Chapter 2, What a wonderful display of filial piety and parental kindness!

Wang Jizhen patiently taught his father, saying: "Father, the Doctrine of the Mean is one of the Four Books, the other three being the Great Learning, the Analects, and the Mencius"

It turns out there was a reason he had Wu Shijue beat him up

This burly man is undoubtedly "Living Lü Bu" Wang Fuchen

No problem! Wang Zhongxiao carefully stored the banknotes, then took out a stack of pre-cut white paper and placed it in the box. He then covered the remaining twenty to thirty banknotes with the white paper and smiled, saying, "Doesn't this make it look inconspicuous?"

The child sends greetings to grandfather

Only then did the clerk take out a tool made of twisted copper wire, gently insert it into the keyhole of the copper lock, and after turning it, a soft click was heard, and the copper lock was opened

The craftsmanship of Master Yu is undoubtedly still present, as he carefully took out an old deer skin pouch from his bosom. Upon opening it, one could see several small hooks, rods, hammers, and chisels made of brass, along with some tools whose names even Wang Zhongxiao could not recall, all of which exuded a strong spirit of craftsmanship

Wang Zhongxiao did not want his brother to continue teaching their father here—what if their father developed an interest and wanted to read the "Doctrine of the Mean"? That would be quite embarrassing. Therefore, he hurriedly handed the "Jin Ping Mei" to Master Yu to return it to its original place, and then he stood up to bow to his father: "Son Zhongxiao pays his respects to you, Father"

"It's broken! The old thing is back..." Wang Zhongxiao quickly reacted, hurriedly stuffing the banknote into his pocket, then carefully placing the box back on the bookshelf. He turned to Yu Shiye and said, "Yu Shiye, quickly put all the books back!"

Watching his two sons and a tutor go downstairs together to look at the illustrations in the book, Wang Fucheng slowly stood up from his chair, walked to the bookshelf, took down the book "Jin Ping Mei" along with several other books on either side, and then retrieved the redwood box that was placed behind them

Upon hearing Wang Fuchen mention "the duel" and "Wu Shijue", Wang Zhongxiao was filled with rage... It was during that duel with Wu Guogui's son Wu Shijue that he fell from his horse and suffered a head injury, which is why he has since changed his soul.

No need to say, it must be the old fellow Wang Fuchen who has come up!

What is the Doctrine of the Mean? The Doctrine of the Mean itself? Wang Fuchen spoke while searching for a chair, and then sat down with great authority.

Wang Fuchen nodded and said to Wang Jizhen, "Eldest brother, you and the second brother should go back to him and discuss the matter of selecting Bai Tang A. Also, remind him to be cautious about what to pay attention to after returning to Beijing. Beijing is not like Qujing; one must be humble and careful!" As he spoke, he glared at Wang Zhongxiao, "Once you are under the emperor's feet, you cannot just flirt with any maid who looks pretty... At that point, it won't just be a matter of getting a good beating from their master!"

Wang Fuchen glanced at his tall and strong son and asked with a smile, "Er, why have you suddenly decided to study hard? Is it because you lost to Wu Shijue in the last competition, and your courage has faltered, making you not want to be a martial artist anymore?"

Wang Zhongxiao did not pay him any attention, counting up to twenty before stopping. He then placed the remaining banknotes on the table, and with a smile, took out two banknotes to hand to Master Yu, saying, "Master Yu, one hundred taels is for you, and the remaining one hundred taels is for Wang Mazi and Xiao Lizi"

Isn't it just a matter of worshipping Tang A? With your skills, how could you not be chosen? wwwhetushucomcom Wang Fucheng said with an indifferent expression, "However, it would be good to read more books; perhaps in the future, you could pursue a career as a calligrapher."

Just as Wang Zhongxiao was contemplating something good, suddenly, loud shouts from Wang Mazi and Xiao Lizizi came from outside the window

This, this..." The master clerk was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, "How long can this be concealed?"

What father teaches is. Wang Zhongxiao said, "Father, I used to think it was quiet here, which is why I came to study. Now that you are back, I will return to the small study to read."

Wang Fuchen laughed heartily: "This is indeed my son, the horse hawk!"

The box was quickly opened, and Wang Fuchen reached in to take out the banknotes inside. He began to count them one by one, and as he reached the end, he naturally discovered the pieces of white paper. His expression darkened, and he muttered under his breath: "Little brat, off to gamble again..."

Wang Zhongxiao pondered for a moment, and then the "Doctrine of the Mean" from the "Four Books and Five Classics" came to mind. He shook his head and muttered to himself: "The Master once said: The gentleman is moderate, while the petty person is contrary to moderation. The moderation of the gentleman is that he is a gentleman in accordance with the times; the moderation of the petty person is that he is a petty person without restraint..."

Wang Zhongxiao chuckled and said, "There is no need to hide for long; I am about to go to Beijing for the selection, aren't I? Once I become a guard and earn the favor of the young emperor, will that old man still care about these two thousand taels of silver?"

The father and son, Wang Fuchen and Wang Zhongxiao, are clearly a pair of close relatives, almost as if they were cast from the same mold. The only difference is that Wang Fuchen appears a bit older, probably in his forties, and he sports a rather masculine beard.

However, Wang Jizhen has somewhat gone astray, not following Wang Zhongxiao. He is a round and chubby little fellow, with a small nose and small eyes, always wearing a cheerful expression. Now, upon hearing his father’s question, he chuckled and said: "Father, Second Brother is reading the 'Doctrine of the Mean'"

At this moment, the steward recalled something and, frowning, reminded, "Second Young Master, although the young emperor took power last year, the court is still dominated by Grand Minister Ao. It is not easy to approach the subordinates of Grand Minister Ao!"

Wang Jizhen also said: "Father, I take my leave now."

Seeing Wang Zhongxiao counting money, the steward Yu beside him felt a bit worried, so he kindly reminded, "Second Young Master, do not take too much; if the master finds out, it will cause trouble."

Wang Zhongxiao noticed that his father had not discovered anything amiss with him, so he changed the subject and said: "Father, although I am still a martial artist, I must also read some books; only then can I be selected for a position as a disciple of Bai Tang A in this autumn's examination."

Although his soul has been exchanged, Wang Zhongxiao still cannot help but feel angry when he thinks of Wu Shijue! To use such heavy-handed tactics in a martial contest is truly ungracious!

Of course, Master Ao is the foremost Batulu of Manchuria, a regent minister, and a first-class public figure who can take on a hundred opponents.

Wang Zhongxiao, upon hearing these words, felt his cheeks flush and quickly bowed, saying: "Yes, father, I understand."

His words were delivered with such confidence, as if once he arrived in Beijing, he would surely become the trusted confidant of the young emperor Kangxi.

Wang Zhongxiao saw that the copper lock was open and impatiently said: "Good, good craftsmanship... Hurry, hurry, quickly give me the box!"

While Wang Zhongxiao had not yet finished reading a passage from the "Doctrine of the Mean," he saw a robust and imposing man followed closely by a round and stout figure ascending the stairs.

Upon hearing the title of Ao Bai's great book, Wang Zhongxiao could not help but smirk... No, he actually began to "Zhongxiao" with laughter

Wang Fuchen smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Go on, go on, all of you go!" Then he turned to the assistant and said, "Haitian, it is getting late, you should head back as well"

In later literature, some novels attributed the title of "Shaobao" to Ao Bai; however, in reality, the highest official position he held was that of Grand Preceptor, which is even higher than Shaobao. In the history of the Qing Dynasty, there were only two Grand Preceptors, one being Ao Bai and the other being Ebilun

Aobai, that old fellow, is notoriously unpleasant. It would be one thing if he merely deceived the emperor, but what is most detestable is that he is not particularly greedy for money, nor is he excessively lustful. He is also known for being quite serious and meticulous... He truly treats the Aisin Gioro family's empire as if it were his own business... It is no wonder that the young emperor suspects he is plotting to usurp the throne.

Oh, so this is the meaning of the "Four Books". Wang Fuchen nodded, displaying an appearance of humility and eagerness to learn

Oh? This little rascal is actually studying! Is he reading the "Analects"?

Wang Zhongxiao realized that there was not enough time to change the book, so he simply decided not to change it and directly took "Jin Ping Mei" to read the "Four Books and Five Classics" instead

The master clerk was also at a loss for ideas, so he could only respond with an acknowledgment, and then hurriedly put the several books that were on the table back onto the bookshelf, covering the box again. However, he did not return all of them, as one book was missing, because Wang Zhongxiao had already taken it and was sitting seriously behind the desk, ready to study.

However, when Wang Zhongxiao opened the book and was about to read, he realized something was amiss; the book in his hands was actually the illustrated edition of "Jin Ping Mei"! To be honest, the illustrations were quite well done, employing the technique of fine line drawing, which clearly had collectible value. Just as he was about to switch to another book to study, the creaking sound of the stairs beneath his feet had already begun to resonate.

As he spoke, Young Master Wang Er snatched a box filled with numerous banknotes from Master Yu's hands, then lifted the lid and peered inside with wide eyes, immediately bursting into laughter: "Haha, Aunt Jiu truly did not deceive me; these are all notes from the Fan family's old shop... Each note is worth one hundred taels, and they can be exchanged at face value!"

Thinking of this, Wang Zhongxiao's expression darkened, and he said angrily: "Father, I am not afraid of that Wu Shijue. Last time it was just a mistake; next time we compete, I will definitely make him roll away in defeat!"

Although "True King Zhongxiao" is a physically strong and frivolous young man, has he not just fortuitously acquired a new soul? ... This is the soul of a new person who possesses ideals, morals, culture, and discipline, and moreover, this soul served the people for many years in its previous life ... It is deeply versed in the doctrine of the mean

"Second Young Master, what do you think of my skills?" Master Yu asked with a smile, quite pleased with himself.

Upon hearing the shouts of the two individuals, both Wang Zhongxiao and Master Yu's expressions changed dramatically

Nephew has seen Uncle

Then, Wang Daxiaozi placed the box back on the table and took out a thick stack of silver notes from inside, counting them with a satisfied expression, "Two, four, six, eight, ten ... ... "

As for Lü Bu, there is certainly no doubt about his appearance. He resembles Wang Zhongxiao, being a robust man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, a straight nose, and a wide mouth. Although he has spent many years in the military, his skin remains unblemished and does not darken no matter how much it is exposed to the sun, and he can still be considered to have a face as beautiful as jade.

The steward quickly shook his head while reaching out to take the banknote, clenching it in his hand, "No, no, I dare not accept it... If this matter gets out, I won't be able to bear the consequences!"

The old gentleman then took his leave of the student as well