When Zhao Xiang was staring at the suspicious bag of poison in a daze, Zhao Xiu came to the outer study with a tray of paper and pens to find his brother Zhao Wei.

Zhao Wei watched suspiciously, as she unfolded the paper in the tray on the desk in front of her, and also put the pen and ink in her hand, "Sister, what are you doing?" Do you want me to write anything? ”

Zhao Xiu said with a smile: "That's right, brother, write a few words, similar to words that persuade people to learn and encourage people to work hard, it's best to be short, so that people can be impressed at a glance." ”

Zhao Wei was even more confused: "What are you writing this for?" ”

"Didn't you say you were going to open a library?" Zhao Xiu replied, "I think that when the free library attracts students, it is necessary to leave some admonitions in the library so that everyone can see it, which is also the meaning of persuading students to make progress." Why give such an opportunity to show your face to others? My brother's handwriting is also good, why don't you just get on it? ”

Only then did Zhao Wei understand what her idea was. As for the idea of the library, his sister had already mentioned it to him. He was pleasantly surprised by the many novelties he had never heard of before. He could roughly guess where the admonition his sister had left behind. But how can he be virtuous and deserve this honor?

He hurriedly put the pen down: "This is not appropriate." The library is a place for people to learn and learn, and it is reasonable to invite the respected scholars to write inscriptions, at least it must be Hanlin, Guozi's priest's wine, or university scholars. ”

Zhao Xuan disagreed: "Now that the Chinese officials of the dynasty look down on our honor, we said that we want to open such a place and ask one of them to write an inscription, and my brother is sure that they will not put up a shelf and push three and four?" In the end, even if we ask him to agree, he will most likely say that it is to give us face and to thousands of students in the world. I don't want to be angry when we are angry and have to be taken away from us. Since it is our family's library, the reputation should belong to us. Anyway, I'm not worried that no one will come to the door, and the fertilizer water is naturally better than flowing into the fields of outsiders. ”

Zhao Wei couldn't help but laugh dumbly when she heard her speak bluntly. After thinking about it, my sister's assumption is still possible, when he was in diplomacy recently, he had mentioned the idea of opening a library to several Wenchen, although he was praised, but it was obviously a few scenes, few people really took his ideas to heart, and even a very old Hanlin said that although their family was born in the army, but they have a heart for literature, which is also a good thing, just a library or something, or don't act rashly, for fear that his family is not knowledgeable, and he has made some indiscreet books, If you show it to the students, you will mislead people's children.

However, although Lao Hanlin did not have much confidence in the Zhao family, he also admitted that the library was a good idea, and even discussed with several friends with similar backgrounds, similar ages, and deep friendships, whether to donate some of his own collection of books and build a library? After all, this is a great act of kindness that will last for generations. However, several elders discussed and discussed, but there were not many books that they were willing to take out, and even their children and nephews refused to lend the precious classics easily, for fear that irrelevant outsiders would stain good books. Even if it is really taken out to build a library, it must not be allowed to be read by people at will, and it must be given priority to the reading of the children and nephews of the family, and the families who also donate books will each send people to take turns or jointly guard the library, so as not to lose the library. But when I think about how much it would cost to maintain such a library, the discussion was put to rest......

Zhao Wei was very disappointed with the reaction of these old-timers, but he was not discouraged, but strengthened his determination to build the library and make it famous all over the world. This is not only for the reputation of Jiannanhou Mansion, but also for the descendants of the Zhao family. He didn't want his descendants to be questioned because they were famous after the nobles, even if they read poetry and books.

Thinking of this, Zhao Wei said to Zhao Xiu: "I am still young, and leaving my pen and ink in the library may not be convincing. Why don't you use your father's handwriting? This library was originally built to commemorate my father, and it is only natural that he should use his handwriting during his lifetime. ”

Zhao Xiu thought for a while: "That's okay, even in my father's pen and ink before his death, I don't know if I can find the right words." Why don't we think about what words to use first, and then choose the right words from my father's pen and ink, and hand them over to the craftsman to make a plaque? ”

Zhao Wei pondered for a moment, then turned to the bookshelf on the right-hand side, took out a few thread-bound books from a bookcase, and put them on the desk. Zhao Xiu stretched out his hand to look over, and the top cover was written with the word "Historical Records", looking at the handwriting, it was Zhao Zhuo's handwriting.

Zhao Wei said: "My father used to like to copy books, as long as he copied the book once, he could memorize the content again. Before his grandfather's death, his father had just finished copying several volumes of the "Historical Records", which was the "Qin Shi Huang Benji". He happened to be reading history recently, and he was reading a manuscript written by his deceased father before his death. Fortunately, because these manuscripts are relatively heavy, and the content is memorized by Zhao Zhuo, it is no longer useful, so when he went south by boat, he did not carry them with him, but packed them together with other books that were not needed for the time being, and transported them to the Drum Tower Mansion for storage, which can be preserved intact to this day.

Zhao Wei opened one of the pages of the manuscript, and there was a bookmark he had clipped earlier. He pointed to one of the vertical lines with his finger and let Zhao Xiu see: "What does my sister think of this sentence?" ”

Zhao Xiu looked at it, but it was "these four monarchs, all know and faithful, generous and loving, respect the virtuous and respectful, about to leave the balance, and Han, Wei, Yan, Chu, Qi, Zhao, Song, Wei, Zhongshan." "It's about the four gentlemen of the Warring States. Zhao Xiu thought for a while: "These words are good, knowing, faithful, generous, loving, and virtuous. Isn't my father's expression 'knowing'? ”

"That's right." Zhao Wei smiled slightly. Zhao Zhuo knew the words. Blanching, which means to understand thoroughly. This table was taken by Zhao Zhuo's former mentor, an old Hanlin, who has been dead for many years, but he is also a well-known scholar and has good learning. Zhao Zhuo's table is quite good, and today the brother and sister saw the sentences in the "Historical Records" and found that these two words have a very good origin.

Zhao Xiu immediately thought of a good idea: "It's better to call our library Mingzhi Library, right?" ”

Zhao Wei was stunned and thought about it carefully: "That's fine, in the name of my father's cousin, then everyone knows who this library is built for." ”

Zhao Xiu also had another proposal: "We can also write an article on the origin of the library, including the truth about the tragic deaths of my father and mother, and our original intention to speak for our relatives and elders, and engrave it on the tablet and stand in the library." As long as the library is in one day, everyone in the world can see the words on the tablet and know the ins and outs of the matter. No matter who wants to overturn the case for Xiao Changfang, it is impossible. We're just drawing a line with them. In this way, we don't need to explain the truth of the year to others one by one, wouldn't it save a lot of effort? ”

Zhao Wei clasped his palms together and smiled: "Wonderful! That's it! He even proposed that a small mourning hall could be set up in the museum to place the spiritual seat of his parents. Then the students who come to borrow books, if they have the heart, can offer incense to their parents and pay respects. My father was a man before his death, and my mother was also the daughter of a scholarly family, so she deserves the incense of these scholars.

With the plan in mind, the siblings discussed the specific charter. On the issue of site selection, Zhao Wei has a suggestion: "When we move back to the Hou Mansion in the spring, this small mansion will be abandoned, isn't it a pity?" Why don't you just turn this place into a library? The place is quite spacious, and it can be regarded as a good location in the middle of the noise. ”

Zhao Xiu was a little reluctant, but after thinking about it, anyway, after moving back to the Hou Mansion, there was no chance to come back and live, so it was not bad to simply use it as a library. My father and mother were not able to live in this small mansion as planned, but they were able to settle here for a long time after their deaths.

Zhao Xiu also felt that since the library was free, even if he opened another affiliated teahouse and earned a little money to maintain the daily operation of the library, it might not be enough, and he might be stigmatized as accumulating money. Since she has the heart to earn a reputation for her family, she has already made such a big plan, so she naturally doesn't care about this little money. She proposed to set aside a small part of her own land to support the library, and this part of the land was no longer controlled by the descendants of the Zhao family. Therefore, those who manage the land and the library must be carefully selected to ensure that they are of good character and that there are no problems. And among the descendants of the Zhao family, if there are people who are unscrupulous and can't keep the family business, then at least they won't sell this library indiscriminately for money. If it really comes to the day when the family business will not continue, they will take advantage of the identity of the descendants of the Zhao family to be a small library manager in the library, presumably they will not starve to death, and they will be able to read some books and learn a little more.

Zhao Wei was dumbfounded when he heard it: "My sister thinks so long......"

"I'm not out of purpose." Zhao Xiu said, "I often hear the old man say that he is not rich for three generations. My brother and I are the third generation of Jiannanhou Mansion, which is considered Zhongxing, but who can guarantee that our descendants will definitely fight? If one day, the real family business is ruined, there is a sacrificial field to ensure food and clothing for the children and grandchildren, there is a clan study to teach the children and grandchildren to read and stand up, and there is a library, it is to give the children and grandchildren a place to support themselves and a decent identity. How many students are likely to benefit from the library? If 12 out of 10 of them are grateful, our children and grandchildren will benefit a lot. ”

Zhao Wei was stunned, and after a long while, he sighed and solemnly saluted his sister: "My sister is far-reaching, and it is really beyond the reach of a foolish brother." ”

Zhao Xiu pursed his lips and avoided with a smile: "Brother, don't patronize and praise me first, let's hurry up and draw up the charter first." This is just our initial idea, and we will have to wait for my grandmother's nod before we can implement it. ”

Zhao Wei smiled and discussed with his sister again. On the second day, their brothers and sisters all took the prepared charter to ask Zhang, and Zhang saw tears in his eyes, and he had no objections, so he nodded immediately. Zhao Wei even started to do it.

The time has entered February, everything has awakened, and winter has gone to spring. In the capital, the news that the Marquis of Jiannan was about to establish the "Mingzhi Library" to commemorate his deceased father also spread. The poor students in the city rushed to tell each other that this library was free, and as long as they brought their own pen, ink, paper and inkstone, they could even copy all the collections in the library and bring them back to their own collections.

The Shilin circles in the capital were all sensational.