King of Han Dynasty of Ming Dynasty

But is there really any deeper meaning?
Is it really that he didn't understand it, is it really that he didn't realize it?
As he thought about it, Yang Shiqi no longer had the heart to argue with Han Wang Zhu Gaoxu, nor did he have the arrogance he had before. In doubt, he reached out and picked up the contents written on the rice paper that he had just placed on the table. His eyes widened as he carefully read the contents word by word, wanting to see what was hidden in it, or what he had missed.

However, as the words between the lines came into his sight, Yang Shiqi scratched his ears and cheeks, frowned, and his face became ferocious. After all, he did not find any clues. After reading it over and over again, he found that he had not missed any of the content above.

Just like this, after a long time, Yang Shiqi finally gave up and stopped focusing on the above content. He forced a smile on his face that was uglier than crying, looked at the three people who were staring at him, shook his head slightly, and said:

"Your Highness, Prince Han, and Scholar Chen."

"Forgive my ignorance, I really can't make sense of the contents here, and I don't find anything special about the contents recorded here, or that they have the beneficial effects that Chen Xueshi said."

"Please help me solve my doubts, and let me be a wise man!!"

"I am really stupid. I really can't understand it. I really can't understand it."

As he spoke, he looked expectantly, meeting the three people's gaze without any hesitation. There was no trace of timidity, only calmness.

In the field.

Suddenly fell into an eerie silence.

The three people looked at Yang Shiqi with different emotions in their eyes.

Just like that, after a long while, the introverted prince sorted out his thoughts and glared at the distressed and helpless Yang Shiqi with gloomy eyes, then looked at Han Wang Zhu Gaoxu, then looked at Chen Ji who was standing aside like an outsider, and asked:

"Second brother, Master Chen"

"Since Yang Shiqi can't understand, one of you will be the initiator of this incident, and the other will be the follow-up person in charge of this incident."

"One of you two can help him solve his puzzles and broaden his horizons."

Although his emotions were restrained, it was not difficult to sense from the tone of Zhu Gaochi's words that the anger in his heart had not dissipated much, and he still had some complaints about Yang Shiqi's previous behavior.

But you can understand it if you think about it.

After all, everyone knew that Yang Shiqi was his confidant.

Many times, what he says and does are more or less considered to represent the intentions of his master.

As for those evil words that Yang Shiqi said just now, to be honest, everyone has different thoughts and experiences about the deep meaning behind them.

As far as the Crown Prince was concerned, he had finally made peace with Zhu Gaoxu and were working together on something. If the relationship that had been so hard to achieve was destroyed, not to mention whether the current things could go on, if Zhu Gaoxu was really pissed off, the consequences would not be what the Crown Prince wanted to see.

It is true that you, Yang Shiqi, have not realized the truth!

Just open your mouth and ask in a nice voice, then combine what others say, think about it in your mind, compare it again, and if you still feel that it is inappropriate, it is understandable that you criticize the theory.

No one will say anything.

After all, at that time, it could be considered a discussion.

As a result, this bastard...

It's fine if you don't understand it, but you just start criticizing without even asking. Is there any meaning in this?

That's why, even though Yang Shiqi acted like this, he was unwilling to pay attention to him and didn't want to explain to him the real reason.

In fact, he also felt a little tired.

After hearing this.

Zhu Gaoxu and Chen Ji couldn't help but look at each other, and they could probably understand the prince's feelings.

Afterwards, Zhu Gaoxu pondered for a moment and said to Chen Ji:
"Mr. Chen..."

"You should explain this matter to Lord Yang in detail!"

About it.

Not to mention that Zhu Gaochi didn't want to bother with Yang Shiqi, this scoundrel, even after something like this happened, Zhu Gaoxu naturally didn't want to bother with Yang Shiqi and didn't want to waste his breath on him.

Dele.

The Crown Prince didn't want to say anything, and the Prince of Han didn't want to pay any attention.

This matter naturally fell on Chen Ji's head.

Although Chen Ji didn't want to pay attention to Yang Shiqi, after all, Yang Shiqi's words just now seemed to be directed only at the King of Han, but from another perspective.

In fact, isn't it true? Even he, who was involved in this matter, was directly scolded.
but…

The first level of officialdom crushes people to death.

Zhu Gaoxu had already given the order, so how could he have the right to refuse?
After all, he is not Yang Shiqi. He is not so stubborn and does not know the rules.

After a brief pause, Chen Ji simply sorted out his thoughts, turned his head to look at Yang Shiqi, and asked:
"Master Yang..."

"I wonder what I saw in the thoughts and ideas I just sorted out?"

"Can you please explain it to me?"

Listening to the question, Yang Shiqi frowned and said bluntly:
"Medicine, agriculture, law, history, Confucianism, mathematics, etc. are all included."

Have to admit.

Yang Shiqi was a guy with a bad temper, but he was interested in a wide range of books.

Just by looking at the thoughts he organized, one can tell what color content is contained therein.

He is worthy of the words "erudite and knowledgeable".

After getting a definite answer, Chen Ji nodded in satisfaction and continued:
"Since Lord Yang can understand it."

"Then I wonder what Lord Yang thinks of these contents?"

“Are you clear about the purpose of these things?”

The seemingly plain words, however, sounded somewhat insulting to Yang Shiqi, and his facial expression changed involuntarily. However, when he thought of his previous mistake, he felt a little unhappy, but he had to suppress it and nodded his head in reply:
"The purpose is naturally the literal purpose."

"Medicine treats illnesses, agriculture plants crops, law studies the laws of the Ming Dynasty, history studies the past and present, Confucianism governs the country, and mathematics calculates."

This answer seems to be the correct answer.

However, Chen Ji shook his head in denial and said:

"wrong!"

"it's not true."

“It’s not as simple as the literal meaning.”

The sudden turn and denial made Yang Shiqi stunned on the spot. He looked at Chen Ji with an expression of astonishment.

"wrong?"

"How could it be wrong?"

"Isn't this the purpose of these theories?"

"Mr. Chen..."

"Are you sure you're not kidding me?"

Having said that, Yang Shiqi paused, raised his eyebrows and thought for a moment, then continued:
"Then we would like to hear the details."

"I also want to know where I went wrong."

At the same time, I also wanted to see what Chen Ji could say about this matter.

He was also worried that this was the point he had not really understood. After hearing this, Chen Ji smiled slightly and continued:
"It's easy!"

"These things are all beneficial to the people and are closely related to people's livelihood."

"I wonder if Lord Yang can count?"

This is said.

Such a big change made Yang Shiqi stunned. He narrowed his eyes slightly and replied:
"I know the simple ones, but not the complicated ones."

"I am not from the Ministry of Revenue, so I don't know much about these things."

There is nothing wrong with what you said.

This is a common problem among people of this era.

Many people think that they are not in that line of work.

Of course you don't need to know that line of work.

It doesn’t matter if you’re not good at it.

But for ordinary people or businessmen, this kind of thinking is very normal and there is nothing wrong with it.

But for the officials who are in charge of a region and who actually govern it, the problem becomes serious.

An official who is in charge of a region does not even know the slightly complicated techniques.

to be honest.

Even if there are people below who are corrupt or cooking the books, it is likely that they will not be discovered if they do not know how to do the calculations in the account books.

Can you imagine what this would be like?
I don't know much about agriculture, let alone agriculture.

Waiting for some questions.

Apart from Confucianism and the Four Books and Five Classics, he knows very little about anything else.

How can such a person, as an official in charge of a region, bring benefits to the people?

Just kidding!
Thinking of this, Chen Ji shook his head without comment.

He explained to Yang Shiqi in detail the significance of the existence of a number of theories, as well as their usefulness to officials in charge of a region.

As the explanation goes deeper, these pros and cons are explained.

Yang Shiqi's expression became solemn at a speed visible to the naked eye, and he no longer had the arrogance and unwillingness to accept defeat as before.

At the same time, his heart was filled with turmoil.

It also opened a whole new door for him, allowing him to have different ideas. He frowned and fell into deep thought, with different ideas in his mind. At this moment, he seemed to understand what the specific plan between the Crown Prince and the Prince of Han was, and he also understood why Chen Ji gave such a high evaluation.

And why Chen Ji is organizing these mediocre information in such a place.

That's it.

After an unknown amount of time, Yang Shiqi slowly raised his head, nodded to Chen Ji, and said:

"Thank you, Mr. Chen, for clearing up my confusion."

After saying this, he turned around and knelt down in front of the Crown Prince and Prince Han, and asked with doubt in his voice:
"Your Highness, Prince of Han, are you going to take action against the imperial examinations and Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism?"

Although he had some guesses in his mind, when he actually asked these questions, Yang Shiqi still had some doubts and uncertainties and wanted to verify them.

After hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu and the Crown Prince looked at each other. They were not surprised at all that Yang Shiqi asked this question. After all, Chen Ji said so much in his words and in such detail. Although he did not say it directly, it was impossible for Yang Shiqi to not think of it with his brain.

Zhu Gaoxu then spoke first and asked, "Sir Yang, you have been an official for many years, and I think you have seen the situation of the court. So in your opinion, if we select officials based on the current imperial examination, how many of them do you think can truly work for the welfare of the people?"

"Let's not talk about the issue of corruption for now, let's just talk about these personal abilities and skills, and ask yourself, is there any real connection between what you have learned and what you have taken the exam for, and what you actually use and do after you become an official?"

“How much knowledge can really be put into practice?”

As soon as these words came out.

Yang Shiqi was stunned on the spot. How practical were the contents of the imperial examination in relation to the later period of reorganizing the country and the people of the world?

From the truest feelings in his heart, for Yang Shiqi, there are really few things that can be useful.

to be honest.

Apart from coping with the assessment, everything else is completely meaningless.

Seeing Yang Shiqi fall into silence, Zhu Gaoxu did not urge him, but waited quietly for him to figure it out and then give him an answer.

Just like that, after half a cup of tea, Yang Shiqi finally came back to his senses from his daze, slowly raised his head and looked back, shaking his head slightly, with a smile on his face that was uglier than crying, and said:
"When the prince asked this question, didn't he already have the answer in his heart?"

"Why do you want me to answer?"

However, he still spoke out and replied: "It's almost useless."

"Hmm," Zhu Gaoxu nodded without comment, and suddenly opened his half-closed eyes. His expression suddenly became extremely serious, and he said in a deep voice: "Since everything I have learned throughout my life is of no use at all and can bring no benefit to the people."

"So is it really necessary for it to exist?"

“Don’t we need reform and innovation?”

“Shouldn’t we replace it, shouldn’t we use something that really works?”

Should I?

It really is!

He had thought about this question before, but
Thinking about it, Yang Shiqi raised his head and looked over. He shook his head helplessly and replied:

"My lord."

"That is the teaching of the saints, and it has continued for thousands of years."

"Have you ever thought about that?"

“How can something so deeply rooted be changed so easily?”

"It's going to be trouble."

This is true. If they were not worried about trouble or the news leaking out in advance, why would they be so alert and serious?

However, once they have truly gained strength and are adequately prepared, it remains to be seen who will be the winner.

Thinking of this, Zhu Gaoxu smiled and did not argue with Yang Shiqi about this issue. He waved his hand and said:

"This is not something you should worry about. Since the prince and I dare to do this, we naturally have our own considerations."

“Do what you should do.”

"I have told you everything that needs to be said. I think you also know your mission."

"Cooperate well with Chen Ji, do the current work well, and sort it out as quickly as possible. Just take what the prince and I need, and don't worry about other things."

"Do you have anything else?"

Yang Shiqi withdrew his gaze from him, turned his head to look at the prince beside him, and said softly:
"Your Highness, is this really necessary?"

Zhu Gaochi did not answer, but just nodded slightly. (End of this chapter)