Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World.

Chapter 144 Cai Jing Enters the Capital!

Early December.

Yanyi Hall.

"The Book of Han describes emperors, lists officials, and establishes marquises and kings. It follows the laws of heaven and earth, governs yin and yang, elucidates the ultimate principle, and traces the three luminaries. It divides the provinces and regions, describes the land and its boundaries, understands the principles of human affairs, and encompasses all directions."

Jiang Zhao walked slowly, holding a book in his hand.

From the lecture seat down, three on the left and three on the right, are the six study seats.

The six people, including several "saintly grandsons" who were selected by imperial decree to study in the palace and the illegitimate sons of the Right Spring Palace, took their seats.

"It weaves the Six Classics, compiles the principles of the Way, summarizes all schools of thought, and praises the chapters. It contains the elegant and ancient, connects the past and present, corrects the characters, and is the only one in the academic world."

Jiang Zhao put his hands behind his back and looked at the group: "This is the Book of Han."

The group of people all felt a chill run down their spines.

"The so-called Book of Han is nothing more than a historical account from the rise and fall of emperors to the period when Wang Mang usurped the Han throne, with the imperial line as its framework."

“The rise and fall of imperial dynasties is inevitable,” Jiang Zhao sighed. “However, once an imperial dynasty changes, it is difficult for anyone to determine whether it will rise or fall.”

The "saintly grandsons" lowered their heads in secret.

Imperial succession!

Now that the emperor has no son, it is indeed time for a change of imperial lineage.

Compared to the past, the rise and fall of this generation is obvious.

If someone were to expand their territory, unify the land, and care for the people, they would almost certainly be considered a "great emperor of all time."

After all, both the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun and the Hehuang region have been lost for hundreds of years.

Conversely, if a country cannot expand its territory and achieve unification, it is destined to decline.

To reclaim the Hexi and Yan-Yun regions, favorable timing, geographical advantages, and popular support are all crucial.

In recent years, there have been many outstanding figures, such as Jiang Zhao (in literature), Wang Shao (in military affairs), and Gu Tingye (in martial arts), all of whom are ruthless individuals capable of expanding territory. This is a testament to their character and ability.

Regarding geographical advantages, since the north and south have been conquered, geographical advantages have never existed by nature.

Even with control of Xihe Road, it only slightly narrows the gap.

Therefore, if one wishes to expand one's territory, one must value human relationships and rely on favorable timing.

If the expansion fails, it could destroy the foundation built up over decades of recuperation.

Moreover, the fact that the Zhou dynasty did not move north did not mean that the Western Xia and Liao dynasties would not move south.

If we don't expand our territory, we will only slowly deplete our foundation for recuperation and development.

In short, expansion and conquest lead to prosperity; mere survival means certain defeat and being left to languish.

Apart from Zhao Ceying, the other "saintly grandsons" kept their heads down and dared not utter a sound.

None of them had ever killed anyone, yet they wanted to expand their territory; the difficulty was simply too great.

Zhao Ceying looked at the group and couldn't help but shake his head.

These people are really terrible.

I wonder if there's any hope for those with the bloodline of the founding emperor?
Zhao Ceying's eyebrows twitched slightly.

Lately, the Emperor has frequently summoned him under the pretext of "serving him with medicine" to impart some special skills.

Could it be?

"Now that we've finished discussing the Book of Han, let's talk about current affairs."

Jiang Zhao waved his hand and said slowly.

As the Grand Master of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, he was in charge of lecturing on classics, history, and current affairs

Generally speaking, after teaching a section of history about the Book of Han, he would also talk about some current affairs.

"Throughout history, in the struggle for succession, how do the losers protect themselves?"

The soft voice sent a jolt through one's heart.

Oh open!

The "saintly grandsons" exchanged glances, and their spirits lifted.

Here comes the good stuff!

"In your opinion, what should be done?"

In my opinion.

In my opinion.

In the blink of an eye, half an hour had passed.

"clatter!"

A soft knocking sound rang out, and several members of the royal family who were listening intently all looked up.

Time flies so fast?
Jiang Zhao smiled faintly.

"Let's take a break."

Several people looked at each other.

"Lord Jiang, could you please elaborate a little more?" Zhao Shiyi, son of the Prince of Yan, asked somewhat reluctantly.

After lecturing on current affairs, the Hanlin Academy editors would instruct on calligraphy and poetry.

Compared to the political insights Jiang Zhao delivered, the instruction on calligraphy and poetry was simply a "watered-down" lesson, failing to engage anyone.

Having been studying for a while now, if we were to talk about the most anticipated course, it would have to be Jiang Zhao's current affairs course.

The rest, whether it be etiquette, poetry, calligraphy, the Five Classics, or military strategy, are all extremely dry.

“The assignment sheet has already been set, and Jiang can’t just take up other people’s time without a reason.”

Jiang Zhao picked up the book and said seriously, "Looking at history books, if you want to protect yourself, it all boils down to eight words: 'Be calm and composed, and keep to your own business.'"

Or, to put it another way, it's about having the right mindset and the right perspective.

The group seemed to be deep in thought, then stood up together and bowed respectfully to see them off.

Jiang Zhao nodded gently and pushed open the side hall door.

Looking around, one sees snowflakes fluttering down.

"What a bountiful year, such heavy snow!"

Jiang Mansion.

Silver chestnut leaves rustle softly, lightly covering the garden weeds.

Jiang Zhao patted off a few snowflakes from his clothes and stepped into the courtyard.

In the pavilion, fruits and tea are laid out on a stone table, and a smokeless stove burns brightly below. Two beautiful women sip soup and play chess.

About a hundred paces apart, several children wearing brocade hats and sable fur coats each held a small puppy about a foot in size.

Jiang Huaijin, Jiang Heng, Wang Hou, Su Chi, Han Shu, Han Zhao, Zeng Gang.

Among them, Wang Hou was the eldest son of Wang Shao, Su Chi was the eldest son of Su Zhe, Han Shu and Han Zhao were the sons of Han Jiayan, and Zeng Gang was the youngest son of Zeng Gong.

Adults have their own social circles, and children have theirs.

We're all human, and if a child feels bored or lonely, they'll naturally need to make friends.

The children, the oldest of whom was under ten years old, would occasionally visit the Jiang residence or the Han residence.

"Officer."

As Jiang Zhao entered, Sheng Hualan and Sheng Shulan quickly rose and bowed respectfully.

Several children saw Jiang Zhao, and together they ran over with their little dogs, bowing and saying:
"Father!"

"Uncle Jiang!"

"Uncle Jiang!"

"Go play, everyone." Jiang Zhaoping smiled and waved his hand. The children excitedly led the puppy away.

"Officer."

Sheng Hualan supported her husband.

Jiang Zhao glanced at it and shook his head, saying, "Black is in a slightly weak position!"

"Then I'll trouble you, sir, to teach me how to win at chess," Sheng Shulan said with a smile.

Now, it is already the beginning of the twelfth lunar month.

In early October, a letter arrived from Youyang saying that the eldest wife had passed away.

For this, Sheng Shulan cried for more than ten days, burned incense and prayed, and recited scriptures and made offerings.

It wasn't until recently that things started to calm down.

"it is good."

Jiang Zhao nodded and walked over to sit down.

The beautiful woman chuckled softly as the three of them played chess, creating a unique and delightful experience.

With the game over, Sheng Hualan beckoned, and a maidservant presented her with an invitation.

“A visiting card from Cai Zhun, the Assistant Magistrate of Huzhou,” Sheng Hualan said softly.

"Tsai Chung?"

Jiang Zhao took the invitation and glanced at it.

"If you are visiting, you must not be impolite," Jiang Zhao instructed.

Cai Zhun, the Assistant Magistrate of Huzhou, was Cai Jing's father.

Su Shi sent a letter to Jiang Zhao proposing marriage, and Jiang Zhao responded.

Now, not only Cai Jing has come to Beijing, but his father Cai Zhun has also come to Beijing.

The reason why the Assistant Magistrate specifically requested leave to go to Beijing is self-evident.

It can be said that if Sheng Hong hadn't disliked Cai Jing, Sheng Rulan wouldn't be a 200-pound fat woman.

That marriage was practically a done deal.

Sheng Hualan nodded repeatedly.
She was naturally very concerned about her sister's marriage prospects.

"Second Brother and Third Brother, aren't they getting married soon?"

Jiang Zhao said slowly, "Send some valuable items down to Huaizuo as a token of our joy."

Originally, there were signs that the older generation had already arranged the marriage between Jiang Xiao and Jiang Xu.

However, once Jiang Zhao sends out a letter, the final decision on how to proceed is entirely up to him.

For the past few days, Sheng Hualan has been looking for suitable partners for her two younger brothers.

Jiang Xiao married the youngest daughter of Su Song, a Doctor of the Imperial Academy.

Jiang Xu married the youngest daughter of Sun Bian, the Minister of Rites.

Both of them have already reached the "betrothal ceremony" stage in their marriage process.

With the betrothal gifts presented, the marriage was practically settled.
Next, it's just a matter of going through the procedures and waiting for the right time.

Of course, Jiang Zhao was an official in the capital, so he was destined to miss his two younger brothers' weddings.

Sheng Hualan nodded slightly.

"Come on, let's play chess."

(End of this chapter)