NOVPUB"You mean you won’t teach anything else?" Zhuge Liang asked, puzzled.
"It would take at least three years to learn all of this, and after mastering these things, it should be enough; not to mention that with this knowledge, one can at least live a life of modest comfort," Chen Xi nodded, thereby acknowledging Zhuge Liang’s statement.
"We were talking about universal education before, weren’t we? Why only teach these things?" Zhuge Liang sighed lightly as he inquired.
"Money and grain are insufficient!" Chen Xi spread his hands and said, "I am only human. Universal education is also something that should be approached step by step. Yet Lord Xuande opens his mouth and demands construction wherever we conquer. There’s not much I can do."
Chen Xi was clearly resentful as he said this. He noticed that Liu Bei was treating him somewhat like a genie in a lamp, even though he had once said to give Liu Bei confidence, "No matter how big a problem, it is a small one; all small problems are no problems at all!" and, of course, he acted accordingly.
"But this is completely different from what you said before," Zhuge Liang said with a wry smile.
"I am merely a guide, opening a door for them. When the time comes, it’s up to them to choose whether to continue their studies or to give up and start working to sustain themselves," Chen Xi said calmly, "I can only give them opportunities, not everything. They must walk the path ahead on their own."
"Kongming, by the time they finish learning all this, they would be about your age, or perhaps a bit older, and they would still have the right to borrow books and study on their own at the academy," Fa Zheng said calmly, "Whether they can seize the opportunity is up to them."
Zhuge Liang fell silent for a while. Although the Zhuge family had fallen, his youth had not been filled with hardship, and it was difficult to maintain excellence while also supporting oneself.
"If one is inherently excellent and gets that one opportunity, it’s enough to soar," Chen Xi said calmly, "The chances I can provide, although slim, are far better than the utter darkness of the past. As for those who are not excellent, the opportunities I give are enough for them to live in comfort through their own labor."
"But..." just as Zhuge Liang began to speak, he was interrupted by Fa Zheng.
"Kongming, you’re looking at it from the wrong perspective," Fa Zheng said calmly, "Our task is to give them a chance. How far they go is their business, and our concern doesn’t extend to how someone without connections, parents, or a family rises from nothing."
"Kongming, you don’t really need to worry about fairness so much. Everything in this world is relative. The blessings of one’s parents shelter the next generation, and no matter how unpleasant you find it, you must admit that it is right," Chen Xi said calmly, "And if you lack these blessings, then you must present something else sufficient to prove your worth. If you can’t, don’t blame heaven or others."
"Exactly, that’s the way it is. Our ancestors faced countless hardships and built a great family from nothing. If you are truly outstanding and brilliant, then there’s no need for further discussion! I, Fa Xiaozhi, did not rely on the power of the Legalist family. I came to Mount Tai alone, and even without external help, I still reached this point," Fa Zheng said with a cold laugh.
Zhuge Liang remained silent, with nothing to say. Fa Zheng had the right to speak these words; recognized by a series of people including Liu Bei, Chen Xi, and Guo Jia, it was not by relying on outside assistance but on his own abilities that he was able to take the position of prefectural governor before the age of eighteen and do so convincingly.
"I will not bring this up again, but I hope that if there is an examination, the assessment of common scholars could be relaxed," Zhuge Liang said after pondering for a moment.
"I do not advise doing so. Such a measure could indeed offer an advantage to scholars of humble origins, but the aristocratic families have stood untoppled for a millennium," Chen Xi stated calmly.
"The pride of a genius is more important than a temporary rise or fall," Fa Zheng took up the conversation, "If the government were to do that, it would be the end for the commoners’ children. They would never be able to surpass the offspring of the aristocratic families."
"..." Zhuge Liang looked at Chen Xi, uncertain whether what Fa Zheng had said was true.
"It’s true. There will be no good outcome from what you are proposing. Initially, commoners are no match for the children of aristocratic families. If they are also segregated for examinations, they will lose their motivation over time," Chen Xi said, shaking his head, "If the intimidation is too strong, even a genius may find it difficult to muster the courage to surpass their rivals."
Zhuge Liang lowered his head to reflect and was on the verge of understanding. Just as he was about to speak, Chen Xi asked, "Why were the Huns at the beginning of the Han Wu era able to fight ten of ours with just one of theirs, and why later couldn’t they even manage one against ten?"
"It’s the momentum. At the dawn of the Han Wu era, the Huns had an intimidating presence over the Great Han for a century. Although the National Treasury was well-stocked during the early Han Wu era, they were overcome by the Huns’ momentum and lacked the resolve to win. It only turned into a desperate fight because they were pushed to the edge," Chen Xi said evenly.
"Later, as the Great Han Dynasty rose against the tide, its momentum reached its peak. The successive bloody battles left an indelible mark on the Huns as an invincible force, and naturally their ability dropped to a fraction of what it once was, making it difficult for them to recover," a rare flicker of emotion disturbed Chen Xi’s dispassionate expression as he recognized how difficult it is to overturn the tide.
"Do you know why, despite the Great Han Dynasty being ravaged by internal strife, not one of the Four Barbarians dares to invade on a large scale? They still send tributes on time. It’s not because they lack strength, it’s solely because of the long-standing intimidation. They do not have the courage to come in. Tan Shihuai’s Xianbei are extremely powerful, yet they dare not enter our territory. This is what it means to command awe throughout the world," a touch of enthusiasm rarely seen appeared in Chen Xi’s expression as he spoke of the mighty Han.
"The White Horse Righteous Followers, the Xiliang Iron Cavalry, and the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry, how much stronger are they than the Huns, the Qiang People, and the Xianbei? The ones who can become cavalry are all the robust among them, and they are inherently horseback peoples. So why can’t the foreign cavalry at odds outfight them five to one? Is it the equipment? The Xiliang Iron Cavalry, despite their elite status, are not even uniformly equipped with leather armor, yet they face no pressure when it’s one against five with the Qiang!" Chen Xi said with a cold laugh.
Zhuge Liang and Fa Zheng silently contemplated these points, and in the end, could only heave a long sigh. These were facts; the equipment and food supply of the Xiliang Iron Cavalry and the Qiang were on the same level, yet the Xiliang Iron Cavalry effortlessly defeated the Qiang Cavalry.
"This is all about momentum. The people of Han now have absolute confidence against any foreign clan. It’s their inherent confidence that renders them fearless against any foreigners. Hence, when they clash with foreigners, they strike like a tiger descending the mountain, while the foreigners, by contrast, are exactly the opposite. This is the national self-confidence forged over three hundred years," Chen Xi proclaimed solemnly.
Stroking his beard, Fa Zheng remained silent for a long while before speaking, "Let’s set aside the issue of aristocratic families and commoners for now. It doesn’t matter if there are fewer commoners at first. What intrigues me now are the words you mentioned, Zichuan. Do you mean to say that the Xianbei are also accumulating the foundations to rise against the tide?"
A glint of cold light flashed in Zhuge Liang’s eyes, but he said nothing. Combining Chen Xi’s words together, it seemed moving with the tide does not guarantee victory, nor does going against it spell certain defeat—only that the challenge would be enormously difficult! (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to continue reading.)
