Although Zhu Biao was very bright, he was still a teenager of thirteen or fourteen, right at the age of questioning everything.
At the same time, this was an age when emotions ran very high.
When he approved of something, he would obstinately feel it was entirely good; conversely, he would find flaws in every single aspect.
Ma Yu had essentially been discovered by him, a feat for which Zhu Biao had even received a severe reprimand from Empress Ma.
The stronger Ma Yu's abilities proved to be, the greater the "worth" of that scolding from his mother.
To a certain extent, a bond had been forged between the two of them.
At least, that was how Zhu Biao saw it.
*I recognized his talent, withstood the pressure to protect him, and he turned out to be a grand statesman.*
What a wonderful tale this made.
Just thinking about it filled his heart with a warm, self-satisfied glow.
This planted deep within him an unusual sense of identification and expectation toward Ma Yu.
Subconsciously, he wanted Ma Yu to be even more capable, and he was quite willing to believe that Ma Yu's viewpoints were correct.
Therefore, ever since he heard the view that "Confucius and Mencius are the foundation, while Guan Zhong and Xunzi are the application," he had begun studying the *Guanzi* and the *Xunzi*.
As the crown prince acting as regent, he had accumulated many questions in his mind while assisting Empress Ma in handling state affairs.
Many of these issues were ones that even Empress Ma could not resolve.
Yet he discovered that ever since he started reading those two books, solutions to many of those problems had begun to take shape.
This made him all the more convinced that Ma Yu's perspective was nothing less than the absolute truth.
Consequently, he devoted even more of his energy to studying those two books.
A person's energy is limited; when he poured his energy into this, his studies of Confucianism naturally slackened.
Song Lian keenly perceived this problem.
However, he did not point it out directly; instead, he first administered a small pop quiz.
His original intention was that since Zhu Biao had not been diligent in his studies these past few days, he would surely fail to answer well.
At that point, Song Lian would smoothly offer some admonitions, urging him to apply himself to his studies.
In this way, the crown prince would realize his mistake while the decorum between ruler and minister would be preserved.
One could hardly call his plan anything less than perfect.
And indeed, things went just as he had anticipated—Zhu Biao did poorly on the first few questions.
Until the very last question, when everything exceeded his expectations.
That question was "The Four Knowledges Regarding Gold."
During the Eastern Han dynasty, the famed minister Yang Zhen was passing through Changyi. The Magistrate of Changyi, Wang Mi—who owed his official post to Yang Zhen's recommendation—came by at night to present him with ten catties of gold, saying that no one would ever know about this, so he should just accept it.
Yang Zhen replied: "Heaven knows, the gods know, I know, and you know. How can you say no one knows?"
And with that, he refused the gift of gold.
This was the historical allusion behind "the four knowledges regarding gold," and it was the reason why many people later named their studies or guest rooms the "Hall of Four Knowledges."
According to normal logic, Zhu Biao should have answered using doctrines such as "The superior man understands righteousness; the small man understands profit," or "In his own conduct he maintains a sense of shame; sent on a mission to any quarter, he does not disgrace his ruler's commands."
Yet Zhu Biao blurted out:
"Propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame are the four pillars of the state. If these four pillars are not upheld, the state will perish."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized he had messed up.
Sure enough, Song Lian's face filled with shock and bewilderment:
"Your Highness, are you... are you reading the *Guanzi*?"
Things having reached this pass, Zhu Biao instead grew composed. Without lying, he nodded and said:
"Yes. Recently, I have been studying the works of the two ancient sages, Guan Zhong and Xunzi."
"The methods of statecraft within these books are truly breathtaking. Reading them has opened my mind completely."
Song Lian's brows furrowed deeply, and a profound displeasure stirred within him, though he did not vent his anger right away.
Instead, he advised: "While the *Guanzi* and the *Xunzi* certainly possess practical achievements for governing the world, their Dao is not the proper path."
"As a minister to Prince Jiu, Guan Zhong could not die for him, and instead became the chancellor to Duke Huan of Qi—the very man who drove Prince Jiu to his death. This was utterly unfaithful and unjust."
"Their statecraft places far too much emphasis on material wealth while slighting moral virtue and transformation, leading the people of Qi to strive solely for profit."
"This ultimately resulted in internal chaos within Qi, leaving Duke Huan of Qi, an overlord of his generation, to starve to death deep within the palace."
"The methods of Xunzi in transforming the masses do indeed have their merits, but they are mixed with the teachings of Shen Buhai and Shang Yang, pursuing mere utility while remaining ignorant of the fundamental goodness of human nature. They are far removed from the Way of the sages."
Seeing him so disparage Guan Zhong and Xunzi, Zhu Biao felt a slight twitch of displeasure in his heart.
However, his lifelong upbringing enabled him to maintain sufficient rationality as he replied:
"What Master says is entirely true; the Way of Confucius and Mencius is indeed the foundation."
"My reading of Guan Zhong and Xunzi is merely to understand their techniques of statecraft."
"As the saying goes: Confucius and Mencius as the foundation, Guan Zhong and Xunzi as the application."
Upon hearing the first few lines, Song Lian felt immensely comforted. *This youth is teachable.*
But the moment Zhu Biao uttered that final sentence, Song Lian's expression froze, and he flew into a rage.
"Nonsense! Guan Zhong and Xunzi are petty men; how dare you place them on an equal footing with the Two Sages, Confucius and Mencius?"
"Such heterodox and absurd theories—who taught them to the Crown Prince? This old man will certainly not let him off!"
Zhu Biao's temper flared up as well, and he retorted:
"Confucius and Mencius possess the Way but lack methods; Guan Zhong and Xunzi possess methods but lack the Way. Combining the two and taking the best from each—what is wrong with that?"
Trembling with anger, Song Lian raised his ruler, intending to strike.
Then he remembered that the other party was the Crown Prince and his ruler; for a subject to punish his sovereign was an act of unfaithfulness.
In the end, he could only bring the heavy ruler crashing down onto the desk with a thunderous crack.
The commotion startled the attendants waiting outside, who hurriedly poked their heads in to look.
They heard Song Lian rage: "Preposterous! Come with me to see the Empress. I am going to see who on earth taught you such demonic and heterodox ways."
Standing unmoving, Zhu Biao said, "If you have anything to say, you can say it to me. My mother is already exhausted with the myriad affairs of state every day; do not bother her with such trivial matters."
"Trivial matters?" Song Lian was so angry his hands shook.
"The education of the heir apparent concerns the future of the Great Ming! And you call this a trivial matter?"
"I see you are not afraid of disturbing the Empress; you are simply afraid she will punish you."
The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them, for this too was an insult to his sovereign.
Yet words spoken could not be recalled; there was no chance to take them back.
Zhu Biao took a deep breath, reined in his anger, and said:
"Master Song, though you and I are master and student, we are also ruler and subject. Do not forget the decorum between sovereign and minister."
Song Lian stated flatly: "This old man serves his ruler with the Dao, and I will not be deceived, nor will I let him transgress."
"Since the Crown Prince is unwilling to accompany me to see the Empress, this old man will simply go alone."
With that, he turned and strode toward the Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Biao's mouth opened slightly, but in the end, he did not try to stop him.
*Go ahead. Go on.*
Some things had to change sooner or later; let it start with this incident.
Previously, he had considered Song Lian to be broadly learned, righteous, polite, and generous toward others—a true Confucian gentleman.
Today's events taught him that even Song Lian was not a truly flawless gentleman.
Walking far down the corridor, Song Lian found that the Crown Prince had actually not chased after him to offer an apology, which only made him even more furious.
Originally, he had only intended to frighten Zhu Biao a little, but now he resolved that he must go see the Empress.
It was not for the sake of his own pride, but because he genuinely felt the Crown Prince was treading a perilous path.
For the sake of the Great Ming, he had to put a stop to this.
Unfortunately, he did not yet realize that today's clash had thoroughly shattered his idealized image of things.
One wondered if he would regret this confrontation once he learned the truth.
***
In the Qianqing Palace, Empress Ma had just seen off a delegation of outer ministers.
Finding a rare moment of leisure and wishing to rest for a while, she saw an attendant running over in a rush, reporting that Mr. Song and the Crown Prince had fallen out.
Empress Ma could not help being stunned, and then anger flashed across her face.
Not directed at Song Lian, but at Zhu Biao—for showing such a lack of respect for his teacher and elders at such a tender age.
In her heart, she held deep respect for Song Lian, the preeminent Confucian scholar of their era.
Moreover, the Great Ming needed Song Lian to win over the scholars of the realm.
Crucially, Song Lian was truly a genuine Confucian; he did not merely speak grand principles with his lips, but practiced his Dao with his very body.
Therefore, upon hearing that Zhu Biao had clashed with him, her very first reaction was that Zhu Biao was in the wrong.
Only after detailed questioning did she learn what had happened.
She felt utterly helpless in her heart—it was because of this Ma Yu again.
Down in the Yingtian Prefecture Prison, Ma Yu—who was in the middle of bragging to Zhu Shuang—had no idea that he had inexplicably taken the blame for something.
To return to Empress Ma.
Having learned the sequence of events, she did not grow as angry as Zhu Biao had; instead, she deeply understood why Song Lian was so furious.
It was like running up to a Daoist priest and singing the praises of the Buddha at the top of your lungs; if they didn't beat you half to death, they could only be considered broad-minded.
It had nothing to do with right and wrong; it was purely a matter of standpoint.
Her son was still too young. Had he not yet grasped the principle of tailoring one's words to one's audience?
Of course, she did not feel her son was wrong either. She too had been reading the books of Guan Zhong and Xunzi these past few days, and her gains had been enormous.
Her approval of Ma Yu's "foundation and application" view had only grown stronger.
As the heir apparent, it was only right for her son to read works on statecraft.
However, now that the problem had surfaced, how was it to be resolved?
If handled poorly, Song Lian might go out of the palace and say something that could impair the Crown Prince's standing in the hearts of scholars.
Just as she was wrestling with a headache, an attendant reported that Song Lian was requesting an audience.
Empress Ma hurriedly bade him enter, and even stood up to greet him personally.
Song Lian was deeply moved. *The ruler treats me as a state-class scholar; I must repay her as a state-class scholar.*
And consequently... *Since the Emperor and Empress treat me thus, I must teach the Crown Prince well.*
His initial hesitation vanished, instantly hardening his resolve.
He recounted the course of events from beginning to end:
How he discovered the Crown Prince's laxity in his studies, why he administered the test, and how he had prepared to admonish him.
Then came the accidental turn of events and the cause of their dispute.
He did not speak to whitewash himself, nor did he try to shift the blame onto Zhu Biao, relating the incident with stark objectivity.
Several times he even pleaded for punishment: "In my agitation, I clashed with the Crown Prince. I beg the Empress to punish me."
What could Empress Ma say? She could only soothe him, saying things like, "You are a teacher; it is only proper for you to educate your disciples."
Even at the end, Song Lian did not believe Zhu Biao had any inherent flaws, nor did he lodge a formal complaint against him.
The Crown Prince had always shown respect for teachers and the Dao; such behavior today must have been the result of some petty person's enticement. He hoped the Empress would examine the matter closely and root out such treacherous flatterers.
The more he acted this way, the harder it was for Empress Ma to handle.
She could only placate him: "Master Song, do not be angry. I am already aware of this matter and will send people to investigate immediately."
Then she changed the subject: "I have also read the books of Guan Zhong and Xunzi; their methods truly possess the ability to bring order to the world and practical use."
"For the Crown Prince, as the heir apparent, to peruse the works of the hundred schools, taking their strengths and applying them, is the proper path."
"As the saying goes: The stones from other hills may serve to polish jade."
"Master, you should support this; why oppose it?"
Song Lian said earnestly: "It is not that this old man forbids the Crown Prince from reading the classics of the hundred schools, but rather that the time is not yet right."
"Only when one's foundational mind is firm can observing the learning of the hundred schools serve to polish the jade."
"If the foundational mind is not yet firm and one rashly studies other schools of thought, one is easily influenced and led astray into the demonic path."
"Today, the Crown Prince is young, his learning is not yet profound, and his foundational mind is not firm. That is why this old minister does not allow him to read indiscriminately."
"The fact that the Crown Prince could utter 'Confucius and Mencius as the foundation, Guan Zhong and Xunzi as the application' today already shows the warning signs."
"I beg the Empress to root out the sycophant who bewitched the Crown Prince as soon as possible, lest it be too late for regret."
Empress Ma wore a thoughtful expression. What Song Lian said was very reasonable, and she herself agreed with it.
Yet her own personal experience also made her feel that Ma Yu's words were sound.
So whom should she believe, and what should she do?
For a moment, she too found herself unable to make a decision.
At that moment, she could not help thinking of Zhu Yuanzhang. *No, I'll write a letter telling him to hurry back immediately.*
The matters here concerned the future of the Great Ming; they were far more important than what was happening in Kaifeng.
Besides, since she already knew Kaifeng was no longer suitable to serve as the capital, there was little point in continuing to stay there.
He needed to come back quickly and settle this affair.
Yet even if Zhu Yuanzhang set off immediately, he would not arrive in three to five days, and Song Lian here had to be placated right now.
With this in mind, she feigned agreement and said:
"Master Song's words are entirely reasonable. Rest assured, I will send men to investigate immediately."
"As for the Crown Prince... I will discipline him myself later and give Master Song an accounting."
Song Lian, however, did not accept this, saying instead:
"The Empress must not! The Crown Prince is the sovereign, and I am a subject."
"How can there be a reason to reprimand the sovereign for the sake of a subject?"
"Besides, the Crown Prince is young; this was merely a momentary lapse. He should be soothed and admonished."
"If the reprimand is too harsh, I fear it will produce the opposite of the desired effect."
Empress Ma felt a twinge of guilt in her heart; deceiving such a true Confucian scholar carried a heavy psychological burden.
Yet she had no choice; for now, this was all she could do.
After a bit more conversation, Song Lian took his leave and departed.
Empress Ma let out a long sigh of relief, then ordered someone to summon Zhu Biao.
When they met, her expression was severe as she pointed out Zhu Biao's two shortcomings:
First, Song Lian was his teacher and elder; honoring teachers and valuing the Dao was the foundation of humanity, and he ought not to have clashed with him.
Even if he had objections to Song Lian's words, he should not have disputed them face-to-face.
They could have discussed it privately; if no conclusion could be reached, he should simply go about his business without provoking the old man to his face.
Second was his failure to adapt his approach to the person he was dealing with.
"As the saying goes: When speaking with the wise, rely on breadth; when speaking with the clumsy, rely on distinction; when speaking with the discerning, rely on essentials."
"Master Song is a disciple of Confucius and Mencius; how could he not be angry when you praised Guan Zhong and Xunzi right to his face?"
"Governing in the future will be just the same; you must adopt different strategies for different people."
"If you cannot master this point, you will never win the genuine submission of your ministers."
Zhu Biao replied respectfully: "Yes, I know what to do. Tomorrow I will apologize to Master Song."
"In the future, I will not mention the matters of Guan Zhong and Xunzi in his presence."
Empress Ma shook her head. "You see, you are falling into the 'either-or' trap again. It is not that these things cannot be discussed, but rather that you must not excessively champion Guan Zhong and Xunzi in front of him."
Zhu Biao said thoughtfully: "I understand. Thank you for your teaching, Mother."
Empress Ma was quite gratified, but then she continued:
"However, today's affair has given me an idea."
Curiously, Zhu Biao asked, "Oh? I wonder what Mother has thought of?"
Empress Ma smiled and said: "Haven't we always wanted to know just how profound Ma Yu's learning is?"
"How about having Master Song go and see him in person?"