vrcanaries Chapter 414 Teaching
Chapter 414 Teaching
How could Sima Zhengyi possibly hold onto it? What good could it be that Luo An threw the imperial edict at him?
Luo An said, "Someone is suspected of falsely conveying the late emperor's edict. The matter has been handed over to the Ministry of Justice for a thorough investigation, with a two-month deadline. Once the facts are verified, the ringleader will be executed along with his entire family, and the accomplices will have their property confiscated."
How could the late emperor's edict, which was read aloud in front of all the officials in the Taiji Hall, be fake? As long as the eunuch read it and the ministers agreed, even a fake would be considered real!
The eldest prince could strike without hesitation, so striking a mere subject was even less of a problem. Sima Zhengyi dared not raise his head, dared not respond, and dared not even breathe loudly.
Is this how you bully your subjects? Xu Chengyao took the imperial edict and stepped forward: "You say it's fake, but where's the evidence?"
Luo An said, "You just said I'm the Crown Prince. Does the Crown Prince need proof to make such a statement?"
What kind of tyrannical remarks are these?
Xu Chengyao was indignant: "If you want to call a deer a horse, do you expect them to accept it? You have no recent grudges or distant hatred with them, so why do you have to frame them?"
Luo An tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest twice: "You say you've framed me, but where's the evidence?"
The evidence is right in my hand! Xu Chengyao looked down at the will in his hand for a moment, then suddenly looked up and said, "Since you say the will is fake, then you are not..."
"Your Highness!" Fan Tong led his entourage into the Taiji Hall, interrupting Xu Chengyao: "Academician Meng and the scholars have arrived."
Meng Zhao led the scholars to kneel before Luo An, all of them looking exhausted. They had been working all night and had only been back at the Hanlin Academy for less than half an hour when they were summoned back.
Luo An glanced over and asked, "Where's Su Wuming?"
Meng Zhao said, "Your Highness, Madam Su is unwell, and Lord Su has taken leave to take care of her at home."
Xu Chengyao saw Su Wuming last night, and he asked for leave early this morning?
Seeing that Luo An remained silent, Meng Zhao explained, "Lord Su requested leave the night before last, but yesterday the matter was urgent, so we summoned Lord Su to come and help. Filial piety is the most important virtue, so we will naturally grant him leave again once the matter is resolved."
Luo An looked at Xu Chengyao: "What were you about to say?"
Xu Chengyao returned the will to Sima Zhengyi somewhat dejectedly and sat down at his desk: "Grand Tutor, let's begin the lesson."
Following Luo An's instructions, Fan Tong assigned a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) to each minister. One reviewed the papers, while the other checked and stamped them. Both were so quiet that they kept their eyes straight ahead, even more so than the students.
Xiang Ru spoke in an aged voice, yet his lectures were delivered in a booming tone: "Humanity is quick to govern, just as the earth is quick to nurture trees. Governance is like a reed. Therefore, governance depends on people; select people based on their character, cultivate character through the Way, and cultivate the Way through benevolence."
This means that the way to govern people is through diligent governance; the way to govern land is through planting many trees. Governance is like reeds, its effectiveness depends on the people employed. To obtain suitable people lies in self-cultivation, self-cultivation lies in following the Great Way, and following the Great Way begins with benevolence and righteousness.
Xu Chengyao replied, "Human nature is quick to govern, and the earth is quick to nurture trees. What should be done if someone is lazy in governing?"
Xiang Ru paused for a moment, then continued: "Benevolence is humanity, and loving one's relatives is of utmost importance; righteousness is what is appropriate, and respecting the virtuous is of utmost importance. The distinction between loving one's relatives and the order of respecting the virtuous are the origins of rites."
Benevolence is loving others; loving one's relatives is the greatest benevolence. Righteousness is doing everything appropriately; respecting the virtuous is the greatest righteousness. Loving one's relatives requires distinctions of kinship, and respecting the virtuous requires hierarchy; these are all requirements of propriety.
Xu Chengyao then asked, "What if someone is rude?"
Xiang Ru picked up the broken ruler from the ground and solemnly reminded him: "Your Highness, one should be strict with oneself and lenient with others; one should also emulate the virtuous and reflect on one's own shortcomings when encountering the unvirtuous."
Luo An got up and left. After Luo An left the Taiji Hall, everyone in the hall unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, and the atmosphere instantly became relaxed.
Xu Chengyao finally understood that before his father returned, the ministers were all counting on Luo An. No matter how much Luo An misbehaved, no one dared to interfere.
But thinking about it carefully, Luo An wasn't being silly. He solved their immediate problem as soon as he arrived; otherwise, they really wouldn't even be able to afford food.
The house that Luo An set on fire on Xuanzhi Mountain is still there. It has not been demolished or repaired. The things inside have been cleaned up, and the walls and ceiling are blackened with soot.
Luo An stood in the room for a while, then went to the backyard and stood under the acacia tree, lost in thought. A night of torrential rain and wind had left the area around the acacia tree in a chaotic mess of withered branches and fallen leaves.
Luo An glanced around, then walked to a corner of the yard, picked up a broom, and began to sweep. He swept very slowly, inch by inch, with more care than when decocting medicine.
Luo An swept the branches and leaves under the tree and piled them together, intending to find a dustpan to put them in, when he turned around and saw Nian Yao.
Nianyao picked up a winnowing basket and put it on the ground, gesturing to Luo An with her eyes. Luo An swept the branches and leaves into the winnowing basket.
Their cooperation in working together was no different from that of an ordinary couple in the city. Neither of them spoke, seemingly unwilling to break the rare moment of warmth.
After Luo An finished sweeping, Nian Yao took the broom and put it in the corner. She turned around and happened to meet Luo An's gaze. Or rather, Luo An had been watching her the whole time.
Nianyao's makeup was light and elegant, with a light pink silk dress, a white jade hairpin in her hair, and pearl earrings in her ears, clearly a deliberate attempt at dressing up.
After a night of wind and rain, the dark clouds still lingered, and a chilling wind howled over the mountain. As Nianyao moved, everything from her skirt to her hairpins swayed brightly.
Nianyao walked up to Luo An and stopped, coughed lightly, and waved her hand in front of Luo An, generously and deliberately saying, "Madam Qi's clothes. She can't wear many clothes because she's pregnant, so she picked out a few sets for me."
Do they really need someone else to give them a few pieces of clothing? It's one thing for Xu Sheng to run off with the palace money, but did he also rob the Xue family mansion?
Luo An was unimpressed: "Can't the Xue family afford to support their niece?"
Nianyao had wanted to show off her pretty clothes, but upon hearing this, she was immediately disappointed and pouted, "These clothes are all brand new, and Lexi has never worn them before. She said that she would gain weight during pregnancy and childbirth and wouldn't be able to wear them for many years. This is the first time in my life that I've dressed so pink and cute, and they all say it looks good."
Not only are the clothes beautiful, but the woman herself has also gained a more ladylike temperament. How could she be associated with the former female leader of the Dahe Gang?
Luo An touched Nian Yao's earlobe: "She looks good in anything, and even without clothes."
Nianyao slapped Luo An's hand away, glanced at the tree next to her, and said reproachfully, "You really are... you should know where to look before you speak so carelessly."
Luo An took Nian Yao's hand and led her through the covered walkway. The two sat side by side on a bench. The view from the high vantage point was expansive and unobstructed.
Looking down, there are layers of steps; looking ahead, there are green fields; looking into the distance, there are dark green mountains; and looking up slightly, there is a gloomy sky.
Luo An looked into the distance, seemingly lost in thought. Nian Yao accompanied him as he gazed into the distance for a while, her gaze naturally settling on Luo An's face.
Luo An seemed somewhat different after entering the palace. He didn't seem like someone who would be bound by the various rules and regulations of the palace, so why was that?
Surely there aren't any ghosts or monsters in the Nanyue Palace? Nianyao stared at Luo An, lost in thought, without even blinking.
Even the composed Luo An couldn't resist, and still blurted out in a cheeky tone, "Am I good-looking!"
Nianyao, feeling a bit playful, sighed deeply, "We haven't seen each other for three years!"
Luo An was indeed taken aback, and immediately raised his hand to cover Nian Yao's forehead: "You don't have a fever?"
Nianyao's face and eyes were beaming with pride: "A day apart feels like three autumns."
Luo An slowly withdrew his hand, showing no sign of admitting defeat: "Crown Princess, even the most skilled physician cannot cure heartburn!"