Chapter 28
"Let's go to the room first before we talk. Have you finished tidying up Ninger's room?" Lia asked the maid nearby.
"It's already tidied up," Ninger nodded.
"In that case, let's go to the room first," Lia said.
Returning to Morgan's side, Lia said to her, "Sister, you should dispel that illusion first, otherwise others will misunderstand."
"Alright." Morgan nodded and dispelled the illusion.
And her belly grew visibly larger, just like a woman ten months into pregnancy.
Lia reached out and touched it curiously; it felt a bit warm. Morgan just rolled her eyes at her but said nothing.
Arriving in the tidied room, the Midwife had Morgan sit on the bed. She looked at Morgan's belly with some surprise; it didn't seem large just now, did it? How did it suddenly get big? Was it because it was dark and she hadn't seen clearly?
If she couldn't figure it out, she stopped thinking about it. She asked Morgan questions as she usually did, and it didn't take long to reach a conclusion.
"Miss, pay more attention these next few days. You will likely give birth within the next half month," the Midwife shared her experience.
Morgan nodded.
After the Midwife finished her examination, Lia had Ninger give her some money and let her leave.
"Sister, stay peacefully in the Prince's Mansion for the next half month. Don't go anywhere. I'll have Ninger bring your meals to you," Lia said.
"How is it that troublesome? I'm not like those ordinary people. If I wanted to, I could give birth to the child right now." Morgan just gave a laugh upon hearing this.
Lia said somewhat helplessly, "That's because you don't know the dangers of premature birth. It might not be good for the child's future health. It's better for you to give birth naturally."
Saying this, Lia introduced Morgan to various problems that premature birth could cause, and Lia only stopped once Morgan agreed to give birth normally.
After all, this was also her own child; Lia didn't want it to be a problem child.
In the following days, everyone in the Prince's Mansion knew there was a new mistress here. This mistress was none other than Morgan..."
A few days later.
"Alice, have you mastered the knowledge I taught you?" On this day in the courtyard, Lia glanced at Alice. The little girl was holding a book, her brow furrowed in deep thought.
"Ah, Sister... I am studying hard!" Alice, called out by Lia, hurriedly replied.
Alice hadn't been idle during this time. Besides learning the local language and history, she also had to learn the magecraft Merlin taught her. Finally, Lia had arranged a pile of physics and chemistry courses for her. In short, Alice's schedule was packed full.
Chapter 66: Lia Wants to Restart the Hundred Schools of Thought!
"Is there anything you don't understand?" Lia asked.
Because she wanted to cultivate Alice into a talent, Lia used as many resources on her as possible.
"This..." Alice didn't know how to put it. Anyway, some of the knowledge Lia taught her seemed very confusing to her.
Why do apples fall to the ground? What is gravity? Why are the stars in the sky hanging there, and other similar things? Alice couldn't understand them at all.
After thinking about it, Alice asked her questions. After hearing them, Lia fell into thought.
Indeed, this knowledge was too difficult for the current Alice. Even if Lia explained these things herself, Alice would probably still be confused.
Besides Alice, Morgan was also in the garden. While listening to Lia's teaching, she also curiously flipped through the books and knowledge Lia gave to Alice.
The more she read, the more Morgan showed a look of surprise. This book of Lia's introduced a lot of knowledge that was unheard of even to her, but could she try to operate it?
"Alice, stop learning this for now. Learn math and this country's history first," Lia said after thinking about it.
She felt she was being a bit too hasty. To learn chemistry and physics well, one also needed corresponding tools for verification.
Otherwise, just throwing a book at Alice and letting her self-study, anyone would be confused, let alone profound things like chemistry and physics.
And was she developing Alice in the direction of a scientist? Not really.
However, Alice's situation also made Lia understand how to teach that knowledge to the public. Right now, she shouldn't teach Common People things that are too profound. The first thing to do is to make them no longer illiterate.
Once everyone is no longer illiterate, then she can slowly put some things that have already been experimentally proven into textbooks to teach them, letting them learn step by step.
Trying to become fat in one bite is unrealistic.
Thinking of this, Lia knew what the new schools she would establish later should teach.
First, abolish the Chinese 12345679+-×- and replace them with these easy-to-understand numbers, and then slowly simplify the characters into simplified characters that are easier to write.
She could start simplifying in this regard first, and then it could be promoted in the schools. Then, after the new generation learns her simplified characters, the writing can be completely simplified.
However, Movable Type Printing hasn't appeared yet. She needs to get this thing out first, otherwise it won't be easy to promote.
Current books basically rely on students to hand-copy them, which causes the common situation where books are expensive. This is also why ordinary people simply cannot learn knowledge.
In ancient times, if your family had a dozen books, that was considered a library.
If you could finish reading and completely memorize the four books and five classics, you would be considered a well-read scholar.
Although Confucian literature has poisoned those scholars quite a bit, it cannot be denied that there are also many things worth learning inside. Concepts like benevolence and forgiveness, brotherly love and respect, and self-reflection all make sense.
The problem with Confucian culture is that as a thought and culture, it is good, but as the mainstream ideology of a ruling class used to govern a country, it doesn't work.
Used to improve an individual's moral cultivation, Confucian culture is very good. Used to constrain the moral behavior of the entire society, then there are problems.
So, it's not that Confucian culture has a problem, it's that the ruling class has a problem.
Especially when the ruling class, for selfish interests, discards some of the shining points in Confucian culture, such as 'the people are more important than the ruler,' and adds some dregs, such as the three bonds and five often, causing Confucian culture to become increasingly rigid and reactionary.
Of course, any culture itself has a process of rise and fall. With the development of productive forces and relations of production, thought and culture as the superstructure must either be reformed accordingly or decline and perish.
Confucian culture was formed in the early Spring and Autumn period and flourished in the feudal agrarian civilization. In the modern industrial and information age, much of its content is certainly out of date.
For Lia, if she wants to establish education, Confucian culture must be present, but other cultures must also be present. Only by letting various schools of thought bloom together can culture reach its peak.
Thinking of this, Lia suddenly had an idea. She already knew how to recruit those knowledgeable big shots.
As long as she announces within her jurisdiction that she will open schools in every city and intends to recruit all schools of thought, not just Confucianism, but the Hundred Schools of Thought like in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.
Even if Lia is a woman, those schools of thought that have already declined surely won't give up this only chance to rise again. They will come to Lia's jurisdiction to show off their knowledge.
For these schools, whether the ruler is female is not critical at all. After all, even foreign tribes can enter the Central Plains, let alone a woman of the han family?
As long as Lia's rule aligns with their interests, scholars will naturally come out to defend all of Lia's actions and speak a great deal about Lia's political legitimacy!
And once the Confucianists discover this, in order to prove the superiority of their own school, they will certainly send people to suppress other schools and not let them be revived.
In this way, won't Lia have the talents she wants?
"Aren't you planning to come and serve me? Now I've defeated Northern Wei and taken Western Liang and Chang'an, which means I have the potential to unify the Central Plains in the future. Don't you Aristocratic Families like to put your eggs in different baskets?"
"If I really unify the Central Plains in the future, but Confucianism is not among the schools of thought, won't these people be worried to death?"
So once Lia opens up the Hundred Schools of Thought, the Confucian side will definitely send people, and it will be the famous big shots who come, otherwise how could they suppress the other schools?
Once those big shots arrive, they will bring many students with them, which solves the problem of Lia finding teachers to impart knowledge after opening her schools.
As for why those big shots don't appear now, it's quite simple: the rulers do not allow them to.
Since Emperor Wu of Han's policy of 'dismissing the hundred schools and honoring only Confucianism' has been established, wouldn't it be a death wish to come out and lobby for other ideas?
Therefore, the doctrines of the other schools never appeared again.
However, during the late Qing Dynasty, the phenomenon of the 'Contention of a Hundred Schools of Thought' reappeared. Although it only lasted for a few short decades, it shows that these other schools of thought did not disappear; they had always been there.
Chapter Sixty-Seven: You Confucianists, Don't Be So Excited!
At this moment, the Hundred Schools merely exist in a different way, attached to the imperial court. However, there can only be one voice in the court, and that is Confucianism.
This is also why the generals who study the Art of War, the Mohists who work as craftsmen, and the Taoists who practice internal alchemy could never ultimately defeat the Confucianists in politics.
These Confucian scholars might not be good at dealing with enemies, but they are far too skilled at dealing with their own people!
Of course, the so-called Contention of a Hundred Schools of Thought does not literally mean there are a hundred doctrines; it can be summarized into twelve major schools: Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, the School of the Military, Mohism, the School of Diplomacy, the Miscellaneous School, the School of the Husbandmen, the School of Yin-Yang, the School of Names, the School of Novelists, and the School of Medical Practitioners.
In general, the doctrines of the various masters of the pre-Qin period covered multiple fields such as philosophy, politics, ethics, military affairs, education, and science and technology, exerting a profound influence on the culture and thought of Huaxia.
Once Common People under her rule master the knowledge of these schools in the future, they will surely all be talents.
Furthermore, she has many matters regarding agriculture that require the School of the Husbandmen to come forward. Things like hybrid rice and other agricultural products from the Miscellaneous School require the help of those who have spent years in agricultural affairs.
Lia actually wanted to send people to South America to get sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn, but she simply didn't have ships capable of sailing that far!
Moreover, she currently rules Western Liang and places like Chang'an, which are not near the sea at all. Wanting to build large ships and send people to the Americas is simply too fantastical.
Even if she could send people to South America, how long it would take remains unknown.
So for now, what she needs to do is improve the wheat and rice that Huaxia already has. If these people really manage to develop hybrid rice, it would be a huge gain!
Thinking of this, Lia had someone call for the Prefect of Liang Province.
Although she is currently the ruler of Liang Province, she only presides over major affairs; for minor matters, Lia lets the officials under her handle them.
"My Lord, I wonder what matter you have summoned me for." Wang Pushi arrived at the Prince's Mansion and gave a respectful bow.
"Lord Wang, I plan to establish schools in every commandery and county under my rule starting today. Each commandery needs at least five schools, and each county needs three. What do you think?" Lia asked.
"Establish schools!" Prefect Wang's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing this. After recovering, he said with some joy, "My Lord, this is a good deed that benefits the country and the people!"
"Yes, I intend for Common People in the areas I rule to be literate. Only then will more scholars appear in my territory to serve me in the future, ensuring that we won't be subject to the monopoly of those Aristocratic Families." Lia nodded.
She wanted to set up even more academies, but according to her current finances, she couldn't reach that level yet. She could only wait until she had more money to slowly increase the number of schools.
"This... although your starting point is good, My Lord, such a move will undoubtedly be very costly. The books used for teaching alone would be a huge expense. Not to mention the teachers who can instruct people? That would also require a considerable sum," Prefect Wang said after some thought.
"You don't need to worry about the books or the teachers. You just need to spread these policies of mine throughout Western Liang, and finally post a notice to tell the world that I am opening up the Hundred Schools of Thought and sincerely inviting intellectuals from all schools to come to Western Liang to teach!" Lia smiled slightly.
She had raided many Aristocratic Families before and obtained many books from their homes. As long as she had people create Movable Type Printing, the problem of books could be quickly resolved.
"The Hundred Schools of Thought? Isn't that a bit..." Hearing that Lia wanted to restart the Contention of a Hundred Schools of Thought, Prefect Wang was momentarily stunned.
Logically, he should be happy about Lia's announcement. This move would undoubtedly increase the number of scholars in the world and is a matter where the benefits to the people outweigh the costs.
However, the schools Lia was opening were not meant to teach Confucianism. Instead, she intended for a contention of a hundred schools, just like during the Warring States period. Such a result would only have a strong impact on Confucianism.
And currently, the scholars of the world are basically disciples of Confucianism. Such a situation is clearly not what they want to see. Lia's behavior is undoubtedly going against Confucianism.
"The Hundred Schools of Thought are very good. Or is it that Lord Wang has no confidence in Confucianism? Are you afraid of being overwhelmed by other doctrines?" Lia said pointedly.
"I understand. If that's the case, I will go and handle it now." Prefect Wang nodded, his face expressionless.
To be placed in the position of Prefect of Liang Province by Lia, he was naturally not some pedantic scholar who would constantly spout Confucian ideology like those students.
Furthermore, Lia's last sentence made the issue very clear: I am only opening up the Hundred Schools of Thought; why are you Confucianists so excited? Are you still afraid of being surpassed by other doctrines? This was clearly meant to provoke the Confucianists.
But as their Lord, since Lia had already provided the plan, they as subjects could only follow it to fill in the details and planning.
Soon, a notice was posted within Liang Province and then spread throughout Western Liang and Chang'an.
The notice was simple and clear: it stated that Lia was going to open dozens of academies in the areas she ruled. As long as someone had a skill from any school that was beneficial to the country's policies, they could come to the schools to be a teacher and benefit the people!
The notice did not explicitly say Lia was restarting the Hundred Schools of Thought, but anyone with a discerning eye could see what it meant.
Those scholars of schools that had been buried in the past were suddenly excited. After confirming that this news was absolutely true, they immediately packed their bags and set off for the regions ruled by Lia. This was their only chance to expand their own schools of thought openly and honorably; they had to grasp it!
If they could rely on their own doctrines to make Arthur's army strong, defeat Northern Wei and Liu Song, then their doctrines might become the mainstream of the court just like Confucianism, lasting for hundreds of years!
And those of the Confucian school were also excited.
Of course, the reason for their excitement was that Lia actually dared to risk universal condemnation by restarting the Hundred Schools, which was essentially a forceful subversion of the achievements their predecessors had worked so hard to attain.
Sure enough, the sage Confucius was right: 'Only women and petty men are difficult to deal with; if you are familiar with them, they become disrespectful, and if you keep them at a distance, they complain.'
A woman should just support her husband and teach her children, rather than doing things that only men should do. A woman interfering with national policies can only corrupt the court!
Chapter Sixty-Eight: Movable Type Printing
Of course, despite the criticism, some things still had to be done.
Since Lia had restarted the Hundred Schools and hadn't said that Confucianists couldn't go, they naturally had to send people as well. They wanted to use their strength to prove that 'dismissing the hundred schools and honoring only Confucianism' was of great significance, and to make Lia understand that only Confucianism is the kingly way!
If Lia were simply a Rebel Leader, then so be it; even if they didn't act, Northern Wei would eventually destroy her.
But the reality was that not only could Northern Wei not destroy Lia, but they were also soundly defeated by her, even losing Chang'an. This was very serious.
Guanzhong being taken by a Rebel Leader was a very serious signal. Since ancient times, there has been a saying: 'He who gains Chang'an gains the world.'
Chang'an sits on the Guanzhong Plain, with a thousand miles of fertile fields.
At this time, before the Little Ice Age, the temperature in the Central Plains was relatively high, vegetation was abundant, and crops matured well. Therefore, any power that controlled the Guanzhong Plain could rely on its fertile land, population, and strategic terrain to contend for supremacy over the world.