39 Chapter 39
◎Children. ◎
In addition to the solemn sacrificial ceremonies during the Chinese New Year, there are of course also relaxing activities.
When the court officials went home for the holiday, Ying Zheng relaxed, listening to music and watching dances, feeling very comfortable.
Fusu was not allowed to be present by his father, so he brought the little ones in the harem one by one to pay New Year's greetings to his father.
Ying Zheng sat relaxed, accepted the children's greetings, and told them to sit down.
The monks hurriedly arranged their seats. According to etiquette, the children should sit at the bottom, but Fusu said, "Father, can we sit next to you?"
Ying Zheng always let Fusu sit next to him. Although other children were not as important to him as Fusu, he was not so partial as to not allow other children to get close to him. Hearing this, he smiled and nodded, saying, "Come."
So, Ying Zheng was surrounded by children.
Fusu deliberately sat away and let Ying Gao sit next to his father, so that he could talk to his father conveniently and take care of his younger siblings. Ying Yue sat in the middle and also took on part of the responsibility of taking care of the children.
The children had little contact with their father. Although they sat next to him, they were still a little reserved and didn't know how to start talking. They just stared at their father with curiosity, admiration and adoration.
Ying Gao felt the same way, but he noticed Fusu's encouraging look and clenched his fist to encourage himself. Thinking of the words he had written out hundreds of times in his mind, he spoke nervously, "Father, I...my elder brother said that you are very busy..."
"Well, I'm a bit busy." Ying Zheng noticed the little movements between them and felt quite relieved. In order to make the children relax, he chuckled and said, "But fortunately, your eldest brother can help me share my worries, and I can also rest."
His father's response gave Ying Gao confidence, and he spoke more fluently: "Big brother is very capable. Not only can he help father, but he can also take care of us."
Ying Zheng smiled affirmatively and said, "Yes, your eldest brother is the best. However, if you study hard now, you will surely be able to help your father and eldest brother share their worries in the future."
In the Qin State, even a prince of the royal family was not eligible for a title without meritorious service. Fusu established a school where the princes could learn skills, which would not only allow them to serve the country in the future but also help them build a better future for themselves.
Ying Zheng had agreed to Fusu's proposal to establish a palace academy simply to facilitate the education of the royal children, without considering the long-term consequences. Thinking about it carefully today, he felt that it was a good idea and that this palace academy should be run for a long time.
From this long-term perspective, although Qin had the Pan Palace, it was not enough. The noble sons still hired teachers at home. It was a waste of those good teachers who could only teach a few students, and it was unknown what kind of students they would teach.
If we want to cultivate more talents for the Qin State, we still have to work hard in this area.
Ying Gao nodded hurriedly: "We will!" As he said that, he pushed Jiang Lu beside him.
Starting from Jianglu, the young masters expressed to their father one after another that they would study hard and share the burden for their father and elder brother in the future!
Ying Yue keenly sensed something unusual, but her current understanding was not enough to realize the deeper meaning of her father's words.
Seeing that the young masters had expressed their opinions, she also hurriedly led the princesses to express their opinions.
Regardless of whether it was his son or daughter, Ying Zheng accepted all of their ambitions. He even took advantage of his long arms and reached out to rub Fusu's head.
Fusu then smiled and said, "Although it is all thanks to the teachers who taught me well, I should not take credit for it. Father, I still want to shamelessly ask for a reward."
Ying Zheng nodded at him and said with a smile, "You've always been the one pushing your luck. Speak now." But before Fusu could say anything, he immediately turned to the others and said, "Don't follow your eldest brother's example. That's not what good children should learn."
Even the youngest children would not take these words as Ying Zheng's dislike for Fusu. When facing Fusu, the children showed envy and admiration in their eyes.
They envied their eldest brother's closeness to their father, but they also admired him from the bottom of their hearts for being able to be so close. After all, if it were them, not only would they not be able to do it, they would not even dare to do it.
Fusu didn't respond to his father's words. He just smiled and said, "Father, I would like you to take the time every month to check our books to prevent anyone from being lazy. If that happens, our Qin State will lose a useful talent in the future. Isn't that a pity?"
When Ying Zheng heard this, he knew what his eldest son meant. In the past, he wanted to care more about the children under him, but he would forget about it when he was busy. As a result, he could only see the children a few times a year. It would be nice to be able to set a time to see them together.
only……
Ying Zheng looked at his eldest son. This child was always considerate of the people around him, but he always ignored himself.
It's inevitable that I, as his father, will have to worry more about him and teach him more in the future.
Ying Zheng also thought about it more. There had never been such a person among the ancestors of their Qin State for several generations. Could it be that Fusu took after his mother?
But thinking about the temperament of the Chu people, Ying Zheng felt it was even more impossible.
While thinking about this, Ying Zheng said, "Didn't you stipulate that they should be allowed to take a day off twice a month? Check your books, so why not set it on these two days as well?"
Fusu only said it once, but Ying Zheng wanted to save his face in front of his sisters and brothers, so he said it one more time.
Fusu smiled and bowed: "Thank you, father."
Ying Gao and others also followed and said, "Thank you, Father." Although some of them did not realize what this was.
But besides the nervousness of being checked on my work, I also felt the surprise of being noticed by my father, and of course, gratitude towards my eldest brother.
His father was so easy to talk to, and with Fusu's encouragement, after thanking him, Ying Gao couldn't help but say, "Father, we have one more thing to ask of you."
Ying Zheng asked casually, "What's the matter?"
Ying Gao said, "There are only teachers teaching literature in the academy right now. After the New Year, we want to learn martial arts. Can Father recommend a few more teachers for us?"
"A Qin man cannot be a weakling," Ying Zheng praised. "It's good that you think this way."
Ying Gao smiled brightly after receiving the compliment: "Thank you, Father!"
Gradually, the children relaxed, and except for Ying Gao, everyone else tried to talk to Ying Zheng.
All I can say is that in terms of equal treatment, Fusu definitely inherited his father's character.
Facing the chatter of more than a dozen children, Ying Zheng handled it with ease, taking each one into consideration. Although he wouldn't have given as bizarre a response as Fusu, children's expectations of their fathers and brothers were inherently different. Just being able to speak to their father was enough to surprise them, and the specific words their father said were not even that important.
Fusu silently held his chin and sighed, thinking that he still had a lot to learn.
After lunch, the children wanted to take a nap. Ying Zheng ordered the temple servants to send them back one by one, and the bedroom became quiet.
Fusu was left behind by his father. He couldn't help but yawn and said, "Father, I'm sleepy too."
Ying Zheng said, "You sleep here."
"Oh." Fusu was already a little confused, and walked into the inner room after hearing that.
Ying Zheng originally wanted to say something, but when he saw Fusu drooping his eyelids, he had to put it aside.
He waved his hand and ordered the eunuch to follow and serve him, and he took a book and started reading. But perhaps sleepiness was contagious, and Ying Zheng yawned before he finished reading a page of the book.
Ying Zheng thought for a second and decisively ordered his men to undress as he also wanted to take a nap.
…
When the father and son woke up, half an hour had passed since they went to bed.
Fusu hugged the quilt and said sadly, "I overslept."
Ying Zheng leaned against the headboard, half-closing his eyes, and said lazily, "You've arranged things to do."
Fusu said in a muffled voice, "No, Father, it's just that I overslept and have a headache. My mind is confused and I may not be able to sleep tonight."
Ying Zheng couldn't help but laugh and said, "I see you have a clear mind."
Fusu popped his head out and asked, "Father, do you have a headache?"
"It's okay... just a little dizzy." Ying Zheng rubbed his temples.
Fusu sighed, "This is why we can't take naps for too long."
Ying Zheng patted Fusu on the back and said with a smile, "It's too late to say it now."
"Every failure is a learning experience!" Fusu climbed to his feet and vowed, "I will definitely not make the same mistake again. Father, please supervise me."
The key point of Ying Zheng is the first sentence: "Every failure makes you wiser? That's true."
Fusu: “…”
Where did this saying come from? Damn, it's not from before the Qin Dynasty, right?
Forget it, it doesn’t matter!
Fusu's mind was not fully awake at this moment. He babbled a few times to get by, then stood up and tried to step over his father to get on the bed.
Ying Zheng bent his legs, stopped the man, and said, "Sit down, I have something to tell you."
Fusu sat down obediently and said, "Father, please speak."
Ying Zheng turned to look at him and asked, "This morning, your brothers and sisters all benefited from you. Why don't you come to me to ask for a reward?"
Fusu was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "They are both my father's children. He loves them just as much as me. It's just that he was too busy in the past and didn't spend much time with them. Today, since my father has some free time and is willing to love them, why is it because of me?"
Ying Zheng patted his head and said with a smile, "Didn't you bring them here first?"
Fusu tilted his head and said, "Well, I can barely be considered a bridge, but the most important thing is that father loves us children, and the children all admire him."
Ying Zheng paused, patted Fusu's head again, and said with a helpless smile: "You, how could you be so cruel?"
Fusu finally understood what his father meant. He smiled and said, "Father, you are my father, and those who came today are my sisters and brothers. If I were to be hard-hearted towards you, wouldn't I be unworthy of being a human being?"
Ying Zheng looked at Fusu for a long moment. He didn't say anything in agreement or disagreement, but suddenly, a hint of sharpness appeared in his words. He asked, "Fusu, do you know Chang'an Jun?"
Fusu nodded: "I know."
Ying Zheng said expressionlessly, "If one day one of your brothers becomes the second Lord of Chang'an, what will you do?"
Fusu didn't hesitate. This was a question he had pondered for over two thousand years. He answered, "If that day comes, he will no longer be my brother."
【Author’s words】
Pan Palace was the national higher education institution in ancient times.
The Book of Rites, Wang Zhi, states: "The university is located in the suburbs. The emperor calls it Biyong, while the princes call it Pan Palace."
Ming Dynasty Wang Shouren's "Letter to Xue Shangqian": "Every setback brings wisdom. Today's loss may be tomorrow's gain."
Chang'an Jun: Cheng Jiao, Ying Zheng's younger brother, rebelled in 239 BC.
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