Chapter 133 Little Prodigy
"Master, look what I brought you."
Early in the morning, Jiang Zhiyu came to see Mr. Yun with two jars of good wine.
Old Yun raised his eyelids, a smile flashed in his eyes, and he said slowly: "Oh? What good thing is it that can make your diligent disciple willing to delay the morning class?" After that, he gently brushed away the dust on the table and motioned Jiang Zhiyu to put down the wine jar.
Jiang Zhiyu smiled, her eyes full of anticipation. She carefully placed the two jars of wine on the table, unwrapped them, revealing crystal clear cakes, and said, "Master, this is the sweet-scented osmanthus cake made by my aunt at home, and these two jars of wine are the finest wines I specially selected in the market. I hope they can help you relieve your fatigue."
Elder Yun nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashed in his eyes, but he still pretended to be serious and said: "Zhi Yu, I appreciate your kindness, but in the Imperial College, the most important thing is the rules and regulations. You are so extravagant, aren't you afraid of being gossiped about?"
Jiang Zhiyu lowered his head slightly, but a playful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. He said softly: "Master, I know the rules of the Imperial College, but today is your birthday, so there should be some special celebration, right? Besides, these cakes and wines were all selected by me personally, and there is absolutely no intention of luxury."
Hearing this, a hint of warmth flashed in Master Yun's eyes, and the seriousness on his face gradually disappeared. He gently patted Jiang Zhiyu on the shoulder and said with a smile: "Good disciple, it's good to know Master's intention. In this case, let's celebrate it properly."
The two of them sat down, and Jiang Zhiyu personally poured wine for Elder Yun, then held the cup with both hands and handed it to Elder Yun, saying respectfully: "Master, I wish you a long life and happiness as vast as the East Sea."
Elder Yun took the wine glass, his eyes full of satisfaction. He took a sip, then put down the glass and asked, "Zhi Yu, have you been studying well in the Imperial College during this period?"
Jiang Zhiyu lowered his head slightly, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said: "Master, the study of the Imperial College is indeed heavy, but I have tried my best. However, I have been studying the Book of Changes recently, and there are some parts that I still can't understand."
When Old Yun heard this, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes. He knocked lightly on the table, motioning Jiang Zhiyu to explain in detail.
Jiang Zhiyu then told Elder Yun about the confusions he encountered in the Book of Changes. Elder Yun listened very carefully, nodded from time to time, and sometimes asked a few questions. After a while, Elder Yun smiled and said, "Zhiyu, your problem is that you are too obsessed with the text and ignore the essence of the Book of Changes. In fact, the way of the Book of Changes is about flexibility. If you can use it flexibly, you will naturally be able to understand it thoroughly."
After hearing what her master said, Jiang Zhiyu's eyes flashed with enlightenment. She nodded quickly and said, "Master, I understand. It turns out that the principles of the Book of Changes are not set in stone, but must be adapted to circumstances."
Elder Yun smiled slightly, his eyes full of praise. He patted Jiang Zhiyu on the shoulder and said, "Yes, Zhiyu, you are a smart child. As long as you study hard, you will definitely stand out in the Imperial College."
Jiang Zhiyu smiled brightly upon hearing this. She raised her glass and said sincerely, "Master, I will definitely live up to your expectations."
A hint of relief flashed in Old Yun's eyes. He raised his glass, clinked it lightly with Jiang Zhiyu's, and then drank it all in one gulp.
After three rounds of drinking, the two talked about interesting things in the Imperial College. Jiang Zhiyu laughed like a silver bell from time to time, and Yun Lao laughed so hard that wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes. In this joyful atmosphere, the relationship between the master and the apprentice became closer.
……
On this day, the Imperial College once again held a poetry competition, and Jiang Shuyuan was still determined to compete with Jiang Zhiyu.
The afternoon sun shone obliquely, and the Imperial College was solemn and dignified. The competition was about to begin, and Jiang Zhiyu and Jiang Shuyuan sat opposite each other, with a look of competition in each other's eyes.
Jiang Zhiyu smiled slightly and broke the silence, "Sister Shuyuan, how are you preparing for today's poetry competition?"
Jiang Shuyuan's eyes flashed with a sharpness, and she said softly: "Sister Zhiyu, you are too kind. I think I have tried my best. How about you, sister?"
"Me?" Jiang Zhiyu smiled lightly, with confidence in his eyes, "Of course I won't show weakness easily."
The atmosphere between the two gradually became tense. Jiang Shuyuan bit her lower lip lightly, seeming a little uneasy. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, and then slowly said: "Sister Zhiyu, do you know what the topic of today's poem is?"
Jiang Zhiyu shook his head slightly: "I haven't found out yet, but I believe that no matter what the problem is, I can handle it."
The competition officially began, and the students in the Imperial College took their seats, waiting for the examiner to announce the topic. Jiang Zhiyu and Jiang Shuyuan sat opposite each other, their eyes met, as if they were competing silently.
The examiner finally announced the topic of the poem: "Sitting Alone on an Autumn Night." The students all fell into deep thought, and Jiang Zhiyu and Jiang Shuyuan were no exception.
Jiang Shuyuan frowned slightly, she pondered for a moment, and then wrote quickly. Her strokes were delicate and powerful, and a deep sadness was revealed between the lines. After writing, she blew the ink gently, and then handed it to Jiang Zhiyu: "Sister, what do you think?"
Jiang Zhiyu took the scroll and read it carefully. Her brows knitted slightly, as if she was savoring the emotions in it. After a moment, she raised her head and said to Jiang Shuyuan, "Sister's poems are indeed extraordinary, with deep emotions and far-reaching artistic conception. However, I think it can be described with more delicate details to make the loneliness of the autumn night more deeply rooted in people's hearts."
Jiang Shuyuan's eyes flashed with surprise. She didn't expect Jiang Zhiyu to point out her shortcomings so directly. But she quickly calmed down and smiled, "Sister, you are right. I will modify it right away."
Jiang Zhiyu nodded gently and returned to her seat. She picked up the pen, pondered for a moment, and then wrote her poem. Her strokes were light and smooth, and the words were full of poetry. After writing, she also handed it to Jiang Shuyuan: "Sister, please give me your advice."
Jiang Shuyuan took the poem and read it carefully. A trace of admiration flashed in her eyes, and then she smiled and said, "Sister's poem is indeed extraordinary, every word is a pearl, and it makes people sigh. I am convinced of my defeat."
Jiang Zhiyu smiled slightly: "Sister, you are too kind. We are all improving by learning from each other. I feel very fulfilled by today's poetry competition."
……
"Little prodigy?"
Jiang Shuyuan was suddenly stunned. It had been a long time since she heard anyone mention these three words.
Could it be... that she has been forgotten?
Jiang Zhiyu and a few others happened to be walking by, and Liu Mengmeng's chattering voice came over.
Jiang Shuyuan's eyes were somewhat empty. She stood silently in the corridor of the Imperial College. A breeze blew by, blowing the hem of her clothes and stirring up the waves in her heart. She was once a child prodigy and the pride of the Imperial College, but now she seemed to have become an unknown existence.
"Shuyuan, what's wrong with you?" A gentle voice broke her thoughts. It was Jiang Zhiyu, her classmate, who was looking at her worriedly.
Jiang Shuyuan forced a smile: "It's okay, I just remembered something from the past."