then leaned against the carriage wall and squinted his eyes.

The driver whipped the horse and drove the carriage forward.

Several days passed, and Tian Jun became increasingly impatient.

It should have been a sweet time to be with her lover, but because she had Lan Suting on her lap the whole way, she was too embarrassed to do anything.

Zhu Wen, on the other hand, had a peaceful state of mind, which was quite pleasing to the eye.

The scene of two beautiful girls embracing intimately can not only make men fantasize about being in the middle, but also give them a sense of pure beauty.

Men are born with a clean and narcissistic nature. However, most people are trapped by survival, fame, fortune, and lust, and their spirits become increasingly clouded as they age. Sometimes, when they gaze at the azure sky in the afternoon sun, they suddenly awaken to that clean and clear self, as innocent as a child, and feel a deep sense of melancholy.

"Zhizhen is fast asleep." Tian Jun quietly leaned closer to Zhu Wen and whispered, breathing warm air into his ear, "Give me a kiss now?"

Zhu Wen smiled and slipped his hand under Tian Jun's thigh.

Tian Jun thought Zhu Wen wanted to touch her thigh again, and she was both shy and happy. Unexpectedly, Zhu Wen's arm went through her body from below and lifted her up, raising her thigh and upper body and hanging her in mid-air.

Seeing that Lan Suting was about to fall off her, Tian Jun instinctively hugged Lan Suting's lower abdomen and gave Zhu Wen a puzzled look.

With a sharp crack, Zhu Wen's left palm slammed crisply onto the Moon Hill through his clothes, like rain pattering on a peach grove.

Tian Jun was stunned for a moment, then scolded, "You bastard, why did you spank me?"

This is something only an inexperienced young girl would say.

Zhu Wen had long heard that a mature and voluptuous young woman would deliberately flaunt the gifts bestowed upon her by heaven, making a gesture of inviting him into a trap, thus arousing a man's heart.

But Tian Jun's youthful innocence is all the more endearing and charming.

"We're being affectionate, what else is there to do?" Zhu Wen said, "No one has ever attacked this place before, has anyone?"

"A few scoundrels tried to take advantage of me, but I broke their hands." Tian Jun finally realized what had happened and said with a hint of embarrassment.

This was the first time Zhu Wen had ever acted so intimately with a young woman, and his heart skipped a beat. He then lightly stroked Mingyue several times. The beauty's body tensed, her eyes gazing with a drunken intoxication.

Lan Suting, however, was still sleepy and slowly woke up.

The force of the palm strike passed through Tian Jun's body, and she felt it clearly, instantly blushing with embarrassment.

“Bad person,” Lan Suting said softly.

Tian Jun then realized that this rascal had ulterior motives.

Zhu Wen kept his promise and didn't touch Lan Suting with a single finger.

Tian Jun's only thought at that moment was to devour Zhu Wen alive.

"I'll bite you to death, you heartless scoundrel!" Tian Jun grabbed Zhu Wen's neck and bit him, her little tiger teeth drawing blood.

Afterwards, both girls sulked and ignored him.

The beauty's slight anger was quite intriguing.

(End of this chapter)