Chapter 139: The Method of Reading: Siege and Plunder

The moon hangs high.

Wang Chen, a trusted subordinate of Xiao Xiao Ziqing and Chief Clerk of the Imperial Guard's Central Army, hurried over, his expression grim.

"My Prince."

Xiao Xiao Ziqing drew his gaze from the bright moon and turned to Wang Chen, offering a warm, jade-like smile: "Zhonghe has come."

Wang Chen frowned tightly and spoke quickly: "My Prince, I believe this matter is top secret and must not be taken lightly. I have already prepared a carriage and men to smuggle him out of the city tonight and hide him in Jiangzhou."

Xiao Xiao Ziqing chuckled lightly: "So cautious?"

Wang Chen urged seriously: "This cannot leave the slightest opening! I know Du Du Shubao is your in-law, but those who seek great achievements cannot be bound by petty kinship. Let him lie low in Jiangzhou for three or five years, then reappear only after we're certain it's safe. But as for your Lady, you must soothe her carefully."

Xiao Xiao Ziqing glanced at Wang Chen and asked with interest: "And in your view, is Jiangzhou truly foolproof?"

Wang Chen bowed: "I will arrange everything myself. My Prince need not worry."

Xiao Xiao Ziqing sighed: "Zhonghe, the way you handle things—how can I possibly be at ease?"

"Then does Your Prince mean to send him to Jiao and Guang? But the current Inspector of Guangzhou—"

Xiao Xiao Ziqing sighed softly: "Only the dead leave no witnesses."

Wang Chen's heart leapt, and he immediately praised: "My Prince acts decisively—what tremendous resolve! But as for your Lady..."

Xiao Xiao Ziqing's smile vanished: "That is no concern of yours."

I don't want to worry about it, but you've killed her father—how can the household remain peaceful? What if she endures in silence and later seeks vengeance for her father? We need a better plan to conceal it—ideally, let the father and daughter meet first, then send Du Du Shubao away, kill him, and claim he died of illness or some accident...

"How is the investigation into that Wang boy going?" Xiao Xiao Ziqing suddenly asked.

Wang Chen shook off his thoughts and replied:

"The Ministry of Personnel's household registers are now tightly controlled. Without a formal order from the Left Civil Bureau, or a rating from the Central Evaluators and selection by the Ministry of Personnel, no one may inspect them. But I had Qiu Xiong from the Palace Advisory Bureau probe Wang Yi's words—he dodged the question but didn't deny it. So his nephew or cousin is likely the one, though the connection is distant.

Wang Yi belongs to the Wang Wang Sengqian lineage—the so-called 'Horse Dung Wangs.' They've lived for generations in Jiankang, all dwelling in Horse Dung Alley within the Forbidden City, never outside. This man is either a distant relative who falsely claims kinship, or an illegitimate son from a branch line who never returned to the ancestral register, using Wang Yi's name to intimidate others. He has no real background; otherwise, he wouldn't be a mere county student."

"Is this Qiu Xiong the son of Qiu Qiu Guanxian?"

Wang Chen was startled—his Prince didn't mention Wang Yang but brought up Qiu Xiong instead. He paused, then answered: "Yes, he is Qiu Qiu Guanxian's only son."

Qiu Qiu Guanxian was the sixth-generation descendant of Qiu Jie, a Minister of Personnel under the Eastern Jin, and a member of the Wu Xing Qiu clan. This year, he represented the court on a mission to Tuyuhun, then known as the "Southern Route" or "Southern State," located south of Zhangye and west of Longxi, with its territory centered south of the Yellow River, hence the name "Southern."

By custom, its newly enthroned ruler was to be enfeoffed as a provincial Inspector. The new ruler demanded Qiu Qiu Guanxian kneel; he refused with stern defiance and was ultimately thrown into a deep ravine and killed. The people praised his loyalty and integrity, comparing him to Su Wu and Gu Ji.

Xiao Xiao Ziqing mused: "A true son of loyal ministers... promoted so quickly to the Palace Advisory Bureau."

Wang Chen said: "It was a special imperial favor—allowing him to inherit his father's post and uphold the family's prestige. He now holds the rank of Givenshizhong."

"I recall my father once told him: 'Your official path is unimpeded—you have great potential.' He won't remain Givenshizhong long."

Wang Chen pondered deeply and speculated: "Perhaps he'll be promoted to Director of the Palace Attendants, or transferred to the Door of the Inner Court as a Huangmen, or even sent out to govern a commandery."

"What kind of man is he?" Xiao Xiao Ziqing asked.

"Greedy, lustful, base, and unworthy of his father."

"Not bad."

Wang Chen:...

"He's usable. Arrange it."

"Yes."

"As for Jingzhou... send word to Liu Yin. Find a way to bring that boy here. If the Wang boy cooperates, fine. If not, find an excuse to deal with him—but since he's from a noble family, avoid killing him. See whether to imprison him for years or exile him—handle it discreetly."

"Yes."

As Wang Chen was about to withdraw, the Prince added: "Still, we must follow the law. After all, the state has laws."

Wang Chen:...

Are you serious, My Prince?

Why does the Prince's speech sometimes leave one utterly speechless?

But the Prince's orders must be obeyed. Wang Chen said: "Chief Clerk Liu enforces the law strictly—he will certainly follow it."

Xiao Xiao Ziqing nodded, sighing softly: "Following the law is good. If Du San could only understand this principle..."

Today in Jingzhou, heavy rain poured down.

Yet not a single county student was absent; many outsiders had also come, for everyone knew the lecturer today was Wang Yang.

This was a special request from Liu Zhao, who had asked Wang Yang to give the students a lecture.

Though Wang Yang's time was scarce, he would never refuse a request from Master Liu.

For Liu Zhao's character and conduct had won Wang Yang's heartfelt friendship, gratitude, and respect.

At this moment, Liu Zhao sat with several assistants and the students; Lady Lady Lady Lady Lady Lady Xie Lady Lady Lady Lady Lady Lady Xie Lady Lady Lady Lady Lady Xie Lady Lady Lady Lady Xie Lady Lady Lady Xie Lady Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan and Xiao Ning had donned male attire and hidden in a corner at the back; Le Zhan, not in official robes, sat alone with Le Fatty; even Zong Ce, rarely seen at the county school, had found a seat right behind Yu Yu Yuling.

Yu Yu Yuling revered Zong Ce as an elder and insisted he take the front seat. Eventually, Zong Ce grew impatient and mocked Yu Yu Yuling: "Your Confucian rituals are absurdly pretentious." Yu Yu Yuling felt wounded—this was one thing he lacked compared to his teacher, Liu Zhao.

Liu Zhao had given Zong Ce no seat at all—only said, "Sit wherever you like." Zong Ce was quite satisfied.

All eyes now fixed on the young lord holding a folding fan, every ear straining to catch every word.

"... The method of reading has two forms: siege and plunder.

What is siege?

Gather forces before a fortified city, attack day and night, fighting for every inch! Advance relentlessly, focused only on breaching the gates. After the gates fall, fight alley by alley, then hand-to-hand—until every last enemy is slain and the entire city flies your banner!

What is plunder?

When the army marches out, the vanguard leads, crushing all resistance with overwhelming force! Any enemy bold enough to stand and fight is immediately annihilated. Minor stragglers are of no concern. The spearhead thrusts forward, aiming only to swallow a thousand li of land—that is plunder accomplished!

Of all military arts, siege is the worst. But reading must be grounded in siege. A man without foundation cannot stand; learning without foundation cannot succeed. If you have not thoroughly mastered several key texts through siege, no matter how much you read, your knowledge remains floating duckweed.

Among these key texts, three are essential.

First: bibliographic studies.

Bibliography is the gateway to learning. If you do not peer through the gateway, how can you reach far? One who reads Mencius but does not know the commentators, speaks of Zhuangzi without knowing textual variants, discusses Wei-Jin historiography yet knows nothing of the contemporary histories, relying solely on the Records of the Three Kingdoms as his sole treasure—this is like a single leaf blocking the view, the most perilous error in scholarship.

Second: philological studies.

'Xun' means to clarify. 'Gu' means ancient. Language changes across time, so we must clarify it to make understanding possible.

To read is to seek meaning through words—if the words are unclear, how can meaning be sought? Nations have distances; eras have past and present. Translation makes foreign lands as close as neighbors; philology makes past and present as near as morning and evening. Only when the distant past feels as immediate as dawn can one ascend the hall and engage in true scholarship.

This is indispensable for verifying classics and correcting history, eliminating errors and falsehoods. Without philology, one reads ancient texts only through others' interpretations, parroting blindly, easily deceived. To be deceived daily without knowing it, then deceive others in turn—this is how scholarship is ruined!

Third: pre-Qin learning. Pre-Qin texts are the fountainhead of all writings—"

As all listened intently, someone suddenly burst in. The hall was too crowded for him to reach Liu Zhao quickly; he panicked and shouted: "Master! Disaster has struck!"

Everyone was startled!

Wang Yang also stopped and turned to look at the man.

Liu Zhao frowned: "Why so flustered? What's happened?"

"The county school is surrounded! A sea of people—likely over a hundred! They demand to see Master Wang! They're all from the Ancient Text School!!"

One student cried out indignantly: "So what? They're many, but we're not few! If they lose a debate, do they dare come to pick a fight? Do they think we're easy to bully?"

He rose and bowed to Wang Yang: "Master! Keep lecturing! I'll guard the gate!"

"I'll go too!"

"Me too!"

"You're too thin—don't go! Take notes for us—we'll read them when we return!"

The students already harbored grudges against the Ancient Text School. Now that they had stormed the school and interrupted Wang Yang's lecture, their anger boiled over. One shouted—and dozens rose in unison!

Even Le Fatty stood up half-excited, half-enthusiastic, waving his arms!

Le Zhan kicked his son in frustration, then immediately ordered his attendants to the Jiangling County Office to send men immediately to maintain order.