Chapter 248

"... Descending to the study of the 'Classic of Changes' in the Han Dynasty, Jiao Gan and Jing Fang both became famous for their divination, and examining their remaining methods, they mostly take the yarrow stalks and hexagram casting as the key. As for the 'Great Commentary' and 'Commentary on the Appended Phrases', they describe the meaning of hexagram divination, the 'Commentary on the Hexagrams' speaks of the use of hexagram divination, and the 'Spring and Autumn' inner and outer commentaries all use divination to judge good and bad fortune, none of which can be known by those who talk about empty principles in later generations, and therefore—"

When Wang Yang said this, the examiner suddenly asked: "What do you know about the 'Spring and Autumn'?"

This person was Tan Yuanzong, a Doctor of the "Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn".

Before Wang Yang could answer, Liu Jing said unhappily: "Don't interrupt others!"

Tan Yuanzong was stunned and looked at Liu Jing in astonishment: "Just... just allowed only you to ask?"

Liu Jing's face became even more unhappy: "It's my turn to ask now, it's not your turn yet, if you want to ask, wait until I'm finished!"

"But you've already asked so much—"

Liu Jing said impatiently: "Can you stop disturbing Zhiyan's discussion of learning!"

"I, I disturb... you say I disturb???"

Tan Yuanzong's eyes widened even more, first pointing at himself in disbelief, then turning to the other three, as if seeking justice: "He said I disturb..." Then suddenly remembering something, he turned back abruptly and looked at Liu Jing: "You're already calling him Zhiyan???"

Liu Jing was righteous: "The 'Classic of Changes' says: 'Similar sounds respond to each other, similar spirits seek each other', Zhiyan and I are compatible in learning, meeting is being soulmates! This is the image of the 'crane singing in the shade, its child responds to it' in the Central Sincerity hexagram! Isn't that right, Zhiyan?"

Uh...

Wang Yang immediately bowed and said: "I am convinced by your explanation of the number of Great Expansion just now."

Liu Jing laughed heartily, the sound shaking the rafters! It startled the others.

Liu Jing twisted his beard, very spirited, and pointed at Wang Yang with a smile:

"Zhiyan, your eye is truly sharp!!! This is the pride of my life's learning! Even if Zheng Kangcheng were not dead, and Wang Fusi were reborn, they would have to be convinced by this explanation of mine."

Tan Yuanzong was stunned and looked at Wang Yang in disbelief: "Really?"

Wang Yang nodded:

"It is indeed so. The scholars of the Eastern Han Dynasty all knew that the Dao of the 'Classic of Changes' does not depart from images and numbers, which is where they are superior to countless later scholars. But for those who are clear about images and numbers, one should speak freely, and for those who have not reached it, one should follow doubt and discuss it; this is the correct way to study. However, Yu Fan recklessly performed the theory of hexagram change, and Zheng Xuan mixed the examples of line stars, and by the time Wang Bi annotated the 'Classic of Changes', he completely abandoned images and numbers, which is further from the correct path, and because his theory was simple and easy to understand, it became popular.

Since then, the style of learning has deteriorated, and after a thousand years, many do not know the true technique, but instead use false methods to perform falsehoods, and use false images to push falsehoods, which is very regrettable. You use images to return to the ancient, the technique you explain is very correct, and the method of performing hexagrams can also match the ancient, which is absolutely not comparable to those who study empty and superficial things, which is very rare."

A sob-like gasp came from Liu Jing's throat, his eyes were moist, his lips trembled violently, and he said excitedly: "You understand me! You understand me!!"

Everyone was stunned, Tan Yuanzong smacked his lips, not knowing whether he was talking about Liu Jing or Wang Yang, and muttered: "Is it that amazing..."

Du Ganguang drank tea contentedly and said leisurely: "I said so long ago."

The others looked at Du Ganguang with admiration.

At the beginning, the ancient text faction wanted to remove Wang Yang's student status, and it was Du Ganguang who fought hard not to retreat. Later, Xie Xuan, the eldest son of the Secretariat Director, contacted many people, citing the old system of the fourth year of Jianyuan—"Five Doctors discuss together, can determine different talents, outside of county selection, promote specially"—and secretly invited the Imperial Academy Doctors, avoiding the ancient text faction, and went to Jingzhou to personally verify Wang Yang's classic skills under the pretext of touring schools. It was also Du Ganguang who responded with all his might, running around and lobbying, which led to this trip.

At that time, among the five, three thought that such books could not be written by a youth alone, and one was skeptical, only Du Ganguang said: "A genius is brilliant, how can it be measured by common sense? If you abandon talent because of doubt, it is like seeing a thoroughbred horse not running and saying it cannot travel a thousand miles; seeing a jade disc not yet cut and deciding its price is not worth a city. Doubting and abandoning it is not as good as testing and clarifying it. Since you gentlemen are skeptical, it is better to test it; if his learning is not worth seeing, it is not too late to abandon it; if his talent is truly extraordinary, it is the fortune of literature."

Several people were moved by his words, and that was how the trip to Jingzhou came about.

Just as everyone was sighing, the curious-looking one—Mao Poetry Doctor (Mao Poetry was the mainstream school of the Classic of Poetry at the time; besides Mao Poetry, there were also the Lu, Qi, and Han schools, also known as the Three Schools of Poetry) Cui Wei suddenly asked Wang Yang:

"You said 'after a thousand years, many do not know the true technique', where did this come from?"

Everyone reacted and looked at Wang Yang.

Uh... because I traveled from a thousand years later...

Wang Yang's face showed sorrow, and he said in a deep voice:

"Zhuangzi said: 'After ten thousand generations, one meets a great sage; knowing his solution is like meeting in the morning or evening.' The separation of ten thousand generations is but a morning or evening; the scholars of today have already obscured the true meaning of images and numbers, and after a thousand years, it can be imagined."

Liu Jing nodded vigorously, tears shining in his eyes:

"Yes, yes! That is exactly it! Today everyone imitates Wang Bi in sweeping away images without discussion, who knows my true meaning? Today heaven sent Zhiyan to clarify it for me, this is heaven not failing me!"

Before Wang Yang traveled, he had a casual conversation with a certain "famous Daoist" at a scenic spot. Two days later, the Daoist suddenly called, saying he was willing to pay 20,000 to learn the correct method of the 'Classic of Changes'. Wang Yang smiled and declined, not because he was hiding his technique, but because without a foundation in learning, it could not be passed on in a few months. After the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the study of the 'Classic of Changes' was mostly empty and sparse, and descending to modern times, wrong interpretations and false techniques became even more popular. Liu Jing could go against the academic style of the time, take images as the foundation, and the hexagram method was also on the right track, which Wang Yang admired very much.

He bowed to Liu Jing again:

"I observed you explaining the lunar body and the stem-branch just now, and asked about the four or five images and numbers, and carefully tasted your logic of the 'Classic of Changes' technique, it seems to be inheriting the 'Classic of Changes' of the Meng family, and also seems to have obtained the remaining learning of Yao Deyou, I don't know if you are exactly..."

Liu Jing shook violently, tears streaming down his face and shouted:

"One is my family learning! One is my teacher's transmission! Zhiyan, don't stand there, woo woo woo, sit down quickly!! Why is there no seat, woo woo ah ah woo!"

Liu Jing cried and laughed, wiped his tears a few times, and stood up: "Zhiyan, come, sit here!"

How could Wang Yang sit, he hurriedly declined!

Liu Jing didn't care what Wang Yang said, and came forward to pull Wang Yang.

Wang Yang was surprised and embarrassed, and couldn't struggle, but this Liu Jing's strength was not small, and he pulled Wang Yang to lean forward!

Wang Yang was also crying without tears, and it was not good to grab the old man's seat, so he hurriedly retreated, saying repeatedly: "No need, no need! Really no need! I'm fine standing!"

Liu Jing pulled Wang Yang's hand with unusual stubbornness and pulled him toward the seat: "Zhiyan understands the 'Classic of Changes', he is a great talent, how can he stand?!"

Wang Yang's voice changed, shrinking his body back, but he couldn't break free with force, fearing to hurt this excited old man: "I don't understand, I don't understand! I really don't understand! If you ask me to perform all the possible ways of casting hexagrams in the 'Classic of Changes' now, I can't do it!"

Liu Jing cried loudly, and the strength in his hand suddenly increased: "This is true understanding! I only know one way, ah ah ah woo woo!"

The others watched this old and young man pulling here, and were all stunned. Except for Du Ganguang, none of them could understand why Liu Jing was so unseemly, and as for Du Ganguang, he certainly knew, because when he read "Flaws in the Ancient and Modern Texts of the Classic of History", he was just as unseemly!

The sharp-eyed one, "Classic of Rites" Doctor He Chen, saw that Liu Jing was so unseemly and couldn't stand it anymore. Since ancient times, the dignity of teachers has been respected, and even if Wang Yang has mastered two classics, his status and seniority are there, how can he sit with his elders? Isn't Liu Jing making a fool of himself? He said with a straight face:

"Jingyan, sit back, I still want to continue asking him."

Liu Jing waved his sleeve: "What else to ask? This child has mastered two classics, whoever dares to stop him from entering the Imperial Academy, I will report it to the Taiji Hall!"

Wang Yang's heart jumped, and he instantly understood what was going on!

He had felt it was strange that it was like an interview before, and even had wild thoughts, saying maybe it was the Xie family letting people test his talent? The only thing he hadn't thought of was that it was someone from the Imperial Academy. Because according to the normal procedure, he could enter the Imperial Academy through the county selection, and there was no need for such a scene at all!

Xie Xinghan should be well-intentioned, in order to increase his chances of being selected, but the problem is that his identity is fake, how dare he go to the capital! Even if Xiao Baoyue really fixed the household registration of the Ministry of Rites, but entering the Imperial Academy, how can one not check the identity? A Nanjun registration, plus a file from the Ministry of Rites, is it enough for people to check? Besides, Jiankang is the gathering place of the Langya Wang clan, with noble families standing like forests and big shots like clouds, and it's okay to cheat in other places, but going to Jiankang publicly, isn't that throwing oneself into the tiger's mouth? Xiao Baoyue also said before that she could guarantee he would be fine in Jingzhou, but if he went to the capital...

Haji Yang is shivering...

No, run away first!

"Oh! I remembered!" Wang Yang slapped his thigh, which stunned the five elders, "I promised Daiyu to accompany her to choose a hairpin, I almost forgot! Sorry, sorry! I'll take my leave first!" Taking advantage of the moment when several people were stunned, Wang Yang darted out! Liu Jing followed quickly, wanting to stop him, but Wang Yang had already slipped out the door, leaving only Liu Jing's voice echoing behind: "Zhiyan! Zhiyan!!"

Wang Yang rushed out of the corridor and met Xie Xinghan kneeling and cooking tea, graceful as a painting. In the mist of water vapor, her fair fingertips could be seen slightly reddened by the steam.

"Eh? Young master, why are you—"

"It's already done! Many thanks to you, Madam! I have urgent business, I'll go first! I'll treat you to hot pot later!" Wang Yang hurried away as if escaping.

Xie Xinghan was full of question marks.

Xiao Ning was confused and worried: "Did Young Master Wang not do well in the exam?"

Xie Xinghan frowned and thought for a while, gradually showing a smile: "I think he did too well..."

Xiao Ning:???

In the tea room, the five elders looked at each other.

After a long while, "Gongyang Commentary on the Spring and Autumn" Doctor Tan Yuanzong spoke first:

"By the way, who is that Daiyu?"

No one spoke.

"Classic of Rites" Doctor He Chen snorted coldly: "This child is too frivolous! As a county student, when asked by a Doctor, he actually ran away halfway to accompany some Daiyu to buy a hairpin! How can such a person enter the Imperial Academy?"

Liu Jing slapped the table, his beard and hair all standing up:

"What's wrong with buying a hairpin? Zhiyan has such talent, let alone accompanying Daiyu to buy a hairpin! Even if he accompanies Black Jade, White Jade, Yellow Jade, and Red Jade to buy hairpins together, it's fine! Ma Jichang was known as a great Confucian, and he still sat in the high hall, set up a crimson gauze tent, taught students in front, and lined up female musicians in the back! Wang Yang buys a hairpin, and he can't enter the Imperial Academy? Even if the Imperial Academy doesn't recruit anyone this year, they have to recruit him! The rise of the study of the 'Classic of Changes' in the world lies in Wang Zhiyan! I said it! The one who holds the bull's ear in the future must be this child!"

Everyone was shocked, not expecting Liu Jing's evaluation of Wang Yang's study of the 'Classic of Changes' to be so high!

Tan Yuanzong sighed regretfully: "It's a pity I haven't had a chance to ask him about the 'Spring and Autumn'..."

Mao Poetry Doctor Cui Wei said: "He will definitely say he has a slight understanding."

The five elders all laughed.

Cui Wei continued: "But this time it's really a slight understanding."

Others agreed with this, after all, at Wang Yang's age, being able to master two classics is already a genius, and it is impossible to master other classics.

Everyone discussed, discussing Wang Yang's talent and intelligence, becoming more excited as they talked, only Du Ganguang sat on the side with style, as stable as Mount Tai, not participating in the conversation.

Liu Jing moved to Du Ganguang's side, smiling flatteringly: "Old Du, let me discuss something with you—"

Du Ganguang stretched out his palm, directly blocking Liu Jing's big face, and blurted out five words: "Don't even think about it!!!"

————

Due to the crowding of multi-dimensional time resources, this space-time committee triggered the "overload protection mechanism". According to the "slacking dynamics model" calculation, the recovery node is expected to be April 30th... (Human language, too busy, update tomorrow)

Also, May Day is coming soon!!! I want to rebuild the kingdom with sleeping in, ice cream, and idle clouds!!!