Chapter 36: The Confucian Gentleman

Emperor Wu of Han was momentarily at a loss as to whether to laugh or cry, his expression shifting into one of profound resentment.

Your grandfather is the Son of Heaven, and you say he is inferior to an old man among the common folk?

Yet, on second thought, the boy was also boasting about him... This internal contradiction left Emperor Wu feeling quite conflicted.

Unbeknownst to them, dusk had fallen.

Liu Jin stood up and sighed, "Time flies. Every time I’m with you, old man, there is no end to our conversation, and I always learn principles and approaches I hadn't understood before."

"It is truly my honor to know you. Take good care of your health. Once the crisis in my family has passed, I’ll bring you over to visit, and I’ll have a surprise for you then."

"It’s not quite convenient right now, so please don't take it to heart."

"Oh, and in the future, if you ever have any troubles, worries, or simply want to see me, just come to Coal Hill. I’ll have my servants supervise the work there, and they’ll be sure to notify me."

Emperor Wu smiled slightly. "A family crisis? What kind of crisis?"

Liu Jin replied, "It's not very convenient to talk about, but trust me, I will certainly overcome it."

"When that time comes, I’ll make sure you come to my home as a guest in style!"

"I'm off."

"Take care of yourself. Stop believing in all those strange alchemical pills. The first time I saw you, I thought you were a stubborn old man. But we weren't close then, so I didn't want to meddle or lecture you. There is no such thing as immortals or longevity in this world. Regular exercise, a consistent routine, and worrying less—that is the secret to a long life."

"Hah!" Emperor Wu scoffed, waving his hand. "Go on, or it’ll be pitch black before you even leave."

"Oh, right! Come visit when you have time. Didn't you want to learn about 'principles'? I'll teach you more then."

"You got it!" Liu Jin beamed.

"Use your principles to deal with my grandfather next time; he’ll surely be unable to handle them! Hahaha!"

This time, Liu Jin truly departed. As Emperor Wu watched his back fade into the distance, he felt a lingering sense of melancholy and loneliness.

He felt that being an "Autumn Wind Guest" was far happier than being the Emperor of Han.

At the very least, he could express joy, anger, sorrow, and delight like a normal person, and enjoy the simple warmth of family life.

Such unadulterated, sincere concern—reminding him to look after his health, to rest more, and to avoid overexertion—was something he had not heard for far too long. How could his heart not be moved?

...

Changle Palace complex, the Crown Prince’s Palace.

The evening sun hung over the shimmering lake. Beside the embankment, a small plot of farmland had been cleared.

Crown Prince's Tutor Shi De and Crown Prince Liu Ju were both diligently using plows to turn and refresh the soil.

Throughout the Han Dynasty, every year during the harvest season, the Crown Prince's Tutor would personally instruct the Crown Prince in farming, so that the heir apparent would understand the hardships of the common people's labor.

"Agriculture is the great foundation of the world, that upon which the people rely for survival. Yet some people neglect the foundation to pursue the trivial," Shi De said, leaning on his hoe, his elderly frame drenched in sweat.

Liu Ju asked, "How can there be peace under heaven?"

Shi De replied, "Auspicious signs."

Shi De was a Confucian gentleman, and he often used classical Confucian texts as references when educating the Crown Prince.

"When the people abandon the essential for the trivial, the fields lie fallow and the state grows poor."

"Merchants trade in extravagant and luxurious goods—silks, brokens, and trinkets—dazzling people's eyes and draining their wealth. This is sowing the seeds of extravagance and establishing the roots of poverty."

Liu Ju nodded in deep agreement.

Liu Jin stood by, watching the conversation between his father and the Tutor with a relaxed air.

Shi De was a standard Confucian, placing extreme importance on agriculture while vehemently rejecting commerce. He was fundamentally different from the likes of Sang Hongyang, who vigorously developed trade only to ruthlessly fleece the merchants later, though both held a disdain for business.

"Teacher, does Fusu of Qin have any strategy to deal with Huhai and Zhao Gao?"

It wasn't just people of later generations who liked to critique history; the ancients were the same. This was what they meant by "using history as a mirror."

*My father’s question is quite forward-thinking,* Liu Jin thought to himself.

He had expected that a Confucian gentleman like Shi De would suggest something about using ritual to reform Huhai or moral restraint to constrain Zhao Gao.

But the result was unexpected.

"The Imperial Decree has been issued; whether it is true or false, there is only the sword!"

Liu Jin thought to himself that this could be translated as: *Since we don't know if the decree is real or fake, we might as well go and kick their asses!*

This was an eye-opener. He thought all Confucians were supposed to be humble gentlemen. Why was Tutor Shi so ruthless?

*Since we don't know if Qin Shi Huang is dead or alive, as the Crown Prince, Fusu might as well lead an army to Xianyang to see for himself!*

*This tutor is interesting. Is this how you teach the Crown Prince the Confucian classics?*

*"Hear the Way in the morning, and one may die in the evening without regret."* Liu Jin wondered if Shi De might follow up with, "If you learn of Huhai's forged decree in the morning, you can kill him by the evening."

Sensing someone nearby, Liu Ju and Shi De turned their gaze.

Liu Jin walked over, bowing and saying, "Greetings, Father. Greetings, Tutor Shi."

Shi De nodded slightly, returning the greeting with refined courtesy: "The Imperial Grandson is virtuous."

"As the heir-designate, you must also understand the hardships of the harvest."

Shi De spoke, expectantly handing the farming tool to Liu Jin.

Liu Jin: "..."

*I shouldn't have come.*

Helplessly, he took the plow and followed his father, turning the soil back and forth. After only a moment, he was drenched in sweat and gasping for breath.

He immediately understood the difficulty of farm work. Many things remain unknown until one does them personally; empty talk is just a castle in the air, and only by actually doing the work could one know how hard it was for the common people.

Liu Jin suspected that Tutor Shi simply couldn't handle the work anymore and had intentionally passed the tool to him.

"The Crown Prince and the Imperial Grandson should continue. I will grant you half an hour. By then, the lamps will be lit, and you may rest."

"One must not be slipshod in anything. Skill comes from diligence, and neglect from play."

Liu Jin: "..."

*Our main job isn't farming! Isn't a token effort enough? We have to turn soil for half an hour?*

"I shall take my leave."

Shi De bowed and departed.

Once he left the Changle Palace, Shi De's expression turned ferocious. The effort had nearly broken his bones; teaching the Crown Prince was no easy task.

As he walked down Hengmen Street, he saw a man picking someone's pocket. He roared, "I'll kill you!"

"Die!"

With one punch, the man collapsed to the ground.

Shi De nodded with satisfaction. "I prefer to convince people with reason, but when reason fails, I am also somewhat skilled in fisticuffs!"

The man on the ground looked at him in terror. "You... you didn't reason with me at all!"

Shi De said coldly, "For scum like you, I am ashamed to use reason!"

...

"Father, the Tutor has gone. Let's stop; it's truly too tiring."

"No, a gentleman must be sincere."

Liu Jin thought for a moment, and while Liu Ju wasn't looking, he smeared a handful of mud onto his own face. When Liu Ju turned around, Liu Jin hurriedly said, "You... hurry and wash up. Why are you so dirty?"

"Go quickly!"

Liu Jin urged, "Alright, I'm going. Father, I'm taking my leave."