Chapter Twenty-One: In Teaching, There Is No Distinction of Age
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Zhao Gao was visibly startled when he heard that voice.
At that very moment, he was frightened not only in his heart, but physically as well.
He had always felt that Fusu seemed to have become a completely different person after the incident involving Consort Li.
In particular, when Fusu acted, he showed absolutely no restraint, doing whatever he pleased without the slightest scruple.
As the saying went: the reckless fear the foolhardy, the foolhardy fear the ruthless, and the ruthless fear those who do not value their lives…
Fusu was now both foolhardy and ruthless!
“Your… Your Highness, what is it?” Zhao Gao forced out a smile uglier than tears and turned to look at him.
Fusu smiled faintly and said nonchalantly, “Eunuch Zhao has rendered great service and endured many hardships. When you return to report…”
“Please put in a few good words for us about what happened at the prince’s estate today.”
“Wang Ruonan was not trying to defy the imperial order. Everything happened so suddenly that she was unable to accept it for a moment and lost her composure.”
“I am sure Eunuch Zhao knows how to report this, does he not?”
Zhao Gao immediately nodded, though inwardly he was already longing to strangle Fusu to death. Just wait. Once this old servant returned, he would certainly put in a great many “good words” on his behalf!
Fusu knew Zhao Gao was harboring resentment. Rather than continue coaxing him, he used both favor and threat as he said, “Eunuch Zhao, do you know how many acts you have committed that have provoked the wrath of Heaven and the indignation of men?”
“If you dare speak nonsense and Father blames you…”
“I, Fusu, may lose my life, but you, Zhao Gao, will certainly die before I do!”
“Execution of your entire clan would be getting off lightly!”
Ah—
Zhao Gao immediately shook his head like a rattle drum and raised a hand to swear to Heaven. “This old servant would never speak recklessly!”
Fusu waved his hand.
Zhao Gao hurried away as though fleeing for his life.
Once he was gone, every member of the Wang family turned their gaze toward Fusu.
Wang Ruonan gave a cold snort. “Why did you stop me just now?”
“And now you are pretending to say all these things, deliberately trying to leave a good impression on us.”
“Do not think I have no idea what you are plotting!”
Looking at Wang Ruonan’s fierce glare, Fusu shook his head with a smile. “If it were not for the fact that your Wang family is a meritorious house of Great Qin, I would not have bothered with you.”
“I do not want Great Qin to lose a battlefield god like Old General Wang because of you!”
Although Wang Jian knew that Fusu was praising him, his expression remained livid.
Wang Li also glared furiously at Fusu.
Seeing that the atmosphere had grown awkward, Princess Huayang reminded them, “Why are you all still standing there? Come, let us go inside and talk.”
The group turned and was about to enter the main hall.
Suddenly, a servant hurried over and said, “My lord, a group of Confucian scholars is asking to see you outside!”
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“Their leader is a great scholar who calls himself Chunyu Yue!”
The moment he heard this, Fusu immediately shook his head. “No audience. Do not let them in. This prince is in a foul mood today.”
“Do not let them come here and make trouble.”
The servant glanced at Wang Jian and Princess Huayang. Seeing that they silently agreed, he was about to go out and turn the men away.
But Wang Ruonan gritted her teeth and said, “Let them in. I want to see what our Prince Fusu has done that cannot bear the light of day. They have come all the way to our door, yet he still wants to hide from them!”
Fusu was speechless.
He glanced at Wang Ruonan. This woman’s hostility toward him was far too obvious…
After all, they would be sharing the same bed in the future. They would have to see each other every day. Could she not restrain herself a little?
No matter how dissatisfied she was, she could at least keep it to herself!
The servant was instantly caught between two sides.
Princess Huayang feared that Fusu had truly caused some further trouble, which would only make the situation more disadvantageous.
She was just about to intervene when Wang Jian spoke first.
“A guest is a guest. In any case, today is a joyous occasion.”
“Have someone prepare a banquet and entertain them.”
“That way, no one can spread word that our marquisate is stingy and will not even offer a guest a cup of wine!”
Seeing this, Princess Huayang immediately smiled and personally went to make the arrangements. “Very well!”
Wang Li seemed to dislike the situation and turned to leave.
Wang Jian called out to him. “Where do you think you are going?”
“You are staying right here!”
“All you do every day is build muscle, while never exercising your brain. Your father’s mind is already lacking, and you are even worse!”
“When your grandfather is gone one day, how will the two of you support the family?”
Wang Li knew that Wang Jian was angry, and that this scolding had come out of nowhere.
Nevertheless, he did not dare argue. He obediently stayed where he was.
The moment they reached the main hall, a hurried series of footsteps came from the distance.
Wang Li’s brows drew together. He had a feeling something serious was about to happen.
Wang Jian also frowned. Judging from the commotion, these people did not seem to have come to offer congratulations…
Fusu felt somewhat uneasy as well.
Could it be that he had gone too far with his performance at the banquet today?
Had Chunyu Yue and the others come to question him?
After all, when these Confucian scholars became impassioned, each of them spoke with startling bluntness. They even dared to curse the First Emperor of Qin, let alone a mere prince like him.
Fusu unconsciously quickened his pace.
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Seeing this, Wang Ruonan guessed that nothing good could come of it and deliberately slowed her steps.
Only a few breaths later, Chunyu Yue’s excited voice rang out from the distance.
“Your Highness!”
“Prince Fusu!”
“Please slow down! Slow down!”
Fusu frowned. Why were they in such a hurry?
Were they starving to death?
Princess Huayang was also startled to see the group and faintly sensed that something was wrong.
“Teacher, what is the matter?” Upon seeing Chunyu Yue, Fusu performed a most reluctant student’s salute.
Chunyu Yue hurriedly supported him, panting heavily. “Do not bow! Do not bow!”
“This old man cannot accept such a gesture. I truly cannot!”
Fusu furrowed his brows. “Teacher, what do you mean?”
Chunyu Yue took two steps back and solemnly performed a student’s salute.
“A teacher is one who transmits the Way, imparts knowledge, and resolves doubts.”
“Thus, in the presence of the Way, there is no distinction between noble and base, old and young; wherever the Way exists, there the teacher exists.”
“Your Highness!”
“From this day onward, you are my teacher!”
Fusu stared at Chunyu Yue as though he were looking at an idiot. “Is that really necessary…?”
Chunyu Yue immediately nodded, speaking with great stubbornness. “Of course! What Your Highness said is truly beyond the bounds of ordinary understanding!”
“After pondering it carefully, the more I think about it, the broader and more profound I find its implications…”
“By comparison, it is more ingenious, more reasonable, and far better suited to the present circumstances of Great Qin than the enfeoffment system!”
The moment Fusu heard this, the doubts in his heart vanished.
“Elder Chun, you are talking about the provincial system, are you not?” Fusu grasped the essential point and asked with a smile.
“Precisely!”
“That is exactly what I mean!”
“After reflecting on it again and again, I found that there are still certain aspects I do not fully understand. That is why I have come especially to seek Your Highness’s guidance!”
Chunyu Yue was visibly excited as he took Fusu by the arm and led him into the main hall.
Fusu smiled. “Please ask, Teacher. Your disciple will tell you everything I know without holding anything back.”
Chunyu Yue immediately put forward his first question.
“Your Highness, you said that the shortcomings of the enfeoffment system would weaken the authority of the central government. But if the provincial system were implemented…”
“Would that not happen?”
When Fusu heard the question, he immediately realized how simple it was.
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