Chapter 57: Shen Zhiwei believes in the doctrine of the mean...
After the destruction of the Bian Kingdom, these powerful families and former nobles were very dissatisfied.
Shen Zhiwei had actually anticipated this situation a long time ago. In history, after the Qin Dynasty unified the world, it was troubled by these legacy issues. With a ready-made example in front of her, even if Shen Zhiwei was a fool, she could tell what problems would arise by comparing them.
But before, Shen Zhiwei had never thought about solving this problem.
Why solve it? At that time, she always wanted to destroy the country. She wanted the nobles to stir up trouble. If the country was destroyed, her goal would be achieved.
Now she has changed her mind, even if she still intends to give up, she will not sit idly by.
Therefore, when Gui Yang told her what happened in Yongming City, she quickly reminded Gui Yang to check whether there were still nobles who were restless and wanted to restore the country.
If not, then we will formulate new laws to restrain the big families in Yongming City.
The common people making trouble and the nobles making trouble are two completely different concepts. The former is easier to deal with. As long as the government has sufficient credibility, is powerful, and can act in accordance with the law, the common people will soon settle down.
If it is the latter, then the nobles who are causing trouble must be eliminated first. The nobles control the means of production and social power. Ordinary laws and a weak government will not be able to deal with this group at all.
Shen Zhiwei wrote a command to Gui Yang, asking her to search for more disciples of the Legalist school and have them make laws.
The laws implemented in the Zhou Dynasty today are too simple, and there is not a law to follow for everything. When there are no legal provisions to rely on, the government has to follow the preferences of those in power when making judgments.
This is a very dangerous thing. Once you encounter an incompetent monarch or greedy officials, the victim is bound to be wronged.
Over the years, various schools and factions have just emerged and have been sharing their knowledge with each other. Some major schools have begun to send disciples to support their favorite monarchs, but it has not yet developed to the level of later generations where a hundred schools of thought contend with each other and each displays its own magical powers.
This shows that the world is not yet in such chaos.
A hundred schools of thought contend, and everyone argues endlessly. This phenomenon is good for civilization, but very bad for the stability of the entire society. Shen Zhiwei does not want to see that kind of scene happen.
As soon as Shen Zhiwei announced that he wanted to search for the Legalist foundation for legislation, Wen Tao entered the palace.
Shen Zhiwei thought Wen Tao was here to recommend someone to her, but she didn't expect Wen Tao to be here to ask her why she chose to go far away instead of near.
"The Jingchang Academy now has disciples from all schools and sects. Why would Your Majesty bother searching for wandering talents while ignoring the ones right under your nose?"
Wen Tao almost told Shen Zhiwei to go to the academy to pick talents, because her teacher had been waiting for a long time!
When Shen Zhiwei thought of Jingchang's academy, he felt complicated.
She always felt that if she really set foot in Jingchang Academy, it would be equivalent to completely giving up her main mission.
Maybe this idea made her too wary of the academy, so that now when she thinks about things, she will subconsciously ignore everything about the academy.
"It is indeed my fault. I forgot that Jingchang already has an academy. Why not gather the students from all factions together to discuss matters and let them take turns to take the stage? I will personally invite those who are talented to serve as officials."
Shen Zhiwei is not someone who would hesitate. She has already made her choice and naturally cannot ignore the role of the academy.
Let's have a big party and have everyone come on stage to speak. This kind of academic discussion will definitely help us find truly useful talents.
Wen Tao was instantly moved. She even wanted to go on stage and give a speech, but she was already the Dazai and was deeply favored by the king. There was no need to compete with others for this opportunity.
When the king doesn't come to watch in person, she can just go on stage and speak freely.
With Shen Zhiwei's words, everyone in Jingchang Academy immediately started to take action.
After hearing about this, Changzi said it was a great kindness several times. He had always felt that the king did not seem to like the academy very much and thought it was an illusion. But as time went by, the king never came to the academy once, and Changzi really began to doubt it.
Now it seems that the king didn't dislike it, he was just too busy before.
That's right. There was a lot of turmoil outside before, and the countries were fighting each other. It was normal that the king had no time to take care of the affairs of the academy.
After Changzi figured it out, he felt his thoughts became clear and he was instantly filled with motivation.
On the day of the event, Jingchang City was very lively. Many people living in Jingchang City came out with their families and gathered at the largest podium outside the East City Gate.
The podiums outside the four city gates have always been open to the sky. Ministers would give lectures there only when the weather was good. When the weather was bad, people would not like to go out, and it would be impossible for ministers to give lectures in the rain.
But now it's different. The podium outside the East City Gate has been covered with a roof, and it will soon be enclosed to become a building like a large auditorium. There are many copper pipes hidden under the floor, and there is a large boiler in the ear room. In winter, the floor heating will be turned on to keep the house warm.
In summer, all the doors and windows will be opened. There will be large cauldrons of ice cubes in various places, with hand-cranked fans on the cauldrons to ensure that the house will not be stuffy in summer.
Shen Zhiwei moved all the configurations of the royal palace here. She was very rich, and the renovation of such a large lecture hall only cost a small part of her private treasury. Otherwise, why did the ancients always say that salt and iron were highly profitable? Shen Zhiwei sold salt with one hand and iron with the other, filling up both the national treasury and her own treasury.
When the big ships are built and Zheng opens up foreign trade, Shen Zhiwei will become even richer.
When the day of the grand lecture arrived, not only did the common people see the renovated lecture hall for the first time, but the students of Jingchang Academy and the students of various schools who came here because of its reputation or were invited also saw this lecture hall for the first time.
As soon as they entered the lecture hall, everyone was stunned.
It was autumn, and it was still a bit hot during the day. There were eight hand-cranked fans in the lecture hall, and four of them were working now. The servants who were waving the fans took turns every quarter of an hour. They didn't feel hot because they were guarding the ice in the cauldron.
The fan blew the cold air from the ice in the cauldron in all directions, making the lecture hall really cool.
"That's great! I won't have to worry about being too hot to attend classes in front of the podium in the summer anymore."
"Yes, and now it has become such a big house, it is not afraid of wind and rain."
"But...with such a nice room, can I really still come to attend classes in the future?"
The common people gathered together timidly, hiding in the corners, not daring to show their heads or even take too many steps. This place was too luxurious and beautiful, and it was the kind of place that only princes and nobles would come to.
They are just a group of common people, how can they attend classes in such a nice house?
"What are you all standing here for?"
As a group of people were talking cautiously, a clear female voice sounded from behind them.
The woman holding her daughter heard the voice and turned around to see two noble ladies in long satin dresses and jewels of precious jade.
"I've met two girls."
The woman had been listening to classes for a long time and had learned some basic etiquette. She knew that as a commoner she had to pay respect to the nobles, and she also knew that in daily life, she did not need to kneel and could just bow.
She held the child in her arms and did not bow, but just lowered her head and bent down to bow.
"No need to be polite. If you have children, please go to the second floor and find a seat. Otherwise, it will be too tiring."
Another noble lady spoke to the woman very considerately. The woman was stunned when she heard it, then immediately responded yes and mustered up the courage to go upstairs.
The rest of the common people with their children also followed, and most of the people in the corner were gone. The two noble ladies said nothing more and went straight to the inner field. There were dozens of seats in the inner field, and those seats were for people of noble status only.
The rest of the place is open space where common people can stand or go to the second floor, which is almost full of seats. However, you cannot speak on the second floor.
Shen Zhiwei actually wanted to design them all as seats to make things more equal, but there was no other way. If the nobles and the common people were really allowed to sit together, the common people would be the ones who would suffer.
Didn’t you see that the common people didn’t even dare to enter the inner court? It’s not that the common people are timid, but there have been countless examples in the past where people’s families were destroyed after colliding with nobles, so they are very cautious.
"My king, the teacher is there."
Wen Tao had good eyesight and spotted Changzi at a glance. Shen Zhiwei saw that Changzi was sitting in a corner and immediately understood that he also intended to keep a low profile and leave the stage to unfamiliar faces.
Since no one wants to stand out, then just sit together.
Shen Zhiwei and Wen Tao walked over and sat down one after another.
Changzi originally wanted to stand up and pay his respects to the king, but Shen Zhiwei waved his hand to signal him not to say anything.
As the sun rose slowly, more and more people filled the auditorium. All eight fans started to turn, and the doors and windows were opened to dissipate heat so that people in the room would not feel uncomfortable.
The climate in ancient times was much warmer than it is today. In modern times, when the temperature is 30 or 40 degrees Celsius, so many people would probably feel stuffy even if they turned on the air conditioner.
Shen Zhiwei thought so and quietly watched the first student step onto the podium. At the same time, another student went up with her, and the two began to talk about the philosophy of their own school.
The first student looks familiar.
"Isn't this your junior sister?"
Shen Zhiwei tilted his head and spoke to Wen Tao, who nodded slightly, her eyes full of relief as she looked at her junior sister.
Shen Zhiwei had heard about this child with a miserable but extremely lucky life. He originally thought that he was still studying, but now it seems that he can already stand on his own.
Because of Wen Tao, Shen Zhiwei was relatively familiar with the philosophy implemented by Changzi, but he only knew the general idea. Now, after listening to Qiong Yu's explanation, he finally understood it.
Changzi believed in education for all.
He is the same as his teacher and his deceased junior fellow apprentice. As long as the child is smart and willing to learn, he will teach him. Because of this philosophy, Changzi's students are spread all over the world and come from all kinds of backgrounds.
The core of education for all is actually equality of all beings. It is a very advanced concept and a very beautiful ideal.
It's just too difficult to achieve. In an era when slavery has not been completely eradicated, it is extremely difficult to achieve equality for all. It is simply a pipe dream to want to succeed.
The student who went on stage with Qiong Yu had completely opposite ideas to Qiong Yu. That student believed that not everyone can be taught.
Identity, circumstances, and talent are all thresholds. Shen Zhiwei listened and felt that the student named Xia Qing was very realistic.
Shen Zhiwei asked her officials to give lectures at the city gate so that common people could also have the opportunity to receive an education. However, even if she lowered the threshold of education to a level that almost everyone could access, not everyone could learn and become successful.
Some common people struggle to make a living and have no time to attend classes, some attend every lesson but still cannot understand, and some can understand and have time but are too lazy to come, thinking that knowing too many characters is useless.
All these factors led to the final result that even though everyone can learn now, Jingchang City still has not completed literacy as Shen Zhiwei expected.
All we can say is that the common people in Jingchang City are more educated than those in other places.
"Your Majesty, which of them do you think is correct?"
Wen Tao waited for Xia Qing to finish speaking before asking Shen Zhiwei.
Chen Zhi smiled and said, "Just listen to the class. Why question the teacher's right or wrong in class? It's not a matter of principle. If you think it's right, listen more. If you think it's wrong, listen less."
Shen Zhiwei would like to call the person who came up with the idea of bringing two completely different viewpoints to the podium at the same time a genius.
She could hear many people discussing what was right and wrong, everyone expressing their own opinions, confronting other people's opinions, and then finding a viable path in the argument.
That path is definitely not biased towards either side, but is a middle path that is finally achieved through mutual compromise and accommodation.
Shen Zhiwei believed in the doctrine of the mean.
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