Chapter 52

The night grew deep, and the clamor within Weiyang Palace finally settled down. The palace maids prepared the evening meal for the Emperor and Empress in an orderly fashion; although Liu Li had already eaten outside the palace, she stayed behind to have a little more with A Jiao and Liu Che.

Liu Che asked Liu Li a few questions about matters at the Imperial Academy, and also asked what Dong Zhongshu had said to her.

Liu Li answered them one by one, and also told Liu Che about her idea of promoting the Imperial Academy throughout the entire Han.

After listening, Liu Che praised Liu Li's idea, but then rejected it: "The idea is good, but now is not the time."

Liu Li took a bite of a steamed bun and said indistinctly: "I know that, after all, there aren't many scholars yet."

Liu Che raised his eyes to look at her, his lips curled into a smile, but he said nothing.

A Li was always able to come up with some ideas that even he found brilliant; whether they were thought up by her or by the Goddess behind her, it was a good thing for the Han.

After the evening meal, A Jiao took Liu Li back to her room alone. When it was just the mother and daughter, A Jiao suddenly reached out and tapped Liu Li on the head.

"Hmm?" Liu Li looked at A Jiao with an innocent expression: "Why did Mother hit me?"

A Jiao gave a light rebuke: "Do you truly know you were wrong?"

Liu Li was stunned for a moment, then smilingly reached out her hands to hug A Jiao's thick waist: "I'm sorry, Mother, it was A Li who made you worry."

A Jiao reached out a finger to press against her daughter's little head and said very seriously: "I know you are exceptionally clever and not a small child, and that even if you were left alone at the Imperial Academy, nothing would happen. But I still worry; after all, in the eyes of outsiders, you are only a six-year-old child. With such a small stature, any bad person could abduct you. Even if you have heaven-defying abilities, what could you do?"

Listening to A Jiao's concern for her, Liu Li felt a warmth in her heart. She sniffled and quickly said: "It's okay, doesn't A Li have the Goddess protecting her? Nothing will happen for sure."

A Jiao looked at her and said nothing.

Liu Li leaned into her arms and acted like a spoiled child: "Mother, Mother, I know I was wrong, I won't do it again next time. I didn't tell you about this matter in advance, yet you understood my meaning; this shows that we mother and daughter share a spiritual connection, so Mother, please don't be angry, okay?"

A Jiao lowered her eyes to look at the little one before her, her expression gradually softening.

"By the way, I saw a beautiful hairpin at the Willow Market." Liu Li said, turning to run and fetch her "LV" bag. She found the hairpin inside, and extended her little hand to give it to A Jiao: "A gift for you."

A Jiao reached out to take the hairpin, her fingertips stroking the jade, her eyes filled with a smile: "It's truly beautiful."

Liu Li looked up at A Jiao: "Mother, let me put it on for you."

A Jiao nodded, half-squatting before her daughter, lowering her head to let her help her put on the jade hairpin. After it was done, Liu Li even specifically brought a mirror for A Jiao to look at.

What appeared in the mirror was Liu Che's face; perhaps because the candlelight in the room was not bright enough, this face appeared somewhat hazy, not as sharp as the Liu Che of the past.

For some reason, A Jiao always felt that the face before her looked less and less like Liu Che. Just as she now faced her own reflection, she also felt it looked less and less like herself.

Most of the things in Liu Li's room were redeemed from the System Store, and the glass mirror in her hand was the same.

However, although Liu Li could redeem these things that only existed in the modern era, she rarely brought them out of her room. Because she knew clearly that every item she redeemed would bring changes to this space-time.

Therefore, the scope of use for these post-modern items was limited to her room.

The palace servants of Jiaofang Hall all knew that the Jianling Princess's bedchamber was a forbidden area of the entire Jiaofang Hall; except for Zhuqing and Qiao, the Princess's personal maids, anyone else who entered without authorization would be severely punished.

The next day, A Jiao prepared a separate carriage for Liu Li to pick her up and drop her off, and arranged for guards to escort her, no longer traveling with Liu Yue and Liu Ling.

After entering the Imperial Academy, she was guided by a door attendant to a classroom.

Because she was a princess, the three seats in the front row were exactly

occupied by the three princesses. Liu Li put down the bag she was carrying and carefully examined the layout of the classroom.

There were three columns and five rows of desks in the classroom, a total of fifteen desks; the entire classroom could accommodate about fifteen people.

In the very front row, there was a large desk, which presumably was the teacher's seat.

Before long, the door attendant led another young lady over. Liu Li looked up and discovered it was Wei Yan'er.

Wei Yan'er stood before the classroom door, looked at the three princesses inside, and slightly curtsied: "Greetings to the Jianling Princess, greetings to the two princesses."

Liu Li pointed to the seat behind her: "Sister Yan'er, sit here."

Wei Yan'er nodded: "Yes."

There were a total of seven girls who came to report to the Imperial Academy yesterday. Excluding the three royal princesses, the young ladies from the marquis mansions were Chen Yu, arranged by the Tangyi Marquis Mansion; Wei Yan'er from the Pingqu Marquis Mansion; as well as Han Wan, granddaughter of the Gonggao Marquis, and Cheng Xin, granddaughter of General Cheng Bushi.

Wei Yan'er sat down behind Liu Li and asked in a low voice: "Princess, where did you go yesterday?"

Liu Li did not hide it from Wei Yan'er and smiled: "I asked Young Master Sang to take me to the market, which delayed me a bit."

"So that's how it was." Just as Wei Yan'er finished speaking, another girl appeared at the classroom door.

Although she had the appearance of a girl, her attire was that of a proper man; her hair was tied behind her head, looking very dashing. Moreover, she was very tall; Liu Li estimated she was about one meter sixty-five.

Not yet fifteen years old, and already one meter sixty-five; if she grew for a few more years, she might reach one meter seventy!

This young lady walked in, ignored everyone, and walked straight to the last row of the classroom to sit down.

Wei Yan'er told Liu Li: "This is General Cheng's granddaughter, Cheng Xin."

Liu Li asked in a low voice: "Cheng Bushi?"

Wei Yan'er nodded.

Liu Li secretly glanced at Cheng Xin in the last row, her eyes filled with curiosity. This Cheng Bushi was also a figure who left his name in history, though his fame was much dimmer compared to others of the same period.

However, at present, Cheng Bushi was as famous as Li Guang.

The famous Tang Dynasty frontier poet Wang Changling once wrote a poem that all primary and middle school students were required to recite in full, which included the line: "If the Flying General of Long City were here, he would not let the Hu horses cross the Yin Mountains."

The Flying General of Long City mentioned here refers to Wei Qing and Li Guang.

Unlike Li Guang, Cheng Bushi did not come from a noble family, nor did he receive good military training; before he became an official, he was just a commoner.

His parents operated a small wine shop, and it was the retired veterans who often came to his house to drink who taught Cheng Bushi the knowledge of leading troops in battle.

After Cheng Bushi joined the army according to the law, he was courageous, resourceful, and exceptionally clever, rising step by step, and eventually even became friends with Li Guang.

In the second year of Yuanguang, Liu Che deployed an army of 300,000 to set an ambush at Mayi, but the plan failed. The general leading the troops at the time, Wang Hui, committed suicide in prison because he feared Liu Che's anger could not be appeased.

Li Guang and Cheng Bushi, who participated in the campaign, were also demoted; Cheng Bushi was transferred to be the Governor of Yanmen Pass, while his family's female dependents remained in Chang'an.

Coming to the Imperial Academy was truly a correct choice; she basically knew all the civil officials in the Han court, and now it was time to get to know some military generals.

I wonder if there will be an opportunity to meet that Flying General Li Guang in the future.

The third young lady to walk in was Han Wan, granddaughter of the Gonggao Marquis. She wore an apricot-yellow skirt, and her movements while walking were dignified and elegant. After entering the door, she first bowed gracefully to the three princesses in the front row: "Greetings to the three princesses."

After the salute, she scanned the entire classroom and finally chose to sit next to Wei Yan'er, in the row behind Liu Yue. Liu Li observed her overall movements and felt that this was a very elegant young lady.

The granddaughter of the Gonggao Marquis.

Liu Li recited silently in her heart, recalling in her mind who the Gonggao Marquis was in history. This title of Gonggao Marquis sounded a bit familiar, but for a moment she couldn't think of the corresponding information.

Now only Chen Yu from the Tangyi Marquis Mansion had not arrived, but the Doctor who was to teach them had already arrived. The teaching Doctor did not leave a name in history, but to be appointed as a Doctor

, he must certainly have had a certain level of learning.

In the first class, the page boy distributed bamboo slips to everyone. The Doctor read a sentence from the podium, they followed by writing it down on the bamboo slips, and then the Doctor explained the meaning and philosophy behind the sentences to them.

Isn't this just like a language class in later generations? Liu Li listened until she was drowsy, her two eyelids feeling as if they weighed a thousand catties.

The Doctor on the podium naturally saw Liu Li's performance; he frowned and wanted to offer a reminder, but then thought of Doctor Dong's praise for this Jianling Princess, so he finally held back.

A class lasted for a full hour or more. When the Doctor stood up and announced a break, Liu Li woke up instantly.

Then the Doctor walked to Liu Li's desk. He stared at Liu Li's blank bamboo slips, so angry that his beard bristled: "Jianling Princess, why have you not written a single word?"

"Replying to the Master, I have already memorized the content you just taught." Liu Li replied: "So I didn't want to waste the bamboo slips and ink."

You were clearly dozing off just now! The Doctor muttered to himself, then said: "Since that is the case, then please, Princess, recount the content of my lecture just now."

Liu Li raised her hand to tap her head and began: "The Master just said that ritual education is something indispensable to people, especially ritual and benevolence. Ritual is the moral code, benevolence is the moral standard..."

She combined what she could remember with the Confucian and Mencian theories she had learned from books before, and rattled off a bunch of things, leaving the Doctor dumbfounded.

"You... you..."

Liu Ling, sitting to the side, gloated in her heart. On the first day of class, Liu Li actually made the Master so angry he couldn't speak; if the Emperor Father found out, he would certainly not spare her.

Who knew that the next moment, the Doctor actually bowed deeply to Liu Li: "The Jianling Princess can be called a great Confucian of the contemporary era."

In Confucian studies, "Great Confucian" is an honorific for intellectuals with profound learning like Confucius and Mencius. Now, the Doctor teaching them actually called the Jianling Princess a Great Confucian directly, which shocked the few girls in the classroom.

Liu Li: "..."

She quickly stood up to return the salute to the Doctor: "Master, you flatter me. I only thought of what to say after listening to your explanation. A Li truly does not dare to be called a Great Confucian."

The Doctor said: "No wonder Doctor Dong speaks so highly of the Princess; the Princess's thinking is something we cannot reach."

Liu Li was humble again and again, and finally managed to send the Doctor away. The Doctor even said that next time they had a Confucian seminar, he would invite Liu Li to attend.

Liu Li: "..." I really appreciate that!

But it cannot be denied that the ideological culture formed in early ancient China, whether it be Confucian learning, or Daoist, Legalist, and other such thoughts, has been passed down for thousands of years and is something carved into the bones of the Chinese people.

If one were to compare ideological culture to a person, the ideological culture at this time was still in its infancy and was immature.

And Liu Li, who had already experienced mature ideological and cultural education, did not want to interfere with the Confucian culture that was still in its infancy; after all, human growth is a process of exploration.

What's more, after experiencing Qin Shi Huang's "burning of books and burying of scholars," the Confucianism of the Western Han period was no longer traditional Confucianism.

The Confucian thought proposed by Dong Zhongshu integrated Daoist, Legalist, Yinyang, and other schools of thought, which is why the new Confucianism existed today.

And the reason Liu Che chose Confucian thought to become the mainstream policy was also because the Confucianism of this time advocated the divine right of kings. Confucianism could consolidate centralized power, which was exactly what Liu Che needed, so he promoted Confucianism.

If the thoughts Dong Zhongshu integrated were not conducive to centralized power, Liu Che would likely have become the second Qin Shi Huang.

Although early Confucianism emphasized the Three Bonds and Five Constants—that is, the ruler is the guide for the subject, the father for the son, and the husband for the wife—it did not have many restrictions on women. The meaning of "the husband is the guide for the wife" also meant that the husband should be a role model for the wife.

It was not until the Eastern Han period that Ban Zhao, a woman from a Confucian family, wrote "Admonitions for Women," arguing that women should follow the Three Obediences and Four Virtues. With the development of society and the change of dynasties, early Confucianism was misinterpreted by later generations.

It was not until the Song Dynasty, with the emergence of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism, that the social status of women completely hit rock bottom.

There was nearly a thousand years of development in between; even if Liu Li wanted to do something, it would likely only add to her

troubles.

This morning session ended, and there was also an hour-long break at noon. It was heard that those young masters had already gone to the training ground in the back to play cuju.

Liu Li had been kneeling and sitting in the classroom for over an hour; now, wanting to stand up, she felt her legs were numb and had lost all sensation.

The Western Han, without chairs, was simply too miserable.

Previously in Jiaofang Hall, Liu Li never knelt and sat like this, so she hadn't felt anything. Now in the classroom, where one's sitting posture had to be upright as a manifestation of etiquette, she discovered this drawback.

After kneeling and sitting for so long, the blood in her legs wasn't circulating; she feared her legs were going to be ruined.

How could these ancients stand it?

Liu Li secretly glanced at Liu Yue beside her, who still maintained a straight posture, and sighed in her heart: aren't her legs numb?

One or two days would be fine, but if this continued, who could stand it?

No, this cannot go on. She is only six years old now; kneeling and sitting like this for a long time will stunt her growth!

"Princess, would you like to go out for a stroll?" Wei Yan'er took the initiative to invite Liu Li.

Liu Li rubbed her legs, which were still a bit numb, and nodded: "Okay." It was just the right time to get the blood flowing in her legs.

Seeing this, Han Wan asked softly: "Jianling Princess, may I join you?"

Liu Li nodded: "Of course you can."

The three of them went out together. Han Wan and Wei Yan'er were both eleven or twelve-year-old girls; standing beside Liu Li, they looked like big sisters taking care of a little sister.

The entire Imperial Academy covered a very large area, with not only corridors but also flowers, plants, and ponds for viewing.

The three walked to a pavilion. Liu Li leaned against the railing and sat down, took the chocolate wrapped in cloth out of her bag, and placed it on the stone table to the side: "Two sisters, I'll treat you to some candy."

Han Wan looked at the dark candy before her, her eyes filled with surprise and curiosity: "What kind of candy is this?" She had never seen it before.

Liu Li only said: "It's edible, so Sister A Wan, have a taste."

Han Wan took a piece of candy through her handkerchief and gently placed it in her mouth, then she exclaimed: "What a strange taste."

Wei Yan'er smiled: "When I first ate it, I also thought the taste was strange, but after tasting it, I felt the aftertaste was endless."

Han Wan sat down beside Liu Li, her beautiful eyes fixed on Liu Li: "Thank you, Princess, for the candy."

"Sister A Wan, there is no need for such courtesy. This is the Imperial Academy; in school, there is no distinction between high and low, so Sister A Wan, just call me A Li."

"Okay, A Li." Han Wan called out softly, then covered her mouth and laughed.

"What is Sister A Wan laughing at?" Liu Li asked.

Han Wan said: "My uncle used to be the Emperor's study companion, and now I am actually able to study with the Princess; does this count as a kind of fate?"

Liu Li blinked her eyes: "Who is Sister A Wan's uncle?"

Mentioning her uncle, Han Wan first frowned, seemingly unwilling to bring up this person, but due to Liu Li's inquiry, she said: "Wan's uncle was once the Grand Master Han Yan."

Oh!

It was actually Han Yan!

Hearing this name, Liu Li immediately connected the relationships. Han Yan was a descendant of Han Xin, the King of Han, and a grandson of the former Gonggao Marquis, Han Tuidang. He left his name in history because he was a study companion for Liu Che, and was also known as the Han Prince's Grandson.

Han Yan was skilled in riding and archery, and good at fawning and pleasing others. After Liu Che ascended the throne, he wanted to attack the Xiongnu, and Han Yan took the initiative to say he would lead troops to practice, becoming the only person to support Liu Che.

Because of this, Han Yan's status became increasingly noble, and he himself became a bit carried away. In the fourth year of Jianyuan, King Liu Fei of Jiangdu came to Chang'an to pay respects to the Emperor; Han Yan rode in the imperial carriage and ignored Liu Fei, who reported him to the Wang Taihou, causing the Empress Dowager to feel dissatisfied with Han Yan.

Later, in order to please the Wang Taihou, Han Yan found the daughter the Empress Dowager had in the common world, allowing the mother and daughter to reunite. He thought it was a good thing, but the Wang Taihou became even more dissatisfied with Han Yan.

It was also in the same year that Han Yan was secretly ordered to commit suicide by the Wang Taihou.

Han Wan was actually Han Yan's niece; truth be told, Liu Li didn't find it strange.

Now, Liu Li had basically figured out the situation

on the girls' side, and she had come with the intention of making friends. As for the boys' side, Liu Li hadn't yet figured out how to approach them for the time being.

However, there should be a long time ahead where everyone would be studying together, so it wouldn't be too late to get to know them slowly then.

Around three o'clock in the afternoon, the Imperial Academy dismissed. The girls said goodbye to each other and boarded their own carriages to return.

The situation of the first day of learning at the Imperial Academy had already been summarized by the Doctors and given to Dong Zhongshu, who then entered the palace to report to the Emperor on the learning situation of each disciple.

A Jiao heard Dong Zhongshu's praise for Liu Li and felt proud in her heart.

After Liu Li returned to Weiyang Palace, she suggested to A Jiao and Liu Che: "I think the desks at the Imperial Academy are too high; I need to use more cushions."

Liu Che naturally wouldn't quibble over such a thing and agreed directly. Liu Li took out the drawing of the table and chair she had made: "Emperor Father, what do you think of this kind of table and chair?"

"This... what is that behind the table?" Liu Che asked.

Liu Li quickly explained to Liu Che: "This thing is called a stool, or it can also be called a chair."

The current kneeling and sitting was a form of etiquette, especially when students were in class; kneeling and sitting was a sign of respect for the Master.

Kneeling and sitting for a minute or two was fine, but for an hour or two, Liu Li really couldn't stand it.

The Han at this time did not yet have the concept of stools or chairs. It wasn't until the Wei and Jin periods, when northern nomadic peoples entered the Central Plains, that they had something called a "Hu bed," which was a type of foldable stool.

By the Tang Dynasty, people's sitting postures began to change, and stools gradually evolved into chairs with backrests and armrests.

Liu Li said: "Today, when your daughter was in class at the Imperial Academy, I was in a kneeling posture for a full hour. When I stood up, my legs were numb and I couldn't walk; it was truly uncomfortable. So your daughter thought of such tables and chairs. I believe that when the Emperor Father received court officials in the Xuanshi Hall in the past, you must have felt the same way."

Liu Che raised an eyebrow; it was indeed so.

"This is because the legs are bent for a long time, the blood in the legs does not circulate, and the legs and feet become numb." Liu Li said, gesturing with her hands: "If we can adopt such tables and chairs, people can sit on this chair, and their legs will naturally hang down on the ground, so their legs and feet won't become numb."

This was a very trendy thing for Liu Che, but after seeing more trendy things from Liu Li's side, such tables and chairs were actually quite ordinary.

Liu Che: "With chairs, wouldn't the original tables be unusable?"

"The original tables can also be kept; this table is of course meant to be matched with the chair, and we can use high-legged tables with four legs." Liu Li said: "And if we have such tables, in the future when we eat, we can sit together, instead of one person per table, cold and lonely."

"It looks quite good; we can arrange for craftsmen to make a set first." Liu Che looked at A Jiao: "What does A Jiao think?"

A Jiao had no objections and handed the drawing of the table and chair Liu Li had made to Su Wen, telling him to find a carpenter as soon as possible to make them according to the drawing.

Liu Li finally let out a sigh of relief in her heart; just endure for a few more days, and once the tables and chairs were made, she wouldn't have to kneel and sit anymore.

The teaching at the Imperial Academy was currently going smoothly; the Doctors were instilling new Confucian thoughts into the students one by one, teaching everyone to read the Four Books and Five Classics, and learning the knowledge of the ancients.

The carpenter ruined several chairs, but finally made a set of tables and chairs that matched the height of the tables. Liu Li moved this set of tables and chairs to the Imperial Academy to try sitting on them for a few days, and felt very comfortable.

Other classmates saw the chair Liu Li was sitting on and rushed over to watch.

"The Emperor Father has already ordered the craftsmen to work overnight to make them. At the latest, in three days, you will also be able to have such tables and chairs, so you won't have to kneel and sit when studying."

"That's great, otherwise sitting for an hour every day, my legs really can't take it." A young man said happily: "The Jianling Princess is truly a divine person to be able to think of such things; I admire you."

Saying this, the young man slightly raised his hands and bowed to Liu Li, and others also praised the Jianling Princess for her cleverness.

Liu Li was a bit embarrassed by the praise, but when class started, she became even more embarrassed.

Everyone else was kneeling and sitting, writing on low tables. Only she was sitting on a high

chair, standing out from the crowd like a crane in a flock of chickens!

Liu Li recited silently in her heart: as long as I am not embarrassed, then the embarrassed one is someone else.