12 Chapter 12
◎Friends.◎
Both teachers and students had no objection, and the small classroom in the Qin Palace officially started according to Fusu's schedule.
Although there were only five students, they were divided into three classes because of their different learning progress. The oldest Li You and Mi Qing were in the same class, the middle one Wang Li was in a class alone, and the youngest Meng Hua and Fusu were in the same class.
Although there were three classes, since they were Fusu's companions, they did not come here just to go to school. Therefore, although the five of them were divided into classes, they only took classes in one room.
After a morning, Meng Hua was the only one among the five who felt a little depressed. After all, he was two years older than Fusu, but his learning progress was the same as Fusu's, which was inevitably a blow.
Fortunately, Fusu could understand the little classmate's feelings and quickly asked someone to bring food to divert his attention.
To Fusu, the food at this moment did not taste very good, but to people of that time, the food specially cooked for the eldest prince in the palace could be considered a delicacy.
Regardless of age, the five people had all been taught etiquette. They sat down politely and picked up their chopsticks. Although they did not speak while eating, the expressions on their faces could not be fake.
For a moment, Fusu really felt a little sympathy for his fellow students.
Since returning to Qin, Fusu has complained about food many times, but he has never thought about improving it. He just wants to satisfy his appetite. Is this beneficial to the unification of the Qin Dynasty? Is it beneficial to the Qin Dynasty for generations to come?
But now Fusu feels that the taste of the food still has a great impact on the overall situation.
Eating well makes you feel good. My father rules the world and has so many worries. Can't he satisfy his appetite?
While Fusu was silently thinking, the meal came to an end. Just as he was about to ask Meng Hua and others if they needed a nap, someone came from Ying Zheng's side.
Everyone hurriedly stood up. Fusu thought his father had something important to tell him, so he hurriedly asked, "What is it?"
The visitor smiled and said, "The King originally wanted to invite the eldest son to dine with him, but when he heard that he was not here, he sent me here to check on him."
After coming back, Fusu often had the habit of visiting his father before and after meals, so that his father would be able to summon him when he was free. Because his father was really busy, there were not many such opportunities. But unexpectedly, he did not go there today, and his father happened to be free.
Fusu secretly felt sorry, but quickly explained the reason. Today he was the host and had to accompany the guests. He asked his father to understand and he would still come every day from now on.
After Ying Zheng's servant left, Li You came first to apologize to Fusu, and so did Mi Qing and others.
Fusu smiled and said, "You don't have to take it to heart. Father is kind and will not take such a small matter to heart."
Although the king is their monarch, Li You and others still cannot imagine a kind and loving king.
Shouldn't the King of Qin be majestic and awe-inspiring? Even the King is a father, but whose father is a kind one?
Although the eldest son's words of comfort were false, Li You and the other three appreciated his kindness and agreed that the king was definitely the most loving father in Qin.
Fusu smiled and then asked them if they wanted to take a nap, but the answer he got was that none of them had this habit.
As the saying goes, work at sunrise and rest at sunset. Even though the rich and powerful had no shortage of lamp oil, ancient people still did not have the habit of staying up late. Since they slept enough at night, they no longer had the habit of taking a nap.
But Fusu did, and Fusu thought they could develop the habit of taking naps from today.
Fusu pretended to be arrogant and said, "You can grow taller only if you sleep more. Have you seen my father? Isn't he taller than your father? It's because he took a nap every day when he was growing taller."
After these words were spoken, no one including Li You doubted them. After all, who would dare to make up stories about the king?
So Fusu ordered people to make the beds, and everyone went to take a nap.
You don’t know until you sleep. After waking up from their first nap, Li You and the other three felt clear-headed and full of energy. So much so that when Meng Tian and Wang Ben came over in the afternoon, they felt something was wrong when they saw their sons looking so energetic.
It's not even early in the morning, why are you so excited?
No one could answer Meng Tian and Wang Ben's doubts for the time being. Fusu was now enthusiastically introducing his young classmate Meng Hua to Han Fei, so that Han Fei would have a good impression of him and teach him more so that Meng Hua could obtain a high official position in the future.
Meng Hua should have had a bright future in his previous life, but unfortunately the Meng family and even the entire Qin Dynasty suffered great changes, and his fate changed accordingly.
Han Fei was quite surprised by this scene. After all, Fusu always looked mature and didn't look like a five-year-old child at all. But now, perhaps because there was someone of the same age around him, he actually looked like a young boy.
He's still too precocious, Han Fei thought. He wondered how the King of Qin raised his son. Perhaps it had something to do with Fusu having no mother. Motherless children always grow up faster.
Fusu didn't know that Han Fei was secretly criticizing the education problems of the Qin royal family, otherwise he would have argued with him. His father was the most doting son among all the Qin emperors in history!
Let’s not talk about the distant past, let’s just talk about the recent past. Starting from Ying Zheng and counting up to King Zhaoxiang, except for King Xiaowen, who hasn’t been a hostage in other countries?
During the Warring States Period when many heroes were fighting for supremacy, as a prince of the royal family, it was a great blessing to be able to grow up safely in the palace.
After Fusu finished introducing Meng Hua, Han Fei asked a few more questions. Because his father was a close minister of the king, his father was influenced by the king, and Meng Hua was also influenced by his father and had read several articles by Han Fei.
Although Han Fei taught Fusu, a fake child, he did not think that all children in the world would be the same as Fusu. He was not disappointed with Meng Hua's level.
As for Meng Hua, he was obviously not attracted by teacher Han Fei. After the class, he looked worried.
Fusu asked him quietly, "Mr. Han's explanation is too profound. Is there anything you don't understand?"
Meng Hua shook his head, seeming to hesitate to speak.
Fusu laughed softly and said, "It doesn't matter. Just tell me and I won't tell anyone."
Meng Hua was younger after all, so he couldn't hold back his words. He pursed his lips and said, "Mr. Han is just like his articles."
Fusu was stunned for a moment, then he understood what Meng Hua meant.
Han Fei's articles were written in a sharp style, and Han Fei himself spoke in a sharp way - even though he stuttered, it could not stop the sharpness of his words. Such a person is actually not very suitable to be a teacher for children.
However, Fusu was not a real child at the moment, and he also ignored the fact that Meng Hua, a real child, might not be able to accept Han Fei's teaching methods.
But this was irreversible, so Fusu could only offer some comfort: "Mr. Han is a good person, this is just...his habit. After a few days, you'll get used to it and appreciate the beauty of Mr. Han's words."
Fearing that Meng Hua might be afraid of going to school, Fusu added, "If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask Mr. Han. Just come and ask me."
Meng Hua was eager for help and nodded hurriedly after hearing this. Since his great-grandfather Meng Ao, the Meng family had served the King of Qin. His father and grandfather were afraid that the family glory would not be continued, so they brought up the family very strictly. Now that he entered the palace, he was afraid that he would not learn well and would be scolded by his elders when he returned home.
Not only Meng Hua couldn't stand Han Fei's teaching methods, but Li You, Mi Qing and Wang Li who followed him also couldn't stand it. However, they had no choice but to listen to him.
Only Fusu, who was listening with great interest, seemed like an outlier. He thought about it. It's true that Meng Hua was his friend, but he also had a friendship with Wang Li, and Wang Li protected Daqin until the end, so he couldn't treat him unfairly. Although he was not familiar with Li You, and Li You's father had betrayed his father, Li You himself died for Daqin, and deserved Fusu's special attention. As for Mi Qing, Fusu had always been brooding over the fact that his father would betray his father, but perhaps he still had some other uses, so he couldn't be ignored.
So Fusu quietly told the other three people that they could ask him if they had any questions. Li You and the others witnessed the conversation between Fusu and Han Fei. They did not look down on Fusu because of his young age, nor did they think Fusu's words were arrogant. Instead, they all agreed with gratitude.
After seeing off his companions, Fusu packed up and rested for a while before heading to Ying Zheng's palace.
Li Ying, who had been observing Fusu's day, couldn't help but say, "Young Master, you've been incredibly busy this day. Do you even remember that you're a four-year-old? You should remember that biting off more than you can chew, but you should also remember that your health is the capital of the revolution."
After hearing this, Fusu nodded and said, "That makes sense."
Seeing that he had taken her words to heart, Li Ying didn't want to go to Ying Zheng's palace to practice kneeling and standing postures, so she slipped away quickly.
Inspired by Li Ying, Fusu immediately suggested to his father that he could discuss the accommodation issue with the accompanying students after Ying Zheng summoned him.
The eunuch massaged Ying Zheng's shoulders, which had been tired from the day's work. He sat casually, half-closed his eyes and said, "Letting them stay is just a small matter, but how can a man be so tiring? The palace is only a few steps away, and you're worried about them getting tired. Everyone in the court is running around all day. If you're worried about being tired now, how will you do your job in the future?"
Fusu saw that his father was extremely tired and immediately stopped caring about other things. He hurried over and asked, "Now that we have light paper, are you still flipping through the bamboo slips every day?"
Ying Zheng said, "The paper we make now is not enough to send to all parts of Qin. I have already instructed Meng Yi to recruit more craftsmen."
Paper was in constant demand, so increasing production was inevitable. Woodblock printing, by comparison, required a higher level of technical expertise and was the slowest to progress. As for farming and iron smelting, they had only just begun, and there was still work to do.
Thinking of this, Ying Zheng couldn't help but raise his hand and knock on Fusu's head. He looked at Fusu and said, "Don't change the subject. If you can't give a good reason, just let them run every day. Besides, they don't have to run themselves."
Fusu gave the ready-made excuse, "I thought, they are still young and growing, and it is the most important time for them to study. It would be good if they could save a few moments to read and sleep. If they study well, their health will also be good, so that they can serve their father more in the future."
After hearing this, Ying Zheng looked Fusu up and down and couldn't help laughing out loud.
Fusu asked doubtfully and uncertainly, "Father, you...what are you laughing at? I didn't say anything wrong...right?"
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