Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 511 Classmate
Pei Ye finally got his wine as he wished, took a copy of the Tang Dynasty National News, and left Xiuwen Hall with a full stomach and a fruitful harvest.

No matter what thrilling experiences you have had when you come back, the Imperial College seems as if time has not passed. The desolate weather and the lively students make you feel relaxed as soon as you walk through the door.

However, this time, Pei Ye walked through half of the academy, and after pushing open the doors of the four schools, he faintly smelled a hint of tension.

The students were paying attention to something with frowns on their faces, and there seemed to be more arguments than usual, as if some unignorable storm had blown into this institution, and not even the high walls surrounding it could stop it.

Pei Yezi, who had been busy for days, had no idea what major events were happening in the court and the country. He only saw that the school was still almost full. He took a rough look and still did not see Fang Jidao. However, Changsun Jue in the front row was sitting at the desk with his back straight, and a small booklet was placed on the seat next to him.

When Pei Ye walked over, she was flipping through a book carefully, occasionally picking up a fine brush to sketch.

"Good afternoon, classmate Changsun."

Chang Sun Jue was startled and raised his head, then he pulled his collar back and nodded politely: "Good afternoon, classmate Pei - I thought you would come later."

Pei Ye smiled: "It's a pity that I came in a hurry and didn't bring anything. I don't know what to talk about today."

"It's Mr. Li Mingqiu's Book of Shang. It's time to talk about the chapter 'Yi Ji'." Chang Sun Jue said seriously, pointing to the book on the table, "Mr. Xu said you were coming, and I thought you might not have time to bring the book, so I copied a copy of the original text and a copy of the annotations for you."

"Ah! Thank you very much."

"There aren't many words." Changsun Jue smiled. Pei Ye inexplicably felt that this elegant girl was somewhat like Xu Chuo in some aspects, especially her scholarly and gentle temperament.

He bowed and thanked again.

But Chang Sun Jue did not retract his gaze, still looking at him, hesitantly said: "Classmate Pei, you didn't come to class the day before yesterday, did you go somewhere to do justice again?"

Bright eyes with a curious look.

"What kind of chivalrous act?" Pei Ye laughed, "It's just some affairs of the Taiping Cao Gang, handled together with the government office."

"Well can you tell me what it is?"

Pei Ye shook his head and said with a smile: "Both Jingzhao Prefecture and Xianrentai kept it a secret, and the officials involved didn't know about it."

"Ah, there is also a fairy platform?"

"Yes."

"Did you fight with anyone again?"

"Moved."

The girl seemed a little nervous: "So did you win?"

".I won." Pei Ye touched his head with a rare look of embarrassment. He still had some respect for this outstanding girl in poetry and literature, and was not used to being questioned in such a concerned way. He interrupted at this time, "Do you like watching people fight? There are many sword competitions in Chang'an City. You can pay attention to one or two on weekdays."

"I just want to see classmate Pei use his sword."

"."

Chang Sun Jue was a little shy, but his eyes were still clear and serious: "I was at Fengying Terrace that day in Xichi. Classmate Pei is the most powerful swordsman I have ever seen. Although I am not very knowledgeable, I don't think anyone can use a sword as well as him."

Pei Ye waved his hands quickly: "No, no, Yang Zhenbing and Yan Feiqing are much better than me. There are also many famous sects who have gone much further than me."

"You are still so modest."

"."

"Classmate Pei," the girl finally expressed her hope, "If you have a competition next time - I mean if I can watch it - can you send me a message, either the Ministry of Rites or the Imperial College will do, I want to go and watch it. I will definitely not disturb you."

".Okay, of course." Pei Ye rubbed his hands, "What's the matter with that?"

Chang Sun Jue clasped his hands together, his body still in an elegant posture, but his expression was obviously excited: "Then it's settled!"

Pei Ye laughed twice.

This feeling was really different from the arrogance he felt in front of the younger generation. The young man was originally shy when facing such sincere praise, not to mention that the girl in front of him was of noble birth and his attainments in classics were very respected by him.

It was at this time that the young man vaguely felt for the first time the meaning of the word "fame" that Xu Chuo had said in the small building that night. In a place like the capital, he was no longer just a friend, but many people who were not very familiar with him or even completely strangers would also place some expectations on him.

The classroom gradually became quiet, and soon the sixty-year-old man with gray hair and a clean face appeared at the door with a book in his hand. The class was as serious and polite as always, and with Chang Sunjue's explanation, Pei Ye also roughly understood the content.

"Yi Ji" is a rather long chapter in the Book of Documents, recording a conversation between Shun and Yu. It contains the merits of flood control, the ways of being a monarch and a minister, and the harmonious scenes of monarch and minister encouraging each other. Confucianism respects the ancient sages from afar, so every chapter of the Book of Documents is extremely important, and Li Mingqiu explains it in great detail.

It was just that Pei Ye heard something familiar again. At the beginning, Yu said, "I will accept the will of God, and God will give me the command to rest." At the end, Shun said, "The command of God is only for the time and the number." Li Mingqiu made a particularly detailed reference to these two sentences that had nothing to do with reality. And in the last class, they clearly talked about "the way of heaven."

Pei Ye suddenly realized something from his confused learning of words and interpretation of scriptures - the Tianli Academy that Fang Jidao wanted to enter, the huge articles in the national newspaper, the debates that the students always had which he could not understand. This vast world that was unfamiliar to him obviously always had things that it cared about seriously, and in addition to governing the country, there were more profound and difficult pursuits.

You can understand this by just looking at the serious expression of Chang Sun Jue beside him.

He was less disturbed and chewed on the words silently until the end of the class. The girl next to him was still frowning and dazed. After a while, the school became noisy and she came back to her senses. She tilted her head and smiled apologetically: "Sorry, I'm still thinking about the last question of the teacher."

"It's okay, I didn't understand anything." Pei Ye packed up his things.

Zhang Sunjue smiled and said, "In fact, it is the article "On Morality" that you published in the national newspaper. It has been debated in the courtyard for almost 20 days. Today, you expressed some of your thoughts again."

Pei Ye was curious: "Can I understand?"

"Of course!" Chang Sun Jue laughed again, "To put it simply, it's two sentences, 'The mandate of heaven is not constant, only virtue can assist' from the Book of Songs, and 'Heaven has endowed me with virtue, what can Huan Tui do to me' from the Analects of Confucius."

".So strange."

"Yeah, you felt the same way." Chang Sun Jue also lowered his head to pack up his things. "I was also shocked when I read it. It seemed like a piece of nonsense. But after thinking about it, I understood it - the view on 'heaven's will' in the Book of History is actually 'heaven's will is not constant, only virtue can assist'. Do you understand the meaning of these two sentences?"

"The Book of History says, 'Heaven's Mandate is not permanent, it is only granted to people with virtue.' Confucius said, 'Heaven has endowed me with virtue, what can Huan Tui do to me?'"

"That's right! Classmate Pei has made a lot of progress." The two packed up their things and walked out the door. Changsun Jue smiled and continued, "But think about it, since destiny only helps people with 'virtue', and 'virtue' is given by heaven, then how can 'destiny be unpredictable'?" Pei Ye was stunned.

"Yes. Why?" Pei Ye looked at the girl, trying to get an answer.

"This is what everyone is arguing about." Chang Sun Jue said, "The answer given by the master is that then 'virtue' is not given by heaven. Gentlemen cultivate virtue, while villains stay away from virtue. Therefore, destiny changes."

".Isn't that quite right?"

"Hey, so you're saying that Confucius was wrong?"

"." Pei Ye was speechless, but he was thinking in his heart, what the hell is Confucius? What if he is wrong? Unless there is some sword saint.

After they left the academy, Chang Sun Jue smiled and said, "It's not that what Confucius said cannot be questioned. It's just that he studied the Book of Documents and read the Book of Songs. He lived in the Zhou Dynasty and his understanding must be much deeper than ours. How can we just assume that what he said and recorded is wrong?"

Pei Ye was a little confused: "How do I solve it?"

Chang Sun Jue held up a finger. "In fact, it's not that difficult. I think the article that will be published in the National Newspaper in November will be like this: 'Virtue' must be innate, but it will change according to people's hearts. Those who indulge in human desires and stray from the Way of Heaven will deviate from virtue; those who respect the Way of Heaven and follow the will of Heaven can maintain virtue. The so-called 'fearing Heaven and knowing destiny' is just like this."

"."

Chang Sun Jue smiled and said, "Classmate Pei must be tired of hearing this."

"No." Pei Ye was actually very excited and asked in amazement, "Then what's the point of this argument?"

When Li Mingqiu wrote this article, he must have known the criticisms and answers that others would give him. In other words, is it really that important whether what "Shangshu" says is right or wrong and what Confucius thought at the time?
To put it bluntly, it just requires people to "cultivate their virtues".

Chang Sun Jue was silent for a rare moment at this time.

The two of them walked quietly on the path, and the numbers of people leaving school gradually thinned out.

After a long pause, the girl sighed and said, "Of course, Pei, this debate is not only of great significance, but also bloody."

"."

Chang Sun Jue tilted his head and looked up at him: "If classmate Pei reads more, he will understand: reading a great scholar's article, you can see his lofty character and brilliant spirit; reading a great scholar's hundred articles, you can know his background, status, likes and dislikes."

"You mean, they all stood on their own ground to grab weapons?"

Chang Sun Jue nodded and said seriously, "Classmate Pei is not a scholar or a court official, so he is inevitably insensitive to the storm. This is just a small part of the recent turmoil. I'm afraid it will soon erupt throughout the entire capital."

".What's the meaning?"

"If everyone is trying so hard to determine the right and wrong of an ancient event, it is because its right and wrong must also indicate the right and wrong of the present." Chang Sun Jue said softly, "I heard that practicing swordsmanship is also divided into sword theory and sword moves. I think if you want to change sword moves, you must change sword theory first. The same is true for a country."

"."

Chang Sun Jue finally smiled again: "Classmate Pei, you don't have to think so much. Mr. Xu has been personally handling this matter for a long time. He will definitely tell you what she wants to do."

".didn't tell me at all."

"That must be because the time has not come yet, and you didn't ask." The girl unexpectedly defended the woman.

Pei Ye couldn't refute this.

He smiled and said, "Thank you, my classmate, Changsun. In the past, I only read books and learned to read, and never thought about so many things. You are really knowledgeable."

"In fact, how can I judge you gentlemen?" Changsun Jue smiled and then sighed, "I was born in a noble family. I don't govern the country or engage in production. I can only do things related to books. In the past, my ambition was to interpret the Five Classics in this life and seek the only truth in the world. Later, I realized that the interpretation of the classics can never be separated from the present and from my own influence. The reason for the truth is certainly important, but what is more important is which side the truth stands on."

"."

"I want to seek the truth, but I don't have the insight and courage of my classmate Fang." Chang Sun Jue smiled at him, "You said I have profound insights, but in fact I have been misled by studying. I am far from being as firm and clear-headed as you."

Pei Ye didn't know what Fang Jidao was doing. When he came to his senses, he just smiled and said, "I was the same when I came out of the mountain valley. I think you will be confused after you have seen a lot. After you are confused, you will naturally be firm. It must be that you haven't reached the right time yet."

These were words from above defending Xu Chuo, and Changsun Jue could only smile helplessly.

It was dusk at this time. The two arrived at the quiet little garden behind the courtyard. A figure in a light purple dress was already standing there.

This was a very beautiful and noble girl. Changsun Jue, standing beside her, although not as pretty as a beautiful girl, looked peaceful and approachable. This girl looked especially lazy and cold, with the corners of her eyes drooping slightly, like a peacock looking down at others.

Pei Ye thought that this person was probably the guide Xu Chuo had arranged for him, but he didn't mention his identity. He was hesitating about how to start the conversation when Chang Sun Jue beside him smiled and said, "Classmate Pei, this person is my good friend. She also likes your swordsmanship, so she asked me to invite you to meet her."

Pei Ye was stunned: "Oh, thank you, I am holding a note from Master Xu"

Chang Sun Jue smiled: "It's a person, her name is Cui Zhaoye, have you heard of her?"

The beautiful girl nodded slightly. Pei Ye was surprised and quickly clasped his fists and saluted: "So you are Miss Cui. I have heard of you for a long time."

The girl opposite returned an elegant greeting, walked over, and the two sat down at the stone table.

".I read the September National Newspaper when I was in Shaolong." Pei Ye saw that she was a little aloof, so he took the initiative to talk to her, "At that time, everyone said that Miss Cui had a pair of divine eyes, and no swordsmanship in the world could escape her eyes."

But the peacock-like girl propped up her chin with her hands and looked at him motionlessly.

"Young Master Pei, I find that we two are so destined to be together." She finally spoke, narrowed her eyes, and revealed an extremely sweet smile.

".Ah?" Pei Ye rarely froze in response to a greeting.

"The last character of both our names sounds like 'Ye'."

"."

The girl's lazy and cold temperament was so inviolable that it seemed somewhat believable for a moment.

(End of this chapter)