The Lucky Farmgirl
Chapter 546 - 535: Annotations to the Water Classic

Chapter 546: Chapter 535: Annotations to the Water Classic

Mr. Zhuang placed the book basket containing his and Bai Ershu’s books to one side, and dragged over the two large book baskets filled to the brim by Manbao and the others.

He first set aside the paper books, then picked up the bamboo slips and asked, "Which one is the ’Commentary on the Water Classic’?"

Manbao immediately stepped forward with Bai Shanbao to help look through the slips. Although the bamboo slips looked similar from the outside, actually, each volume had a different number of slips, so they varied in thickness. Those with keener senses could also feel the differences.

Mainly, since they were the ones who had found these slips, the two had a recollection of them.

They opened the slips and could distinguish whether they were the ’Commentary on the Water Classic’ just by glancing at the first entry, then handed it to Mr. Zhuang.

Mr. Zhuang took the bamboo slips and sat down under the lamp to study them closely.

Having been rattled by Zhou Silang, Bai Erlang was no longer afraid. He squatted next to them and inquired, "What is the ’Commentary on the Water Classic’?"

"It’s an annotation to the ’Water Classic’ made by Li Shan," Manbao explained. "It’s said in the ’Book of Sui’ that all the mountains, rivers, and streams under heaven are encompassed within the ’Commentary on the Water Classic.’ It’s quite impressive."

Mr. Zhuang interjected offhandedly, "Nonsense, when did the ’Book of Sui’ have such a line?"

Bai Shanbao, feeling somewhat embarrassed, clarified, "Mr. Zhuang, that line was a comment made by my father. Unfortunately, our copy of the ’Book of Sui’ is incomplete as well, and the only remark my father left was in the introduction to the ’Commentary on the Water Classic’."

Mr. Zhuang shifted his gaze from the bamboo slips, stroked his beard, and mused, "Your father’s words are not entirely incorrect."

Bai Erlang scratched his head and asked, "What about it?"

Manbao looked at him and said, "Do you know how this book was written?"

"Isn’t it just an annotation to the ’Water Classic’? You just make annotations based on the ’Water Classic,’" Bai Erlang replied simplistically.

If Mr. Zhuang weren’t holding bamboo slips, he might have wanted to thump him on the head. Too lazy to chastise his Third Junior Brother, he simply said to Manbao, "Tell your Junior Brother, what is so impressive about this ’Commentary on the Water Classic’?"

Proud as if bestowed with an imperial decree, Manbao declared, "You think the ’Commentary on the Water Classic’ was written carelessly? To write this annotation, Li Shan not only traveled to every place described in the ’Water Classic’ to see them firsthand but also consulted countless books before writing this one."

Bai Shanbao added, "I’ve seen many books mention the ’Commentary on the Water Classic,’ saying it records not only the sources and directions of various rivers but also the natural geography and local economies of the river basins, and even includes volcanoes, hot springs, and water conservancy projects within the mountains."

"While serving as an annotation to the ’Water Classic,’ it broadened many offshoots of the rivers. The ’Water Classic’ itself is only one-twentieth of it," Bai Shanbao said. "My family has the ’Water Classic,’ but my father has commented that many of the names of the waterways have changed, and even the directions of the flow due to the passage of time. Only the ’Commentary on the Water Classic’ is still detailed, a pity that we don’t possess it."

Bai Erlang interjected, "Then just buy it."

Manbao replied, "We’ve looked in bookshops, but the manager said they didn’t have it, and he even asked the book publishers for us. They said they never printed such a book, so there’s nowhere to buy it."

After confirming that the volume in his hands was indeed part of the ’Commentary on the Water Classic,’ Mr. Zhuang set it aside and picked up another volume handed to him by Manbao and the others to continue reviewing, sparing a moment to add, "The ’Commentary on the Water Classic’ is a text stored by the imperial court, found perhaps only in the palace or maybe in the Imperial Academy, as well as possibly being in the collections of certain prestigious families. It’s not something you can buy just anywhere."

Therefore, when the children claimed they had found the ’Commentary on the Water Classic,’ he was both pleasantly surprised and quite skeptical.

Under the light of the oil lamp, Mr. Zhuang flipped through all the bamboo slips, and upon confirming that the twelve volumes they had selected were indeed all from the ’Commentary on the Water Classic,’ he stroked them for a long while without speaking.

Having squatted on the ground for a long time, Manbao felt her legs going numb, so she simply sat down, and noticing that Mr. Zhuang had been silent for quite a while, she propped herself up with her palms to crawl a few steps forward and called out, "Mr. Zhuang?"

Mr. Zhuang came back to his senses, blinked his slightly reddened eyes, covered his face with his sleeve, and said, "It is the ’Commentary on the Water Classic,’ but alas, there are only twelve volumes, and they are incomplete."

Manbao replied, "We’ll go back to the bookstore tomorrow to look again, maybe we’ll find the rest."

Mr. Zhuang thought for a moment, then nodded, "Good, your teacher will accompany you."

Zhou Silang knocked on the door from the outside, and upon entering and seeing the three kids seated on the ground, he frowned in displeasure, "Hurry up and wash up. From now on, don’t you dare sit on the ground, or you’ll be washing your own clothes."

Only then did Mr. Zhuang seem to remember, nodding in agreement, "Silang, don’t wash their clothes for them anymore, let them do it themselves."

All three widened their eyes in surprise, and Mr. Zhuang explained, "Shanbao, Erlang, if you’re going to join an official study or enter the Imperial Academy, you won’t be able to bring servants into the institution, so you need to learn how to wash your own clothes."

Manbao immediately raised her hand, exclaiming with delight, "Mr. Zhuang, I don’t need to attend an official study, nor do I need to go to the Imperial Academy."

Mr. Zhuang picked up a book from the table, rolled it up, and tapped her on the head, "Being a young lady, you should also learn these chores. Tomorrow, wash the clothes with your two junior brothers."

Mr. Zhuang cleared his throat and said, "I’m entrusting my clothes to you as well."

The gazes of the three immediately clashed, but Mr. Zhuang had no intention of joining their struggle and waved them off, "Enough. Go on out, your teacher wants to read a bit more."

The trio went out together, Zhou Silang had already gone back to the kitchen; one pot of hot water wasn’t enough—he had to heat another.

The three children stood in the yard discussing. Manbao declared, "I’m the Senior Sister!"

Bai Erlang announced, "I’m the Third Junior Brother!"

After looking around, Bai Shanbao added, "But you’re the eldest."

"Alright," Manbao raised her hand, "Let’s not squabble. We can take turns. I’ll wash first, then it will be Shanbao’s turn, followed by Erlang, according to our seniority."

After thinking it over, Bai Shanbao, who would rank as ’Two’ whether by age or seniority, had no objection.

Seeing Manbao willing to step back, Bai Erlang naturally had no further complaints, and so they settled on the arrangement.

"We’ll follow the same order for our nightly washing," Manbao said, "I’m the eldest, so I’ll go first."

Bai Shanbao & Bai Erlang: ...

Certainly, yesterday was her (Manbao’s) turn; today should have been my (Bai Shan’s) turn.

But seeing her already dashing into the kitchen for hot water, they could only sigh in resignation and admit defeat.

By this time, night had fallen completely, and their entire alley was quiet, as it seemed everyone had already gone to bed.

Therefore, they made a conscious effort to be quieter in their washing and moving around; aside from the occasional voices and footsteps, as well as the sounds of fetching water and stoking the fire, the yard was exceptionally serene.

Manbao and Bai Shanbao, who had finished washing, sat neatly on a small stool in the yard looking at the moon. They had spent most of the day engaging their minds, so at that moment, they didn’t much feel like thinking about studies.

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