In the 003rd session, all actions of respect and humility are intricate, and the choice between good and evil is a matter of a single thought towards others

If you put in too little, it will give passersby a hint—"So this is all everyone is giving; tossing in a coin is considered generous!" This is certainly not acceptable. Conversely, if you put in too much, it will create another impression—"This beggar has more money than I do; why should I act like a big shot?" This is even less acceptable. You should place a few bills of varying denominations in the most prominent position based on your psychological expectations and "market judgment" as a psychological cue. For example, Meixi placed two twenty-yuan notes and two ten-yuan notes.

The police had just left when an elderly man, dressed in an old-fashioned silk shirt and with graying hair, paused in front of Meixi. After observing for a while, he took out a one-hundred-yuan bill. Instead of tossing the money into the donation box, he bent down to place it inside. Meixi quickly stood up and bowed in gratitude. The elderly man smiled and said, "Young man, there is no need to thank me; the money is for the calligraphy on the ground, the style of Zhu Suiliang from the Tang Dynasty, quite remarkable indeed!"

The middle-aged man turned around and waved his hand, saying: "No need, young man, take care of yourself."

Mei Xi achieved good scores in the college entrance examination, being admitted to his first-choice university for a key program. Thus, he unintentionally enrolled in Beijing University of Chinese Medicine

How can you do this? Don't look to the sides, I'm talking about you! Is it not enough that you deceive us, but you even tarnish our school's reputation! Just as the sun had set and the sky was dimming, a sharp rebuke came from in front of me. Mei Xi looked up and saw a very beautiful woman.

Mei Xi stood up with a look of surprise, yet her expression was not flustered; she neither ran nor retreated. When encountering the Six Doors while traveling, one must not panic. If you show a flustered and evasive expression, even if you haven't committed a crime, you will still encounter trouble. Mei Xi looked at the officer with a pleading gaze and softly replied: "Officer, I haven't done anything; I just want to ask a kind person for help"

If it were not for encountering the disruption of the venue, colloquially known as "smashing the scene," Mei Xi's begging income on this day might have set a new record. Who would care about the police when someone comes to disrupt the venue? Mei Xi was fortunate to meet her university counselor, Miss Qu. This unexpected encounter was also among the various possibilities that Mei Xi had calculated.

There is nothing else, so the jar of rice must not be wasted. Find Zhang Zhu Bian to pour the rice out and spread it in the courtyard, removing all the sand.

Mei Xi's large luggage was sent by train freight. The luggage of the new university students will be uniformly delivered to the school, so the students do not need to go to the train station to pick it up. He only carried a small travel bag with him. From the travel bag, he took out a small bamboo pole over one foot long, one end of which was wrapped in cotton cloth with a piece of sponge. He also took out a can, opened it, and inside was a mixture of white lime paste with water—this was his writing brush and ink.

Master Mei said: "This is the way of the divine ruler and emperor, which is not taught in the rivers and lakes, and in ancient times, there could not have been private schools. I am merely a country old man, and I cannot articulate profound knowledge clearly."

Regardless of who gives the money, Mei Xi will stand up and politely bow in thanks, sitting down only to stand up again repeatedly. Why does he not find it troublesome and simply remain standing? Standing up from the ground to bow appears formal and sincere. No matter how much the passerby donates, even if it is just a one-cent coin, Mei Xi will stand up and bow in gratitude, without any hint of dissatisfaction. There were a few ladies who, at first, did not give much money, which made Mei Xi's courteous bow seem quite awkward, causing them to blush and toss in a bill before leaving. No matter how much the passerby donates, even if it is just a one-cent coin, Mei Xi will stand up and bow in gratitude, without any hint of dissatisfaction. There were a few ladies who, at first, did not give much money, which made Mei Xi's courteous bow seem quite awkward, causing them to blush and toss in a bill before leaving.

Although Meixi was aware of the nuances of begging, this was his first time in a large place like Beijing with - Tu - Shu, and he was not very familiar with the situation. Where in the vicinity of Beijing West Railway Station could someone like him openly set up a stall to beg? Wouldn't that affect the city's appearance? There were plenty of people asking for money in the train station square and waiting hall, but they were all begging while on the move; setting up a stall to beg directly would likely result in being sent to a shelter. Meixi was quite lucky, as he sat there for half a day before anyone noticed him. There were plenty of people asking for money in the train station square and waiting hall, but they were all begging while on the move; setting up a stall to beg directly would likely result in being sent to a shelter. Meixi was quite lucky, as he sat there for half a day before anyone noticed him

Meixi certainly noticed it and immediately asked tentatively, "Uncle, I am a bit tired. May I sit by the roadside and rest for a while?"

The girl pouted and said, "Why should I beg for money? I can just call home; bank transfers are very fast now!"

Meixi was focused on writing when she suddenly heard voices behind her. Turning around, she saw a middle-aged man in his forties wearing glasses, carrying a travel bag adorned with a luggage tag for new students at Peking University. He was holding the arm of an eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl, clearly a parent accompanying their child for registration. The girl, wearing delicate glasses, looked quite charming and was curiously blinking her eyes at her.

It is a significant event for Meixi to attend university in Meijia Yuan, and the villagers have a special fondness for this obedient orphan who has no parents. Some families prepare clothing, while others provide bedding. Although it is a tradition for the Mei family’s children to become self-reliant after reaching adulthood, the significance of attending university is indeed different. Uncles, aunts, and cousins have all contributed money; otherwise, Meixi would truly have no way to report to Beijing.

Meixi lowered her eyelid and pointed to the ground: "I have no father and no mother, it's all written here."

Meixi shook her head: "I can't figure it out"

Next, Master Mei shared many anecdotes and legends from the old society's martial arts world, without mentioning the matter of passing on teachings again. Mei Xi listened with great interest. At that time, he was only curious about two things: first, what true skills would Master teach him in the future? Second, why was the technique of catching shrimp in the rice jar called "Divine Midnight Thunder," which had nothing to do with thunder in the sky? For these two questions, Master Mei only smiled and did not answer.

Before departing, Master Mei specifically instructed: "Child, you are originally from the Mei family. The money contributed by the villagers and the care you received since childhood must never be forgotten, no matter how successful you become... Over the years, I have shared many tales of the jianghu with you. The true jianghu encompasses the entire world, and you are about to venture out into it. You must take good care of yourself."

Master Mei said: "Even if you see it, you would not understand, because those who study the arts have ancient rules. These rules were established by an individual, and the transmission of the Mei family's techniques is also related to this person"

Master Mei raised his head to gaze at the black plum grove outside the door and thoughtfully replied: "According to ancient tradition, the progenitor of the Eight Great Gates of the Jianghu is the Azure Emperor Fuxi. In the primordial times, the Fuxi clan created the Eight Trigrams, which are divided into the eight gates of Jing, Shang, Kai, Jing, Si, Sheng, Du, and Xiu, summarizing the myriad phenomena of the human world. In later generations, this evolved into the Eight Great Gates of the Jianghu."

Upon arriving in Beijing, Mei Xi immediately thought about how to take advantage of the current opportunity to earn some money. Although the funds gathered from his fellow villagers were sufficient to cover his tuition for the first year, he still had several years of university ahead, along with many other expenses. Mei Xi felt it was inappropriate to continue troubling his fellow villagers. The Mei family’s descendants are accustomed to making their own way in the world; Beijing is a vast arena, and university is also a kind of arena.

According to the terminology of the martial world, the first step is to "observe the venue"; once a suitable location is identified, the next step is to "set up the venue"—choosing a good spot to establish the site. He selected a location not in the train station square, but rather a street corner a short distance from the underpass, to the left. The sidewalk here is relatively wide, and it does not obstruct the nearby shops. More importantly, most of the people passing by are university students and their parents who are here to report.

The police officer instinctively replied: "I am in the second year of high school, and I will soon be taking the university entrance exam. Unfortunately, my grades are not very good, and I am quite mischievous. I refuse to listen to anything I am told... Child, I do not want to make things difficult for you, so pack your things and leave quickly." His tone surprisingly revealed a hint of embarrassment.

Meixi weakly said: "Uncle police, I was wrong, I caused you trouble, thank you for reminding me... Is your son also in school?"

"What have you done? I've seen plenty of fraudsters like you. Be honest with me, or do you believe I can send you to Changhe to sift sand?" the police officer said mockingly, bending down to take his admission notice and ID card. He held them in his hand and examined them for a long time, and then his expression showed a hint of surprise. No matter how you looked at these two items, they did not appear to be fake—they were indeed genuine. Although there are many counterfeit documents on the market now, a police officer on duty at a train station can still distinguish the authenticity of the new ID card. Furthermore, upon examining the admission notice, it was clear it was from this year, and the name matched the ID card.

In the eyes of some, Mei Xi's actions may seem shameful. However, Mei Xi does not share this view, not because he has particularly thick skin, but because he has grown up in the world and has long seen through such matters. Having accepted the money collected by his fellow villagers, he should also be able to accept the kindness of strangers; there is no essential difference between this and accepting donations from charitable organizations. Moreover, he is not deceiving anyone, and those who do good also have their own rewards. Ultimately, it is because the money in his pocket is indeed insufficient to cover the expenses of attending university, and upon arriving in Beijing, he has no other means of making a living.

Meixi asked while tidying up the dishes, "Great-grandfather, how has your magic been passed down? Why have I never seen anyone who truly knows magic?"

At the end of the meal, Mei Xi asked again: "How did the Eight Great Sects of the Jianghu originate?"

The police officer's expression softened somewhat as he threw the identification back to Meixi, staring at her as if she were a monster: "Are you really a student reporting here? I've never encountered a student like you before, begging for alms as soon as you arrive in Beijing? Where are your parents?"

The slight change in the police officer's expression was noticed by Meixi, indicating that there was still room for negotiation. He quickly explained, "Officer, I am not a fraud. I am just a university student who was admitted this year. If you don't believe me, you can call the school to verify, and all my documents are genuine."

The police also reacted, giving Mei Xi a glare. Mei Xi lowered her head, appearing obedient. The police, feeling helpless, smiled and said: "There's no need to rush to erase such good writing. Just sit and rest for a while. Make sure to rest well before you leave. You can't come back tomorrow. Actually, you can apply for a student loan; I’ve heard that universities nowadays have such policies."

Meixi: "Who is it? So impressive!"

Her father also replied softly: "Not like it, I have never seen such a fraud. The notice, the certificate, and the ID card do not seem fake at all... This young man is remarkable."

Mei Taigong: "This person is called Master Zhengyi. It is said that our Mei family's ancestors were his disciples, and he left this lineage in the original place of the Mei family for over 1,200 years. According to the Mei family rules, descendants may roam the rivers and lakes and engage in scholarly pursuits, but they cannot abandon this homeland, nor can they sever the lineage. It is said that this is the legacy of Master Zhengyi... In fact, your origins are unique, and they may also be related to the teachings of this master!" Mei family rules state that descendants may roam the rivers and lakes and engage in scholarly pursuits, but they cannot abandon this homeland, nor can they sever the lineage. It is said that this is the legacy of Master Zhengyi... In fact, your origins are unique, and they may also be related to the teachings of this master!

Meixi pointed to the few lines of text in front of her: "Do you need me to erase it?"

"Gentlemen, I am not an artist; I am a beggar," Mei Xi said with an apologetic and polite smile as he explained to them. At this moment, his calligraphy work had been completed, consisting of an expressive short essay that briefly narrated the story of an orphan from a poor village who persevered to gain admission to university. It described his own financially constrained situation and expressed a hope that passersby would show a little kindness, as being kind to others also fosters goodwill.

Master Mei nodded and said: "Indeed, it may be a stretch of imagination by later generations. I just spoke to you about the Eight Great Gates of ancient times, which encompass various principles of the world, but it lacks the most essential discipline. Can you guess what it is?"

Master Mei said: "It is not yet time to inform you. What I am saying today about the Grand Master Zhengyi and my abilities in magic should not be disclosed by you, nor should you inquire further. Do not be anxious; the matters you are meant to know will eventually come to light."

It is currently the peak time for new university students to report for enrollment. A glance around reveals that many parents are accompanying their children, carrying large and small bags, all looking excited, clearly adults bringing their children to Beijing for university. Mei Xi did not rush to leave the train station for school enrollment; instead, she stood there for a while, observing, and felt that this time and occasion presented a perfect opportunity for "business".

I forgot to introduce, although Mei Xi has just graduated from high school, he is already a somewhat accomplished "calligrapher". His calligraphy is truly a result of the "master's" genuine teachings—Mei Taigong has taught him hand-in-hand since childhood, and he is the only child in the Mei family to receive such treatment. Using a bamboo pen dipped in white paste, he begins to write his works on the sidewalk, reminiscent of the style of Lady Ouyang from the Song Dynasty, who painted characters with reeds.

There is one more important point: placing some coins of very small denominations can evoke people's sympathy. At first glance, one might think: "What a pitiful child, how could someone only give so little?" Thus, they might give ten or twenty yuan; although the amount is not large, it provides a sense of satisfaction akin to performing a "great act of kindness," surpassing those who only give coins. In summary, understanding the intricacies of the world is a form of knowledge, and there are many subtleties in the art of begging among the eight major schools of the Jianghu.

Meixi made a very ashamed expression and lowered her head, saying: "I am begging, I apologize for making you laugh at me"

Meixi finished writing and found two small stones nearby. He placed his backpack at the base of a wall by the road and sat down. He took out his university admission notice and laid it open in front of him, using one of the small stones to weigh it down to prevent it from being blown away by the wind. He then took out a hard cardboard certificate for being an excellent student, folded it into a box, and placed it next to the admission notice, also using a small stone to hold it down in the center. Inside the box, he carefully placed several banknotes of varying denominations. After a moment's thought, he took out his identification card and placed it on the other side of the admission notice. Again, he used a small stone to weigh down the center of the box, and inside, he meticulously arranged several banknotes of different values. After considering it again, he took out his identification card and placed it on the other side of the admission notice.

The father and daughter walked away while talking. Mei Xi took the opportunity, when no one was around, to quickly glance at the banknote against the sunlight, and then tucked it into her wallet. The paper box still contained the same few notes from earlier. To beg on the street, one must have the right tools; typically, a beggar holds a bowl, which always contains some loose change. There are also rules regarding how much money to put in the bowl; it cannot be too much or too little.

Meixi exclaimed, "Is it really that exaggerated? Isn't this the Eight Gates from the mysterious art of Qimen Dunjia? Some of this seems to be a stretch, doesn't it?" Meixi had mingled with her uncle, Daoist Zheng Qian, since childhood, and was somewhat familiar with these concepts.

What is so remarkable about begging for alms

Her father smiled and said, "Darling, let me ask you, if you encounter any difficulties when you go out in the future, will you be able to lower your face like he does?"

Sigh, what I mean is not about begging for food

Mei Xi is well aware of his own background; could there be any other origins? He certainly wanted to inquire further, but unfortunately, Old Master Mei was unwilling to elaborate any more. Mei Xi could only rise to clear the dishes and ask, "Is there anything else you would like to instruct, Master?"

What is there that cannot be done? The police officer was taken aback and replied, "Of course it can."

Dad, what is that person doing over there

Three years passed just like that, and high school was completed. Nowadays, before children enter university, in addition to taking the college entrance examination, they also have to fill out their application preferences, which determines what kind of school they can attend based on their exam scores. Children from the city take this process very seriously; fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, maternal grandfathers, and maternal grandmothers gather various materials and discuss for a long time. In contrast, although Mei Xi's relatives are skilled in deception, they are completely inexperienced when it comes to properly filling out college entrance application preferences. Naturally, Mei Xi sought advice from the most knowledgeable and authoritative figure in the village, Old Man Mei.

Old Master Mei places great importance on Mei Xi's college entrance examination choices, personally selecting the school. His method of choosing schools is quite meticulous—he arranges them according to the order of the eight major schools of the martial arts world. Master Mei first chose the School of Surprise, but Mei Xi informed him that current undergraduate programs do not teach such subjects. Therefore, as a second option, he decided to pursue the School of Fatigue—studying medicine.

At last, a man in police uniform approached with an imposing stride from the direction of the train station. Mei Xi had already caught sight of him out of the corner of his eye, estimating that he was likely a duty officer maintaining order near the train station. However, he still feigned shame, lowering his head to pretend he had not seen him, until a pair of black leather shoes appeared before him, and a gruff voice shouted: "You, what are you doing? Why are you begging next to the West Railway Station?"

"Dad, could he be a fraud? There are often reports like this in the newspapers," the girl asked her father in a low voice

He carried out these tasks calmly and methodically, leaving the father and daughter dumbfounded. The girl hesitantly asked, "Classmate, what are you... ?"

Master Mei made him laugh, and his squinting eyes resembled those of a cunning old fox. He looked at Mei Xi and said, "Of course I can, but as for the specifics, I will only share them when I am willing to teach you. You should take care of yourself."

Not every beggar can earn so much money in a day. Mei Xi relied on favorable timing, location, and human connections, and only set up his stall after careful consideration. First, he chose the peak period for university students reporting in, and he set up near the train station, where the crowd consisted of new university students and their parents. A sign written in such a way, along with this year's admission notice, made it impossible for passersby not to feel sympathy—after all, this was also a child coming to university. Empathizing with him, even if they couldn't discern the truth, they were willing to spare a little kindness at that moment. A sign written in such a way, along with this year's admission notice, made it impossible for passersby not to feel sympathy—after all, this was also a child coming to university. Empathizing with him, even if they couldn't discern the truth, they were willing to spare a little kindness at that moment

The police have left, and Mei Xi let out a sigh of relief, also breaking into a fine sweat. Since ancient times, there have been many villains in the Six Doors, and they have always been difficult to deal with. If this police officer had intended to make things difficult, Mei Xi would never have argued back, quickly admitting fault and packing up to leave, finding another place to reopen far away. Today, it seems they encountered a kind-hearted person!

Master Mei waved his hand and said: "You poured the sand, and you also ate the shrimp. You don't pick, yet you want me, an old man, to pick with you?"

Oh? Is this performance art? The capital is indeed different; as soon as I got off the train, I encountered the legendary performance artist... Good daughter, look, such beautiful calligraphy is quite rare.

What should one study in medicine? If it were up to Old Master Mei, it would certainly be Traditional Chinese Medicine! Where to study Traditional Chinese Medicine? Of course, in the capital city, where there are many renowned doctors under the emperor's feet. If one were to take the entrance exam, it would be for a medical school in Beijing. If others were to learn that Old Master Mei was so set on Mei Xi's application without considering the school's reputation, Mei Xi's college entrance examination scores, whether the major is popular, or future employment prospects, they would likely be dumbfounded. Although Old Master Mei is a seasoned veteran, he is still an old man from the countryside who grew up in the old society, and he does not understand much. If others were to learn that Old Master Mei was so set on Mei Xi's application without considering the school's reputation, Mei Xi's college entrance examination scores, whether the major is popular, or future employment prospects, they would likely be dumbfounded. Although Old Master Mei is a seasoned veteran, he is still an old man from the countryside who grew up in the old society, and he does not understand much

... ...

Beijing is indeed vast, with all kinds of people. This is the largest denomination of banknote that Meixi received today, and she quickly took it and tucked it into her pocket. By the end of the day, Meixi had a bountiful harvest, totaling one thousand three hundred twenty-eight yuan and four jiao by the time dusk fell. If other professional beggars knew about this, they would surely be extremely envious.

Meixi was taken aback: "My origins? What is my connection to Patriarch Zhengyi?"

The middle-aged man pulled his daughter back, signaling her not to ask any further. He looked at her with a questioning gaze for a long time, and finally revealed a look of sympathy. Without saying a word, he opened his wallet, took out a fifty yuan bill, and placed it in the paper box. With a sigh, he took his daughter and left. Mei Xi immediately stood up, bowed to their retreating figures, and said: "Thank you, kind-hearted people. I will not forget your help! Could you leave a contact number so that I can repay you in the future?"

Although shrimp is delicious, it is quite a hassle to pick out the sand. If I had known it would be this troublesome, Mei Xi would have preferred not to eat this plate of shrimp. Since then, Mei Taigong has never mentioned the matter of passing on the teachings, and Mei Xi has not dared to inquire. During the three years of high school in the county town, Mei Xi did not venture much into the world; every time there was a holiday, he was called back home by his great-grandfather, who taught him the intricacies of various martial arts from the Eight Great Gates and recounted numerous anecdotes about the tricks and deceptions of people in the Jianghu during the Republic of China period. Mei Xi was somewhat puzzled about what his great-grandfather intended; did he want to train him to become a great swindler in the Jianghu? Later, he came to understand that his great-grandfather was probably afraid that he would suffer losses when he ventured out in the future.

On a day in early September 2007, Mei Xi walked out of the Beijing West Railway Station alone, two days earlier than the school pick-up time stated in the admission notice. The reporting times for new students at various universities vary, and after taking a stroll around the square in front of the station, one could see several pick-up points for new students from different universities, but there was no sign for Beijing University of Chinese Medicine yet.

"Master, you clearly possess magical abilities. Why are you making me sift through sand?"

The police officer then shifted his feet slightly, carefully examining the few lines of text that he had just stepped on, revealing a hint of compassion as he said: "If what you say is true, it is indeed quite pitiful. However, begging is not permitted in this area; any difficulties should be addressed with the school... Sigh, what beautiful handwriting, far better than my son's scrawl."

In the eight major schools of the Jianghu, the art of giving is divided into "benevolent giving" and "malevolent giving." Mei Xi today exemplifies benevolent giving, which is characterized by kindness towards others. What is the essence of this? It is essential to ensure that the giver feels they have gained something, to provide them with a sense of fulfillment from doing good, rather than a feeling of being deceived by a conscience that compels them. This point is of utmost importance! It not only concerns the livelihoods and survival space of those within the major schools of the world but also contributes to the construction of socialist spiritual civilization. It is essential to ensure that the giver feels they have gained something, to provide them with a sense of fulfillment from doing good, rather than a feeling of being deceived by a conscience that compels them. This point is of utmost importance! It not only concerns the livelihoods and survival space of those within the major schools of the world but also contributes to the construction of socialist spiritual civilization.