Chapter 48 Plaque

The next day

After Chen Heng and the others woke up, they woke up Xin Suzhao who was still lying in bed, and the eight people in the room ran into the East School in an orderly manner. As soon as they entered the door, they saw Mei Xuezhen standing in the room with a stern face. Why is he leading the reading of the Four Books and Five Classics today? ? ? ?

It is said that Mei Jin's reputation among the students is only slightly better than Jin Shenzhi.

Jin Shenzhi's reputation is actually an unprovoked disaster. His "Nine Chapters of Arithmetic" class is regarded as a ghost by all the students.

There is no way. If you know this course, you know it, and if you don't know it, you don't know it.

In the entire academy, only Chen Heng, Xue Ke, and Cui Youdao can learn and enjoy it.

Even Du Yunjing, who claims to be a genius, is often scolded by Jin Shenzhi.

If it weren't for the fact that the Great Yong Dynasty attached great importance to this course, these students would want to tear up the book and kick it out of the academy.

However, compared with Jin Shenzhi, who teaches seriously, Mei Xuezhen deserves it. After he came to the academy, he couldn't say that he was very attentive in teaching. He mostly just read from the textbook to get by.

He answered the students' questions based on his mood today. If he was in a good mood, he would answer a few words. If he was in a bad mood, he would scold them and ask why they didn't listen carefully.

That would be fine, but he also liked to interfere with the students' daily words and deeds, and often showed off his power as a master, which really annoyed many people.

In the entire academy, probably only Xue Ke had a good evaluation of him. It may also be because Mei Xue Zheng spoke to him in the most friendly way.

When Qian Dayi saw that it was him, he lost the mood to talk to Jiang Yuanbai, and pulled the latter to sit down. A room full of people entered the school one after another. When Chen Heng, who was the last to enter, happened to see Mei Xue Zheng nodding at Xin Suzhao.

"You must be Suzhao, right? I know your father. You are new to the academy. If you don't understand something, you can come to me directly." Mei Xuezheng's friendly look really dazzled others.

Everyone couldn't help but cast their eyes on Xin Suzhao. Many people couldn't help but curl their lips, knowing that this was another person with a strong background.

Xin Suzhao was about to reply, but Chen Heng couldn't help but secretly poked him in the back.

If you dare to reply at this time, believe it or not, other classmates will call you a traitor in private.

"Thank you, Master." Xin Suzhao, who understood, only hurriedly responded and walked to the back to sit down.

Because Chen Heng was thinner than his classmates, his seat was at the front.

When the students arrived, Mei Xuezheng knocked on the table with a board. The students continued to read from where they read last time, and Mei Jin started to walk around with his hands behind his back to see if there were any students who were lazy or slacking off.

Unlike when Xu Jinhou led the reading, Mei Xuezheng liked to let the students read until he thought they had read enough, and then he allowed everyone to stop and rest.

Students with foresight would drink some water before starting, so as not to be thirsty at the end of the reading.

Chen Heng really found it difficult to approve of this way of teaching. Although he came from a small place, he had enjoyed one-on-one teaching since he started studying.

If students were to read foolishly and shake their heads, what kind of useful people would they teach over time?

Chen Heng didn't know Mei Xuezheng's intention, but he felt that the other party's mind was not on teaching.

But he had no choice, the situation was pressing. He could only follow the crowd, and didn't want to be the first bird to stand out.

Everyone had similar ideas, anyway, it was only an hour, and it would be over if they endured it.

But they didn't dare, but there was a brave man in the school today who dared to pinch the tiger's whiskers for them.

After reading for a quarter of an hour, there was a sudden noise from the back seat. Everyone turned around and saw Xin Suzhao standing up at some point and said to Mei Xuezheng in a stern voice, "Master, I'm thirsty."

Mei Jin frowned slightly, then relaxed his eyebrows and said with a smile, "Since you're thirsty, let's drink some water."

Good guy, you're a god.

Many students praised Xin Suzhao in their hearts.

Just as everyone took out their kettles to drink, there was a sudden noise outside the school. I thought it was just a noise for a while, but it got bigger and bigger.

Everyone's eyes were inevitably drawn to him. Mei Xuezheng frowned and said to one person, "Cui Youdao, go outside and take a look."

"Yes, Master."

Just as Cui Youdao stood up, a scholar from next door happened to run to the door and said to everyone, "Master, take everyone out quickly. The imperial envoy is here."

"What?" Mei Xuezheng's expression froze, and he raised his hand and said anxiously, "Go, go. Everyone go stand on the corridor and remember to tidy up your clothes."

Seeing that they didn't have to go to class, the students couldn't hold it in. They rushed out one after another. Chen Heng was slow, and when he walked out of the door, the corridor was already full of people.

But he was short, and the rows of people blocked him tightly. Chen Heng stood at the back and only heard a few rituals and music, and then a duck voice came, probably an imperial decree or something. Because the distance was too far, Chen Heng didn't hear it very clearly.

Only after the other party finished speaking, he bowed and saluted with everyone else, shouting "Long live the emperor".

It was really a lonely sight to watch for a long time. Chen Heng thought speechlessly.

After the envoys left, Chen Heng learned from others that the current emperor had given a plaque to the academy. As for what was written on the plaque, everyone had different opinions. What is certain is that the plaque was hung in the lecture hall by the headmaster.

It happened that the headmaster's class was next, and everyone couldn't help but look forward to seeing what it would look like.

After finally finishing the Four Books class, he bid farewell to Mei Xuezheng, who was in a daze. Everyone eagerly ran to the lecture hall and saw a plaque hanging above the door that read: Dare to be the first in the world.

This sentence poured into the minds of the students like a panacea, and even the drowsy lecturer began to look forward to it. When Pei Huaizhen walked into the lecture hall, he saw young faces with completely different mental outlooks.

Pei Huaizhen smiled. For the first time, he did not open the historical records. Instead, he stood in front of the students and said, "It seems that it is not appropriate to give lectures today. I will tell you something else as a teacher."

There was no reason why everyone could not agree, and they all nodded eagerly, wanting to see what the high-ranking pavilion elder would say at this special moment.

"What do you think the world is?"

Facing the chief's question, the students fell silent. Soon a scholar stood up and replied: "The world is the country."

Pei Huaizhen nodded, motioned for the other person to sit down first, and then continued to ask everyone, "Is there more?"

After that, a few more people stood up and gave similar answers.

Pei Huaizhen saw that the fire was almost simmering, so he coughed and said: "As a teacher, I think that the world is composed of all people. Mencius, our elder, once said that the people are noble and the king is despised."

Pei Huaizhen met the students' gaze and took another step forward so that the people in the back row could hear her words clearly.

"Then why are the people the most important? Because it is not the fate of the world that chooses the master, but the hearts of all the people. The Son of Heaven is not the son of God, but actually the son of all the people."

"Qin, Han, Tang, Song, and Ming, these dynasties all prospered and perished among all the people. Why? Because they thought that the people in the world were just the people in the court and the people in front of them."

"But in this world, there are many people they can't see and voices they can't hear. Only by keeping these people in your heart can you be the master of all peoples. Your Majesty once asked me, my teacher, what is the way to understand the Lord, and I also This is my answer. I’m telling you now because I hope you understand.”

"You usually read the books of sages and take them as your teachers. The principles in the books of sages are indeed exquisite. But have you ever thought about where the knowledge of sages came from?"

Pei Huaizhen paused, facing a bunch of hopeful eyes, and said, "Sages take all the people in the world as their teachers and the countryside as their teachers. Because they learn from all the people, all the people will praise their knowledge."

"What Gong Fan said: 'Be worried about the world's worries first, and be happy after the world's happiness' is also the same truth. It is definitely not as simple as you think, putting hardship first and enjoyment last."

"Do you understand now what it means to dare to be the first in the world? Do you understand the intention of this dynasty to implement Mencius' benevolent government? Do you understand His Majesty's expectations for you scholars?"

All the disciples in the audience stood up, bowed and saluted, and said in unison: "You must remember your teacher's teachings."

This old man, who personally led Wuding's transformation and experienced failure, looked silently at the young and lively faces in the lecture hall.

Aging is scary, but once people find another way to live, aging becomes less scary.

The road he has not finished will eventually be finished by his descendants.

Everything in the world is like this.

If the writing is not good, please be gentle with me. I am a little worried.