RPAGF Chapter 171 The Method of Reading
Chapter 171 The Method of Reading
Chapter 171 The Method of Reading
The Wenqu star shone brightly, like a blazing sun; this was the third unusual movement of the Wenqu star in recent days.
The scholars from the ten kingdoms looked up at the sky, and the deep, resonant chanting between heaven and earth filled them with awe.
"Is this what the sages taught?"
Su Wenmo opened his eyes slightly, looking at the sky with great surprise. Then he looked through the sky towards a certain place, and what he was looking at was none other than Wenxing Private School where Ye Ru was located.
After a long pause, a smile appeared on his lips, and he murmured:
"The Yanhuang Kingdom has produced a great talent. Perhaps, in a few years, a second half-saint will be born."
The various schools of thought, including the Miscellaneous School, the Yin-Yang School, and the Medical School, were all deeply shocked upon hearing these words, and the current head of the family pondered them for a moment.
The Confucian Family
"I never imagined that someone could see through the various schools of thought so clearly. Throughout history, the contention of a hundred schools of thought has given demons some opportunities to take advantage of the situation."
The head of the Kong family shook his head and sighed.
"Since ancient times, scholars have looked down on each other. If all schools of thought were to live in peace, it would not be a good thing. One is born in hardship and dies in comfort. If one is complacent, one will only perish in comfort."
Kong Delin held his teacup and said softly.
"Perhaps. If the holy families of our Yanhuang Kingdom could form a holy alliance, we wouldn't let the demons run rampant. It's a pity for the men of Yanhuang."
The head of the Kong family said helplessly.
"That depends on whether the other holy families agree."
Another elder of the Kong family said.
Not only the Confucius family, but also the demon race and the monster race were shaken. In the Nine Netherworld of the demon race, a person sat quietly cross-legged.
He was dressed in clean robes, and although his hands were chained, he showed no panic. Instead, his dark eyes held a depth as profound as an ancient well.
Seemingly sensing the brilliance of the Wenqu Star, the middle-aged man slowly raised his head, looked through the fist-sized skylight at the extremely dazzling Wenqu Star, and after a long while, slowly exhaled:
"I never expected that the human race would produce such a promising talent. It is truly a blessing for the human race. I hope that all the holy families can protect this promising talent. To be able to let the star of literature shine to such an extent is truly unparalleled in the world."
As he finished speaking, he closed his eyes again, leaving only a soft sigh:
"I wonder if the child is alright..."
……
The star of literature also shone upon the Dragon Palaces of the Four Seas. The Dragon King of the East Sea stared at the sky for a long time, and then let out a sigh:
"The last time the God of Literature shone upon us must have been twenty years ago. Back then, the human race suffered a great defeat, and demons besieged the Yanhuang Kingdom. The Yanhuang Kingdom's ruler was truly generous; to persuade the demons to show mercy, he actually handed over a half-saint. I wonder if that guy is still alive."
"Yes, that half-saint, who came from a humble background, directly rivaled the saintly families and was hailed as the number one talent in the ten kingdoms. However, he was ultimately framed by the Left Prime Minister of Yanhuang Kingdom and other countries and sent to die a heroic death. It is truly regrettable and admirable. There is a reason why Yanhuang Kingdom is in such a state of decline now."
The Dragon King of the West Sea nodded, looking regretful.
……
The star of literature continued to shine, its light illuminating everyone's faces, leaving them all utterly shocked. After a long while, the light slowly dissipated. At the Wenxing Private School, Ye Ru remained expressionless, but the star's light gathered into a beam, shining directly on Ye Ru.
"The Wenqu Star shines alone. It seems that the Wenqu Star has also recognized Ye Ru's lecture. Moreover, this place carries the light of the Wenqu Star. Perhaps the Wenxing Private School will become even more prosperous in the future."
Fang Zifeng was overjoyed. He believed that the star of literature and learning would shine upon the area, giving the students there a significant advantage in their studies.
"I'm so envious! If I could trade places with Zhao Qingfeng and Ye Ru, I'd trade myself!"
The two teachers from Peixin Private School and Liufeng Private School looked at Fang Zifeng with envy, knowing full well what was going on.
"You're out of luck. This is a once-in-a-century talent."
Fang Zifeng smiled slightly.
"No, our Yanhuang Kingdom produced the number one talent among the ten kingdoms twenty years ago. Have you forgotten? I wonder if Ye Ru can reach that person's level."
The teacher at Peixin Private School shook his head and said slowly.
"Be careful what you say. This matter is a pain that will forever remain in the hearts of scholars in our Yanhuang Kingdom. It's best not to mention it."
The teacher from Liu Feng Private School spoke in a low voice, and the three remained silent.
The faces of Master Qin and those who had previously taken the opportunity to make things difficult for Ye Ru were burning with embarrassment. If they were to question the knowledge that even the God of Literature acknowledged, they would be no different from clowns.
Ye Ru stood on the stage, silent for a long time. Only when the light from the Wenqu (a mythical literary instrument) gradually faded did he clear his throat and continue:
"Next, I will share my reading methods with you, my fellow students and teachers. You can choose the best aspects and discard the dross."
"Speak, Chief Ye."
"Please enlighten me, Chief Scholar Ye!"
Many teachers blushed, having already acknowledged Ye Ru's talent and learning.
"What's so great about reading methods? Without years of diligent study, how can one achieve fame? If one takes a shortcut, it will inevitably lead to an unstable foundation, resulting in the lesson that a small leak can sink a great ship!"
Master Qin took a deep breath and said sourly.
"I believe that the Four Books should be read in the following order: The Great Learning, The Analects, Mencius, and The Doctrine of the Mean."
“How come you see?”
"Yes, we teach them according to the order of their difficulty and ease of understanding."
"Tch, so they're starting to show off their knowledge now... They've only triggered a minor literary stunt. They don't even know their own worth."
Some of the teachers muttered under their breath, while others, driven by jealousy, curled their lip and spoke rudely.
"First read *The Great Learning* to establish its framework; next read *The Analects* to establish its foundation; next read *Mencius* to inspire its development; and finally read *The Doctrine of the Mean* to fully grasp its subtleties."
Wow!
Upon hearing this, countless students were in an uproar, and the teachers looked even more displeased. They followed the Analects of Confucius first, and this young man was actually trying to overturn their teaching habits.
This goes against the words of the sage!
"Now let me explain why. If anyone doesn't understand, they can ask me. First of all, the Great Learning contains the outline of being a person and learning. It is about cultivating oneself, regulating one's family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world. When reading, one must first rectify one's mind and make one's will sincere, then investigate things and extend knowledge, and finally cultivate oneself, regulate one's family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world. One must have one's family, country, and the world in mind."
"Secondly, the Analects encompasses everything, including principles of self-cultivation and governance."
"The *Mencius*, like Mencius himself, possesses a majestic and imposing presence, like Mount Tai. Confucianism began with the Sage Confucius and developed with the Second Sage Mencius, while the final *Doctrine of the Mean* is extremely difficult to understand. The *Doctrine of the Mean* is described as 'when expanded, it fills the universe; when contracted, it retreats into secrecy.' However, after reading it a hundred times, its meaning will become clear, so it should be read last."
Upon hearing this, everyone present fell into a deathly silence. Each person had gained some insight and understanding, and Ye Ru's words seemed to echo in their ears, constantly purifying the minds of the teachers and scholars and strengthening the thoughts of the students.
"There are three essentials to reading: focus of mind, focus of eyes, and focus of mouth. If the mind is not focused, the eyes will not see clearly. If the mind and eyes are not concentrated, and one merely reads aimlessly, one will never remember, nor will one retain it for long. Do not aim too high. As the saying goes, a gentleman focuses on the fundamentals. When the fundamentals are established, the Way will arise. Therefore, those who wish to read the Four Books must rectify their minds and be sincere in their intentions, and should first understand this."
After Ye Ru finished speaking, the entire room remained deathly silent, with only his voice echoing and permeating everyone's thoughts.