After a careful review of the books sent by the six ministries and the Imperial Government Affairs Office, Chu Fan found that most of the books met his requirements, with only a few requiring minor adjustments. However, in terms of arithmetic, Chu Fan believed that these books still had a lot of room for improvement and needed optimization.
Chu Fan then summoned the six ministers and Chu Anping from the Royal Government Affairs Office to the Imperial Study. Chu Fan raised his own questions to Qian Dai, the Minister of Revenue:
"Qian Aiqing, the arithmetic books compiled by your Ministry of Revenue are very detailed, but they are too complex for beginners, especially children, to understand. I would like to ask, Qian Aiqing, do you know the multiplication table?"
Qian Dai pondered for a moment, then replied, "Your Majesty, I only know the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art. As for the multiplication table, I have never heard of it."
Chu Fan tried to explain further: "One times one equals one, two times two equals four, three times three equals nine, and so on. Doesn't anyone in the Ministry of Revenue know this basic arithmetic tool? This is the key to helping children quickly master arithmetic."
After hearing this, Qian Dai immediately knelt down and admitted his mistake: "It is my fault. I have never heard of such a simple yet practical calculation method."
Chu Fan continued to ask: "So, do you officials from the Ministry of Revenue know how to solve the problem of chickens and rabbits in the same cage?"
Qian Dai replied, "As for the question of chickens and rabbits in the same cage, most of our officials in the Ministry of Revenue have studied it in the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art, so they are all familiar with the answer."
Chu Fan could only sigh helplessly upon hearing this. He realized that this was the price paid for the historical rejection of all schools of thought in favor of Confucianism alone. Some simple and easy-to-understand knowledge gradually became lost over the course of history, perhaps because it was too simple and not considered worthy of learning and inheritance.
After all, difficult problems like chickens and rabbits in the same cage appeared in the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art, but the simple multiplication table was lost. This is a pity.
Chu Fan said, "If the ancients had a solution to the chicken-and-rabbit-in-the-same-cage problem, then they couldn't have missed the multiplication table. The only possibility is that they considered it too basic and didn't bother to record it. This mindset has led to the loss of much practical knowledge, a profound regret for academia."
This is why I want you to write elementary arithmetic, agricultural science, and military strategy. You must know that students always compete with each other, and in the past, ordinary people had no access to books. When the imperial examinations selected talents who were all Confucian masters, who would write such simple yet practical introductory books?
For example, if a student wrote a doggerel poem, he would most likely be ridiculed by other students, who would think he was unlearned. Furthermore, the selection of officials in the Shengwu Continent was generally based on Confucianism, meaning that the students who could write the most ornate articles were more likely to be promoted.
This also led to the neglect of simple and practical knowledge. However, some knowledge that the court looked down upon was of vital importance and was also something that court officials had to master. Otherwise, they would not even understand how to collect taxes, let alone govern a region.
Furthermore, the multiplication table is an indispensable calculation tool for ordinary people in their daily lives, greatly improving their efficiency. If ordinary people learn the multiplication table, they will be able to solve their daily business problems and promote the commercial development of the Wei State.
Now in the Imperial Study are a group of the highest-ranking officials in the State of Wei. They are no strangers to those students who study the books of sages and philosophers in order to gain power. Some even say that their own families have cultivated such students, which can prove that what Your Majesty said is indeed true.
At this moment, the six ministers and Chu Anping all sighed in their hearts: Your Majesty is indeed wholeheartedly thinking about the people. He even considers such basic knowledge so thoroughly. It is indeed the act of a wise monarch.
Qian Dai said, "Your Majesty, could you please write down the complete multiplication table for me? I will take it back to the Ministry of Revenue and have all the officials study it first, and then revise the arithmetic books based on the actual situation."
Chu Fan nodded gently, then picked up a pen and carefully wrote the complete multiplication table on a piece of paper, handing it to Qian Dai. He earnestly instructed, "After you memorize these formulas, you can try using them to perform actual calculations and see if they make your work with the Ministry of Revenue's accounts more convenient and efficient."
Qian Dai respectfully took the paper handed to him by Chu Fan with both hands, then knelt on the ground and said gratefully, "Your Majesty, I sincerely thank you for your gift. I will definitely live up to your high expectations and promote this formula to every official in the Ministry of Revenue to improve the efficiency of accounting processing and thus benefit the country's economy and people's livelihood."
Chu Fan nodded again and said gently, "Lord Qian, please stand up quickly. I will pay close attention to the performance of the Ministry of Revenue. You must complete this task conscientiously."
Qian Dai stood up and stood respectfully aside. Chu Anping then continued his suggestion: "Your Majesty, if possible, this reform should be announced during the morning court session, so that all civil and military officials present can be informed. This will help more people understand the importance of other disciplines besides Confucianism. This will also help us reduce unnecessary resistance when carrying out reforms. After all, no one in Wei dares to disobey Your Majesty's decree."
Chu Anping actually had a hidden agenda. If Chu Fan could announce the Wei Kingdom's educational reforms at court, then His Majesty's prestige among the people would be further enhanced, and the people would be more trusting and supportive of the court's decisions, thus promoting the smooth implementation of various reforms. After all, His Majesty's original intention in carrying out educational reforms was to benefit the ordinary people of Wei.
If the common people of Wei knew that as long as they performed well in farming, weapon making, etc., they would have the opportunity to serve as officials in the court, then they would definitely be grateful to Your Majesty.
Those students who previously only knew how to memorize the classics may be dissatisfied with your majesty's decision, but these people are only a minority after all. In your majesty's eyes, if they do not follow the court's footsteps and learn practical knowledge such as arithmetic and agriculture to improve themselves, then it will be difficult for them to obtain an official position in Wei.
Chu Fan pondered for a moment and then nodded in agreement. He realized that some things were better announced personally. After all, even if he had expressed his thoughts to Chu Anping and the six ministers, they might not fully understand his intentions, let alone accurately convey them to other officials in the court.
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