Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life

Chapter 22: How can the affairs of scholars be called deception?

Zhou Yulin's voice carried a trace of deliberate maturity put on by a young man, but his trailing tone couldn't hide that condescending scrutiny.

The gray-clad old servant behind him stood like an emotionless stone statue, his gaze sweeping indifferently across this shabby room. His eyes lingered on Su Ming and Zhao Rui for less than a breath before lowering again, as if looking any longer would be a waste.

Zhao Rui was already too frightened to make a sound. He instinctively shrank back, not knowing where to put his hands and feet.

This was the Zhou family's prized son, the County School Director's only heir, someone all the scholars in Qingshi Town had to look up to.

Yet Su Ming merely gently closed the book in his hand, placed it by the table, then stood up and looked back at the other party without servility or arrogance.

"I am Su Ming."

His voice was very calm, as if stating the most ordinary fact.

This composed attitude instead made the barrage of questions Zhou Yulin had prepared get stuck in his throat. He had anticipated the other might panic and lose composure, might flatter and fawn—he just hadn't expected such straightforwardness.

"My father heard that you are here investigating the Way of Investigation of Things?" Zhou Yulin's gaze finally fell on the three plain-looking clay pots in the corner.

Dirt, beans, hemp rope.No matter how you looked at it, it reeked of country bumpkin poverty and nonsense.

If not for his father's solemn admonishment, he would never have set foot in such a filthy place.

Lin Yu's voice sounded leisurely in Su Ming's mind, "Disciple, steady. Right now he's here to verify, his heart is more uncertain than yours. Remember, you're not planting beans, you're expounding the ultimate principles of heaven and earth. Bring out the energy you used reciting your script yesterday, your eyes should be ethereal, your speech pace slowed, make him feel every word you say contains profound meaning he can't comprehend."

Su-Actor-Ming took a deep breath, silently recited his master's teachings in his heart, and a perfectly measured trace of indifference appeared on his face.

"I dare not claim such." He shook his head slightly, pointing to the three clay pots. "I'm merely emulating the ancient sages, conducting some shallow examinations."

"Examinations?" Zhou Yulin frowned. He'd heard this term from his father, but coming from a country youth's mouth, it felt somewhat strange.

"Exactly." Su Ming stepped forward, slowly walking to the clay pots. Seeing this, Zhao Rui hurriedly followed, like a nervous attendant.

"Young Master Zhou, please look." Su Ming pointed to the leftmost pot. "This pot, I call it the 'Natural Way Group.' Planted with beans, watered daily only according to the four seasons' rhythms, normal watering, left to grow without any human interference. This is following heaven's way, observing its natural state."

His voice was neither hurried nor slow, carrying a peculiar rhythmic quality.

Zhou Yulin's gaze slowly shifted from initial contempt to focused attention.

Su Ming then pointed to the middle pot using hemp rope to draw water: "This pot, I call it the 'External Intervention Group.' Using hemp rope to draw water, emulating the ancients' 'siphon method,' keeping the root soil constantly moist. This is human intervention, observing the variables."

the rightmost pot that looked dry

Group.' After planting, no water is given for

only the rustle of wind through the old locust

Ming was crazy, but today hearing this "group by group" explanation, though he still didn't understand, for some reason it felt... really

Yulin was

human

Following heaven, variables, strategies.

were in the sage's books. But he'd never imagined these profound concepts could be

was what his father called "the great

with always tried to start from grand themes like wind, rain,

this shabbily dressed youth before him had dug out a whole new world from the humblest dirt and

you doing this?" Zhou Yulin's

Su Ming raised his head, looking at him with clear eyes. "I am dull-witted, unable to comprehend the great principles of heaven, earth, wind, and thunder, so I can only observe the growth of each plant and tree, the changes of flourishing and withering, to

sun is principle. How a root seeks water

thunder in

face alternating between pale and flushed, his eyes full of

Yes!

within all

he always abandoned the near for the distant, aiming too high, yet failing to see the reality

father was right to scold him—all those books he'd read had gone

marks! Look at that kid, his soul is practically hooked! This is called dimensional reduction strike! Using our simple materialist worldview to strike his vague

Ming remained expressionless on the surface, but thought inwardly: "Master, isn't this called

This is 'conceptual

took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart. He stepped forward and actually

Yulin has been

"Brother Su" made Zhao Rui's eyes nearly pop

facing it directly, and returned the courtesy: "Young Master Zhou flatters me. I am merely picking up others' crumbs, engaging in armchair

"Brother Su's method strikes directly at the core! Yulin... Yulin wants to know, what results will these three

to know

Investigation of Things essay slowly sprouting

The opportunity had arrived.

trace of difficulty

are only staying here temporarily, waiting for County School registration. Counting the days, we can linger here at most five or six more days before

gaze sweeping over the

morning. To observe the entire process and see the final results, I'm

the fervor on Zhou Yulin's face instantly froze,

What?

seen a glimmer of dawn, and the guide was