Chapter 140

Liu Zhao saw that the situation was becoming a fight, and immediately shouted: "Sit down! Don't be chaotic! No one is allowed to go out!"

Wang Yang stepped forward and said: "Master—"

Liu Zhao put on a confident look: "Zhiyan, you don't need to pay attention, I'll handle everything!"

The students were clamorous:

"Teacher, they have bullied us to the door! How can this be tolerated!"

"Must guard the gate! They have many people, it will be passive if they rush in!"

"Now that everyone is here, let's just fight them! Let's vent our anger!"

Liu Zhao knew that now the crowd was excited, and a spark could become a prairie fire. Once these hot-blooded teenagers were released, I'm afraid the situation would be irreversible. He immediately stood up, his voice stern: "All my disciples sit in their original positions. Those who don't recognize me as a teacher can go out this door!"

As soon as this was said, although the students were still angry, they all sat back in their seats.

After Liu Zhao calmed the students, he said: "You continue to listen to the lecture, I'll be back soon."

"Master can't go!"

"I'll go with Master!"

"Protect the teacher, if we go, we go together!"

The students heard that Liu Zhao was going out alone, and suddenly exploded.

Liu Zhao's face sank: "I'm not going to fight, what are you doing following me! Adding chaos? A gentleman compares virtue to jade, argues without fighting, has festivals in body, and righteousness in movement! Blindly being brave and fighting, forgetting the body and endangering relatives, is this what a gentleman does? No one is allowed to move! I'll go out and negotiate, nothing will happen."

Zong Ce covered his forehead and rolled his eyes.

Wang Yang said: "Master, they are looking for me, I'll go."

Liu Zhao hurriedly said: "Zhiyan, you can't go! It's easy to intensify the conflict! If someone takes advantage of the gap to provoke, inciting resentment and chaos, that would be bad! I'm just going to reason, discuss things as they are, and when I talk to them and their emotions stabilize, it won't be too late for you to come out."

Liu Zhao thought, this was an unprovoked disaster for Zhiyan. If it weren't for his entrustment to represent the county school in the battle, how could he have enmity with the Ancient Literature School and evil with the Liu family?

Furthermore, the tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind; those who excel will be slandered by the crowd. Zhiyan is exceptionally talented and unparalleled, inevitably envied by others. I heard that at the Wang banquet, someone had already made an issue of his household registration. So many people gathered here, I think it was premeditated. If they came to provoke, harboring evil intentions, wouldn't Zhiyan be falling into someone else's trap if he went like this?

No! Must protect Zhiyan!

Wang Yang thought: Master is sincere, but not good at changing with circumstances. He thinks the opposite side are all scholars, so he can reason with them. But once people are in a group, they are most easily blind and impulsive. This is also what Le Bon called "the mob." If a few more people with intentions come to take the opportunity to incite, the scene is not something he can control. The old man is at this age, if he gets beaten up because of this... No!

"Master, don't worry, I'm also reasoning with them. If people don't offend me, I don't offend people. Everyone discusses classics and learning, clarifies righteousness, naturally there is no problem. But if there are villains who dare to take the opportunity to make chaos..."

Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan sat up straight, her little hands clenched, thinking: It's coming, it's coming!

Wang Yang's eyes turned cold, and the folding fan in his hand snapped shut with a crisp sound: "Then my sword has never been blunt!"

He put his left hand behind his back, pointed with the tip of the fan in his right hand, and said indifferently: "Qingshan, follow me to meet the guests!"

After speaking, he walked calmly to the door.

Seeing Wang Yang's posture straight, eyes hiding sharpness, cloud shirt solemn, expression calm, between gestures, there was a natural awe-inspiring heroic spirit, making people look at him and dare not slight him, everyone couldn't help but be impressed!

When they came back to their senses, Wang Yang had already stepped out of the door.

Liu Zhao again urged the students not to move rashly, and then hurriedly followed.

Le Zhan looked at Wang Yang's back and sighed: "If you have a son, you should be like Wang Zhiyan..."

Le Xiao Pang:???

"Dad, why don't we also..." Le Xiao Pang's face showed an unbearable look, about to come out.

Le Zhan stood up: "We go too. The county school is the official school of Jingzhou, a place of culture. I want to see who is making trouble?"

Le Xiao Pang was overjoyed and followed his father with small steps: "Courageous, really a big shot!"

"What big shot or newbie? You jump out with weird words every day! Who did you learn from!"

"Learned from Zhiyan."

"If you slander Zhiyan again, I'll break your leg!"

The father and son walked away while talking.

Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan tapped her palm with her folding fan and walked to the door: "Xiao Ning, go!"

Xiao Ning chased after her master, opened the umbrella, and was somewhat anxious: "Madam, this is too dangerous! So many people, if they really fight, it's not a joke, Master specifically ordered—"

"Don't be long-winded, call the four servants—"

Xiao Ning felt slightly relieved: "Right! This is good! Let them protect—"

"Let them protect Young Master Wang—"

Xiao Ning:...

In the courtyard, the four servants joined Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan, each holding a short stick in their hands.

Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan stepped on the water splashes, her steps didn't stop, and she ordered: "Must protect Young Master Wang's safety, if anyone dares to commit violence—" Her star eyes were indifferent, like a cold pool, imitating Wang Yang's appearance and snapping her fan shut: "Don't show mercy when taking action!"

"Yes!" The four servants responded in unison.

The atmosphere in the school was oppressive, the students were like sitting on pins and needles, everyone wanted to protect Liu Zhao and Wang Yang, but they were hindered by the teacher's strict orders and dared not stand up, could only grit their teeth and endure, listening to the rain outside the window, their mood even more chaotic.

Zong Ce stretched and shouted: "Follow me!"

He stood up, and in the surprised eyes of everyone, carried the table on his shoulder, walked to the door, looked back, and found that not a single one followed! Urged: "Go! What are you still doing?"

A few students moved, and were about to stand up, but thinking of the teacher's words, they forcibly endured.

A student said timidly: "Master said, all disciples must sit in their original positions, those who don't recognize Master as a teacher can go out this door..."

Zong Ce was speechless: "People's thoughts change a hundred times a day, you believe him when he says it! Besides, why do you care what he says, you can just continue to treat him as a teacher!"

The students still didn't dare to move.

Zong Ce's thoughts turned, and he said: "You are all studying Confucianism, I will ask you a question. Suppose Confucius felt that Zilu was brave and fighting, and told him that if he fought with others in the future, he would be expelled from the school. One day Confucius was surrounded and beaten, Zilu was on the side, and if he saved the teacher, he would be expelled; if he sat and watched, he could be safe. You say Zilu saves or doesn't save?"

A student asked: "Where does this classic come from?"

Zong Ce said angrily: "I'm assuming! Classic your head!"

Another student frowned: "Even if assumed, but how could Confucius be surrounded and beaten?"

"Stupid! Zilu was trapped in Kuang, trapped in Chen and Cai, avoiding the danger of Huan Tui, just between life and death, what's strange about being surrounded and beaten! Hey, none of you can answer my question?"

Yu Yuling said word by word: "Of course save!"

Zong Ce asked: "Why?"

Yu Yuling's voice was firm and loud: "Being brave and fighting, being expelled by the teacher, is an abandoned disciple; standing by and watching the teacher being beaten, is worse than an abandoned disciple!"

Zong Ce laughed: "Good! You brat are not pedantic! The rest! Those who are willing to be abandoned disciples, follow me! I'll cover if something happens! Those who want to be worse than abandoned disciples, continue sitting!"

Whoosh,

Everyone stood up!

Outside the county school, the rain curtain was like weaving, and the umbrella surfaces were connected.

The dense crowd stood silently, letting the raindrops accumulate into puddles at their feet.

The bean-sized raindrops hit the umbrella, making a crackling sound, adding a bit of solemnity to the scene.

Chen Qingshan held an umbrella for Wang Yang with one hand and pressed on the hilt of her sword with the other, her expression vigilant.

Liu Zhao, Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan, Le Zhan, Le Pang and others stood with Wang Yang. Although there were a group of servants like Xiao Ning around, compared with the other side, they still looked thin.

Wang Yang bowed calmly and asked loudly: "Why are you all here?"

No one answered, the crowd silently separated a path. Two old men were helped by others, walking towards Wang Yang step by step.

It was Lu Huan and Xu Bozhen!

Le Zhan saw that it was them, thinking this was not easy to handle.

Both of these people were veterans in the academic world, with high prestige, so it's not good to let the government officials forcibly drive them away. But since they are present, they shouldn't let the students take action and fight, right.

Shouldn't be...

Although there were people covering them with umbrellas, the water on the ground was deep and shallow, and the rain was too heavy, so their clothes were inevitably soaked, especially the older Lu Huan, whose physical strength had long been eroded by time. He walked staggeringly, deep and shallow, as if every step he took used up all his strength.

Xu Bozhen's body was much stronger than Lu Huan's, but in order not to pass Lu Huan, he deliberately slowed down his pace. Facing the puddles in front, he had no intention of avoiding them at all, walking straight, stepping on them as he pleased. His shoes, socks, and trouser legs were all soaked, but he didn't even frown. This short distance was walked by him with a bit of courage and firmness.

The two stopped a few steps away from Wang Yang, waved their hands, and the umbrellas on their heads were withdrawn. Their white hair was instantly soaked by the rain, sticking to their scalps and cheeks in strands.

Wang Yang was somewhat moved: "Two masters, you are..."

Lu Huan and Xu Bozhen stood in the rain, without a trace of shelter. Among the Ancient Literature School present, who dared to hold an umbrella? Only heard a rustling sound, umbrellas were closed one after another, everyone was drenched in the rain without avoiding it.

In the surprised eyes of Liu Zhao, Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan and others, Lu Huan gathered his sleeves and bowed, hanging his pendant and bowing, his voice humble: "Please, Young Master, teach me with the Book of Documents."

Xu Bozhen bowed deeply, his voice crisp and loud: "Please, Young Master, teach me with the Book of Documents!"

The scholars faced Wang Yang, bending their waists one after another, their voices one after another: "Please, Young Master, teach me with the Book of Documents!" "Please, Young Master, teach me with the Book of Documents!!"

Voices broke through the rain curtain, gathering into a river! Vast and mighty, endless!

Liu Zhao came back to his senses, wiped the tears from his face, and hurriedly avoided, not daring to receive this gift with Wang Yang.

Lady Xie Lady Xie Xinghan, Le Zhan and others also retreated to the side, leaving only Wang Yang standing in place, with Chen Qingshan holding an umbrella for him.

Wang Yang stepped out of the umbrella, and Chen Qingshan immediately followed, wanting to continue to shelter Wang Yang from the rain.

Wang Yang waved his hand, letting the rain pour on him, straightened his clothes and expression, and bowed back: "Wang Yang is untalented, willing to learn and advance with you all, and study the essence together!"

The sleeves swayed slightly in the rain, seemingly dancing with the wind and rain.

This shocking picture will be forever imprinted in the hearts of every bystander!

So when Zong Ce carried the table and led the students to kill out, what he saw was also such a picture...

Then a strange scene that had not been seen in a hundred years appeared in the county school. The scholars and students of the two schools of the Book of Documents, ancient and modern, sat mixed together, their clothes embarrassed, rain flowing on their bodies, each like a drowned chicken, the scene was messy, but no one cared, everyone was focused, listening intently.

"... Just now I talked about what is an intellectual, what is an intellectual class. However, I think that every intellectual must have a belief in seeking knowledge before they can be called an intellectual. Every intellectual class must have a sentiment that transcends reality before they can become an intellectual class. Only in this way can we eliminate the shackles of the mind and follow the truth. Academic is related to the wisdom and culture of a country, and must aim at promoting truth, reaching the vast and exhausting the subtle, and then it can be called scale and macro-far.

If you ask for ideals but talk about houses and cars, and talk about what you want only about wealth, making the national university a place for flies to suck, and advanced learning a step for advancement, then it is not a true intellectual. If the intellectuals of a country cannot cherish a bright ideal that does not stop at their own family, then there is no way to seek the people, and no way to seek the evolution and prosperity of the nation..."

——————

Note: Regarding the question of whether umbrellas were widely used at this time, although "Book of Liang - Wang Wei Biography" records: "Sometimes I see acquaintances on the road, and I cover my face with a hat and umbrella." "Ge Zhi Jing Yuan" quotes "Jade Fragments": "Wei people split bamboo and made umbrellas with oiled paper, which is convenient for walking and riding, and umbrellas started from this." One south and one north seem to be representative, but the former is limited to scholars, and the latter should be a guess by later generations, without any basis. (However, it may also be that Song people saw literature that we haven't seen today? Also, this citation is actually very suspicious from the perspective of philology, and may not stand up. To be examined.)

In the historical materials of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, "umbrellas" are mostly ceremonial umbrellas, which are two different things from daily umbrellas, similar to feather covers. The umbrellas in existing murals are also like this. Therefore, according to existing evidence, umbrellas were likely not popularized at that time, but the historical materials of the Northern and Southern Dynasties are not as rich as those of the Tang and Song Dynasties, and discussing the daily life perspective of ordinary people is even less so, so maybe the people at that time also used them, but it was not recorded?

However, I still think this possibility is very small, but if I use this to write about Wang Yang making umbrellas, it is really boring, so although this chapter writes about the scene of umbrella surfaces, it may not conform to historical facts.