Chapter 259
A silver note worth a thousand taels was an amount of money the villagers of Stone Village would never earn in their lifetimes, yet they all knew Zhan Feiyu had arrived in the village by carriage, so she was certainly not short of money.
If the yamen officials were to search inside and find the silver note, who knew if it was stolen or her own? As for the gold-inlaid eight-treasure hairpin, it was just a small item. If she stuffed it into her bosom and then produced it during the search, Zhan Feiyu would have no way to explain herself even if she had a thousand mouths.
The villagers, who could barely recognize a few characters, could all figure this out. General Yang and Yang Shoucheng were equally aware that Constable Luo's arrogant actions were merely a facade, backed by a noble patron, using this opportunity for personal revenge.
"You can just search the place where my young lady lives?" He Nuan's expression was calm, but with one kick, she sent the first constable who rushed forward flying.
The other constables and the villagers outside the courtyard were stunned, almost thinking they were hallucinating. Not only was a grown man kicked flying by a young girl, but he also rolled more than ten feet away. That was some serious strength!
"You?" Constable Luo's brow furrowed sharply, and he stared at He Nuan warily. A maidservant actually possessed such skill? Was she a martial maid? But thinking of the identity of his patron, Constable Luo's arrogance surged once more.
"Still daring to injure someone? It seems you won't shed tears until you see the coffin. Attack!" Constable Luo gave the order, drawing his saber first, and then warned the Yang family trio, "The yamen is apprehending a thief. You'd best not interfere, or else..."
Yang Xu was considered half a martial artist, let alone Yang Shoucheng. Their formidable and iron-blooded aura alone made it clear they were not to be trifled with. Before coming, Constable Luo had already followed Magistrate Zhu's orders and sent men to the garrison. Once reinforcements arrived, the Yang family trio would not escape the charge of harboring a fugitive!
"Haha, this old bone of mine can't withstand the trouble. Xu'er, come to Grandpa. Don't get hurt." General Yang laughed heartily and, to everyone's surprise, placed a hand on Yang Xu's shoulder.
Before Yang Xu could react, he was pulled to a corner. General Yang's stance clearly indicated he wanted no part in this.
Yang Shoucheng silently followed. Well, the Yang family trio decisively cleared the way.
"Grandpa?" Yang Xu asked dazedly. His grandfather and father had always taught him to be a man of integrity, but why were they not intervening now?
The villagers outside the courtyard were also bewildered. Although they hadn't interacted much in recent years, everyone in the village knew that the Yang father and son were loyal and righteous men. It was precisely because of this that when Constable Luo made his move, the village head had sent someone to find Old Man Du Diao in Xiangwu County.
But who would have thought that the Yang family trio would simply let go, truly shocking the villagers.
"I didn't expect the Yang family to be cowards too." Constable Luo also burst into laughter, his face filled with mockery and disdain. Did they think they could absolve themselves and protect themselves this way?
Hmph, as long as that young girl entered the county yamen's prison, the confession would be entirely at his discretion. If the Yang family wanted to escape unscathed, they would have to get his permission!
With He Sheng present, why would He Nuan, a young girl, need to act? The battle started quickly and ended even faster. Everyone saw Constable Luo charge towards He Sheng first. In less than a quarter of an hour, the ground was littered with people.
"Is this too amazing?" From the children like Da Niu to the men in their thirties and forties, the people of Stone Village, after their shock, looked at He Sheng with immense admiration. This skill was definitely enough to kill enemies on the battlefield.
"Uncle, are they dead?" As soon as Da Niu asked this, the villagers felt like laughing. They weren't dead, but they were all lying on the ground, unable to get up, only able to let out pained groans.
"You wait!" Constable Luo clutched his abdomen, struggling to shift from a lying position to a sitting one. This simple action had exhausted all his strength.
Inside the house, Zhan Feiyu was diligently practicing calligraphy. After the incident in Huaian Prefecture, she dared not take any risks. Who knew what other accidents might occur at the Xiangwu County yamen? Her big brother said he would return in five days, and Zhan Feiyu did not want to be beaten again.
The thought of being beaten on the backside after drinking medicine for half a month made Zhan Feiyu so embarrassed that she wished she could find a hole to crawl into. The damage was not great, but the insult was extreme!
There was no more movement outside the courtyard. Zhan Feiyu unfolded the letter sent from the capital three days ago and took out five more sheets of paper to copy the questions. Scholar Gu had assigned five questions from the Five Classics this time.
Question from the Book of Changes: The sun and moon, by virtue of heaven, can shine eternally. The four seasons change, and can be eternally accomplished.
Question from the Book of Documents: May the virtuous men diligently assist our nation.
Question from the Book of Songs: From this day forth, the years shall have it.
Question from the Spring and Autumn Annals: In winter, a covenant was made with the people of Chen, Cai, Chu, and Zheng in Qi.
Question from the Book of Rites: The Son of Heaven then commanded his generals to select soldiers, sharpen their weapons, train the outstanding talents, and entrust them with merit to conquer injustice.
She put down her brush, and the five sheets of paper were laid out in a row, waiting for the ink to dry.
Zhan Feiyu rubbed her wrist. The original sentence for the first question was: "The sun and moon, by virtue of heaven, can shine eternally. The four seasons change, and can be eternally accomplished. The sage, abiding by his Way eternally, transforms the world. Observing what is constant, the true nature of heaven, earth, and all things can be seen."
The original meaning was: If the sun and moon follow the laws of celestial movement, they can illuminate all things forever; if the four seasons cycle according to natural laws, they can generate all things.
An emperor who follows this principle for a long time can govern the country successfully. By observing these unchanging phenomena, the actual situation of many things in the world can be predicted.
...
He Sheng had knocked down all the constables with one move. The yamen's reinforcements had not arrived. The constables lying on the ground shakily got up and huddled in a corner, their previous arrogance completely gone.
He Nuan went to the kitchen to boil water. She would make some pastries for Zhan Feiyu later. General Yang simply had Yang Shoucheng bring out chairs, and the old general sat in the doorway of the main hall, basking in the sun.
Yang Xu stood for a while, finding it extremely boring. He glanced at the closed room door, and finally, while He Nuan was delivering hot water, he followed her.
As soon as he entered the room, he was met with a rich ink fragrance. Yang Xu immediately saw the five sheets of paper laid out on the table. Upon closer inspection, his scalp tingled. He recognized all the characters, but when they were combined, it was like reading a celestial book to Yang Xu.
"Why don't you learn with me?" Zhan Feiyu smiled very solicitously. The joy of a fake scholar should be built upon the suffering of a true one.
"No need!" Yang Xu instinctively took a few steps back. Looking at Zhan Feiyu, who was sitting upright at the table, he felt as if he were looking at a vengeful ghost. He would rather practice horse stance than learn the intricacies of classical Chinese!
He Nuan stirred the charcoal brazier, making the fire burn more intensely. "I'll stew white fungus and lotus seed soup this afternoon."
Whether it was heating the stove or using a charcoal brazier or hand warmer, it caused Zhan Feiyu's internal fire to become vigorous. Her lips were dry and cracked when she woke up in the morning.
"Mmm, I'm not picky." As soon as Zhan Feiyu said this, Yang Xu almost rolled his eyes. He had never seen a more picky eater than her. She didn't eat this and didn't eat that. Fortunately, she had become Scholar Gu's disciple; without money, she couldn't have maintained such a fair and plump appearance.
"Since we're idle, Yang Xu, why don't you practice calligraphy? Uncle Yang said your handwriting is simply unbearable." Zhan Feiyu pulled out a stack of paper and took a brush from the brush holder. Looking at the reluctant Yang Xu, she couldn't help but smile. "Do you want the old general and Uncle to send their son to the grave before they die of old age?"
Yang Xu, who had been declared dead before even going to the battlefield, glared angrily at the smiling Zhan Feiyu.
He Nuan watched Yang Xu resignedly go to practice calligraphy. She gained a new understanding of her young lady's mischievousness. It was probably only when Seventh Master was around that his young lady would be well-behaved and sensible.
Half an hour later, Constable Luo's reinforcements had still not arrived, but footsteps could be heard outside the courtyard. The villagers who had surrounded the entrance immediately made way.
"Oh, why are you here so soon? Aren't you afraid your old bones will fall apart from the jolting?" General Yang, who had been dozing with half-closed eyes, stood up with a smile.
In the freezing weather of Xiangwu County, although he had arrived at the foot of the mountain by carriage, he was an elderly person. He had hurried from the foot of the mountain, and the old man who walked into the courtyard was also quite cold, his face slightly pale.
"Rats and foxes share a den, tigers and snakes travel nine paths." Unlike General Yang's robust, tall, yet kind face, the old man's face was stern, and he angrily rebuked them with severe words, looking as if he wanted to step forward and chop Constable Luo and his constables to pieces.
"You're scolding them with such flowery language, and they won't understand. It's like playing the lute to a cow," General Yang chuckled again, completely ignoring the old man's glare. "Come in quickly and warm up. It's just a few petty criminals; why did you make this trip?"
"I was worried about scaring Xu..." As Qiu Zongxi entered the room on the left, following General Yang's opened door, his voice trailed off. He was not shocked by the exquisite and elegant furnishings in the room, but because Yang Xu was holding a brush and practicing calligraphy with proper posture.
"Your brushstrokes are too heavy. You should use your wrist here and relax your arm..." Qiu Zongxi was known as Old Man Du Diao because of his painting "Fishing Alone by the River."
Calligraphy and painting were inseparable, so Qiu Zongxi also had achievements in calligraphy. Unfortunately, he had a peculiar temperament and rarely produced any calligraphy or paintings that circulated outside. This led to scholars and literati being extremely eager for Du Diao's calligraphy and paintings, to the point where a single character was worth a thousand taels, and a single painting was worth ten thousand taels.
Unfortunately, when he was traveling abroad in his youth, he had no fixed abode and could not be found to commission a painting.
In his later years, due to his health, he resided in Xiangwu County town. In this remote and impoverished area, it was truly difficult for ordinary people to travel a thousand miles to request a painting. As for the literati of Weizhou, even those who visited were thrown out by Qiu Zongxi's attendants.
"This calligraphy?" Qiu Zongxi had long recognized Yang Xu's scribbles. He picked up the paper next to him and looked at it. It was a proper Taige style, with precise brushwork, full and harmonious, strong and neat, with orderly strokes, harmonious distribution, and dignified form.
"How is it?" General Yang also took a look. If Xu'er could write such calligraphy, the Yang family's ancestral graves would surely emit auspicious smoke.
The more Qiu Zongxi looked, the more his brow furrowed. "Too much craftsmanship, lacking the essence of spirit!"
Yang Xu was taken aback. When he saw Zhan Feiyu's calligraphy, it was nothing short of astonishing, yet such calligraphy was criticized as worthless by Grandpa Qiu.
He lowered his head and looked at the scribbles on the paper. Yang Xu felt the sting of a scholar for the first time. He would probably never be able to write well in this lifetime.
"Is this your handwriting?" Qiu Zongxi's gaze fixed on Zhan Feiyu. His face stiffened, and his brow furrowed so deeply that it could trap mosquitoes.
Zhan Feiyu nodded. Her teacher had praised her handwriting, yet today it was criticized.
"Nonsense! Who is your teacher?" A roar suddenly erupted. Qiu Zongxi slammed his palm on the table. "How old are you, yet you're practicing Taige style? Is your teacher mad?"
If someone in their twenties wrote such calligraphy, Qiu Zongxi might have given it a pass. After all, the handwriting was indeed good. Although he himself was a master calligrapher and enjoyed studying calligraphy, his requirements for others were not strict, as long as it wasn't as unsightly as Yang Xu's scribbles.
But Zhan Feiyu looked to be only seven or eight years old and could write characters that others couldn't achieve until their twenties. This indicated that the girl had talent in calligraphy, but such a good seedling was being ruined. In Qiu Zongxi's opinion, this was a waste of heaven's gifts, and it was no wonder he was so enraged.
Startled by the scolding, Zhan Feiyu, who had heard much praise since her early education, was a bit stunned by being suddenly berated.
Although Yang Xu found Zhan Feiyu quite annoying, seeing her wide-eyed and looking helpless and bewildered at this moment, Yang Xu couldn't help but say, "Grandpa Qiu, she is a disciple of Scholar Gu from the capital!"
Therefore, even if you want to scold, you shouldn't scold the little girl. It's all her teacher's fault! Especially since Yang Xu knew that Scholar Gu sent letters to Zhan Feiyu every three days, and with each letter came a thick stack of homework. Thinking of Zhan Feiyu sleeping later than dogs and waking earlier than chickens, he felt a sense of dissatisfaction towards Scholar Gu, whom he had never met. How could he be so strict? The little girl was so short, probably because she didn't get enough sleep.
"Gu Qingzhou?" Qiu Zongxi was stunned. He was naturally reclusive, and living in a small place like Xiangwu County, he was even less informed about outside news. He had heard that Scholar Gu had taken a disciple, and it was rumored to be a young girl. Qiu Zongxi hadn't paid much attention, even suspecting it was hearsay, until he saw the lively young girl before him.
"Yes." Zhan Feiyu respectfully performed a junior's bow. Scholar Gu and the current emperor had both been saved by Qiu Zongxi. As a disciple, Zhan Feiyu naturally dared not show any disrespect.
What is virtue? We have said that the Dao is the root of all things. Then how does the Dao act upon all things? Through the repository of virtue. All things conform to the Dao, thus accumulating virtue. Accumulating virtue can nurture righteousness, and nurturing righteousness can lead to longevity.
When all things deviate from their root in the Dao, they lose virtue, and without virtue, they cannot nurture righteousness. Without nurturing righteousness, they become sick, and sickness leads to death. The Dao is the root, virtue is the foundation, and all things are the branches. Without the Dao and virtue, nothing is born; without virtue, nothing is accomplished. The root gives rise to the foundation, the foundation gives rise to the branches, and all things are formed, clearly and confusingly like the flowers of the Dao and virtue. By looking at the flowers, one can glimpse the foundation.
If the foundation is firm, then things can last; if the foundation is not firm, things will surely decline and perish. Therefore, thriving things must follow their root; perishing things must first lose their place. Repository means to store, to nurture, to contain, and to accomplish. If virtue is not stored, then all things cannot be accomplished. Without accumulating virtue, one cannot last. For all things, the Dao is like the mother, and virtue is like the fragrance. The sage accumulates heavenly virtue and stores the world, nurturing it, and enabling all things in the world to attain their nature and achieve completeness. Therefore, it is said that virtue is the repository of all things.