flstandardbreds Chapter 349
Chapter 349
Zhou Chu looked at the academy from afar and felt very satisfied. The academy was built on Siming Mountain in Yuyao and covered a large area.
Siming Mountain is not very high, with an average altitude of seven or eight hundred meters, but the environment is quite good. It has dense forests, green mountains and clear waters, and plenty of oxygen, making people feel refreshed and relaxed when they are there.
"Master Yangming, it has been more than half a year since we parted in Suzhou. I wonder how you are doing here?"
Zhou Chu met Wang Yangming at the academy. Wang Yangming had not changed much from before. Unlike ordinary officials who would age instantly once they lost power, Wang Yangming was now wearing a blue robe and had a calm demeanor between his brows.
"It has indeed been a long time since I've seen a weighing instrument."
Wang Yangming smiled.
Hu Zongxian and the others who were following Zhou Chu did not dare to breathe loudly, especially Zhao Zhenji. For him, Wang Yangming's pressure was much stronger than that of Zhou Chu. After all, Wang Yangming was his teacher's teacher, and the seniority alone made him dare not say anything.
"This person has some connection with Mr. Yangming; he was a student of Mr. Xinzhai."
Zhou Chu smiled.
Upon hearing this, Wang Yangming looked at Zhao Zhenji.
“Ruzhi mentioned you in his letter, saying that you were precocious from a young age and had a profound understanding of things.”
Wang Yangming said.
Zhao Zhenji was flattered by these words.
"That's all too much praise from the teacher. I am nothing compared to you."
Zhao Zhenji blushed.
"Weighing Instruments, this academy was built according to your requirements. What do you think? Are you satisfied?"
Wang Yangming pointed to the layout around the academy and said.
The funds for building the academy were some of the money that Zhou Chu had confiscated from the homes of people in Jiangnan, and that was enough for the construction.
Hu Zongxian and Zhao Zhenji were greatly surprised to hear this. They never expected that the academy was built by this young man who looked only a few years older than them.
Moreover, judging from what Mr. Yangming said, it seems that this academy is still led by this Lord Zhou.
Hu Zongxian and Zhao Zhenji had only heard of this commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard occasionally, and they were not really clear about what Zhou Chu had done.
All that is known is that this commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is no ordinary man; many officials have been investigated and punished by him.
"This academy is very well built, and the location is also excellent."
Zhou Chu said with satisfaction.
"Making you happy is not an easy thing."
Wang Yangming shook his head and smiled.
"Chunfu has grown much taller again."
Looking at Shen Lian, Wang Yangming was most satisfied with this disciple, because Shen Lian not only learned the philosophy of mind from him, but also learned his martial arts skills.
Upon hearing this, Shen Lian scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly. Facing Wang Yangming, his previous cold and aloof image instantly crumbled, and he seemed like a child meeting a loving father, feeling rather awkward.
"In the past year or two, Chunfu has achieved his current success entirely thanks to the training he received from Hengqi."
Wang Yangming took a sip of tea.
“Chunfu himself is excellent enough. Even without me, he would still be a very good Imperial Guard.”
Zhou Chu poured himself a cup of tea and said.
"Without you, he might have taken the path of a civil official, and perhaps wasted a long time. As the saying goes, 'Read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles.' You can't learn the talent of governing the country just by reading books."
Wang Yangming finally understood that, given Shen Lian's personality, becoming a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was the best choice. If he were to take the imperial examination, with his straightforward temperament, he would probably end up like Nie Bao, only reaching the rank of county magistrate.
"Speaking of which, there is someone in this academy who is familiar with weighing instruments."
Wang Yangming smiled as he thought of Nie Bao.
"Is it Mr. Shuangjiang?"
Zhou Chu asked uncertainly.
Shuangjiang was Nie Bao's courtesy name. Nie Bao's courtesy name was Wenwei, and his courtesy name was Shuangjiang.
"Indeed, nothing can be hidden from you Embroidered Uniform Guards. Wen Wei learned that I had built this academy a month ago, so he resigned from his post and came here. I have already taken him under my wing."
Wang Yangming remarked with emotion.
"In this way, our Great Ming Dynasty has lost such a good official as Mr. Shuangjiang."
Zhou Chu said with some regret.
However, it is certainly a good thing that the academy has another good teacher like Nie Bao.
Wang Yangming took out a book from his pocket, which was the same basic physics book that Zhou Chu had given him.
"The more I read this book, the more I find it to be full of mysteries. You are truly a genius, Hengqi, to be able to write such a book on the investigation of things that contains profound principles."
Wang Yangming remarked with emotion.
"Mr. Yangming is too kind. These are just some of the most basic things. If we want to continue our research and carry forward the study of things, we need many more people willing to learn this subject."
Zhou Chu said.
Upon hearing this, Wang Yangming nodded in deep agreement.
"If there were no students studying this subject together, the future of the Ming Dynasty would probably be completely different. However, most students nowadays study the Four Books and Five Classics. There are some who are interested in the study of natural phenomena, but probably not many. How do we select them? Do you have any ideas about weighing instruments?"
Wang Yangming asked.
“That’s easy. In three days, Mr. Yangming will have all the students who have come to study gather here. I will have my own way of selecting them then.”
Zhou Chu was confident and prepared.
Seeing Zhou Chu's appearance, Wang Yangming was immediately relieved.
Half a day after Zhou Chu arrived in Yuyao, Tang Bohu also arrived. The journey from Chongming Island to Yuyao by boat was extremely fast, taking only half a day.
"Bo'an, it's been more than half a year since we last met. Let's drink until we drop tonight!"
Tang Bohu was overjoyed to see Wang Yangming. As people get older, they tend to feel sentimental, always feeling that each meeting with these old friends is one less time to see them, so they cherish these meetings all the more.
"Of course, I'm hosting today, but I'm still in mourning and shouldn't drink alcohol, so I'll serve tea instead."
Wang Yangming said.
The reason Wang Yangming built the academy here was because his father's grave was on Siming Mountain.
During his mourning period, he should have been staying at his grave, so it is quite reasonable for him to be running an academy here.
"It should."
Tang Bohu naturally knew that Wang Yangming was in mourning and would not force him.
Hu Zongxian and Zhao Zhenji were very excited to see Tang Bohu. As young men, they had always admired Tang Bohu and other unrestrained scholars. Now that they had met him in person, how could they not be excited?
Tang Bohu, Wang Yangming, and Zhou Chu were drinking and making merry, while Zhao Zhenji carefully served tea and water, and Yan Shifan had to help pour wine, just like a servant.
That night, Tang Bohu got very drunk, and Zhou Chu was also slightly tipsy. Only Wang Yangming, who was drinking tea, was not drunk at all.
“Weighing instrument, we used to drink and chat together, and you told me a lot. Now you have done a lot too. These past two years have really been tough on you.”
Wang Yangming looked at Zhou Chu, whose face was full of drunkenness, and sighed.
“What are you saying, Mr. Yangming? I did this only to realize my own value. A person's life is short, like grass and trees in autumn. I must let the world know that I was once here.”
Zhou Chu said in a daze.
"In history books, there will definitely be a significant mention of weighing instruments."
Wang Yangming remarked with emotion.
After Wang Yangming finished speaking, he looked at Zhou Chu again and found that Zhou Chu had already fallen asleep on the grass.
The moonlight shines on the grassy mountaintop, where a drunken old man, a flushed young boy, and the ethereal Wang Yangming create a scene of extraordinary harmony.