kingnovel Chapter 869: First Meeting with Lin Daiyu
Chapter 869: First Meeting with Lin Daiyu
Originally, Lin Ruhai thought that Lu Cheng had only read the Four Books and Five Classics and had a general understanding of history books, and might not be able to understand the meaning. After all, Lu Cheng was only a ten-year-old child. How much more talented could he be?
But after a series of tests, Lin Ruhai became more and more surprised.
Lu Cheng can not only recite and understand the Four Books and Five Classics fluently, but also talk about the people and events of all dynasties like the back of his hand. He also has his own unique insights on many people and things.
This is not something that can be achieved simply by learning by rote, nor can it be taught by a famous teacher. It also requires extraordinary comprehension, sufficient understanding of the knowledge in the book, the ability to see the essence through imagination, and sufficient insight.
If such knowledge, insight and ability were placed on a well-read and experienced scholar, it would not be surprising at all. But it is a bit unbelievable for a 10-year-old child.
Lin Ruhai couldn't help but wonder, could it be that there are people in the world who are born with the knowledge? Or maybe he has met a genius that is hard to come by in a thousand years?
Lin Ruhai was also well-read since childhood, and was taught by famous teachers. He devoted himself to studying and committed to the imperial examination. It was not until he was in his thirties that he won the third place in the imperial examination.
It is also because of this that Lin Ruhai understands more clearly the difficulty of studying.
He Zhizhang, a famous poet and talented scholar in the Tang Dynasty, also won the top spot in the imperial examination at the age of 36.
Now, when Lin Ruhai looked at Lu Cheng, who was only 10 years old, he had a feeling in his heart that the young man in front of him would surely make a stunning debut and soar to the sky in the near future.
He even began to doubt whether he could really be Lu Cheng's teacher. Would he waste such a good talent?
If other scholars saw a genius like Lu Cheng, they would definitely accept him as their disciple immediately. When the disciple became successful in the future, it would be a great master and a great student, and they would gain both fame and fortune.
But the first thing Lin Ruhai thought of was how to not waste Lu Cheng's rare talent that only appears once in a century.
Seeing that Lin Ruhai had been silent for a long time, Lu Cheng took the initiative to speak: "Sir, can I borrow a few books to read? In the past, my family had a limited collection of books, and I could only read those books over and over again. Sir, your family has a large collection of books, and I would like to borrow some books that I have not read."
"Of course, come on, follow me to the study."
The Lin family's ancestors had been marquises for several generations. But the grace of a gentleman is cut off after five generations, and by the time of Lin Ruhai's generation, the Lin family's foundation had been destroyed.
Today, the greatest legacy left by the Lin family’s ancestors is the rich collection of books.
With Lu Cheng's current experience, there are not many classics of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism throughout the dynasties that he has not read.
But when it comes to the history of the past hundred years and some things related to the imperial examinations, Lu Cheng is not very familiar with it.
Afterwards, Lin Ruhai personally picked out two books about the imperial examination for Lu Cheng to read, and told Lu Cheng to ask him directly if he had any questions.
In the next two or three days, Lu Cheng got up early every day to stand in a meditation posture, practice boxing, and then read and write.
After studying in the morning, Lu Cheng usually goes out in the afternoon and walks around Yangzhou city.
Seeing that Lu Cheng was acting calmly, Lin Ruhai only asked two servants from the mansion to follow him, to avoid a repeat of the previous situation where he was abducted by kidnappers.
Moreover, Lin Ruhai also asked his servants to bring some silver and money, so that if Lu Cheng liked anything, he could buy it.
After walking around Yangzhou City twice, Lu Cheng first learned about the current prices of rice, noodles, salt, cloth and other supplies, then observed the prosperity of the market, and learned some information about the border from some passers-by.
From what we know so far, prices have been rising quietly in recent decades. This is not only due to unstable borders and constant wars, but also to the impact of natural and man-made disasters.
Especially in the past ten years, droughts have occurred from time to time in the Central Plains and Guanzhong, and grain production has decreased year after year.
Various signs indicate that the current Ming Dynasty has reached its end.
A few days later, Lin Ruhai brought Lu Cheng to his study. He first asked Lu Cheng about his reading experience in the past few days, and answered some questions about the imperial examination and current affairs for Lu Cheng. Then he said, "Lu Cheng, I saw that you are young and studious, and have good character. I wanted to take you as my apprentice, but I was afraid that it would hinder your future.
If you are willing to study with me, I will do my best to teach you. If you are not willing, I can find a great scholar to write a letter of recommendation for you, so that you can find a famous teacher, and it will not be in vain that you have such a good talent. "
Lu Cheng bowed and then said, "Sir, your knowledge and virtue are admirable and worthy of my learning. Moreover, you have helped me a lot. I greet you, teacher."
Lin Ruhai was very relieved when he heard this, and he couldn't help but show joy on his face: "Okay, okay. Don't worry, if I can't teach you, I will recommend other famous teachers to you."
Rather than choosing to be a disciple of a great scholar, it is better to be a disciple of Lin Ruhai. For Lu Cheng, no matter whether it is a great scholar or a scholar who has won the imperial examination, they can't teach him much, at most they can teach him some test-taking skills.
Moreover, those famous scholars usually have students and former officials all over the world, and their relationships are complicated, so it is easy for them to be involved in some party disputes. Once you have a master-disciple relationship or a fellow student relationship, some things are impossible even if you want to stay out of it.
In comparison, Lin Ruhai was a favorite of the emperor and a noble celebrity with a relatively simple network of relationships. In addition, the emperor is in his prime, so the throne is unlikely to be replaced in a short period of time.
From any perspective, choosing Lin Ruhai as a guide for the imperial examination and official career was a good choice.
What's more, Lin Ruhai is Lin Daiyu's biological father and the initiator of the main quest.
Then, Lin Ruhai began to instruct: "Ahfu, arrange for someone to send invitations to the prefect, the academician, and the judge, and ask them to come as witnesses. Also, prepare tea for the teacher..."
"Yes, sir."
Two days later, in the presence of several important figures in Yangzhou Prefecture, Lin Ruhai and Lu Cheng formally established their master-disciple relationship after offering tea to the teacher and performing the ceremony of paying homage to each other.
After seeing off the guests who came to watch the ceremony, Lin Ruhai asked the servants in the mansion to come over to pay their respects.
Lin Ruhai married Jia Min, the youngest daughter of the Jia family, when he was in his thirties. Jia Min gave birth to a daughter and a son for Lin Ruhai, but the son died at the age of three.
Now, Lin Ruhai is over 40 years old. Although he has several concubines in his family, none of them have children except Lin Daiyu, a daughter.
Moreover, the Lin family has few branches, and the only few relatives are relatively distantly related.
It can be said that a hundred years after Lin Ruhai passes away, the one who will be able to see him off to the end may be his disciple Lu Cheng.
In the original novel, after Lin Ruhai passed away, it was the Jia family who sent people to handle the funeral.
After the servants had greeted each other, Lin Ruhai said, "I have another daughter, whose maiden name is Daiyu. She will be your junior sister from now on. I will let her come out and meet you, my senior brother."
Soon, a maid was seen leading a slender and weak figure from the back house to the front hall.
"Yu'er, why don't you come over and meet your senior brother?"
Lin Daiyu had obviously also heard the news in advance. She stepped forward gracefully and bowed: "Dayu greets Senior Brother."
Lu Cheng also stood up and returned the greeting: "Lu Cheng greets Junior Sister."
Then, they both looked up and looked at each other.
But the thin little boy looked childish, with two curved eyebrows that seemed to be frowning but not quite frowning, and an abnormally pale face, which showed that he was born with a deficiency and had been suffering from a long-term illness.
At the same time, Lin Daiyu also looked up at this disciple who had won her father's praise. She was immediately attracted by Lu Cheng's appearance and temperament, and couldn't help but look at him a few more times.
Lin Daiyu was still young and didn't understand what love was. She just felt that the senior brother in front of her was very comfortable to look at, and she unconsciously developed some good feelings towards him.