The disciples in the clan school are all preparing to celebrate the New Year. Except for the tribute exams that are going north to take the exam, the academic atmosphere in Zhoujin Hall has become much lighter.
But this is only for most people.
Being reprimanded by the professor at the Ethnic Studies School that day was not a big deal to Zhang Yue, and he was very upset and had a bad conversation with Guo Lin afterwards.
Guo Lin's words were exactly the same as Zhang Cai's. Sir, he values you so much that he bluntly denounces you. This is because he treats you like a disciple in his heart.
After Guo Lin explained it, Zhang Yue felt relieved.
Zhang Yue also knew that the professor usually gave lectures in the morning and only answered questions after Shen Shi. Therefore, when Professor Zhang Yue came to answer questions after Shen Shi, it could not be said to be a first-class treatment. But for Zhang Yue, a disciple from a distant ethnic group
Even so, it is a first-class treatment.
He still knows whether it's good for him or not.
After the clock was set every day, Zhang Yue came to Zhoujin Hall regardless of rain or shine.
Towards the end of the year, Zhang Yue came to Zhoujin Hall. Although there were fewer disciples in the hall, more and more visitors came here because of his reputation.
Every time Zhang Yue takes off his shoes and puts them at the farthest point of the steps. Some visitors don't know the rules and kick their shoes aside, so Zhang Yue will tidy up his shoes before entering the hall.
In winter, the wooden floor of Zhoujin Hall is already covered with a layer of felt, so your feet won't get too cold even if you step on it.
This alleviated Zhang Yue's embarrassment of wearing thin socks.
Before the professor arrived, the students and visitors who had arrived first would talk to each other in twos and threes. Most people didn't pay much attention to Zhang Yue. Occasionally, one or two would frown slightly, but Zhang Cai and others were still friendly to Zhang Yue.
.
Except for Zhang Cai, Zhang Yue rarely spoke and just read quietly.
After Zhang Caiyan and Zhang Yue entered Zhoujin Hall, he became more and more behaved.
Upon arrival, the professor began to answer questions from the disciples.
Zhang Yue listened attentively every time and refused to miss every sentence. Even if he didn't understand it, he could write it down first. But for now, Zhang Yue judged from the questions asked by others.
There is quite a difference, but this gap is gradually narrowing.
In addition to copying books on weekdays, Zhang Yue also asked the ministers in the library to borrow various books to read. Anyway, as long as they were books with words, Zhang Yue would read them all.
Over the past few months, Zhang Yue has read less than half of the books in the library.
Although none of them are Confucian classics, they will be useful in writing poems, poems, and essays in the future. There is a saying that goes, "If you want to learn poetry, your skills lie in poetry."
Zhang Yue still left the last question.
Zhang Yue would present the questions carefully prepared yesterday to the professor. But from that day on, the professor became more and more strict with Zhang Yue, and it became common for him to scold him harshly.
Zhang Yue held back, and after the professor's anger subsided, he shamelessly continued to ask the professor for advice.
When the professor saw that Zhang Yue was acting like this, his expression softened slightly and he asked Zhang Yue, "Have you continued to practice the book recently?"
Zhang Yue said: "In addition to copying books every day, I practice calligraphy for an hour after returning home."
The professor nodded after hearing this. At this time, a student asked the professor for advice.
The professor signaled the other party to stop for a moment, and then said to Zhang Yue: "Remember, calligraphy is not about asking for knowledge, but learning other methods in a hurry. You need to solidify the basics step by step, but it cannot be static! Calligraphy is about seeking the unknown, and classics is about learning.
The proof is known.”
After listening to the professor's words, the student on the side asked: "Sir, why do you say that the art of calligraphy lies in seeking the unknown?"
The professor smiled and drew two horizontal lines on his desk.
Zhang Yue looked at it like two parallel lines, and the other students were also amazed.
The professor said: "No matter how straight this horizontal line looks, there are still some irregularities. Just like if I write ten thousand more horizontal lines, there will still be some irregularities. But you think my first ten thousand strokes are different from the first stroke."
Is there any progress?"
"This is about striving for excellence! My disciples have been taught." Everyone replied.
Zhang Yue nodded, thinking about the second half of the sentence, "The scriptures prove that they are already known." This means that reading scriptures is about understanding one's mind and one's nature.
The student asked the professor again for advice. The professor still said to Zhang Yue: "You are not a disciple of my clan, so I can't teach you to learn calligraphy. But I have an article called "Nine Potentials" written by Cai Yong. Go back and read it carefully and try to figure it out.
The way to write with a pen.”
As he spoke, the professor took a piece of paper from his clothes and handed it to Zhang Yue.
Zhang Yue took it with both hands.
This time he was moved. Although the professor was strict with him, he really taught him as a student.
"Student, thank you sir!" Zhang Yue immediately bowed and saluted.
The professor nodded happily when he saw this, while Zhang Heng also saw this scene in front of his eyes.
After dinner, Zhang Heng and Lin Xi walked side by side under the moon.
The two chatted for a while about going north to Beijing to take the exam, what happened on the way, and the scenery they would have after one day.
At this moment, the two temporarily put aside their rivalry with each other and became good friends.
"On the way to Beijing, you must pass by Hangzhou and then pass by Yangzhou to Beijing. The beautiful scenery of Suzhou and Hangzhou has long been famous."
"Yes, I'm going to ride a crane down to Yangzhou with a hundred thousand guan in my pocket," Zhang Heng smiled, "You're really careless. I'll act like a landlord in Pucheng, but I'll have to entertain you again when I get to Hangzhou."
Lin Xi smiled and said: "Brother Ziping, to say so is to be narrow-minded. This is not the Ziping I admire."
Zhang Heng laughed when he heard this.
Lin Xi said slowly: "Since I have accepted Ziping's hospitality, I have something to say to brother Ziping."
"Oh? Please tell me."
Lin Xidao: "Ziping, Zhang Sanlang has been able to practice calligraphy to this level in more than a month. This shows that he is an extraordinary person and should not be underestimated."
Zhang Heng smiled and said nothing.
Lin Xidao: "But I knew Ziping had a green eye for him."
Zhang Heng laughed and said: "Zizhong is wrong, wrong."
Lin Xidao: "What's wrong? Brother Ziping, do you think I can't see it?"
Zhang Heng said with a smile: "My fault is that I only know one thing but not the other. I look at Zhang Yue differently, not because of him but because of his second brother."
"Oh? Zhang Erlang?" Lin Xi's eyes flashed and he said, "Why didn't such a person hear Ziping mention it? Could it be that he is not here at the moment? Did he save the candidates?"
Zhang Heng said: "Some changes happened before, so I am not in Jianzhou. Now I have got news about him. Brother Ziping will see him during the provincial examination."
Lin Xidao: "Brother Ziping has a very high vision. Anyone who can catch your eye must be an extraordinary person. If there is a chance, I will definitely see him, and Ziping will definitely introduce him to me."
Zhang Heng said nothing.
A few days before the New Year, the students returned to their hometowns.
Most of the people in the Zhoujin Hall had dispersed, and Zhang Yue and Guo Lin had copied very few books.
The two of them finally had time to spare. They came to the pavilion door and were warming themselves by the stove while talking. Occasionally they looked out the window and saw snowflakes flying in, covering both the distant mountains and the nearby houses.
"It's really cold today!" Zhang Yue held the scroll in one hand and warmed his hands by the stove with the other. After a while, he changed hands.
Guo Lindao: "It's cold in the mountains, but it's fine down there."
At this moment, the tea stove on the stove made a beeping sound. Guo Lin quickly picked up the tea stove and poured two bowls of hot tea soup for the two of them.
Zhang Yue enjoyed his senior brother's attentive service. He picked up the steaming tea bowl, brought it to his mouth and took a sip. Suddenly, a warm current spread from top to bottom, warming his heart and stomach.
"Senior brother is really virtuous and knows how to make good tea."
"Of course...what a virtue. Junior brother, how can you compare me to a woman?"
Zhang Yue smiled and teased his senior brother by one every day.
While he was feeling proud, Zhang Yue heard the sound of footsteps. Zhang Yue went to look but saw that it was Zhang Heng, the chief of the restaurant, coming here.
What is he doing here?
"The chief!"
Zhang Yue and Guo Lin both stood up and saluted.
Zhang Heng was wearing a thick fur coat and cowhide boots. He came here and looked at the place with his hands behind his hands: "It's so cold, and it's really hard for you two to be baking in a place without shelter from the wind."
Zhang Yue said sternly: "I'd like to inform the chief of the building, you can shelter from the wind in the library, but you are not allowed to light the stove. You can light the stove at the door of the pavilion, but except for this wall, it can be said to be exposed to the wind on three sides. In fact, look, chief of the building, you can't light the stove here."
A small shed..."
Zhang Yue talked for a while and made several suggestions. Anyway, he took advantage of Zhang Heng's arrival to express his demands first.
When Zhang Heng heard Zhang Yue's loud mouth, he couldn't help but smile and said: "Okay! Okay! Your temperament is different from that of your second brother."
Hearing Zhang Heng mention his second brother, Zhang Yue couldn't help but be startled. Then he remembered what Zhang Cai said about Zhang Heng's discord with his second brother and thought to himself, "You're not here to take revenge on me, are you?"
Zhang Heng looked at Zhang Yue's expression and said calmly: "Your second brother and I have a dispute of temper for a while, and I admire your second brother's talent very much. But I am not weaker than him. Now in the provincial examination
, let’s see who can get the whip first!”
"What? My second brother is going to the capital to take the provincial examination? I wonder how the director learned about it?"
Zhang Heng glanced at Zhang Yue and sneered: "If your second brother hadn't escaped from the marriage, Sanlang would not have to worry about food and clothing even though he didn't have good food and clothing. Why would he be braving the cold wind here to write books and even bake a stove?
What kind of expression does this person have? Now that I’m telling you that your second brother went to Beijing to take the provincial examination, you’re going to ignore all the past grudges and just want to find out from me what’s going on with your second brother’s future?”
"What a shameless person to say!"
When Zhang Heng said this, Zhang Yue's face turned blue and white.
Guo Lin said on the side: "Zhaizhang, Zhang Erlang and Zhang Yuefeng are brothers. They have deep brotherhood. Even if there is any gap between the brothers, how can a younger brother not care about his whereabouts? I apologize for saying this.
I can’t be convinced.”
Zhang Heng glanced at Guo Lin.
Zhang Yue also said: "Zhang Yue, I don't need you to ask about the affairs between me and my second brother. Since you are here, you must already know the whereabouts of my second brother. If the chief of the chain has any intention, please let me know. If not, he is here to humiliate me.
, then the chief of the restaurant invites you."
Zhang Heng laughed and said, "It's quite a bit arrogant."
"Zhang Erlang is now in his post and is preparing to go to the capital for the provincial examination." Zhang Heng said.
When Zhang Heng actually confirmed the news, Zhang Yue was still surprised. Since his second brother went to Beijing to take the provincial examination, where did he find out the answer? Isn't it just as he speculated?
Did he go to Beijing to find his teacher Chen Xiang?
"Then where is my second brother now?"
"Suzhou!" Zhang Heng replied.
And after hearing this chapter, he took a deep breath, and he finally understood why his second brother wanted to run away from the marriage.