bookrebus Chapter 498: Master Liu said that his son was slow to learn and needed to be the first to fly
Chapter 498: Master Liu said that his son was slow to learn and needed to be the first to fly
Qi Guangheng slammed the table, causing the ink in the inkstone to splash everywhere. "Go! Call all the imperial physicians on duty at the Imperial Hospital! If they can't diagnose the disease, I will hold them accountable!"
A sneer curled up the corner of his mouth: "If you dare to pretend to be sick and deceive the emperor, you will be punished to copy the "Emperor's Instructions" a hundred times in the clan office!"
The air in the hall froze instantly. The Sixth Prince and the Tenth Prince looked at each other, cold sweat running down their necks into their collars, and their fingers gripping the pen trembled slightly.
The candlelight flickered in the imperial study, and the six imperial tutors huddled in the corner trembling with fear, the hems of their official robes soaked with cold sweat.
Liu Quanzhou also strode in, and Gu Sinian followed behind him in small steps.
"Bang!" Qi Guangheng waved his hand, and the paperweight on the desk slammed heavily onto the blue bricks, shocking everyone.
Veins popped out on his forehead as he glared at the trembling imperial teachers:
"Are you all speechless? I paid a huge sum of money to have you teach the princes, but the Sixth and Tenth Princes can't even write the Three Character Classic!
Where have they been during the past month of absence from school?"
The white-haired old imperial tutor trembled like a sieve, and his official hat tilted to one side:
"Your Majesty, please forgive me! Your Highnesses...are both taking sick leave every day.
When I went to pay my respects, I couldn't even get through the door!"
The other imperial tutor suddenly tumbled to his knees, his forehead thumping with a dull thud. "The other day, the guards at the Tenth Prince's residence drew their swords against us. I really... I really didn't dare to force them to stop!"
Qi Guangheng's glare was frighteningly fierce, and Gu Sinian was so nervous that his palms were sweating.
He had been back in the palace for so long, but he had never seen his father so angry. Qi Guangheng had always been amiable before, but now he was so angry that his face turned red. It was true that serving the emperor was like serving a tiger.
"They can't even memorize something as simple as the Three Character Classic!" Qi Guangheng slammed the table again, causing the pens and ink on the table to sway. "How could I raise two useless people?"
Qi Guangheng turned and stared at Liu Quanzhou, his tone cold: "I asked you to be the prince's tutor, and you taught the prince like this?"
Liu Quanzhou fell to his knees with a plop, his forehead pressed against the floor tiles, and he kept saying, "I am guilty! I deserve to die!"
Gu Sinian gritted his teeth and suddenly stood up:
"Father! Imperial Tutor Liu really tried his best! The day he first came to class, Sixth Brother and Tenth Brother threw their books to the ground.
He said that the Taifu's words were all outdated nonsense, and that he was a criminal, so what he taught was completely useless.
Later, they brought the guards and drove us all out of the study. Now, Master Liu can only teach me alone in my room. Please don't blame Master Liu!"
Qi Guangheng looked at Gu Sinian's red eyes, touched the boy's trembling head with his fingertips, and sighed.
He patted Gu Sinian's shoulder, his voice still a little cold and hard:
"Speaking for Grand Tutor Liu? Then I'd like to see what kind of students he has taught.
Tell me, what have you learned recently?"
Gu Sinian raised his head and said:
"Three Character Classic and Hundred Family Surnames are just the foundation of enlightenment. I have read the Four Books and Five Classics, and recently I have been studying The Essentials of Zhenguan Administration and The Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government.
Grand Tutor Liu said that governing a country is like cooking a small fish, and he also taught me to deduce the situation in the court and analyze the pros and cons of taxation in various places.
He clutched the bamboo slips in his sleeves and said, "The other day I just learned how to balance the power of the feudal lords and avoid the danger of them becoming too powerful to be controlled."
"How old are you to learn these?" Qi Guangheng was stunned.
"Grand Tutor Liu said that I was slow to catch on, and I need to be the first to catch up." Gu Sinian suddenly knelt on the ground, his forehead pressed against the cold floor tiles. "I get up at 3:00 AM every day to recite my lessons, and I'm still copying my policy papers at 11:00 PM. If you don't believe me, father, feel free to test me!"
Qi Guangheng stared at Gu Sinian, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the dragon-patterned paperweight, and suddenly spoke:
"The Zizhi Tongjian records that during the reign of Emperor Dezong of Tang, the feudal lords rebelled, but the generals sent by the court to suppress the rebellion took control of their own troops.
The emperor wanted to reduce the power of the feudal lords, but the situation got worse and worse, and even Chang'an was lost.
If you were faced with this situation, would you first deal with the rebellion or the disobedient generals?"
The hall suddenly became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Several imperial teachers secretly exchanged glances. This question seemed simple, but in fact it contained a dilemma.
Gu Sinian did not rush to answer. He stared at the cracks in the bricks and thought for a long time before he slowly said:
"I think we must first suppress the rebellion. It's like a house on fire; we must put out the fire before we can deal with the troublemakers.
But the general who suppresses the rebellion cannot be allowed to hold all the power alone. We must send several groups of troops to keep an eye on each other.
Once the rebellion is quelled, we can use the strategy of luring the tiger away from the mountain to transfer the generals to the capital to serve as officials and gradually take away their military power."
Qi Guangheng raised his eyebrows: "Is it that simple? Aren't you afraid that the generals will unite against you?"
Gu Sinian pursed his lips and said:
"You can give them promotions and titles, reward them on the surface, but divide them secretly.
It's like dividing fruit. If you let them work on their own, they won't be able to come together."
Qi Guangheng suddenly burst into laughter:
"Well, well, well, the early bird catches the worm. Imperial Tutor Liu has taught me well. I will reward you with one hundred ounces of gold and twenty pieces of silk.
From now on, I will teach the Eighteenth Prince!"
Turning to look at Gu Sinian again, his tone softened a lot:
"My child, you are willing to work hard. This Dragon Roar Sword was used by me in battles when I was young, and it belongs to you today.
If you have any questions about your studies in the future, you can always come to my study to find me."
A eunuch at the side immediately brought out a sandalwood box. Inside lay a brocade cape embroidered with gold thread and coiled dragons. Woven entirely with peacock gold thread, it glowed faintly in the candlelight. "This is made of ice silk imported from the Western Regions. It's warm in winter and cool in summer, perfect for you to wear in and out of the palace."
Another palace maid brought in a carved wooden box. When the lid was opened, the box was filled with calligraphy and paintings by famous artists from the previous dynasty. There was even a copy of Wang Xizhi's "Kuaixue Shiqing Tie", and the fragrance of ink filled the air.
Qi Guangheng emphasized, "Also, from tomorrow onwards, you can freely enter and leave the Imperial Study to borrow books."
After saying this, his face darkened and he shouted at the Sixth and Tenth Princes who were kneeling on the ground:
"You two, go to the ancestral temple and kneel for an hour! Then copy the Analects twenty times. I will inspect it tomorrow!"
From today on, another imperial teacher will teach you.
If you dare to skip classes and cause trouble again, you will be sent to the imperial tomb to guard the body!"
The Sixth Prince and the Tenth Prince were so frightened that they were trembling and dared not raise their heads. They could only kowtow and admit their mistakes.
Su Daji almost fainted from anger, stamped her feet and shouted:
"Your Majesty! The Dragon Roar Sword is a treasure meant for the Crown Prince. How can you give it away so casually?
And the Imperial Study, is that a place anyone can enter?"
Qi Guangheng was so annoyed that he kept throwing his sleeves:
"It's not your turn to meddle with what I do! Look at your two sons, what a waste they have become!
Instead of wasting time arguing, you should teach your children well! Get out of here!
Su Daji's face turned red and she dragged the Sixth Prince and the Tenth Prince away.
After everyone left, Gu Sinian said a little fearfully, "Father, this reward is too much. If others find out, they will gossip."
Qi Guangheng patted him on the shoulder:
"Who dares to say that? If you say anything, I'll punish his entire family!
Just focus on your studies, these are what you deserve."