The stars disappeared and the sun rose.
Chang 'an City ushered in a new day. The citizens of Chang' an City were as usual, rushing about for their daily lives. Day after day, day after day, it was the beginning.
However, for Meton, there were some changes in his life, because he had a disciple to teach.
In the study of the Mo Estate, the master and disciple sat facing each other.
"Master, do you think Taoists will use telescopes?" Wu Meiniang shook her ponytail and asked curiously.
Meton smiled and did not answer. Instead, he told a story, "It is said that cats have nine lives. It is very difficult to die. Even if it falls from a tall building, it will still land safely. However, in the end, it will die of its own curiosity."
Wu Meiniang frowned and said, "You said Taoists will eventually be like cats, unable to hold back their curiosity and use telescopes?"
"No!" Meton shook his head and said, "What I mean is, if you don't put away your curiosity, sooner or later, it will kill you!"
Wu Meiniang stuck out her tongue and quickly sat up straight, putting on an obedient appearance.
Meton took out a book of the Book of Mo and said, "The Book of Mo is a must-read for the School of Mo. Have you read it and understand the principles within?"
Wu Meiniang shook her head and said honestly, "Disciple has not had the time to read it. I do not understand."
She had just taken Meton as her master yesterday. How could she have had the time to read the Book of Mo?
Meton waved his hand and said, "Since you do not understand anything, how can I teach you! Go read the Book of Mo first, then come find me! "
"Ah!"
Wu Meiniang was shocked when she heard this. She left the study with a wronged expression.
"I did not expect the great Mo Jiazi to teach a disciple like this. This is an eye-opener for me!" At this moment, a familiar voice came from outside the study. Li Shimin pushed open the door and walked in.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. What brings Your Majesty to my humble abode today?" Meton quickly bowed and said.
Li Shimin laughed and said, "If I did not come today, how could I have heard such a wonderful lesson?"
Meton smiled bitterly. "I've made a fool of myself in front of Your Majesty."
Li Shimin rolled his eyes and said, "I am very curious. If Wu Shi says she understands the Mohist Classics, how will you teach?"
Meton smiled and said, "Since you already know, then what's the point of teaching? Naturally, there's no need to teach him anymore. "
"Master, you're shameless!" Wu Meiniang's shameful and angry voice came from outside the study.
"Hahahaha! As expected of Mo Jiazi, even the way he teaches his disciples is so unique! "Li Shimin laughed out loud when he heard this. He didn't think that Meton would even trick his disciple.
Li Shimin waved his hand, and Wu Meiniang, who was outside the door, hurriedly came in and knelt down. "Mei Niang greets Your Majesty!"
Li Shimin nodded and said pitifully, "I already know about your matter. I have already issued a decree to reprimand the Wu brothers. If you want to return to the Ying Public House, I guarantee that no one will dare to make things difficult for you and your mother."
Although Li Shimin only issued a decree to reprimand the Wu brothers, this matter had already reached the ears of the heavens. The Wu brothers' career was ruined, and they could only guard the Ying Public House for the rest of their lives.
Wu Meiniang's eyes lit up when she heard this. She knelt down again and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for upholding justice. However, since Mei Niang has already left the Martial House, I will naturally not return. Furthermore, Mei Niang has already taken Master as her master, so I will naturally learn the Mohist Classics well."
Li Shimin looked at Wu Meiniang in surprise and said, "What, with a master like Meton, what is there to miss? If it was me, I would have stopped learning long ago."
Meton's face darkened when he heard this. He could not help but awkwardly rub his nose.
Wu Meiniang said with a straight face, "Although Master is teasing this disciple, your words are not without reason. Master is busy with work and naturally cannot spend all day teaching this disciple. Learning the Mohist Classics naturally does not require Master to personally do so. As for understanding the Mohist Classics, that is just this disciple's nonsense. The Mohist Classics are broad and profound, especially when this disciple has just dabbled in it, I can understand it."
Li Shimin heard this and nodded with satisfaction, "As expected, you have the bearing of a fine steed. I will test you again. I have a horse called the Lion Steed, and it is also a fine steed. Its physique is fat and willful. In the entire Imperial Horse Directorate, no one is able to tame it. If you were to tame the horse, how would you do it?"
Meton's heart skipped a beat. He did not expect Li Shimin to ask such a question. He could not help but curiously look at Wu Meiniang, who was kneeling on the ground.
Wu Meiniang thought for a moment, then her eyes rolled and she proudly said, "If it was this little girl, I would only need three things!"
"Oh!" Li Shimin's eyebrows jumped, and he looked at Wu Meiniang in astonishment.
"The first is a metal whip, the second is a metal rod, and the third is a dagger. If the Lion Steed does not listen to you, you can whip it with the metal whip. If it still does not submit, then you can hit its head with the metal rod. If it does not submit, then it is because the horse is wild and hard to tame. It is useless. Keeping it is only a waste of fodder. You might as well use the dagger to slit its throat and kill it for meat." Wu Meiniang's heroic eyebrows rose as she sternly said.
Li Shimin looked at Wu Meiniang in surprise, then turned to Merton: "Mo Jiu, this is your disciple. Why don't you evaluate her answer?"
Meton sighed, stepped forward, and bowed: "This subject knows his mistake!"
Wu Meiniang was feeling quite pleased with herself, but she suddenly saw her master bow and ask for forgiveness. She looked over in confusion.
Li Shimin looked at Merton with a smile that was not a smile: "We have always heard of people praising others as fine steeds, but we have never heard of people praising themselves as fine steeds."
"Ah!" Wu Meiniang suddenly realized, and her face immediately turned red. The fine steed that the emperor was talking about was not a horse, he was clearly talking about her master being disobedient.
Meton suddenly smiled bitterly. He had just tricked his disciple once, but he did not think that in the blink of an eye, he would be tricked back. This time, they were even.
"Forget it, you are not the only disobedient person in this world!" Li Shimin said with waning interest.
Meton waved his hand, and Wu Meiniang immediately retreated as if she had been granted amnesty. In the entire study, only Meton and Li Shimin were left.
"Your Majesty is the Heavenly Khan. In the nine provinces and four seas, who in the world dares to disobey Your Majesty's orders?" Meton quickly went forward to flatter.
"If everyone abided by the law, how could there be over a hundred people robbing under our eyes, sneaking into the prison to silence people, continuous business wars, and unrest in Chang 'an?" Li Shimin angrily said.
Meton immediately broke out in a cold sweat. He had already received news that Accountant Liu had committed suicide in prison. He did not think that the Luoyang aristocratic family would act so viciously.
"This subject was also forced to defend! I ask for Your Majesty's forgiveness. Accountant Liu's death has nothing to do with the Minister. "Meton helplessly refuted.
Li Shimin coldly said, "Of course it has nothing to do with you. Otherwise, do you think you can still stand and talk to me? I will ask you the same question. If you had an unruly lion steed, how would you tame it? "
Meton took a deep breath and said, "This kid believes that the first two moves of my inferior disciple's plan are extremely correct. If you are not convinced, just beat him up."
"Then what if it is still difficult to tame? Could it be that it is still a waste of fodder? "Li Shimin asked doubtfully.
Meton sternly said, "In this kid's opinion, although the lion steed is difficult to tame, it is not useless. After all, the lion steed is a fine horse. If it is used to breed, in less than three years, Your Majesty can obtain a batch of young horses. Although its offspring are not as good as fine horses, they are still good breeds. If it is slightly tamed, it will be a rare breed."
"Offspring? Tell me in detail. "Li Shimin frowned.
Meton took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty is only worried about the aristocratic families. They control the imperial court, a large amount of land, and the economic lifeline of the Tang dynasty. Some aristocratic families have been passed down for thousands of years and have great reputation. Even if Your Majesty wants to touch them, you have to think twice. Moreover, Your Majesty is benevolent and will not use force."
Li Shimin nodded solemnly. Now that the Tang dynasty had successively defeated the Turks and the Tuyuhun, the external threat had been removed. His attention began to turn to the unstable factors inside the Tang dynasty, namely the aristocratic families.
When the Li Tang dynasty started the war, these aristocratic families were its biggest supporters. However, after the establishment of the Tang dynasty, these aristocratic families became the leeches of the Tang dynasty and constantly attached themselves to the Tang dynasty to suck its blood. How could Li Shimin not see this? Especially the business war in the Village Mo, Li Shimin saw the ugly faces of the aristocratic families.
The Village Mo was the first village in the world that he personally granted, but the aristocratic families still took risks for the sake of interests and used all kinds of underhanded means. If it were not for Meton's superior skills, the Village Mo would have become a laughing stock now.
"The Minister has another plan that can completely solve the problem of the aristocratic families. It depends on whether Your Majesty is determined or not." Meton suddenly raised his head and said.
Li Shimin glanced at Meton, raised his eyebrows and said, "Provocation? Say it! Where did the plan come from? "
Meton said solemnly, "There is no other reason. It is the old plan of Emperor Wu of Han!"
"The old plan of Emperor Wu of Han?" Li Shimin's heart moved and could not help but ponder.
Meton said passionately, "When the Western Han was established, in order to avoid repeating the lesson of the Qin dynasty, Emperor Gaozu of Han decided to adopt the law of coexistence of feudal states and counties. However, it caused the chaos of the seven kingdoms later. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, the feudal states were even more disorderly. Emperor Wu of Han wanted to eliminate the feudal states that were too big to handle, but he did not want to repeat the mistakes of the seven kingdoms. Therefore, he adopted the suggestion of his father, Yan, to implement the Order of Pushing Grace. As a result, the feudal states of the Western Han became smaller and smaller, and they were no longer able to threaten the imperial court.
"The Order of Pushing Grace!" Li Shimin's eyes suddenly lit up. He vaguely understood Meton's meaning.
Meton sneered and said, "The aristocratic families now are very similar to those in the Western Han. Most of the titles and properties in the family are inherited by the eldest son, so the power of the aristocratic families is getting bigger and bigger."
Li Shimin nodded. This was the biggest drawback of the eldest son inheritance system.
"Now in the imperial court, the imperial examination system is being implemented, and talented people are being chosen as officials. The printing technology is being promoted, and the children of poor families are becoming more literate. In the future, the children of poor families will definitely charge into the imperial court. As for the common people, within the aristocratic families, there are many wives and concubines, and many children. If the emperor imitates the Order of Pushing Grace and pushes the grace a second time, he will make a decree that the family property will be divided equally after the death of the father. In this way, the aristocratic families will be divided into ten, ten, a hundred … In just a few generations, the aristocratic families will become ordinary people! "Meton said excitedly.
"The second time! The family property will be divided equally! " Li Shimin was so excited that he could not control himself. His heart was suddenly enlightened, and the illness that had been troubling him was suddenly cured.
"Take my disciple for example. Duke Ying died early, and my disciple is still unmarried. Shouldn't she be given a share of the family property as her dowry?" Meton said seriously.
Li Shimin nodded seriously.
"I heard that the aristocratic families have many wives and concubines, and they are all weak women without any survival skills. Shouldn't they be given a share of the family property to ensure a worry-free life? There are also some concubines who have not given birth who were directly chased out of the house. How miserable are they? Some even ended up in brothels. Shouldn't they be compensated?" Meton said with pity.
Li Shimin nodded in deep agreement. If it was divided like this, even if he had a great fortune, it would not be enough. Moreover, after the second time of pushing the grace, he would definitely receive endless support. If anyone opposed it, there would be no peace in the family in the future. After all, other than the main wife, he had many concubines and sons of concubines.
Li Shimin looked at Merton with lingering fear. "Those aristocratic families who provoked you, I'm afraid it was their biggest mistake."
Meton was indeed a catfish with sharp teeth. This bite was really too painful.
After the second time of pushing the grace, the aristocratic families would definitely split apart in a few generations. Even if there were fish that escaped the net, they would be few and far between. They would not pose any threat to the imperial power.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
