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Chapter 1323 Eastern Expedition 9
Fortunately, the General Staff did not plan to build another large naval base between Pearl Harbor and the west coast of America. Although the berthing conditions on Island No. 4 were very ordinary, it was sufficient for temporarily docking a few warships and doing some replenishment and maintenance.

When the Ming army successfully lands in the future and occupies the port cities on the west coast of America, they can build a larger naval base and this place will no longer be important.

But before the landing operation, the small dock on Island No. 4 was still very important. After a long journey of thousands of kilometers, the army needed to go ashore to rest for a few days, relieve travel fatigue, adapt to the local climate, and prepare for combat.

"The world is so vast that there are so many wonders. If you hadn't seen it with your own eyes, you would never have imagined that a turtle could grow so big!"

Looking at the water tank made of tortoise carapace and the boiled tortoise eggs on the plate, Du Wenhuan couldn't help but sigh. If His Majesty hadn't insisted on crossing the ocean to the east, he and most of the army officers and soldiers would never have seen such a scene in their lives, let alone believe hearsay.

I remember when the emperor was teaching at the Royal Academy, a student once asked a question: In addition to studying hard, what can we do to improve ourselves faster?

The answer I got was just four words: well-informed!
The emperor encouraged students to travel around more often after studying and to boldly try out different industries. He even added a school rule for this purpose: students in the college are allowed to apply for a leave of absence for up to five years after completing their first year of study and achieving good or above grades, and travel around the country and even the world in groups.

Sun Moon Bank has also launched an interest-free study abroad loan, providing different amounts of funding based on the quality of the student's proposed study abroad plan, to help students from poor families complete the life experience of traveling thousands of miles.

The court had mixed opinions on this move. Some officials and generals believed that traveling was not good for their studies and wasted their best years. They thought it would be better to graduate early and work in local government offices, the military, or factories and mines. In three to five years, they would be able to move up one or two levels.

After five years of traveling with a loan, I became ambitious when I came back. Whether I could continue my studies with peace of mind was a big question. Even if I graduated successfully, I would still have to start from the lowest level of clerk, squad leader, and assistant technician. If nothing unexpected happened, I would never catch up. I would be slow at every step.

Some officials and generals supported the emperor's approach, because since ancient times students have had the habit of traveling to study. Through such activities, they can not only understand the sufferings of the people, but also make friends with knowledgeable people, which is beneficial to their future development.

However, they also think that three to five years is too long, and half a year to a year is enough. After graduation, you can still continue to travel and gain experience after you start working, and your studies will not be affected too much.

I have also asked the emperor about this issue in person. The main reason is that this may reduce the number of graduates that the army obtains from the Royal Academy each year, and the quality may also decline.

In order to increase the weight of his words, he also deliberately dragged in his old superior in the army, the cabinet minister Li Ruzhang. Out of respect and fear for the emperor, Li Ruzhang also dragged in the cabinet minister Yuan Yingtai. As a result, in less than an hour, all of them rolled out of the Yangxin Palace in disgrace, and no one dared to oppose him in person from then on.

Yuan Yingtai started with Confucius saying, intending to point out the flaws of over-emphasizing erudition from a theoretical point of view. However, the emperor, who had never been very keen on classics and historical books, unexpectedly spoke eloquently and used the ancients to make Yuan Yingtai speechless. In Yuan Yingtai's words, the former Majesty was proficient in the study of things to gain knowledge, and he defeated ten masters with one force, using hegemony. But the current Majesty is still sharp in the study of things, and is well-read in poetry and books. He has both hegemony and kingly way, which makes him even more difficult to fight! Looking at the Ming Dynasty, no one can defeat him for the time being.

Wang Chengen's words suddenly enlightened everyone. Since the Yongle Encyclopedia began to be recompiled, the emperor insisted on reading a little bit every day, and wrote several boxes of notes on his thoughts. He could be said to be well-read and knowledgeable about ancient and modern times. In addition, he was naturally intelligent and had a photographic memory, so his knowledge was limitless.

The ministers have long been no match for him. Even Confucius would be trembling in fear. He must be surpassed in a few years! So in the future, it is best not to argue about such trivial issues. It not only wastes the emperor's precious time, but also lowers your taste. It is not worth it.

From now on, do whatever the emperor says. If you really can't figure it out, just bear with it and observe carefully for a few months or a year or two. I guarantee that you will find clues, which will also benefit the country and the people.

No one was qualified to judge whether Emperor Jingyang was qualified to become a saint, but after listening to Yuan Yingtai's narration, they basically agreed with Wang Chengen's suggestion, even though it sounded a bit hurtful to their self-esteem.

A gentleman is well-versed in literature and is restrained by etiquette. This is the rebuttal argument put forward by Yuan Yingtai. Confucius said that learning things cannot be too casual, and there must be restraint, otherwise the limited time will be wasted in vain, and the result will be mediocre.

The emperor did not say whether it was right or wrong. Instead, he and the Grand Secretary went through the original meaning of Confucius' text word by word and then re-annotated it.

Confucius was not against erudition, he just didn't want his students to study aimlessly without understanding everything. As for whether this understanding was correct, the emperor brought up the later sage.

Xunzi said, "A gentleman is well-educated and reflects on himself every day." He called on students not to just eat and learn all kinds of knowledge, but to taste the food while eating, and finally to be able to cook this dish better than the previous ones. That is, first get in touch, then think, and finally verify it with practice.

If you have a different view on this sentence, then take a look at what the Book of Rites says. "Learn extensively, inquire carefully, think carefully, discern clearly, and practice diligently." This is the recognized process of Confucianism in studying, with extensive learning first!
The Ming Dynasty has always followed this standard in academic research, which is earlier than the Imperial Academy. The implication is that you, Yuan Yingtai, who passed the imperial examination and was selected, should also follow this process. Why are you still opposing it? You haven't done it yet, and you don't want your descendants to do it. Are you a bad person?
So, did the emperor's method of studying work? Du Wenhuan did not have access to comprehensive data. He only conducted a simple survey in the army, or listened to the feedback from officers at all levels.

Overall, it is effective. After recruits with study abroad experience enter the army, their learning and comprehension abilities are generally better, their ability to deal with all kinds of people is stronger, they are less likely to have conflicts, and they are better at handling contradictions.

In fact, being well-informed is not only effective for new recruits, but also for veterans. Take this voyage for example. After two months of hard life across the ocean, the army officers and soldiers who participated in the war generally changed their previous perception of the leisurely navy.

(End of this chapter)