Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 283: When the east is not bright, the west is bright

"Hey Hey……"

Wu Ning stood there with her hands on her hips, smiling broadly, but no one cared to talk to her now, after all, she started off by saying "Lao Lin, do you want a wife or not?", which was a really powerful and powerful move.

The key point is that her best friend also seems quite satisfied. After all, it is true that the young master was a playboy, but he has changed now and looks quite presentable.

The old man and the old lady of the Lin family were also happy and pleased that their beautiful daughter-in-law came to them on her own. The most important thing was that her family was not bad, she had a good background, and she was well-educated and well-mannered. Anyone would be happy if such a good thing happened to them.

As for Wu Ning, her goal was achieved. As long as she could get in here, she would be able to see Zhang Zhongchun and Xia Daosheng.

Miss Xu was taken away to choose jewelry and silks, and the bewildered young master was also dragged away, leaving Wu Ning alone, sitting in the pavilion flipping through his homemade "Zizhi Tongjian" placed next to him.

At first she thought it was a book of unknown origin, but after reading two pages she was completely shocked. The record started from the 23rd year of King Weilie of Zhou and ended at Sima Jin, a period of about a thousand years. Not only were there annotations but also the sources were researched, from history books to county annals, covering every detail.

She had never seen such an amazing history book before, and she couldn't help but sit there and read it, absorbed in it.

Until a voice behind her startled her.

"looks good?"

Turning around, Wu Ning happened to see Xia Lin standing behind him. He quickly put down the book and laughed a few times: "It's very nice. Who compiled this historical material? It's very impressive."

Xia Lin sat down, took the book and pointed at the name on it. Under the four characters "Zizhi Tongjian" were two names - editor Xia Lin and Zhang Shuo.

"Ah... so you wrote it. Why hasn't it been published?"

Wu Ning was no longer in the relaxed state she had before. She took a deep breath and tried to keep herself calm. After all, facing her real idol, she was still a little nervous.

"Can historical materials be published casually? The Grand Historian has not given his approval." Xia Lin said with a smile, then spread out his fan and looked Wu Ning up and down: "In order to find me, you even put your best friend at the mercy of others. I didn't expect that you, Miss Wu, are also capable of great things."

"Nonsense..." Wu Ning's secret was exposed and he quickly denied it: "My sister just couldn't forget the young master of the Lin family after meeting him..."

Xia Lin laughed disdainfully: "When did you meet?"

"It was... the night I sprained my ankle, in the restaurant."

"Oh? There were a total of 76 men and women in the restaurant that day, 59 men and 17 women, and this sister was not among them. Where did she meet him?"

"you……"

Xia Lin's instinct was to count the number of people when he arrived at a place, and then silently pay attention to the expressions, movements and appearances of everyone present. He had a photographic memory, which was a skill shared by both his two lives, and he would never make a mistake.

As they were talking, the servant brought breakfast to Xia Lin, and he started to eat without any hesitation. Wu Ning sat there feeling extremely awkward, and the discomfort after being exposed made her feel like sitting on pins and needles.

Not long after, Lao Zhang also came out from the backyard. When he saw Wu Ning, he exclaimed and then sat over: "You caught him here?"

"Well, you two are really amazing. You actually swapped identities to play such a dirty trick." Wu Ning was at a loss for words at this moment, so he could only ask back: "You are also literary masters of the time."

Xia Lin ate in silence, but Lao Zhang just rolled up his sleeves and pointed at the two books on the table: "Here is a copy from Fuliang Bookstore, and one from Xuancheng Bookstore. Put the two books in front of you, and tell me which one is from Fuliang and which one is from Xuancheng. You can't tell them apart, right? Maybe the Fuliang one is a little clearer, but to you, there's essentially no difference."

"Why should I know which one is which?"

Lao Zhang spread his hands and said, "Yes, why do you need to tell which is which?"

Wu Ning clapped her hands and realized that she had fallen into his trap. Now she answered her own question. Damn it... Zhang Xia's double uniqueness was not exaggerated after all, this reaction was too quick.

Wu Ning had never suffered such an injustice before, but at this moment, she moved her mouth and found that she could not find any reason to refute.

"Most things in the world are like this. It's much harder to pretend to be confused than to pretend to understand." Lao Zhang shook his head gently: "Listen more, watch more, do more, talk less, ask less, and make fewer assumptions."

At this moment, Xia Lin raised his head and said, "Come on, you are a jerk. You are lucky to be alive today, and you are still trying to reason with others."

Lao Zhang sneered: "It's easy to know but hard to do. Isn't the most difficult thing in the world to combine knowledge and action into one? If all I know is what I do, then wouldn't I be a saint?"

Xia Lin raised his head suddenly: "Fuck..."

"What the hell?"

"Wait a minute." Xia Lin raised his hand: "If you refine this and select it carefully, you will really become a saint."

"It's just a casual remark. Why are you so excited?"

"I'm not the one who's so excited. You've already touched the edge of the study of the mind. This is a study of the world."

Then the two of them discussed the philosophy of mind for half an hour. Wu Ning, who was sitting next to them, had a blank mind. He only knew that they talked about everything from Laozi and Zhuangzi to Confucius and Mencius, from the various schools of thought to the core of the three religions.

"Then you said to cultivate the Tao, what is the Tao? You can't explain it clearly."

"How can this not be explained clearly?" Old Zhang frowned. "The so-called Tao is actually human desire. What you desire leads you to Tao. You, Xia Daosheng, have your own Tao. You are greedy for money and lustful, so you will definitely walk on a path of greed, anger and ignorance. The essence of practicing Tao is actually against Tao. Taoism emphasizes going with the flow, Buddhism emphasizes curbing desires and cultivating the mind, and Confucianism emphasizes the unity of man and nature. One is to follow, one is to block, and one is to lead. In fact, the core is almost the same, that is, to control your unreasonable desires and lead them to the right path. Why has Confucianism been respected since the Han Dynasty? Because if it were Taoism, he would follow the flow and the thunder god would help me. Buddhism... What Buddha do you think can block desire? The more you block it, the deeper the desire. Only Confucianism can lead you to another path. You are greedy for money and lustful, and he tells you that this is not right, you should serve the country and the people, so you think serving the country and the people is right."

After saying that, Lao Zhang slammed the table and said, "Fuck, what's wrong with being greedy for money and lustful!?"

At this point, Xia Lin was no longer able to participate. Lao Zhang's comprehension was beyond words. Sometimes he could come up with new ideas from just a few simple sentences.

But it was a big shock to Wu Ning who was standing next to her, because she was well educated, but not very proficient. She only knew the Four Books and Five Classics, but what she understood was other people's principles. She thought that it should be so, just as the books said.

When she heard Zhang Zhongchun's words today, her heart was like a long ringing of a heavenly chime, which made her ears and eyes clear. What's wrong with being greedy for money and lustful?

Yeah, what's wrong?
What is wrong is not greed and lust, what is wrong is taking advantage of others, raping other people's wives and daughters, and using any means necessary. There is nothing wrong with greed and lust; it is one's nature.

Human greed is the original nature, and the seven emotions and six desires are the human way. Only when you know where your own way is, can you truly achieve the unity of knowledge and action.

Oh my... a literary giant is a literary giant! I used to think that Xia Daosheng was better than Zhang Zhongchun, but today it seems that the two are absolutely neck and neck, and it is impossible to tell who is better. In fact, Zhang Zhongchun is better at academic thinking, while Xia Daosheng is better at dealing with practical problems.

Although the two of them discussed it as if they were bickering, the shock it brought to Wu Ning was subversive, causing her to sit there and think for a long time.

"I'm going back."

After a long while, Wu Ning stood up, walked halfway in a daze, and suddenly turned back and said, "Can I come again?" "It's not my house. You can ask the master if you can come." Xia Lin leaned over and ate the cake: "We don't have anything shameful to do."

Wu Ning bowed and quickly returned to his home, where he quickly recorded what he had seen and heard today.

In a blink of an eye, it was the next day, and Wu Ning came to visit again early in the morning. The weather had gradually turned colder, and today Wu Ning was dressed very formally, carrying a variety of things in his hands.

She came today for no other reason than to become a disciple.

She thought about it the whole night after she got home yesterday, and today she was determined to become this master. Then, not only could she brag to her sisters, but she could also learn real things from them.

She talked to her father for a long time about this early in the morning. Her father couldn't do anything about her. He knew that his daughter was willful, so he could only let her do it.

When Wu Ning appeared in front of Xia Lin and Lao Zhang again, she put the things on the table and said, "I want to become your disciple."

Xia Lin blinked and looked up at her: "Why do you want to be my disciple? Do you want to take the imperial examination as well? If you take the imperial examination, it would be considered deceiving the emperor."

"No, I don't want to take the imperial examination. I just want to learn something."

After hearing this, Xia Lin laughed and pointed at Lao Zhang and said, "You might as well marry him."

Lao Zhang stepped on his instep and said, "You can't make such jokes."

Wu Ning lowered his eyelids and was silent for a while: "That's fine."

"No!" Lao Zhang waved his hands quickly: "Don't talk nonsense to me. Do you listen to this guy? Are you still alive?"

Xia Lin laughed beside him. It was a good thing that the young master was dragged by the master and his wife to the Xu family to propose marriage today, otherwise he really didn't know how to make fun of Wu Ning.

"Then I will become your disciple, or I will marry you. That's it. There is no other choice. Either you accept me as your disciple, or I will tell my father that we are already husband and wife."

Wu Ning glanced at Xia Lin as he spoke, then looked at Lao Zhang with a firm attitude.

"Oh! What do you mean by looking at him? You can't blackmail him, so you come back to blackmail me? I'm easy to bully, right?"

Wu Ning's silence probably meant he agreed. Xia Lin was already laughing so hard that he pounded the table. He quickly waved his hands and said, "I don't care. I don't know anything. I just didn't expect that Lao Zhang, Lao Zhang, you, a decent person, would do such a thing? How old is she?"

"you!"

Old Zhang gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, go tell your father."

"Okay, I'll go right away."

Wu Ning really stood up and tried to walk out, but her steps were very slow and she became anxious. She had only one thought in her mind: "Call me...Call me...Call me!"

At this moment, Xia Lin's voice was heard: "Wait a moment."

Wu Ning immediately felt relieved of a heavy burden and turned back happily: "Did you agree to be my disciple?"

"No." Xia Lin waved his hand and said, "Go back and tell Magistrate Wu that after this matter is settled, we should try to hold the wedding before the New Year. The baby should be born around this time next year."

Hmm? Didn't I say Miss Xu's words yesterday?
Wu Ning pursed her lips and stood there without moving. She really didn't expect that the other party would be so tough. She had come this far, but they were still unwilling to take a step back.

Old Zhang finally spoke at this moment. He coughed and said, "I won't accept you as a disciple, but we will stay here for a few days. If you want to learn, come and study with Master Lin every morning."

"Really?!" Wu Ning shouted excitedly.

"Oh, really, really." Lao Zhang waved his hands and said impatiently, "Don't use such tricks next time. It's easy to deal with someone like me who is kind-hearted. But if you meet a plague god like Xia Daosheng, he will definitely think that you are going to frame him anyway, so it's better to make it a done deal."

Xia Lin turned around and looked at Lao Zhang in astonishment: "You fucking ..."

"Aren't you Xia Daosheng?" Wu Ning turned his head with a sly smile: "You said it yourself."

"Great!" Xia Lin clapped his hands and laughed beside him: "Good, good, it seems that there will be a confrontation after all."

Although it was not a formal apprenticeship, Wu Ning eventually joined the study group. Xia Lin still came to class every day, and Lao Zhang also had disputes with him from time to time.

However, the only difference this time is that there is a female version of Lao Zhang. Xia Lin feels that the competition between the two of them is really exciting. No matter what the topic of the debate is, although Lao Zhang will win in the end, the process can be described as difficult.

Before we knew it, it was the end of the year. The young master got married ten days ago and had a family now. However, he still had to get up early every day to read because he had exams to take.

But he never went out to have a girlfriend again, and basically stopped thinking about the idea of ​​being a prostitute. And Lao Zhang took advantage of this period of time to retreat and further perfected his theory of knowledge and action with Xia Lin.

Their days were peaceful and smooth.

But there was one guy whose life was not so good. He was Xiao Chenzi, who was dragged to the north to guard the pass. He was alone with a group of old, weak, sick and disabled people guarding the pass. Not to mention foreign soldiers, even a dog would not come here easily.

Even if there was a conflict with Goguryeo, they would not choose this dangerous route unless they wanted to take a risky route. This place is not so much to prevent foreign enemies as it is to prevent internal smuggling.

With the opening of the Yanmen Pass, even dogs are no longer smuggled through these mountains and hills. People can do business directly outside the pass with impunity.

Therefore, Huangyaguan became a cold and miserable place with few people and no birds.

But Xiao Chenzi is Xiao Chenzi after all. Although life here is hard, he still has some abilities. He took advantage of the good weather and asked the soldiers guarding the pass to build houses in a row.

Then they learned from the villa area in Fuliang that they connected boilers in series. There were less than 800 people here, and not much coal was burned in a whole winter. Instead, it allowed the soldiers who had been enduring the severe cold to have a warm winter.

"General, everything has been arranged. After the beginning of next spring, we will also build a business place outside the pass, and then attract the people from the surrounding areas to do business with the people over there."

"Yeah." Xiao Chenzi wrapped himself in a blanket and took a deep breath: "Can you find a way to contact the leader of Shiwei? I want to talk to their leader."

"General, this may be difficult. We are at a small checkpoint here."

"Isn't the Prairie King's Court attacking them? Just go and tell them that I have a way to stop the Prairie King's Court's offensive. If you hesitate, the Shiwei will be gone by this time next year."

(End of this chapter)