Dream of the Red Chamber: Start by gaining Zhao Yun's martial prowess, and be ennobled in a sin

The Jia family school now mainly teaches the knowledge required for the imperial examinations, which is the official and prominent school of thought, with little exposure to other schools of thought.

Because the Han Dynasty stipulated that the interpretation of the Four Books and Five Classics in the imperial examinations must be based on the commentaries of Neo-Confucian scholars such as Zhu Xi, scholars were required to "speak on behalf of the sages" and were not allowed to have their own independent opinions.

This was a means to consolidate imperial power, unify thought, and institutionalize the imperial examination system and politics.

Jia Jing remained silent for a moment before speaking;

"In terms of abilities, your focus on studying and practicing martial arts is sufficient for now. When you are a little older, I will arrange for you to travel and study in various parts of the world to broaden your horizons."

"In terms of learning and knowledge, one should first broaden one's knowledge and then delve deeper into it. One should read widely and absorb diverse knowledge, and not neglect any particular school of thought or school of thought."

"We should study extensively and explore a wide range of schools of thought, including the pre-Qin philosophers, Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Han Fei, Mozi, and the great masters of the Tang and Song dynasties."

"It should be understood that only by learning from others' strengths can we mutually verify each other's findings; clinging to old ways will inevitably lead to crudeness and shallowness!"

"I will discuss this matter with Mr. Qin from the clan school and ask him to broaden your learning scope and not limit you to the Four Books and Five Classics."

"In addition, I will have someone build a library for the clan school in the second half of the year, so that the clan members can borrow and study extensively."

Wang Shizhen, a famous scholar of the Qing Dynasty, recorded a famous anecdote in his book "Chibei Outan" entitled "Jinshi does not read 'Records of the Grand Historian'".

Because of its biting satire, it became a highly representative "examination joke" in the history of Chinese culture.

It tells the story of Song Wan, a writer, studying at a private school in the early Qing Dynasty.

One day, a man with a serious expression and an imposing manner walked in. It turned out to be an elderly "top-ranking scholar" (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

The old scholar saw Song Wan reading a thick book and asked, "Child, what book are you reading?"

Song Wan respectfully replied, "The Records of the Grand Historian."

The old scholar then asked, "Who wrote it?" Song Wan replied, "The Grand Historian Sima Qian."

Upon hearing this, the old scholar immediately frowned and asked in a condescending tone, "Which year did you, Grand Historian, graduate from?"

Song Wan was taken aback for a moment, then honestly replied, "The Grand Historian was the Grand Historian of the Han Dynasty, not a scholar who passed the imperial examination."

The old scholar immediately showed a disdainful look and said, "So you don't even have any official rank!"

He then picked up the Records of the Grand Historian, pretended to flip through a few pages, casually tossed it aside, and said disdainfully, "The writing is mediocre; what's the point of reading it?"

After saying that, he held his head high and walked away arrogantly.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the imperial examinations were based on Zhu Xi's "Collected Annotations on the Four Books," with all exam questions drawn from the Four Books and requiring answers in the "eight-legged essay" style.

Many scholars spend their entire lives making a living from a few "officially designated" textbooks, completely unaware of other knowledge and learning, and even unaware of who Sima Qian was.

The fact that someone who had never even heard of the historical masterpiece "Records of the Grand Historian" could pass the imperial examination with flying colors is itself a great irony of the imperial examination system.

Can we expect someone who passes the exam in this way to be knowledgeable, cultured, capable, practical, useful, and able to contribute to the country?

The Han Dynasty's current imperial examination system is similar to that of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, though slightly better, but not by much.

Of course, it must be said that,

At any time, most truly renowned officials and scholars were well-read individuals who integrated ancient and modern knowledge, practiced what they learned, and combined knowledge with action!

The reason Jia Jing established the Jia family school was naturally to cultivate a few truly well-read and capable individuals!

Not just some ignorant bureaucrat who only knows how to take the imperial examinations and is of no use to him, the Jia family, or the Han Dynasty!

Upon hearing this, Jia Cong was deeply moved and solemnly bowed, saying:

"Thank you so much, Third Brother, for your care and guidance!"

He knew that for Jia Jing, given his status and position, to say such things to them meant that he truly regarded them as close friends and was sincerely supporting and instructing them!

Unlike previous figures such as Grandmother Jia, Xing, Lady Wang, and even Jia She and Jia Zhen, who were more concerned about the strength of illegitimate children and the weakness of legitimate children, this time they were more concerned about the strength of illegitimate children and the weakness of legitimate children.

They were afraid that if these illegitimate sons became successful, they would seize the family business and resources from the legitimate sons, so they secretly kept a close watch on them and suppressed them.

As a result, even servants like Lai Shangrong in the Jia family became officials, while the sons of the family faced a bleak future and even struggled to make a living!

Therefore, Jia Cong was very grateful for Jia Jing's kind and encouraging teachings!

At the same time, he secretly resolved to cherish this hard-won opportunity, work hard, and truly make a name for himself!

At this moment, Jia Lan, like a little adult, bowed respectfully to Jia Jing!

When Jia Huan heard that there would be more reading and coursework in the second half of the year, he hung his head and looked like a wilted eggplant.

He genuinely disliked studying and was determined to master martial arts so he could become a military officer. Even becoming a personal guard like Xuanwu would be better than being a scholar!

His ambition was: "I'd rather be a centurion than a scholar!"

Jia Jing glanced at the group and smiled:

"That's all for today! Do you have any questions for me? While there's still some time, I can try to answer them!"

The three remained silent for a moment, then Jia Lan, who had been speaking very little, suddenly spoke:

"My mother told me that my third uncle once said that a man's primary virtue in dealing with others is to be discerning and strong. I wonder what the primary virtue should be in studying and practicing martial arts?"

Jia Jing was taken aback. He had said those words a few days earlier when he questioned Grandmother Jia in Rongqing Hall, but he never expected that Li Wan would privately teach them to Jia Lan.

However, this is understandable. Just as modern people like to learn about success, people always like to draw on the success philosophies of those who have already achieved success.

Moreover, Jia Jing was a young man who had accomplished great things, and there were many in the Jia family and even the entire capital who wanted to learn from and emulate him!

Jia Jing thought for a moment, then spoke slowly:

"If I had to pinpoint a word, it would probably be perseverance! Whether it's studying, practicing martial arts, or striving for personal improvement, these two words should always come first!"

"Perseverance?" Jia Cong asked, somewhat puzzled.

Jia Jing further elaborated:

"The steadfast are like a rock, unmoved by the passing years; the patient are like supple silk, unyielding despite hardship and adversity. The steadfast and patient combine strength and gentleness, never giving up, and persevering with unwavering determination!"

Why are there so many intelligent people in this world, yet so few who achieve great things? The difference lies in a steadfast heart.

"Just like what you just said, Zhang Zai, the great master of the Song Dynasty who proposed the Four Lines of Hengqu, was a typical 'perseverance' who fought for his personal ideals for decades and never changed his mind despite the hardships of life."

Upon hearing this, Jia Lan and the others were all struck by a sudden realization, their expressions showing a hint of understanding. They bowed and clasped their hands in greeting, saying:

"Thank you for your guidance, Third Uncle and Third Brother!"

The group then exchanged a few more words, and Jia Jing even spontaneously composed a poem, "Bamboo and Rock," for the three of them to encourage themselves!

As the sun sank further west, the clouds on the horizon turned a dark purple.

Xuanwu led the horse over, and Jia Jing mounted it. Jia Cong, Jia Huan, and Jia Lan also mounted their horses.

"Let's go back to the manor."

The sound of horses' hooves clattered, and dust billowed.

The sunlight stretched the four people's shadows longer and longer, casting them across the field like four ink streaks pointing into the distance, stretching endlessly.

A gentle breeze blew from the fields, carrying the scent of crops and the dampness of the soil.

Before long, the outline of the capital city in the distance was faintly visible in the setting sun.

Jia Lan, Jia Huan, and Jia Cong all turned around on their horses at the same time, looking towards Liangxiang Camp.

Thinking about all the experiences of today and Jia Jing's admonitions, a burning, dark flame seemed to be burning inside him.

…………

Rongguo Mansion

Rongqing Hall.

Li Wan was playing dominoes with Grandmother Jia, Aunt Xue, and Sister Feng.