RPAGF Chapter 534 Life is short, seize the day
Chapter 534 Life is short, seize the day
Breakfast was simple; a bowl of fish noodles was all we needed.
A-Yue took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth and looked at Si-Hai, who was sitting next to her making Wu-Yuan laugh.
"When are you going back? How about staying for another two days? I can rest today."
A-Yue became more and more excited as she talked. Apart from coming to play for a day on the Mid-Autumn Festival, she had other things to do on the other occasions.
San Chuan said with a straight face, "Hey! But I want to go back."
"What?"
A-Yue was somewhat bewildered.
All eyes turned to Sanchuan.
"Because I want to go to the academy, I had some questions while reading last night and want to go back quickly to ask the teacher for help."
Upon hearing this, Lao Lu immediately revealed a mocking expression.
"Kid! Let me tell you, life is short, enjoy it while you can! What's the point of studying? It won't put food on the table."
For example, he is well-read.
They still live like beggars.
Only when you get old will you find your home.
“Why not?” Sanchuan retorted.
The child turned his head, looked at Old Lu, his little face tense, and said very seriously, "Grandpa Old Lu, what you said is wrong."
Old Lu raised an eyebrow, crossed his legs, and said, "Oh? What's wrong with that?"
Sanchuan said, "Reading helps one understand principles, distinguish right from wrong, and know when to advance and retreat. Even if it can't directly earn you food, it can help you live a sensible life and avoid going astray."
Besides, there's truth in books; once you understand the principles, you'll have a method to do things, and it might even lead to a better life. It's not something that can be simply said to be useful or not.
He paused, his voice low but clear: "I think reading and enjoying life are not mutually exclusive. But keeping doubts in your heart is like having food stuck in your throat; you can't enjoy your stroll."
Another reason he wanted to pass the imperial examinations so that he could change the household registration of his older sister and younger brother.
However, he is still a student, so it's not appropriate for him to talk about this so soon.
So that my older sister won't be disappointed after waiting for so long.
Old Lu was taken aback by his words and stared at him.
After a long while, she stroked her chin, glancing sideways at Sanchuan: "So, if I clear up your doubts, you'll be willing to go play?"
Sanchuan nodded: "Okay, no problem, go have fun."
Old Lu put his leg down and put the other leg back on: "That makes things easier. Why rush back to find Old Xiang? If you have any questions, just tell me, and I'll answer them for you."
San Chuan was stunned upon hearing this. He looked at Lao Lu with a puzzled expression, then turned to look at his eldest sister, his eyes filled with disbelief.
A-Yue smacked her eyes.
"Old Lu, are you kidding me?"
Sihai bit his finger, blinking as he looked at this and that.
Fatty Wang burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. "Old Lu, you could talk a good game about food and drinks for Sanchuan, but when it comes to textbook knowledge..."
Fatty Wang paused, then shook his head with a pout.
"You don't have the knowledge to back it up."
As soon as she finished speaking, A-Yue burst into laughter.
Only Xu Yiyi remained calm, nodding slightly when she met Sanchuan's questioning gaze.
San Chuan was skeptical, but still brought up the issues in the book: "Then let me explain. Listen carefully. The Analects says, 'The people may be made to follow a course, but they may not be made to understand it.' I heard the teacher say in class that it means the people can be made to do things according to the rules, but they don't need to know why they should do them."
But last night I read another annotation saying that different punctuation can lead to different meanings. It could be interpreted as, "If the people are capable, let them follow; if they are not, let them know." This means that if the people have grasped a certain knowledge or principle, let them act freely; if they haven't, educate them to understand the principles. I can't figure out which interpretation is correct; it just doesn't feel right to me.
Old Lu scoffed.
"Simple."
As he spoke, he put his leg down.
His serious demeanor made the others take it seriously as well.
"Both interpretations of the sentence have their own logic and have been argued by predecessors. There is no right or wrong answer."
Old Lu began, his voice unhurried and unhurried, devoid of his usual nonchalant air, "The first punctuation mark represents the view of most commentators throughout history. It describes a method of governing and controlling the people, emphasizing the wisdom of the superiors and the ignorance of the inferiors, with order taking precedence. In reality, it's a policy of keeping the people ignorant. Ordinary people have limited cognitive abilities; you can't explain profound principles and logic to them. It's better to let them implement things directly."
The latter interpretation is a new one, leaning more towards education and enlightenment, emphasizing communication between superiors and subordinates.
He looked at Sanchuan: "You feel awkward, don't you? Do you think the latter sounds better, and is more in line with the original meaning of benevolence and teachings that you felt when you read other sages' books?"
Sanchuan's eyes widened slightly, and he nodded.
“That’s right,” Old Lu said. “When reading, especially the classics, you can’t just memorize how others interpret them; you have to be able to accept it in your own heart. The words of the sages have been passed down for thousands of years, and with the changing context, later generations will inevitably have different interpretations. The key is not to obsess over which interpretation is more correct, but to think about which interpretation is more likely to guide people towards goodness and is more beneficial to the world and people’s hearts in the present day.”
He paused, then said, "Furthermore, this statement itself doesn't have to be a binary choice. When faced with a myriad of practical matters, a politician sometimes needs the efficiency of issuing orders and enforcing them, and sometimes he needs the patience to explain and build consensus. How to strike the right balance is the wisdom of a politician. If you get hung up on the absolute right or wrong of the wording, you might actually be narrow-minded."
Sanchuan was stunned. His brows slowly relaxed as he lowered his head in thought.
Old Lu leaned back in his chair, reverting to his lazy demeanor: "How about that? Does that clear up your doubts? Can you go have some fun now?"
Sanchuan looked up at Lao Lu, his eyes brightening slightly, and finally a smile appeared on his face. He nodded vigorously, "Yes! Thank you, Grandpa Lao Lu!"
Fatty Wang watched in amazement, saying, "I never would have guessed, Lao Lu, you actually have some knowledge! I thought you were all just gluttons."
Old Lu snorted, quite smugly: "Get out of here, I was once... cough cough, a hero doesn't dwell on past glories. Come on, come on, didn't you want to go have some fun? Hurry up!"
As he spoke, Lao Lu stood up from the stall.
Si Hai was still a bit confused, but when he heard that they were going to play, he immediately ran out.
Sanchuan quickly followed.
Only Xu Yiyi and A Yue strolled leisurely behind.
"What's wrong with him? Is he possessed by a ghost?"
A-Yue stared in surprise at the carefree old man ahead; her mind had gone blank when San Chuan spoke.
She didn't understand what the child was muttering.
When it came to what Lao Lu was saying, she was even more confused.
But judging from Sanchuan's reaction, it's clear that Lao Lu wasn't just talking nonsense; his words were logical and well-founded, and they actually seemed quite plausible.
"I heard you!" Old Lu said without turning his head.
Upon hearing this, A-Yue shrank her neck and shrugged.