Chapter 7, Accountability in Naming and Responsibility

Indeed, amidst internal troubles and external threats, the court remains oblivious, yet fixates on a minor flaw, believing that the knowledge imparted by the Academy of Inducement is heretical and must be eradicated without delay. It is pitiful for the few elderly scholars, as they will not know where to seek a livelihood in the future. What did the learned scholar say to you?

Regarding this matter, the foundation cannot deny, "I hope this article can be seen by others, but I do not wish to attract attention because of it, so ..."

The building foundation is busy aligning the spout of the kettle

"It has spilled," Wenren Xueji reminded.

Wen Ren, the scholar, nodded his head, and after another cup of wine went down, he poured again from the eaves, only to find that there was just a little left, realizing that the pot was already empty

The first thought that comes to mind is one's own family. The great general's reputation is renowned throughout the world, yet he has long lost interest in leading troops into battle. Each day, he calculates matters of personal relationships and the division of interests, yet he happens to hold military power, responsible for quelling rebellions in various regions.

Rest assured, I certainly will not reveal the truth to him, but will only say that I wish to work with him to achieve merit, in order to be freed from my confinement

The study of the relationship between name and reality, known as physiognomy, is entirely different from the secular art of fortune-telling. Whether you come to understand it on your own or remain unaware, you should not seek guidance from others

The floor tiles shifted, while Zhou Lü remained in place, cursing at the sky and the earth. The hall was filled with noise, everyone was losing their composure, and no one paid attention to the shouts of the Zhou family's young master

The disciple has received instruction. The building's foundation bows deeply once again

Last night, Wenren Xuejiu spoke to me at length, and it was quite interesting

Is it possible? The building's foundation is still yawning endlessly

The wine on the table remains, and the scholar raises his cup and drinks it all in one go. The host quickly pours another cup. The night is already deep, and one can only rely on the light of the stars and the moon to feel their way around.

It is still the same old theory of names and realities. Lou Chu perfunctorily replied, suddenly not wanting to tell Ma Wei the whole truth.

A cool breeze swept across the surface of the lake, and the scholar seemed to let out a sigh that drifted away with the wind. He extended his empty cup, while the person beside him, holding an empty jug, mimicked the act of pouring wine.

Has Brother Ma inquired about ... ... whereabouts?

Whenever this matter was mentioned, Zhou Lü would become furious, throwing the wine jug to the ground and declaring in a stern voice: "I swear I will not be human until this grudge is avenged! Rest assured, I have already found someone to take revenge for me. Once he makes his move, even the King of Heaven will have to kneel and beg for mercy..."

Louchu did not mind Ma Wei's actions and laughed, saying: "Brother Ma, do you not fear retaliation for publicly judging others?"

Well, I do not intend to dig deep into the matter; I merely wish to remind you that the greater your ambitions, the deeper your patience must be. You have revealed too much too soon, which makes me feel that you are someone whose reputation exceeds their actual abilities

"Inappropriate," the building's foundation shook its head.

At least three days, at most five days

The study of the relationship between name and substance boils down to one principle: "Aligning name with substance." To elaborate, it may seem complex and one may spend a lifetime without fully grasping it; however, in simpler terms, it can be summarized in a few statements: externally, it is about reputation, internally, it is about ambition; "name" and "ambition" are essentially the same. Externally, it is about reality, internally, it is about strength; "reality" and "strength" are fundamentally the same. When name and substance are in harmony, the individual is mediocre; when name exceeds substance, the individual is superficial; when substance exceeds name, the individual is sinister.

The academic credentials of Ming and Shi have historically been regarded as elementary, with a slight connection to orthodox Daoism, which is why they managed to survive until the Tiancheng era. Scholars in this field are few, and even fewer are those who teach it, among whom Wenren Xuejiu stands out as a prominent figure.

Ma Weimei frowned slightly and said, "You need to hurry, Liang the Scholar does not wait for anyone, he is quite anxious."

Lou Chu was once again left speechless

He will never receive a recommendation from Lou Shuo

Ma Wei enjoys making friends and is skilled at it; sometimes it even becomes a form of disguise. Does he belong to the category of "more reputation than substance" or "more substance than reputation"? The foundation is surprisingly unclear.

Zhou Lu approached unsteadily, holding a pot in one hand and a cup in the other. He was quite straightforward, with his name perfectly matching his appearance, making it easy to guess.

Once again, he drank it all in one go. The scholar suddenly burst into laughter several times, saying, "It is evident to the mediocre that no further speculation is needed. The last two types of people are those who are held accountable for their names and realities. When one's reputation exceeds their actual abilities, such individuals are superficial, and nine out of ten chaotic situations in the world arise from the hands of such people. You may think they can accomplish something and entrust them with important responsibilities, yet they end up creating a mess. If they are not utilized, they will voice their grievances and seek opportunities to sabotage.

In the hall, the crowd was already in a state of disarray from drinking, with some laughing uproariously, others weeping bitterly, some cursing loudly, and many engaged in brawls while forcing drinks upon each other.

Not yet, but there are some clues. "Ma Wei looked around and lowered his voice slightly, "Perhaps Liang the Scholar can be of assistance."

Fubo Garden does not provide breakfast, and the others have not yet awakened. Lou Chu and Ma Wei stroll along the path, occasionally catching sight of the lake and then encountering the mountains, feeling quite content.

The heart of the building's foundation raced wildly, while the hands continued to obediently "pour wine".

The building's foundation exited the pavilion, took a few steps, then turned back, kneeling on the ground to pay respects to the scholar Wenren with the formal etiquette of a teacher and student. After three bows, he said: "What you have said today, sir, I will remember in my heart. There is one more matter I would like to inquire about: how does Ma Wei appear in your eyes..."

You submit your article to others, presumably not for money or friendship

The scholar Wenren, however, did not wish to drink any further. He set down his cup and said, "In recent days, you have been somewhat unusual; occasionally, your expression changes suddenly, as if there is a significant matter unresolved in your heart"

On the other end, Ma Wei was engaged in a lively discussion with several individuals, among whom were even two officials from the Eastern Palace.

What is inappropriate?

Alright, I will wait for you for five days

The scholar Wenren drank the remaining half cup of wine and said, "A gentleman acts according to the times; when opportunities do not arise, it is better to remain in obscurity. Those you refer to as 'ambitious' are constantly seeking advancement without regard for timing, location, or interpersonal relationships, often resulting in efforts that yield little reward, or even a lifetime of unfulfilled aspirations. Is this not the mark of mediocrity?"

Wen Ren, the scholar, raised the empty cup and tilted his head back to drink deeply, as if there were still wine in the cup. "Do not regard mediocrity as a pejorative. Most people in the world are mediocre, and mediocrity at least does not cause great harm to society. Those whose names do not match their reality will eventually fall into mediocrity, becoming the person they are meant to be."

"Reputation exceeds reality," Lou Chu immediately made a judgment about Liang Shengzhi in his heart. This person is indeed clever, able to see that the Grand General harbors ulterior motives, but that is all there is to it. Even if he were to meet the Emperor, he would not accomplish anything.

The reality matches the name, and the person becomes complacent, losing any ambition for progress; is this not a form of mediocrity

Ma Wei's smile faded, "Have you heard? The Institute of Inductive Studies is about to be disbanded, and all the scholars will be dismissed"

Louchu slowly placed the empty pot back on the table, striving to control his slightly trembling arms, "Is that so? I personally do not feel that way."

You are a prisoner, inherently unnoticed by anyone, inexplicably self-damaging, surely to conceal the great ambitions within your heart. What has caused you to be so cautious? Is it related to Ma Wei?

The art of assessing individuals? The gentleman has indeed spoken of it before; the study of names and realities can be used to evaluate a person. As the Master said, 'Listen to their words and observe their actions'

Louchu rose again and exited, wandering back to the hall. Along the way, he repeatedly pondered, seemingly gaining some understanding, yet still faced many confusions. However, he realized one thing: almost everything he had done recently was fraught with mistakes, especially in his dealings with Brother Seven, Lou Shuo, where he had made a significant error

The Liang family member speaks recklessly; bringing him in may lead to trouble

The third type of person is overly concerned with reputation; they are secretive and harbor great ambitions, yet conceal them deeply. When they eventually reveal themselves, they are either exceedingly wicked or extraordinarily virtuous. There is only one principle: do not reveal too early, for doing so would damage both their reputation and reality, making them the subject of ridicule among the people.

Is there such a thing?

If the person's name is 'Shangjin', is it really 'Shangjin'?" Louchu held the wine jug and asked

The two continued walking forward, and Lou Chu asked, "How did Brother Ma persuade Liang to help?"

Hey, as a descendant of a former dynasty, there is an advantage: the more miserable the circumstances, the more one can speak freely; being overly cautious may instead lead to suspicion

Wen Ren, the scholar, waved his hand, his voice becoming weak and feeble, "Leave the book box here, you go drink, I want to sit here alone for a while"

Is a person whose name matches their reality mediocre? Lou Chu was taken aback, as this was completely different from what he had learned before, especially not aligning with orthodox concepts

Luo Chu shook his head, and Ma Wei smiled, saying: "Are you worried about being robbed of credit, Brother Chu? I admire you not just for this current matter, but because I truly recognize your exceptional talent..."

Louchu recalled that Liang Sheng claimed he wanted to meet the emperor to impeach General Lou Wen. Perhaps he was aware that he could not enter the palace, so he intended to act while the emperor was on a private visit in disguise.

There is no need for persuasion; I publicly commented on the influential figures in the court, asserting that General Lou must have ulterior motives—apologies, but I must speak ill of your esteemed father—then Liang Sheren took the initiative to approach me.

Lou Chu was awakened early in the morning

Ma Wei appeared radiant and lively, completely showing no signs of how much alcohol he had consumed the night before. "We must leave Fubo Garden before noon, so let's take the opportunity to stroll around."

There are quite a few people like this. The building's foundation is laid, and another cup of wine is poured.

The so-called 'seeking truth from facts' is actually a technique of assessing individuals. The scholar, Wen Ren, slightly lowered his voice, as if revealing a secret that had been hidden for many years

In the classroom, the scholar Wen Ren speaks with caution, ensuring that the study of names and realities does not stray too far from the "orthodox." Tonight is different; perhaps it is the influence of intoxication, or perhaps it is the enchanting beauty of the lake that stirs his heart, prompting him to express the true thoughts that lie within.

The solemnity of the ceremony when first meeting the Crown Prince is matched only by the indulgence of the current scene

Louchu actually did not want to come back to drink, lost in thought, and with nowhere else to go, he unknowingly walked back. At first glance, he saw Liang Shengzhi, the attendant of the Eastern Palace. With the Crown Prince absent, he was essentially the host here. At that moment, he was standing on the table, having somehow procured a bronze goblet, holding it high and slowly pouring the wine over the heads of the people around him, his face alight with the excitement of a successful prank.

Louchu took the wine glass and asked, "Have you avenged yourself?"

The foundation is speechless, this is neither the study of names and realities that he understands, nor the scholarly knowledge of the learned individuals he is familiar with

Arriving at a deserted place, Ma Weidao said: "Perhaps things can be accomplished."

Louchu laughed heartily, recalling the old servant's opinion of Ma Wei at home. He had not paid attention to it before, but now he realized that this friend indeed often had the words "imperial offspring" on his lips

The scholar Wenren shook his head vigorously, saying, "I mention this to make everyone believe that the study of names and realities is relatively orthodox; in fact, it is merely a form of physiognomy, which can not only assess a person's past and present but can even predict their future"

The Crown Prince has returned to the palace, and there are no guards in the garden

Louchu's heart grew increasingly alarmed, and he clasped his hands in a deep bow, saying, "I, as a disciple, have made a promise to others first, and I hope that you will not press further on this matter."

It was not until after the third watch that the uncontrolled banquet finally came to an end. The attendants either guided the guests or carried them, escorting everyone to their rooms to rest, and then they tidied up the mess left behind, each with a blank expression, accustomed to such scenes.

Where have you been hiding? It is truly not easy to have a drink with you. Come, let us have a drink. This is my toast to you, and you must drink it!

Please wait a few more days. If I truly have no way to resolve this, you may contact Liang Sheren again