Confucianism and Taoism

Chapter 3 Cultivating the Body and Mind
Staying in the guest room, Qin Zhiyong couldn't calm down no matter what.Suddenly, he saw the books on the table, which were the Four Books and Five Classics left by the previous scholar.

Qin Zhiyong picked up a copy of "University" and read it.

Reading requires hard work.

Qin Zhiyong studied history, not classical literature.But he can also understand the famous Confucian book "The Great Learning".In the past, Qin Zhiyong knew a little about the Analects of Confucius University of the Mean, but he didn't read it carefully.

Reading "University" now is really a bit different.

The Four Books and Five Classics can be passed on for thousands of years, and the knowledge contained in them is naturally extensive and profound, with profound truths.

It's just that the world doesn't study it.

There are even fewer people who can achieve unity of knowledge and action.

"The way of university, in Ming Mingde..."

The sound of reading came from the guest room.Jin Xiangyu and the shopkeeper were all taken aback when they heard this.

The shopkeeper said: "Miss Boss, that boy Qin Zhiyong is really a scholar. He was in a trance just now, why did he suddenly start studying? Could it be that he really wants to enter the imperial examination in Beijing and become the number one scholar."

Jin Xiangyu glared at him and said, "Qin Zhiyong has a pure mind and no evil thoughts. He is not a hypocrite. He is a serious scholar. At noon, bring him food in and get two extra dishes."

The shopkeeper quickly said, "Okay, Madam Boss."

He wondered, doesn't the proprietress hate men?How could he be so nice to that boy Qin Zhiyong all of a sudden?

Finished reading "University".

Qin Zhiyong secretly said: "If you want to cultivate your body, you must first straighten your heart. When your heart is straight, your body is straight. "University" is not an ordinary article, but a way to cultivate your mind and body."

Before he knew it, Qin Zhiyong sat up straight and straightened his body.As soon as his body was upright, Qin Zhiyong felt that his breathing became smoother.His mentality gradually calmed down.

…………

The shop waiter came over for lunch: "Young Master Qin, it's time for lunch."

Qin Zhiyong said gratefully, "Thank you."

Seeing the meat on the plate, Qin Zhiyong thought of the three men who were killed in the morning, and immediately turned pale and felt nauseated.

"Wow."

Qin Zhiyong vomited out while supporting the table.

The waiter said, "Should I be so exaggerated? Mr. Qin, don't worry, this is not human flesh, but mutton."

Qin Zhiyong waved his hand and said, "I don't eat meat. Take the meat away."

The waiter sighed, shook his head, and took away the mutton.

…………

Had lunch.Qin Zhiyong walked out of the guest room and said to Jin Xiangyu, "Madam, I don't have any money with me, so I can't eat and drink for free with you. I'll help you with the work."

No matter in any era, in any social environment, you must be sweet-talking and diligent in your hands and feet in order to gain a foothold.

Otherwise, you will not be able to get along.

Gold inlaid jade is the heart of bean curd with knife mouth.

She said to Qin Zhiyong, "Are you planning to leave the inn?"

Qin Zhiyong said, "I want to stay."

Jin Xiangyu sneered and said: "You are a bit self-aware. This is the Gobi Desert. If you don't know martial arts, even if you don't encounter bandits after you go out, you will die. You don't have money, so of course you can't live here for free. Go help out in the kitchen."

Qin Zhiyong nodded and said, "Yes, Madam Boss."

Qin Zhiyong turned around and walked towards the kitchen.Jin Xiangyu looked at his back, the corners of his mouth slightly turned up, and a smile appeared on his face.

Entering the kitchen, Qin Zhiyong smelled a faint smell of blood.It reminded him of the murder scene in the morning.

Diao Buyu, the butcher, was cutting meat.

Diao Buyu's knife skills are superb.In his hand, the kitchen knife turned into streaks of light, and a large piece of meat was cut up quickly.

The meat slices are evenly thick.

Seeing the sheep's head and bones on the chopping board, Qin Zhiyong felt better.It's fine if it's not human flesh.

Walking to Diao Buyu's side, Qin Zhiyong asked, "I wonder if you can teach me how to chop vegetables?"

Diao Buyu smiled at Qin Zhiyong, nodded and said, "Of course...you can. It would be the best if you could come to help."

The shopkeeper said from the side: "Young master Qin, you don't know that Diao Buyu is a lazy guy. He just wants someone to cut vegetables and meat for him. You let him teach you how to cut vegetables, and you played into his hands."

Diao Buyu said: "I chop vegetables quickly... I didn't delay my work."

Qin Zhiyong said with a smile: "I am very happy to be able to help everyone."

Diao Buyu brought a piece of meat and handed the kitchen knife to Qin Zhiyong to cut it.

Qin Zhiyong took the kitchen knife and cut it straight away.

Diao Buyu shook his head and corrected Qin Zhiyong's way of holding the knife.

Cutting vegetables and transporting knives is a science.Qin Zhiyong didn't understand, and needed to be taught by Diao Buyu.

The technique of holding the knife was correct, Diao Buyu signaled Qin Zhiyong to use the knife.

At the beginning, Qin Zhiyong cut very slowly and his knife was unstable.After more than a dozen cuts, Qin Zhiyong began to adjust his body, change his standing posture, and make his body more correct and balanced.

With such a change, the speed of the cutter is indeed much faster.

The shopkeeper and Diao Buyu are masters of martial arts, especially Diao Buyu, who is an expert at cutting vegetables with a knife.When Qin Zhiyong was cutting the meat, his eyes were very focused, coupled with his fine-tuned body, he stood upright.They all felt that Qin Zhiyong's understanding was amazing.

It's a pity that Qin Zhiyong is too old to practice internal skills.Otherwise, Qin Zhiyong would definitely become a first-class master in the arena.

…………

After Qin Zhiyong helped in the kitchen for seven or eight days, he became acquainted with the proprietress Jin Xiangyu, the shopkeeper, the waiter, and Diao Buyu.Qin Zhiyong was diligent, worked hard, did not have the lofty eyes of a scholar, and was not arrogant.

Both Jin Xiangyu and the shopkeeper liked him very much.

Everyone likes hardworking people.

These days, Qin Zhiyong had to recite the Four Books and Five Classics after work every day.

There are three methods of reading.

Heart, eye, mouth, and letter are all necessary.

Qin Zhiyong has already been able to recite "The Great Learning".And have a lot of reading experience.

Knowing stop and then having steadiness, steadiness and then being able to be quiet, and being still and then being able to be at peace.

Set, quiet, Ann.

The three levels of Confucian cultivation of mind and body.

Hold the body, easy.But it is extremely difficult to calm down the mind.

The first thing Qin Zhiyong has to do is to cultivate his concentration.As for "quiet" and "an", that is a higher level realm.Not currently considered.

This morning.

Qin Zhiyong found Jin Xiangyu, and he thought he was familiar with her, so he could ask her for advice on martial arts.He wanted to ask for advice several times before, but the words came to his lips and he swallowed them back.

"Miss Boss, I wonder if you can teach me martial arts? I don't have the strength to restrain a chicken, and I want to practice martial arts to defend myself." Qin Zhiyong asked bravely.

Qin Zhiyong wanted to learn martial arts, and he was not surprised at all by gold inlaid with jade.

She said: "I have already seen that you want to practice martial arts. You follow Diao Buyu to cut meat and vegetables every day to practice knife skills. I can see it. Unfortunately, it is too late. Your meridians are blocked and you are already old , You can’t practice internal strength. I have basic internal strength and Taizu Changquan here. If you want it, take it. As for whether you can practice it or not, it depends on your own good luck.”

Qin Zhiyong nodded without hesitation: "Yes."

Jin Xiangyu took out two books and gave them to Qin Zhiyong.

One is inner strength and mental method, and the other is boxing manual.

Basic internal strength and Taizu Changquan are the most basic exercises in the arena.There are various sects and martial arts schools.

Even when "Zhou Huaian", the coach of the Forbidden Army, taught the soldiers martial arts, he actually taught the basic internal skills and Taizu Changquan.

Therefore, Jin Xiangyu gave Qin Zhiyong these two exercises, and he didn't feel bad at all.

But these two exercises are life-saving things for Qin Zhiyong.He took the book and said gratefully, "Thank you Madam Boss."

Jin Xiangyu didn't think that Qin Zhiyong could develop inner strength.

Which inner strength master didn't start meditating from an early age?I only started practicing internal strength in my twenties, and there is almost no hope.

Taizu Changquan can be practiced.But without the inner strength to control the boxing technique, no matter how well the Taizu Changquan was practiced, it was nothing more than flamboyant boxing and embroidered legs.

Jin Xiangyu said with a smile: "Practice hard. If there is a miracle, maybe you can become a peerless master in the Jianghu."

These were words of comfort to Qin Zhiyong.

Go back to the room.

What Qin Zhiyong had to do was not to practice immediately, but to recite boxing manuals and inner strength methods.

"The Analects of Confucius. Wei Linggong" records that the Master said: If a worker wants to do a good job, he must first sharpen his tools.

Only with full preparation and doing things can we be handy and get twice the result with half the effort.

With a positive attitude, people will not be so impetuous.When you read a book, you can concentrate, and your memory will naturally improve.

It only took Qin Zhiyong a whole morning to memorize inner strength and boxing scores by heart.

When he practiced boxing, his movements were slow, his punches were weak, and his hands and feet were not well coordinated, which made people feel a little funny.But his demeanor was so focused, as if he was really silent in the boxing.

Neither Jin Xiangyu nor the shopkeepers laughed.

They all knew what kind of person Qin Zhiyong was.When they were practicing, they were not as focused as Qin Zhiyong.No matter how slow and funny Qin Zhiyong's movements were, they felt that they were not qualified to laugh at them.

It's just that Qin Zhiyong was born at an untimely age and was too old to practice inner strength, which is a pity.But that is impossible.

A tall middle-aged man in armor walked into the inn with more than a dozen guards.The shopkeeper, Diao Buyu, and the shop waiter immediately said respectfully: "I have met Mr. Qian Zong."

Qin Zhiyong stopped practicing boxing, followed the shopkeeper and the others to salute.

To be a human being, one must do as the Romans do.

Never show off your personality.

This place is the Dragon Inn.If you were hacked to death with a knife, who would you turn to for reasoning?

When there is no strong force to protect yourself, you must keep a low profile, keep a low profile, and keep a low profile.

This is the way of life.

Jin Xiangyu said with a smile: "Master Qian, why do you have time to come to my small shop?"

The relationship between Jin Xiangyu and Mr. Qian Zong is not ordinary.It is thanks to Mr. Qian Zong that Jin Xiangyu can open a shop here.

Mr. Qian laughed and said, "I didn't come here this time to sleep with you. I have a business notice. The imperial court sent a secret letter. Minister of the Ministry of War Yang Yuxuan intended to rebel, and Cao Shaoqin of Dongchang seized the evidence and executed him."

"Yang Yuxuan's son and daughter will be dispatched here, and they may leave the customs and pass by the Longmen Inn. Although Yang Yuxuan is dead, he has a few loyal masters under his command, especially Zhou Huai'an, the head coach of the Imperial Army, who is said to be particularly powerful in martial arts. I'm afraid of him They will come to rob people. Anyway, you all pay attention."

With a twinkle in Jin Xiangyu's eyes, he said with a smile: "My Lord Qian, don't worry. I have opened a shop in Jin Xiangyu, and people from all walks of life have seen it. Even if something happens, I can handle it."

Mr. Qian nodded, believing in Jin Xiangyu's ability.When he saw Qin Zhiyong, a stranger, he asked, "Who is this little boy?"

Jin Xiangyu said nonchalantly: "Oh. Qin Zhiyong, he is a new guy I recruited, and he helps with some chores in the kitchen."

(End of this chapter)