Chapter 92 I Remember You Are the Daughter of Censor Chu
The night in Hengqu was quiet and peaceful, the light of the oil lamp flickered. Zhang Zai sat at the desk for a long time, concentrating, the pen in his hand was still in his hand.
He felt a warm current surging in his chest but could not find an outlet, as if something was brewing, something seemed waiting to be written down.
After resigning from his official position, Zhang Zai watched the farmers working hard on the barren land every day in exchange for a meager harvest.
Once, a farmer carrying the newly harvested grain on his back said to Zhang Zai, "What grows in the ground is not grain, it is life."
It’s fate… Land is the fate of the people…
The people are the roots of the country.
If even the roots are unstable, how can the country be stable?
Zhang Zai closed the book and stared out the window. As a scholar, he could not be satisfied with just the thoughts in the book. He wanted to leave an answer to the world, the people and history.
He returned to the table, picked up the pen, concentrated for a moment, and finally wrote the first sentence: Establish a mind for heaven and earth.
When heaven and earth are without mind, all things will be out of order. Man is the soul of heaven and earth, and the human heart is the origin of heaven and earth.
If scholars can establish their minds for heaven and earth and teach people to distinguish between good and evil, then heaven and earth will not lose their direction.
Zhang Zai did not stop writing and wrote the second sentence: Establish a mission for the people.
Famine, labor, and death seemed to be destined by fate, but Zhang Zai did not believe that fate could not be changed. He believed that the lives of the people should be controlled by themselves.
As the pen moves, the third sentence is about to come out: To carry on the lost knowledge of the ancient sages.
From ancient times to the present, the teachings of sages are like a long river, but the turmoil that occurs from time to time always cuts off this long river, rituals and music are destroyed, and unique knowledge is lost, and people lose their direction.
Zhang Zai wanted to pass on the unfinished knowledge of the predecessors and reconnect the cut-off river.
Finally, Zhang Zai thought for a long time and wrote down the last sentence: Bring peace to the world for all eternity.
It was already early morning when he finished writing. Zhang Zai looked at the people working outside, the children playing, and the leisurely old people.
He knew that this was the answer he had been searching for all his life.
Later, Zhang Zai was summoned to the capital again. At that time, he was already ill. He dragged his sick body into Bianliang, but no one listened to what he said.
He had no choice but to drag his sick body back to Hengqu, and soon after he died in Hengqu at the age of 58.
Chu Yian was talking about this and he couldn't calm down for a long time in his heart, especially when he talked about Zhang Zai writing the four lines of Hengqu, his eyes were already slightly moist.
Simple words cannot describe her feelings at the moment. She has learned about that period of history in detail, and it is precisely because of this knowledge that she is deeply moved.
As Qin Sheng listened, his eyelashes drooped slightly.
He looked at Chu Yian and saw the excitement in her eyes. He knew that was Chu Yian's confidence in her own national cultural heritage.
The history she knew was very long, and it seemed that every dynasty taken out alone was enough to give people an indescribable shock.
History is made up of living people one after another, who are put together from top to bottom to construct one exciting or regrettable story after another from the past.
Qin Sheng pursed his lips tightly together, and became more and more curious about the world that Chu Yian lived in.
But he didn't say anything in the end. After Chu Yian calmed down a little, he said: "Well, I've got it in mind. He is a very remarkable person and I will never forget it."
"Let's go into the palace. If you don't know what to say, you can leave it to me."
Chu Yian nodded. This was her first time entering the palace. After her excitement subsided, she felt a little uneasy.
However, after looking at Qin Sheng beside him, the uneasiness quickly disappeared.
Following Qin Sheng into the palace, Chu Yian quietly took a look around the palace and then looked away.
Led by the eunuch, the two men entered a courtyard, went around the back, and were blocked behind a screen after entering the house.
The screen blocked the people outside, and Chu Yian could not see what 'Zhang Zai' looked like. He could only hear the voice of him talking with the emperor coming from the other end.
Chu Yian rolled his eyes speechlessly. As an emperor, is it necessary for you to do things in such a secretive way?
What would happen if you just called her over openly?
Seeing Chu Yian's eye roll, Qin Sheng curled his lips, leaned close to her ear and whispered, "After all, you are a great scholar. You have a good reputation, so you should be cautious."
Chu Yian: ...
I don’t know if the real Zhang Zai was ever treated so carefully, I’m afraid not.
However, Chu Yian still calmed down and pricked up his ears to listen carefully to what was said outside.
Just listening to it, I felt something was wrong.
In her mind, Zhang Zai should be a man who cares about the country and the people, has his own views on everything, and can find his own thoughts from the wise words of the sages and continue to expand them.
Instead of quoting scriptures for everything and only saying what the saints said, you have no opinions of your own at all.
And from what I hear, this person doesn't seem to understand how to be an official, and doesn't understand the national economy and people's livelihood at all.
Zhang Zai had been an official for many years, so how could he not know this?
She could almost conclude after just one listen that this person was definitely not Zhang Zai, and the emperor outside also looked unhappy.
He originally thought that Zhang Zai must be a man of great talent, but after listening to these words, he felt that none of them made sense.
Or has Zhang Zai really been in a small place for too long? Has he not gained any experience? Should he be given time to grow?
But he is already old, and if he grows any more he will be buried in the ground.
After chatting for a while, the emperor's patience finally ran out, and he found a reason to send Zhang Zai away.
After everyone left, he said to the screen, "Come out."
Chu Yian and Qin Sheng walked out from behind the screen. Without waiting for them to salute, he frowned and looked at Chu Yian with displeasure: "Is this the Zhang Zai you mentioned? How could such a person really say something like 'establishing a mind for heaven and earth'?"
Chu Yian shook his head stupidly: "I don't think so."
Qin Sheng: ...
Qin Sheng closed his eyes, pulled Chu Yi'an behind him and saluted the emperor before saying, "Your Majesty, Yi'an told me about Zhang Zai's deeds. This man... doesn't seem like the real person. Although he is knowledgeable, it's all from books. He can't put it into practice. It's just empty talk."
The emperor's expression improved a little. It was good that it wasn't true. If it was true, he would have doubted whether he had spent so much time looking for Zhang Zai because he had nothing better to do.
But then he became furious again: "Does this person think I'm easy to fool? How dare he deceive the emperor? He's tired of living!"
Chu Yian lowered his head and pretended to be quiet, not saying a word.
Qin Sheng didn't say anything either.
After the emperor cursed, he looked at Chu Yian again. He felt something and narrowed his eyes.
Qin Sheng's wife...seems quite simple, much better than Qin Sheng.
The emperor thought of Chu Xiuyuan again. They had been married for so long. Wasn't it time to deal with the censor who always liked to criticize him?
After a moment of contemplation, the emperor suddenly called out: "Chu Yian, I remember you are the eldest daughter of the Imperial Censor Chu Xiuyuan."
Chu Yian hurriedly hummed, lowered his head and replied: "Your Majesty, yes."
The emperor did not directly mention his intention to demote him, but instead brought up the incident at Zhuangyuan Building: "The last time I heard you were in Zhuangyuan Building, you were scolding your father, Chu Xiuyuan, for his dishonesty and unkindness as a father."
"Alas, Mr. Chu is my Imperial Censor. I was so busy with my official duties that I didn't notice his absurd behavior, causing great injustice to my wife and children at home."
"If I had known earlier, I would have told him to spend more time with his family. Otherwise, things wouldn't have gotten to this point."
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