vrcanaries Chapter 546 Wang Wen’s Thoughts
Chapter 546 Wang Wen’s Thoughts
Li Chengqian sat upright on a sandalwood chair, but at this moment, his eyes were filled with inquiry. He stared closely at Wang Wen, who was sitting uncomfortably across from him, and slowly said, "Young man? Have you suffered any injustice?"
As he spoke, he narrowed his eyes slightly, looking straight into people's hearts, as if he was determined to dig out the secrets hidden deep in Wang Wen's heart from his expression and find the answers he wanted.
Hearing His Majesty say this, Wang Wen's heart started beating wildly and his face felt hot.
He knew in his heart that His Majesty had misunderstood the reason for his nervous appearance.
In a panic, he stood up with a jerk, waving his hands in the air rapidly, and spoke rapidly, "No, Your Majesty! You are mistaken. I really have not been wronged."
In order to calm himself down and quickly change the subject, Wang Wen stuffed the mung bean cake in his hand, which he had not even taken a few bites of, into his mouth. His cheeks were puffed up and he looked a little silly.
Then, he casually wiped the mung bean cake crumbs on his hands with his rough cuffs, then carefully took out a stack of papers from his arms and handed them respectfully to Li Chengqian.
"Your Majesty! I'm not very good at expressing myself, and my memory isn't great either. I'm afraid I'll forget important things, so I wrote them down in advance."
Wang Wen lowered his head, with a hint of nervousness in his voice. Occasionally, he would secretly glance up at Li Chengqian's expression, then quickly lower his head again, like a child who had done something wrong.
Li Chengqian looked at Wang Wen's face, which was full of simplicity, and the stack of papers in his hand, which was slightly rough but neatly arranged, and suddenly felt an indescribable sense of relief in his heart.
The young man in front of me looks like a farmer who has been working in the fields for a long time, but he can actually read and write, and knows how to use words to record what he sees, hears and thinks!
This seemingly simple action, in Li Chengqian's view, is of extraordinary significance. It is undoubtedly a strong proof of the results of the court's vigorous promotion of the literacy campaign over the years.
Literacy is related to whether every citizen of the Tang Dynasty can open the door to wisdom, and it is related to the future direction of the country. Thinking of this, Li Chengqian felt particularly comfortable. He took the stack of papers from Wang Wen with some solemnity.
The words on the paper were crooked, the strokes were thick or thin, and in some places the paper was even torn because of excessive force. It was not really beautiful.
But every word seems to carry warmth and Wang Wen's seriousness, and at least allows people to clearly understand the meaning.
The above records the various changes in the village that he witnessed after arriving in Chang'an.
For example, a new wide and flat stone road has been built in the village, so people no longer have to worry about muddy roads on rainy days.
The farmland at the entrance of the village has been replanned and rationally laid out, making irrigation more convenient and efficient.
There were also bustling markets. Wang Wen recorded all of these in detail. Between the lines, he expressed his expectations for the development of his hometown. He hoped that the court would develop all the villages in the Tang Dynasty according to the model of Chang'an villages, so that people all over the world could live a stable and good life.
Li Chengqian read a page carefully, then raised his head and looked at Wang Wen. With a bit of inquiry in his eyes, he asked, "Have you ever been to school?"
Wang Wen nodded hurriedly, a trace of nostalgia for his school days crossing his face, mixed with a hint of helplessness. "Your Majesty, I received free compulsory education when I was a child. Back then, I was able to learn new knowledge every day in school. I was so happy."
He paused, the smile on his face gradually disappearing, replaced by a hint of sadness. "But I am the eldest son in the family, and I have several younger brothers and sisters. Our family relies entirely on the few acres of land my parents own for their livelihood. They work in the fields all day long, and they are so tired that they can't even straighten their backs."
"So I only studied for two years. If I had continued studying, my family wouldn't have been able to support so many people."
Hearing Wang Wen's words, Li Chengqian frowned slightly and then asked, "Doesn't the court have preferential policies for families with many children?"
“Why can’t compulsory education continue?”
"Don't your local officials follow the orders of the imperial court?"
Li Chengqian's question seemed to be asked lightly, but there was a hint of majesty in his tone, which made Wang Wen's heart skip a beat and become nervous.
"No, Your Majesty, because I am a Taoist from Jilin, so sometimes I cannot enjoy the preferential treatment I once enjoyed from the court!"
Wang Wen's voice trembled slightly as he answered cautiously, his hands unconsciously tugging at the corners of his clothes.
Upon hearing that Wang Wen was a Taoist from Jilin, Li Chengqian slowly raised his head and re-examined the young man in front of him.
He knew very well that Jilin Road was split from the former Liaodong Road, which was once the territory of Goguryeo and was later incorporated into the territory of the Tang Dynasty.
According to the order he issued that year, starting from Wang Wen's generation, they were considered true citizens of the Tang Dynasty. Wang Wen's parents were slaves, so they could not enjoy many treatments from the court in the past.
Thinking of this, Li Chengqian nodded thoughtfully and said softly, "I understand."
After that, Li Chengqian continued reading. The previous content was all Wang Wen's ideas for the renovation of Datang Village.
But when he saw the following content, Li Chengqian's expression gradually became solemn.
The following pages contain Wang Wen’s unique insights into the idea that the world belongs to all.
He envisioned an ideal society where everyone could share resources equally and receive due respect, regardless of their wealth or status.
All children can grow up carefree and receive a good education.
The elderly can enjoy their old age and have a secure life.
The people can live and work in a peaceful environment.
Although these ideas are naive and even somewhat idealistic, they are all the result of Wang Wen's own painstaking thinking.
He was not sure whether these ideas were correct, but out of trust in His Majesty, he mustered up the courage to write down his deepest thoughts without reservation.
But it was these seemingly innocent thoughts that deeply touched Li Chengqian. After reading it, Li Chengqian suddenly raised his head and stared at the simple face in front of him with a look of shock in his eyes: "Young man, are these all your own thoughts?"
Wang Wen was puzzled by the excited expression on His Majesty's face. He opened his mouth slightly and nodded woodenly, "Yes, Your Majesty, it was after I saw the village in Chang'an that I thought all the villages in the Tang Dynasty could be transformed in the same way."
"No no no."
Li Chengqian shook his head anxiously, a strange light flashing in his eyes. "That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the following: your thoughts on the world being for all. Are these your own thoughts?"