Second child
With two princes, Wu Zetian's life became even busier, but she managed to keep it well-organized.
She understood the importance of education, especially in the royal family, where the princes' character was directly related to the future of the country.
She began to implement a unique "performance-based parenting method" in the harem.
She commissioned the creation of two sets of primers: for Crown Prince Li Hong, a picture book of "Zhenguan Zhengyao" combining Emperor Taizong's famous sayings on governance with vivid stories; and for the Second Prince Li Xian, flashcards of "Shangshu" with simple explanations and related illustrations for each character.
(Inner monologue: We can't let our children lose at the starting line! We must teach them according to their aptitude and start from a young age!)
One day, the two brothers were playing in the palace and started arguing over a colorful cloth tiger that was a tribute from the Western Regions.
Five-year-old Li Hong held on tightly, while three-year-old Li Xian pouted as if about to cry.
An ordinary mother might advise the older child to give way to the younger one, or simply bring another toy.
But Wu Zetian did not.
She ordered her palace maids to spread out a huge map of the Tang Dynasty's territory, and then placed a cloth tiger in the center of the map, in the location of Chang'an.
“Hong’er, Xian’er,” she said in a calm yet authoritative voice, “whoever can first tell which prefectures the route from Chang’an to Luoyang will pass through will own this cloth tiger. They must say it in order, and there can be no mistakes.”
Upon hearing this, Li Hong's face immediately tightened. He released the cloth tiger, lay down on the map, and moved his little finger along the canal route little by little, muttering to himself, "Yongzhou, Huazhou, Shanzhou... um... after Tongguan is... Luozhou! There are seven in total!"
He raised his head, his eyes gleaming with confidence.
Seeing his older brother get there first, Li Xian jumped up and down anxiously. He didn't know as many characters as his brother, but he had an excellent memory for pictures. He pointed to several iconic city symbols on the map and recited them in a childish but remarkably clear voice: "Hong'er is naughty! Xian'er can recite the 'Yu Gong'! 'Jing and He are Yuzhou... Yi, Luo, Chan, and Jian flow into the Yellow River...' Mother, did Xian'er recite it correctly?"
He recited the section about Yuzhou (where Luoyang is located) from the "Yu Gong" (Tribute of Yu). Although it did not completely correspond to the administrative divisions, his intelligence was already evident.
(Inner monologue: Great! Cultivating both competitiveness and knowledge application simultaneously! Get ready, kids! The future of the Tang Dynasty rests on your shoulders!)
Wu Meiniang smiled with satisfaction, picked up the cloth tiger, but did not give it directly to Li Hong. Instead, she said to Li Xian, "Xian'er recited it very well, but brother answered the specific prefecture name first. How about this, brother can play with the cloth tiger for half a day, and Xian'er can play with it in the afternoon?"
It affirmed Li Hong's accuracy, encouraged Li Xian's extensive knowledge and strong memory, and taught them about sharing and rotation.
The two brothers seemed to understand, but under their mother's gentle yet firm gaze, they both nodded.
Before they knew it, it was time for Li Xian to officially begin his studies.
During the ceremony, the little guy showed little interest in the "Classic of Filial Piety" and "Analects" placed in front of him, but was instead full of curiosity about the She inkstone and the purple brush.
When the Master of Ceremonies announced the greeting, he stretched out his ink-stained little hand, grabbed the "Clan Records" that symbolized the order of the clans and placed next to him, and imprinted a clear little handprint on it. Not satisfied, he picked up a pen and drew a crooked turtle on the cover.
The ministers looked at each other, and some of the older ministers already showed disapproval on their faces.
Wu Meiniang laughed heartily, showing no anger. Instead, she stepped forward, picked up the "defiled" Clan Records, and said to Li Zhi, "Your Majesty, my son's actions have reminded me of something. It is time to revise the Surname Records."
Li Zhi raised an eyebrow: "Oh? Why bother repairing it? The Clan Records were established during the reign of the late emperor."
"Times have changed." Wu Meiniang's gaze swept over the ministers in the hall, whose expressions varied, and her voice was clear and melodious. "When the 'Clan Records' were first compiled, it was to suppress the old clans of Shandong and elevate the powerful families of Guanzhong. But today, how many talented individuals from humble backgrounds, descendants of founding heroes, have had their careers thwarted because of their low social standing? When Your Majesty first ascended the throne, weren't the merits of those ministers who assisted you more important than empty titles and social standing?"
She gently stroked Li Xian's head, but her words carried immense weight: "In my opinion, the newly revised 'List of Surnames' should prioritize those who have helped Your Majesty consolidate the empire, placing them in the first rank! Let the world know that under Your Majesty's command, merit is far more important than the outdated social status of those families from hundreds of years ago! This is the way to encourage scholars and select true talents!"
(Inner monologue: Strike while the iron is hot! Take advantage of Xian'er's "stroke of genius" to promote the reform of the aristocratic system! Breaking the monopoly of powerful families and paving the way for the poor is to strengthen the imperial power!)
Li Zhi looked at the sharp light flashing in her eyes and suddenly felt enlightened.
He understood the deeper meaning behind Wu Zetian's actions; it was not only a reflection of her educational philosophy but also an important step in consolidating imperial power and striking at conservative forces.
He nodded slowly and said in a deep voice, "What the Empress said is exactly what I think. Let Xu Jingzong and Li Yifu handle this matter."
The imperial decree sent shockwaves through the court and the public. It signified a reshuffling of the power structure.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
