Chapter 1043: Shen Kuo Seeks Truth

Any official in the Great Song Dynasty with a brain attaches great importance to the development of culture and education. One of the main political achievements of a local official lies in promoting education and construction.

First, the dynasty governs the country with literature, valuing literature over military. Second, the students cultivated locally, who later get ahead and become officials, can also be considered a kind of incense-burning sentiment.

Therefore, as long as local conditions are sufficient, the officials in charge will more or less invest some funds for the construction and development of local schools and academies.

A big shot like Fan Zhongyan naturally likes to promote juniors and cultivate talents for the country. Just like his promotion of Wang Yan now, it's the same principle.

Therefore, after Fan Zhongyan arrived in Hangzhou to take office and became familiar with the prefecture's affairs, promoting education and construction was one of the development plans set for his term.

Fan Chunren is a filial son, but he doesn't let Fan Zhongyan worry less. He passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi, but he is unwilling to be an official. Fan Zhongyan doesn't want to see him have nothing serious to do, and instead go socialize with other scholars, so he let Fan Chunren be a teacher at the Hangzhou Academy. Giving lectures to scholars and managing the academy can also exercise his comprehensive ability, and being an academy teacher is not an official position, so it doesn't violate any taboos. The old father can be considered to have broken his heart.

A week is enough for news to spread.

So when Wang Yan was brought into the academy by Fan Chunren, it was truly a grand occasion. Over a thousand scholars from Qiantang and the surrounding areas, not far away, crowded into the academy. Some were fifteen or sixteen, some were twenty or thirty, and even some were over forty. Looking at everyone's clothing and attire, there were both rich and poor.

In such a situation, naturally, he couldn't lecture in a room, but in the courtyard of the academy that had been landscaped. The scholars were densely packed around, some in the corridors, some on the grass; anyway, there were people everywhere.

Under the gaze of the crowd, Wang Yan nimbly climbed onto the rockery in the middle, so that the scholars could all see him.

"Wang Yan has met you all."

Even on the irregular rockery, Wang Yan stood very naturally, still performing the standard four-way bow.

"We have met Assistant Prefect Wang."

The scholars also returned the bow to Wang Yan in a mixed manner, but the tone of greeting was still very spirited, fully demonstrating their expectations for Wang Yan.

To say that the title "Assistant Prefect Wang" was something the scholars present had discussed for a while before unifying, it was really because Wang Yan was quite special.

He became a top scholar at nineteen and was an Assistant Prefect of Hangzhou. He also had calligraphy that was supreme in the world, put forward his own theories and propositions, and even wrote a book called "Wang Yan Says." To this day, scholars have basically read it once and understand Wang Yan's propositions.

But if they are not familiar with each other, how to address him became a problem. Back in the capital, Wang Yan called everyone "little brother," and regardless of whether they were familiar or not, everyone called him "Brother Ziyan." But times have changed. Wang Yan has an official status and is the second-in-command of a prefecture. He is properly the parent official of the scholars present, and officials and people are naturally not equal. If they call him "Brother Ziyan" again, that would be an offense.

Wang Yan's level is how it is. The books have already demonstrated it, and they have even read his calligraphy once, knowing that they are a world apart from Wang Yan and are figures they need to look up to. In terms of learning, he can be called a "Great Confucian."

If Wang Yan were fifty or sixty years old now, then there would be no need to say anything. Even if the current "Mr." is more noble, with Wang Yan's achievements, he would be worthy of it, and calling him "Mr. Guangling" would be no problem. But Wang Yan is too young, and he has few disciples. Many of the people present are older than Wang Yan. They can't say it, and they think Wang Yan himself wouldn't dare to accept it. If it got out, he would be ridiculed.

So everyone argued and argued, and could only call him Assistant Prefect Wang, which was fine no matter what.

Wang Yan stood with his hands behind his back, laughing and speaking loudly: "It seems that my Hangzhou Academy is still too small. Tomorrow I must talk to Fan Gong about finding a piece of land by the Xihu to build a large academy."

As soon as his voice fell, people below started cheering. They were relatively lively and liked to join in the fun. Some even expressed on the spot that they wanted to donate money, and there were quite a few people.

Children from wealthy families naturally all have to study, so they are naturally scholars. Such things are relatively active. After all, donating money is not too much; just a few thousand strings of cash to buy a name, everyone is willing.

The academy matter is definitely not urgent. This was just Wang Yan's opening idle talk to close the distance and leave everyone with a kind opening impression.

"A few days ago, Brother Yaofu invited me to the academy, saying that you all have long admired my name and want to hear my path. I was overjoyed. Why? Nothing else, people have great strength..."

Wang Yan began a large-scale lecture activity, which is to attract people to follow his path, the so-called like-mindedness.

His theories spread very widely, but to be honest, that was thanks to his persistent self-marketing. Those who truly believe and truly study are basically those around him. For example, Fan Chunren and Feng Jing were brought over by him, and then there are the Yangzhou scholars, who are deeply influenced by him. Because he worked the most in Yangzhou, participated in the most activities, and met the most scholars, he has quite a few outer disciples.

It is a pity that Wang Yan cannot be an official in Yangzhou, and cannot even be in the Huainan East Circuit where Yangzhou is located. Otherwise, he could have developed even better. After all, fellow countrymen are not given for nothing, and they are still very useful.

After all, even if he is in Hangzhou now, he can still find trouble for the prefecture and county officials in Yangzhou...

This time Wang Yan didn't talk about things he had talked about before. As time passed and his status changed, his theories naturally had to be updated to 2.0. For the scholars who were excited to hear repeated content and mainly had the idea of seeing a star, this was naturally a surprise. They listened very carefully, and some people recorded it.

Like this, lecturing, answering questions, and debating, the morning passed. Wang Yan and Fan Chunren had lunch at the academy. There was a small kitchen here, prepared for a bunch of teachers and instructors at the academy, which couldn't be called very good.

Fan Chunren asked, "Brother Ziyan, are you really going to build a new academy?"

"Naturally. Our dynasty values culture and education. Fan Gong used to teach at the Yingtian Prefecture Academy, which is still talked about today. Hangzhou has a prosperous literary style, and Qiantang naturally should have a famous academy. Brother Yaofu, if you have nothing to do, you can go to the Xihu more and find a good place to build an academy."

"Does Ziyan know..."

"The land near the Xihu is all owned by wealthy families in the city?"

Fan Chunren nodded, "They are all excellent fertile land."

"Does Brother Yaofu think I only found 120,000 strings of cash?" Wang Yan shook his head and smiled, "Don't worry, I have my own plans. Man proposes, God disposes. If I don't break my head and bleed, I will never end. If their wealth is endless, I cannot sleep peacefully."

"You will suffer losses."

"Doesn't Fan Gong know that I will suffer losses?"

Fan Chunren sighed and didn't talk much about this topic. Instead, he smiled and said, "Today's lecture seems to have new ideas? Are you going to write a book again?"

"After looking at official documents and account books for more than half a month, I have understood the situation in Hangzhou. Thinking about the solution, I naturally had some insights. As for writing a book, I am already writing it, but it will take some time. I have to think carefully again, and I also have to make some achievements in the duties of an Assistant Prefect. Otherwise, I lecture, write books, and teach people principles, but I am incompetent in establishing myself, which will inevitably be a laughingstock."

"Brother Ziyan is just losing out because he is young. Otherwise, he should be a Great Confucian within the seas, with countless disciples."

"Flowers have a day to bloom again, people have no youth again." Wang Yan smiled, "Being young is our advantage over the full hall of high officials. Watching the heretics leave one by one before us, tsk tsk..."

Fan Chunren nodded, savored the sentences Wang Yan said, and shook his head with emotion: "Brother Ziyan is truly talented. Just saying it casually is a famous sentence through the ages. Is there another half?"

Wang Yan thought for a moment, shook his head and sighed: "Articles are naturally made by heaven, and wonderful hands happen to get them. Today, I only have two lines of residual poetry, but the whole poem has not yet arrived."

Fan Chunren was already stunned. In the effort of these two sentences, they were two warning words. He deeply witnessed what is called overflowing talent. This is really overflowing...

After adapting to Wang Yan's casual showing off, Fan Chunren said: "Write it, write it."

After speaking, he didn't care about Wang Yan, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and ran to the side to grind ink.

The literary plagiarist king, who had no guilt or sense of guilt, stood up gracefully, waved his big brush, and wrote two vertical versions of the characters. And very sensibly, he added a postscript, wrote the reason, and used the seal.

After such a turn, Fan Chunren was satisfied and put it aside, pressed it with a paperweight, and waited for the ink to dry. These two lines of poetry are not cheaper than Fanlou last year.

The two chatted and finished lunch. Wang Yan also greeted people with a smile all the way and was sent out of the academy by Fan Chunren.

Just as he was about to stroll away, a scholar who looked about twenty, tall and thin, dressed relatively simply, but looked like a wealthy family, ran over.

"Student Shen Kuo, courtesy name Cunzhong, is a son of the Qiantang Shen family. I have met Assistant Prefect Wang."

Wang Yan raised his eyebrows slightly with his hands behind his back, stopped his steps, and nodded with a very friendly smile: "No need for courtesy, what are you looking for me for?"

"Just now the student listened to Assistant Prefect Wang's lecture, and previously read 'Wang Yan Says'." Shen Kuo bowed to show the rudeness of naming his name, and continued, "There are a few points I don't understand, and I hope the Assistant Prefect can resolve my confusion."

Seeing Wang Yan smile and nod, Shen Kuo said, "The Assistant Prefect said the unity of knowledge and action, and the investigation of things to extend knowledge. But I don't know what things to investigate, and what things to know?"

The investigation of things to extend knowledge is naturally a virtual word, a high-level, broad, and vague concept. But Shen Kuo is a famous scientist. Although there is no science yet, the focus of attention has long been set. Wang Yan talks about the virtual, and he comes to seek the real.

This is good.

Seeing Shen Kuo was beyond Wang Yan's expectation, but not surprising. After all, this is an era where celebrities emerge in large numbers. Maybe in two years, he will see Han Qi, Fu Bi, Wang Anshi, Di Qing, and others. It is always unexpected, but it is hard to be an accident.

Shen Kuo has great achievements. According to the subjects subdivided a thousand years later, he has achievements in many subjects. For Wang Yan, such a person is naturally a treasure to be won over.

There are many explanations for the investigation of things to extend knowledge, but the one most accepted by the broad masses of the people a thousand years later is that practice is the only criterion for testing truth, and experiment is the only standard for testing truth, which is doing scientific research.

So Wang Yan smiled: "I mentioned in the book that all things in heaven and earth can be investigated, and all things in heaven and earth have knowledge. Since Cunzhong seeks reality with me, then seek reality and truth. I see that Cunzhong's body is weak, and I smell the lingering taste of herbal medicine. Have you been using medicine since childhood?"

"The Assistant Prefect's medical skills are profound, and it is indeed so."

"Then let's talk about medicine. I see you... are... need to use..."

Wang Yan diagnosed Shen Kuo on the spot, analyzed the condition, and even wrote a prescription, and then explored the medical principles in it, why this medicine is useful, where it is used, how the medicine grows, and the required climatic conditions. This extended to astronomy, geography, and other fields, and finally placed it in the universe, and then returned to the human body.

The two talked on the side of the road for more than half an hour. Of course, most of the time Wang Yan was talking, and Shen Kuo was enduring the rising pain of growing his brain.

"Confucius said: To know what you know and what you do not know is knowledge. The way to extend knowledge lies in it. Because what we seek lies in not knowing, knowing not knowing is extending knowledge."

Wang Yan finally made a summary, which also indicated that this individual lecture had come to an end.

Shen Kuo bowed respectfully: "Student has been taught, wasting the Assistant Prefect's time, really..."

"Cunzhong, don't be polite. I have been in office for twenty-two days, and I am afraid that everyone knows that I have been squeezed out by the prefecture, have no duties, and spend all day in the accounting room flipping through account books and drinking tea. Why would I be afraid of wasting time?"

Shen Kuo was still an honest man, smiled embarrassedly, and asked back: "In that case, does the Assistant Prefect already have a way to deal with it?"

"If you have any questions in the future, come and find me. Go." Wang Yan smiled slightly, but didn't answer. He just patted Shen Kuo on the shoulder, walked away slowly with his hands behind his back, walked on the bustling streets of Hangzhou, and returned to the office, truly calm and confident...

This lecture was an interlude, but meeting Shen Kuo was a surprise. He needed such talent.

After that day, Shen Kuo took it to heart and began to study Wang Yan's theories. However, he didn't come to Wang Yan for advice, but went to Fan Chunren. This is sensible. Wang Yan is an Assistant Prefect of a prefecture after all, and he is being squeezed out. Where would he have so much time? Of course, this is Shen Kuo's wishful thinking.

Wang Yan was really at ease, not fast or slow, still in his original rhythm. The only difference was that when he went to Fan Zhongyan's place to take official documents in the morning, they chatted more and more. Of course, Wang Yan's lecture at the academy was indispensable. Fan Zhongyan discussed the path with Wang Yan every day. He also briefly mentioned the construction of the academy, but Fan Zhongyan didn't express anything.

But it must be said that Fan Zhongyan's health was visibly improving. There was some flesh on his face, not the withered and thin look he had originally, which is a good thing. A person who is highly respected and lives a few more comfortable years is always a good deed.

Just like this, another ten days passed.

Early this morning, Wang Yan was still the same as usual. After checking in, he came to Fan Zhongyan's office to chat and take official documents.

Just as he sat down and the minor official poured tea, before he could take a sip, Fan Zhongyan handed him a document: "Take a look."

Wang Yan took it and glanced at it, and couldn't help laughing.

This is an official document submitted by the county below. The content is that a group of thieves occupied the mountain as kings, blocked the road and robbed, committed crimes three times, killed the steward of the passing caravan, and seized all the goods. The county sent Garrison troops to encircle and suppress them, but returned without success. They requested to dispatch the elite Garrison troops of Qiantang to go and suppress the bandits.

Putting down the official document, Wang Yan asked with a smile: "What are Fan Gong's instructions?"

Fan Zhongyan shook his head: "Things have come to this, if you don't do it, you have to do it."

"Just withdraw the people."

"Are you willing to stop?"

Wang Yan showed a simple and honest smile: "Student is naturally unwilling."

"What is the plan for the next step?"

"Naturally, dispatch troops to suppress the bandits. This group of thieves is bold and has strong combat power. It is necessary to destroy them in the bud. The matter is of great importance and cannot be neglected, so the prefecture official must go to command in person. As for the candidate... I don't know what Fan Gong thinks of Signatory Judge Zhang?"

"Are you really going to fight?" Fan Zhongyan frowned.

"Fan Gong overestimates the people I arranged. They have no advantage in weapons and armor. No matter how good the method of battle formation and combined attack is, it is in vain. Naturally, they will run to other places and continue to rob. It cannot be too much, so as not to cause panic. It cannot be too little, just like a bone-attached gangrene, making people gnash their teeth, but helpless. It will not attract attention and add interference. After the troops leave the city, Fan Gong and I will go to the Ever-Normal Granary together."

After thinking for a long time, Fan Zhongyan finally nodded: "Just do it this way. I want to see how Assistant Prefect Wang governs the local area."

"Thank you, Fan Gong."

Fan Zhongyan shook his head. He couldn't support it, but he had to. Wang Yan had no intention of staying stable at all. If he didn't support it, Wang Yan would do it himself. If he opposed it, Wang Yan would probably try every means to secretly make trouble and make things impossible to end. Even Fan Zhongyan couldn't stop this kind of thing.

Of course, it's still the same sentence, it's Fan Zhongyan. If someone else came, Wang Yan wouldn't have any idea of communicating, and would only use a period of time to hollow out the Prefect's power, and also have the Prefect be his scapegoat. If they are sensible, the pot will be smaller, and there will be credit. If they are not sensible, go travel... ===== CHAPTER 1044 =====