The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 580 Studying with the Prince

Although the third prince Zhu Changxun has not yet been given the title of crown prince, he is already a definite candidate for the position.

Wanli asked Song Yingxing to accompany the future crown prince to study in order to train a loyal minister for his successor.

The Exploitation of the Works of Nature compiled by Song Yingxing is an encyclopedia of ancient industry.

With this trusted minister like Zhu Changxun, the Ming Dynasty will surely flourish.

This is what Wanli thought.

Song Yingsheng had no idea what the current emperor was thinking.

He only knew that their Song family, a declining aristocratic clan, was about to soar to the sky.

The Song family hadn't produced a Jinshi or even a Juren for two generations. Their family was truly as decadent as it could be.

Unexpectedly, not only was he chosen by the current emperor as the top scholar, but his second brother Ying Xing was also brought in to accompany the future prince to study!

He really felt like he was dreaming.

This great opportunity must not be missed.

He wrote a letter home directly in the palace and handed it to the captain of the Jinyiwei who was responsible for picking him up.

Wanli also attached great importance to this rare talent.

He even ordered people to redecorate the imperial study.

After little Zhu Changxun finds a study partner, he will have to leave his arms.

He directly ordered someone to add a table and place it next to the dragon table. There were two seats at the table. Xiao Zhu Changxun sat on his side, and Song Yingxing sat opposite Xiao Zhu Changxun.

It seems that the upcoming palace examination is no longer important.

Song Yingxing is a man of greater talent than ten number one scholars. As long as he is well trained, the future development of the Ming Dynasty will be immeasurable.

He was too lazy to even think about the palace examination questions. These days he was concentrating on thinking about how to cultivate the talent of Song Yingxing.

The navy officers and soldiers rowed day and night after receiving his order.

The capital was more than 3,000 miles away from Song Yingxing's hometown Fengxin, but the navy soldiers only took more than ten days to make the round trip.

On March 12, Xinmao, before the palace examination began, Song Yingxing had already arrived in the capital.

He arrived quite early. Before the hour of Si in the morning, he had already arrived at the Taiye Lake in the imperial city on a navy express boat.

At this moment, he was even more confused than his brother Song Yingsheng.

He never dreamed that he would suddenly be chosen by the current emperor to accompany the future Crown Prince to study.

When the Jinyiwei arrived in Fengxin with his brother's letter, the entire Fengxin County was filled with exclamations of surprise.

It seemed that no Jinyiwei had come to Fengxin County for more than two hundred years, but this time there were so many of them, and they came specially to pick him up.

His parents were completely stunned.

Accompanying the prince to study was a great opportunity, so they did not hesitate at all.

He hurriedly followed the Jinyiwei onto the navy's speedboat and headed straight for the capital.

He originally thought that he would be sent to meet his brother and then enter the palace to meet the emperor.

Unexpectedly, the navy's clipper brought him directly to the imperial city.

Moreover, the accompanying Jinyiwei took him directly to the palace.

He didn't see his brother at all along the way!
After all, he was still a thirteen-year-old boy who had never left his parents and had never traveled far. The farthest place he had been to was the provincial capital, which was dozens of miles away from home.

This time he was actually dragged directly to the imperial city over 3,000 miles away, and he was about to meet the emperor. It would be a lie to say that he was not nervous.

Fortunately, he had participated in the college entrance examination and attended the county school, so he had seen some of the world.

Although he was extremely nervous, he was not so nervous that he lost his composure.

Two teams of Jinyiwei escorted him through rows of houses, through the walls of the imperial palace, through numerous palaces, and arrived at the Qianqing Palace.

Immediately afterwards, he walked into the imperial study alone.

There were two people sitting inside. One was wearing a dragon robe and looked not much older than his elder brother. The other was wearing a small dragon robe and looked to be only six or seven years old.

He glanced at it quickly, then bowed and said, "Student greets His Majesty, and His Royal Highness the Third Prince."

Well, that's right. It's rare for a thirteen-year-old to be so calm.

Wanli nodded slightly, then raised his hand and pointed to the seat opposite Zhu Changxun and said, "Sit down and talk."

what?
This person is sitting directly opposite the current emperor and the future prince!

Song Yingxing was stunned when he heard this, but he still walked over and sat down.

Wanli pointed at the book on the table and said, "I have taught you up to Chapter 10 of the Analects of Confucius. You can try to teach Chapter 11."

Is this to accompany the prince to study or to teach him to study?
Fortunately, my father was a teacher in a private school, and when he was busy, I would often teach the students on his behalf.

Upon hearing this, Song Yingxing quickly opened the Analects in front of him and swiftly turned to Chapter 11 of the Yan Yuan Pian. He then solemnly said, "Your Highness, please read it with me first."

Then he read aloud: "Duke Jing of Qi consulted Confucius on government.

Confucius replied: The ruler should be a ruler, the minister should be a minister, the father should be a father, and the son should be a son.

The Duke said: "Excellent! If the ruler is not a ruler, the minister is not a minister, the father is not a father, and the son is not a son, even if I have millet, how can I eat it?"

Little Zhu Changxun read it again with great curiosity.

There weren't many unfamiliar words in this chapter, so he read it quite smoothly.

Song Yingxing nodded slightly, then asked, "Your Highness, is there anything you don't understand?"

Little Zhu Changxun pointed at "Junjun" and asked, "What do these two Junzi stacked together mean?"

This one is simple.

Song Yingxing patiently explained: "The two characters 'jun' actually have the same meaning. The first 'jun' refers to the king himself, while the second 'jun' refers to the king's responsibilities.

This chapter means that Duke Jing of Qi asked Confucius about the strategy for governing the country, and Confucius responded as follows:

The monarch should fulfill his duties as a monarch, the ministers should be loyal and do their duties conscientiously, the fathers should demonstrate the responsibility and commitment of a father, and the sons should fulfill their filial duties.

Duke Jing of Qi was deeply impressed by this and said, "You are absolutely right! If a ruler fails to fulfill his duties, ministers fail to fulfill their loyalty, fathers fail to fulfill their responsibilities, and sons fail to fulfill their filial duties, then even if there is enough food at home, how can we enjoy it with peace of mind?"

Uh, that simple?
Little Zhu Changxun couldn't help but ask, "Is the strategy for governing a country so simple?"

How do you say this?

Song Yingxing carefully glanced at Wanli, who seemed to be listening attentively, and then carefully explained: "Your Highness, what Confucius said is probably the foundation of governing a country. He meant that everyone should do their duty well so that the country can be governed well."

Oh, it turns out it’s just the basics.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhu Changxun slowly nodded and said, "I understand."

Then write it next.

Song Yingxing directly pulled out a piece of paper and picked up the pen and said, "Your Highness, please copy it with your students first."

After saying that, he began to write seriously.

When little Zhu Changxun saw his calligraphy, he couldn't help but reveal a hint of admiration on his face.

The handwriting is almost as good as my father's.

How old are you?
Such good handwriting!
Wanli just watched silently without saying anything.

He actually just wanted to see how Song Yingxing's academic performance was going.

It seems that there is no problem. My learning foundation is almost the same as his, so there is no need to study the Four Books and Five Classics anymore.

When he saw Song Yingxing and little Zhu Changxun finished copying, he picked up a waist badge and said solemnly: "Chang Geng, I have ordered someone to enter your name into the Imperial College.

Even if you are a student of the Imperial College now, you can hold any position below the fifth rank.

I will first appoint you as Zuo Sizhilang of Zuo Chunfang in the Zhanshifu, so that you can enter and leave the palace more conveniently. Remember to hang this badge on your waist."

what?
I was promoted to the sixth rank just for simply explaining a chapter of The Analects to the future prince!
When the top scholar was first appointed, he was only of the sixth rank.

Song Yingxing was stunned for a moment when he heard this, then he quickly stood up, respectfully took the badge with both hands, and thanked him repeatedly: "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."

Wanli nodded slightly, then stood up, picked up little Zhu Changxun beside him, and waved his hand, saying, "Let's go, let's go to Ciqing Palace first, you will live there from now on."

After saying that, he raised his foot and walked out.

Ciqing Palace?
Isn’t that where the prince lives?

He lives there!

Song Yingxing was stunned for a moment when he heard this, then hurriedly followed.

At this moment, Yuan Keli, Li Hualong and Luo Sigong had not arrived yet. Ciqing Palace was still quiet and no one dared to speak loudly.

Wanli took Song Yingxing directly to the decorated bedroom to take a look, and then took Song Yingxing to a side hall.

When Song Yingxing walked into the side hall and took a look, he couldn't help but look shocked.

There was actually a spinning machine and a loom inside, as well as a lot of strange things, and a few old men seemed to be fiddling with something.

Seeing this, Wanli simply asked, "Do you know what these two machines are used for?"

Since you already have an official position, you can no longer call yourself a student.

Song Yingxing nodded repeatedly and said, "Your Majesty, I know. This one is for spinning, and this one is for weaving."

Well, you have seen quite a few machines.

Wanli came to an old man and asked, "Is the steam ready?"

The old man nodded repeatedly and said, "In reply to Your Majesty, the steam has already been heated."

Well, let me give the boy a surprise first.

Wanli simply picked up the wooden hammer beside him and hammered the main valve of the steam engine.

With a "puff", the connecting rod of the steam engine began to move up and down. There was a crank connected to the connecting rod, and the crank had a wheel on it.

When the connecting rod of the steam engine moves, the wheel starts to turn.

When Song Yingxing saw this, his eyes lit up instantly, just like an ordinary person seeing gold, silver and treasures.

Wanli waited for him to look at it for a long time, and even blinked uncontrollably, then he said solemnly: "This is called a steam engine, which can drive many things.

For example, this spinning machine and this loom can be driven by steam engines, and the several processing machines over there can also be driven by steam engines.

However, spinning machines and looms are not enough, you still have to figure it out.

From now on, you can spend the mornings studying with Xun'er, and in the afternoons come here to figure out how this steam engine can drive the spinning and looms, how about that?

It turns out that while accompanying the prince to study, one can also study these instruments!

Song Yingxing was so excited that he repeatedly bowed and said, "I obey your order."

In fact, Wanli did not expect Song Yingxing to develop steam spinning machines and steam looms at this time.

He just wanted to use the real thing to let Song Yingxing thoroughly understand the core power of the steam engine.

(End of this chapter)