Kong Yingda nodded.
These had all been taught in the palace before.
He asked no further questions and looked at Li Chengqian, speaking.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, may I ask, for your recent absence from the palace to study instead of attending lessons with your esteemed teachers, and instead venturing into the commoner's school, is this not disrespectful to your teachers?"
"This morning, casting us aside at the Chunming Gate, is your temperament not sufficiently stable?"
"If this continues, how can you achieve what is written in the books – cultivating oneself, nurturing virtue, managing the family, and governing the nation?"
"I implore Your Highness the Crown Prince, starting from today, to remain diligently in the palace to study the classics, and do not frequent this commoner's school."
Li Chengqian was somewhat bewildered.
What was supposed to be an examination had turned into a roundabout lecture?
After Fang Er's guidance, coupled with living and eating together for the past month, the bond between the three brothers was far beyond what it had been.
Seeing his elder brother being reprimanded, Li Tai stepped forward.
"May I ask, Mister Kong, 'When three people walk together, one must be my teacher.' This school here has many things that cannot be learned in the palace.
Why can we not come here to learn?"
Before Kong Yingda could answer, Fang Er finally sensed that something was amiss.
This was clearly aimed at him!
Even an uncle could not stand for this!
He slammed the table and stood up.
"I say, Old Man Kong! Are you relying on your age to be arrogant?
What do you mean by 'venturing into the commoner's school'?
Come, answer me, what was the background of your most sage ancestor?"
"Come, answer me."
Kong Yingda stretched his neck, his mouth opening and closing like a dying fish, emitting not a sound.
An old scholar accompanying him stroked his goatee and said calmly.
"These questions from the Marquis of Liaodong, I shall answer on behalf of Doctor Kong."
"Firstly, there is no 'relying on age to be arrogant.' Learning is for the accomplished to be teachers!
Secondly, how can a commoner's school be compared to the instruction in the palace?
Thirdly, the most sage ancestor came from humble beginnings. His learning, accumulated over decades, is what made him a sage. Should we not learn from it humbly?
Since I have answered the Marquis of Liaodong's questions, I also request that the Marquis of Liaodong answer a few questions for me."
"The heavens are round and the earth is square – this is an ancient truth. Yet the Marquis of Liaodong claims that what we stand on is a sphere and that it rotates. Then please tell me, since we are standing on a sphere, and this sphere is rotating, why do people not fall off, and why are we always upright with our heads above our feet!"
"Furthermore..."
Before the rest of his words could be spoken, Li Tai finally got his chance to shine.
"Mister's question, it is this King who shall answer."
"The earth is round, and indeed spherical. There are two ways to explain this.
Firstly, the most obvious is when sailing ships at sea. Looking from a distance, one always sees the sails first. This is the answer I have received after inquiring from several boatmen.
If you disagree, Mister, you may try it yourself.
Secondly, the Headmaster has said that if one travels continuously in one direction, one will eventually return to the place of departure.
This method, I plan to personally undertake in a few years. If you are inclined, Mister, I can bring you along, though I fear it will take several years before we can return.
As for why we do not fall off, you can understand it as the earth beneath us being like a magnet, attracting all things. This pulling force, the Headmaster calls it gravity!
Do you have any objections to my answer, Mister?"
The old man was silenced.
He was already old, and to truly accompany this young man on such a journey, he might die in some forgotten corner.
Li Ke waited until Li Tai had finished speaking and then stepped forward.
"Esteemed teachers, you previously said that commoner's schools cannot compare to palace instruction.
Regarding this statement, this King absolutely disagrees.
I will state a few matters. If you gentlemen can resolve my confusion, then I believe His Highness the Crown Prince will agree to return to palace study."
Having said that, he gave Li Chengqian a meaningful glance.
Li Chengqian nodded and said, "What the Prince of Han means is what this Prince means.
Kong Yingda, with a stern face, looked displeasantly at Li Ke and said.
"Prince of Han, please speak. If we are unable to answer, we shall resign from our official posts and return home to study!"
Li Ke first bowed to Li Shimin.
"Father Emperor, please forgive me. In the following words, your son may be discourteous."
Li Shimin nodded, signaling him to begin his discourse.
Li Ke cleared his throat twice and began to speak.
"Please tell me, why does the sun rise from the east every day, and not from the other three directions?
Also, why can friction create fire?
In winter, why does hair become frizzy?"
Upon hearing these three questions, the expressions of Kong Yingda and the others stiffened. How were they to answer these?
The Sage's books did not mention them!
"What is a King, what is a Sage, what is a Worthy?
For a ruler, is it better to be a King, a Sage, or a Worthy?
The Han Dynasty's expulsion of the hundred schools of thought, and its sole veneration of Confucianism, why did it perish!"
Li Shimin's face changed drastically, and he shouted at Li Ke.
"Ke'er! Cease your rudeness! Apologize to Mister Kong quickly!"
Li Ke, however, shook his head and said no more.
Li Chengqian then bowed to Kong Yingda and said, "Please resolve my confusion, Mister."
Kong Yingda's face grew increasingly grim.
Li Ke's words were more than just discourteous.
And Li Chengqian's follow-up questions made him even more embarrassed.
"Regarding the first three questions of the Prince of Han, this old man indeed cannot answer them."
Li Tai muttered from the side.
"Since you cannot answer the first three, you should go home and restudy your learning!"
Looking at his three sons who had suddenly changed their demeanor, Li Shimin, who had appeared somewhat angry earlier, was actually beaming with joy in his heart.
However, he still stepped forward and bowed to Kong Yingda.
"My foolish son is rude. I apologize to Mister Kong on his behalf. I hope Mister Kong will not take offense.
Starting tomorrow, I will have Chengqian stay in the palace diligently and learn the way of governance from you, how about it?"
Kong Yingda shook his head.
"Your Majesty, this matter must first be clarified. If the Crown Prince does not sincerely wish to learn, then our teaching will be a waste of time.
What the Prince of Han asked, 'What is a King, what is a Sage, and what is a Worthy?'
A King is the path to kingship, and also the pinnacle of man. To overpower all others is to be a King!
Sages and the worthy have always been spoken of together. They are people of noble character who enlighten the populace and work for the welfare of the people, thus they are sages and the worthy!
For a ruler, one should prioritize being a wise and enlightened sovereign.
After saying this, he finally straightened his clothes and said with righteous indignation.
"Lastly, the downfall of the Han Dynasty was due to the struggle for power between the imperial relatives and the eunuchs, and what does this have to do with Confucianism!"
Li Chengqian spoke slowly.
"Father Emperor, your son has a different opinion.
Regarding the first three questions just now, any classmate in the school can answer them, so I will say no more.
Regarding Mister Kong's words on Kings and Sages, your son also agrees. As for the last two questions:
An emperor, a true ruler, must be inwardly sagely and outwardly kingly!
Internally, practice the sagely way, cultivate the people. Externally, practice the kingly way, crushing all enemies!
Only then can one achieve the status of an enlightened ruler."
"Inward sageliness, the Fang Family Village teaches the knowledge of how to let the people eat their fill and be warm. Confucianism does not have this!
Outward kingliness, the school teaches how to produce even more refined weapons, and to win every battle with the smallest losses! Confucianism also does not have this!
Therefore, the knowledge that can be learned in this small commoner's school far exceeds what this Prince can access in the palace!
I request Father Emperor to see clearly!"