Chapter 237: Two Tigers

"... Literature is the great undertaking of governing the state, an immortal and magnificent achievement. However, are immortal achievements only literature? The Duke of Youjun once said, 'Ascending the Wenling and Emei mountains and returning is truly an immortal and magnificent achievement!' Gazing from heights, shaking one's robes, and letting one's spirit roam—this is the heroic act of a man, no less than literature..."

"Uncle—"

"Uncle knows that you scholars naturally place great importance on literature. However, the importance of literature lies in carrying the Dao. But Uncle believes that it is not only literature that carries the Dao; mountains and rivers do so as well. The towering peaks stand to establish the bones of heaven and earth; the floating rivers and seas operate the pivot of creation. This is the writing of heaven and earth. Although there are no brushes or inkstones, the Dao can be carried in silence, in the great transformation. That is why it is said, 'Mountains and rivers charm the Dao with their forms'..."

"Uncle, I actually—"

"Uncle understands. You actually believe that although there is Dao in mountains and rivers, seeking the Dao does not necessarily require going into the mountains and rivers. This insight of yours is good! Zong Bing once said: 'Old age and illness have both arrived; I fear I cannot see all the famous mountains. I can only clear my mind to observe the Dao and travel while lying down.' This 'lying-down travel' is good because it does not trouble one with the labor of carriages and horses, nor is it bound by the constraints of the dusty world, allowing one to observe the greatness of heaven and earth within a small room! Although the body is trapped in a square inch, the spirit has already galloped ten thousand miles away..."

"Uncle, I actually want to—"

"Uncle knows. You actually want to say that although lying-down travel is good, it also has its limitations. The limitations are not tied to the feet, but are actually tied to the heart. If the heart is blind, even if one looks at books and imagines famous mountains, it is like a blind man touching an elephant; if the interest is withered and exhausted, even if one faces paintings and imagines mists and clouds, it is like a deaf man listening to music..."

Ever since Wang Yi got into the carriage and was alone with Wang Yang, he had switched to "profound conversation" mode, focusing on talking to himself with no intention of communicating with Wang Yang. Wang Yang tried to interject several times, only to be interrupted by Wang Yi, who would change the subject and start a new long-winded discourse.

"... Therefore, Sun Xinggong wrote the 'Rhapsody on Traveling to Mount Tiantai' without ever setting foot on the land, yet his spirit had already traveled everywhere. Xie Lingyun chanted 'Ascending the Pond-Side Tower' while trapped on a sickbed, yet his heart was naturally broad. This is because there are hills and valleys in the heart first, and then clouds and smoke naturally arise from the brush..."

"Lord Wang!" Wang Yang suddenly called out.

Wang Yi was stunned, then said with displeasure: "Call me Uncle!"

Wang Yang:...

"Uncle, I actually want to chat with you."

Wang Yi asked suspiciously: "Haven't we been chatting the whole time?"

Wang Yang:...

He looked into Wang Yi's eyes and said slowly:

"The chat I mean is... a real chat."

Wang Yi's expression became even more puzzled: "We haven't been chatting fake things!"

Wang Yang said speechlessly: "Lord Wang—"

Wang Yi frowned: "Call me Uncle!"

"This 'Uncle,' I feel a bit panicked calling it!"

"We are all family, what are you panicked about?"

Wang Yang looked at Wang Yi for a moment, smiled, and asked:

"Uncle, have you really met me?"

Wang Yi's eyes were perplexed:

"Silly child, you are talking nonsense again. Didn't we chat quite well just now at the Wang Fu? If Uncle hadn't met you, how would I know what you looked like when you were a child?"

If it weren't for the fact that no matter what I said in the Wang Fu, you responded with such silky smoothness, I would have almost believed you!!!

"Uncle, to tell you the truth, my impression of you is not very clear..."

"That's normal. Who can remember things from childhood clearly?"

"But I, I have been smart since I was a child."

"That's just petty cleverness. Great music is soundless, great shapes are formless; the truly smart don't remember things."

Wang Yang said meaningfully:

"Then Uncle must be truly smart."

Wang Yi sighed:

"Uncle is not smart. Uncle just has a good memory. Look, I still remember so clearly what you looked like when you were a child."

Fine, fine, keep acting.

"Then what Uncle said in front of the Prince earlier, was it all true?"

"Of course, how could that be false!"

"Then Uncle remembers the letter you sent to your nephew last month, right?"

Wang Yi's expression was natural: "I remember."

Wang Yang said happily: "Then does Uncle think it is possible?"

Wang Yi:???

Just as Wang Yi was about to speak, he closed his mouth in time, shook his feather fan, and said:

"Uncle thinks it is not possible."

Wang Yang suddenly bowed: "Thank you, Uncle, for your fulfillment!"

Wang Yi hurriedly supported Wang Yang: "Nephew, Uncle said 'not possible'."

Wang Yang's eyes shone: "Yes, didn't Uncle say in the letter that if it wasn't possible, you would give your nephew a few million coins to buy a manor and settle down..."

Wang Yi hurriedly said: "Nephew, Uncle thought about it and still thinks it is possible."

"Thank you, Uncle, for your fulfillment!"

Wang Yi's eyes widened: "Why are you thanking me again?!"

"Didn't Uncle say in the letter that if it was possible, you would give your nephew a manor directly, saving me the money to buy one? Uncle, did you bring the deed?"

Wang Yi's feather fan shook, he thought for a moment and said:

"Nephew, the letter you wrote to Uncle two months ago..."

Wang Yang immediately said: "Uncle, then three months ago..."

"Enough, enough, enough! Don't keep going back. If we keep talking like this, even if we talk until ten years ago, we won't be able to make it clear!"

"That's right, Uncle! So let's pick the things we can make clear and talk about them."

"The key is that this matter cannot be made clear!"

"Cannot be made clear? Then let's continue talking about the manor..."

Wang Yi hurriedly said: "Nephew, let Uncle tell you a few heartfelt words."

Wang Yang smiled: "Uncle, please speak, your nephew is listening!"

"Why do you think Uncle came to Jingzhou?"

"To play?"

"To go on a mission!"

"Oh, a mission."

"Since Uncle is here on a mission, I will go back when it's done. Everything outside of the mission has nothing to do with Uncle. Let Uncle give you an analogy. For example, there is someone now impersonating our Langya Wang family. Uncle will ask you first, if you discovered such a person, what would you do?"

Wang Yang said obediently: "I will listen to Uncle. Whatever Uncle says to do, I will do!"

Wang Yi waved his feather fan: "Uncle won't do anything."

"Won't do anything?"

"Won't do anything! Think about it, if Uncle were to point this person out, I would have to investigate, provide evidence, and confirm it repeatedly, right? If they really were the Langya Wang family, Uncle would have slapped his own face. If they weren't the Langya Wang family, that would be slapping the faces of the Prince of Badong and the Jingzhou scholars. Besides, the Langya Wang family is not something just anyone can impersonate. For example, if you were asked to impersonate them, could you?"

Wang Yi stared at Wang Yang.

Wang Yang looked troubled: "How could I impersonate them..."

Wang Yi slapped his thigh with his feather fan:

"Exactly! There is no way to impersonate them! But if someone can impersonate them, there must be some mysterious and inexplicable reason behind it. My life is limited, but knowledge is unlimited. For things I don't understand, Uncle has always maintained a sense of awe. Even without awe, and without talking about slapping faces, just say Uncle drags this person out! So what? Can the imperial court reward Uncle? Or can the clan send Uncle some property to show their gratitude?"

Wang Yi shook his fan and said leisurely:

"The 'Liezi' says, 'Those who see the fish in the abyss are inauspicious; those who calculate the hidden have disaster.' The 'Confucius Jiayu' says, 'Do not do too much; doing too much brings many troubles.' Uncle only cares about his own affairs and doesn't care about the rest. Nephew, you should learn from Uncle too. Don't worry about other things, just accompany Uncle and have a good time."

Wang Yang suddenly looked relaxed:

"Uncle's insight is brilliant! If Uncle says so, then your nephew will definitely accompany you and have a good time! I must have a good time!"

Wang Yi laughed: "Of course, if you want to play, you have to play well, otherwise it's better not to play at all."

"Then Uncle, I will get off the carriage first and accompany you to play tomorrow."

"Eh? Didn't Liu Yin offend you? Aren't you going to go with Uncle to deliver the decree and vent your anger?"

Wang Yang shook his head and smiled: "I won't go."

Wang Yi asked curiously: "Why?"

"There are a few vulgar things in life, and I do not participate in them."

Wang Yi was very interested: "Which vulgar things? Tell me."

"Having ten coins at the waist and insisting on shaking one's robes to make them jingle;

If one encounters a promotion, fearing that others won't know;

Seeing someone else's minor mistake and pointing it out with smug satisfaction;

An old enemy falling into misfortune and making a special trip to mock them."

Wang Yi's eyebrows opened and he clapped his hands: "Nephew is truly a wonderful person!"

Wang Yang smiled and bowed: "Uncle is also wonderfully indescribable!"

The two laughed at each other.

"By the way, at the hour of the dog tonight, I am hosting a banquet at the Xiangxue Tower. I invite you and Zhongtong. There are only three of us from the Langya Wang family in Jingzhou city, shouldn't we get together properly?"

"Good! Since Uncle has kindly invited me, your nephew will not decline."

The two parted happily.

After Wang Yang got off the carriage, he looked at the back of Wang Yi's ox cart, and his smile disappeared bit by bit.

A young woman in green robes led a horse out from the corner of the street, observed the surroundings, walked to Wang Yang's side, and said softly:

"Young Master."

"Xiao Shan! Why are you here?"

"I..."

Chen Qingshan was truly worried about Wang Yang. After Wang Yang left with the Wang Fu guards, she was restless, so she went outside the Wang Fu to wait. When Wang Yang came out of the Wang Fu and got into Wang Yi's carriage, Chen Qingshan didn't know the situation and didn't dare to approach rashly, so she followed all the way here.

Chen Qingshan didn't explain, but asked:

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Chen Qingshan's expression was solemn: "Your complexion is not good."

Wang Yang was startled and laughed: "You noticed..."

"What exactly happened?"

Wang Yang muttered: "Two tigers, one without eyes, one without ears, how strange..."

Chen Qingshan:???

"Let's go, accompany me to a place."

"Where to?"

"Linjiang Warehouse."

——————

Note: The "Book of Songs" says, "I drive out to travel, to vent my worries." The "Songs of Chu" says, "Saddened by the constraints of the world, I wish to fly lightly and travel far." Ever since there have been mountains and rivers, there has been travel. But "tourism" in the modern sense, which truly separates from travel and has appreciating scenery as its main purpose, and which evolved from a minority behavior to a widespread phenomenon, actually began in the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties period. Geographical works like gazetteers and travelogues (such as "Commentary on the Water Classic") also began to emerge in large numbers during this period.

Therefore, "The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons" says, "In the early Song, literary chanting had causes and reforms; Zhuang and Lao retreated, and mountains and rivers flourished." Song refers to Liu Song, meaning that from the early years of Liu Song, the profound poetry of Laozi and Zhuangzi gradually declined, while landscape poetry gradually rose. China is a land of poetry, and the art of poetry has a long history. But it was not until the Northern and Southern Dynasties that the category of "landscape poetry" appeared (including the word "landscape" entering poetry, which only became common during this period; ps, the word "tourism" also originated in this period), and landscape painting also originated between the Jin and Song dynasties.

The "discovery" of mountains and rivers is a process that is both outward and inward. The outward part is easy to understand; in Zong Baihua's words, it is called "discovering nature outwardly" ("Aesthetic Stroll"). The inward part is a dual self-awareness in terms of aesthetics and literature, or what Li Zehou calls "human self-awareness" (see "The Path of Beauty").

Therefore, the Wei and Northern and Southern Dynasties period was an era of "self-awareness."

And travel enthusiasts like Wang Yi, as well as his "Landscape Theory" at the beginning of this chapter, were produced under this historical background and carry the distinct imprint of that era. Of course, Wang Yi's Landscape Theory was written by me according to the spiritual orientation and ideological interests of the scholar-officials at that time. Several important points, such as "lying-down travel," "clearing the mind to observe the Dao," and "mountains and rivers charm the Dao with their forms," are all popular ways of thinking and value orientations in the cultural circles of that time. ===== CHAPTER 238 =====

And Wang Yi, as a travel enthusiast, along with his "Landscape Theory" at the beginning of this chapter, was born against the backdrop of this era, bearing the distinct imprint of those times. Of course, Wang Yi's Landscape Theory was written by me according to the spiritual dimensions and ideological interests of the scholar-officials of that time. Several important points, such as "Lying Down to Travel," "Clearing the Mind to Observe the Dao," and "Landscape Charms the Dao through Form," were all popular modes of thinking and value orientations in the cultural circles of that period.