After less than half an hour of class, Zheng Haizhu was convinced that Zhu Youxiao was not what later generations would call "illiterate" at all.
Although the first volume of "Elements of Geometry" is simple and focuses on defining concepts, and Xu Guangqi's translation is accurate and straightforward, an illiterate person will never be able to read and understand like Zhu Youxiao "Those who point do not distinguish, and those who point without distinction have no distinction." Long, short, wide, narrow, thick; a line may be long but not wide, just like a flat surface illuminated by light, if there is no object between the light and the non-light, it will be a line."
In fact, Zheng Haizhu did not believe the statement that Zhu Youxiao was illiterate in his previous life.
Not leaving the court to study does not mean that there is no one in the inner court to provide enlightenment education for the princes to read and write.
Wanli's mother and Zhu Youxiao's great-grandmother, Queen Mother Li, did not pass away until the 42nd year of Wanli. Zhu Changluo was born to a palace servant of Empress Dowager Li. Empress Dowager Li had always protected Zhu Changluo's family. How could she allow her grandson to become illiterate?
The Ming court had an internal study system, and there were so many eunuchs with excellent cultural levels in the palace who could provide basic enlightenment for the princes.
"The eldest son of the emperor turns out to be quite literate." Zheng Haizhu suddenly said after Lu Xiangsheng finished speaking to the two young men for a few sections.
Zhu Youxiao was stunned for a moment, then slightly stunned: "What do you mean, Master Zheng? I finished reading the Thousand-Character Essay when I was ten years old."
Zheng Haizhu said: "Your Highness, please don't be upset. In the past few years, Your Highness has not left the palace to study, and there are rumors outside that you are illiterate. I don't believe it, but today I am just sighing that even the nobles of Tianhuang can be ruined." Even those capable and loyal ministers have no place to complain when they are jointly criticized by their political enemies."
Zhu Youxiao said "Oh" and relaxed his brows.
After all, he was a young man, but his mind was completely ignorant. He couldn't help but sigh: "I have told my fifth brother a long time ago that wood is much better than people. Even if wood is rotten, it will not harm people." , it’s terrible when people’s hearts are rotten.”
Zheng Haizhu thought to himself, this is a golden sentence, who said Zhu Youxiao is stupid?
But Zhu Youjian on the side continued: "If the wood is rotten, it will also harm people and the house will collapse."
Zheng Haizhu smiled at him: "Yes, if the materials are not properly cared for, repaired poorly, or even cut corners from the beginning, it will cause great harm to people and even harm the country and the people. For example, the copper and iron materials used to make firearms, such as the gunpowder used as primers , the forging process, and the proportion of compatibility are all very particular. If you are lazy, or exploiting layers of layers, resulting in poor quality materials, on the battlefield, the original shape will be revealed in a moment, and it will be our Ming Dynasty who killed the enemy with blood. Athletes."
After she finished speaking, she gave up the right to speak to Lu Xiangsheng: "Let Lu Juren tell you about the various types of firearms. They are all very powerful weapons for blasting Tatars and red-haired people in the North and South China Sea."
With two brothers, the school and the examiner, and having grown up in the hands of women in the palace, how could the boy's nature be completely lost? When he heard that he was going to talk about fighting and killing enemies, he immediately became more energetic.
Lu Xiangsheng taught at Zheng Haizhu's Songjiang School four years ago. Today he returned to his old profession and was very comfortable. Not only did he draw pictures to explain to the two brothers, he also followed Zhang Mingshi's previous inspiration and came up with the work he had done in the past few days with skilled craftsmen in Beijing. Mini nest cars, and something called a "hanging curtain."
"Your Highnesses, please see, the chariot is used for siege. Soldiers ride on wooden boxes with wheels and axles to go up to the roof of the chariot and suppress the defenders on the city with firecrackers. And this hanging curtain is used for defending the city. It is used to guard the city. Wooden structures with convex characters at both ends were placed between the battlements. Felt blankets or cotton quilts were placed on the wooden poles and poured with water to withstand kerosene arrows and musketry bullets."
The teacher spoke vividly and meticulously, and the students listened with rapt attention.
Zheng Haizhu took a few steps back and looked at Zhu Youxiao, Zhu Youjian, and their respective accompanying eunuchs, with their buttocks sticking out and their upper bodies almost lying on the desk, leaning their heads against each other to watch Lu Xiangsheng's demonstration.
This is the teaching effect she wants.
She pursed her lips with satisfaction, turned back to drink the tea poured by the waiter, and suddenly saw a pink figure flashing at the door of the palace.
Zheng Haizhu walked to the door, and Mrs. Ke came up with a soft and flattering smile. She nuzzled at an ebony drawer on the table in the corner: "Master Zheng, there are snacks in it. Please come in and wait for me to eat, right? Master Zheng." Eat a few pieces too, you ordinary people can’t eat the cakes in the imperial dining room outside, especially the milk-skinned cakes, which are made from..."
"Come in." Zheng Haizhu interrupted her and said calmly.
Ke Yinyue let out a low "Hey", entered the hall, and started to pack the food box.
Zheng Haizhu was leisurely watching her green fingers flying up and down, and when she walked to the desk with the plate, the gaze in her almond-shaped eyes had changed to a look of flirtatious waves.
"Brother, I'm so jealous."
Ke Yinyue spoke politely.
Lu Xiangsheng, who was concentrating on teaching the secrets, suddenly turned around and was startled by the peach-blossom-like woman. He realized that she was probably the wet nurse of the princes, so he lowered his eyes and stepped aside.
Ke Yinyue thought to herself, "What a handsome young man, and he is not wearing official uniform. He is following the woman surnamed Zheng at such a young age. Could it be that he is the pretty boy she has raised?"
But she quickly stopped her dirty thoughts and said softly to Zhu Youxiao: "It's drenched with osmanthus honey, brother, eat it quickly."
Zhu Youzhan was pondering over a lifting mechanism in the chao car when he was suddenly interrupted by Hakka, a trace of impatience flashed across his face.
"If you don't want to eat, you're busy and you're not hungry. Why should you eat Naipizi?"
Ke Yinyue choked, and then he still felt as if there were cotton dumplings in his throat, and said softly: "Eat a few mouthfuls before teaching, we won't waste time, come on, little gentleman, you can eat too."
"Auntie Ke!" When Zhu Youjian saw Ke Yinyue's sultry gaze returning to Lu Xiangsheng's face, he suddenly felt that he had lost a member of the Zhu family, and a young man's spirit arose, and he immediately stopped and said, "This is Wenhua Hall, sir is giving a lecture, please go out."
Ke Yinyue retracted her hand holding the pastry plate and looked at Zheng Haizhu: "Master Zheng allowed me to come in."
Zheng Haizhu came over and said to her in a slow and gentle voice: "I am an official and can allow you to come in, but this Wenhua Palace is also the emperor's courtyard. If the fifth prince asks you to go out, just go out."
"Hey, Mammy, please don't disturb me first, just wait outside the hall." Zhu Youxiao said firmly.
Now he could see that his younger brother didn't like the Hakka family, and he was afraid that his younger brother would say more harsh words. If someone outside the church heard it and announced the incident to Wang An, he might as well send his grandmother away first.
Ke Yinyue felt her cheeks burning up and felt annoyed in her heart, but in the end she just flattened her mouth. She turned around and made eye contact with Zheng Haizhu. She immediately moved away and retreated to the outside of the hall, sulking in the corridor of the side hall.
"Mommy has quite a temper," Zheng Haizhu smiled, shook his head, and said to Lu Xiangsheng, "Keep talking."
When today's lecture ended at noon, the two brothers from the Zhu family still had more to say.
Lunch was prepared for the lecturers in the palace. When Zheng and Lu went to eat with the waiters, Zhu Youxiao also followed his younger brother out, pointed to the small river east of Wenhua Hall, and suggested enthusiastically: "Master Zheng , Mr. Lu, when we talk again in a few days, can you use that place to simulate a water battle?"
Zheng Haizhu glanced at Lu Xiangsheng and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, Mr. Lu taught the students about turtle boats in the pond in the garden when he was in our school."
Zhu Youjian also raised his face, his eyes as bright as stars: "What is a turtle ship?"
Lu Xiangsheng said: "It is a very interesting and powerful warship. The North Korean navy used this ship to defeat the Japanese. The ship looks like a turtle on the outside, but it contains many secrets inside."
Zheng Haizhu added at the right time: "His Royal Highnesses are very fond of wood art. The next time I teach, the two of me will bring some new materials and, together with the two Highnesses, we will make a turtle search boat."
"Okay! Then, when will the next time be?" Zhu Youxiao's expression at this moment was as eager as a reader waiting online.
Zheng Haizhu smiled: "Master, I will ask Sun Hanlin. Your Highness, don't be anxious. It may not be bad if it is a few days late. With more time, the mechanism brought by Mr. Lu and I can be better figured out."
She paused, and then told the two young men with sincere concern: "The lessons taught by Master Sun and other masters, whether it is the interpretation of the Four Books or the way of farming and mulberry, are also the best knowledge in the world. You must spend your time." Study hard enough. Besides, if you are biased, Mr. Lu and I may not be able to come again."
Her last words were lowered in volume.
Zhu Youxiao and Zhu Youjian understood that the two teachers in front of them were not famous ministers or editors from the Imperial Academy. If they were accused of misleading the prince into being obsessed with fancy skills, his status as an official would be gone in an instant.
This realization made the two young men suddenly have a closer feeling, as if they were the same as Master Zheng and Mr. Lu, the muskets fired from the chariot and the infantry attacking the city under the chariot. Comrades in the camp.
