He's not a fool, on the contrary, he's too clear-headed.

Zhu Yingtai secretly thought that Brother Liang was a fool, not in his studies, but elsewhere. He still didn't know that she was a woman disguised as a man.

In fact, Liang Shanbo was certainly not a fool; on the contrary, he was far too clear-headed.

When he first met Zhu Yingtai at the Grass Bridge Pavilion, he knew she was a woman disguised as a man.

He knew that Zhu Jiuling was Zhu Yingtai, knew the trajectory of the "Liang Zhu" story, and knew the ending of that eternal tragedy.

But now that he has traveled to this era and become Liang Shanbo, he will not stand idly by and watch the tragedy repeat itself.

What he needs to do now is study, strive, accumulate strength, and then change his destiny—both his own and Zhu Yingtai's.

He currently lacks the strength to overcome the inevitable obstacles and marry Zhu Yingtai.

If he were to reveal Zhu Yingtai's true gender now, she would be in an awkward and frightened situation, and might even leave Wansong Academy much earlier.

So he chose to be a "fool".

An extremely clear-headed "idiot".

……

……

It was quite windy at midday.

After having breakfast in the dining hall, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai headed to the library as usual.

The two walked slowly side by side.

Liang Shanbo suddenly turned to look at Zhu Yingtai and asked, "What book are you reading today, my dear brother?"

Zhu Yingtai thought for a moment and said, "The Songs of Chu."

Liang Shanbo smiled and said, "A month ago, when we first came to the academy, you were reading the *Chu Ci*. I remember you read it for two days and then switched to another book. Why do you suddenly want to read it again today?"

Zhu Yingtai smiled and said, "There's no particular reason. It's just that today, as I was walking along the road and the wind was blowing, I remembered the lines from the Chu Ci: 'The autumn wind is gentle, the waves of Dongting Lake are rippling, and the leaves are falling.' Although it's summer now, there's no autumn wind or falling leaves, which makes me want to read the Chu Ci again."

Liang Shanbo nodded: "I see."

Zhu Yingtai stopped and asked him in return, "Brother Liang, are you still reading the Records of the Grand Historian today?"

Liang Shanbo stopped and said, "Only the last half of the scroll is left. If you finish reading it today, you can read something else tomorrow."

Zhu Yingtai sincerely admired him: "Brother Liang is truly amazing. A month ago, you said you would memorize the hundreds of thousands of words in the Records of the Grand Historian, which I found incredible at the time. You spend an hour reading in the library every noon, and in just one month, you have almost memorized the entire Records of the Grand Historian."

Moreover, I know that you don't just memorize what you read; you think as you read. Otherwise, given your ability to memorize anything you read, you would probably have memorized the entire "Records of the Grand Historian" long ago.

Hearing her praise, Liang Shanbo felt a warmth in his heart. This Zhu Yingtai always praised people with such sincerity and generosity.

He laughed and said, "Brother, you flatter me. I just have a better memory."

Zhu Yingtai shook her head and said earnestly, "It's not just about having a good memory, but also about being diligent."

She then asked, "Brother Liang, what will you read tomorrow after finishing the Records of the Grand Historian today?"

Without hesitation, Liang Shanbo decisively replied, "The Book of Han."

Zhu Yingtai was slightly taken aback: "Why the Book of Han?"

Liang Shanbo countered, "Brother, do you know which is more important in the eyes of the scholars of this dynasty: the *Records of the Grand Historian* or the *Book of Han*?"

Zhu Yingtai said, "Scholars of this dynasty often focus on the Book of Han when reading history, but I don't know why."

Liang Shanbo gazed at her and slowly said, "The Records of the Grand Historian is indeed a masterpiece of all time, and Sima Qian's historical knowledge, talent, and virtue are all first-rate. However, in the eyes of the scholars of this dynasty, the Book of Han is the 'orthodox national history,' which is close to the classics."

Firstly, the *Book of Han* is a dynastic history, specifically recording the rise and fall of the Western Han Dynasty, with a rigorous structure and strict rules. The *Records of the Grand Historian*, on the other hand, is a comprehensive history, covering the period from the Yellow Emperor to the time of Sima Qian, a much longer period, inevitably leading to inconsistencies in its structure. Scholars of this dynasty valued rules and regulations, naturally placing greater emphasis on the *Book of Han*.

Secondly, this dynasty, confined to the south of the Yangtze River, continues the legal system of the central dynasty, drawing lessons from the Han dynasty. Studying the Book of Han is studying the history of this dynasty's predecessors.

Thirdly, the *Book of Han* frequently uses archaic characters and employs parallel prose, with elegant and complex diction, perfectly aligning with the aesthetic preferences of the gentry of the dynasty that valued literary beauty. In contrast, the *Records of the Grand Historian* is written in a more scattered and rustic style, which, in the eyes of the gentry of the dynasty, appears less "ornate."

Fourthly, the scholars of this dynasty were extremely fond of using allusions and historical references in their conversations and correspondence. In particular, they were very familiar with stories from the Book of Han. If you did not understand the Book of Han, and someone quoted an allusion that you did not know, you would be ridiculed.

Fifth, there were numerous scholars in this dynasty who studied the *Book of Han*, and phonetics, semantics, and commentary were highly developed. Great scholars such as Jin Zhuo, Chen Zan, and Cai Mo devoted their lives to annotating the *Book of Han* with phonetic annotations, compiling explanations, and textual exegesis. When reading the *Book of Han*, consulting these commentaries can greatly enhance the learning experience. In contrast, commentaries on the *Records of the Grand Historian* are much less common.

Zhu Yingtai's eyes lit up, her face full of amazement: "Brother Liang even thought of these things."

Liang Shanbo smiled slightly: "I only learned these things after consulting with Wang Shu."

Actually, there was another reason in his heart that he didn't tell Zhu Yingtai.

He knew that Meng Wenlang privately lectured his two disciples, Wang Shu and Gu Jun, often discussing the Book of Han. Meng Wenlang was skilled in history, and his study of the Book of Han was particularly profound.

He longed to one day become Meng Wenlang's disciple.

Reading the Book of Han in the library is a way of preparing for it in advance.

……

……

The two entered the library.

Zhu Yingtai walked to a row of bookshelves and pulled out a volume of "Chu Ci" (Songs of Chu).

She carried the book, walked to the top of the stairs, and glanced at Liang Shanbo.

Liang Shanbo was standing in front of another row of bookshelves, pulling out the last volume of "Records of the Grand Historian" from the shelf.

He held the book, turned around, and met Zhu Yingtai's gaze.

The two smiled at each other, said nothing, and walked up the wooden stairs to the second floor one after the other.

The second floor remained bright.

The two sat side by side on the mat by the window.

Liang Shanbo unfolded the last volume of the Records of the Grand Historian on the table and began to read it.

The final volume of the Records of the Grand Historian includes the "Biographies of Merchants," which is also the most unique piece written by Sima Qian. The preceding Annals, Hereditary Houses, and Biographies are all about emperors, generals, heroes, and outstanding figures, but this one is about merchants, those who are "not worthy of high society" and engage in commerce.

Liang Shanbo's gaze moved between the lines, reading and memorizing each word.

"...When granaries are full, people know etiquette; when food and clothing are plentiful, people know honor and shame. Etiquette arises from abundance and perishes when there is none. Therefore, when a virtuous person is wealthy, he is inclined to practice virtue; when a petty person is wealthy, he uses his wealth to satisfy his abilities. Fish live in deep pools, beasts roam in deep mountains, and benevolence and righteousness follow when people are wealthy..."

His gaze lingered on this section for a moment.

Sima Qian's words are truly insightful. Wealth precedes propriety, wealth precedes benevolence—this is not a moral decline, but a reflection of the true nature of humanity. If someone cannot even afford enough to eat or wear, discussing benevolence and morality with them is nothing but empty talk.

He recalled his past life as Liang Mu, the head of the group's strategic investment department. He had handled countless acquisitions worth hundreds of millions, witnessed the rise and fall of numerous tycoons, and seen countless low-level employees struggling to survive. Back then, he deeply understood one truth: money isn't everything, but without money, nothing is possible.

This principle also applies to the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

He wants to change his fate, and he needs the ability to do so.

In this era, besides knowledge and fame, strength also requires one more thing: money!

He read "Biographies of Merchants" not only to complete his memorization of "Records of the Grand Historian," but also to learn something from Sima Qian's writings and from those merchants of a thousand years ago.

Learn how to pursue profit without losing morality; learn how to transport goods from the south to the north and vice versa, so that all things in the world can find their proper place; learn how to earn a foothold with one's own hands in this era of monopolistic power.

His gaze continued downwards.

"...The world is bustling, all for profit; the world is in turmoil, all for gain..."

He murmured those words to himself, feeling a surge of emotion.

Yes. Who in the world doesn't come and go for profit? Even those aristocratic families who talk about metaphysics and despise commerce, what about their fields, estates, servants, and treasures isn't profit? They just don't earn it themselves, but let their protégés, former officials, and tenants do it.

They despise merchants, yet they cannot live without them; they look down on commerce, yet they enjoy the wealth it brings.

This is the absurdity of our time.

Liang Shanbo snapped out of his reverie and continued reading.

Zhu Yingtai was reading "Nine Chapters of the Chu Ci" nearby.

"Nine Chapters" was written by Qu Yuan after his exile. Unlike the magnificent and unconventional "Li Sao", "Nine Chapters" is more melancholic and sorrowful. In it, Qu Yuan repeatedly expresses his loyalty being slandered and his trust being doubted, and repeatedly expresses his longing for and despair for the State of Chu.

Zhu Yingtai's gaze fell on the poem "Thinking of the Beauty".

"I yearn for my beloved, tears streaming down my face as I stand gazing into the distance. The matchmaker is gone, the road blocked; my words cannot be exchanged..."

She paused slightly upon seeing this.

Thinking of the Beauty.

The "beauty" that Qu Yuan longed for referred to the King of Chu. He used the love between a man and a woman to symbolize the loyalty between ruler and subject, a common metaphorical technique in the *Chu Ci* (Songs of Chu). Longing for the beauty was, in essence, longing for the king; the blocked roads and failed matchmakers symbolized the impenetrable gates of the king's palace.

But when she read these lines today, a strange feeling arose in her heart.

She turned her head and secretly glanced at Liang Shanbo.

Brother Liang was looking down, intently and quietly reading the Records of the Grand Historian.

Her gaze lingered on his face for a moment, then returned to her book, her eyes lowered.

An hour of reading time passed quietly in silence and focus.

Liang Shanbo finished reading the last word of the Records of the Grand Historian.

He slowly rolled up the book from left to right, his movements calm and dignified.

He rolled up the book and let out a long breath.

For a whole month, he dedicated an hour each day at noon to memorizing the entire Records of the Grand Historian, from the Annals of the Five Emperors to the final Preface by the Grand Historian, totaling hundreds of thousands of words.

It wasn't about rote memorization, but about reading, thinking, and taking notes simultaneously. Sima Qian's historical insight, talent, and ethics; his writing style, structure, and principles; his reflections, sentiments, and profound meanings... He dared not say that he had fully grasped them all, but at least, they were all engraved in his heart.

Zhu Yingtai's voice came from beside him: "Brother Liang, have you finished reading?"

Liang Shanbo looked at her and nodded: "I've finished reading."

Zhu Yingtai said, "Then let's go back to the school."

Liang Shanbo smiled and said, "Okay."

The two put the scrolls back on their original shelves and walked out of the library one after the other.