Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 350 Another scholar has run into trouble?
Wen He, Li Chengqian, and the gray-robed scholar stood in the middle of the road, looking at each other awkwardly.

Behind the bushes by the roadside, Zhang Wenxiao, dressed in coarse farmer's clothes, was tightly gripping a sickle, his eyes fixed on the scholar.

He was originally ordered to protect him in secret, but he found the scholar's origins unclear.

They were already prepared to take action, their eyes fixed on the scholar's feet, fearing he might suddenly attack.

Just then, the scholar took a step forward, as if he wanted to get closer to speak.

Thinking he was about to attack, Zhang Wenxiao immediately leaped up from behind the bushes, followed closely by two riders also disguised as farmers. The three of them charged towards the scholar.

"ah!"

The scholar had just finished bowing to Wen He and Li Chengqian when he looked up and saw three burly men rushing towards him menacingly. He was immediately terrified and shouted, "Save me!"

Terrified, he crouched on the ground, covering his head, his body trembling uncontrollably.

Wen He and Li Chengqian were both stunned. After they came to their senses, Wen He quickly waved his hand, telling Zhang Wenxiao and the others to leave immediately.

Only then did Zhang Wenxiao see clearly how the scholar was cowering in fear. Looking at Wen He's expression, he immediately stopped awkwardly, cupped his hands in greeting to Wen He, and led the two riders away in another direction, not forgetting to secretly glare at the scholar.

If Wen He hadn't stopped him, he would have almost accidentally injured someone.

“Young man, don’t be afraid. He’s a local farmer, just a straightforward guy. He’s not a thief.”

Wen He looked at the trembling scholar in front of her and couldn't help but chuckle. She stepped forward, patted his shoulder, and explained.

The scholar cautiously raised his head and looked in the direction Wen He pointed. Seeing that Zhang Wenxiao and the others had indeed gone far away, he breathed a long sigh of relief, stood up from the ground, patted the dust off his body, and still looked somewhat shaken.

"Thank you both for getting me out of trouble... but these farmers are so fierce and menacing, they almost scared me to death."

He said with a wry smile, his voice trembling slightly.

"You're quite the coward."

Li Chengqian couldn't help but laugh when he saw him like this, remembering how he had squatted on the ground with his head in his hands earlier.

Upon hearing this, the scholar blushed slightly with embarrassment and chuckled awkwardly as he explained, "I have been frail since childhood and come from a poor family. I have never learned archery or horsemanship. I was inevitably flustered by this situation. Please forgive my embarrassment, gentlemen."

"Are you a scholar?"

Wen He sized him up, and judging from his manner of speaking, he must have been educated.

Although his clothes were faded from washing and the fabric was rough, they were clean and tidy, and he was wearing a small crown, typical of a scholar. He was dressed as a Confucian scholar.

"I am Meng Zhou, a student of mathematics at the Imperial Academy."

As Meng Zhou spoke, he gave Wen He and Li Chengqian a very proper crossed-hand salute. Although the movement was restrained, it revealed a certain scholarly etiquette.

"Studied mathematics at the Imperial Academy?"

Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes and subconsciously looked Meng Zhou up and down, his tone carrying a hint of curiosity.

When he was in Chang'an, he heard from the teachers in the palace that the Imperial Academy was divided into six departments: the Imperial Academy, the Imperial College, the Four Gates Academy, the Law Academy, the Calligraphy Academy, and the Mathematics Academy. The Mathematics Academy was the lowest level, and it was mostly studied by children of commoners.

Seeing his expression, Wen He raised her hand and gently slapped his head. With a soft "smack," Li Chengqian cried out in pain, clutching the back of his head. He looked up at Wen He with questioning eyes and said, "Wen Da, why did you hit me!"

"Do you feel you're bad at math?" Wen He asked.

Li Chengqian was taken aback: "No, I didn't mean that."

Meng Zhou had clearly misunderstood as well, and a self-deprecating smile appeared on his face. He said softly, "Although mathematics is the last subject in the Imperial Academy, it is one of the few practical subjects offered to children from commoner families. My family is poor and I cannot afford to study at the Imperial Academy or the National Academy. I can only choose mathematics so that I can at least learn some arithmetic skills and make a living in the future."

As he finished speaking, his voice gradually lowered, tinged with shame.

In the eyes of others, mathematics was always considered "second-rate," and he was always looked down upon whenever he mentioned his subject.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of! Heroes come from all walks of life, and academic disciplines are not ranked."

Wen He quickly interrupted him, speaking in a solemn tone to reassure him, and then turned to glare at Li Chengqian.

"What did you mean by that look you gave me just now? Did you think mathematics was a low-level subject?"

The reason he hit Li Chengqian earlier was because he was afraid that the boy would casually say something disrespectful to mathematics and hurt Meng Zhou's pride.

Mathematics may seem insignificant, but it is related to many practical matters such as taxation, engineering, and calendar. Many officials in the court who were in charge of finance and construction came from mathematics backgrounds, so how can it be underestimated?
"Although law, calligraphy, and mathematics are mainly for the sons of officials below the eighth rank and commoners, one still needs to pass a formal examination to enter the Imperial Academy. The difficulty is no less than that of the Imperial Academy itself. Moreover, do not look down on mathematics. This knowledge will be of great use in the future. Governing a region requires calculating taxes, repairing rivers and roads requires calculating engineering projects, and even compiling a calendar requires arithmetic. Without mathematical talents, the court cannot accomplish many things."

Wen He spoke seriously to Li Chengqian, each word spoken with earnestness, wanting him to understand that all knowledge has its value and cannot be judged by its "high or low" status.

Li Chengqian covered the back of his head, looking a little aggrieved, and whispered in protest, "I didn't say that mathematics is bad! I was just curious why a mathematics student would come to Zheng County. The imperial examination is just around the corner. Shouldn't they be in Chang'an preparing for the exam? I haven't even asked yet, and you've already hit me."

Wen He was taken aback upon hearing this.

So it was a misunderstanding? Looking at Li Chengqian's aggrieved expression, and then at Meng Zhou's suppressed laughter, he coughed twice to cover his embarrassment and quickly changed the subject, asking Meng Zhou, "Yes, Young Master Meng, the imperial examinations are approaching. Why aren't you preparing in Chang'an? Why have you come to Zheng County instead? Are you here to study as well?" "Of course! The people of Gaoyang County are benevolent, and His Majesty is virtuous. We scholars should disregard our own hardships and do our part for the common people!"

Upon hearing this, Meng Zhou immediately showed a face full of admiration, cupped his hands in a salute towards Chang'an, and his eyes seemed to sparkle with light.

That was a heartfelt endorsement of the initiative to "enable ordinary people to read books," and also a fervent anticipation of a prosperous era.

Looking at his solemn expression, Li Chengqian blinked and asked in confusion, "Is it just for this?"

In his eyes, while studying abroad was meaningful, Meng Zhou's "obsession" seemed to be heavier than that of ordinary scholars.

"Naturally, it is not only this, but it is also the foundation."

Meng Zhou explained with a smile, his tone tinged with excitement, "Young master, do you know that there are already more than 1,600 scholars traveling here? The imperial court allocates one string of cash per day for each scholar's travel expenses, which is more than 1,000 strings of cash."

"If any village children are taught to read and write, there will be additional rewards. Isn't the imperial court's willingness to invest so much precisely for the benefit of the common people and poor families?"

He paused, gazing at the distant fields, his tone full of longing: "If everyone in the world could read, if everyone understood good and evil, and if there were no hunger or cold, no strife, then it would surely be a golden age rarely seen in history. I am fortunate to have lived in such an era and to be able to contribute to this cause."

Li Chengqian listened to his words with a blank expression on his face. He subconsciously looked at Wen He with a question in his eyes: "Is what he said true?"

He was used to hearing grand pronouncements about "governing the world" in the palace, but this was the first time he had heard such specific and fervent expectations from a commoner scholar, which he found hard to process for a moment.

All I can say is, let's try our best.

Wen He smiled helplessly and reached out to rub Li Chengqian's head.

The human heart is the most complex thing; good and evil can never be distinguished by knowledge or diplomas.

Even if everyone reads books, it may not be possible to completely eliminate evil thoughts.

Meng Zhou's expectations were beautiful, but reality was far more complicated than his ideals. Even in the era he came to, "wolves in sheep's clothing" had never disappeared.

However, he did not say these words.

Li Chengqian doesn't need to know these things right now.

"This young man is right!"

Meng Zhou, however, did not feel discouraged; on the contrary, he greatly appreciated Wen He's words.

"Despite the difficulties, we must not give up. It is precisely because evil exists that we scholars must persevere and use reason and knowledge to change it."

As he spoke, he suddenly realized something and looked puzzled.

"By the way, these two young men speak with remarkable manners, unlike those from farming families. May I ask who you two are..."

He initially just wanted to ask for directions, but the more he talked, the more he realized that these two children were not ordinary. Wen He, in particular, was far more insightful than her peers. Li Chengqian, though not talkative, also exuded an air of neither arrogance nor servility, clearly indicating that he was not from an ordinary family.

"Oh, I am Wen Da, and this is my young master named Li Dalang. He is also a student on this study tour. We are on our way to Chenjia Village to teach the village children to read."

Wen He explained with a smile, concealing Li Chengqian's true identity and only mentioning an alias.

"Ah! What a coincidence!"

Meng Zhou looked surprised, then bowed to Li Chengqian with his hands clasped, his tone full of admiration.

"Young sir, you are still so young, yet you have such ambition, daring to share the burdens of the court and resolve the doubts of the common people. I am truly ashamed! I have come to Zheng County this time to visit Chenjia Village."

"Two of my classmates who studied mathematics there have been traveling and studying there for a long time and have not returned. I want to go and find out more about them. I have heard that the people there are kind and honest, so I would like to start teaching children there, just like those two classmates."

Li Chengqian was somewhat taken aback by his solemn demeanor, and returned the greeting with a dry laugh, while secretly muttering to himself.

This person speaks in such a pedantic way, even more so than the scholars in the palace.

Wen He was somewhat taken aback.

He never expected that someone had already gotten there first.

But we've already come this far, we can't just turn back now.

Why don't we go and take a look first?

Moreover, he felt that Meng Zhou was straightforward and sincere, so he invited with a smile: "Since we are going the same way, why don't we walk together? It'll be good to have company on the road."

Meng Zhou replied, "Very good, very good."

Wen He rubbed her lower back; her kidneys were in good condition.

(End of this chapter)