Chapter 156: 163. On Teachers

163. On Teachers

"... Disrespect, disrespect."

Facing the polite courtesy of this spirited young County Magistrate, Yuan Xiangshan stroked his beard and nodded, his expression softening slightly.

He replied quite politely:

"This old man has heard of you. Old Master Su and Lady Su have both praised you in front of this old man. Su Dalang also praised you a few days ago, saying he had made a good teacher and friend... However."

Yuan Xiangshan shook his head and didn't continue, casting a glance at Magistrate Ouyang Rong that was very obvious.

It seemed he was giving the junior face, leaving some words unsaid, letting him go back and realize it himself.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong didn't seem to notice. He nodded without blushing or skipping a beat:

"I dare not accept it, I dare not accept it. It's Su Dalang and the others who are exaggerating. Old Master doesn't have to take it completely seriously."

"..."

Which eye saw this old man taking it seriously?

Yuan Xiangshan couldn't help but look at Magistrate Ouyang Rong a few more times and said directly:

"Some words, this old man, as an old senior, doesn't know if I should say them or not..."

Hearing this opening line, Magistrate Ouyang Rong turned his head to look at Su Su Dalang, who was sitting respectfully and bending over to serve tea to Yuan Xiangshan.

The latter shook his head at him, his eyes apologetic.

While the two exchanged glances, Yuan Xiangshan sipped his tea, moistened his throat, and continued with a straight face:

"If I say them, it's easy for you young people to say I'm relying on my age to sell my age, but if I don't say them, it's harming you. We old seniors don't feel comfortable in our hearts either. We can't just watch you juniors take the wrong path, right?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong turned his head back, shook his head sincerely at Yuan Xiangshan, who was preparing to chant:

"You shouldn't say them. Old Master, you should drink more tea and leave more words for teaching and educating people in the classroom."

Yuan Xiangshan's white eyebrows frowned, and his old hand waved:

"It's fine. Su Dalang happens to be here too. Let's talk about it properly. It can also be considered an extracurricular teaching and educating."

The old man sighed:

"Actually, if it were an ordinary outsider, this old man wouldn't want to say it. But since Su Dalang treats you as a friend, this old man naturally has to fulfill some of the responsibilities of an elder."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong couldn't help but interject: "Actually, it's fine if Old Master treats me as an outsider. It's quite good."

Su Su Dalang advised: "Teacher, let's go back..."

Unfortunately, I don't know if he didn't hear it, or why, but these words didn't interrupt Yuan Xiangshan's earnest chanting at all:

"Your deeds, this old man has heard of. In the Shenjing Luoyang imperial court, you dared to remonstrate, angered the Holy One, had a backbone of steel, and the scholarly forest of the north and south praised you endlessly, calling you a true gentleman of Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan.

"This point, this old man appreciates quite a bit, although there might also be the impulsiveness of young people acting on impulse, but this style of speaking directly and remonstrating didn't lose the face of your predecessors in the Censorate.

"Sigh, this old man remembers the past events of daring to remonstrate when I was still in the imperial court's Ministry of Rites... You still have some of the style of this old man back then."

Yuan Xiangshan nodded slightly, his tone changed, and his expression became serious:

"But now, is it because you were demoted and left the capital, feeling disheartened or something, that you have become a bit slack? Let's not mention the matter of leading Su Dalang astray for now. Let's talk about your main job.

"The things you did in Longcheng County, those large-scale water conservancy projects, this old man has heard people talk about in the mansion. At the time, I thought you were doing a good job in disaster relief and water management, doing practical things for the people.

"But two days ago, this old man went out to buy books at a bookstore. Guess what? This old man saw beggars and commoners begging along the street with his own eyes. Is this how you handle disaster relief?

"The food and clothing problems of the people in this county haven't been handled well yet, and you turned to water management, rushing to mobilize manpower and material resources to build water conservancy projects. Isn't this putting the cart before the horse? Sigh, how can you, as the parent official of a county, be so negligent?"

Only to see two "thump" sounds, Yuan Xiangshan knocked on the ground with his cane, his face full of regret and sighing, and he gave a stern warning.

Behind the water pavilion, Yan Yan Liulang, who was listening in boredom, originally thought it was just Su Su Dalang being unlucky to run into a "famous teacher" who relied on his age to sell his age, and this eighty-year-old man was just rambling and teaching others how to do things. But he didn't expect this Old Master Yuan to say such things.

I'm not afraid of you talking nonsense, I'm afraid of you meddling in other people's business and pointing fingers.

Yan Yan Liulang was speechless in his heart and hurriedly looked at the young County Magistrate in front of him.

Seeing his own Magistrate's back silent, standing with his hands in his sleeves, not saying a word.

Yan Yan Liulang secretly thought it was bad.

On the other side, Su Su Dalang, seeing his friend's expression, also hurriedly turned to advise:

"Teacher, don't say anymore. We are outsiders after all, Rong he..."

Yuan Xiangshan shook his head and interrupted:

"It might not sound pleasant, but it's the truth, and it's for his own good."

The old man raised his hand to stroke his long beard and looked at the pond scenery outside the water pavilion. His expression was melancholy, and he sighed:

"And seeing the scene of beggars begging two days ago, this old man was deeply touched. I didn't want to go to the bookstore anymore, so I returned halfway. I was inspired and wrote a parallel prose called "Lament for Disaster Victims".

"I originally wanted to use it to teach Su Dalang and let him study it. It's a coincidence that you, the County Magistrate, are also here today. It can be considered the right person. This old man has no intention of offending the parent official, but it's just a little bit of a humble opinion. You can refer to it."

Yuan Xiangshan finished speaking, stroked his beard, and ordered:

"Su Dalang, go take out that "Lament for Disaster Victims" of the teacher and let the Magistrate take a look and correct it."

Su Su Dalang looked embarrassed and didn't move.

A book boy, receiving Yuan Xiangshan's look, turned to take a scroll.

This water pavilion outside Juxian Garden seemed to be used as a place for Su Su Dalang to study and read. There were four treasures of the study on the stone table. Several book boys tidied up nimbly, cleared a space, and spread the scroll flat on the stone table in the center of the water pavilion.

Parallel prose, the whole text is mainly based on double sentences, paying attention to neat antithesis and sonorous sound rhythm, and focusing on decoration and allusion in rhetoric.

It is a very popular literary style in the literary world at the moment. Actually, it has been popular since the Northern and Southern Dynasties before the Wei Zhou and Li Li Qian dynasties. Even the essay Magistrate Ouyang Rong wrote when he participated in the imperial examination was a corresponding essay, used to select scholars.

In the water pavilion, seeing the flushed face of his disciple Su Su Dalang on the side, Yuan Xiangshan waved his sleeves and added a sentence with a righteous face:

"This old man is just a straight-talking person. Some words are not pleasant to hear, but they are all for the sake of the people and the government office. I hope the Magistrate will not take offense."

"Of course I won't take offense."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong, who had been silent since Yuan Xiangshan raised his opinion, suddenly opened his mouth and said.

Yuan Xiangshan's expression was quite satisfied and nodded, and he glanced at the stunned Su Su Dalang beside him, opening his mouth to speak.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong, however, didn't stop at all and said directly:

"But this subordinate is also a straight-talking person. Some words are also not pleasant to hear, but they are all for the sake of the Old Master. I'll just say two simple sentences. I hope the Old Master will not take offense."

Everyone was stunned, Yuan Xiangshan frowned, "What do you want to say..."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong asked curiously:

"At what age did the Old Master marry?"

"Why ask this?"

"Old Master, just answer."

"This old man was fourteen that year, a marriage decided by my father."

"Then what was the Old Master doing at twenty-three or twenty-four?"

Yuan Xiangshan's tone was quite proud: "Hmph, this old man had already passed the imperial examination and was waiting for official selection. Two years later, I entered the Ministry of Rites as an official."

"Waiting for official selection by the Ministry of Personnel, so at twenty-three or twenty-four, you were mixing in the scholarly forest of Shenjing Luoyang, occasionally calling friends, inviting guests, and even going to brothels and wine shops to seek pleasure and get drunk, waving your brush and ink...

"When I was preparing for the imperial examination in Shenjing Luoyang before, the successful candidates I saw were all like this. Was the Old Master also like this?"

"Not exactly the same. Not as debauched as you young people now... No, why are you asking this?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong asked indifferently:

"Then do you know how old Su Dalang is now?"

"Twenty-four in nominal age..."

Yuan Xiangshan's words paused, but Magistrate Ouyang Rong didn't wait for him to react, directly stretched out his finger to point at Su Su Dalang, and then pointed to the direction of the Juxian Garden study behind him and said loudly:

"Please take a good look, Old Master. What kind of life is Su Dalang, who has already reached the age of twenty-four, living now?

"Not to mention whether we went out to drink health tea. Old Master, you keep saying you are doing it for Su Dalang's own good, but you never consider Su Dalang's situation.

"You were already married and established at fourteen, not worrying about vigorous energy. At twenty-three or twenty-four, you were already a successful candidate, enjoying the glory of the divine capital. But what about Su Dalang? He is at the age of vigorous energy, but he is locked in this deep courtyard all day long. In front of him is a mountain of books and a sea of books, studying hard by the lamp at night, his daily homework is full, and what he faces with his young black hair is just an old Confucian with white hair.

"Even a half-day holiday every month is forcibly occupied by his teacher. Old Master, have you ever considered Su Dalang's feelings?"

In the water pavilion, the young man's words were sonorous and powerful. Su Su Dalang, who was on the side, stood stunned, while the white-haired old man leaning on a cane looked stunned, choked and speechless.

"Teacher, calm your anger..." Su Su Dalang hurriedly stepped forward to pat his teacher's hunched back.

Looking at this pair of master and disciple, and thinking of the things he encountered today, Magistrate Ouyang Rong's mind suddenly flashed a certain ancient text he remembered quite deeply.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong shook his head and said:

"Old Master is using this kind of article to teach Su Dalang? Then this subordinate is not talented, and I will also give Su Dalang an article. I won't write parallel prose, I'll write some words with substance. This was given to me by a senior I met by chance, I changed it a bit, please forgive my clumsiness."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong stood by the stone table, spread paper and ground ink, and rolled up his sleeves.

He pinched the brush and dropped ink at will, and then an article that flowed like a dragon was written in one go.

"A gift to Su Dalang. Let's not stand here and block the eyes of a certain famous teacher."

After putting down the brush, without waiting for the ink to dry, Magistrate Ouyang Rong turned and walked out of the water pavilion.

Yan Yan Liulang, Liu Ashan, and others hurriedly followed.

Seeing this, Yuan Xiangshan pushed away the Su Su Dalang and book boys who were supporting him, jumped up, and for some reason, the old man's movements seemed a bit agile. He chased out of the water pavilion and poked Magistrate Ouyang Rong's back with his cane:

"Little brat, don't go, this old man is so angry, what exactly do you mean."

"What do I mean?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong didn't look back and said:

"Still don't understand? The meaning is very simple. A student is a good student, but a teacher is not necessarily a good teacher.

"Su Dalang is too respectful to his teacher, and the Old Master is used to bullying him, but don't think about bullying me. You don't understand the situation in Longcheng County, so I won't trouble you to point fingers."

Just as Old Master Yuan was stomping his feet in anger, on the corridor not far from the water pavilion, a beautiful figure had been standing and listening for a long time.

"Miss, should we go and persuade..." behind the beautiful figure, a maid with a bun face couldn't help but ask.

"Shh." Su Su Guoer narrowed her eyes and looked at that straight back.

And in the water pavilion, Su Su Dalang, who was a step slower, stopped slowly when passing by the stone table, looking down at the article with wet ink on the table, muttering: "I praise his ability to follow the ancient path... I wrote 'On Teachers' to give to him..."

Su Su Dalang couldn't help but raise his head, and at this moment, like his sister on the corridor, he silently looked at the back of the young County Magistrate walking away with big strides. ===== CHAPTER 157 =====

As he spoke, Magistrate Ouyang Rong pointed his index finger down at the parallel prose on the table, his face sincere, imitating someone's words from just a moment ago:

"It might not sound pleasant, but it's the truth, and it's for the old master's own good. This article written by the old master… is not very good; I'm a bit disappointed."

He said indifferently: "It's overly fond of parallel prose, decorating with flowery language, the literary style is vulgar and decadent, and it's just moaning without an ailment."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong was not wrong; after reading it carefully several times, it was indeed a truthful statement.

This world currently does not have the Eight Great Masters or the Ancient Prose Movement; the style of parallel prose popular in the Great Zhou literary world has been passed down since the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

This literary style emphasizes parallelism and tonal patterns, and because it has to accommodate sentence structures, it easily evolves into piling up flowery language, with little meaning and many words, which greatly affects content expression; that is, it only shows off literary talent while the content is hollow…

At this moment in the water pavilion, Yuan Xiangshan was left speechless, seemingly a bit anxious, coughing with a flushed face.

"Master, calm your anger…" Su Su Dalang hurriedly stepped forward to pat his teacher's hunched back lightly.

Looking at this pair of teacher and student, and recalling the things he encountered today, a piece of ancient prose that he remembered deeply suddenly flashed through Magistrate Ouyang Rong's mind.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong shook his head and said:

"Is this the kind of article the old master uses to teach Su Dalang? Then, I am untalented, but I will also gift Su Dalang an article. I won't write parallel prose; I'll write some words that have substance. This was gifted to me by a senior I met by chance; I've modified it a bit, please excuse my poor writing."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong stood by the table, spread the paper, ground the ink, and rolled up his sleeves.

He casually picked up the brush and dropped the ink, and then a flowing article was written in one go.

"A small gift for Su Dalang. Let's not stand here and obstruct the eyes of some brilliant teacher anymore."

After putting down the brush, without waiting for the ink to dry, Magistrate Ouyang Rong turned and walked out of the water pavilion.

Yan Yan Liulang, Liu Ashan, and the others hurriedly followed.

Seeing this, Yuan Xiangshan pushed away the supporting Su Su Dalang and the book boy, jumped up, and at this moment, for some reason, his movements even appeared somewhat agile. The old man chased out of the water pavilion, fiercely poking his cane in the direction of Magistrate Ouyang Rong's back:

"Don't go, you brat! You're infuriating this old man! What exactly do you mean?"

"What do I mean?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong said without turning his head:

"Still don't understand? The meaning is very simple: the student is a good student, but the teacher may not necessarily be a good teacher.

"Su Dalang is too respectful to his teacher, and the old master is used to bullying him, but don't think about bullying me. You don't understand the situation in Dragon City County, so I won't trouble you to point fingers."

Just as Old Master Yuan was stomping his feet in anger, on a long corridor not far from the water pavilion, a graceful figure had been standing and listening for a long time.

"Miss, should we go and persuade…" behind the graceful figure, a little maid with a bun-shaped face couldn't help but ask.

"Shh." Su Guo'er narrowed her eyes, looking at that tall and straight back.

And inside the water pavilion, Su Su Dalang, who was a step slower, couldn't help but slow down as he passed the stone table, looking down at the article with wet ink on the table, murmuring in a daze: "I admire his ability to follow the ancient path… and wrote 'On Teachers' to present to him…"

Su Su Dalang couldn't help but raise his head, and at this moment, like his sister on the long corridor, he silently gazed at the back of the young magistrate who was striding away.