After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

call.

Ning Nan stared blankly as he watched the other person greet the silly students so familiarly. Only when the damp morning breeze from the river made his eyes itch did he squint and exhale with a sigh.

Well……

Ning Zhiyuan.

The steward of the Marquis's mansion said that this young master had gone out for a spring outing and to visit friends, but he never expected that the young master would actually visit Li Family Village.

And... sir?

Judging from how the children addressed him and the excited expressions on their faces, it was clear that this wasn't their first day there, and they were already quite familiar with each other.

Li Xing had previously told him that he had found a teacher for Lijiacun Primary School who was not charging him any money and whose teaching skills were quite good; the teacher had been teaching at the school for several days.

He was very surprised at the time, never expecting that there were such scholars in the world.

Unexpectedly, this free schoolteacher turned out to be the son of a noble family! Regardless of his background, he was a genuine scholar who had passed the imperial examinations. Principal Xing had truly struck gold by having him come to teach at Li Family Village Elementary School.

Ning Nan concealed the seriousness in his eyes, shouldered his hoe, took a few steps closer, and said with a smile, "Brother Chengbo, good morning!"

Ning Zhiyuan snapped out of his reverie, smiled at him, his demeanor still gentle and refined, "Good morning, Brother Bai Xuan."

Ning Nan didn't know how much Cheng Bo, who was supposed to be his uncle by seniority, knew, but since the other party didn't bring it up, he naturally wouldn't say anything either, lest he end up like his aunt Bei Zhi, who was unjustly considered a generation younger than him.

The graves of Li He's two sons are on the east side of Houshan Mountain. He had already asked Li Shuiniu for the location, but digging up someone's son's grave is a very immoral thing to do, so he wouldn't let the villagers lead the way. He would just take Qian Sijin and a few Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) with him.

Lijiacun Primary School is also on the east side, and the two walked together for a while.

"Thank you very much, Brother Chengbo," Ning Nan said with a smile as he walked. "With Brother Chengbo as a tutor at Lijia Village Elementary School, who knows, maybe the village will produce a top scholar in the future."

Ning Zhiyuan replied with a smile, "Brother Bai Xuan, you are too kind. If you ask me, Brother Bai Xuan's willingness to use a meal during the day to teach the children of your village to read and write is a great act of kindness that is in line with the teachings of the sages. Brother Bai Xuan, you are educating the world."

After arriving in Lijia Village for a day, he stumbled upon this school and, after chatting with the so-called "principal" Li Xing, began working as a teacher at the school.

"Forget about educating the world," Ning Nan shook his head. "When they grow up, if they don't remain blind, they can become accountants in Hangezhuang, or learn a trade so they can support themselves. Even if they continue farming in the village, they'll be more shrewd than others."

"If we can understand imperial proclamations and field contracts, and avoid being deceived and taken advantage of, then our meals won't have been in vain. If we can also improve our farming tools and take better care of our old oxen, then we've struck gold."

As Ning Zhiyuan listened to the young man's words, which sounded almost like a parent's, his eyes grew even more gentle and bright.

"Bai Xuan is indeed a very kind person."

"Brother Chengbo is friends with Fatty Chu, but he hasn't learned a single bit of your demeanor. You, on the other hand, have learned quite a bit of flattery skills," Ning Nan teased him with a smile.

Flattery skills… Ha… Ning Zhiyuan chuckled, seemingly recalling his unreliable friend.

After walking for a while, Ning Zhiyuan frowned slightly and asked curiously why Brother Bai Xuan would teach children so many common characters, as well as some simplified numbers and symbols.

Brother Bai Xuan has taught about a thousand popular Chinese characters in a thin booklet. It mainly collects many popular cursive and semi-cursive script characters written in regular script. They are not difficult to learn, but they are not suitable for official use.

Although using vulgar words is fine as long as they are avoided.

However, the other party's booklet seems to have a tendency to write some Confucian classics entirely in vernacular characters in order to teach children. If this gets out, Brother Bai Xuan will be going against the will of the world.

The matter can be big or small.

At best, pedantic scholars would come knocking on his door to question him; at worst, the emperor and the court would be furious and imprison Bai Xuan for allegedly altering the scriptures.

No matter how you look at it, a wise person doesn't stand under a dangerous wall; this is unnecessary and far too unorthodox.

Fortunately, it seems that Brother Bai Xuan is not an ignorant person. So far, he has only revised half of the "Li Yun" chapter of the Book of Rites, as well as a few poems. He has also revised half of the Three Character Classic and the Thousand Character Classic, but these are all elementary education materials. If he stops here, it will not be a problem.

However, Ning Zhiyuan could tell that the other party seemed to have a tendency to write entirely in colloquial characters.

Ning Nan looked somewhat surprised.

The common characters are almost the same as the simplified characters.

As early as the Zhao Dynasty, there were already many simplified vernacular characters in folk communications, but they were generally not used in official documents.

He hadn't expected the other party to be willing to teach simplified Chinese characters, or even Arabic numerals to children. This scholar was quite magnanimous and not pedantic.

"Brother Chengbo, what do you think about simplified and traditional Chinese characters... let's just call them that for now... where do their respective advantages and disadvantages lie?"

"Simplified characters, traditional characters... these two names are quite fitting." Ning Zhiyuan nodded, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Simplified characters are indeed easier to teach. Although the pronunciation is difficult to teach, there are fewer strokes, so students can write them quickly and are more enthusiastic about learning... However..."

The scholar then changed the subject, saying, "Simplified characters have fewer strokes, which inevitably leads to the same character having different meanings. Students reading them are very likely to misunderstand them, so they can only be used in everyday life..."

"The profound meaning of the teachings of the sages lies not only in the meaning but also in the words. If the words are different, the meaning will inevitably be different. If any changes are made, it is tantamount to altering the classics. The same applies to the imperial examinations; all words must be based on Zhu Xi's annotations."

"Moreover, most of what our predecessors wrote was in traditional characters. Those who only study simplified characters will likely find it difficult to even understand the techniques of our predecessors, let alone carry on the lost learning of the sages. Brother Bai Xuan,"

He sighed, "...In Zhiyuan's opinion, these simplified characters are probably only suitable for writing simple things in the countryside, and cannot be used for academic research." This was his advice.

Ning Nan paused, looking at the humble scholar in front of him with a slightly surprised expression.

In such a short time, the scholar analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of the two approaches and even advised himself never to use vulgar language to write Confucian classics, which shows that he was quick-witted and thoughtful.

The school chairman, carrying a hoe, exclaimed, "It's really a case of Li Xing's ancestral graves having been disturbed that our school has Mr. Zhiyuan teaching here."

Ning Zhiyuan's eyes dimmed for a moment, but he quickly composed himself, smiled modestly, and waited for the young man's answer.

"Then we won't do it," Ning Nan said.

Ning Zhiyuan was taken aback.

I don't quite understand what the other person means.

Ning Nan laughed and said, "Since simplified characters are not suitable for the study of sages, then let's not use them for that purpose."

"Brother Chengbo, rest assured, these colloquial characters will naturally not be used to write the great way of the sages... I had no choice at the time. For elementary education, the Three Character Classic and the Thousand Character Classic, which are easy to recite, are naturally the best. Although I taught them more colloquial characters, I also hoped that they would be influenced by literary style... Hmm, later I will compile some things myself, the kind of completely vernacular novels."

"Make something up yourself..." Ning Zhiyuan nodded, but his eyes were still full of doubt. Why? Why not just use the primers compiled by predecessors?

Ning Nan took the mud-covered hoe off his shoulder and showed it to the schoolteacher.

"Brother Chengbo, do you know who invented this hoe?"

hoe?

The other party changed the subject, and Ning Zhiyuan suppressed his doubts. He looked at the hoe, which had an extremely simple structure with a long wooden handle and a flat iron plate, and his eyes paused slightly... He really didn't know the inventor of this simple tool that had saved countless lives.

"It's alright if I don't know," Ning Nan said with a smile. "I don't know either."

"but--"

His tone turned slightly somber. "Brother Chengbo, do you think that for thousands of years, generation after generation, countless illiterate farmers, Confucius is more important, or the unknown person who invented this hoe?"

Hmm? Who's more important?

Ning Zhiyuan's expression froze.

"If Heaven had not given birth to Confucius, the world would have remained in darkness forever; but what if Heaven had not given birth to the man who invented the hoe?"

Ning Nan hoisted the hoe back onto his shoulder, said something else, then smiled and answered himself, "Of course, Confucius is still more important... The hoe can only make them farm, living a life of hunger and hardship, but the great way of the sage can make them pass the imperial examinations, rise rapidly in rank, live in luxury, have beautiful wives and concubines, enjoy daily revelry, and forget all their troubles..." Ning Nan shook his head, then his eyes paused, and he stopped abruptly, spreading his hands and smiling, "I've gone off on a tangent."

"Brother Chengbo," Ningnan said finally, "just think of those simplified characters as a hoe, and let them do some useless work for the people, work that the sages and the Great Way look down upon..."

"Perhaps one day, once this simplified script is fully adopted, learning to read and write will be as simple for them as wielding a hoe..."

The two were standing on a ridge in a field.

At this time of year, as far as the eye can see, the fields are a vast expanse of golden wheat waves stretching to the sky.

At this moment, the sun is just rising, and the gentle sunlight paints the earth in a picture of abundant harvest, dazzling and captivating.

"Oh……"

Doing some useless work... the hoe that has sustained millions of people for thousands of years... can this still be called useless work?

"Learning to write should be as simple as wielding a hoe..."

Ning Zhiyuan stared at the mud-covered hoe on Ning Nan's shoulder for a long time before lowering his eyes and saying something inexplicably.

"Mr. Lizhou... once told me that the harm of the eight-legged essay was greater than the burning of books... Ah... all the learning I have acquired in my life... it's really... not a pity if it's all lost..."

Uh… Ning Nan’s eyes widened. Mr. Li Zhou makes a living by teaching the Eight-Legged Essay, yet he says this in private?

"It's not that serious." Ning Nan shook his head and smiled. "If Brother Chengbo is interested, I'm currently compiling a book similar to the Shuowen Jiezi (a dictionary of Chinese characters), which has about three thousand simplified characters. If you have some free time, Brother Chengbo, you could help me revise and proofread it."

Ning Zhiyuan lowered his eyes and did not reply. In the end, he only smiled and said, "Bai Xuan is very kind. My heart is... greatly comforted."

Hey, hey, hey, that's starting to sound like an elder!

……

……

The green hills are faintly visible.

The gurgling sound made the birds in the forest circle in the sky, observing for a long time, but still not daring to land.

The bird had a pair of small, circling eyes, and as it flapped its wings, it was intently watching the mound of earth below.

On the earthen mound, there was a pit six feet wide, and many people were standing in the pit.

After each groan, a patch of yellowish-brown soil flew out of the pit.

Ning Nan sat on the edge of the pit, sweating profusely, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

After taking turns digging for an hour, the group finally unearthed the coffin buried deep underground.