The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 444 - 433: Realization

Chapter 444: Chapter 433: Realization

Manbao then asked, "That was the first question, what’s the second?"

Bai Shanbao and Bai Erlang exchanged glances and shook their heads together.

Manbao glanced at the sun outside with Bai Shanbao; seeing its brilliance remain unchanged, yet lacking the scorching feel, she knew evening was approaching and perhaps the sun would soon set.

So Bai Shanbao said, "Let’s go consult our teacher."

Bai Erlang was reluctant, "But aren’t we having class tomorrow?"

Manbao insisted, "Let’s still ask. Later we need to come back to settle the accounts and divide the money."

Outnumbered two to one, Bai Erlang had to give in.

Mr. Zhuang was at the Bai Family’s neighboring residence, having tea with Old Master Bai, preparing to dine together later.

Seeing the three children approaching with the account book in hands, Mr. Zhuang exchanged a knowing smile with Old Master Bai.

Upon witnessing the amused expressions on the two faces, the children couldn’t help but pout, and Bai Erlang complained, "Father, how can you be so untrustworthy?"

Old Master Bai just laughed, "This is called business is business. You first coerced me into buying out the village’s wheat seeds, is that speaking of righteousness?"

Bai Erlang was at a loss for words and turned to his two companions, who remained silent, so he too clamped his mouth shut.

Old Master Bai then taught the three children, "Merchants pursue profit. If you don’t want to suffer losses in the future, you have to put more effort into drafting documents, making no loopholes for others to exploit. Today, I’ve let you off lightly by only deducting half. Otherwise, you’d have lost much more than this."

Mr. Zhuang put down his teacup and chuckled, "You’ve already answered the first question I’ve given you, and the second is to amend the document. As for the third question..."

After a moment’s thought, Mr. Zhuang turned to Old Master Bai with a smile, "Old Master Bai, may I borrow your splendid grounds to give the children a lesson?"

Old Master Bai was about to stand and leave but sat back down upon reconsidering, saying with a laugh, "Pretend I’m not here, just teach them."

He himself was curious to see how Mr. Zhuang usually taught the three children.

Mr. Zhuang pondered for a moment, nodded in agreement, and then had the three children find a place to sit.

Bai Shanbao and the others, not wanting to fetch stools or chairs, simply chose a patch of grass under a tree to sit on.

Old Master Bai’s heart skipped a beat as he watched the children settle down amidst his flowers and plants.

"Things like documents aren’t something you can write flawlessly in a short time. Consider this homework for you to work on slowly," Mr. Zhuang said. "When you grow up and understand more principles, you will also need to learn about the laws of our dynasty. If you want your documents to be effective, they must comply with the law."

The three children signified their understanding.

Mr. Zhuang stood up, hands clasped behind his back, and after walking and reflecting in front of the three pupils, he said, "Just now, Old Master Bai mentioned that merchants pursue profit, and he’s not wrong. But he didn’t say everything. Not only merchants, but the scholars, farmers, artisans, and even slaves lower down, and the royal family higher up, all pursue profit. Hence seeking profit is not shameful."

The children listened with earnest faces. Bai Shanbao and Manbao, after thinking it over, nodded along, while Old Master Bai, sitting by the stone table, was stunned, nearly dropping his teacup.

This way of thinking...

"However, despite the pursuit of profit, as human beings, we should have things we do and don’t do," Mr. Zhuang continued, shifting his tone. "I don’t know what livelihoods you’ll choose in the future, maybe you’ll become merchants, but the third question I give you will be homework for much longer, perhaps a lifetime’s task. Maybe one day, you will be able to answer questions that even your teacher can’t answer now."

Manbao felt a little uneasy, "Teacher, did we do something wrong?"

Mr. Zhuang was silent for a while before shaking his head, "You didn’t do anything wrong, but I can’t say you did everything right either. Not everything in this world can be decided by me alone. You’re all very intelligent, especially in this matter, smarter than I expected."

Looking at Bai Erlang, Mr. Zhuang remarked, "Even Bai Cheng surprised me this time."

Bai Erlang didn’t feel pleased. He looked around, equally uneasy, since the atmosphere felt a bit off.

Mr. Zhuang looked down at his three disciples and said, "Therefore, you must study diligently, read more, and contemplate more. Perhaps in the future, you’ll be able to answer questions that even today your teacher cannot."

"In studying, we not only learn the skills of the sages but also their character; benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trust are merely the principles for living per Confucianism. Yet beyond Confucianism, there are Taoism, Legalism, Military Strategy, Mohism..."

Bai Shanbao asked, "Teacher, which philosophy of living do you prefer?"

Mr. Zhuang smiled slightly and said, "Among the classics of these schools, I read Confucianism the most and understand it deeply, yet for handling affairs, I prefer Taoism, and in interacting with others, I rely a lot on Legalism. Since I began teaching in the countryside, I’ve also grown fond of reading Mohist works. So, which do I prefer?"

Bai Shanbao thought, how could he know, he wasn’t a roundworm in the teacher’s stomach.

Seeing his expression, Mr. Zhuang understood and burst into hearty laughter, "Even the roundworm in my stomach wouldn’t know, for even I myself am not sure. But why must we know after all?"

"Indeed, why do we need to know?" Manbao echoed the question. The library didn’t categorize by sect; its books included everything and omitted nothing. Keke never said that if you read one school’s philosophy, you couldn’t read another’s. As long as you could afford the points, you could read whatever you wished.

Furthermore, the people she engaged with, like Doctor D and others, never asked which philosophical principles she preferred for living.

How could one even decide?

Furrowing her brow, Manbao asked, "Isn’t being a person just about becoming who you want to be? Why bother fitting any school’s philosophy? Confucianism advocates filial piety; does that mean Taoists can’t be filial to their parents? Can’t someone who dislikes both Confucianism and Taoism be filial to their parents?"

Manbao was still young, and she struggled to articulate her thoughts, resorting to the simplest language, "I feel these things naturally exist in the world, the so-called philosophies of life are merely what the sages have summarized. Before Confucius spoke of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faith, does it mean people weren’t benevolent, righteous, proper, wise, or faithful?"

Mr. Zhuang was stumped by the question, momentarily lost in thought and nearly stumbled to the ground.

Startled, Manbao, Bai Shanbao, and Bai Erlang sprang up to steady him. Mr. Zhuang gripped Manbao’s hand tightly, his eyes gleaming, muttering, "Yes, yes, how have I become so confused? No, that’s not right, it’s most of the world that’s confused... Hahaha, what’s the use of arguing over Confucian, Taoist, Buddhist, or Legalist? It turns out we’re all confused..."

Manbao looked towards Bai Shanbao, bewildered.

Bai Shanbao somewhat understood but not fully.

He grasped what Manbao said and what Mr. Zhuang had said earlier, but what Mr. Zhuang was saying now was beyond him.

Old Master Bai was also baffled, but that didn’t prevent him from helping the three children support Mr. Zhuang.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.