Disciplining Emperor Gaozu of Han

"I can teach you Confucianism, and teach you the Book of Poetry and the Book of History." Lu Jia said proudly, "Lu Jia has no other talents, but he is well-versed in the learning of many schools, and is also proficient in Confucianism."

"You'll teach me Confucianism?" Upon hearing this, Liu Ying's voice rose three octaves.

People born in the last century may have a fondness for Confucianism, and some may even be willing to study it. How many people born in the new century would be interested in Confucianism?

Therefore, Liu Ying was very unhappy about Lu Jia teaching him Confucianism.

"You pedantic scholar, how dare you mislead my son with Confucianism?" Liu Bang was furious, his gaze like a sword, aimed straight at the sage's hat on Lu Jia's head.

Liu Bang disliked scholars, and what he found most intolerable were Confucian scholars. If he encountered a Confucian scholar and was displeased, he would remove the Confucian scholar's hat and urinate inside it.

Lu Jia's expression changed, and he touched his head with his right hand. Luckily, it was a scholar's cap, not a Confucian cap, otherwise, he would have made things convenient for Liu Bang.

Liu Bang was somewhat disappointed.

Liu Ying gave Liu Bang an approving look, realizing for the first time that Liu Bang was indeed insightful.

"The art of diplomacy is outdated, and Confucianism is pedantic. There's no need to teach these things. Just teach Ying'er to read and write." Liu Bang set the tone.

Lu Jia was well-versed in many fields of knowledge, but he was most skilled in the art of diplomacy and then in Confucianism. Both of these were banned by Liu Bang, which he greatly regretted, yet he dared not disobey: "Yes."

"Ying'er, you must study diligently under Lu Jia's guidance." Liu Bang's face hardened, and he shouted, "Remember, your father will check your studies regularly."

"You...you're testing my studies?" Liu Ying felt utterly bewildered: "Are you even capable?"

Xiahou Ying covered his mouth with his left hand and chuckled.

Lu Jia glanced at Liu Ying, pursed his lips, and tried his best to remain composed.

Liu Bang, a rogue by birth and utterly uneducated, boasted shamelessly that he would test Liu Ying's studies—it was laughable.

"You unfilial son!" Liu Bang's face flushed red as he shouted.

"That's unnecessary too." To transmigrate to the Han Dynasty and have to start reading and writing from scratch, my high school teachers must have been terrible at teaching me, not giving me any exams and driving me crazy.

"Huh? You've rebelled?" Liu Bang was furious.

"My mother taught me to read and write long ago, so I don't need to be taught this," Liu Ying said, citing Empress Lü.

"She..." Liu Bang wanted to deny it, but then he remembered something and obediently shut up.

Empress Lü was truly literate and, in terms of cultural level, far surpassed Liu Bang.

Lu Gong was originally from Shanfu. Because he offended someone, he had no choice but to seek refuge with his good friend, the magistrate of Pei County, and moved his entire family to Pei County, where they settled down. It was impossible for the magistrate of Pei County to be illiterate, and Lu Gong, who became the magistrate's good friend and sought refuge with him when he encountered difficulties, must also be literate.

It was only natural that he was literate and would pass it on to his children, so Empress Lü was also literate.

Moreover, the magistrate of Pei once took a fancy to Empress Lü and wanted to take her as a concubine, but Lü Gong was unwilling, so the matter did not come to fruition.

The magistrate of Pei should not take an illiterate woman as a concubine, for Empress Lü certainly knew how to read.

"Lu Jia is not talented, but his knowledge of characters and his ability to understand them are rare in the world. Your Highness should learn from me." A hint of disdain flashed quickly in Lu Jia's eyes. He looked down on Empress Lü because she was just a country woman.

Liu Bang glared at Lu Jia.

To look down on Empress Lü is to look down on him.

"Lu Jia, is that it? Let me tell you, don't think you're the best in the world just because you've read a few lousy books." Liu Ying was even more displeased. Looking down on Empress Lü was looking down on him. He sneered, "You don't even recognize the characters I write."

"Shut up." Liu Bang thought Liu Ying was bragging.

"Hehe." Lu Jia's lips curled up wildly, and he clasped his hands in a salute: "I dare to ask the prince for guidance."

"Serve me pen and ink." Liu Ying decided to teach Lu Jia a lesson.

"You unfilial son!" Liu Bang scolded, fearing that he would embarrass himself and implicate others.

Lu Jia, however, was very eager. He picked up the ink from the long table in front of Liu Bang, poured water into the inkstone, and began to grind the ink.

Liu Bang sat up, intending to kick Lu Jia, but Lu Jia, on guard, immediately changed direction, and Liu Bang, unable to kick him, lay down on Lady Qi's long legs.

After grinding the ink, Lu Jia picked up a wolf-hair brush, dipped it in the thick ink, and presented it to Liu Ying with both hands, saying, "Prince, please."

Liu Ying took the brush, while Lu Jia stood beside him, craning his neck and staring wide-eyed, ready to see Liu Ying make a fool of himself.

Xiahou Ying shook his head, not optimistic about Liu Ying.

Liu Bang and Lady Qi, Liu Le, both disapproved of his chances.

Liu Ying picked up a wooden tablet, held a brush in his right hand, and wrote the calligraphy in one go. He then put down the brush and said, "Lu Jia, take a look."

"I must see the prince's 'fine handwriting'!" Lu Jia said confidently. With his vast knowledge, there were almost no characters in the world he didn't recognize. He stared intently and asked, "Is this a character?"

"How is it not a character?" Liu Ying curled her lip.

"There is no such word in the world," Lu Jia shook his head.

"I created this myself. What do you think? It's simple, easy to remember and recognize, and one of the best characters in the world." Liu Ying puffed out his chest.

"You're so young, how could you create characters?" Lu Jia simply didn't believe it.

"Is this really script?" Liu Bang stood up, reached out his right hand, and snatched the wooden tablet from Lu Jia's hand. He frowned and said, "This script is unique in the world. However, just as Ying'er said, it is simple, easy to remember, and easy to recognize. It is much better than clerical script and seal script."

"Good." Xiahou Ying moved closer to Liu Bang, looked at the wooden tablet, and approved.

"What are these characters?" Lady Qi stood up and stood next to Liu Bang, staring wide-eyed at the wooden tablet. The characters were definitely characters, but she just didn't recognize them.

"These must be characters, take a look." Liu Bang slammed the wooden tablet onto Lu Jia's chest, a smug smile playing on his lips. "Ying'er is indeed my child; she created these characters beautifully."

"King of Han, there is absolutely no such character." Lu Jia was very proud: "There is no character in the world that I do not recognize. Even the characters of the six states of Shandong that were abolished by Qin Shi Huang, I can recognize."

Liu Ying glanced at Lu Jia. Although this man was arrogant and had a high opinion of himself, he had good judgment. There were no simplified Chinese characters in the world.

"Ying'er, what is this character?" Liu Bang asked, looking at Liu Ying.

"This is the character Liu." Liu Ying wrote the simplified character Liu.

After Qin Shi Huang unified the six states, he standardized the writing system, abolishing the scripts of the six states east of the mountains. Two scripts became widely used: Small Seal Script and Clerical Script. Small Seal Script was primarily used for official documents; Clerical Script, while also officially recognized, was more commonly used by the general public. Occasionally, Clerical Script was used to write official documents, but not as often as Small Seal Script.

It would be quite strange if they could recognize simplified Chinese characters when they suddenly appeared.

"Liu?" Liu Bang opened his eyes wide, looking left and right, but still couldn't understand: "What does this character mean?"

"The character on the left is '文' (wen, meaning writing), and the character on the right is '刀' (dao, meaning knife). It means that one holds a pen in the left hand and a knife in the right, possessing both literary and martial talents, hence the name Liu." Liu Ying explained the character and then gilded his own surname.

"With a pen in his left hand and a knife in his right, he is skilled in both literature and martial arts. This is what I meant by Liu." Liu Bang was overjoyed. He quickly slipped on his shoes, picked up Liu Ying, placed him on his neck, and with the wooden tablet in his left hand, he ran out like the wind.

"King of Han, what are you doing?" Lu Jia asked, puzzled.

Lady Qi hurriedly slipped on her brocade shoes and chased after her.

The same applies to Xiahou Ying and Liu Le.

Lu Jia was stunned for a moment, then had no choice but to follow.

"What are you doing?" Liu Ying asked, puzzled.

"Hehe." Liu Bang laughed hysterically, as if riding on wheels of fire, he floated out of the back hall, to the front hall, and headed straight for Xiao He's official business. He rushed in and shouted from afar, "Xiao He, let's see if you still dare to say I'm uneducated and ignorant. Let me tell you, I have some knowledge! Today I created a new character, can you recognize it?"

Liu Ying was speechless and asked the heavens, "Liu Bang is uncultured, so what? Why does he have to pretend to be a cultured rogue?"

Xiao He, engrossed in his official duties, listened to Liu Bang's words, put down his writing brush, rubbed his aching right wrist with his left hand, raised his head, and looked at Liu Bang: "Liu Ji, do you think I don't know you? You think you have any scholarship?"

"Do you recognize this character?" Liu Bang rushed to Xiao He's side, slammed the wooden tablet heavily on the long table, and said triumphantly, "Try to decipher it for me!"

"These characters are good. They are simple, easy to recognize and remember. They are more practical than seal script and clerical script. They should be promoted throughout the country." Xiao He stared at the wooden tablet with wide eyes, his eyes shining brightly.