Chapter 175 Zhuge Liang is a very talented all-rounder, but what is even more amazing is his ability to be a wise man after the event!
As all the guests arrived, the time came and the wedding banquet of Prince Jin and the buffet for the common people outside officially began.

The people were having a great time eating, and there was even more cheer in Prince Jin's mansion.

As they drank and chatted, the faces of the noble ministers gradually turned red and they talked more.

"Haha! Your Highness Prince Jin, the wedding is about to end. You still call me Uncle Xie. Isn't it time to call me 'Dad'?"

Xie Cheng laughed and patted Zhu Gang's shoulder.

During this period of time, Xie Cheng has been worried that something might happen to Zhu Gang and Xie Yuer.

Now that the wedding banquet was hosted by Zhu Yuanzhang himself, everything was settled.

"What? Xie boy, are you planning to be on equal terms with us?"

Zhu Yuanzhang, who was also a little drunk, glanced at Xie Cheng and laughed.

"Your Majesty"

On the side, Hu Weiyong, who had just walked over to toast and hugged his boss' thigh tightly, stiffened when he heard Zhu Yuanzhang's last words, and sobered up a little.

According to Hu Weiyong's official position, he should be able to sit at the main table.

However, on the other hand, Hu Weiyong now arranged for the tax to be distributed among the land and for officials and gentry to pay taxes together in eastern Zhejiang.

On the other hand, there were quite a few royal relatives in the Ming Dynasty, so he was placed at this table.

At this time, Hu Weiyong, who was planning to return to the main table to show his presence, was really regretting it.

What the hell!

What did I hear?
Is this something I can hear?
For a moment, Hu Weiyong's expression was stiff. Zhu Yuanzhang and Xie Cheng were drinking and talking nonsense, which put him in a dilemma.

say what?
It is obviously inappropriate to talk about a toast at this time, and saying anything else would directly offend the boss.

It would not be a good idea for him to just stand there without saying anything. Zhu Yuanzhang might get annoyed with him after getting drunk and take out his anger on him.

Go back directly. He could clearly feel that Zhu Yuanzhang was looking at him as soon as he spoke. It would definitely not work to just go back.

Who can help me?
what should I do?
Waiting online, very anxious.

Of course, Hu Weiyong was not the only one who was silent at this time, but he was the most embarrassed one. When the others heard Zhu Yuanzhang's words, they also stopped talking for a while.

Including Zhu Gang.

It’s just that others were afraid of bringing trouble upon themselves, while the brothers Zhu Gang and Zhu Biao were simply speechless.

You two old men have only drunk a few glasses of wine. What are you doing?

One dares to say anything, the other takes everything seriously.

"Dad, Uncle Xie, the banquet is almost over. I will go back to my room first. I can't let Yuer wait too long."

Finally, Zhu Gang broke the silence and spoke to Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Well, go ahead. Don't let Miss Xie down. Otherwise, my old brothers will probably talk about me behind my back."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded.

"No, no, Yu'er has been spoiled since she was a child. She needs Your Highness Prince Jin to discipline her more."

Xie Chengru was pardoned and said to Zhu Gang.

"Weiyong, were you calling me just now?"

After Zhu Gang left, Zhu Yuanzhang finally turned his attention to Hu Weiyong, who was almost trying to dig out a palace on the ground with his feet.

"Oh, your humble servant, I am here to congratulate His Majesty, to congratulate the wise and mighty Majesty of the Ming Dynasty."

"Congratulations to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin. May His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin and his wife live together in harmony until old age, and may they soon add a new member to the royal family of the Ming Dynasty."

Hu Weiyong raised his wine glass and spoke a long string of words at an extremely fast speed.

"Have a heart."

Zhu Yuanzhang sat in his seat and raised his wine glass slightly towards Hu Weiyong.

The master bedroom in Prince Jin's Mansion.

At this time, Xie Yuer was wearing a phoenix crown and a red veil on her head, and her pretty face was slightly flushed.

Normally in this era, during a wedding, although the front hall was lively and full of wine and meat, the women could not eat any good food.

However, Zhu Gang didn't care about all this and directly asked the palace maids to send Xie Yuer a portion of the dishes prepared by the imperial chef and some snacks that Zhu Gang thought were delicious.

Even two cups of imperial wine were served.

However, although the food and wine were delicious, Xie Yuer was not in the mood to eat heartily. She just ate a few bites quickly and drank two sips of wine to suppress her excitement.

She sat upright on the bed waiting for Zhu Gang to arrive.

Squeak!

"Yu'er."

The door opened, Zhu Gang pushed it open and walked in, calling softly to Xie Yuer.

"Third Brother!"

"Why are you here so soon? Have you finished the banquet in the front hall?"

Xie Yuer suddenly looked up and said to Zhu Gang in surprise.

"Not yet. The two old men were drinking there. I took the opportunity to come back directly."

Zhu Gang chuckled and walked towards Xie Yuer. He stretched out his hand and lifted up Xie Yuer's red veil, revealing Xie Yuer's fair and rosy face.

Under the candlelight, this familiar face looked surprisingly beautiful.

Suddenly, Zhu Gang's mouth curled up and he reached out his hand to gently push Xie Yuer down.

"Hey! Um, Third Brother, wait, close the door!"

Xie Yuer's face suddenly turned even redder and she said in a tender voice.

The personal maid waiting outside the door also had a red face. When she heard Xie Yuer's voice inside, she immediately stretched out her little hand and gently closed the door of the room.

For a moment, red candles flickered, curtains swayed gently, and the garden was full of spring colors.

……

The next day.

Zhu Gang slept soundly and felt refreshed until he woke up naturally. At this time, Xie Yuer had already gotten up early and was helping Zhu Gang sort out some of the internal affairs of the Prince of Jin's Mansion after the wedding.

"Third brother, you're awake."

Xie Yuer walked in from outside and looked at Zhu Gang who stood up. Her pretty face couldn't help but blush again as she recalled the rapid sex last night.

"Ah."

Zhu Gang nodded slightly.

"Yuer will change your clothes for you."

As Xie Yuer spoke, she stepped forward and personally helped Zhu Gang put on and tidy up his clothes.

"By the way, earlier, the prince's eunuch Li Heng came to the mansion and said that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wanted to see you for something."

"But since you haven't woken up yet, I asked him to wait first."

Xie Yuer said to Zhu Gang while tidying up his clothes.

"Oh? The boss wants to see me. Um, someone outside the door can tell Li Heng that the boss can come over. I will have the interview after I have washed up."

Zhu Gang thought for a moment, then gave instructions to the palace maid waiting outside the door.

After washing up and straightening his clothes, Zhu Gang came to the reception room of the Jin Palace.

At this time, Zhu Biao had already arrived and was eating fruit with big mouthfuls, showing no intention of being polite at all.

"Your Highness Prince Jin is so generous that even I, your elder brother, have to wait before I can see you."

When Zhu Biao heard the familiar footsteps outside the door, he immediately started to tease.

"Don't give me that, Boss. Why are you disturbing my lazy sleep after my wedding night so early in the morning?"

Zhu Gang curled his lips and said, "It's nothing serious, it's just that when I went to recruit snack chefs for your wedding, I found that no matter whether it was the common people or those snack chefs, they couldn't understand the official documents posted by our court at all. They could only understand them when scholars arrived to read them for them."

"Later, I sent some students to help quickly convey the imperial edict. It should be said that the general cultural level of the people in our Ming Dynasty is really too low, which greatly affects the efficiency of our withdrawal from the people's policy. You see."

Zhu Biao looked up at Zhu Gang who was sitting next to him and said helplessly.

"What is the per capita cultural level? This is indeed a big problem."

Zhu Gang narrowed his eyes and fell into deep thought.

For most ancient emperors, they were actually not very concerned about enlightening the people.

As for the founding emperor, although he wanted to make a name for himself and balance the power in the court, he was often obstructed by the powerful groups within the court.

And because there are so many things to be done and even more prominent agricultural problems to be solved, we can only put them aside temporarily.

By the middle and late period of the dynasty, most of the power of the court had already been transferred to court officials.

Naturally, those scholar-official groups would not want to enlighten the people and affect their own status, so everyone in the court tacitly agreed not to mention the matter.

To sum it up in one sentence, it's a thankless job!

But the fact that few people can truly achieve remarkable results does not mean that this matter is not important. On the contrary, it is actually very important.

With the development of the times, if we want to achieve industrialization, the people's living standards cannot be too low.

People in later generations always say that they can’t continue studying and have to go to the factory to screw screws.

But in fact, there is a threshold for screw driving. If you are really illiterate, it will be difficult to enter the factory to drive screws.

The reason why people in the Eastern countries in later generations felt that tightening screws was a bottom line was because compulsory education had already been implemented at that time.

Even if you don't learn much, you will at least be able to recognize some words and understand some basic common sense.

Don’t you see that in that era, there were still many small countries that couldn’t even produce a woven bag.

Among them, the low cultural level of the people is one of the important factors that prevent development.

"Then let's start setting up schools, starting with Yingtian Prefecture as a pilot, and requiring all children of appropriate age to study in the school for a period of time."

Zhu Gang was silent for a long time, and finally spoke to Zhu Biao.

"A school? But even in Yingtian Prefecture, many people still have problems making a living. Would they be willing to send their children to learn the Four Books and Five Classics?"

Zhu Biao frowned.

They had discussed the issue of the school a long time ago, but the time was not right, so it had never been implemented.

However, at this time, the system of allocating land tax and requiring officials and gentry to pay taxes together had already come to an end in eastern Zhejiang, Jiangnan, and Huaixi.

So we can consider building a school.

"When did I say that schools must teach the Four Books and Five Classics?"

"The school is the school, and the Four Books and Five Classics are the Four Books and Five Classics."

Zhu Gang shook his head and laughed.

“Don’t teach the Four Books and Five Classics?”

Zhu Biao was a little stunned, then he tapped his forehead lightly and asked, "The Agricultural School you mentioned before?"

"Hmm, clever! It's the Agricultural School."

"After all, our Ming Dynasty doesn't need so many scholars who only read books of sages. We don't have so many official positions to give them."

"In addition to teaching agriculture, we also have to teach engineering and teach girls weaving. We also have to teach them some basic characters."

"As for the Four Books and Five Classics, there is no need to teach them except for those who really want to pass the imperial examinations."

"After all, most children will have to go back to work after graduating from school, so the Four Books and Five Classics cannot be used to make a living."

"I think if our Ming Dynasty says that it can systematically teach the knowledge and experience of farming, the people will still be willing to send their children here."

"After all, the farming skills are passed down from generation to generation by farmers' children, and many people have discovered some detailed farming experiences."

"People often teach their children what they have learned and never pass it on to others. But if there is such an opportunity for the Ming Dynasty to make farming techniques public, I think the people of Yingtian Prefecture who have a little vision will not want to miss it."

Zhu Gang took the cup and drank some tea, then explained to Zhu Biao.

"Well, what's more, we in the Ming Dynasty also teach skills that ordinary people could never learn without a master!"

Listening to Zhu Gang's words, Zhu Biao's eyes changed several times, from confusion at the beginning, to enlightenment gradually, and finally to sudden clarity.

"hehe."

"You, you've read too many books on sages, so you're a bit arrogant."

"I thought that only the words of sages could be called learning."

"But I forget that when the Hundred Schools of Thought were contending, there were people of all kinds of professions among them, and there was no lack of knowledge in all matters of the world."

"So in my opinion, whether it's officials or scholars or common people and farmers, they are just different divisions of labor. How can there be high or low?"

Zhu Gang shook his head and looked at Zhu Biao with a smile.

"Yes, that's true."

Zhu Biao nodded slightly.

There is no high or low in this world; it is just a kind of privilege.

A privilege that makes people feel superior.

Little do they know that without these people, there would be no such privilege in this world.

"Yes, because I have my own fiefdom, and I have personally experienced the front line of Ming Dynasty production with the people of Taiyuan Prefecture, and I have had serious exchanges with people from all walks of life, whether it is farmland or craftsmen."

"And didn't Confucius say, 'When three people walk together, there must be one who can be my teacher?'"

Zhu Gang put down his teacup and smiled casually.

After all, the reason why Zhu Gang knew so much was entirely due to his education from later generations and his vision that transcended his time.

Moreover, there is a saying that goes, Zhuge Liang is a very powerful all-rounder, but there is someone who is more powerful than him, that is, Zhuge Liang after the event.

"Um"

A hint of admiration flashed in Zhu Biao's eyes, and he nodded.

The reason is simple. Zhu Biao was the crown prince and he had no fiefdom. This was true because Zhu Biao needed to manage the entire Ming Dynasty.

Moreover, after Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Biao indeed had fewer opportunities to communicate with the people.

There was no way. Zhu Biao had too much to do. Even though Zhu Yuanzhang had high hopes for his training, Zhu Biao was overwhelmed by the memorials he read every day.

So if Zhu Gang hadn't come back, he might not even have the time to take a walk in other people's houses like he was doing now.

Thinking of this, a hint of contemplation flashed across Zhu Biao's eyes.

Suddenly I realized that, as the crown prince, I really had not integrated into the people.

Or perhaps, too much emphasis is placed on the general direction?

Between the father and son, Zhu Yuanzhang focused on the people, while Zhu Biao set important directions.

But the end result is the same, all for the benefit of the people of the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, Zhu Yuanzhang, who paid attention to people's livelihood, had to understand the general direction, and Zhu Biao also had to go and see it in person.

After all, at this stage, the Ming Dynasty relies on the people.

"Don't think too much. I can't possibly take over all your affairs."

"Besides, I already have a strong sense of brotherhood. If it weren't for you, I would have raised an army from Taiyuan and headed outside the Ming Dynasty to establish my own empire."

Sensing Zhu Biao's deep thought, Zhu Gang spoke immediately, thinking that Zhu Biao really wanted him to be treated like a beast of burden.

What's more, my mother said that I should do my own things, and Zhu Gang could stay in Yingtian Prefecture to help Zhu Biao.

We already have a brotherly relationship, so it is impossible for me to take on everything.

Moreover, only those who have been oxen or horses know that being an ox or horse is not easy.

(End of this chapter)