Zheng Banqiao, one of the "Eight Monsters of Yangzhou", not only enjoyed a high reputation in high society, but also the people of the city also admired him. In the area of Daqiao Dongxiang, his legend is talked about.
One day, Zheng Banqiao went to the countryside to collect wind and visit the people's feelings. Dressed in civilian clothes, he passed by the door of a private school and saw a master sitting on a podium in the room, shaking his head and teaching the students to read "Mother Lincai (毋) Gode, Linfu Mother (毋) Forgiveness." As soon as Zheng Banqiao heard that the master had misread the words, he ran into the classroom and said with a pleasant face: "Sir, please read the text you just taught again." The master then read it arrogantly. Zheng Banqiao said: "Sir, you have misread the word, and you have pronounced the word '毋' as the word 'mother'. ”
Unconvinced, the master amplified his voice and explained, "This is the word 'mother' of parents, how can it be pronounced as the word 'no'?" Good, good, just good! When Zheng Banqiao saw that he was very stubborn, he said solemnly: "Sir, you are a person who teaches and educates people." Isn't it to mislead people's children when they teach in this way? You don't deserve to teach! The master angrily scolded, "I was hired by my father here to teach." Who are you? What right do you have to accuse me? You said..." Zheng Banqiao listened, suddenly changed color, immediately took out his own stamp from the placket, the master took a look at the 3 words of "Zheng Banqiao", suddenly his face was like earth color, like a wooden chicken, busy kneeling and prostrating his head, even said: "Lord Zheng forgives, the little man has eyes that do not know Taishan, please let me this Han Confucian teach here to make a living!" ”
Zheng Banqiao said to him very seriously: "If you want to teach, then I will test you." Give you a pair of upper links, let you teach when you get the lower links, and ask you to study again. He said and wrote the upper link "There is no female dog in the Qu Li Chapter". The master received it in his hand, looked at it and looked at it, thought about it for half a day, still couldn't figure it out, and left with a shameful face.
Three years later, the master came to Zheng Banqiao. As soon as they met, he sincerely thanked Zheng Banqiao and said that he had worked hard to study and was admitted to Xiucai. Then he took out the pair of the year and said, "I've got it right." And read: "There are no female dogs in the Qu Li Chapter; there are rams outside the Gu Liang Chuan." ”
Zheng Banqiao listened to him finish reading and said happily: "Yes, yes, you are now making great progress in your studies, you can be a gentleman." ”
(Zhu Min)