After all the brothers left, the prince took Zhu Zhen into the Wenhua Palace.
This is the place where the prince reads and listens to lectures. The decoration is simple and elegant. The thousands of books on the huge bookshelves on the east and west walls give the Wenhua Palace a strong book atmosphere.
The only wooden-carved gold-lacquered dragon chair that fully displays the royal style, as well as the various ornately decorated incense burners made of copper enamel and gold-plated copper, are the only decorations used by Zhu Yuanzhang when he arrives.
Zhu Biao took Zhu Zhen and walked slowly in front of the long mahogany bookshelf, letting him look at the rows of books. Many of them were unique books from the Tang and Song Dynasties, and even bamboo slips and silk books from the Qin and Han Dynasties.
"How much is this worth..." Zhu Zhen let out a vulgar sigh.
"That's right." Zhu Biao misunderstood and touched his head and said: "These crystallizations of wisdom from ancient sages are indeed priceless treasures. How could they be useless?"
"Brother, do you know?" Zhu Zhen asked. His Royal Highness is indeed well informed.
"Well, the three of you have been in the yard all day, and I can still ignore you?" Zhu Biao saw that his lips were cracked by the frost, and he touched his earlobe, feeling a little bit frostbitten.
Then someone brought the ointment and applied it to Zhu Zhen with his own hands, while saying softly: "Don't learn from your second brother and fourth brother. They are born warriors. It doesn't matter if they can't read well. Let them know how to read."
They can understand military books and maps; they can also learn some principles and sharpen their character."
Zhu Zhen's mouth opened slightly. Can the request be so low?
"Then I also want to be a military commander." He immediately became excited.
"I think you just don't want to study!" Zhu Biao pinched his cheeks and scolded with a smile: "Silly boy, isn't it hard to practice martial arts and train soldiers? No, it is harder than sitting in the main hall and studying.
It will be ten times more tiring. And you may get injured or even die!"
"You are so afraid of pain and death, do you really want to join the army?" Zhu Biao said, letting go of him, walked to the desk, picked up the brush and dipped it in ink, pretending to write:
"If you really want to, I'll write a note and ask you to follow Wei Guogong on the Northern Expedition!"
"This..." Zhu Zhen was kneaded into dough by his eldest brother. He hurried over and took his hand and said, "My brother is still young and can eat. Aren't you going to cause trouble for others?"
"Hmph, I'll give you a mouthful of solid food." The prince put down his pen, twisted his right cuff with his left hand, and flicked his head coolly:
"Now you know that you are different from your two brothers?"
"Yes, I understand." Zhu Zhen was very obedient.
"My father sealed them in Shaanxi and Beiping; and sealed your third brother in Shanxi, they are destined to lead troops to fight and defend the country for our Ming Dynasty." Zhu Biao sighed, put his arm around Zhu Zhen's shoulders and said:
"This is their fate, and I can't help it. But you are different. You are still young, and the vassal state is in Huguang, so it does not have such a big responsibility."
The prince pulled Zhu Zhen in front of him, squatted down and looked at him and said: "So the eldest brother doesn't want you to join the feudal clan too early, and wants you to stay and help me. Are you willing?"
"Yeah, I do." Zhu Zhen nodded vigorously. He felt that he was willing to do anything for his elder brother. It's really embarrassing...
"If you don't study, how can you help your elder brother in the future?" Zhu Biaotu asked in a confused way.
"So you still want to persuade me to study..." Zhu Zhen pouted and said to no one:
"I just feel that their teachings are useless. They treat a few shabby books as the truth of the world all day long, turning over and over again. It seems that if you learn what Kong Laoer did, you will know everything."
"Haha, there is spirituality, it is indeed the material for reading." Zhu Biao did not get angry but smiled and said: "Who hasn't heard that Cheng Zi said: The investigation of things and principles is not to exhaust all the things in the world, but to exhaust one thing, others can be By analogy."
"Oranges? Or oranges? Isn't he talking nonsense? Everyone knows that there are many lines between the lines, but there is no truth in the world that knows everything?" Zhu Zhen retorted unconvinced.
"Hahaha, you are talking about 'shu', and what you gentlemen are teaching is 'Tao'." Zhu Biao's knowledge was enough to challenge Zhu Zhen, and he easily exposed his sophistry and said: "Chengzi means, first understand the Tao, and then learn. If you use this technique, you will get twice the result with half the effort, and you will get nowhere.”
"Uh..." Zhu Zhen ran out of words as soon as he started writing.
"Have you ever heard that 'everything has its beginning and end, everything has its end and beginning, and knowing the sequence is the shortest way to go'?" The prince asked again with a smile.
Zhu Zhen shook his head.
"You don't even know the sentences in "The Great Learning", how can you have the nerve to say that others are useless?" The prince mocked mercilessly: "I think you can become a public speaker."
"I'm still a keyboard warrior..." Zhu Zhen secretly complained to himself.
"So you study hard for me now. If you still think it's useless after you have thoroughly understood everything my husband taught me, it's not too late to come to me to argue." The prince flicked his head again and said:
"Even if it is just to be able to read their memorials and understand what they are scolding you when you deal with those civil servants in the future, you still have to go to school well."
After he was done, he coaxed him again and said: "With such a smart head, learning that little thing is not a piece of cake?"
"Oh, I know." Zhu Zhen was dejected. The elder brother was right. This feeling of being refuted and speechless is really unpleasant.
It's like being crushed culturally...
"Actually, in addition to the Four Books and Five Classics, there are some more practical books. For example, this book "Explanation of the Great Learning" talks about the principles of governing people and people's livelihood. My father liked it very much, and even had it written in the Wuying Hall. In the middle hall, so that you can watch it every day." Zhu Biao said, picking up a book from the bookshelf and saying:
"Ordinarily, this book is not something you should read at your age, but as a kid, you can't interpret it in a normal way, so let's just take it as a shock."
As he said that, he handed the "Explanation of the University" to Zhu Zhen and said:
"Go back and read hard, and see if you still say reading is useless."
"Hey." Zhu Zhen nodded and took it with both hands.
"By the way, do you know why this book is called "Extensions of the University"?" Zhu Biao asked.
Zhu Zhen shook his head.
"Because it is written by the author who is truly virtuous, borrowing the meaning of "Great Learning", quoting Confucian classics and historical events, and appending his own opinions." Zhu Biao raised the corners of his mouth slightly and said with a proud smile: "So before reading this book,
You have to thoroughly understand "The University" first..."
"Big brother is the real show!" Zhu Zhen looked at Zhu Biao helplessly.
His Royal Highness is really an old sow wearing a bra - one set after another.
"I admire you!"
"So-so." Zhu Biao said with a smile: "If I don't have any means as a brother, how can I discipline you weird brothers?"
"Okay, I'll learn." Zhu Zhen thought for a moment, finally made up his mind and nodded vigorously.
"Okay, good brother!" Zhu Biao raised his right hand and said: "Come on, let's high-five and vow not to go back on it!"
"Tch..." Zhu Zhen snorted, thinking that if the oath was useful, the Ming Dynasty would not have to die.
However, he still raised his palm and gave his elder brother a loud slap.
