Chapter 124: Heaven and Earth Are Unkind

"Isn't that right, Bei Jingchu?"

"You little spendthrift girl, don't you know that tea is more valuable than gold? Why are you using it to make tea eggs?"

Bei Jingchu's face gradually became frightened.

【Full name called.】

【It's going to happen. 】

She ran away.

I don’t dare stay in Xuanshi Hall tonight. I will be beaten if I go back.

Fortunately, the Princess Palace was nearby, so Bei Jingchu ran to the Palace and wanted to ask Lei Nian'er to take her in.

Night falls quickly in the evening.

When Bei Jing first arrived at the Princess Palace, the night was already darkening.

There was a warm light coming from Lei Nian'er's bedroom. Bei Jingchu knocked on the door and went in.

There were books and writing brushes scattered on the desk in the room.

What does this prove?

This proves that she was just learning, right?

Okay, it’s rolled up, right?

Bei Jingchu asked angrily, "Didn't you say that the teacher in the hall didn't give us any homework today?"

"Why are you still reading secretly?"

"I treat you as a good sister, but you actually dragged me down."

Lei Nian'er was at a loss: "What do you mean?"

Ah this......

"Anyway, you learned it secretly behind my back, you are immoral!"

Lei Nian'er said helplessly: "My Lord, do you want to see what you are saying?"

"You memorized all the characters in two months, and you won't let me study in private?"

"People can't, or at least shouldn't."

"You're simply not giving people a way out, okay?"

These words made Bei Jingchu feel guilty.

But can you blame her for being too smart? Who made her a smart kid?

By the time Bei Jingchu had finally mastered her calligraphy and was assigned to the imperial court, there were two more children in the palace, the fifth prince and the sixth prince.

Her biological mothers were directly named Concubine Zhu and Concubine Yi.

Aye is so generous in giving out positions. As long as you give birth to a child, you will be promoted to a high position directly.

It can be seen that you really want a baby.

But for Bei Jingchu, it was just two more dolls to knead.

The first time she entered the hall, Lei Nian'er carried her small bookcase.

As for Bei Hua?

Still struggling to learn to read.

Everyone stared at Bei Jingchu in unison, sizing up the new little princess.

[If you were to replace someone with social phobia, would he be scared to death when facing this scene? 】

Many were familiar faces who had bribed her in the hope of becoming her "friends."

But there are still many people I don’t know.

Bei Jingchu walked in with her head held high, not showing any stage fright at all.

How normal! She is the prettiest girl in the crowd.

After entering, she was arranged by the teacher to sit in the first row.

Alas, sitting in the first row, a position that is under the close observation of the teacher, how can she slack off in the future?

Bei Jingchu put forward her own small opinion: "Sir, shouldn't the newcomers sit at the back?"

The Master nodded and said, "Indeed."

"But the Hongwenguan was originally built to educate princes and princesses. If Your Highness is put at the back, wouldn't that be putting the cart before the horse?"

"It's not easy to get a little prince here. The master will definitely do his best to teach you well."

[It’s over. No more tricks. ]

【School time is incomplete without doing little tricks.】

Those who heard the voice:......

As soon as Bei Jingchu sat down, the teacher began to lecture.

He had long heard of the eldest princess's achievement as a child prodigy who learned to read in just two months, but he was still not prepared to give a too difficult lesson in the first class.

"Today we will discuss the Tao Te Ching."

“Heaven and earth are not benevolent, they treat all things as straw dogs. Sages are not benevolent, they treat the people as straw dogs.”

"You should all be familiar with the first half of this sentence, but the second half is not common."

"Of course, everyone understands this sentence differently when they read it."

"Some people think that this unkindness means being unkind and treating ordinary people as livestock."

"But the other school of thought believes that this is inhumane and treats all things fairly."

"Everyone thinks it should be 'benevolent' or 'unkind'. Today, we are divided into two groups to discuss."

The students quickly changed positions and moved toward the viewpoints they supported.

It's obvious that this teacher is definitely not doing this for the first time.

Bei Jingchu stood in her seat in confusion, looking left and right.

"Why don't you go, Your Highness?"

"Sir, I...I don't know what my point of view is either."

The Master did not blame him: "It's okay. Everyone has times when they are confused. The purpose of studying is to teach and resolve doubts."

"Since Your Highness is confused, just follow me and watch their conversation together."

Among the acquaintances below, the most eye-catching ones are Lei Nian'er and Bei Qin, who sided with the "unkind" faction.

Zhou Huanjiu stood on the side of "benevolence".

Neither side was convinced by the other, each had their own arguments, and the discussion was very heated.

But some people were persuaded, became shaken, and joined the enemy camp on the spot.

The school is more lively than the streets and alleys, filled with the vitality and vigor of students.

The Master looked at everything below with aloofness and indifference, like an old eagle watching the chirping of young birds in its nest.

Bei Jingchu asked him, "Sir, what is your opinion?"

The Master chuckled and said, "Depending on where you stand, you will have different perspectives."

"Your Highness, have you noticed that the students who support Ren are all standing on the side of the people?"

“That’s right.”

“Who is not one of the ordinary people in the world?”

"But the ones who are unkind here are the heaven and earth, and the saints."

"It's easy to understand the universe, but does Your Highness know what a saint is?"

Saint?

Bei Jingchu called up some common sense in his mind, but he still felt that it was not that simple.

She asked uncertainly, "Is it the ancient sages?"

The teacher exclaimed: "The ancient sages are naturally called saints."

"But Your Highness seems to have forgotten that there are saints alive today, and there is only one person who can be called a saint."

"Who?"

"Your father, the current emperor."

"Emperors are also called saints, but we rarely call them that."

"If you are an emperor, you cannot look at the people of the world the same way as ordinary people do."

"What do you want?"

The Master was not at all bothered by Bei Jingchu's many whys. He asked, "Your Highness seems to have never read history books?"

Bei Jingchu nodded.

"When you read history books in the future, you may find that the success of a king is not judged by how benevolent, kind, and merciful he is."

"It's not about whether he has a flawless character or has done anything bad."

"What we are looking at is how much the territory expanded during his reign."

“How much has the population registered increased?”

“How prosperous has the country become?”

"Does he look like a rancher?"

"To see his wealth, just look at how much the land he has enclosed has expanded."

"How much better is the food?"

"How many more fat sheep have you raised?"