vstars Chapter 449 Tips
Chapter 449 Tips
The two exchanged a few pleasantries, and Lin Bosheng left temporarily. A servant came over to serve tea and some exquisite pastries that had not been seen at the meeting.
It was obvious that the host wanted to entertain us with all his heart. Lord Lin also seemed approachable and asked some questions about family matters.
"Oh, so your father was your mentor. Passing the exam to become a scholar is not easy, and you passed the exam to become a student at such a young age. Your father's efforts have not been in vain. Did he come to the capital with you this time?"
Qin Yan shook his head: "My biological father has passed away long ago."
Lord Lin looked regretful and said a few words of comfort. He then asked about who else was in his family. He mentioned that his mother had remarried and that the whole family was now in the provincial capital.
Originally, this was a very private family matter, and Qin Yan thought that this was the end of the discussion. Unexpectedly, the prefect seemed to be somewhat interested.
"So that's how it is. Then what do you think about women remarrying?"
Qin Yan was stunned, but he still organized his thoughts and expressed his ideas.
"As for my mother's marriage, my stepfather, sister, and uncle are all very good people. I am blessed to be able to be family with them."
"As for ordinary women remarrying, I don't think it's a problem. For women themselves, who they marry, whether they want to remarry, and who they marry next, whether it's out of affection or profit, is all for the purpose of having a better life."
"As long as you're not forced or deceived, there should be no difference between remarriage and first marriage."
This was the first time Lord Lin had heard such a point of view, and he became increasingly curious: "You're not shy about talking about this, but why do you have such thoughts? Is it because of your family's situation, or did you learn something from it?"
Qin Yan thought for a moment and said, "Both. Scholars can't turn a deaf ear to the world outside. We are all ordinary people, living ordinary lives. Whether it's family education or studying, it's all for the purpose of distinguishing right from wrong. In the end, we still have to return to the world."
"People give birth to children. Only with people can we have a country. Only with a country can we have a family. The people do not fear the strong. This is integrity. Officials do not tolerate corruption. This is integrity. Generals do not abandon their cities. This is integrity..."
"What kind of festival is it if a woman doesn't marry twice?"
After all, he was a young man. When he said the last sentence, there was a hint of disgust in his personal emotions. Lord Lin was stunned and then burst into laughter.
"Interesting, interesting!"
He has a quick mind, speaks volumes and is also talented. Most importantly, when facing him, he is not nervous and expresses his opinions without hesitation.
No wonder he stands out among all the students, it is really rare.
He changed the subject: "I have also read the poems you wrote in the poetry club. They are good poems, and they are very inspiring. You said that you want all the people to be able to read. Have you ever thought about how many people there are in this world?"
Qin Yan remained silent.
Lord Lin took a sip of tea and continued, "Do you know who has the largest collection of books in the world?"
Qin Yan knew that books naturally belonged to those who could afford to read them, but to collect books, one had to be rich and powerful.
"In the hands of aristocratic families."
"Aristocratic families rely on this to build their own network of contacts, closely binding generations together. They build clan schools and unify their collections of books. Those books have become far more important than gold, silver, and jewelry and are considered heirlooms."
"As long as the family remains strong, they won't even allow these books to be circulated. Money and connections are power, and in their eyes, reading is the same."
Lord Lin mentioned an old story. In the previous dynasty, there was a scholar who went to a distant foreign country and wrote down what he saw and heard in a book. Later, someone discovered that there was profit in it. In less than half a month, all the books circulating on the market, including those written by him and those copied by other study rooms, were taken away.
Qin Yan's expression did not change after hearing this. Although he had never seen any noble family in person, he knew how far people would go for profit. Such a thing was naturally possible.
"My Lord, I believe that no major event in the world can be accomplished overnight, especially those that concern the people and the common people."
He looked calm, not changing his mind, and spoke every word with neither humility nor arrogance.
“As long as something is right, someone will always do it. Even if I spend my entire life trying to accomplish it, there will always be a time when what I do will be seen and recognized by others.”
"If one generation fails, then two generations will do. If two generations fail, then generations will do. In life, fame, wealth and status are only wealth in the short term and shackles on the mind."
"Scholars have their own righteous path in life: to leave their names in history and bring peace to the world for all time."
Lord Lin asked him in return, "Do you think you can do it?"
Qin Yan asked in return, "Have you ever burned the land, sir?"
"You don't need to ignite every blade of grass to burn the ground. Just a little spark will start the fire. To avoid a strong fire, we usually choose a day with little wind. If there is wind, the fire will burst into flames."
“Even if it rains for one day, as long as we keep throwing the seeds of fire, when the east wind comes, the whole field will be ablaze.”
Lord Lin was silent and looked at Qin Yan for a long time.
"Do you know what kind of uproar it would cause if this third poem you wrote today was not presented at this small poetry gathering but was published in the capital and was known to those with ulterior motives?"
Lord Lin did not say whether he supported his point of view, but changed the subject: "Have you thought about the consequences?"
His expression was different from when he was chatting just now. He looked a little more serious and his tone was full of power, which made people feel a sense of pressure.
"In a place like the capital, if you throw a handful of beans, you'll find a bunch of scholars. Among the high-ranking officials, the civil and military officials in the court, how many of them are not scholars? How many of them are not what you call 'scholars'?"
"No matter what you think or what you plan to do in the future, if you don't affirm their status, they will never acknowledge you. At that point, do you think it's more important to confront them or to 'enlighten the people,' as you call them?"
Qin Yan pondered for a while and understood what Lord Lin meant.
Being too rigid will easily lead to failure. Unless he does not enter the officialdom in this life, he will inevitably have to deal with some people. There is a way to be an official. There is a world of difference between just wanting to be an honest official and wanting to be an official who can get things done.
He bowed deeply to Master Lin and said, "Thank you for your advice, Master. I have benefited a lot from it!"
Lord Lin was satisfied to see that he was not a stubborn and incorrigible person, and his expression became much more relaxed.
"That's okay. You're still young, and it's time to study. You'll slowly understand things in the future. You still have a lot to learn. Sometimes being flexible isn't a bad thing. The important thing is not to forget what you really want to do."
"It would be foolish to sacrifice yourself for something so insignificant. If some word gets out now, you can just say 'youthful recklessness', but that won't be the case in the future."
Qin Yan thanked him again.
The two had been chatting for a long time before Qin Yan was able to say goodbye.