After hearing the two princesses' answers, everyone was somewhat bewildered. They basically knew all of this, and many of these points were things they had explained to their students. They were all classic texts, and there was nothing wrong with them. If there was any problem, it was that Qin Mu's teaching was rather lax, and he had only selected sentences from them for explanation.
"Although the teaching was somewhat disorganized, it's understandable given that it's only been a month. The instructors' understanding of the underlying principles is also quite accurate. What else did your instructors teach?" asked another older man with gray hair.
"Reporting to Master Li, there is also a Song of Righteousness! The instructors require us to recite it sincerely every day!" Princess Pu'an replied.
"Ode to Righteousness? Princess, could you recite it for us?" Li Shizheng was Li Gang, a great Confucian scholar who had served through three dynasties and five reigns.
"Heaven and earth possess a righteous energy, which manifests in various forms. Below, it becomes rivers and mountains; above, it becomes the sun and stars. In man, it is called the vast and righteous spirit, which fills the boundless sky..."
"Stop!" Li Gang called a halt after only reciting part of it.
"Princess, this is a good article related to cultivation. You must not easily tell others about it in the future!" Li Gang solemnly instructed.
Qin Mu was unaware that Li Gang had deduced the article was related to cultivation after only hearing a small portion of it. Had he known, he would certainly have warned him not to tell anyone. He simply considered it an article about cultivating one's mind.
"It's Master Li!" The two princesses exchanged a glance and nodded somewhat blankly. Because Qin Mu hadn't said it couldn't be shared, anyone who wanted to listen could listen during his explanations.
"You've been out for so long, you must be tired. Go back and get some rest," Li Shimin said, waving his hand.
"Your subject takes his leave!"
"What do you all think, my dear ministers?" Li Shimin asked with a smile. Li Gang's words just now undoubtedly proved that there was no problem with their cultivation.
“The princess is indeed a Confucian scholar, but her foundation is very shallow. Compared to others, her righteous spirit is more than half as weak. Your Majesty can invite the great Confucian scholars to teach her carefully for a period of time,” Wang Gui said with a smile.
"What do you think of Chongyuan?" Li Gang asked with a smile.
"The princess is a Confucian scholar, absolutely no doubt about it, and she studied orthodox Confucianism!" Kong Yida said with certainty. By orthodox Confucianism, he meant the teachings of Confucius and Mencius, the universally acknowledged founders of Confucianism. It was Confucius and Mencius who first systematically organized Confucianism and proposed the concept of Confucianism. All other Confucian doctrines that followed are considered to have expanded upon their foundations.
"Hehe, the two princesses were educated at the Imperial Academy, so of course they are orthodox Confucian scholars," Wang Gui said with a smile.
"Heh! Although I'd like to admit it, she wasn't taught by the Imperial Academy. As you all know, the Imperial Academy is only responsible for the early education of the royal family and noble children. They only begin individual training after the age of ten! And only after twelve are they selected for focused instruction. The princess is currently nine years old," Kong Yida said with a blank smile. He didn't have much affection for Wang Gui.
"Let me explain! Confucius valued propriety, and Mencius valued righteousness. The noble spirit of the Meng family is also called the righteous spirit. If you pay attention, you should notice that the two princesses' righteous spirit is purer and whiter in color. This is something that other Confucian scholars cannot achieve. Only after reaching the middle level of Grand Scholar do they become nearly identical," Li Gang explained, stroking his beard.
They understood everything Li Gang said. No matter what kind of spiritual energy it was, the purer the color, the greater its power.
"So the princess is a student of the Academy of Arts!" Wang Gui said.
"No, they didn't go to the Academy of Arts, nor did they become disciples of the Meng family." To avoid him continuing to guess, Li Shimin explained.
After guessing wrong several times, Wang Gui's smile froze. He already knew in his heart that this must have been taught by Qin Mu, but he was unwilling to admit it.
“Although Qin Huaidao is not old, he is already a scholar. It is normal for him to teach two Confucian scholars,” Kong Yida said. He already knew that Qin Mu was a disciple of Guiguzi’s lineage, so it was not surprising that he understood the Meng family’s cultivation methods. After all, they were all lineages passed down from the same era, and Guiguzi’s lineage was known for its erudition.
"Hehe, the old man guessed the reason." Li Gang said with a smile.
"Please enlighten me, Lord Li!" Changsun Wuji asked curiously, cupping his hands in greeting.
"It's hard to say. All I can say is that although this may seem like a risky approach, it's still a legitimate path!" Li Gang shook his head slightly.
"I see! That's definitely the right way!" Fang Xuanling's eyes lit up, and he nodded in agreement.
"I still don't understand," Li Shimin said, his brows furrowing slightly.
"Let me explain to Your Majesty. If I am wrong, please correct me," Fang Xuanling said, bowing.
“Speak! The Qin family boy won’t mind. And no one will tell anyone.” Li Shimin said, glancing at the crowd.
"As Lord Li just said, the key lies in the word 'righteous.' Righteous people, righteous hearts, and righteous spirit. This method is most suitable for young, innocent children like the princess. However, it also has its drawbacks. First of all, one cannot do things against one's conscience. If one's conscience is tainted, it will be difficult to make progress in the future," Fang Xuanling explained.
"Isn't this a good thing? If all Confucian scholars in the world were like this, with upright hearts and no evil deeds, the court would be much more peaceful," Li Gang said calmly.
"This matter ends here!" Li Shimin concluded. As long as he knew that there was nothing wrong with his daughter becoming a Confucian scholar, that was enough for him.
When Li Shimin spoke, the others naturally had no objections, though their true thoughts were another matter. The shrewd and experienced Li Gang simply smiled to himself. He knew some people would consider this method, but whether it would succeed was uncertain. Moreover, as he had said, if this method were used to cultivate Confucian scholars, he would actually be happy to see it succeed.
Li Gang was a man who couldn't tolerate any wrongdoing, and he was reminiscing about that righteous song.
"The Six Doors are established! Issue an announcement tomorrow! We will officially begin taking over the cases three days from now!" Li Shimin said again.
"Your subject obeys the decree!" Fang Xuanling bowed respectfully.
"Sigh!" Li Shimin sighed as he watched his ministers leave. Facing so many matters and people every day left him feeling constantly dizzy, as if his brain was overflowing. However, he quickly rallied, his eyes gleaming, picked up a memorial, and resumed his work.
There's a saying that wise rulers are always busy, and they are also incredibly energetic. Whether it's work or life, they always seem to have inexhaustible energy.
"Your Majesty, it's time for your meal!" A eunuch walked up to Li Shimin, bowed, and said softly.
"Put it there!" Li Shimin said without looking up.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com