Tang Dynasty: Taking the Empress Dowager to a brothel, Father Emperor, what a coincidence!

Li Chengqian walked in from outside.

Ignoring the strange looks from the civil and military officials, he walked up to Li Gang and bowed respectfully.

"Grand Tutor, please calm down. Lord Kong's words just now were indeed a bit excessive."

Li Chengqian looked at Li Gang with a sincere expression and said.

Li Gang was stunned.

Why has this little devil changed his tune today? He's actually speaking up for me!

Li Shimin sat up straight, his eyes fixed on Li Chengqian.

As soon as that little rascal sticks his butt out, you know what kind of poop he's going to take.

He definitely wasn't hiding anything good.

Kong Yingda looked at Li Chengqian and asked:

"Your Highness, everything I have said is true. How can it be considered excessive?"

Li Chengqian turned around and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Kong Yingda:

"Lord Kong, although the Grand Tutor failed to teach the two crown princes he taught... cough, although both of them had some minor accidents, this does not prove that the Grand Tutor was incompetent."

Perhaps the Grand Tutor's fate was simply to bring misfortune to the Crown Prince?

puff!

Cheng Yaojin couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.

All the civil and military officials suppressed their laughter and covered their mouths tightly.

Li Gang almost choked on his breath again after he had just caught his breath.

He pointed at Li Chengqian:

"Your Highness...you...you..."

Li Chengqian quickly stepped forward to support Li Gang's arm, and continued with a face full of concern:

"Grand Tutor, please don't get agitated. I'm just trying to analyze the reasons for you."

I believe that the Grand Tutor is a man of great learning and should not be wasted.

Since it's easy for accidents to happen when the Grand Tutor teaches the Crown Prince, why don't we try a different approach and teach the ordinary princes instead?

Li Gang stared blankly at Li Chengqian, his mind unable to process what was happening for a moment.

Li Chengqian turned to look at Li Shimin and suggested:

"Father! Your son recommends Grand Tutor Li Gang to serve as Qingque's teacher."

Qingque is exceptionally intelligent, and since he is not the crown prince, he certainly won't be harmed by the Grand Tutor.

This would give the Grand Tutor a chance to prove his abilities.

If Qingque can grow up safely, wouldn't that dispel the Grand Tutor's rumor that he would harm the Crown Prince?

Li Shimin's eyes twitched as he listened.

This little bastard's ability to curse without using any dirty words is just as good as Kong Yingda's.

Li Tai is a front for Changsun Wuji's secret support; Li Chengqian is actually trying to hand over Li Gang, this jinx, directly to Li Tai.

If Changsun Wuji found out about this, he'd probably be spitting blood at home.

The key issue is that the reason Li Chengqian came up with actually sounds quite reasonable.

Li Gang flung Li Chengqian's hand away.

"You brat! How dare you bully me!"

He was a veteran of three dynasties and a renowned scholar of his time, yet he was publicly humiliated, accused of "cursing the crown prince," and even asked to be used as a test subject for the King of Yue.

Doesn't Li Gang have any pride?

Li Gang took off his official hat and threw it hard on the ground.

"Your Majesty! This old minister is old and frail, and is truly unable to teach the princes."

I humbly request Your Majesty's permission for this old minister to resign from office and return to his hometown to retire and cultivate his land.

Li Shimin had long been fed up with Li Gang, that stubborn old man.

If it weren't for his reputation, he would have kicked them out long ago.

Now that Li Gang has actually proposed to resign, then we can't blame him.

"Why must the Grand Tutor do this?"

Li Shimin hypocritically raised his hand.

"However, since the Grand Tutor is determined to leave, I cannot force him to stay."

Wang De, issue an imperial edict: reward Li Gang with one hundred taels of gold and fifty bolts of brocade, and dispatch the Imperial Guards to escort the Grand Tutor back to his hometown to retire.

Upon hearing Li Shimin's words, Li Gang abruptly raised his head, looking at him with disbelief.

Is that accurate?

Shouldn't the procedure require three attempts to retain the client?

He originally intended to use a strategic retreat to force Li Shimin to punish the crown prince.

As a result, Li Shimin went along with it and completely blocked his escape route.

"Your Majesty...this old minister..."

Li Gang still wanted to save himself.

"Grand Tutor!"

Li Chengqian rushed to Li Gang's side and grabbed his arm.

"Father has already given his permission, Grand Tutor, hurry home and pack your bags. Have a safe journey."

Li Gang looked at the father and son in front of him, his vision went black, and he fainted.

"Oh dear! The Grand Tutor has fainted again."

Li Chengqian shouted.

"Quickly, carry the Grand Tutor to the Imperial Hospital. It's bad luck if something happens in the Taiji Hall."

Several eunuchs rushed over and carried Li Gang out.

The way the civil and military officials looked at Li Chengqian had changed.

This prince is someone we can't afford to offend.

Even my mentor dares to do this?

They're utterly beasts.

"clever."

Seeing that Li Gang had resolved the issue, Li Shimin began to speak to Li Chengqian.

"This is Master Kong Yingda, a great Confucian scholar of our time."

From today onwards, he will be your Grand Tutor, in charge of all your studies in the Eastern Palace.

You must respect your teachers and their teachings. If you dare to disobey in the slightest, I will not let you off lightly.

Li Chengqian completely ignored Li Shimin and turned to look at Kong Yingda with a smile.

This Confucius was a tough nut to crack.

In his past life, this old man scolded him even more than Wei Zheng did.

The main problem is that you can't do anything to this old man.

He has way too many disciples and followers.

They often resort to ganging up on each other.

"Greetings, Grand Tutor Kong."

Li Chengqian obediently performed the disciple's salute.

Kong Yingda stroked his long beard and looked Li Chengqian up and down.

This crown prince is completely different from the rumors.

Judging from the methods Li Chengqian used to deal with Li Gang, they were not something a useless person could possess.

"Your Highness, you may dispense with the formalities."

I have been entrusted by His Majesty with the important task of overseeing the education of the Crown Prince. When I teach, I do not concern myself with formalities; I value only genuine talent and upright character.

Since Your Highness addresses me as Grand Tutor, let me preface this by saying what's unpleasant about it.

Regardless of Your Highness's past conduct, from this day forward, I will be in charge of the rules of the Eastern Palace.

"If Your Highness dares to skip class again, or uses the same despicable methods you used on Li Wenji to deal with me, then the ruler in my hand will not recognize your status as the Crown Prince."

Li Shimin nodded in approval upon hearing these words, and almost couldn't help but clap his hands in approval.

Yes. That's the kind of presence a teacher should have.

Confucius, give him a good beating!

All the civil and military officials were secretly worried for Kong Yingda.

That old guy is really tough; he gave the Crown Prince a hard time right from the start.

Li Chengqian still had a smile on his face, showing no anger at Kong Yingda's words.

"Grand Tutor Kong, I heard that you have come to the capital this time to compile the 'Correct Interpretations of the Five Classics'?"

Kong Yingda frowned slightly, not understanding why Li Chengqian suddenly asked this question.

"That is indeed true."

Li Chengqian sighed and shook his head with a regretful expression.

"What a pity, Grand Tutor is destined to have worked in vain."

The thing you wrote is full of holes; it simply won't survive.

Kong Yingda's expression changed instantly.

Compiling the "Correct Meanings of the Five Classics" was his life's work and his greatest pursuit.

Now that Li Chengqian dared to belittle him like this, it hurt him even more than cursing his ancestors for eighteen generations.

"Your Highness, please watch your words!"

"I have been studying for decades, and all the interpretations of the classics I have compiled are based on sources. Your Highness is young and has not yet thoroughly read the Five Classics; how dare you make such presumptuous remarks here?"

Li Shimin also grew anxious, slammed his hand on the table, and stood up:

"You unfilial son! Grand Tutor Kong is a leading figure in Confucianism, how dare you utter such arrogant words? At once, apologize to the Grand Tutor!"

Li Chengqian completely ignored Li Shimin's roar and calmly walked to the center of the hall.

"Grand Tutor, Your Excellencies."

Confucius is the teacher of all ages. Was his understanding of the world so narrow that he found joy only in reviewing lessons?

Kong Yingda frowned as he looked at Li Chengqian, but did not reply.

Li Chengqian continued:

"Learning is not simply reading and recognizing characters, but rather enlightenment and the exploration of the great principles of heaven and earth."

"Shi" does not refer to frequent or on time, but rather to the times or opportunities.

"Xi is not about reviewing, but about putting it into practice and implementing it."

The true meaning of this sentence is:

He realized the great principles of heaven and earth, and when the times required it, he promoted these principles throughout the world to benefit all people.

Isn't this an incredibly pleasant thing?

Li Chengqian directly quoted later interpretations of the Analects.

All the officials and civil and military officials were immediately impressed by Li Chengqian's words.