PFC Chapter 71 Comparative Advantage
Chapter 71 Comparative Advantage
Zhu Gaoxi wrote a letter of commitment and handed it to the old emperor: no matter when or where, he would never harm his own flesh and blood relatives, including Zhu Yunwen.
Just as the old emperor granted his meritorious officials and generals the golden token of immunity from death, he solemnly promised that even if he were to hold great power one day, he would never deprive the royal family members of their right to live as ordinary citizens.
The old emperor's pardon was of little use, but his promise remained valid indefinitely and he voluntarily accepted supervision.
The royal family must establish a mechanism to ensure that relatives live in harmony, pool their wisdom and efforts, and work together as one to overcome difficulties and challenges and prolong the dynasty's life.
Zhu Gaoxi showed the old emperor that he had enough goodwill to get along with every member of the royal family, and that he regarded them as collaborators, not just competitors.
Zhu Gaoxi used the example of Fan Zhongyan, a famous minister of the Northern Song Dynasty, who established a charitable estate to illustrate his own ideas.
After being demoted for the third time, Fan Zhongyan, who was known for his motto "Be the first to worry about the world's troubles and the last to enjoy its pleasures," returned to his hometown of Wu County in Suzhou Prefecture. There, he purchased more than a thousand acres of fertile land, established a charitable estate, and used the land rent to help poor members of his clan. He provided them with a minimum standard of living, gave them food and clothing, funded their weddings, funerals, and imperial examinations, provided them with housing, and offered loans. In various ways, he reduced their poverty and helped them overcome their difficulties.
Outstanding descendants of the Fan family have continuously given back to the family through donations. These lands belong to the charitable estate, and the income is used for welfare and relief expenditures to ensure the basic living needs of the poor clansmen and prevent them from being displaced and wandering to other places.
In his "Letter to My Sons," Fan Zhongyan wrote: "If you enjoy wealth and honor alone and do not care for your clan, how will you face your ancestors in the afterlife? How will you have the face to enter the ancestral temple today?"
Listening to Zhu Gaoxi's explanation, the old emperor nodded repeatedly. "I am very pleased that you have this insight and are willing to put aside past grievances with your elder brother, the Crown Prince. As his elder brother, we have already spoken to him about any wrongdoings he may have committed."
Zhu Gaoxi didn't delve into the subtext of the old emperor's words, but sincerely reminded him: "Grandfather, if I remember correctly, Lord Menkexin may pass away in August. Grandfather, please send the imperial physician to treat and recuperate him in advance."
The old emperor looked at his eldest grandson with suspicion and ordered Huang Liang to send someone to fetch the imperial physician.
Yesterday was a day of chaos, and the old emperor looked exhausted. Menkexin is two years older than us. If what our eldest grandson said is true, how long can we live?
This question lingered in his mind, refusing to leave; he didn't want to face it, yet he couldn't avoid it.
He wanted to ask his eldest grandson how many more years he could live, but after thinking it over and over, he still couldn't muster the courage to ask.
"Grandpa, go inside and rest for a while. I'll stay here and watch over things. Brother Dun will be back soon," Zhu Gaoxi said considerately.
If they continue to stubbornly resist, the old emperor might just kick the bucket on the spot.
Those two siblings, Zhu Jingyi and Zhu Yuntong, are dim-witted and easily manipulated by Lady Lü. How dare they interfere in the matter of choosing an heir?
When those two idiots made a scene at the Qianqing Palace yesterday, did they ever consider whether their nearly seventy-year-old grandfather could handle it?
The old emperor also felt physically exhausted, so he slowly walked to the inner room and lay down. Zhu Gaoxi covered him with a quilt.
"Xi'er," the old emperor suddenly grabbed Zhu Gaoxi's hand, "Xi'er, you are too young. That position may be a curse rather than a blessing for you. People's hearts are treacherous and unpredictable. I am worried that it will harm you."
"Why is your third uncle's son, Zhu Jixi, making such a fuss about coming to the capital? He's doing it to compete for that position."
"Xi'er, do you know about Emperor Yuan Ningzong, the younger brother of Emperor Yuan Shundi? He ascended the throne at the age of six, but only reigned for forty-three days before being murdered."
Zhu Gaoxi nodded, deeply moved, for he knew the story of Emperor Ningzong of Yuan.
"Xi'er, being the ruler of the world is not an easy thing. It's not enough to just be smart and kind. You also have to outwit and scheme against your ministers, be ruthless, and make decisive decisions."
"Xi'er, you've lived in the palace since you were little, you don't know how treacherous people can be, we can't push you into the fire pit."
The old emperor spoke, tears streaming down his face.
Zhu Gaoxi picked up a handkerchief and wiped away his tears. "Grandpa, let's not think about these things for now. Let's go to sleep. Your grandson will stay here with you."
Zhu Youdun accompanied Dai Sigong to the Eastern Palace to treat the Crown Prince. When they returned, they saw Zhu Gaoxi sleeping next to the old emperor. Just as he was about to bend down and carry him to bed, Zhu Gaoxi suddenly opened his eyes and pointed outside.
The two went directly to the side hall.
"Is the Crown Prince feeling better?"
Zhu Gaoxi figured it was time for Zhu Yunwen's performance to end. Wasn't it tiring to pretend to be sick when he wasn't?
"Grandpa told him to rest for one more day."
After Zhu Youdun finished speaking, he noticed that Zhu Gaoxi seemed preoccupied and asked with concern, "What's wrong? Are you feeling cold?"
"Brother, Grandpa just told us the story of Emperor Ningzong of Yuan. When faced with a young emperor, if a minister asked: 'How can a six-year-old emperor govern the country?' how should we answer?"
"Many people think the same thing even if they don't say it to your face."
Zhu Youdun was silent for a moment, then asked in return, "What does my younger brother think?"
"Answering every question is handing over the initiative to others and being led by the nose. It's better to find a way to guide public opinion and make everyone believe that I am divinely ordained," Zhu Gaoxi said, looking at Zhu Youdun. "I was born on the day my eldest uncle died. Zuo Shanshi Zongle told my grandfather that I was the reincarnation of my eldest uncle. My eldest uncle had extraordinary influence among the officials. We should find a way to make use of it."
"It is necessary for my grandfather to make this matter widely publicized, but he is worried that making me the crown prince will harm me, and he has not yet made up his mind."
Zhu Youdun understood the meaning behind Zhu Gaoxi's words and immediately said, "I will try to say it when Grandfather wakes up."
All the civil and military officials were shrewd and intelligent; even if there were claims that Zhu Biao was a reincarnation, they might not believe it.
However, Zhu Gaoxi's target was not them, but the people of the world.
If civil or military officials dare to speak out recklessly and arbitrarily, or deceive the emperor, they will naturally be subject to the laws of the state.
"I plan to start a supplement to the current official gazette, print it uniformly using a mimeograph machine, and distribute it to various places," Zhu Gaoxi slowly said, revealing his idea. "Xie Jin and Yin Changlong are excellent writers, so it would be a good opportunity to give full play to their talents."
Zhu Youdun smiled slightly upon hearing this, "Younger brother is so confident, I am ashamed of my own inferiority. I think this method is excellent. By laying the groundwork in advance, the change of heir will not seem too abrupt in the future, and people will be more likely to accept it."
With the approval of You Dun, and his help in persuading the old emperor, the resistance to starting a newspaper will be greatly reduced.
With a promising future, Zhu Gaoxi gradually felt a sense of accomplishment.
These days, he has suffered too many setbacks from the old emperor, and he is almost losing confidence.
Upon returning to the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Gaoxi found the old emperor fast asleep. He walked to the mountain of memorials and said, "Brother, let's sort them out first, so it will be easier for Grandpa to review them when he wakes up."
"I'll leave everything to my brother," Zhu Youdun readily agreed.
Zhu Gaoxi reads extremely fast, a skill he honed in high school in his previous life. His Chinese teacher said that the best performance in daily studies depends on reading and writing speed, and being able to write answers neatly and quickly on the test paper is one of the most basic abilities.
In civilized society, written language is the most important carrier of information and knowledge.
Reading brings him a strange sense of security. Practicing reading speed whenever he has a spare moment has become a habit, or even an instinct, for Zhu Gaoxi over the years.
It was thanks to his excellent exam scores that he was able to get into his ideal university.
His impressive academic performance stems from his rapid reading comprehension and outstanding memory, which are his comparative advantages and the source of his confidence. Whenever he feels insecure, he picks up a book to read, and the smell of the book brings him peace of mind and a sense of happiness.
Zhu Youdun was deeply shocked. He stared at Zhu Gaoxi in disbelief for a while, then picked up the memorials that Zhu Gaoxi had categorized and reviewed them. He found no errors or omissions.