Volume 4: Gathering of Sages Chapter 547: Knowing the Basics and Being Elegant
The wedding date was approaching, and even in Jiuzhang Hall, Zhang Shou received many congratulations. Even the freshmen in Jiuzhang Hall congratulated him in various ways on his upcoming marriage to Zhu Ying. But compared to the upcoming happy event, he was more worried about the fact that he had to teach mathematics, physics and chemistry on the one hand, and give a lecture on foreign history at the imperial lecture on the other hand because of his promise to the third and fourth princes.
If Lu Sanlang could not often substitute for him in classes, he would not be able to handle the whole class even if he split himself in half!
Therefore, he let Wu and Zhu family discuss the marriage. As for the improvement and commercial development of the pendulum clock, he also left it to Guan Qiu and Zhu Ying. He even pretended not to know that the emperor brought the fourth prince to visit the workshop incognito. As for the suspicious person who sneaked into the workshop... he didn't care.
If you have the ability, you can secretly learn all his knowledge of mathematics, physics and chemistry, integrate them, and then apply the knowledge to practice to create better products!
He was just lucky... He met Guan Qiu, who was able to draw inferences from one instance, and he also had the Taizu's relic - the mechanical watch as a starting point. Otherwise, he would never have been able to tinker with the pendulum clock. As for those escapements and transmission mechanisms, God knows how much effort he put in just to draw a rough outline for Guan Qiu to see, and how much time it took him to explain them clearly!
Until now, he, a time traveler, has not been able to make glass, so the dial can only use white crystal! Zhao Si and Luo Xiaoxiao, who retired from the weaving and spinning machinery, are leading a group of craftsmen to study glass burning day and night in the yard behind the underground workshop! As for whether there are spies of the emperor among them, he doesn't care at all, anyway, he doesn't want to be rich.
At this time, when Zhang Shou received a notice from Lu Sanlang early in the morning that the Guanglu Temple's audit had been completed and even the group of Jiuzhangtang students who were training in the Ministry of Revenue would soon return with them, he finally had to face a more difficult problem.
There is only one Jiuzhang Hall, and two classes of students have to attend classes together. There are not enough teachers and even fewer classrooms. So what should be done?
Just as he assigned a bunch of exercises to his students as usual, and then went to the entrance of Jiuzhang Hall to get some fresh air and think, he saw Zhou Jijiu and Luo Siye coming in together, with quick and hurried steps, and clearly with a look of urgency on their faces. He walked forward in surprise, but before he could ask them why they were there, Luo Siye got there first.
"Doctor Zhang, the emperor has sent a message to several ministers in the cabinet, saying that he will demote the eldest prince to a commoner and imprison him in the Zongzheng Temple for life, and will not pardon him even if he is pardoned. He will also send the second prince to Qiongzhou Prefecture to plant a sacred tree! He also said that he will enthrone a crown prince soon. Do you know?"
Zhang Shou showed a very naturally surprised expression: "Is this true?" Even if I knew it, I had to pretend that I didn't know!
Seeing Zhang Shou's obvious shock, Zhou Jijiu thought that he was finally well-informed, and felt a little better. He immediately said earnestly: "Doctor Zhang, you have to know that although this is not an official decree, since the news has been spread, it is very likely that the emperor has made up his mind. This matter is a done deal and there is no room for redemption, so..."
He dragged out the words, hoping that Zhang Shou would be able to pick up the conversation, but to his disappointment, Zhang Shou not only did not pick up the conversation, but also looked at him with a blank look: "So what? Can the Grand Secretary tell me clearly?"
Zhou Jijiu was almost pissed off by Zhang Shou's pretentiousness! But how could he say that if the first and second princes were really kicked out, then once the crown prince was appointed, the third prince in your Jiuzhang Hall would be the hottest and most popular one. As a teacher, you'd better let other students in the Imperial Academy have a share of the pie, so that everyone can earn the title of the current prince's teacher, the future crown prince's teacher, and the future emperor's teacher!
Luo Siye had to force a smile. If he were in the place of any other school official, he could join forces with Zhou Jijiu to make people willingly give up the opportunity to recruit a student like the Third Prince. He did not expect to become a teacher, but at least hoped to become familiar to the young future Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace.
But facing Zhang Shou, he could only say earnestly: "Doctor Zhang, this news should have been passed to the four principals of Yashe. If they came to the capital to be the prince's teacher before, they didn't have a clear goal, but now they must have put all their efforts into it! Later at the imperial lecture, you will be them..."
Before Luo Siye could even utter the words "biggest rival", Zhang Shou said calmly, "Speaking of which, there is something I forgot to tell the Grand Secretary and Junior Secretary. When I went to the palace to see the emperor a few days ago, at the emperor's request, I would only talk about foreign history at the imperial lecture. It just so happens that the Weinan Earl of the Military Equipment Bureau has plenty of information, so I don't have to talk about other things that I am not good at."
Zhou Jijiu and Luo Siye were almost choked to death by Zhang Shou.
Last time when Zhang Shou was lecturing at the Imperial Academy, he received praise from many students and candidates for his stories about foreign history that no one knew about. Now Zhang Shou wants to lecture at the Imperial Lecture Hall? Those are either top civil and military officials or well-educated scholars. Zhang Shou is not afraid of being laughed at by experts!
Moreover, are these guys easy to deal with? They can find faults in even the smallest details. Just a barbaric country that doesn't follow etiquette, whose rise and fall and survival are insignificant, can destroy all your painstaking preparations!
Zhang Shou didn't care about Zhou Jijiu and Luo Siye's disapproval, and said to himself: "I told the emperor that except for mathematics - of course I prefer to call it mathematics and physics - I am not very good at other things, so the only thing I can teach the third prince is mathematics and physics. For the rest, the emperor can only ask someone else to teach him. As for the rise and fall stories of these foreign countries, they are actually just a lesson from history, nothing more."
All the words that could be said were snatched away by Zhang Shou, and Zhou Jijiu and Luo Siye were immediately furious. However, if they had hoped that the four mountain masters would dampen Zhang Shou's enthusiasm before, they didn't hope for that at all now.
The Third Prince was in Jiuzhang Hall, so at least he was still a member of the Imperial College. But if the four deans got the upper hand , and he was taught by them alone in the palace, what good would it do to the Imperial College? And what good would it do to them?
Seeing Zhou Jijiu and Luo Siye's uncertain expressions, Zhang Shou said with a half-smile, "I have something to discuss with the Grand Secretary and Junior Secretary. You know, most of the students sent by Jiuzhang Hall to Xuanda to assist Wang Zongxian are coming back, and the affairs of Guanglu Temple and the Ministry of Revenue are almost over. In this way, the two classes of students will be put together, and Jiuzhang Hall will have no room for them."
Although the emperor had previously inspected the Imperial College and had generously allocated money from the Ministry of Revenue, the Imperial College is now undergoing large-scale construction projects. The emperor has even generously allocated a piece of land next to the Imperial College to build dormitories for the students. As for the original dilapidated old dormitories, he plans to demolish them and rebuild new ones.
However, these classrooms that were still on paper had already been divided up by a large number of academic officials in private discussions. Where was there any room for Jiuzhang Hall? In the eyes of him and other academic officials, Jiuzhang Hall had already taken a huge advantage. Now with only a small number of people, it had to compete with the other six halls for space? Now Zhang Shou was also in charge of Banshan Hall, so he could use those noble children as an excuse!
Zhou Jijiu was not willing to make concessions on such a matter and coughed immediately.
"Doctor Zhang, you should also understand the difficulties of the Imperial College. The other halls have more people than the Nine Chapters Hall, but there have always been too many people and too few porridge. This house is really not available. Although the emperor vacated the land before, the area near the Imperial College was originally a sparsely populated northern city. Over the past hundred years, it has been lined with all kinds of houses and shops, and there is no way to expand it anymore."
"Well, I know that Da Sicheng and Shao Sicheng are in trouble." Zhang Shou nodded, as if he didn't want to argue anymore.
After Luo Siye calmly pulled Zhou Jijiu, the two presidents and vice presidents of the highest institution of learning in the Ming Dynasty were still trying to find excuses, so he slowly said, "In fact, Lu Jijiu of the public school mentioned before that the public school outside the city is now undergoing a large-scale construction. There is plenty of land and even more houses. Since many students of Jiuzhang Hall work part-time there, why not move the entire Jiuzhang Hall there."
As soon as the words fell, Luo Siye, who was originally planning to agree with Zhou Jijiu, took a breath of cold air. He almost subconsciously shouted angrily, "A public school is a public school, and the Imperial College is the Imperial College. How can they be confused? Dr. Zhang, don't forget that the students of your Jiuzhang Hall are also students of the Imperial College. They don't want to be confused with the sons of peddlers and hawkers!"
Even if those students of humble origins were willing to do so, how could the sons of officials like Ji Jiu, or the royal family like the Third Prince, be willing to condescend ?
"Isn't there anything I can do about it?"
Zhang Shou was still calm and composed, and helplessly spread his hands: "A good cook cannot cook without rice. Since the doctors in the Imperial College Doctoral Office have always felt that Jiuzhang Hall is out of place in the Imperial College, what else can I do? I have already recruited two classes and there is not enough space, let alone people. What about next year and the year after next?"
Without waiting for Zhou Jijiu and Luo Siye to respond, he chuckled and said, "Since so many people think that besides the six halls of the Imperial College, Banshan Hall and Jiuzhang Hall are all redundant, and now that the Imperial College is short of space, Banshan Hall has already vacated its space, and Jiuzhang Hall is so large that it is occupied by a bunch of farmers, butchers, merchants, etc., it is better to give it up. Then I will give it up."
Seeing that Zhang Shou actually brought up the issue of Banshan Hall and Ruexing Hall exchanging classrooms, and also quoted the original words of a certain academic official in the Doctoral Hall who expressed his indignation , Zhou Jijiu and Luo Siye's faces became completely gloomy.
The imperial lecture was about to begin, and Zhang Shou was clearly about to fight alone against a group of wise men, but at this critical moment, he would rather leave the Imperial College behind!
If they are allowed to succeed, they would simply give up their positions as chief priests and deans!
Just when Zhou Jijiu and Luo Siye were about to risk their lives to argue, they suddenly heard a weak voice: "Teacher, Master Ji asked me to ask, do you want one solution or multiple solutions for the questions you assigned?"
Seeing the Third Prince coming out of the door hesitantly with a shy smile on his face and glancing at them in surprise, Luo Siye quickly pulled Zhou Jijiu and forced a smile.
"Since Dr. Zhang is giving a lecture, Dasicheng and I won't bother him any more."
Even though he was furious, Zhou Jijiu didn't want to show his ugliness in front of the Third Prince, so he nodded to him without being servile or overbearing, and bowed politely in return. He couldn't help but sigh in his heart that such a well-educated and well-mannered student would fall for Zhang Shou. When he turned around and left, he found that Luo Siye had also quickly caught up with him, and he snorted.
"This is absolutely impossible!"
Luo Siye agreed with understanding, "That's right, this is absolutely impossible. Those students who took the entrance exam for Jiuzhang Hall are probably not only for Zhang Shou as their teacher, but also for the title of Imperial College and the title of Imperial College student. As long as we insist that if Jiuzhang Hall is moved away, the title of Imperial College student must not be given, I think they will put pressure on Zhang Shou themselves!"
Zhou Jijiu said decisively: "That's right. If he wants to start a new business, he has to see if others recognize this name!"
At the entrance of Jiuzhang Hall, Zhang Shou saw the Third Prince looking at Zhou Jijiu and Luo Siye's receding backs, and he held his chest and breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "Why, Zheng Rong, did you hear me arguing with someone outside, so you came out to support me?"
"Hehe." The third prince smiled embarrassedly, and then whispered, "Because the teacher and the great and young Sicheng were talking loudly, I heard it. I didn't dare to come out at first, but Ji Zhaizhang said that I might as well come out and take a look. If I'm lucky, the great and young Sicheng might leave in disappointment. In the end, he really guessed it right..."
Zhang Shou couldn't help but smile when he learned that it was Ji Jiu who instigated the Third Prince to come out. Looking at the Third Prince who was smiling sincerely at this moment, he couldn't help but touch the little guy's head, and then took the Third Prince's hand and went straight into Jiuzhang Hall. Although at a glance, most people were writing furiously, as if they were concentrating on solving the problem, he knew that many people were simply distracted.
He escorted the Third Prince to his seat, then walked to the front and gently tapped the podium with the wake-up wood. When everyone looked up in a hurry, he said calmly, "I just told them that since the Imperial College can't vacate enough houses to accommodate the two classes of Jiuzhang Hall students, then Jiuzhang Hall might as well move to the outer city. After all, the public school has plenty of land and houses."
Some people pricked up their ears to listen to the conversation he had just had with Zhou Jijiu and Luo Siye, but some people were so focused on doing their homework that they didn't pay attention. When he said this, the classroom was immediately filled with a buzz of discussion.
"I know that many noble children and rich young men don't care about the title of Imperial College student, but many of you still care about it. However, in the Imperial College, what you learn is completely different from the sage books in the other six halls. I believe that you have been looked down upon. In contrast, anyone who has taught in a public school for a few days has experienced the feeling of being respected."
Zhang Shou observed the expressions of the students while speaking. Seeing that most of them had complicated expressions, and a few were somewhat unwilling, he said in a deep voice: "The reason why I brought up this matter is because your predecessors are about to return with honors from the Xuanda Governor's Office, the Guanglu Temple, and the Ministry of Revenue. So many people have made great achievements and received high praise. Is it because they are students of the Imperial Academy? Is it because they are from the Jiuzhang Hall?"
"No, it's because they are studious and self-disciplined, and because they have enough talent to do things that others cannot. Even if they graduate here, they will all have their own future! The reason is simple, a life of coarse silk and cloth will make you elegant if you are knowledgeable !"
