Volume 4: Gathering of Sages Chapter 674: Astrology is virtual, farming is real
The question-and-answer session that had been planned in advance was not used at all, and the class ended immediately - because when Zhang Shou asked if anyone wanted to ask questions before the get out of class ended, there was a complete silence - to be honest, facing this situation, the Third Prince was more disappointed than anyone else.
Although he had a hard time following Zhang Shou's calculations, there were many astronomical experts who were recruited by his father today. But he didn't expect that not only did the candidates flee, but also many of those who came with special invitations, after Zhang Shou announced the end of the class and he did not object, left after paying their respects, just like the candidates.
Although the Third Prince did not think that everyone had to cling to him, the Crown Prince, or behave well, this evasive attitude was obviously a bit wrong. The more he thought about it, the more confused he became, and in the end he couldn't help but come up with a guess.
Could it be that... they also didn't understand what the teacher said, and they were afraid that when they came to see him, they would be unable to answer and become embarrassed when he asked questions? But didn't they also learn the arithmetic? Even if the arithmetic they learned was different from what he was exposed to now, after practicing for more than ten years or even decades, would the difference really be that big?
The Third Prince was feeling conflicted when he suddenly heard the voice of Master Yue from behind him.
"It is said that listening to your words is worth ten years of reading. Mr. Zhang's class today not only covers social affairs, farming, and knowledge, but it really gave me a lot of benefits. However, those calculations are too profound. I think nine out of ten people in the lecture hall didn't understand them. It's normal to think about it, because I am also confused by those specific calculations."
The Third Prince was immediately impressed by the calmness of Master Yue. He nodded slightly and said, "Every profession has its specialties. Mr. Yue is not a mathematics major. It is normal for him to not understand some of the professional formulas and algorithms. In fact..."
The young prince smiled shyly and said, "I only understood half of those steps."
After hearing the Third Prince admit that he only understood half of it, Meng Xueshi, Xiao Shanzhang and the others managed to keep a calm face. Especially Meng Xueshi, the head of the Hanlin Academy, regretted why he didn't find an excuse to take a leave of absence due to illness or other reasons... To be able to understand half of it was simply a great ability, okay!
But just when they were wondering whether they should tell the truth like Yue Shanzhang, so that the Third Prince would have some good feelings for them, they heard a voice interrupting them: "Your Highness, Mr. Zhang, and all the lecturers, something just happened, and I thought I should come over to tell you."
When Mr. Song saw that a lot of people were looking at him, he couldn't help but lower his head quickly, but he just ignored the expressions of many people who were relieved because of his interruption. He quickly explained the scene of Guan Qiu's scolding just now, and then quickly raised his head to glance at the third prince and Zhang Shou, and habitually omitted other people, and then he coughed unnaturally.
"Now that 'villain' couldn't stand Guan Qiu's words and ran away, and his companions also left in a hurry, but there are still a few other old gentlemen and their students who agree with what Guan Qiu said that knowledge is power, so they want to come over to thank Master Zhang."
Zhang Shou found it unusual that Guan Qiu could be so rude. He was a technical maniac who was completely immersed in his own world, and he was almost as good as Yang Zhan. He smiled slightly and said nothing, and then he heard the third prince readily agree.
"Please ask those people to come over here!"
Although they were said to be a few, there were actually more than a dozen people. Zhang Shou took a quick look and found that almost all of them were people he had met in the residence of his teacher Ge Yong, the Grand Tutor. Of course, he would not really listen to everyone's thanks, but took the initiative to introduce everyone to the Third Prince enthusiastically.
The Third Prince always had a good impression of people who were modest, generous and self-aware. Not only did he personally help the elders who were about to pay their respects, but he also spoke with great respect. Facing such a Crown Prince whose words and actions were just as pleasant as the legends said, the senior mathematics masters naturally became even more humble.
Zhang Shou was slightly stunned when he heard these elders expressed with shame that several disciples were greatly inspired after listening to their classes and wanted to apply for Jiuzhang Hall next year.
You know, when he and his teacher Ge Yong met these people in Ge's house a few days ago, he made many indirect attempts to test whether they were willing to stay in Beijing to discuss academic matters. However, these people talked eloquently about astronomy and astrology, but claimed that they were really confused about Ge's mathematical classics. So he stopped talking about them for the time being. But who would have thought that their attitudes changed drastically at this moment, and they took the initiative to push their students to him!
The sedan chair was carried by everyone. Without waiting for the Third Prince to express his opinion, he immediately said with a smile: "Your students are all talented and good-looking. I would love to have them. However, as teachers, you are a more precious treasure. I wonder if you would be willing to come to Jiuzhang Hall to give a few classes?"
Hearing this, Han Ping, the leading mathematics expert, hesitated for a moment, and spoke after a while: "Master Zhang, you once said at the residence of Grand Tutor Ge that you don't know much about astronomy and astrology?"
"That's true. So, things like testing the four seas and revising the calendar, which require professionals, are beyond my ability." Zhang Shou didn't care about exposing his shortcomings, and his attitude was unusually frank. "It is said that there are three celestial palaces and twenty-eight constellations. I can probably only recognize the Big Dipper. I have no idea about the rest of the stars."
"Look, I'm only this old. Even if I'm extremely talented, I can't know everything, right?"
Astronomy and mathematics are inseparable. Nowadays, all the masters of mathematics have studied both since childhood, so they really don't believe that Zhang Shou is an exception, a weirdo who only knows mathematics but not astronomy. However, Ge Yong insisted that he had never taught Zhang Shou this, and Zhang Shou denied it, so they could only believe it for the time being.
Therefore, Han Ping exchanged glances with the others, and then, without any more ambiguity, he nodded readily and said, "In that case, a few old friends and I are willing to come to Jiuzhang Hall to give it a try."
"But I have to make three rules. When you come here, I will only talk about mathematics, not astronomy." Zhang Shou smiled and narrowed his eyes. "Even Wang Xiaogong's Ji Gu Suan Jing can be used for teaching, but I hope that I can translate it for the students while I'm teaching. After all, the teacher's Ge's New Edition of Mathematics has simplified a lot of things in the past year or so, and I'm afraid that the students won't understand it."
Yue Shanzhang and other lecturers were watching coldly from the sidelines. Seeing Zhang Shou flatly denying that he knew astronomy, they all looked at him with different expressions and in different moods. However, there was one idea that everyone agreed on.
That is... Zhang Shou's claim that he does not understand astronomy is good for him! After all, astronomy and astrology these days are not only inseparable from mathematics, but in the minds of some people, they are even more inseparable from prophecies and divinations. Although these days are no longer like the Han and Tang dynasties, prophecies and divinations are often serious crimes that can lead to the extermination of a clan, but the ban on astronomy and divination at every turn undoubtedly contains some concerns of the court.
After Zhang Shou reopened Jiuzhang Hall, he did not touch on astronomy and astrology in any of the courses he taught, from the "New Edition of Ge's Mathematics" he used to the various courses he taught! Except for the fact that someone had claimed in class that the earth was round...
Although Han Ping was amused by Zhang Shou's request to translate the terminology, he had also read Ge's Mathematical Classic and knew that the terms were used differently, so he finally agreed, but asked to sit in on two classes before making any decision. Zhang Shou naturally would not refuse.
The Third Prince stood there smiling all the time, not using his status as the Crown Prince to say or do anything for Zhang Shou. When Han Ping asked to leave, he politely reminded him, "Father said that the accuracy of the calendar not only affects how the people count the days, but also affects farming. It also affects the accuracy of the calendar that our dynasty bestows on vassal states, demonstrating the power and virtue of the Celestial Empire."
"So, I ask that you all speak freely after the emperor summons you and put aside your past grudges. Grand Tutor Ge said that he is old and this time he will be more of a judge than a host."
The third prince did not say anything to blame the Imperial Observatory, nor did he say that his father had decided to kick out those good-for-nothings in the Imperial Observatory and replace them with more capable mathematicians from the common people. He also said that his father had decided to break the hereditary system and implement an assessment system.
But his statement, coupled with Zhang Shou's insistence that he didn't understand astronomy and would never come to compete for the right to speak, naturally boosted the spirits of Han Ping and the other elders. After several people responded sternly, they took the younger students to leave the Jiuzhang Hall, and Han Ping laughed.
"As expected of Grand Master Ge, he has a better eye for selecting students than anyone else! As for his knowledge, it is difficult for those of us who are conservative to measure up to him, but he can actually put aside the supreme honor of revising the calendar, and he is not even afraid of being laughed at by others, insisting that he does not know astronomy and astrology, and only specializes in arithmetic... Everyone, just go all out from now on, and don't worry about the Ge Sect disciples coming out to compete."
After Zhang Shou sent away these colleagues who might have become his enemies but now had no grudges against each other, he humbly criticized the process and results of today's open class to the Third Prince and other lecturers in the Eastern Palace.
Hearing that Zhang Shou was so excited about his self-reflection that he forgot that he was not a student of Jiuzhang Hall and pushed forward various calculations at a rapid speed, Master Meng could no longer bear it and interrupted him, saying, "Master Zhang, your lecture today is fine, but don't you think that explaining Linjiantihu is a bit redundant?"
"Why is it redundant?" The one who asked back was none other than the Third Prince. He frowned and said, "I feel that being able to hear such inside information is more valuable than reading for ten years!"
"Your Highness, you only need to grasp the overall situation. Why do you need to understand such treacherous tricks?"
Scholar Meng felt extremely distressed, but under the clear gaze of the Third Prince, he realized that it would be difficult for him to refute the argument that if the water is too clear, there will be no fish. He could only sigh and say, "Some rules have been in place for dozens or hundreds of years and have long been a convention."
"Good rules that have been established by custom should naturally continue, but why should the outdated customs that have been established continue and not be changed?" The third prince asked without hesitation.
He found that all his colleagues remained silent. Even the opposition figures represented by the three chief ministers were solemn. Meng Xueshi felt tired. He was only the president of the Hanlin Academy, not a cabinet minister. In fact, this had nothing to do with him!
In a moment of urgency, he had to explain: "Your Highness, the policy of pouring water on the tip of the bucket and kicking the bucket is indeed a bad policy, but that is because the salaries of many local officials are not enough to support their families, so this bad policy was resorted to. But this is not actually a practice of this dynasty, but has been passed down by word of mouth among the lower classes for many years. Moreover, it is not true that, as Master Zhang said, the tip of the bucket will be poured again after kicking the bucket..."
"You only have one chance. If you don't kick it well, you may not get much..."
"What Master Meng said is wrong. Most people who can do such a thing have practiced this unique skill very hard. I guarantee that with one kick, the ground will be covered with grains!" Fang Qing had been holding back from saying anything, but when he found out that Master Meng was actually speaking up for the bad policy of the Linjian kicking the bucket technique , he couldn't control his mouth in such anger.
Having said that, he simply continued, "When my family paid taxes in the past, we encountered all kinds of difficulties from the tax collectors. Every bucket of grain that was kicked out would fall into a thick layer on the ground! The most important thing is that the salaries of officials in our dynasty are not small. Why do they use this established practice to cheat the people? If we want to protect these old customs that benefit them..."
"Who will protect the common people who have nowhere to turn to for help?"
Meng Xueshi was speechless. In the end, Zhang Shou's words temporarily saved him: "In fact, the taxes and labor service nowadays are also converted into money..."
Before Zhang Shou finished speaking, Meng Xueshi, who was overjoyed, immediately agreed, "Yes, now the court collects taxes, and a lot of them are converted into money. It's not all grain anymore. This bad policy will naturally be swept into the trash!"
The Third Prince listened to the heated debate between the two sides, and saw Fang Qing's face full of sarcasm, but was held by Mr. Song. He knew there was something fishy going on, but he found that everyone else kept silent. Zhang Shou still had a faint smile on his face, and when he looked over, he just shook his head slightly, as if he had something to hide.
At this time, no matter how stupid he was, the Third Prince knew that the secret was untold. He did not continue to ask, but said with a tired face: "It is getting late, and I should go back to the palace. Today is Mr. Yue's class, Mr. Yue, please go back with me. Fourth brother, please stay and thank the teacher and others for their hard work today."
It was true that he had a class today, but Yue Shanzhang knew better why the Third Prince was riding in the same carriage with him. Seeing Scholar Meng's warning glance, he just pretended not to see it. He said goodbye to the Crown Prince, Zhang Shou and others, and then silently went out and got on the carriage. After he sat down, he raised his head directly.
"Your Highness, what Scholar Zhang just said is indeed what most tax collectors in the world would do. And what Scholar Zhang said later, that most taxes are now collected in cash, is actually not accurate. To be more precise, it is part in kind and part in cash. However, the part collected in cash is a greater burden for most farmers. Because every harvest season, they need to sell grain for money! The price of grain depends entirely on the conscience of the grain merchants in the world! Astrology is virtual, farming is real, and Scholar Zhang is very wise."
