Horse-head Wall Reflects the Qing Dynasty

Chapter 15: A shovel of loess in the hometown, a few thoughts of the sun, the moon, and the clear river

"You have to know that those forward-looking texts were not written by time travelers."

"Yes, if it wasn't written by a time traveler, you shouldn't impose your own thoughts on these children at will, right?" Those tangible true feelings flashed through his mind, but Guan Yin still shook his head slightly, trying to get rid of the messy thoughts.

You know, many things that seem unreasonable to future generations are the basis for survival in the current environment - which Chinese does not want to change the humiliating modern history? Which Chinese does not want to keep the Eight-Nation Alliance out of China?
Seeing that Cheng Heng did not respond, Guan Yin's tone involuntarily took on a preaching tone: "Forgetting history is betraying history. Thinking that you can advance or even reverse the course of history by your own efforts, does that mean you respect history?"

"Do you want me to waste my life with another girl while they still don't understand what love is?"

"If you read more plays from the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, you'll know that the ancients weren't as pedantic as those in your history books!"

"Who told you that the ancients in history books were pedantic?"

A knock on the door interrupted Guan Yin's words, but Cheng Heng did not rush to open the door. He stood up and stared at Guan Yin: "Okay, I want to hear how you think we should teach students."

"You should teach them to respect women instead of reading 'Cui Yingying Waiting for the Moon in The West Chamber' and letting them imitate Zhang Sheng and jump into someone else's yard, muttering about the good Hongniang and thinking about the good Yingying." The book that should not have appeared in the school in this era was still prominently placed on the table. Guan Yin's eyebrows twitched, knowing very well how much trouble this book 'The West Chamber' might bring to Cheng Heng at this moment.

"Where will it be..."

"Boom boom boom!"

A message followed the knock on the door, passing through the courtyard and directly into Cheng Heng's study: "Is the master home? My master wants to talk to you about something."

"Think about how to play your role well first." Guan Yin didn't know how much Cheng Heng took his words to heart, but he still patted the "Romance of the West Chamber" on the desk, implying, "Then think of ways to do those things you want to do that don't fit your identity!"

"Knock, knock, knock! Knock, knock, knock... Husband, Sanheng is coming in."

When he opened his eyes, he saw Sanheng with an innocent look on his face. Guan Yin felt a little sad, but also a little grateful to Sanheng for rescuing him from the conflict with Cheng Hengzhi.

In the dream, he was always stubborn and insisted on his own opinion. Now that he was clear-headed, Guan Yin understood that he and Cheng Heng were just looking at the problem from their own perspectives.

After all, there is a thick barrier between ideals and reality. Many things cannot be accomplished by Cheng Heng just thinking about them - how can a career that has been carried out by generations really be accelerated by a "time traveler"?
"My husband is in a daze again... Are you really not going to follow Madam to the village or town to have a look?" San Heng brought the tea to the desk and looked at Guan Yin with a worried look in his eyes. "If my husband feels uncomfortable, don't keep it to yourself."

"I'll help you build the house." Guan Yin didn't want to explain what he was thinking just now. He stood up and walked past San Heng, then turned around and urged the former, "Let's go!"

“Hey…Hey hey hey!”

"Why are you rummaging through other people's things?" When the man approached his desk, Cheng Heng remembered what Guan Yin had just said. He stepped in front of the desk and extended one hand to reach for the felt that was pressing down the book.

Realizing belatedly that he seemed to be trying to cover up the truth, Cheng Heng raised his index and middle fingers together and tapped the spot again and again as if he was at ease.

Acting is acting, just relax and immerse yourself in the character. Reality is reality after all, and Cheng Heng's slightly stiff movements seem wrong no matter how you look at them.

The visitor had a look of surprise on his face, and his eyes inadvertently glanced at the place covered by Cheng Heng's hands, and he explained, "It's a gift for the master." "I have been out selling tea recently. After the transaction was completed, I originally planned to stay there for a while to experience the local customs and feelings, but... my wife told me in the letter that the master has been feeling unwell recently, and the children at home are also very worried about the master, so I rushed to visit the master with local specialties."

There was nothing wrong with the whole string of words. If it weren't for Guan Yin's words that aroused Cheng Heng's guilt, he probably wouldn't have been able to hear the hidden meaning in the words.

"Thank you for your concern. I am generally in good health now." Cheng Heng is now extremely grateful that he had studied history carefully for these scripts. It was even so serious that he kept talking about "ancient style" during that period. His friends even complained about it, saying "You must have gone crazy writing plays." Now his situation is not directly exposed.

"But your son has been..."

My child, I'm sorry. Although I know that I am the villain who complains first, your father will not forgive me if I don't seize the opportunity! Cheng Heng muttered silently in his heart. After all, he became what he didn't want to be!
Sure enough, as long as the child’s study is mentioned, it is easy for parents to shift their focus.

The man immediately turned his attention to his own child. He frowned and glared at the book boy waiting beside him, then turned his earnest gaze to Cheng Heng: "Master, please speak freely."

"If the child is naughty, the teacher does not need to show mercy."

The moment Cheng Heng heard this, he almost laughed out loud.

Oh, my parents also said these things to my teachers when I was a child. Later, when I attended a special art exam training class, my parents still said the same things - it’s just that some teachers are worthy of the title of “teacher” or “sir”, while some teachers can’t even lead by example.

"It's a child's nature to play around during breaks, but as for schoolwork... your son always thinks that since he has inherited the family business, he doesn't have to worry about his studies."

After leaving a message of "Thank you, teacher, we'll talk again another day," the parent hurried home to scold the child.

The wind rolled up the dark clouds, and the warm tea was in front of the people. How many times have we gathered and dispersed? Just ask the light smoke. The moment Cheng Heng put down the teacup, he suddenly realized that his biggest problem was not that he didn't know how to teach.

But I never considered myself as a teacher to these children...

He sat down at the desk and took out the copy of The West Chamber. What Cheng Heng didn't have time to tell Guan Yin was that the book originally belonged to this master.

The book had been turned twice as thick, which showed that the teacher had read it more than once. Judging from the handwriting, it must have been copied by the teacher himself.

That letter was also taken out from this book, Romance of the West Chamber.

The visitor left, and Guan Yin was not there either. Cheng Heng silently opened the copy of "Romance of the West Chamber" and looked at the neatly folded thin rice paper. The ink on the words could be seen through the paper in the sunlight.

There were only a few words in the letter, and Cheng Heng had read it so well that he could almost recite it by heart: A handful of loess in my hometown, a few thoughts of the sun and the moon and the clear rivers. Green pines are for the people and for the rulers, why should I care about my reputation after my death?

The lives of the people may depend on the reputation of honest officials and the reputation of Huizhou merchants. The changes in the world may happen between heaven and earth and before all the people.

After putting the letter away again, Cheng Heng felt that perhaps he should try to play the role of "Master" well first.

(End of this chapter)