170 Chapter 170

◎Promise.◎

Li Chengqian pressed on, "Mr. Kong, why are you still silent?"

"I was thinking..." Kong Yingda calmed himself down and dug out a proper answer from his brain. "Mencius said, 'Those who work with their minds rule others, and those who work with their bodies are ruled by others; those who are ruled by others feed others, and those who rule others are fed by others. This is the universal principle of the world.'"

"It's not just the aristocratic families who are entitled to study; it's the different divisions of labor among individuals throughout the world. There are scholars who become officials, and there are farmers and merchants," Kong Yingda began. "Farmers cultivate the land, merchants sell their goods, craftsmen advise on their tasks, and scholars and officials listen to their duties... Each performs their duties, and this has been the case since ancient times."

Finally, he asked, "King Zhongshan, do you understand? I will ask you for a detailed explanation."

An idea suddenly occurred to Li Chengqian, and he said, "I understand what you mean, Mr. Kong. I have another question that I'd like you to answer."

Kong Yingda said, "King Zhongshan, please speak."

Li Chengqian asked, "Mr. Kong, do you believe that scholars should continue to study for generations, and that farmers should continue to farm for generations? Is it possible for the descendants of farmers to study and become officials?"

Kong Yingda thought of the earlier mention of "education for all" and nodded, saying, "Everyone in the world should study, whether they are farmers, herders, or peddlers. Only by studying can one gain understanding of reason and etiquette."

Li Chengqian nodded appreciatively and asked, "Mr. Kong, since you are a descendant of Confucius, you must have a large collection of books at home, right?"

Kong Yingda raised his chin and said, "I do have some books at home, but they're not very many."

Li Chengqian asked with a smile, "Mr. Kong, if you had the chance, would you be willing to let everyone in the world see your collection of books?"

Kong Yingda replied without any psychological burden: "Of course I am willing."

The Kong family is a prominent family, so naturally not everyone dares to visit. Could it be that the prince would listen to the King of Zhongshan's childish request and issue an edict on this matter?

"Excellent!" Li Chengqian clapped his hands and said, "Mr. Kong, a gentleman's word is worth a thousand gold. I will remember your words!"

Kong Yingda was quite confused. "I have always kept my promise, but does the King of Zhongshan want everyone in the world to come to my house to borrow books?"

Not to mention how the King of Zhongshan did it, it is difficult for everyone in the world to do it.

The Tang Dynasty had a vast territory and many illiterate people. Even if those who were willing to learn traveled thousands of miles to visit the Kong family, it would only benefit the Kong family.

If you want to read the books of the Kong family, you must pass the standards of the Kong family. If you can catch the eyes of the Kong family, you are naturally not an ordinary person.

Kong Yingda thought that if the King of Zhongshan could really accomplish this, it would be quite good for the Kong family.

"Not really." Li Chengqian shook his finger. "You'll know once I finish this matter at hand. But when the time comes, Mr. Kong, you must not refuse to pay."

Kong Yingda puffed out his chest and said, "A gentleman's promise is worth a thousand gold. If I break it, wouldn't I be ashamed of my father and ancestors?"

Li Chengqian nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile: "Okay."

…

After school in the afternoon, Li Chengqian was continuing to prepare the gunpowder when he suddenly heard a voice outside, all of whom were greeting the prince.

This was a sign of an army coming to call for punishment, and Li Chengqian was not surprised. He gathered up the things on hand and carefully put them away one by one. Then the Heavenly Khan angrily stepped over the threshold and rushed towards him.

"The Master said, standing by a river, 'Time passes like a flowing stream, it never stops day or night! How do you explain this?'" Li Shimin asked loudly.

Li Chengqian knew it was Kong Yingda coming to complain again, so he replied calmly, "Confucius sat by the river and watched the corpses of his enemies floating by day and night."

The servants who followed Li Shimin in froze in their places. This explanation... was really refreshing.

When Li Shimin heard these words from his eldest son, he felt dizzy.

Li Chengqian generously shared: "If I hear the truth in the morning, I can die in the evening. If I find out the way to your house in the morning, you will die in the evening. Is there anything else your Highness wants to hear? I have much more."

Li Shimin: “…”

Tian Khan, who was not yet thirty years old, swayed and almost fell.

Li Chengqian: "..."

Li Chengqian curled his lips. Is he so fragile? He still has a whole book of "Lun Yu" that he wants to share with him. What a pity.

The attendant helped Li Shimin sit down. After a moment, he recovered and pointed at Li Chengqian and asked, "You are deliberately trying to irritate Kong Yingda, aren't you? It's just a small misunderstanding. He's old enough to be your grandfather, and he's already apologized to you, a child. Why are you still harping on such a small matter and teasing him like this?"

Li Chengqian sneered, "Kong Yingda wronged me and filed a complaint. Apologizing to me is what he should have done. Should I thank him in return? So what if he's old? It turns out he became a scholar in the Qin Palace by relying on his seniority. I'm really impressed."

Li Shimin slammed the table and said, "Li Chengqian!"

Li Chengqian scratched his ears and said, "I am not deaf yet. Your Highness, there is no need to speak so loudly."

Hearing his name, Li Shimin became even angrier: "Why are you being so sarcastic? Even if someone else was wrong first, you are so petty about it. Doesn't that mean they are not wrong?"

"There's nothing I can do about it. I'm just a petty and calculative person." Li Chengqian shook his leg indifferently.

In the early Tang Dynasty, the traditional sitting posture was still continued, but Li Chengqian disliked it very much. Chairs had already been invented in the Tang Dynasty, and he would not compromise himself. Except in front of his mother and listening to Lu Yuanlang's lectures, he always sat on a chair.

Li Shimin couldn't stand his appearance and immediately ordered the wet nurse to take him down.

The wet nurse didn't dare to disobey the order. She stepped forward and apologized. Just as she was about to take action, Li Chengqian said, "I like to sit on the chair. I won't move."

"It's none of your business." Li Shimin was angry, and seeing that he was so disobedient, he immediately came up and hugged him.

Unexpectedly, Li Chengqian was very stubborn. He put his hands and feet on the chair and said with a smug smile, "I won't move."

"Okay, let's try it..." Li Shimin said as he came over to bend his hands and feet. As a child, he certainly could not match the strength of an adult and was soon captured by the Heavenly Khan.

"Tsk, bullying the weak." Li Chengqian sneered.

Holding his eldest son, who had no power to resist, in his arms, Li Shimin just felt that his anger had subsided a little, but hearing these words really added fuel to the fire, and it ignited again.

But before he could get angry again, the wet nurse stepped forward with divine authority and said, "Your Highness... Your Highness, the young master seems to have rubbed the skin on his palm."

"What?" Li Shimin quickly restrained his eldest son and took his hands. He saw that the child's delicate palms were not only red, but also had several broken skins.

This must have been caused by the scratches on the chair arm when he tried to pry his hand open. Looking at these red little hands, all of Li Shimin's anger was extinguished in an instant.

Cheng Qian had always lived a life of luxury, and he had never had a bruise on his body. Now there was such a big piece of skin broken... The more Li Shimin thought about it, the more distressed he felt, and he didn't dare to use any strength in his hands.

Li Chengqian took the opportunity to pull his hand back and said unhappily, "Why? I'm not going to die."

"Cheng Qian!" Li Shimin said anxiously, "Don't say such unlucky words!"

"If I say I'm going to die, will I die? I'm not that powerful." Li Chengqian said nonchalantly.

Li Shimin covered his chest and said, "Chengqian, I shouldn't have been angry with you just now. Please stop saying such things. I feel very sad when I hear them."

Li Chengqian looked at Tiankehan's slightly red eyes and immediately took two steps back, saying in horror: "I'm telling you... this trick is useless, useless!"

You are not Xi Shi! What are you so proud of?

If you want to cry, cry to your courtiers. There's no use crying to me! It's no use!

Li Shimin was indeed moved by emotion and there was absolutely no falsehood in his words, but he did not expect his eldest son to react like this. He blinked his eyes and was a little unable to react to what was going on.

At this moment, someone came back: "Your Highness, the Crown Princess invites Your Highness and the King of Zhongshan to dinner."

Li Shimin said, "I understand."

Li Shimin took the ointment from the wet nurse and said, "Come, Chengqian, my father has applied the ointment on you. Let's go to your mother's place for dinner."

"I don't want you to apply it!" Li Chengqian snatched the ointment away, "Nurse, apply it to me."

The wet nurse looked at the prince in embarrassment.

Li Shimin nodded and said, "You apply the medicine to the King of Zhongshan."

Li Chengqian added, "I'll tell my mother that I got this injury from practicing bow drawing. Your Highness, please don't let it slip."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin was not angry about the sarcastic name this time, but instead made a new discovery: "You are filial to your mother, Cheng Qian. When you are in front of your mother, you still call me Your Highness the Crown Prince?"

Li Chengqian lowered his eyes and said, "My mother gave birth to me and suffered a lot. I shouldn't let her worry about me."

Li Shimin was quite moved: "Good boy..." Just as he was about to reach out and touch his eldest son's head, he was glared at by someone.

"You made my mother bear so many children and endure so much hardship. You are the one who should least make her sad!" Li Chengqian said viciously, "You absolutely cannot tell my mother about the quarrel between you and me, otherwise you will be sorry for the suffering my mother endured for you!"

Li Shimin was stunned for a moment, but he did not get angry at his eldest son's offense. He lowered his hand from mid-air to the top of his eldest son's head and sighed with relief: "Cheng Qian is a filial and good child."

The filial and sensible eldest son has not changed at all. It's just that for some reasons, he has to find different ways to torment his father.

During the years when Cheng Qian was young, Li Shimin was busy with wars. When he returned to Beijing, he felt that the time he had to spend with his wife was not enough to attend to various official duties, so he had no time to take care of anything else.

When he finally stayed in the capital for a long time and wanted to see his eldest son, Cheng Qian had been taught by his wife to be well-behaved and sensible. He was not very close to his father, let alone act like a spoiled child.

Qingque, on the other hand, was cute, coquettish and playful, so Li Shimin couldn't help but love him very much.

But when playing with Qingque, Li Shimin couldn't help but feel regretful that he couldn't see his eldest son acting so coquettishly.

However, now, after a few years, his eldest son had really lost his temper with him. Although it was very annoying and made him furious, but...

Li Shimin believed that if he let Cheng Qian know that Aye loved him, Cheng Qian would no longer be willful, he would regain his former sensibleness, and at the same time he would be closer to Aye, and he would teach him how to act coquettishly to Aye.

Li Chengqian shook off his hand and said, "I am only filial to my mother."

"Okay, Cheng Qian is only filial to your mother." Li Shimin chuckled softly, "Aye is very happy."

Since he was not angry, Li Chengqian felt it was boring and stopped talking.