Zhao Erlang returned from his morning run, looking completely bewildered as Qiu Wu brought him to the garden.
The young men all turned to look at him, the nominal heir of the main branch of the family.
Unlike before, Zhao Erlang paid no attention to their gazes and ran straight to his sister’s side. “Elder Sister!”
Zhao Hanzhang pulled him over. “Quickly go pay your respects to Uncle and Younger Uncle.”
“Oh.” Zhao Erlang went to bow to the two men, simply calling them Uncle and Younger Uncle, then turned to leave.
“Wait,” Zhao Cheng called out, asking, “Do you know who I am?”
Zhao Erlang replied, “Younger Uncle.”
Zhao Cheng pressed, “Which younger uncle?”
Zhao Erlang turned to look at his sister.
Zhao Hanzhang smiled and said, “This is Uncle Cheng, who used to study with your father.”
Zhao Erlang acknowledged, “Uncle Cheng.”
Zhao Cheng felt somewhat disappointed in his heart, though his face showed nothing. He continued asking, “What books are you reading now?”
Zhao Erlang was very honest. “I’m not reading books anymore.”
Zhao Cheng frowned. “Then how many books have you read in total?”
Zhao Erlang felt as if he were facing a teacher. He looked anxiously toward Zhao Hanzhang.
Zhao Hanzhang nodded slightly at him with a smile.
Whenever his sister showed this expression, it meant he should say whatever he wanted to say. So Zhao Erlang grew bolder and stated matter-of-factly, “I haven’t finished reading a single book.”
Zhao Cheng asked gently, “Then what have you been doing lately? You’re only twelve years old, still young. Surely you’re not wasting your time.”
“I’m not wasting time—I’m very busy every day,” Zhao Erlang counted on his fingers for him. “Every day I must pay respects to Fifth Grand-Uncle and Mother, lead my subordinates in martial arts and archery practice, and listen to books being read and memorize them. There’s never enough time.”
Zhao Cheng was surprised and examined him carefully. Only then did he notice that though only twelve, the boy had grown tall and big, already slightly taller than his sister. His narrow-sleeved nomadic clothing emphasized his broad shoulders and long arms.
He stood up, walked to his side, and squeezed his arm, slightly amazed. “Books can be listened to?”
“Of course,” Zhao Erlang stated confidently. “When others read books aloud and I listen from the side, that’s listening to books.”
“Can you memorize them that way?”
Zhao Erlang hesitated before saying, “I suppose so. After hearing them many, many times, I can memorize them.”
“Then recite something for me.”
Zhao Erlang glanced at his sister. Seeing her nod slightly, his face flushed red as he began reciting haltingly, “King Wen asked the Grand Duke: The world bustles and stirs, alternating between fullness and emptiness, order and chaos. What is the reason for this? Is it due to differences in the worthiness of rulers? Or is it natural changes in the celestial cycles?”
This was his first time reciting in front of so many people, and he actually managed it! Excited, his face turned even redder, making him recite even louder. “The Grand Duke replied: When the ruler is unworthy, the state is endangered and the people fall into chaos; when the ruler is wise and sagely, the state is secure and the people are well-governed. Fortune and disaster lie with the ruler, not with the celestial cycles.”
Zhao Cheng’s eyes brightened slightly. “The Six Secret Teachings? Who read this to you?”
Zhao Erlang turned to look at Fu Tinghan. “My brother-in-law taught me to memorize it.”
Zhao Cheng looked at Fu Tinghan, very satisfied, nodding. “Well taught. So many people tried to teach this child without success, but in the end it was you who succeeded.”
Fu Tinghan glanced at Zhao Hanzhang before saying, “It was Hanzhang’s idea.”
“But you’re the one who did it. Not everyone has the patience to teach him.” Though Zhao Cheng had never met Zhao Erlang after his initial tutoring, he regularly corresponded with Zhao Changyu. From his eldest uncle’s letters, he knew how difficult Zhao Erlang was to teach.
It wasn’t that he was disobedient, but that even when obedient, he couldn’t be taught. What made people feel even more powerless than a mischievous child unwilling to study was one who tried earnestly and obediently to learn but simply couldn’t.
That was why when he learned that his eldest uncle wanted to pass the title to Zhao Ji, he said nothing, only feeling increasingly disheartened.
Think about how many tutors Zhao Erlang had driven away! Yet Fu Tinghan could not only persist but even get him to memorize this passage from the Six Secret Teachings—clearly he was quite capable.
While Zhao Cheng felt gratified about Fu Tinghan, what Zhao Ming heard was the content Zhao Erlang had recited. He looked at Zhao Hanzhang. “Did you specifically have him memorize this passage?”
Zhao Hanzhang was momentarily stunned before catching on. She immediately said, “Of course not.”
She explained, “The Six Secret Teachings is a military text. Erlang gets a headache just looking at books—he clearly won’t be able to read and write in this lifetime. So I can only teach him military strategy. If he can achieve merit through martial prowess in the future, Mother and I can rest easy.”
Zhao Ming countered, “If you’re going to teach military texts, you could easily teach Sun Bin’s Art of War. I remember your family has a handwritten copy.”
Zhao Hanzhang responded, “Then why shouldn’t the Six Secret Teachings work?”
Zhao Cheng, having overheard their dispute, turned to ask Zhao Erlang, “Do you know what this passage means?”
“I do,” Zhao Erlang replied. “King Wen asked the Grand Duke whether the world’s chaos was due to the Mandate of Heaven. The Grand Duke said no, believing that whether the world is chaotic or prosperous is determined by the ruler’s wisdom.”
Zhao Erlang looked anxiously at Zhao Hanzhang again. Receiving his sister’s approving nod, he immediately brightened.
He could actually answer questions now! He was truly amazing!
Zhao Cheng was also surprised. Though this interpretation was overly simplified, it correctly captured the central meaning. Clearly, this was his own understanding.
Zhao Cheng nodded in approval and praised, “Well interpreted.”
Zhao Ming fell silent.
He looked quietly at Zhao Hanzhang.
Zhao Hanzhang sighed helplessly and said to him, “Uncle, please don’t overthink this. He’s memorized quite a few passages—this is just one of them. I truly didn’t do it intentionally.”
“Military affairs concern the overall situation of the realm,” Zhao Hanzhang explained. “Whether discussing military matters in peacetime or in chaos, one inevitably touches upon the state of the world. Managing troops is like governing a state or the people—the content unavoidably involves such matters.”
Before Zhao Ming could respond, Zhao Cheng said dismissively, “So what if he said it? Can anyone really do anything to them? The world is in such chaos now precisely because the ruler is neither worthy nor wise.”
Zhao Ming said helplessly, “The current emperor has only recently ascended the throne.”
“Exactly—so the previous emperor was neither worthy nor wise. The root cause goes back even further to Emperor Wu.”
Having dragged even Emperor Wu of Jin into it, what more could Zhao Ming say?
He feared that if they continued, the situation would spiral out of control.
Actually, it was already out of control. The young men chimed in one after another: “That’s right—if Emperor Wu had chosen a different successor back then, how would the Great Jin have reached this state?”
“Not necessarily. I think none of them would accept the others. Installing a new emperor might not have calmed the situation. Look at the chaos now.”
Though spoken cryptically, everyone understood they were referring to the Sima imperial family.
Someone even whispered, “I think it’s because their family obtained their position illegitimately, so…”
“Outrageous!” Zhao Ming’s expression turned severe as he glared sharply at them. The young men lowered their heads in fright.
He pressed his lips together and said, “If you want to discuss the Six Secret Teachings, I won’t stop you. But if you presume to discuss court politics, I’ll break your legs myself before the authorities can arrest you.”
—