The Scholar, the Daoist, and the Old Confucian

Leisurely tuning the six strings to find a familiar chord,
Inviting the green mountains to be an old friend.
The mist and clouds gather in a thousand wondrous shapes,
The pines and bamboos offer fresh tribute through the four seasons.

Wang Shouren and his wife, Lady Jia, stood together before the gates of Ziyang Academy. Wang Shouren was tall and slender, with a fair, clean-shaven face. Though not yet twenty, he already possessed an extraordinary bearing. His wife, Lady Jia, named Jia Yunyu, was the daughter of Jia Jie'an, a close friend of his father, Wang Hua.

Jia Jie'an currently served as the Jiangxi Provincial Councilor, making Jia Yunyu a lady of a prestigious family. Though not a peerless beauty, her refined upbringing from childhood made her highly educated, gentle, and elegant. Standing together, they were a perfect match, like a jade couple.

Wang Shouren said to his wife, "Yunyu, once we finish visiting Uncle Zhu this time, we will head straight back to Father-in-law's house. I must also prepare for the provincial examination."

Jia Yunyu nodded gently, her voice soft and tender, carrying the sweet cadence characteristic of the Jianghuai dialect. "I will follow your wishes, husband."

Wang Shouren looked at his wife. In truth, deep down, he had always harbored a sense of guilt. His thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the day of their wedding...

Wang Shouren was a descendant of a prestigious family from Yuyao, Zhejiang, born with a unique disposition. His mother had been pregnant for over ten months before giving birth to him. On the night before his birth, his grandmother dreamed of a celestial being dressed in jade-colored robes, floating among the clouds, holding a newborn baby as they descended from the heavens. His grandfather, Wang Tiansui, thus named him "Yun" and named their residence "Ruiyun Tower."

Strangely enough, after he was born, he did not speak until he was five years old. While other five-year-olds were running and playing everywhere, everyone was deeply worried about him. But Wang Shouren himself knew that back then, he could already silently memorize the books his grandfather read; it was not the muteness that everyone feared.

Later, his grandfather renamed him "Shouren," based on the passage from the *Analects' Duke Ling of Wei* chapter: "If his knowledge is sufficient to attain it, but his benevolence is not sufficient to keep it, though he attain it, he will surely lose it." Soon after, he began to speak, a wondrous event whose cause remained a mystery.

By the age of twelve, Wang Shouren officially entered the village school. He still remembered that his first book was the *Three Character Classic*. But a year later, an event occurred that made him feel the pain of loss for the first time. That year, when he was thirteen, in the bitter cold of March, his mother, Lady Zheng, passed away.

In truth, his mother's health had always been poor. The physician said that carrying the pregnancy for too long had damaged her constitution. After giving birth, her vital energy was severely depleted, and she remained frail ever since. This was a knot in Wang Shouren's heart, as he always felt he bore some responsibility for her passing.

Losing his mother at a young age was a major setback, but Wang Shouren possessed grand aspirations and an extraordinary mind. The past could not be retained, and pain only made one grow faster.

He remembered once discussing with his schoolmaster what the most important thing in the world was. His classmates offered various opinions. One said, "To serve the sovereign with loyalty and patriotism, dedicating oneself unto death." Another believed, "Ten years of hard study to achieve fame under heaven, so as not to live in vain." Yet another said, "To carry on the family line and bring glory to the ancestors." But his thought at the time was: "The imperial examinations are not the most urgent matter." The most important thing in the world was to study to become a sage.

Because his father served as the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, he was privy to many movements within the imperial court. Following his father's side, he learned a great deal through osmosis. At that time, the imperial court was corrupt, eunuchs ran rampant, and rebel armies rose everywhere. During the Yingzong Emperor's Zhengtong era, the "Tumu Crisis" occurred, where the emperor was captured by the Oirat Mongols, forcing the court to pay a ransom for peace. This event cast a massive shadow over the young Wang Shouren's heart.

He swore then that he must master military strategy to serve his country in the future. At fifteen, he repeatedly submitted memorials to the emperor, offering plans to pacify peasant uprisings, though unfortunately, none were accepted. That same year, he traveled to Juyong Pass and Shanhai Pass for a month, gazing upon the rugged mountains and rivers beyond the border to temper his will, establishing his ambition to govern the four quarters.

To establish a career, one must first start a family. At seventeen, he went to Nanchang to marry Lady Jia, the daughter of Jia Jie'an. But on his wedding day, he went missing. As it turned out, as the groom-to-be, Wang Shouren was naturally pleased, but he inherently disliked noisy crowds. Seeing the Jia household bustling with guests, many of whom he did not know, he wanted to find a quiet place.

Unintentionally, he walked into a Daoist temple—Qingze Temple—where he saw a Daoist priest sitting in meditation. He went forward to seek guidance. The priest explained the arts of health preservation to him. Wang Shouren was so captivated that he sat in meditation opposite the priest, utterly forgetting himself, until his father-in-law finally found him the next day.

Because of this, Wang Shouren had always felt guilty toward his wife. Yet Jia Yunyu was incredibly understanding, gentle, and virtuous, making him feel that having such a wife was the greatest blessing of his life.

After their marriage, Wang Shouren and his wife returned from Nanchang to Yuyao, Zhejiang, and then went to Guangxin to pay respects to Lou Liang, studying under him. Lou Liang taught him the Song Confucian philosophy of investigating things to extend knowledge, asserting that anyone could become a sage through learning. Wang Shouren deeply resonated with this, sighing, "The master's bearing is as high as the mountains and as long as the rivers," and from then on, he devoted himself to the study of sageliness.

Coming to Ziyang Academy this time was merely a stop along their journey. His father and the Academy's Mountain Master, Elder Chu Xun, shared a deep friendship, so it was only proper for him as a junior to pay a visit.

While Wang Shouren was lost in thought, Jia Yunyu gently tugged at his sleeve. He turned around and saw his wife gesturing with her chin, indicating that someone was approaching.

Recognizing the newcomer, Wang Shouren immediately bowed with his wife, speaking with warm familiarity, "Bo'an pays respects to Uncle Chu. It has been long since we last met. Uncle's spirit is as robust as ever, and your bearing surpasses the past."

"Hahaha..." Chu Xun laughed so heartily that his beard trembled. "You mischievous boy have also learned to flatter. Marriage indeed changes a man. This must be Little Yunyu. I remember when I last saw you, you weren't even as high as my knees, and in the blink of an eye, you've become a wife. Good! Good!" With that, he laughed heartily again, clearly delighted from the bottom of his heart.

Jia Yunyu smiled gently, poised and elegant, without any pretense, as she respectfully said, "Yunyu pays respects to Uncle."

At this moment, Wang Shouren noticed Tai Yuan standing beside Chu Xun. This single glance made him unforgettable. Tai Yuan's bearing was transcendent; compared to the Daoist priest he had met at Qingze Temple, Tai Yuan possessed an even greater sense of otherworldly detachment, his entire body seemingly enveloped in a faint, ethereal immortal aura.

"Uncle, may I ask what this Daoist priest's honorable name is? Won't you introduce him?"

"Look at my memory," Chu Xun slapped his hand. Turning to Tai Yuan, he said, "This is the son of a good friend of mine, Wang Shouren, courtesy name Bo'an. And this is Daoist Priest Tai Yuan. Bo'an, do not let the Daoist's youth fool you; in terms of vast knowledge, even this old man must sigh in inferiority! Both of you are outstanding young talents, a perfect match to become friends."

Tai Yuan's heart stirred. It really was him. The future Yangming Zi!

Wang Shouren, Wang Yangming!

Tai Yuan smiled faintly, cupping his hands. "This poor Daoist is Tai Yuan. I greet Young Master Wang."

Wang Shouren quickly returned the gesture, smiling. "Daoist Priest possesses the bones of an immortal and the wind of a sage. Meeting you today is truly Bo'an's good fortune."

Seeing how well they got along, Chu Xun stroked his beard and laughed. He stepped forward, patted Wang Shouren's shoulder, and smiled at Tai Yuan. "You two, one is a brilliant young talent, the other a Daoist expert. Why be so polite? Since you get along like old friends, why not join me inside the academy, sit down, and have a leisurely chat? Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Touched by Chu Xun's warmth, Wang Shouren smiled. "Since Uncle is so hospitable, how could Bo'an refuse? I only fear disturbing your peace."

Chu Xun waved his hand, feigning displeasure. "You child, when did you become so formal? This old man and your father are bosom friends. Your coming here is like coming home. How can you speak of disturbance? Come, come."

With that, Chu Xun stepped forward, pulling Wang Shouren with his left hand and Tai Yuan with his right, leading them toward the academy with hearty laughter.