"What can you do if you enter the government?" Fang Yun asked again.
"My knowledge is too poor and I can't even become a clerk. I can only be a bailiff. As for the Village Constables, they are all positions held by the powerful and influential people. It has nothing to do with me. "
"Then what profession will you choose?" Fang Yun asked.
"I can only beg my grandparents to enter a workshop as an apprentice and secretly learn skills. Once I have mastered the skills, I can go to a better workshop and earn more money." Zhang Jingan said.
"Why do you want to learn skills?" Fang Yun asked.
"If I don't learn, how can I start a family? How can I raise a family? "
"Is there a difference between learning skills in a workshop and studying in a school?"
"No."
"If you had chosen to study in the past, what would happen if you entered the army?"
"I would immediately be selected to be an elite soldier and would be promoted to Chief Of Police or Sergeant. I would even have the chance to become a Captain. If I was lucky, I would be able to get a Rank 9 official title and become a Lieutenant or Lieutenant. That would be a real military officer. When I am old, I would be able to live comfortably."
"After becoming a Scholar, if you don't want to be a soldier, what kind of workshop would you choose?" Fang Yun asked.
"Why should I choose a workshop? I can open a private school and be a teacher. I can go to the County Academy of Literature as a teacher. I can go to a big family to teach a family school. I can even go to the government office to work as a clerk. Any job is better than going to a workshop, unless I'm a child worker," Zhang Jingan answered seriously.
"What about becoming a Scholar?" Fang Yun asked again.
"Then you can do more things. Whether it is in the army, the government or the county, as long as you don't mess around, you will have a place. When you are old, it is not difficult to get a Rank 8 official position. Those who wear the Scholar uniform will look more impressive than others. "Zhang Jingan said with a hint of envy.
"I don't need to ask you about High Scholar, Grand Scholar, Hanlin, Grand Scholar, Great Confucian or even Half-saint. Do you know the use of studying now? "Fang Yun asked.
Zhang Jingan revealed an awkward expression and said vaguely, "Got it."
"Tell me about it."
"You can get a higher position." Zhang Jingan secretly looked at Fang Yun.
Fang Yun gently shook his head.
Zhang Jingan blushed, not knowing what to do.
"Studying will give you more choices!" Fang Yun's voice was as sonorous as gold and jade clashing against each other.
Fang Yun slowly turned around. He looked at Zhang Jingan.
"When you were born, it was completely up to us to choose what you wanted to eat. Whatever he drank, everything was out of his control. But when you grow up, whether you want to or not. They would all be forced to make a choice by this world. You don't have an official position, so you can only choose to work for others. You can only choose to be a bailiff or a soldier. Yes, there is no distinction between high and low, but in our hearts. There's a difference between them! "
Fang Yun suddenly raised his voice.
"On the first day I went to the broker's office. I saw that everywhere was recruiting. There seemed to be a lot of choices, but your position limited your choices. Your age limited your choices. Your gender limited your choices. Your body limited your choices. Your experience limited your choices. Your family limited your choices. Your parents limited your choices. Your employer limited your choices. Your preferences limited your choices. Even the amount of money you had at the time was also limiting your choices. Even if some jobs would give you a high salary after a month, as long as they didn't provide food and shelter, you could only choose to transport garbage and feces with an empty stomach. Just to get paid on the first day, just to not starve to death! "
"You see, there are many choices in the world, but you often can't choose! Do you know why? Because you made the worst choice from the beginning. You chose not to study! "
Fang Yun's voice was like the evening drum and morning bell, reverberating in the room. Zhang Jingan only felt his head buzzing, as if something was drilling through his skull.
Fang Yun continued to ask, "You chose to enter the army when you were eleven. Looking at it now, was it right or wrong?"
"Wrong." Zhang Jingan hung his head and said dejectedly.
"You chose to be a civil official. Was it right or wrong?"
"Wrong."
"You chose to go to the military. Was it right or wrong?"
"Wrong."
"You chose not to study. Was it right or wrong?"
"Wrong." Zhang Jingan's face turned even redder.
Fang Yun said slowly, "Not just you, even a great scholar who had insight into the world, or even a Half-saint who understood the Divine Path, would face a choice, and they could also make the wrong choice. You're only eleven years old. Why do you think your choice is right? It's not that you're stupid, it's that you haven't read enough, it's that you haven't experienced enough. So, do you now know the role of studying? "
Zhang Jingan nodded, but he didn't dare to open his mouth, because he felt that he didn't fully understand Fang Yun's words.
Fang Yun used his index finger to point at the book on the table. His eyes were as deep as the starry sky, and his gaze was as distant as the horizon. He said, "The entire human race used thousands of years of wisdom and experience to create the imperial examination, to build the academy, to write the books, to pave the broadest, longest, and most correct path to study for our descendants! The purpose of this path is to give you enough time and knowledge, so that when you reach the furthest place you can go, you can choose a new path that you want to choose! "
"When you were a child, you didn't know how to choose, then you should be a scholar. When you were a scholar, you didn't know how to choose, then you should be a scholar. When you were a scholar, you didn't know how to choose, then you should be a Juren, or a Jinshi! One day, you will make your own choice. Yes, the choice at that time may not be easier, and may not be more noble, but at least you won't have to choose on an empty stomach! At least you won't have to choose between garbage and feces! "
"Choose to study, choose to grit your teeth and continue walking. At that time, even if you feel the same pain, you can choose more ways to lessen the pain!"
Fang Yun bent down and looked into Zhang Jingan's eyes. He revealed a bright smile and reached out his hand to rub Zhang Jingan's hair.
"Go and study. Even if you regret it in the future, you will only regret choosing the wrong path, not that there is no path to choose! Even if you are troubled, it will only be because there are too many directions, not because there is no path to choose! Born as a human, you must choose the path that you like the most! If you reach the end, then use books as swords and choose a new path! "
"Yes!" Zhang Jingan nodded vigorously. This time, he didn't avoid it.
"Go and sleep." Fang Yun smiled.
"Why do you sleep so late? Sometimes, you even sleep until dawn. I have never heard of a scholar who is more hardworking than you. "Zhang Jingan raised his head and asked.
Fang Yun smiled and said, "I choose the most difficult path, so I have to study the most books!"
Zhang Jingan felt that his father's smile was more dazzling than the sun. He nodded as if he understood and said, "This child will leave. Father, good night, no, good morning."
"Good morning." Fang Yun smiled.
Zhang Jingan turned to leave. When he reached the door, he suddenly turned back. His face flashed with a hint of worry and asked, "Is it too late for me to study now?"
"Not only the words on the paper are knowledge. Everything you experience in the military camp, the yamen, and your work is also knowledge. The people you see, the words you hear, the scenes you see, they are all words between heaven and earth. Since birth, a person is reading the big book of heaven and earth. As long as you read it thoroughly, you will be able to go further. However, in the academy, it is the best path to study. The other paths are thousands of times more difficult! "
"Yes!" Zhang Jingan left full of confidence.
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