Tang Dynasty Little Godfather

Chapter 18 Muddle through
This sudden turn of events threw Wang Xi into disarray, but being a prince of the rank of Juan, he was adept at handling unexpected situations and quickly recovered.

Moreover, this made him realize that even a casual flap of his wings could trigger a chain reaction, and he needed to think things through carefully in the future, rather than just seeking immediate enjoyment.

That evening, the four of them rehearsed with Tao Mo. Fortunately, this was Wang Xi's forte, and they also had the assistance of the meticulous Huangfu Sengnian. In addition, Li Jieman had also figured out the temperaments of these elders, which helped with the analysis.

After all, this was deceiving the emperor, so all four of them were very serious and dared not be careless in the slightest.

the next morning.

Wang Shouyi and Li Qiao then brought Tao Mo, Wang Xi, and Li Jieman to the palace. Although Li Longji only summoned Tao Mo, Tao Mo was already old, so it was reasonable for his students to accompany him as his teachers. The key point was that Wang Xi and Li Jieman were both nobles, so it was very common for them to enter the palace.

However, since Li Longji is still very diligent in his duties and has no free time in the mornings, he will not let this matter interfere with his important work, since the prime minister is someone he needs to discuss government affairs with.

It wasn't until nearly noon that the emperor finally arrived, accompanied by Chancellor Zhang Jiazhen and Minister Yuwen Rong.

Among the three prime ministers of the current dynasty, Zhang Jiazhen, Zhang Shuo, and Yuan Qianyao, Zhang Jiazhen was a staunch supporter of the Wang family because of his close relationship with Wang Shouyi. Yuan Qianyao was a low-key and cautious person, while Zhang Shuo had only recently returned to the court and his situation was not yet clear.

As for Yuwen Rong, although he did not express his opinion, he actually preferred Consort Wu. The reason was simple: Empress Wang's side consisted of the meritorious officials of the Xiantian Coup, and there was no place for him.

If he wanted to gain the support of the harem, Consort Wu was obviously a better choice, which is somewhat similar to the relationship between Wu Zetian and Li Yifu, except that it was not as urgent.

Although this was Wang Xi's first time meeting Li Longji, he had a clear impression of him in his memory, so he was not entirely unfamiliar with him.

However, it must be admitted that Li Longji, at only thirty-seven years old, was a handsome middle-aged man, tall and with a majestic and handsome appearance, possessing both literary and martial qualities.

After a brief exchange of greetings, Li Longji's gaze immediately settled on Tao Mo. "This old gentleman must be Mr. Wuming?"

"This humble person, whose name is unknown, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Tao Mo immediately stepped forward and performed a deep bow.

Li Longji sized them up for a moment and nodded slightly. After all, these were actors selected by Wang Xi, and with a little dressing up, their appearance was unlikely to be problematic.

"Sir, there's no need for such formalities."

Li Longji then said, "I have heard that you travel all over the world and have many students, yet you are indifferent to fame and fortune and do not wish to leave your name. So I will not force you to reveal your real name."

This shows how humble and extraordinary Li Longji was at that time.

This surprised Wang Xidu. Yesterday, they had even made up a pseudonym and planned to register it under the name of the Zheng family of Xingyang. Anyway, the nobility had been scattered by Wu Zetian and it wouldn't be so easy to investigate.

What a wise ruler!
Tao Mo was so excited that he almost burst into tears, but fortunately, he had spent the entire night in an actor training class, so he suppressed his excitement and said humbly and respectfully, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Li Longji asked, "According to Mao Zhong, you are different from other teachers. You only accept students with more unruly personalities, and you have also trained your son Wang Shuang to be diligent and studious. I wonder what wonderful method you used? Could you explain it to me?"

Tao Mo said, "Your Majesty, I have no magic method. All I have learned is the teachings of the sages, which is to teach according to the Daoist principle of non-action."

"The Way of Non-Action?"

Li Longji immediately became interested. Regardless of whether the Li Tang dynasty actually used Confucianism or Legalism, it outwardly revered Taoism because the Li Tang dynasty recognized Laozi as its ancestor.

"Exactly."

Tao Mo said, "When I was young, I lived at the foot of a mountain. There was a sapling growing on the mountain, but because its trunk was crooked, some people in the village wanted to straighten it, while others wanted to cut it down."

However, decades later, this sapling grew into a towering tree with lush foliage. Because it stood on a slope, when viewed from below, it seemed to block out the sky, creating a magnificent sight that attracted countless scholars and dignitaries to come and admire it.

Using a story as an opening was a well-thought-out decision by Wang Xi, because everyone loves to hear stories, and the truth is hidden in the story, seemingly true but not quite. You can interpret it however you like.

If the other party wants to refute, there is room for maneuver. After all, there are too many talented people in the court. If we try to reason things out in a rigid and straightforward manner, we will soon expose our flaws.

Li Longji and Zhang Jiazhen both nodded slightly, indicating that they understood to some extent. As for whether they understood the same thing, who knows!

Tao Mo's confidence immediately increased, and he continued, "It takes ten years to grow a tree, but a hundred years to cultivate a person. This applies to trees as well as people."

Some children are unruly, mostly due to the influence of their parents or environment, rather than their inherently bad nature. If this subtle influence is forcibly reversed, it may backfire, and students are likely to feel dissatisfied and wronged.

Therefore, the petty person does the opposite: instead of disciplining them, he guides them gradually according to their interests. For example, if they love drinking, he teaches them how to brew wine.

Zhang Jiazhen asked with slight surprise, "The master also teaches them how to brew wine?"

His appearance here today is a complete accident; he is currently out of the loop.

"Exactly."

Tao Mo nodded and said, "Because in the eyes of a petty person, brewing wine in peace is at least better than being idle and doing evil to others."

After hearing this, Zhang Jiazhen found it quite reasonable.

Without comparison, there is no harm. Whether something is reasonable or not depends on who the object is. For the sons of Wang Xi and Li Jieman, it is indeed very good that they can keep to themselves and brew wine.

Li Longji couldn't help but chuckle, unsure of what to say. "What you say, sir, is very reasonable!"

Tao Mo continued, “They don’t like reading, but they love listening to stories. So, we write the stories into books to cultivate their reading habits. Once they have developed the habit of reading, it will be much more effective to teach them the Five Classics.”

Of course, petty people cannot teach profound knowledge; their ultimate success still depends on their own future efforts.

In short, the petty person will never interfere with how they grow; they will only be responsible for watering and fertilizing. This is what is meant by "acting in accordance with the will of Heaven," which is the way of non-action. "Wonderful! Wonderful!"

Li Longji chuckled and said, "Famous teachers throughout the land are known for their strictness, but you, sir, have gone against the grain and applied the principle of non-action to education. This has truly broadened my horizons."

Zhang Jiazhen and Yuwen Rong, who were standing to the side, remained silent, regardless of whether they agreed with it or not.

They cannot say that Confucianism is not applicable to education.

However, if we follow Taoist thought, it is indeed quite different from traditional education, and Tao Mo's words are not without reason.

This was actually fabricated by Wang Xi and Huangfu Sengnian. They had to emphasize Taoism, firstly to please the emperor, and secondly to avoid others from gossiping.

There are only a few lines of dialogue; if you ask too many questions, they'll definitely reveal their true colors.

"Your Majesty flatters me; I am unworthy of such praise."

Tao Mo bowed in greeting.

Li Longji then said, "I have heard that you have created a painting technique that can make people look extremely realistic. I wonder if you would be willing to paint one for me and let me see it for myself."

Tao Mo immediately replied, "To be able to paint Your Majesty's portrait is a blessing I have accumulated over ten lifetimes; how could I possibly refuse?"

"Then I'll have to trouble you, sir."

Immediately, all the specialized equipment was set up, as Wang Shouyi had prepared in advance.

Zhang Jiazhen and the others came along mainly to see this painting technique.

Tao Mo sat in front of the easel, wielding his brush with practiced ease.

Suddenly, with a clatter, the charcoal pencil in my hand fell to the ground and broke in two.

Wang Shouyi and the others were immediately taken aback.

"That despicable person deserves to die."

Tao Mo quickly stepped forward as well.

Li Longji was very magnanimous and said with a smile, "Sir, please don't be nervous."

Tao Mo held his right hand with his left, looking slightly apprehensive, and said, "To be honest, Your Majesty, I am suffering from an illness that causes my hand to tremble frequently, making it difficult for me to paint. Therefore, I hope to pass on this painting skill to the son of the Duke of Qi as soon as possible, so that it may not be lost."

Upon hearing this, Wang Shouyi suddenly realized, "So that's how it is."

It's a bit strange that they started teaching drawing just a few days after the start of the school year. It turns out there was more to it than meets the eye.

He quickly stepped forward and said, "I can testify for Mr. Anonymous."

"this."

Li Longji didn't suspect anything, after all, Tao Mo was quite old, it was normal for him to have some problems, but he felt a little disappointed.

I came here today to see what happened before it even began.

The atmosphere was slightly awkward.

Wang Shouyi and the others were also very flustered when they saw that the emperor was unhappy!

Tao Mo immediately said, "Your Majesty, in fact, the son of the Duke of Qi has already mastered my skills, and his paintings are no less than mine. I hope that this son can paint a painting for Your Majesty on my behalf."

Li Longji subconsciously looked at Wang Xi and asked in surprise, "Que'er?"

Wang Xi pursed his lips and muttered, "Looking down on people, huh?"

The sound wasn't loud, but everyone present heard it clearly.

Wang Shouyi turned pale with fright and said anxiously and angrily, "You unfilial son, how dare you speak nonsense in front of the Emperor!"

"Hey, Shouyi, don't get angry."

Li Longji chuckled, "Sir just said that we should use the way of non-action."

Wang Shouyi immediately said, "That's true, but it depends on the occasion."

"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter."

Li Longji then looked at Wang Xi and asked, "Would Que'er be willing to paint a picture for me?"

Wang Xi said smugly, "If Your Majesty trusts me, I am naturally willing, and I guarantee that I will not lose even a trace of Your Majesty's heroic and extraordinary qualities."

Li Longji laughed heartily and said, "Since Que'er is so confident, let Que'er paint a picture for me today."

(End of this chapter)