Wu County Chinese Studies Doctor Xu Zao ancestral home in Dongguan County, Xuzhou, Dongguan Xu is a Confucian family, especially good at scripture and phonology, 50 years ago because of the Yongjia Rebellion, Xu Zao's father Xu Chengzhi and fellow townsman Zangkun led the clan and neighbors more than 1,000 people to cross the river south, moved to Jingkou, Xu Zao was born in Jingkou, Xu Zao since childhood, studious, read the scriptures, the "Book of Filial Piety", "Zhuangzi" and phonology study is very deep, and can speak a pure Luoyang official dialect, just because it is not a scholar family, not allowed to be reused by the imperial court, first for the water messenger, and then as a doctor of Wujun Chinese Studies, the children of the Jiangzuoshi clan mostly learned "Luo Sheng Yong" from it.

Xu Zao does not live in the city of Wu County, but in the western suburbs of the Lion Rock under the small mirror lake to teach, more than ten thatched halls, three lectures a day, each time for half an hour, in the morning to talk about the rhyme and Luo Shengyong, in the afternoon to talk about the "Book of Filial Piety", in the night to talk about the "Zhuangzi", the rest of the time by the students to argue with each other.

The students are all living in the city of Wu County, come early and return late, and Xu Zao does not care about the students' meals, they bring their own soup cakes, the summer is fine, the winter food is cold, it is really uncomfortable, the rich and wealthy families are always reluctant to let their children suffer, Wu County Gaomen Lu, Zhu, Xue, and Huiji surnamed Yu, He, and the scholars of neighboring counties have children to study here, these big families built a small wooden house on the opposite bank of Xiaojing Lake to facilitate the children to eat and rest, these small wooden houses are simple and elegant, much more magnificent than the Xu family thatched cottage on the other side of the lake.

In addition to the children of the Jiangdong scholars, there are also many poor students who come here to ask Dr. Xu Zao for advice, southerners, northerners, Xu Zao in line with the sage "there is no class" purpose, for each scholar only ask one question, the answer is agreeable to allow them to enter the room to listen to the lecture, and do not restrain the gift, you can choose to listen to the "Zhuangzi", "Filial Piety", or the sound of the rhyme, students come and go freely, never restricted, Xu's school this free atmosphere is very popular with students.

Chen Caozhi and Liu Shangzhi arrived in Wu County on the afternoon of September 29, stayed at the "Sanxiang Inn" in the west of the city, got up early the next day, bathed and changed clothes, brought the gift of binding the bowel, and asked a young man from the inn to lead the way to Xu's School.

The maid Gillian also had to go with him, because Liu Shang's two servants followed, Ran Sheng and Laide also went, and Gillian who kept her oily and tender was not at ease in the inn alone, so she took her to apprenticeship with her, and told her that when she got to the school, she was only allowed to stay in the car, and she didn't want people to see it.

Liu Shangzhi saw that Ran Sheng was rolling his eyes, smiled bitterly at Chen Caozhi with some embarrassment, and said in a low voice: "I regret that I shouldn't have brought her here, it's really troublesome." ”

Chen Caozhi didn't sympathize with him, his big sleeves were lightly swinging, the clogs were crisp, and he strode forward by himself.

Liu Shangzhi followed closely and said: "Zizhong, I really didn't expect your foot strength to be so strong, you have been walking all the way from Qian Tang, so I have to follow you to practice your foot strength." ”

Chen Caozhi smiled and said: "I didn't force you to walk with me, you can take a car with Gillian." ”

Liu Shangzhi sneered and said: "I just praise you for looking thin, but in fact, your muscles and bones are strong, this should be practiced by going back and forth to the gem mountain often - by the way, Zizhong, you have Mr. Ge Zhichuan's recommendation, I don't, I heard that if you want to enter the door of the Xu Academy, you must first accept Dr. Xu's questions, and the questions are different, Zizhong, you say that if I can't answer, what is good?" ”

Chen Caozhi said: "Come with the excitement, answer the wrong question and return, with Gillian as a companion, what a pity!" ”

Liu Shangzhi's old face turned red, his diamond-shaped eyes narrowed and pretended to be angry: "Zizhong makes fun of me, I will never give up with you, quickly help me think of a countermeasure." ”

Chen Caozhi said with a smile: "I can't predict what Dr. Xu's problem is, and how he can help you!" In this way, I don't show Master Ge's recommendation and answer the question with you, this can be regarded as sharing weal and woe, right? ”

Liu Shangwei thought for a while, and then said: "If you pass the test and I don't, what if it's good?" ”

Chen Caozhi: "It's not that there is no way-"

Liu Shang said happily: "What's the way, talk about it quickly." ”

Chen Caozhi said: "It doesn't matter if you can't answer, the former Han Kuangheng chiseled the wall to steal the light to read at night, you can also lie outside the window of the grass hall and listen to Dr. Xu's lectures, this is all elegant things, Dr. Xu should not drive you away." ”

Liu Shangzhi couldn't cry or laugh, Gillian in the ox cart heard it, and she was laughing.

Wujun City is ancient Suzhou, small bridge flowing water, lake like stars, out of the West Gate four or five miles, all the way is next to the stream to go, see a mountain in the distance, like a lying lion, at the foot of the mountain is a mirror like a lake.

The guy from the "Sanxiang Shop" pointed out: "That is Lion Mountain, Dr. Xu's school is on the north shore of Xiaojing Lake at the bottom of the mountain, and the two Langjun will walk three miles along this turquoise road." ”

The guy went back after asking for the reward, Chen Caozhi and Liu Shangxin continued to move forward, but saw that the yellow leaves were flying, the withered grass invaded the road, a late autumn scene, and the water of Xiaojing Lake was clear and clear, surrounded by evergreen trees, and the lake was dyed green all year round, as if there was a strong spring that could not be dissolved.

"Xiao Langjun, look-" Ran Sheng suddenly pointed to a stone beside the road and shouted.

Chen Caozhi saw that there were a few words engraved on the stone - "Please walk to the entrance hall." ”

Liu Shangzhi said: "We have always walked. ”

Chen Caozhi asked Laide to drive the ox cart aside, and Ran Sheng followed him to the grass hall to apprentice with a wooden pipe on his back and a bundle of gifts.

Liu Shangzhi left Gillian in the car, took a servant, and Chen Caozhi's master and servant came to the row of thatched cottages by the lake, but there was no sound when they heard the silence, and it seemed that the thatched cottages were not inhabited.

Liu Shangzhi said: "Let's come early, let's say that the students haven't arrived, even Dr. Xu is probably still lying in the grass hall——"

Before the end of the sentence, I heard someone gently "hum", and a young man in a green shirt walked out of the first grass hall on the left, looking at the same age as Chen Caozhi, slightly shorter than Chen Caozhi, with a wide forehead and a straight nose, long eyebrows and beautiful eyes, there is a calm and elegant atmosphere, except for the slightly darker complexion, the good manners are not under Chen Caozhi.

Chen Caozhi arched his hand and said: "Qian Tang Chen Caozhi and Liu Shangzhi are willing to worship the entrance wall and learn from the teacher." ”

This young man saw Chen Cao's graceful appearance and clear speech, which was really a rare character, and he also saluted: "In Xia Xu Miao, the word Xianmin, Dr. Xu is the father, the two of you are far away, please go to the grass hall to sit." ”

Chen Caozhi and Liu Shangzhi sat down on the reed seat in the grass hall, and Liu Shangzhi said: "The two of us have come thousands of miles away, and we are eager to ask for a teacher, so I ask Brother Xianmin to inform Dr. Xu on my behalf." ”

Xu Miao has a rigorous character, tired of listening to exaggerated words, and heard Liu Shangwei say that his father Dr. Xu was still lying down and had not yet risen, so he was unhappy in his heart, and said: "From Qian Tang, is there a thousand miles?" ”

Liu Shang was embarrassed, so he had to say: "Seven hundred miles, seven hundred miles." ”

Xu Miao said: "Since the two of them are willing to come to Xu's thatched cottage to listen to the lecture, they will each have a question from the next generation of parents to take the school exam-" glanced at Liu Shangxing, and said slowly: "This Brother Liu doesn't want to stare at me like this, since the beginning of this year, I have been a new student from the school, and I don't mean to look down on the two." ”

Chen Caozhi smiled and said, "Brother Xu, please ask for the question." ”

Xu Miao asked, "Which of the two will answer the question first?" ”

Liu Shangwei was not very confident in his heart, and said to Chen Caozhi: "Zizhong, please first." Let Chen Caozhi take the lead, he wants to listen to how Xu Miao came up with the question and how Chen Caozhi answered?

Xu Miao folded his hands on his knees, bowed to Chen Caoyi, straightened his waist, and asked: "The peach is dying, scorching its glory, what is the solution?" ”

Chen Caozhi replied: "'Premature death' always refers to the wind tone of a peach blossom tree, and 'scorching' sings about the light and color of the peach blossoms on the branches, and it has the meaning of changing time from less to prosperity. ”

Xu Miao high-fived and said, "Good! Brother Zizhong passed. ”

Xu Miao has a very good impression of Chen Caozhi, and the topic is not very difficult, and now it is Liu Shang's turn, Xu Miao said: "Lao Tzu" 'those who know do not speak, and those who say do not know', please use the original sentence of "Zhuangzi" to explain it. ”

Liu Shangzhi suddenly felt that his head was as big as a fight, he had heard Chen Caozhi's question was Mao's poem, it was not difficult, and he was relieved, but he didn't expect that his question would span the two difficult classics of Lao and Zhuang, he Liu Shang's Confucian classics were still clear, but Lao and Zhuang metaphysics were not involved, Xu Miao was simply deliberately making things difficult!

Liu Shangzhi's face was red, and his forehead was sweating in the cold autumn weather.

Xu Miao waited for a while and said, "Can't you answer, then please go back." ”

Liu Shangzhi scratched his ears and cheeks, looked at Chen Caozhi, and said with a wry smile: "Zizhong, today I hate not to work on weekdays, alas, Gillian mistook me!" ”

Chen Caozhi softened his cheeks and said: "Brother Xianmin, I came with Liu Shangwei all the way, if he goes back alone, how can I bear it, why don't I answer this question on his behalf?" ”

Xu Miao looked at Chen Caozhi, nodded slowly, and said, "It's okay." ”

Chen Caozhi immediately said: ""Zhuangzi Zhibei Tour" has clouds, 'argument is better than silence, and the Tao cannot be heard; The Tao is not visible, but not seen; The Tao cannot be spoken, and words are not spoken. This is all the meaning of Shen saying, "The Tao is the Tao, and the Tao is very Tao." ”

Xu Miao smiled on his face, and clapped his hands and said, "Good! Brother Zizhong passed again. ”

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