Chapter 34: Does the Young Master Understand Poetry?

Wang Yang felt the gazes of Liu Zhao and Yu Yuling and immediately explained: "Of course not! I just... just forgot the book title for a moment. I'll change to another example. It's in the *Yu Gong* chapter. The Han River has already entered the Great River at Xiakou and gathered at Peng Li, but the *Yu Gong* still calls it 'North River.' The River water and the Han River merge and gather at Peng Li, and the *Yu Gong* still calls it 'Middle River.' Since the River and Han have merged and still have the names of 'North River' and 'Middle River,' why can't I argue that the Sanjiang are still called Sanjiang when they merge into one?"

Xie Xinghan was relentless and did not intend to leave Wang Yang any room:

"Even if it is possible, it cannot prove that what you said is correct. The *Hou Hou Han Shu, Geography Records* considers the one entering the sea from the south of Wu County as the North River, the one entering the sea from Wuhu to Yangxian east as the Middle River, and the one entering the sea from Biling northeast as the South River. This is the meaning of 'its river is Sanjiang' in Yangzhou in the *Zhou Rites, Regional Records*. The *Hou Hou Han Shu* and the *Zhou Rites* match, which is solid proof. Although you have come up with a new theory, you have no real proof. The superiority is judged immediately!"

Okay, okay, this girl is quite powerful.

But we are just discussing academics, why is your gunpowder so strong? Did I provoke you?

Wang Yang began to counterattack:

"Then the young lady's judgment is too early. What the *Hou Hou Han Shu* says are all small tributaries in the southeast, not the vast ones entering the sea as the *Yu Gong* says. If these three are the Sanjiang, then there is also the river entering the sea at Jingkou, and the water power is much larger than those three small tributaries. Why does the *Yu Gong* abandon the big and talk about the small?"

Xie Xinghan was stunned.

Wang Yang smiled slightly: "And you have a fundamental error here, saying that the *Hou Hou Han Shu* and the *Zhou Rites* match, which is not necessarily true. Ban Gu was a person of the Eastern Han Dynasty, and the *Zhou Rites* was a work of the pre-Qin period. Ban Gu's statement is not necessarily accurate. If it must match the *Zhou Rites*, I think Guo Pu's statement is more suitable. Guo Pu considers the Sanjiang to be the Min River, the Song River, and the Zhe River. Among the largest water flows in Yangzhou, none exceed the Min and Zhe rivers. Even the Song River at that time could compete with the Yangzi and Qiantang, and only then could it be called Yu's traces. The *Guoyu* says: 'Wu and Yue are surrounded by the Sanjiang.' Fan Li said: 'I compete with Wu for the benefits of the Sanjiang and Five Lakes.' These Sanjiang should be the Sanjiang of the *Zhou Rites*, not the Sanjiang of the *Hou Hou Han Shu* you cited."

Yu Yuling could not keep up with the rhythm of the two at all, only feeling that he was watching gods fight. Liu Zhao was not proficient in geography, and he was also a little dizzy from listening.

After Wang Yang finished speaking, silence fell behind the screen.

Liu Zhao was about to smooth things over, only to hear a faint voice from behind the screen: "Young Master's knowledge is brilliant, and the little girl admires it."

Wang Yang finally breathed a sigh of relief. He chatted too happily, so he spoke without restraint and chose a topic that was difficult to grasp. The Sanjiang issue has been debated for thousands of years, and there is no conclusion to this day. There are dozens of influential arguments in the Qing Dynasty alone!

So Wang Yang had the upper hand not because his argument was correct, but because he synthesized the arguments of several great scholars, and the debate was naturally unstoppable. Now that I think about it, it is quite suspicious of bullying people. He said: "Young lady is over-praising, I am also just borrowing other people's words."

"I am not over-praising, but the young master is too modest."

The voice of speaking gradually approached.

Wang Yang looked curiously, only to see a beautiful girl in a white dress floating out from behind the screen, with a slender waist and a belt, an elegant and noble temperament, and a pair of eyes as bright as stars, giving people a feeling of being ice-snow smart.

Starry eyes?

So this is starry eyes!

When Wang Yang read books in the past and saw the word "starry eyes," he could only think of anime. Now that he saw this girl, he knew that there were really people whose eyes seemed to have a galaxy floating in them, and between blinking, it was like stars twinkling and shining.

According to common sense, Liu Zhao should take the initiative to introduce Xie Xinghan to Wang Yang, but he didn't know if this niece was willing to reveal her identity.

And Xie Xinghan did not wait for others to introduce her like an ordinary noble family's young lady; nor did she shyly lower her head and ask for greetings in a voice like a mosquito. Instead, she looked at Wang Yang generously, without any stage fright.

On the contrary, it was Wang Yang who didn't know why he felt a little hairy when being looked at. Just as he was about to say something, Xie Xinghan spoke first: "Does the young master understand poetry?"

"Know a little or two," Wang Yang smiled politely.

"I recently got a good poem. I still remember the first sentence, um... Wandering the rivers and lakes, I still have the spirit of the past..."

Wang Yang's smile instantly froze on the spot!

He wouldn't be stupid enough to think that this was also a time traveler, because Du Mu's original poem was "Wandering the rivers and lakes, I still have the spirit of the past." He felt at the time that the two characters "Wandering the rivers and lakes" did not fit Xie An's situation, so he changed it to "Camel-like." So he guessed the girl's identity in just one second!

Thinking of the various rumors about the fourth daughter of the Xie family dealing with frivolous young men, and then thinking of the hostility she had shown earlier, as well as the girl's gaze sweeping over the "fake brand" he used to pretend, Wang Yang felt it necessary to think of a countermeasure quickly, because more importantly, he was not prepared to deal with the Chen Jun Xie clan at all!

He came to the Commandery School this time to perform a play, and this play could not be ruined because of this girl!

"Why is it seven characters? Four characters are orthodox, five characters are flowing, as for seven characters, they are vulgar, I dare not listen," Wang Yang frowned, like a stubborn old pedant.

"Has Young Master Wang never heard this poem?" Xie Xinghan stared at Wang Yang.

Wang Yang contributed an actor-level expression change and asked suspiciously: "Could it be a work of a famous master? Was it written by a poet of this dynasty? I really have no research on writing poetry. If the previous remarks offended the young lady, I apologize to the young lady here."

Xie Xinghan stared at Wang Yang for a few seconds and smiled: "Forget it if you don't know, I just asked casually."

Wang Yang breathed a sigh of relief.

"Eh? Young Master Wang, why is there white ash on your hair? Is it flour?" Xie Xinghan blinked those exceptionally crystal-clear bright eyes and looked at the top of Wang Yang's head.

Wang Yang's heart skipped a beat, patted the place Xie Xinghan was looking at, and said naturally: "Maybe it's lime. It was stained when I entered the city earlier. Is it gone now?"

Xie Xinghan blinked: "Oh, I saw it wrong just now, there is no white ash."

Wang Yang knew he had been played. This girl definitely suspected him, but he was still calm and composed in his expression.

At that time, the car curtain was not lifted, she definitely didn't see his appearance clearly!

Besides, that ox cart was a distance away from him, and he was shouting and talking, and didn't say a few words. Even if she heard his voice, she could only suspect it. Unless Little Pang came out to testify, or those servants recognized him, otherwise it couldn't be confirmed.

As long as he held on and didn't admit it, he would definitely be able to shake her suspicion!

Liu Zhao felt that the two were a bit strange, but couldn't say what was strange. Besides, his mind was full of the academic arguments Wang Yang had put forward earlier, so how could he have the heart to figure out the current situation?

Compared to discussing poetry, he hoped to hear Wang Yang continue to explain the *Book of Documents*.

He had studied the *Book of Documents* all his life, but didn't know that there was such a way to explain the *Book of Documents*. Many problems that had plagued him for decades were solved by this young master's words. How many times in a lifetime can one have such a refreshing experience?

"Niece, sit down quickly, listen to Young Master Wang continue to talk about the *Book of Documents*!"

Xie Xinghan smiled slightly: "I won't listen."

Wang Yang stood up: "It's getting late, I should also say goodbye."

When Liu Zhao heard that Wang Yang was leaving, he couldn't even ask why Xie Xinghan didn't listen, and stood up anxiously: "Can't go, can't go! Haven't finished talking... haven't eaten yet, how can you go?" Saying that, he said to Yu Yuling: "Zijie, hurry up and order, I want to set up a banquet to entertain Young Master Wang!"

Wang Yang thought he had succeeded and was happy, so he politely said: "That's not necessary."

Xie Xinghan said from the side: "Indeed not necessary."

Wang Yang:...... ===== CHAPTER 35 =====