Chapter 82 How can I distinguish between the noble and the humble?

Chapter 82 How can I distinguish between the noble and the humble?

Chapter 82 How can I distinguish between the noble and the humble?
"Speaking of teaching everyone."

"Master Kong, I have a question."

Li Chengqian spoke.

Kong Yingda replied: "Your Highness, please ask me."

"As far as I know, there is no distinction between rich and poor, noble and humble in education."

"But why is it that some people in the Tang Dynasty can be educated, while others are illiterate?"

Li Chengqian said: "The way of the university is to manifest the bright virtue."

"How can the people, who do not even know how to read, show virtue?"

"The way of the university is to manifest the bright virtue" is the first sentence of "The Great Learning" recorded in the Book of Rites.

Following these words, there are also: Be close to the people and strive for the highest good.

Li Chengqian did not finish what he said, but he had his own intentions.

Kong Yingda pondered for a moment and then explained: "The way of the university is to manifest the bright virtue."

"It is believed that scholars should understand their own morality."

"I'm not referring to ordinary people."

Li Chengqian nodded and asked, "Then how do you explain the saying 'education without distinction'?"

"Since there is no distinction between the rich and the poor, the noble and the humble, why do we emphasize the morality of scholars but not consider making the common people aware of morality?"

“Isn’t this a contradiction?”

"Or is it that ordinary people are not qualified to understand morality?"

Forehead!
Kong Yingda's expression was obviously frozen.

He quickly reacted and said, "Only when the morality of scholars is high can they teach the people benevolence and righteousness and improve their morality."

Li Chengqian: "Do you realize that the people cannot learn by themselves through reading?"

Kong Yingda shook his head and said, "The people are ignorant and have no ambition to make progress..."

He hasn't finished speaking yet.

Li Chengqian interrupted him rudely, "Master Kong, this is not a good thing to say, right?"

“How can the people be so foolish?”

"Why don't you make progress?"

"To punish without teaching is cruelty. Just because people don't read, we can't think they are ignorant. Such accusations are unreasonable."

Facing Li Chengqian's dissatisfied questioning, Kong Yingda hurriedly defended himself: "Your Highness, literacy and reading all require guidance and instruction from famous teachers."

"The people only know how to farm, and they don't have extra money to hire famous teachers or buy pens, ink, books, etc."

"Pen and ink are a huge expense, and ordinary people cannot afford it, let alone buy books."

"If a man wants to succeed, he must concentrate on learning and have no time for other things."

"Naturally, there will be fewer strong people in the family, and as one increases, the other decreases, and the income is not enough to make ends meet, which is unbearable for the people."

After saying this, he wiped his sweat away without leaving a trace.

The prince almost led him into a ditch.

If he didn't make these things clear, he would probably be criticized even if he was a descendant of the Kong family.

"I understand."

Li Chengqian was delighted, but he made an expression of sudden enlightenment and said, "After all this fuss, it's just that the people don't have money to go to school."

"In that case."

"The common people have no money, but the imperial court has money. The imperial court can just pay for their tuition and subsidize their household expenses."

Hear this.

Li Er's mouth twitched.

It’s better to say than to sing.

You think the money of the court is created out of thin air.

Just use it however you want, right?

“If you don’t manage a household, you won’t know how expensive firewood, rice, oil and salt are.”

Li Er snorted coldly. Wei Zheng, the old fellow, was trying to find an opportunity to take advantage of. He said, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince still knows too little about some things."

"As the crown prince, this is really not right."

Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling glanced at him strangely. Was this an accusation against the prince?

Li Ji was also weird. Why did Wei Zheng defect?
"Therefore, I think that in order to let the prince understand more about the sufferings of the people, he should be exposed to more civil affairs."

"As for the civil memorials, let the Crown Prince take a look at them more."

"This will also help the prince understand people's livelihood."

Damn it.

After all this time, this is where your Wei Zheng's reversal comes from.

First of all, let me say that the prince shouldn’t do this.

Let the prince get in touch with people's livelihood.

Doesn't this mean that the crown prince will take over government affairs?

Although only part of it.

But with this beginning, will other things be far away?

Wei Zheng's calculations could be heard throughout the Taiji Palace and the East Palace.

Li Chengqian handled court affairs and was admired by many people.

However, he gradually stopped participating in court affairs, and in recent months, he has not been involved in any affairs.

Wei Zheng was bringing up old issues again, trying to find trouble for the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace and interfere in government affairs.

"We'll discuss it later."

Li Er did not comment, nor did he say he disagreed, nor did he say he agreed.

Many people were discussing in the hall.

These people are elites, from the landlord class and above.

They don't have to worry about anything other than studying.

All I know is that there are books to read, famous teachers to teach me, and pens, ink, paper and inkstone to use.

I have never thought about the dilemma of some people who have no books, no teachers, no pens, ink, paper and inkstone, and therefore cannot learn.

Kong Yingda said: "Your Highness, although paper is cheap, the people can buy it if they want."

"But if paper is not wasted, the people will not be able to bear it in the long run."

“The same is true for pen and ink.”

"There are so many books, one or two books don't cost much, but ten or fifty books would be an astronomical amount for ordinary people."

"Your Highness said that the court is responsible. Not to mention how to find a teacher, but the expenses of pens, inkstones, paper, and books."

"It's unbearable for the imperial court."

What he said is the truth.

After the invention of papermaking, it was not as cheap as cabbage, but it could be sold at any time as long as someone wanted to buy it.

Again, ordinary people don’t have extra money and won’t spend it on things that are useless to the family.

He would not even touch his pen, ink, paper and inkstone.

I dare not even read books. There is no other way. In this era, the fundamental basis for the aristocratic families to survive is to monopolize education.

Books are the most important thing.

Many books available for purchase in the market do not have annotations, which means that you buy the book but do not understand its meaning.

It's a waste of time to watch it.

The aristocratic families all treasure up the books with annotations and use them to teach their children. With the guidance of famous teachers, it is hard for them not to become talented.

Of course, this talent is equivalent to that of ordinary people's families.

The literate and the illiterate are two different classes.

Li Chengqian sighed and said, "I dare not agree with Master Kong's statement."

"The court can't bear it, so let nature take its course?"

“The way of the university is also to be close to the people, which tells us that if we cultivate our morals, we should love our people.”

"Are all the high officials in the court of the emperor of low moral character and poor self-cultivation?"

"You watch the people helplessly like this, without any moral cultivation, benevolence, righteousness, loyalty and filial piety?"

I……!
Kong Yingda almost vomited blood.

When did I mention the officials in the court?
Prince, you can't do this to me.

There's no need to push me so hard. I really can't take it.

"We cannot talk about education and teach everyone, but in action, we are arrogant and distinguish between the noble and the humble."

Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "The court should not have any difficulty in governing the country, so it should just leave the matter of education aside."

"It is said that the people are the most important, and the king is the least important."

"Water can carry a boat, and it can also overturn it."

"I am the crown prince, the heir apparent to the throne, and all the people of the world are my subjects."

"How can I distinguish between the noble and the humble?"

The people of the world are the prince's subjects.

They are even more the subjects of Emperor Li Er.

You take care of your people.

Do you want to eliminate the influence of the aristocratic families?
Li Chengqian almost fed all the methods and approaches into Li Er's mouth.

If you still don’t know how to eat it, then there is something wrong with your thinking, Li Er.

But I don't know why.

Li Er happened to be born in front of the aristocratic family, and he became more and more weak.

Zhang Shiheng was silent for a long time, and then he said: "Your Highness, you still have to consider the actual situation."

"When I lost my father at an early age, if it were not for the pity of my father's friend Liu Gong, I would have learned the Mao Shi and Zhou Li from him. There was also Xiong Gong and Liu Gong who taught me the Book of Rites."

"I am afraid that I have not been able to gain anything from the aspect of 'etiquette' either."

"I feel deeply the hardships involved."

Reading is not that easy.

Without a guide, there is no way to study.

Fortunately, Zhang Shiheng had a good father, and his good father also had a good friend.

otherwise.

No matter how talented he is, he will just be like everyone else.

"Master Zhang knows the difficulty and should be more empathetic."

"We should not refrain from doing something when we know it is difficult, but should face it head-on. This is the noble character of a scholar."

There is no need to go into this in depth.

Because it is unlikely to produce any results.

Even though no one objects now, once the aristocratic families come and see that you are serious about it.

They will definitely attack in groups.

Monopolizing education is their root.

Breaking the monopoly is undoubtedly digging someone's grave.

How can they continue to be so high and mighty and look down on others in the future?

Li Chengqian is now just putting forward an argument, at least to let people know that educating the people cannot be just empty talk.

After he said this, he changed the subject.

"It's getting late."

"Let's stop here for now. We'll discuss it this afternoon."

Li Chengqian stood up and left.

"Farewell to His Highness the Crown Prince."

Everyone bowed.

When the prince disappeared, they talked in low voices.

When Li Chengqian came to the back, he saw Li Er and others.

"Your Majesty," Li Chengqian saluted.

"See His Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian nodded to Changsun Wuji and the others and asked, "Why is Your Majesty here?"

"Without informing me beforehand."

"If I were impeached by the censor for being disrespectful, it would be hard to explain."

He spoke to Li Er in a neither cold nor cold tone.

He came here secretly without even saying hello. If the Jinyiwei hadn't discovered and reported it, he wouldn't have known about it.

Do you, Li Er, like eavesdropping so much?
"Prince, it's time to eat."

Li Er didn't respond and said coldly.

"The East Palace doesn't lack food for a few people."

"Humph!"

When Li Xiang and Li Jue saw Li Er, they bowed obediently.

Li Er couldn't help but look at Li Jue twice more, and finally reached out and picked him up, touched Li Jue's body, and said, "This Erlang has grown a lot stronger."

"The body is much longer than before."

Li Chengqian said, with the blessing of meat, eggs and milk, it would be strange if you don’t grow taller.

The food is shared.

Li Er sat where Li Chengqian was supposed to sit, and the others sat in front of their respective desks.

Each dish is a small dish.

Unlike the dishes in Taiji Palace, the dishes in Eastern Palace were improved by Li Chengqian himself.

After taking a bite, Li Er couldn't stop eating, but he still found time to say something.

"Prince wants to educate the people, but have you ever thought about the practical difficulties?"

"It is the right thought for a king to care about his people, but he should not be too ambitious or unrealistic."

(End of this chapter)