"What should a Confucian scholar do?"
"To establish the heart of Heaven and Earth—that is what it means to be a Confucian!"
"Heaven and Earth have no heart of their own. By studying and passing down the Way of the sages, a Confucian broadens his heart and takes all things under Heaven as his own. His heart can then accord with the heart of Heaven!"
"To establish a destiny for the people—that is what it means to be a Confucian!"
"The people are my brothers and sisters, and all things are my companions. I keep them in my thoughts and heart; nothing is greater than this!"
"To continue the lost teachings of the sages of old—that is what it means to be a Confucian!"
"Han Confucians revered chapter and verse, while Tang Confucians indulged in Buddhism and Daoism, sinking into heterodox teachings. How could that be acceptable? We should study and pass down the teachings of the sages, carrying on the orthodox lineage of the Confucian school!"
Zhang Zai was of average height and unremarkable appearance. Yet when he stood above them and expounded the Great Way, his few words struck like a thunderclap. Huang Shang, seated on a meditation cushion, felt genuine admiration well up within him.
As modern people, we often hold prejudices about the scholars of ancient times.
"Scholars are useless"—more often than not, they only drag others down. It is the generals who defend their homeland and expand its borders who stir the blood and inspire longing.
But only after Huang Shang truly came under Zhang Zai's tutelage and listened to his lectures did he understand the bold spirit of a scholar, sweeping across the land with unrestrained purpose, and the mission of embracing all under Heaven and carrying the torch of the past into the future!
For the first time, Huang Shang felt that he was studying not for fame and fortune, but in pursuit of a lofty purpose and a sense of responsibility.
That was what it meant to be a great Confucian.
Rejecting Sima Guang and becoming Zhang Zai's student had indeed been worthwhile.
The Song Dynasty of this era was a gathering place for outstanding talents.
Just look around, and you would find luminaries whose works filled the Chinese textbooks, the kind that students were made to memorize in full.
Ouyang Xiu, Wang Anshi, Sima Guang, Su Shi, Su Zhe, Su Xun, Cheng Yi, Zeng Gong...
And there were countless other famous writers with names and reputations of their own.
Judging by their current standing at court, Sima Guang was undoubtedly far more influential than Zhang Zai. Zhang Zai had barely been given any important positions in his life, while Sima Guang was a veteran of four reigns. If Huang Shang had joined Sima Guang's school, he would surely have gained much more support at court.
But Huang Shang still stuck to his original plan and became Zhang Zai's student.
In just half a month, he had already felt himself making remarkable progress. He had even experienced what it was like to be a top student.
When nothing would go in, studying was agonizing drudgery. But when he could grasp the teacher's lessons in a flash and rank among the best in the class, studying became a matter of "I love learning, and learning loves me."
When Zhang Zai's gaze fell on him, Huang Shang rose and replied, "To support the sovereign above, bring peace to the common people below, subdue the barbarians beyond our borders, and pacify bandits within them—to lay the foundations for lasting peace throughout the ages. Who but a Confucian could shoulder these tasks?"
His voice rang out with force, brimming with fervor and stirring power. Everyone in the hall turned to look, and undisguised admiration shone in Zhang Zai's eyes. "Good! Good! Good!"
Students chose their teachers, and teachers chose their students in turn.
By now, Confucianism had split into many different schools. Only by educating outstanding students could a teacher bring glory to his school.
Zhang Zai already had many accomplished disciples, but Huang Shang's learning was still among the very best. Naturally, Zhang Zai valued him highly.
After the lecture, Zhang Zai answered each disciple's questions before departing at an unhurried pace.
As soon as the teacher left, the students in the hall swarmed over, with Huang Shang at the center of the crowd.
When Zhang Zai urged his disciples to "broaden their hearts," he did not mean they should boast wildly or act arrogantly. He meant that they should set their sights on worthy goals.
So when Huang Shang spoke those four guiding principles, they "happened" to align with the students' own aspirations. They naturally took him for a kindred spirit.
For a while, the atmosphere was warm and friendly.
These were his fellow students, people who would look out for one another in the years to come. Huang Shang chatted and laughed with them.
Of course, some classmates were closer than others. When Huang Shang left the schoolroom, only two friends remained at his side.
One was You Shixiong. The other was barely eleven or twelve, yet already seemed much older than his years. His name was Zhong Shidao.
Among the famous generals of the Northern Song, he was far better known than You Shixiong. He had fought against Western Xia, campaigned against the Liao Kingdom, and resisted the Jin Kingdom's invasion.
If Zhong Shidao had not died, the Jingkang Incident would never have been so devastating.
And Zhong Shidao was no isolated case; he came from the Zhong family of generals.
Everyone had heard of the Yang Family Generals of the Northern Song, but few knew about the Zhong family of generals.
Yet in actual history, the Northern Song's true family of renowned generals was the Zhong family. Three generations had repeatedly distinguished themselves, defending the Northern Song for a century. Their achievements far surpassed those of the Yang Family Generals.
History and legend could, at times, differ like night and day.
Since he was now classmates with a famous general from the end of the Northern Song, Huang Shang put up with the little brat's act of maturity and let the two of them walk with him.
Before they reached home, You Shixiong saw how badly run-down the courtyard was and said, "Shengzhong, I have a residence in East Yulin Lane..."
Before he could finish, Huang Shang gently shook his head. "Thank you for the kind offer, Jing-shu, but this place is enough for me to pursue my studies."
You Shixiong could not help but regard him with respect, while Zhong Shidao glanced at Huang Shang with a half-smile.
Huang Shang glanced at the little devil. He could see through him, but chose not to call him out. A good kid.
He would not move out of this humble abode before earning a degree.
It was not because he was sentimental, nor was it merely an attempt to show off. He wanted to avoid trouble.
By now, Huang Shang—Huang Shengzhong—was beginning to make a name for himself in Dongjing City.
For every writer who had applauded the Four Verses of the Humble Abode, there was another secretly green with envy, grinding his teeth in resentment.
Take the two from before, Liu Yi and Chen Sheng.
Chen Sheng had actually been on better terms with Huang Shang than Liu Yi had. But after those four verses came out, Liu Yi had begun to admire him and now often visited to ask him about his studies, while Chen Sheng had disappeared.
That was human nature. When you were down and out, some people looked down on you while others pitied you. Once you made something of yourself, the people who had looked down on you might start sucking up to you, while those who had pitied you might become strangers—or even turn vicious.
They were so bitter, bitter to the bone!
Huang Shang knew that if he moved out now, people would surely brand him ungrateful, and then one problem after another would follow.
His thoughts had never been occupied by insignificant characters in the story. Why bother fighting with these people?
As long as he devoted himself to his studies here, with his solid foundation, his talent, and a renowned teacher like Zhang Zai, passing the imperial examinations was a sure thing.
He would become the top scholar as quickly as possible.
Then, at last, it would be...
"Ten years of study in obscurity, then one day of fame known throughout the land!"
Just as he was preparing to proceed steadily, Huang Shang suddenly felt a jolt in his heart.
The Universal Card, which had been quiet all this time, began to spin. An image appeared in his mind.
Nine holes had been bored through the barrier surrounding this world.
The star-like points of light waiting outside shot downward.
Nine of them, no more and no less.
"The first batch of Reincarnators has entered!"
Huang Shang's expression darkened.
This was beyond his expectations.
He had thought that during his first infiltration, the Heavens would at least buy him plenty of time, no matter what.
He had never expected the barrier to be breached so quickly!
The passage of time inside and outside the world was different, after all.
He had spent over a month inside the world, but in the outside world, it had probably only been a moment.
"Too little time. Right now, Huang Shang's name has only spread among scholars."
"Unless they happen to stumble across it, the Reincarnators won't pay any attention to him."
"This is trouble!"
Just as Huang Shang was fretting, someone knocked at the door. A servant entered to deliver the news, grief on his face. "Attendant Bao has passed away."
You Shixiong and Zhong Shidao sprang to their feet.
Huang Shang rose with them, still unable to process what he had heard.
But soon, he realized who Attendant Bao was.
Bao Zheng!
Bao Zheng had died of illness!
Before you continue