Poor but talented scholar

Chapter 45 The Return Journey

The rice seedlings in the fields were just beginning to show their new green color in the evening breeze when the busy farming season in Lujia Village was already coming to an end.

On the day of departure, the sky was a deep blue.

Sixth Uncle and Lu Shouye got up early. Although they urged him to hurry up, they moved so gently that they were afraid of disturbing the boy's peaceful dream.

Lu Shouye carefully inspected every part of the oxcart and fed the old blue ox fodder mixed with concentrate.

On the oxcart, besides Lu Chuan's books and clothes, there were also two baskets woven from new willow branches.

The basket was neatly filled with wild gastrodia elata that Lu Chuan had dug up from the deep mountains in the past few days, as well as a jar of locust honey that the villagers had picked from the top of an old locust tree.

"Gastrodia elata can calm the liver and extinguish wind, while Sophora japonica honey can moisten dryness." Looking at these two items, Lu Chuan said softly to his father, "The Master is always hunched over his desk, which is very taxing. Giving him this will suit his taste better than giving him gold or silver."

Lu Shouye smiled憨厚ly, cracked his whip, and the oxcart slowly drove out of the village entrance amidst the crisp sound of bells.

Upon arriving at Qingyang Academy.

Uncle Liu and Lu Shouye, carrying baskets, first went to the gatehouse to find the old servant.

Sixth Uncle told Lu Chuan to go back to his room to tidy up first, while he waited behind the screen wall outside the study.

When Master Zhao opened the window to let in some fresh air, Uncle Liu adopted the most formal etiquette he used when entertaining guests in the countryside, and respectfully said through the latticed window, "Master, we've been busy with farm work at home, which delayed Chuan'er for a few days. These are wild mountain produce, nothing valuable, just something to clear your throat."

Master Zhao was not fond of worldly things, but when he saw the wild gastrodia elata still carrying the fresh scent of soil and smelled the pure fragrance of locust blossoms, his eyes softened a little.

Master Zhao's gaze swept over the few wild gastrodia elata plants in the basket, still carrying the fresh scent of earth. He nodded slightly, a faint smile appearing on his face: "I appreciate this sentiment. How is the medicinal garden on the back hill doing now? Are those pinellia ternata plants adapting well to the soil of this countryside?"

Sixth Uncle quickly stepped forward and solemnly reported, "Reporting to Master, we have been taking meticulous care of them according to the methods found in the book. Watering, shading, weeding—we haven't dared to neglect them in the slightest. Generally speaking, they all look very robust, with thick leaves. It's just... alas, the heat was really too intense for those few days in the middle. I don't know if they got root rot or if they were just weak, but they couldn't recover and a small patch of them wilted. It's such a pity."

At this point, Uncle Liu showed a genuine pity on his face, and then took the opportunity to raise a few questions about the problems that the village's medicinal herb farmers were deeply rooted in.

For example, what should be done if the leaves of medicinal herbs occasionally turn yellow and curl? With the autumn dew approaching, should more dry grass be laid down to prevent moisture and retain moisture? Also, what kinds of pests are these medicinal herbs most susceptible to during different solar terms, and how should we take precautions in advance?

Master Zhao listened patiently, not finding these agricultural matters trivial. Instead, he asked him to wait a moment, then turned around and skillfully took out a thick annotated edition of the Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica from the densely packed bookshelves behind him.

He walked to the window, and in the bright morning light, he traced the lines with his finger, carefully examining the document.

After a moment, he shared his experiences from his early travels and answered Lu Deshou's questions one by one, explaining things in a simple and straightforward manner, getting straight to the point.

"Herbal medicines are different from grains; they require 'three parts planting and seven parts nurturing.' If the leaves curl, you can spray them with a mixture of wood ash and water to remove the 'fire poison.' When the autumn dew gets heavier, you really need to change the bedding straw frequently to prevent the cold from damaging the roots." Master Zhao explained in great detail, and Uncle Liu listened with shining eyes, nodding repeatedly as if he had found a treasure. He admired the master's profound knowledge even more, thinking that scholars could indeed see through even the intricacies of the soil.

After finishing their business, Uncle Liu could no longer suppress the pride on his face. He chuckled, as if he had suddenly remembered something interesting, and said, "Master, there's something else funny. This time when we came home, it was during the 'double harvest' season, and Chuan'er insisted on going to the threshing ground to keep an eye on things."

"We were worried he wouldn't be able to endure the hardship, but who would have thought he'd be standing there under the blazing sun, waving his pole to scare away the sparrows while muttering to himself. We roughnecks went over to listen, and wow, this kid was actually composing poetry to those thieving birds! It was quite interesting, it went something like this..."

Sixth Uncle cleared his throat and, trying to imitate Lu Chuan's refined yet powerful tone, repeated: "The scorching sun is like a furnace, refining the grains into true gold. Do not laugh at the farmers' suffering, for the world is full of wonders."

Upon hearing this, Master Zhao's fingers, which had been stroking his short beard, stiffened slightly. A rare look of surprise flashed in his eyes behind his glasses, followed by intense interest.

He slowly lowered his hand, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, and he murmured those lines:

"The scorching sun is like a furnace, refining grains into pure gold. Do not laugh at the farmers' hardship, for their world is a microcosm of nature."

These few lines of poetry, though written in a straightforward style without any literary embellishment, are remarkable for their profound and powerful meaning.

The phrase "refining true gold" portrays the scorching sun as a crucible for forging willpower; while the saying "the world is all around us" transcends the mundane details of a farmer's hard work, revealing a broad and open-minded spirit.

This is something a student who only memorizes under the shade of a tree could never come up with. Only by personally handling the scalding grains and sweating under the scorching sun can one comprehend this profound understanding and strength amidst the bitterness of labor.

Master Zhao didn't rush to speak. He slowly got up and walked to the window.

Looking out through the carved window, one could see Lu Chuan standing alone under the ancient locust tree in the courtyard.

The boy's profile appeared somewhat thin in the interplay of light and shadow, yet he resembled a slender bamboo stalk growing in a crack in the rock, exuding a serene and profound strength.

Reflecting on the phrase "the world is all around me," Master Zhao couldn't help but feel a sense of appreciation.

He turned around, looking at Lu Dehuang and Lu Shouye, whose faces were filled with both trepidation and hope, and his tone was more solemn than ever before:

"This poem is lofty in its conception and extraordinary in its spirit. It is excellent that one can perceive the principles of creation and alchemy under the scorching sun and appreciate the profound truths behind farming."

Upon receiving such praise from the Master, and hearing that his tone was even more weighty than when praising the talented scholars in the county, Lu Dehuang and Lu Shouye were so overjoyed that they almost jumped for joy. Their faces were radiant, as if Lu Chuan had already stepped into the Golden Palace.

The two men stood ramrod straight and repeatedly bowed in thanks.

"It's all thanks to your guidance, Master! It's because of your excellent teaching that this child hasn't gone astray."

The two left satisfied, their steps light as if they were walking on clouds.

Lu Dehuang looked around, and taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, he lowered his voice and took out a red paper packet from his pocket and handed it to the old servant who was waiting under the eaves.

"Brother, I don't have anything fancy, just some tobacco leaves I dried myself, to help you weigh down your pipe. Chuan'er will need your help here from now on."

The old servant declined several times, but seeing that the two were truly sincere, he chuckled and tucked the money into his sleeve.