As time flows by, years pass by.
With the combined efforts of the Emperor and Empress, the post-war Liang Dynasty, like parched land receiving timely rain, recovered its vitality at an astonishing pace. The implementation of new policies, the opening of trade routes, and the replenishment of the national treasury gradually restored this once ravaged empire to unprecedented vitality and brilliance.
Behind this prosperous and peaceful era, the little "dumpling" in Kunning Palace—the eldest prince Xiao Mu'an—also celebrated his first birthday amidst boundless love and affection.
After the first birthday, it is time for enlightenment.
For the only legitimate eldest son of the Liang Dynasty, on whom boundless hopes were placed, his early education was naturally a matter of national importance and could not be taken lightly.
Emperor Xiao Che went to great lengths to find the best teacher for his son. He personally selected a tutor for his son, Wang Anzhi, a veteran of three reigns and an imperial tutor whose influence was so great that it shook the entire court.
This Grand Tutor Wang, nearing seventy, was a man of profound learning and high moral standing. He had been the late emperor's study companion and Xiao Che's childhood teacher. Now, his students were numerous and influential, and more than half of the pillars of the court had received his instruction. It could be said that Grand Tutor Wang was a living history of the Liang Dynasty, a towering figure among scholars.
It was widely expected that he would be chosen to tutor the eldest prince, which also demonstrates the importance the emperor attached to the crown prince's education.
However, no one expected that this highly respected old tutor, who had stood firm through three dynasties, would encounter the biggest setback of his career on the very first day he officially took office to teach the Crown Prince.
On this day, in the Imperial Study.
Emperor Xiao Che was in a good mood as he reviewed the memorials. Every now and then, he would look up at the carpet beside him. There, "Tuanzi," who had just learned to walk, was toddling along, chasing after a rolling embroidered ball, having a great time and making cheerful "ya ya" sounds.
Looking at his son's energetic and adorable appearance, Xiao Che couldn't help but smile with a loving father's expression.
Just then, the chief eunuch bowed and entered, his expression somewhat strange, and announced, "Your Majesty, Grand Tutor Wang... requests an audience."
"Oh? The Grand Tutor has arrived?" Xiao Che was somewhat surprised. According to the time, Grand Tutor Wang should be instructing the Crown Prince in the side hall at this moment. "Let him in."
Soon, the white-haired and vigorous Grand Tutor Wang, carrying a scroll of memorials, walked heavily into the Imperial Study.
His face no longer held its usual composure and calmness; instead, it bore a complex expression that mixed grief, indignation, helplessness, and heartbreak.
"Your humble servant Wang Anzhi greets Your Majesty." He gave a deep bow, his voice trembling slightly.
"Grand Tutor, you may rise." Xiao Che asked, somewhat puzzled. "Why are you here instead of instructing the Crown Prince in the side hall?"
Grand Tutor Wang straightened up, did not answer, but instead raised the memorial in his hand high above his head in an almost tragic manner.
"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you select another virtuous and capable person to serve as the Crown Prince's tutor! I am of limited talent and learning, and am unfit for this important task!"
"boom--!"
These words were tantamount to dropping a bomb in the peaceful Imperial Study.
Xiao Che's smile froze instantly.
He stood up abruptly, his eyes sharpening: "What do you mean by that, Grand Tutor? Is it that Mu An is unruly and has offended you?"
If his son is naughty, he will naturally... he will... um, he will "severely" criticize him verbally.
"No!" Grand Tutor Wang shook his head, his face showing an even more pained expression. "His Highness the Crown Prince is exceptionally intelligent, lively, and adorable; he is the most gifted child I have ever seen in my life. However..."
He paused, as if making a huge decision, then raised his head, looked directly at the emperor, and said in an almost tearful tone, "But Your Majesty's teaching methods, this old minister... really... cannot agree with them!"
Teaching methods?
Xiao Che frowned. When did he interfere with the teaching?
Wang Taifu then bitterly accused, "Today, I was merely following ancestral rules to teach His Highness the four characters 'Heaven and Earth, Black and Yellow,' and assigned him homework, asking him to memorize the opening lines of the Analects, Book 1, Chapter 1, tomorrow... just a few sentences!"
He emphasized "just a few sentences," as if he were accusing himself of being greatly wronged.
"But Your Majesty... after you found out, you actually said... said..." At this point, the old Grand Tutor was so angry that he trembled all over and could hardly finish his sentence.
Xiao Che's expression darkened at that moment.
He remembered.
This morning, he did indeed go to "inspect" his son's studies. When he saw that Wang Taifu was actually making a toddler who had just turned one year old and could barely speak properly recite those difficult and obscure passages from the Analects, he was furious on the spot.
His "little dumpling" is only one year old! Still a soft and cuddly baby! How can he bear such heavy academic pressure?
What if... what if I overwork my brain?! What if I develop a dislike for studying because of it?! What if... it harms my health?!
Under a series of terrifying "imaginary scenarios," Xiao Che, fiercely protective of his son, immediately rejected Grand Tutor Wang's teaching plan.
At this moment, looking at Grand Tutor Wang's grief-stricken face, he felt no remorse whatsoever, but instead spoke coldly and self-righteously:
"So what if I said it? My son has only just turned one year old! You want him to recite the Analects? Why don't you just let him go and review memorials?"
"Your Majesty!" The Grand Tutor Wang was so angry at his sophistry that he almost choked. "Education should begin in childhood! His Highness the Crown Prince is of noble status, so he should start even earlier than ordinary people! Back then, when you were only three years old, you could already read the Three Character Classic fluently!"
“That’s me, not him!” Xiao Che retorted without hesitation, his tone filled with undeniable domineering authority. “My childhood was already bitter enough, and I absolutely cannot let my son follow in my footsteps!”
Wang Taifu was completely speechless at his twisted logic. He had lived for nearly seventy years and taught three generations of emperors, and had never seen such a protective and unreasonable monarch!
Seeing that he had nothing to say, Xiao Che became even more smug. He not only rejected Wang Taifu's teaching plan, but also personally wrote a brand-new and unique "Emperor's Curriculum" for his son Xiao Mu'an on the spot!
He picked up the "timetable" he had just written and, under the fiery gaze of Wang Taifu, read it aloud:
"Listen carefully, this is His Highness's academic schedule for the coming year!"
“Every day at Chenshi (7-9 AM), I would play in the mud in the Imperial Garden for an hour to get close to the land and experience the vitality of all things.”
"After lunch, take a long nap for an hour and a half to conserve energy and strengthen the body."
"At the hour of Wei (1-3 PM), I will personally accompany you to tour the palace, to learn about flowers, plants, fish, and insects. This is the study of natural history."
"After 5 PM, the Empress Dowager would personally tell him folk tales and biographies of heroes to cultivate his noble spirit!"
A timetable that could be described as extremely "Buddhist-like" was solemnly announced by the Emperor of Liang. Its core idea can be summarized as: play well, sleep well, eat well, and listen to stories.
As for reading and recognizing characters? What are those? Can you eat them?
After hearing this, Wang Taifu began to sway uncontrollably. He pointed at Xiao Che, his lips trembling for a long time before finally uttering a heart-wrenching accusation:
"Your Majesty! You...you are raising His Highness the Crown Prince into...a good-for-nothing...a spoiled brat! A doting mother spoils her son, but you...you are even worse than a doting mother!"
Tears streamed down his face as he felt that his lifelong educational philosophy had been utterly trampled into pieces by this unreasonable emperor.
However, faced with the old tutor's tearful pleas, Xiao Che merely raised an eyebrow, his face displaying an expression of utter indifference.
"I'm pleased!"
He stepped forward, slammed the absurd "course schedule" in front of Wang Taifu, and declared in a tone full of domineering yet indulgent:
"I will spoil my own son! If the Grand Tutor thinks my methods are inappropriate, then he may as well not take the position of Grand Tutor!"
This is a blatant threat!
Looking at the unyielding emperor before him, Grand Tutor Wang finally let out a desperate wail. He knew he had lost, lost to that unreasonable yet unbreakable paternal love.
Just as Xiao Che was making his "domineering protective of his chick" declaration, Lin Wanwan, who had been playing nearby, clearly saw that above his head, a majestic cartoon eagle was spreading its huge wings, protecting a trembling little chick under its wings, shielding it from the wind and rain from all directions, which were inscribed with words such as "Analects," "Three Character Classic," and "Olympiad Mathematics."
Below that domineering eagle, a line of large, shimmering characters, brimming with regal disdain, slowly emerged:
[Nobody can take advantage of my son! .gif]
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