My aunt is Queen Ma

Chapter 83 Officially Raising the Flag
Song Lian personally paid a visit, and Ma Yu, as a junior, naturally had to greet him at the gate.

However, Song Lian did not put on airs as an elder, but returned the courtesy as an equal.

After the two of them finished exchanging greetings, Xi Juncai and Deng Botong, who were following behind, stepped forward to pay their respects.

Moreover, they immediately performed the disciple's rites upon arrival.

This startled Ma Yu, who quickly returned the gesture with great courtesy.

Song Lian, standing to the side, sighed inwardly, thinking that the previous Confucian scholar had gone too far.

In the past, Confucian scholars repeatedly attacked mathematics, intending to expel it from the Imperial Academy.

As an official with a background in mathematics, he was naturally both angry and terrified.

Later, at Ma Yu's urging, Zhu Yuanzhang severely reprimanded the Confucian scholars.

Furthermore, the main hall also started offering mathematics classes, which finally suppressed this trend.

There are no secrets that stay hidden forever; those who are well-informed know what's going on.

Those with a background in mathematics were naturally grateful to Ma Yu.

If the emperor hadn't forbade it, they would have already come to express their gratitude.

However, they did do more than just do nothing; they were the ones who came up with the name "Ma's Mathematical Science".

It gradually spread over time.

At this moment, Xi Juncai and Deng Botong bowed deeply, not only because they had learned Ma's mathematics, but also because of the kindness they had shown in their previous advice.

It can be said that Confucian scholars have made great contributions to the current situation.

However, Song Lian felt more self-reflection than blaming others.

He was aware of the Confucian scholars' attacks on mathematics, but he didn't think it was a big problem and didn't pay much attention to it.

If he had spoken up to stop it back then, things wouldn't have escalated to this point.

Although Ma Yu didn't know what Song Lian was thinking, seeing the attitude of Xi and Deng towards him, he inwardly gave the Confucian scholars a thousand thumbs up.

This recognition comes from the mathematics department of the Imperial Academy.

If it weren't for the Confucian scholars' help, I would have had to expend so much effort to gain their approval.

He had long wanted to get involved with the mathematics department of the Imperial Academy, but he was afraid that Zhu Yuanzhang would be too sensitive, so he didn't dare to take action.

Now that Zhu Yuanzhang has relented, what is there to hesitate about?

Therefore, he was very friendly to the two of them, speaking with an air of "we are good at mathematics" about how great it is.

This immediately shortened the distance between the two sides.

Only Song Lian always felt that he was superfluous.

Ma Yu naturally wouldn't ignore him. After exchanging a few words with Xi Juncai and Deng Botong, she turned to chat with him.

Song Lian composed himself and, on behalf of the authorities, explained the purpose of their visit.

Ma Yu was prepared and immediately said it was her honor.

They had someone bring over the teaching materials that had been prepared in advance.

There are two books in total. One is at a level roughly equivalent to elementary school, and the other is at a level roughly equivalent to the first year of junior high school.

Xi Juncai and Deng Botong treasured it as if it were a precious gem, holding it and flipping through it.

They only glanced at the elementary school textbooks, mainly focusing on the first-year junior high textbook, and the more they looked, the more shocked they became.

I didn't know there were such advanced calculation methods.

With these methods, most of the problems in ancient books such as the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art will become simple and easy to understand.

Moreover, this textbook is written in a progressive manner, from simple to complex, so that it does not create a sense of discontinuity and is much easier to learn.

Young Master Ma is indeed a master of mathematics; I must visit him more often in the future.

Seeing that the two were focused, Ma Yu did not disturb them, but instead started chatting with Song Lian.

Song Lian apologized again for his previous lapse in composure.

Ma Yu was polite on the surface, but inwardly he shook his head, thinking, "Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together."

I hope you can land safely in this life.

Song Lian was unaware of his thoughts and wanted to discuss the situation of Confucianism further.

But Ma Yu wouldn't take the bait at all, and kept steer the conversation toward mathematics education.

However, he wasn't just talking nonsense; he was genuinely analyzing the role of mathematics for Song Lian.

Furthermore, through mathematics, he explained to him the functions of classical bureaucrats and the abilities that bureaucrats should possess under the new circumstances.

"We must admit that in the past, bureaucrats only needed to appease the people and collect taxes."

"But thinking about it carefully, are these two things really enough?"

Song Lian raised an eyebrow and said, "I would like to hear the details."

Ma Yu said modestly, "This brings us to the question: what is the purpose of becoming an official?"

"As a bureaucrat, or more precisely, as a bureaucrat from a Confucian background."

"How can you do something worthy of this uniform, and worthy of the knowledge you've acquired?"

Song Lian replied, "Naturally, it is to report to the Emperor and bring peace to the people."

Ma Yu countered, "How can we report to the Emperor and bring peace to the people?"

"Is simply maintaining public order and collecting taxes enough?"

Song Lian looked puzzled. Wasn't this enough?

Xi Juncai and Deng Botong were also drawn in by their conversation, putting down their math books and looking over curiously.

Ma Yu said, "Isn't it a responsibility to build roads to make it easier for people to travel?"

"Is it a responsibility to build water conservancy facilities and help people enhance their drought resistance capabilities?"

"Isn't it our responsibility to encourage artisans to make more tools to make things easier for the people?"

"Standardize the business environment so that artisans' products can be sold smoothly."

"Isn't it our responsibility to enable people to buy what they need at lower prices and improve their lives?"

Song Lian frowned and retorted, "Where will the money come from? In the end, won't it all be distributed among the people, increasing their burden?"

"Merchants who prioritize profit over righteousness corrupt social morals and degrade people's hearts; they should be restricted, not encouraged."

Ma Yu did not explain further, but said, "So this is the essential difference between me and you."

"You believe that it is better to remain still than to act, and that as long as things remain unchanged, people's hearts will be at peace and the world will be at peace."

"In order to maintain your so-called peace, you would rather let the people live in poverty and misery."

"I am different. I want people to live a prosperous life."

"I will do everything I can to increase the wealth of the people."

“This process will naturally produce various negative situations, but it is also the responsibility of the imperial court to deal with these negative situations.”

"As subjects, you enjoy the power given to you by the state, and naturally you must also shoulder this responsibility."

"Otherwise, what's the point of having officials like you?"

Song Lian wanted to retort, but Ma Yu didn't give him the chance and continued:

"As the ancients said, merchants value profit over righteousness, and wealth will corrupt people's hearts."

"But the original intention of the sages was to guard against the harm caused by these situations, not to prohibit their occurrence."

"You don't need to refute me. Saying that wealth corrupts people's hearts is not uncommon. I've never seen anyone donate their wealth to the court."

“You Confucian scholars who have become officials, you talk about benevolence and morality all day long, but which of you doesn’t own thousands of acres of fertile land and have a fortune?”

“Those scholars lived a poor life in their daily lives, but once they became officials, their families quickly became rich.”

"Where did this money come from? Is it possible to make it all from the government's salary?"

"To enjoy the benefits of wealth oneself while opposing the people from acquiring wealth—isn't that the most ridiculous thing in the world?"

At this point, he looked at Song Lian and sighed, "The teachings of the sages are not used in this way."

Song Lian's face turned pale and then red; this was practically a slap in the face.

He could naturally refute Ma Yu's words, but his principles wouldn't allow him to do so.

Because he himself was a beneficiary of studying and becoming an official.

He hasn't gone so far as to act against his conscience.

Xi Juncai and Deng Botong, who were standing to the side, were dumbfounded. This young master Ma was too sharp-tongued.

And it's also incredibly disrespectful to elders.

This is Song Lian.

Putting aside his social standing and such, he is a devout gentleman in terms of character alone. You've already labeled him a villain with just a few words.

The main problem is that Ma Yu's words do indeed run counter to mainstream thought.

The two of them inevitably developed a sense of deviance from the norm.

Although Ma Yu couldn't guess what the two were thinking, he didn't forget to win over the students.

So after criticizing current conservative thinking, he turned and said:
"Do you know why I advised His Majesty to protect mathematics, and even promote it?"

"Because to achieve what I'm talking about, we can't do without mathematics."

"You can't expect a group of people who don't even know that one plus one equals two to do these complex projects."

"Therefore, the status of mathematics must be elevated."

Song Lian suddenly realized that this was the reason why he valued mathematics.

Xi Juncai and Deng Botong were different; they exchanged a glance:
Young Master Ma, your insight is truly remarkable.

They live a life of luxury while wanting the common people to suffer – that's the reality.

What does this tell us? It means that Confucian scholars are all hypocrites who say one thing and do another.

What? You're saying that we officials, who are trained in mathematics, also benefited?

But we did not advocate the idea of ​​poverty; we support improving people's lives.

Let's be consistent in word and deed, okay?

Young Master Ma is absolutely right.

Even if you want to become an official, you still need to consult us astrologers; we can calculate everything for you clearly.

Seeing the two people with completely different expressions, Ma Yu was also very happy.

When he said these words to Song Lian face to face, he certainly wasn't trying to persuade Song Lian.

He had long since given up on that naive idea.

The reason I'm bringing this up again is partly to subtly reveal some of my political views.

After all, if you're going to raise a flag, you have to express your political views; otherwise, no one will know which side to take.

On the other hand, it was meant for Xi Juncai and Deng Botong to hear.

Let them know that only by following me can mathematics be truly valued. The change in their expressions showed that my words had had an effect.

All I can say is that Sima Qian was brilliant.

The world is full of goodwill, and the world is all good.

Xi Juncai and Deng Botong initially thought that he was disrespectful to the elderly and had some unorthodox ideas.

But when he expressed that the status of mathematics should be raised and that officials with a mathematics background should be given more important positions.

Moreover, it's not just about empty words; there's a whole set of ideas supporting it.

Their thoughts changed immediately.

If we can really do as Ma Yu says, the government will assume more responsibility.

No one needs to emphasize it; the status of mathematics will naturally rise.

Officials with a background in mathematics will have better career prospects.

Bah! It is our officials, who are trained in mathematics, who will assume even more responsibilities.

Everything was for the purpose of reporting to the emperor and bringing peace to the people.

However, neither of them were political novices, and they did not immediately take sides.

After all, Ma Yu is too young, and it's hard to say how much of a splash she can make.

However, Ma Yu is no longer the beggar with no connections she was a little over a year ago.

Empress Ma had already secured her position as a nephew and had also established a deep relationship with Chang Yuchun.

Through small organizations, they established certain connections with many nobles.

He's now a small force to be reckoned with, making him a worthwhile investment target.

If he proposes certain policies, their mathematics department will definitely lend a hand.

Ma Yu didn't say anything more.

That's enough. It won't provoke Song Lian and other conservatives too much, and it's enough to make the mathematics faction understand their meaning.

The next step is to operate the business slowly.

So Ma Yu didn't bring up that topic again, but instead talked to Xi Juncai and Deng Botong about the math textbook.

The two naturally had nothing but praise for the two textbooks.

But I'm not here today to praise the book's quality; I'm here to establish a standard.

Ma Yu immediately expressed his meaning: "The first book is a primer for children, and the second book is a standard for selecting officials."

"If you want to become an official, you must master the second book. Only in this way can you skillfully apply mathematics to solve various problems and take on more responsibilities."

Xi Juncai and Deng Botong naturally gave their full support.

However, Song Lian said, "The second book on mathematics is too profound. I pride myself on knowing some mathematics, but I can't understand it either."

"To make it a criterion for selecting officials would be too difficult for those scholars."

"Moreover, doing this is too lenient on the students and is unfair."

Ma Yu thought to herself, "It's good that you don't understand; after all, this is first-year junior high school math knowledge."

It's not very difficult, but it still has some challenges.

Xi Juncai and Deng Botong were able to understand it because they were masters of mathematics and had been privately studying Ma's mathematics.

Even so, they could only understand most of it, and some parts were still not very clear. They would need Ma Yu to teach them further.

As for the unfairness... Ma Yu said:
"Does Mr. Song think this is all there is to mathematics?"

"No, these two books haven't even entered the door of mathematics."

"Truly profound mathematics is beyond the imagination of ordinary people; even I have only just begun to understand it."

"In the future, I will compile more advanced mathematics textbooks for mathematics students to study."

"If they want to participate in the selection of officials, the mathematical standards will be different again."

"Therefore, there is no question of fairness or unfairness."

Upon hearing this, before Song Lian could say anything, Xi Juncai and Deng Botong became excited:
"Is what Young Master Ma said true? Is there really even more advanced mathematical knowledge?"

Ma Yu didn't speak, but picked up a pen and ink and wrote down the formula for finding the area of ​​a circle using calculus.

The two of them looked at it as if it were a book written in a foreign language, but that didn't stop them from knowing what the equation meant.

The way the two looked at Ma Yu changed again, as if they were looking at a god.

What else could this be but the god of mathematics?

Xi Juncai asked nervously, "Young Master Ma, are you... are you really willing to pass on this knowledge to the world?"

Ma Yu smiled and said, "Of course, true learning is when knowledge is spread widely and benefits the world."

"If one cherishes their own knowledge and hides it away from others, even the most profound knowledge is no different from waste paper."

"If you two seniors don't mind my youth, you are welcome to come to me with any mathematical problems you may encounter in the future."

This is actually an invitation to the two of them, inviting them to come and learn from me.

Deng Botong said excitedly, "Young Master Ma is truly virtuous. Please accept my bow."

As he spoke, he stood up and bowed solemnly to Ma Yu, with Xi Juncai following closely behind.

Ma Yu stood up and helped the two of them up, saying, "There's no need for you two seniors to do this. What I've learned was taught by my predecessors, and it's only right that I pass it on to the world."

Seeing this scene, Song Lian could only manage a bitter smile.

Although he is an upright person, he is not ignorant of politics, and there are obvious signs that the two sides are converging.

Ma Yu's ideas could influence the emperor, and although mathematics was weak, it should not be ignored.

Moreover, Ma Yu's relationship with the nobles was also very ambiguous.

If he can truly gain the approval of the mathematics faction, then the nobles will certainly give him more support.

If the three parties were to unite as a result... then the imperial court would be thrown into chaos.

The key point is that if Ma Yu were to leverage the prevailing trend and actually implement his so-called policies to enrich the people, it could very well affect the hearts and minds of the people.

If people's hearts are in turmoil, that will be a real problem.

The more I think about him, the heavier my heart becomes.

As the saying goes, "A thousand cups of wine are not enough when drinking with a bosom friend," Ma Yu, Xi Juncai, and Deng Botong chatted more and more happily, and time passed by unnoticed.

Dusk was approaching, and curfew was not far off.

The three reluctantly ended their conversation, and then chatted with Song Lian for a few more minutes about the selection criteria for officials.

Song Lian looked preoccupied and still expressed his opposition, believing that the second book on mathematics was too advanced.

However, he did not try to persuade Ma Yu again, but said:

"I will present this matter to His Majesty. His Majesty is wise and will surely make the right decision."

Ma Yu had to admire Song Lian; his character was truly impeccable.

He disagreed with his own opinion, and after learning of his political leanings, he stopped trying to persuade him.

Instead, he publicly stated, "I object, and I will go to talk to the emperor."

He truly embodied the spirit of a gentleman, putting everything out in the open.

Unfortunately, we have different paths.

So this time he didn't criticize Song Lian again, but sighed:

“I am aware of Mr. Song’s concerns… Alas, there is no point in saying more. Let His Majesty make the final decision.”

Song Lian's expression softened slightly. After exchanging a few more polite words, he got up to take his leave.

Xi Juncai and Deng Botong naturally followed suit and left as well.

Ma Yu got up and saw them out the door.

Before leaving, Song Lian hesitated for a moment and said:

"I know that Young Master Ma's original intention was to serve the country and its people, however..."

"In the end, all of this burden will fall on the shoulders of the people."

Without waiting for Ma Yu's reply, he turned and left.

Ma Yu bowed to his retreating figure and then let out a long sigh.

He naturally knew that the money would come from the sheep, but Song Lian and his group overlooked a truth.

Isn't the wool now coming from the sheep's back?
Doesn't all the civilization, wealth, and so on in this world originate from sheep?

I want to share the wealth with the sheep, and once they're fat, I'll shear some of their wool.

Furthermore, this portion of the wool will be used to improve people's livelihoods and the living conditions of the sheep.

What is taken from sheep should be used for sheep.

And you, you're like a flock of skinny sheep being fleeced.

Most of the wool that is fleeced ends up being enjoyed by meat-eaters.

In the end, they literally sheared the sheep to death.

This is the essential difference between us.

Unfortunately, you will never understand this principle.
-
The next day, Song Lian, Xi Juncai, and Deng Botong submitted a memorial to the emperor, stating that Ma Yu had produced two textbooks.

One book for beginners, and one book for selecting officials.

Xi Juncai and Deng Botong said that Young Master Ma is highly learned.

When compiling the two books, he fully considered practicality and everyone's mathematical level, and we think his suggestions were very good.

The two men's remarks drew the attention of the court officials. Wasn't Mr. Song the one in charge of this matter?
Don't you two know your place? How dare you speak before Mr. Song?

The two of them naturally noticed the gazes of the crowd, and felt extremely aggrieved.

The desire to emulate Ma Yu intensified.

Song Lian didn't feel offended. Everyone was just expressing their opinions, and there was nothing offensive about it.

However, he disagreed with some of their views, fearing that if the selection criteria were too high, the scholars would not be able to learn them.

The content of the first volume is sufficient.

Zhu Yuanzhang did not make a decision on the spot, but said that he would find some people to try to learn and verify it, and then make a decision.

The ministers, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, were now on edge again.

Is the textbook compiled by that young master Ma difficult?

What should we do?

His Majesty has said that all officials will be assessed.

If I fail the exam, it's not just about losing face; it's about suffering a major setback in my career.

(End of this chapter)