On this day, Jia Huan led Jia Cong and Chen Ruijin to Fan Cheng's yard in the west of Luzhou City. When they saw it, the Kungfu family school they went to in Ezhou had already opened. As they got closer, the sound of reading could be heard.
Jia Cong said with envy: "What a hard worker! It's a pity that he was snatched away by the King of Lu first."
Chen Ruijin glanced at him and said, "Are you trying to pry someone off again?"
Jia Cong shook his head: "You can't pry. Not everyone can pry me. How many years have you been able to pry Uncle Lin from the Situ brothers? Or was it because of their internal conflict that I took advantage of the loophole. This Fan Cheng can only
My mouth is watering just looking at it.”
Jia Huan also said: "At first I only praised him for his loyalty, but I didn't want him to become more and more respected."
"People like him and Uncle Lin are also the backbone of our nation." Jia Cong said, "Although it is frustrating sometimes." He stepped forward and offered his hands to the door, "Is Mr. Fan here?"
The man said: "Our master is not here at the moment. May I ask the names of these two masters?"
Jia Huan thought for a moment and said, "Will he come today?"
The disciple said: "Our master will come around after leaving the Yamen and take a look at the students."
Jia Huan nodded and said, "In that case, let's go inside and have a look. How about waiting for him?"
Seeing that they didn't even want to give their names, the disciple was quite hesitant. However, both of them were wearing Confucian robes and were a bit noble, so he didn't dare to stop them and let them in. The three of them walked around in the yard.
Seeing that there are teachers teaching lessons in each room, and listening carefully, they are all reading a few elementary school books, some are fast and some are slow, I can't help but nod my head.
At dusk, Fan Cheng came to the school for a walk as usual. Hearing from the disciples that two young gentlemen had arrived, he hurriedly walked inside. He saw that the students had all finished school, and the boss was surrounded by a group of people who didn't know what to do. He walked over and took a look,
There was a chubby scholar sitting on a wooden board. Under the wooden board was a large water tank in the yard. There were students and teachers standing below.
The fat scholar said: "I once heard someone say that there is nothing in the world that cannot be used. Once it is usable, it is valuable. A broken lotus leaf or a withered grass root is valuable." The students below nodded. "
However, why do many people think that broken lotus leaves and dead grass roots are not valuable? Because they have no use and have never bought or sold these two things. Although many people do not know, these two things are still valuable, and it is not because many people
People don't know that they can be used and become worthless. Han Feizi said, a thousand-mile embankment was destroyed by ants. This sounds easy, but I still can't understand why. Because I don't know how to manage rivers, and I don't know about ants.
**. There is another story. It is said that there was a blacksmith in ancient times who was always good at everything he did. His swords, guns and even iron pots were among the best in Beijing. One day he was making a nail and was a little lazy.
The nail is not very strong. Then he thought, it is just a nail, that's all." He gestured and said, and in the end, the country of blacksmiths lost an important battle and perished. The country of blacksmiths was destroyed.
The whole family was captured and turned into slaves of a foreign race.
The students were in an uproar.
The fat scholar then asked: "Gentlemen, let's talk about it. Now that this country has perished, who did it wrong?"
A group of people below shouted: "Blacksmith——"
The fat scholar said: "Of course the blacksmith did something wrong, but apart from him, there are others who also did something wrong."
Another scholar at the bottom said: "The ruler of the country is not right either. He is not ready to go to war with his neighboring countries. If the war preparations were sufficient, why would he lose the country in a mere battle?" Fan Cheng was overjoyed to see him, and it was Zhao San who went out to invite the general.
gentlemen!
The fat scholar said: "The failure to protect the country is due to neighboring countries going to war without saying hello? For hundreds of years, foreign invaders have invaded our country without saying hello. They quietly prepared themselves and then came to fight. The fault of the country's leader is to be lax. Is there anything else?
"
A teaching gentleman said: "The nails for driving horseshoes are so important. The man who bought the nails from the General's Office didn't even check. This person also did it."
The fat scholar nodded and said: "Yes, this person has done it. Most of the people who buy nails are ordinary servants. They can't tell which nails are good and which are not good. They just go to the best blacksmith shop to buy them. This person's fault is small.
some."
The next student said: "Then the general himself has experienced it. Why did he choose a layman to buy nails? The servant doesn't know that nails are important, he always knows."
The fat scholar gave a high-five and held out his thumb: "Yes! Young man, you are right." The child was only six or seven years old, and he felt a little embarrassed to hear him call him "young man". He continued, "
According to me, the biggest responsibility in this matter is the general, and the person who can best avoid this is also the general." He said, "The blacksmith is a blacksmith. Everyone gets sleepy, lazy, and confused sometimes.
. Even if he is the number one blacksmith in the capital, it is inevitable that some of the utensils will have flaws. What’s more, the nail is an ordinary small object, just like a broken lotus leaf or a withered grass root. He will inevitably feel that it does not matter. If this nail is to hang a picture on the wall, it will definitely hang a thousand pieces.
It will not break down after a thousand years, and people will still say that this is a good nail, worthy of being made by the first blacksmith in the capital at that time. However, the general knew that this nail was going to be driven into the horse shoe, and he also knew how important the nail on the horse shoe was.
Why did he send a servant who doesn't know how to do it? If he sent someone who knows iron, things would have turned around."
The students started talking again.
The fat scholar clapped his hands again: "Therefore, every utensil is important, and every person is important. If an ordinary nail is not made well, and the servant who buys the nail is not knowledgeable, the country will be destroyed. Everyone.
, few of you can pass the Jinshi examination and become officials in the court. Most of you will be engaged in various walks of life when you grow up, such as agriculture, industry, and business. However, each of you is extremely important. To Luzhou and to the world, you are all extremely important.
We are all young people now, just like the sun at eight or nine o'clock in the morning. Twenty years from now, the world will be yours. You are studying so hard today, not because you have to spend a lot of money to study, and you are taking advantage of Mr. Fan; you are taking the opportunity to learn.
Some principles for dealing with people. As Mr. Fan often said, don't do good deeds because they are small, and don't do evil deeds because they are small. Even if you can't make a great success in the future, you won't make big mistakes because of some avoidable trivial things.
Don't be that nail, that ant." Fan Cheng was about to applaud, but the fat scholar suddenly tightened his face and glanced seriously from left to right. All the students and gentlemen held their breath and concentrated, and Fan Cheng couldn't help but feel solemn.
The fat scholar turned over and stood on the wooden board, straightened his back and clasped his hands and read loudly: "So the responsibility today does not belong to others, but to my young man. The wisdom of young people will make the country wise, the richness of young people will make the country rich, and the strength of young people will make the country strong."
If young people are strong, the country will be free; if young people are free, the country will be free; if young people make progress, the country will progress. If young people are better than Europe, then the country will be better than Europe; if young people are strong on the earth, then the country will be strong on the earth——"
Fan Cheng blurted out "Okay!" Zhao San was the first to applaud, and others immediately followed suit.
The fat scholar bowed to everyone on the water tank, jumped down, walked straight to Fan Cheng, and bowed to the ground in front of everyone: "Mr. Fan is true to his word, and he acts vigorously and resolutely. Wan Sheng is so impressed that he is in admiration."
Fan Cheng hurriedly extended his hand to help: "It's not worth mentioning such trivial matters."
The fat scholar said: "I said that difficult things in the world must be done with ease, and great things in the world must be done with details. These children will be the backbone of all walks of life in our country in the future. If they know things clearly, the world will be governed. I just said,
People like Mr. Fan and Mr. Lin Hai are the backbone of our nation!"
Zhao San said from the side: "He told the truth, at the gate of the academy."
Fan Cheng was startled and waved his hands repeatedly: "How can I compare to Mr. Lin! His old man is like the bright moon in the sky, and I am just an ant underground. Mr., you are too praised, too praised." Even so, he was secretly happy in his heart. He handed over his hand to invite these few people.
Go sit in the study.
As soon as the children were served tea, Fan Cheng asked them their names. The fat scholar said with a smile: "The surname of the late student is Jia Mingcong, and he is a surname from Jinling Prefecture."
Fan Cheng was stunned: "Could it be that one of the three nobles in Rongguo Mansion?"
The fat scholar nodded. Without waiting for Fan Cheng's surprise, Zhao San stepped forward and bowed deeply: "When I came back to Luzhou last time, due to some inconveniences, Wansheng never told the truth to Mr. Fan. Wansheng's name is Jia Huan."
Fan Cheng knew that they were really the three Jia, and was so frightened that he stood up immediately. Jia Huan bowed and apologized again and again. Fan Cheng recalled what Zhao San said and did, and said with a wry smile: "No wonder the gentleman said that day, if you vote for the King of Lu now,
It’s not necessarily a good thing.”
Jia Huan cupped his hands again and said: "It's true that this kid -" he pointed at Jia Cong, "his actions are too eye-catching. It's best for Luzhou to quietly get some money to raise some elite soldiers, and not attract the attention of others."
Jia Cong said: "Since Luzhou is small, being small has its advantages. Mr. Fan, I just had an idea. I just don't know if the King of Lu is willing."
Fan Cheng hurriedly asked: "What?"
Jia Cong said: "Compulsory education. Thirty schools like yours have been built and are called small schools. They only teach three things: "Three Character Classic", "Hundred Family Surnames" and "Thousand Character Classic". Let Luzhou
All the children of the common people can read these three books. The other "Poetry of Thousands of Families", "Enlightenment of Rhythm", "Qionglin of Kindergarten", etc. will be taught in five additional middle schools. Those who study best among the elementary schools can enter the middle school.
.Build a high school and teach the Four Books and Five Classics seriously. Naturally, only the top students in the middle school can enter. The King of Lu may not be able to afford this money alone. Therefore, we can let the middle school study stop and the students who are good at homework go to the elementary school.
Teaching books is tax-deductible, and those in high schools go to middle schools to teach.”
Fan Cheng was stunned for a long time after hearing this: "All the common people in the city...are studying?"
Jia Cong said with a smile: "Luzhou is only a small area, surrounded by wolves. Even if the troops are training, the number of people is limited. Ping'an State is also small, but they have expanded from two commercial streets to a commercial district. There are many princes and lords in the commercial district.
shop. No one dares to mess with them because they don't dare to offend too many people. Luzhou is smaller than Ping'an Prefecture. It is impossible to just expect others to be merciful and let Luzhou go, unless there is something else to make others dare not mess with them.
If Luzhou can win the praise of scholars for its universal compulsory education, the kings will have some scruples. To be honest, it doesn’t cost much to just teach three books. Reputation is sometimes very useful. Who is right about Luzhou?
If the state uses weapons, it will be criticized by the people of the world, and the people of Luzhou will fight hard to resist foreign enemies."
Fan Cheng thought for a long time, then suddenly said "Oh!" and bowed to Jia Cong: "Mr. Genius! I admire you so much!"
Jia Cong waved his hand and said: "I can only talk. Only practical men like Mr. Fan can be the pillars of the world." Seeing that Fan Cheng still had admiration on his face, he said seriously, "Mr. Fan, I'm serious. It's easier to do what you know.
Difficult. I have many good ideas, but I can't do them due to various reasons. It's really rare for Mr. Fan to do it right after he gets the idea. Wan Sheng admires him very much."
Chen Ruijin chuckled at the side: "This gentleman and the third master both claim to be late-born, which one of you is more late-born?"
Jia Cong hurriedly said: "Mr. Fan is so many years older than me, so naturally I was born late." Fan Cheng said he didn't dare. Jia Cong didn't wait for him to humble himself and said, "Why don't I call you sir, big brother? Look at it.
Make it happen?”
Fan Cheng said hurriedly: "How can I afford it?"
Jia Cong immediately bowed to him and called him "Brother Fan"; Jia Huan also called "Brother Fan". Seeing the sincerity of their shouts, Fan Cheng couldn't resist, and it sounded very pleasant to his ears, and he was very happy in his heart.
After that, he asked if he could go to see King Lu.
Jia Huan hurriedly said: "Not for now, we have other things to do here today. We have already brought over two generals. Whether they are willing to stay in Luzhou depends on the prince himself." Then he bribed Du Dequzhi with them yesterday.
He briefly talked about the matter, but did not mention the amount of the fans and money. He finally said, "Since Du Dequ has won the hearts of the army, he should not be alarmed at this moment. Let General Xiao Zhong take over the position of Master Wu of Lu Wang first. Excuse me.
Mr. Fan quietly told King Lu not to let others know."
Fan Cheng asked: "Where is Mr. Zeng?"
Jia Huan said: "People talk a lot, what if the truth is exposed? Only the King of Lu knows. Besides, the Zeng family is so clever in their calculations, I don't really trust them."
Fan Cheng nodded repeatedly when he heard this: "Mr. Zhao...Mr. Jia said yes."
Jia Cong smiled: "Brother Fan, don't be so polite. Besides, my surname is Jia, so if you call him Mr. Jia, I'm being pretentious and think you're calling me myself."
Fan Cheng said: "What did I do? The idea was..." He didn't know what to call Jia Huan for a moment. Mr. Jia and Mr. Jia were both close to Jia Cong. He paused and said, "The idea came from Mr. Huan.
"
Jia Cong ignored it: "Brother Fan, your ability is called executive power. People with executive ability as strong as yours are very, very, very rare. Anyway, I can't do it."
Jia Huan saw that he wanted to take out his heart and soul, and secretly said to Chen Ruijin: "He is almost crying when he looks at me."
Chen Ruijin couldn't help laughing for a long time and said: "It was probably the same when Liu Xuande met Zhao Zilong in Gongsun Zan's camp."
Jia Huan clicked his tongue twice: "I won't be so excited when I see him. You see, after all, he is the one to be the master."
For a while, Jia Cong and Fan Cheng finished praising each other, and after a few people chatted for a while, Jia Cong and others left. Fan Cheng walked out of the street in person, and Jia Cong frequently looked back and waved.
Jia Huan glanced at Jia Cong and said, "Don't fall if you're walking seriously! You've already acted."
Jia Cong curled his lips and said: "Does this kind of drama have to be staged? I still hope that the compulsory education in Luzhou will be a great success, and the kings of Wu and Chu around me can also learn from it. This is the first time that the people are not wise enough to protect them." He sighed again.
, "This person cannot be obtained for the time being, which is a pity."
Back at the inn, Zhong Wei went out to look at the house for a day and came back. The people who stayed at the inn said that Du Dequ had someone come by this afternoon. He said that he would mention the matter in a few days. The person guarding the yard
He also followed Zhong Wei’s words and told him that he would still be grateful after everything was done.(..)