r18novel Chapter 438 Extra Chapter: That Year's Peach Blossoms 2
Chapter 438 Extra Chapter: That Year's Peach Blossoms 2
Li Yuanke was indeed terrified. He looked around and saw only three people. He breathed a sigh of relief and looked up.
Clusters of peach blossoms, vibrant and beautiful, were adorned with a three-year-old girl sitting on a peach tree.
She had a face like a peach blossom, a small but sturdy and plump body, and was looking at him playfully. Her peach blossom eyes were bright and sparkling, mischievous and lively, like a little peach blossom spirit.
All the anger in my heart just vanished like smoke.
Li Yuanke asked with a smile, "Who are you?"
Shen Shixi braced herself against the peach tree trunk, preparing to gracefully leap down—a move she was used to making. However, her skirt got caught on a branch, restricting her movements. To avoid damaging her new dress, she could only swing on the branch.
Shen Shixi had no choice but to ask for help. A few tears welled up in her eyes, like two black crystals nestled in white crystal, shining brightly into people's hearts.
Without hesitation, Li Yuanke rushed forward to support her. Li Gui came over to help her untie her skirt, and she was finally free. However, she did not get down, but stared at Li Yuanke with unblinking eyes, captivated by his beauty, wishing she could reach out and touch him.
"Handsome brother, you're so good-looking, even more beautiful than peach blossoms!"
Li Yuanke was so startled he almost dropped her. Forcing himself to remain calm, he asked, "What's your name?"
"Shen Shixi, it means time is beautiful!"
The next day, Grand Tutor Shen was pleased to see that his lazy granddaughter had finally come to the study to study. He gave her a copy of the Thousand Character Classic and said, "You should know all these characters. Memorize them."
"I won't carry it!" Shen Shixi threw the book aside and went over to hang on her grandfather's back. "Grandpa, I'm not going to take the imperial examination to become the top scholar."
Old Master Shen nearly broke his back. After holding his back for a while, he said irritably, "You may not want to take the imperial examination to become the top scholar, but you can't be blind to everything."
"Grandpa, what are you saying? I'm not blind, I know so many words."
"Can you write articles?"
"No way!" Shen Shixi slid down and massaged his grandfather's back. "If I could write essays, could Grandpa let me take the exam to become an official, yay!"
Li Yuanke was standing at the door when he heard those words. He glanced at the girl and thought to himself, "She's got quite a big heart."
Upon seeing the Eighth Prince arrive, Old Master Shen stopped talking, fearing it would embarrass his granddaughter. Instead, he introduced the two, "Eighth Prince, this is my granddaughter, Shi Xi, and this is the Eighth Prince!"
Grandpa Shen was still waiting for his granddaughter to pay her respects to the Eighth Prince, but instead, she waved her hand and said, "Handsome brother, you're here!"
Li Yuanke blushed deeply, feeling embarrassed for the first time in his life. He coughed lightly, bowed to the Grand Tutor, and said, "Greetings, Teacher!"
Old Master Shen was very embarrassed. "What nonsense are you spouting? How can you address someone like that? Hurry up and pay your respects to the Eighth Prince."
"No...no need for such formalities!"
At this time, the Eighth Prince was still a bit shy and had not yet developed the roguish air he would later have. He would be content with the little peach blossom spirit calling him "handsome brother" in private, but he was still somewhat embarrassed in front of others.
Shen Shixi didn't bow. He walked over, grabbed Li Yuanke's hand, seemingly pulling him over to sit, but actually touching his slender, well-defined fingers. He thought to himself, "These are truly the hands of a pianist."
As if an electric current had surged from his fingers throughout his body, Li Yuanke's arm trembled. He resisted the urge to pull his hand back and passively sat down in his seat.
Shen Shixi did not return to her own seat, but instead shared a table with Li Yuanke.
She wanted to see this unparalleled beauty up close; it was beautiful from every angle, and every single detail was captivating.
"Xi'er, you should sit at your own table and sit up straight!" said Old Master Shen.
Who lies on the table like that, with their little feet sticking up and swinging back and forth?
Shen Shixi didn't care. Resting her chin on her hand, she said, "Grandpa, I'll just focus on listening. I want to sit at the same table with the handsome brother so I can help you supervise him. If he doesn't study well, wouldn't that make you lose face? Grandpa Li will laugh at you!"
Grandpa Shen was clearly at a loss with his granddaughter. He was content as long as she could attend school. In any case, the children of the Shen family couldn't be blind!
Li Yuanke turned to look at her. Why did her words sound so fake to him?
Li Yuanke was unaware that there was a term called "harassment" in later generations. He only felt that the little girl had some ill intentions, but what bad thoughts could a three-year-old girl have?
She gave him a triumphant smile, winked, and looked as cunning as a fox.
Li Yuanke felt somewhat uneasy.
Old Master Shen began his lecture, starting with the Spring and Autumn Annals. In those days, whatever one specialized in was what one taught their students. Old Master Shen specialized in the Nine Classics, and he devoted the most effort to the Spring and Autumn Annals.
Shen Shixi raised her hand. "Grandpa, the Spring and Autumn Annals is too difficult. Teaching should be gradual. I suggest that you teach our handsome brother the Four Books first, according to their difficulty. Grandpa, how about you teach us the Great Learning first?"
Upon hearing this, Old Master Shen wanted to spank the brat. "You've read the Four Books? Do you even know what they are? You only know that the simplest one is 'The Great Learning.' How can the words of sages be divided into easy and difficult?"
Li Yuanke was also shocked. How could a three-year-old child know so much? Was he just too stupid?
He saw Shen Shixi secretly roll her eyes. While it might look disgusting on others, it looked especially cute on the little peach blossom spirit, somewhat like a Persian cat kept in the palace.
"Grandpa, although I haven't studied the Four Books in detail, do you think I don't know what they're about?"
That's how Old Master Shen was won over by Shen Shixi. He was in high spirits, with a hint of boasting, and asked, "Then tell me, if it makes sense, Grandpa will listen to you."
Shen Shixi said, "If we were to categorize and summarize the Four Books, the Great Learning would be equivalent to the outline of Confucianism. Originally a chapter of the Book of Rites, it puts forward the 'Three Cardinal Guides' and 'Eight Items,' with a clear structure and rigorous logic. Beginners can more intuitively understand the overall framework of the Confucian self-cultivation system."
Even though Grandpa Shen could recite the Great Learning backwards, he never truly recognized its significance.
He also couldn't understand the logic of the Four Books as described by Shen Shixi.
At this time, scholars focused more on understanding the words of the sages and constantly restraining their own words and actions, striving to use these words to attack their political enemies in the court in the future.
They did not interpret these scriptures from another perspective.
Li Yuanke, however, was impressed by the little peach blossom spirit. He had also studied the Four Books with his master in the palace. The old master Li Jizhong was very knowledgeable, but he only taught the princes to recite, explain, recite, and write from memory every day. There was no overall framework or outline.
This is a new perspective.
Old Master Shen, wanting to hear what other earth-shattering things this child could say, asked, "And the next best thing?"
"Naturally, it's the Analects." Shen Shixi wasn't trying to show off; she just didn't want to listen to those difficult and obscure passages from the Spring and Autumn Annals.
"This book of aphorisms covers a wide range of topics, from daily speech and behavior to political systems, and is very detailed. After understanding the Great Learning, reading the Analects will be much easier to understand, from the overall picture to the details."
Li Yuanke's eyes lit up, and then he heard Shen Shixi say, "Mencius carries forward the spirit of Confucianism. Although both are in the form of sayings, they are different from the Analects. Mencius conveys the spirit through debate."
Only by building a solid foundation can one engage in debate. Debating is like arguing; you must first learn to speak and acquire a certain vocabulary before you can have the ability to engage in a verbal battle with someone…
Before three sentences were even finished, their true colors were revealed. Old Master Shen was so angry he almost had a stroke. "Shut up! What... what are you saying? What arguing and cursing? This is a school!"