Chapter 004 Teacher, I have learned again

Knock knock knock

Outside, Wang Yuan's voice could be heard: "Sir, you have been recuperating for three days; it is time for you to formally teach me how to read, isn't it?"

Wang Yuan held a piece of chalk and wrote six characters: "Sir, I have indeed learned it."

Shen Fuceng often accompanied his benefactor in playing chess, and he also visited brothels with him. He was fully responsible for the correspondence. However, his true role was to solve practical problems for his benefactor; in simple terms, he was akin to a military advisor with a dog-like loyalty.

Chalk is easier to find, and Heishan Ridge belongs to karst topography, with limestone spread across the mountains. By burning and adding water, quicklime can be obtained.

It would be strange not to have learned it; regarding such a statement, even if I were to die, I would not believe it.

Until this moment, Master Shen finally began to face Wang Yuan seriously, as he had previously regarded Wang Yuan's studies as a joke

It is just a bit difficult to clean; no matter how much one wipes, it appears as if a layer of white dust has been smeared on the blackboard

Is this really all he can write

Wang Yuan returned to the room with a blackboard, which was made by asking Liu the carpenter to plane a wooden board and then using natural lacquer mixed with sand from the mountains to smooth it out

At the moment Wang Yuan saw this poem, he couldn't help but scoff inwardly: I believe in your evil, this old man is truly detestable

In fact, there is essentially no difference; it is merely an internal hierarchy of disdain among the guests.

Do not speak of the past; even during his imprisonment, with just a little money, he could enjoy a drink every day. In this dilapidated stronghold, however, one is forced to subsist on sorghum porridge, mixed with inedible bran, and only two meals a day, which is hardly a life fit for a human being

Master Shen jumped up from the bed in shock, like a dog whose tail had been stepped on, and anxiously asked, "What do you want to do?"

Two days later, Wang Yuan once again approached Shen Fuceng: "Sir, I am now able to recite and write it from memory."

With a loud bang, the door was kicked open by Wang Yuan

"Have you really finished studying?" Master Shen exclaimed in surprise

Such an approach results in a total of forty Chinese characters in the poem, of which twelve differ between simplified and traditional forms, with particularly complex strokes. How can beginners quickly master this?

Master Shen, holding a feather fan, strolled leisurely while chewing on a toothpick, following Wang Yuan out the door. He was well aware of the poverty in Wang Yuan's household; the lack of money to purchase writing materials was not his fault

This teaching method is akin to letting the sheep roam freely, lacking any systematic approach. If applied to other children, it would undoubtedly confuse them, and they might even abandon the idea of pursuing their studies.

Bang

When Wang Yuan wrote the characters again, Master Shen was completely stunned. He stared at Wang Yuan as if he were a monster, saying: "You aren't trying to tease me again, are you? You must have learned this before!"

Meanwhile, Master Shen felt an inexplicable sadness, reflecting on how he, Shen Weitang, had spent half his life with such arrogance, only to find himself in a contest with a child

Shen Fuceng holds himself in high regard, positioning himself as a strategist; how could he deign to associate with mere aides, clerks, or tutors?

"There really isn't any," Wang Yuan replied

Among these six characters, there are two characters that are inconsistent between simplified and traditional forms

How could this be?

A knock is heard at the door

There are also some outstanding individuals who draft documents for their employers or serve as part-time tutors for their children. The subsequent blending and confusion between the roles of the steward and the assistant also stem from these stewards who act as private tutors, also referred to as teachers or Western tutors.

Wang Yuan smiled broadly and wrote it again

Master Shen was somewhat confused about the situation, and quickly wiped the text off the blackboard, saying: "Not only must you write it down, but you must also be able to write it from memory"

For engineers, these are not issues; careful consideration of the experiment can resolve them. Due to insufficient flame temperature, it is certainly impossible to produce high-purity quicklime in large quantities, but crushing the limestone and then calcining it in small amounts is more than sufficient for making chalk

Wang Yuan immediately drew his bow and nocked an arrow, squinting as he coldly laughed and said: "You, young man, come from a poor family and have no surplus rice or grain. Since you are gravely ill, there is no need to waste food. I shall send you on your way to the afterlife right now"

However, even though Wang Yuan displayed astonishing talent, Master Shen had already accepted this student wholeheartedly; he still was unwilling to concede easily, as this matter pertained to the dignity of a teacher.

Cough cough

Over a decade of being a steward has cultivated in Master Shen a penchant for ease and aversion to labor. He is only responsible for providing ideas, enjoying good food and drink daily, while the actual execution is left to others to carry out.

Wait!

The Chinese characters possess a complex writing system, and it is truly astonishing for a beginner who has not yet mastered the basic strokes such as horizontal, vertical, dot, and hook to instantly learn six characters

During the mid-Ming Dynasty, the term "Shiye" specifically referred to teachers of higher status. Those who followed the officials to offer advice and strategies were referred to as staff members, associates, or guests.

In just two days, Wang Yuan managed to master the over one thousand characters of the "Three Character Classic," along with memorizing the traditional Chinese characters. After all, in his previous life, he was a student from a 985 or 211 university, so reciting the "Three Character Classic" was much easier than memorizing materials for the graduate entrance examination.

Unexpectedly encountering a sudden wind, there are floating clouds reflecting. Moreover, everyone looks up, without waiting to wield the spear correctly

The renowned scholars of Shaoxing are famous throughout the world, but that was during the time of the Qing Dynasty; the Ming Dynasty did not truly flourish.

Wang Yuan took out a piece of chalk, pointed at the blackboard, and said: "Sir, the wooden board serves as paper, and the lime acts as a pen. Please write the text on the blackboard."

Master Shen, feeling rather bored, surprisingly found it quite interesting. After a brief attempt, he chuckled and said, "Hey, it really can be used for writing"

Master Shen began to ponder deeply, recalling a rather obscure poem from the Tang dynasty. Not to mention the children from the barbaric lands, even many scholars were unaware of it. He immediately wrote down the poem and said: "In the pursuit of knowledge, one must have innate talent. If you can recite this poem within the span of a single incense stick and learn how to write it, then you possess the talent for the imperial examination. If you cannot learn it, it would be better to give up early, and we can part ways amicably.

Master Shen hurriedly got off the ground to stretch his legs, randomly patting his body and feigning a look of surprise: "How strange and wonderful! My peculiar ailment has miraculously healed without any medicine. It must be the nourishing effect of the sorghum porridge in the village!"

At the beginning of humanity, one's nature is inherently good. Sir, I have learned it.

Wang Yuan did not expose the other party's tricks; instead, he earnestly inquired about the meaning of the poem and then began to learn it by heart. In less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick, he was able to recite the Tang poem from memory and said with a smile, "Sir, I have learned it again. According to what you just said, I must have a talent for taking the imperial examination, right?"

So embarrassing

Upon arriving at Heishanling Village, Master Shen felt quite out of place

Although Shen Fuceng was quite looking forward to it, Wang Yuan's speed still astonished him

It can only be said that it is barely usable

If someone were to directly address Shen Fuceng as "Master Clerk," our Master Shen would undoubtedly be enraged

However, Wang Yuan was very satisfied; if he were to start learning from the basic strokes, he would instead find it tedious and impatient.

Master Shen chose to continue his display, reducing the font size significantly, writing the entire "Three Character Classic" on both sides of the blackboard. He then taught it a few more times, threw down the chalk, and said: "You can take your time to read it. I will go inside for a nap. Come find me when you can recite it completely from memory."

Is that so? Then I congratulate you on your recovery from your illness, " Wang Yuan said while playing with the earthen bow in his hand, smiling as he asked, " But since you have just recovered, do you have the energy to teach me to read? "

In the early morning, the sun has already warmed the backside

Master Shen widened his eyes in disbelief, murmuring to himself: "How can this be? How can this be? Is it possible that there are truly innate seeds for studying?"

The ten branches of the vast sea shine brightly, celebrating the heavy wheels of the suspended garden. The fragrant flowers bloom at the morning pillars, while the lotus colors reflect in the morning mirror

"I am in excellent spirits," Master Shen said with a series of forced smiles, then pretended to sigh, "Alas, I also wish to teach you to read. But I am troubled by the lack of books, as well as writing materials such as ink and paper. How can I possibly teach you? A skilled cook cannot make a meal without rice!"

But now, perhaps there is indeed that possibility

However, there are also clerks among the attendants, and their work is quite complex

Master Shen is purely intent on being unpleasant, choosing to use the most complex traditional characters instead of the simpler vernacular ones available

"Sir, please follow me." Wang Yuan was already prepared

Upon seeing Wang Yuan's expression, Master Shen felt an immense sense of satisfaction and delight. Since the two had known each other, he had always been at a disadvantage, but now he had finally managed to play a trick on this child.

Master Shen coughed twice to mask his surprise, then wrote "Similar in nature, distant in practice" and feigned calmness as he said, "The six characters just now were too simple; most children can learn them in no time. I will teach you these six more complex characters instead"

The memories of having two meals a day are too distant for Master Shen, remaining rooted in his youthful years when he aspired to succeed in the imperial examination

Master Shen, dressed in a barbarian short shirt, lay on a thatched bed with disheveled hair, holding a coarse pottery bowl to drink plain water, lamenting and reciting poetry: "No flowers, no wine during the Qingming Festival, my interest wanes like a wild monk. There is no wine in this village, I wonder how much longer I must endure. Pity my seventh concubine, who has barely been married for less than ten days, must suffer the pain of longing... No, my wife, Yuan, has always been domineering; the beautiful concubine in my home must have been driven out by her long ago!" Pity my seventh concubine, who has barely been married for less than ten days, must suffer the pain of longing... No, my wife, Yuan, has always been domineering; the beautiful concubine in my home must have been driven out by her long ago!

Wang Yuan earnestly remembered the writing style and soon said: "Sir, I have remembered it again, I will write it out for you to see."

For instance, if the employer enjoys playing chess, the assistant would teach chess skills and accompany the employer in playing for pleasure. Alternatively, if the employer has a penchant for poetry and literary composition, the assistant would engage with the employer in literary studies. Furthermore, if the employer has a fondness for women, the assistant would take the employer to brothels and occasionally offer some techniques of intimacy—plainly speaking, this is a form of artistic and literary companionship

Master Shen was instantly bewildered

Master Shen smiled and said, "Knowing how to read is not enough; one must also know how to write!"

Children of the barbarian tribes who do not even have household registration, is it not a joke to take the imperial examination?

Master Shen was too lazy to sit up, lying on the bed and asking: "What is it?"

In fact, Master Shen regarded this as a test, thinking to himself: If you can master the "Three Character Classic" even under these circumstances, then what is stopping me from accepting you as a student

Master Shen harbored malicious intentions and was even contemplating revenge. He deliberately chose not to start with the basics such as horizontal, vertical, and diagonal strokes, but instead casually wrote a few characters and pointed to the blackboard, saying: "I will first teach you the 'Three Character Classic.' At the beginning, human nature is inherently good. Learn these six characters first, and once you have mastered them, I will teach you the rest."

Master Shen casually replied, "I am afflicted with a chronic illness, and it is unlikely that I will recover in less than a year and a half."