jdhmnovel Chapter 313 Prodigy
Chapter 313 Prodigy
The imperial examinations of the Nanzhao Kingdom had just concluded. In the imperial study of the palace, Xiao Nanyi was bent over his desk, reviewing the essays of the newly appointed scholars. Morning light streamed obliquely through the carved window lattices, turning the vermilion inkstone on his desk amber. Suddenly, a clear child's voice broke the silence: "Father! Your son has found a new method for controlling floods!"
Five-year-old Crown Prince Xiao Chengjun, his bare, slender legs like lotus roots, stumbled into the study, a few crabapple petals still clinging to his hair. He clutched a copy of "The Records of Rivers and Canals," taller than himself, its pages worn and tattered. His childish fingertip pointed to a particular annotation: "Look here, Wang Jing of the Eastern Han Dynasty managed the Bian Canal, using a 'water gate every ten li' method to divert the flow. I think this method can be combined with my uncle's water management approach!"
Xiao Nanyi's hand, holding the vermilion brush, suddenly stopped. He had just ordered this book, "The Records of Rivers and Canals," to be brought here last month, originally intending to start Chengjun's education when he was older. However, he did not expect his son to secretly flip through it and even connect the wisdom of the ancients with current political affairs. He put down the brush and held the child on his lap. He saw that the yellowed pages were densely covered with crooked lines, and in one blank space, there was even a simple diagram of water diversion channels drawn with charcoal.
"Who taught you to read these books?" Xiao Nanyi's voice was filled with undisguised shock. Chengjun swung his little feet and said in a childish voice, "It was Grandpa Emperor! He said that flood control was a big deal, and he even made me count the drainage holes in the Imperial Garden!" Only then did Xiao Nanyi remember that after Xiao Jingchuan retired, he often took his grandson around, but unexpectedly, he had inspired the child's interest in politics while playing.
The news quickly reached the Jiaofang Palace. Lin Wanqing was teaching palace maids embroidery when she heard about it and almost dropped her needle. She rushed to the Imperial Study and saw Chengjun standing in front of the map, standing on tiptoe and gesturing with a twig: "Build a sluice gate here, dig a branch canal here, and we won't have to worry about the dikes breaking during the flood season!" The child's eyes were bright and sparkling, like two pools of stars.
"Nonsense!" Lin Wanqing said sternly, but secretly felt a surge of pride. "These are things you should be worrying about. Go and study!" Chengjun, however, clung to his father's leg and pleaded, "Mother, I've been studying very hard! I even memorized the 'Yu Gong' yesterday!" He then began to recite it word for word, his clear, childlike voice echoing in the empty study. Even the sparrows outside the window stopped chirping.
This matter quickly spread throughout the court. Three days later, during the morning court session, the Grand Censor Wang specifically mentioned in his memorial: "I have heard that His Highness the Crown Prince is exceptionally intelligent. Although young, he is deeply concerned about the people's livelihood, which is truly a blessing for our Nanzhao." Upon hearing this, all the civil and military officials echoed his sentiments. Xiao Nanyi looked at the assembled officials, feeling both gratified and worried—he knew that displaying one's talents too early might not be a good thing.
That evening, Xiao Jingchuan brought his grandson to the Imperial Garden. Moonlight, like water, spilled across the winding corridors. Chengjun squatted by the water's edge, stirring the water with a twig, then suddenly turned and asked, "Grandpa, why is Father unhappy? Did I say something wrong?"
Xiao Jingchuan lovingly stroked the child's head: "Yi'er isn't unhappy, but I'm worried that you'll be burdened by empty fame. Remember, true knowledge isn't for showing off, but for keeping in your heart and bringing it out when you need it." He pointed to the swaying lotus flowers in the distance, "Just like the lotus, it must first take root in the mud before it can bloom into a flower untouched by the dust."
Chengjun nodded as if he understood, and kept those words firmly in his heart. In the days that followed, he continued to study and practice calligraphy under the guidance of the Grand Tutor, but he no longer easily showed his talent. Until that late autumn, when a locust plague suddenly struck the capital and the officials were helpless, Chengjun brought his painting "Locust Catching Picture" to the Imperial Study.
“I heard from an old farmer that locusts are afraid of fire and smoke.” He spread out a drawing, which showed dozens of braziers filled with firewood and huge bellows made of cowhide. “We can light the braziers in the fields and use the bellows to blow air, driving the locusts to one place and wiping them out in one fell swoop!”
Xiao Nanyi gazed at his son's earnest little face and suddenly recalled the child who had rushed into his study years ago carrying a copy of "The Records of Rivers and Canals." He handed the blueprints to the Ministry of Works official present, who, after carefully examining them, exclaimed in astonishment: "This plan seems simple, yet it secretly aligns with the insect-catching methods in 'The Complete Treatise on Agricultural Administration.' Your Highness is exceptionally gifted; you are truly a blessing to our dynasty!"
The locust-catching method was a great success, and the people spread the news, praising His Highness the Crown Prince as a "child prodigy reincarnated." However, Chengjun remembered his grandfather's teachings and simply bowed in response to the praise, saying, "This is all the wisdom of our predecessors; I am merely picking up scraps from their work."
The candlelight in the library illuminated Xiao Chengjun's profile day after day, and three years passed in the blink of an eye. The eight-year-old crown prince had shed his childishness, and his eyes had gained a touch of maturity. He was no longer satisfied with the knowledge in books, and often went on incognito tours with his guards, wandering through the streets and alleys of the capital, observing the lives of the people and listening to their demands.
One day, Chengjun, accompanied by his personal guard Alie, arrived at the slums in the west of the city. The houses were dilapidated, sewage flowed freely, and ragged people huddled in corners. The children were emaciated, their eyes filled with fear and confusion. Chengjun's heart was deeply pained. He knelt down, took a little girl's hand, and softly asked, "Little sister, what do you usually eat?"
The little girl timidly pulled a hard wild vegetable cake from her bosom. "Mother made this with wild vegetables and bran. Only my sick brother can eat white rice porridge." Chengjun's nose tingled, and his eyes instantly welled up with tears. He stood up and said to Alie, "Remember what's going on here. I'll report to Father when we get back to the palace."
Upon returning to the Eastern Palace, Chengjun immediately sat down at his desk and wrote a lengthy memorial of several thousand words, detailing the current state of the slums and his proposed solutions. He suggested establishing charitable granaries, with the court allocating grain to relieve the people; constructing drainage ditches in the west of the city to improve sanitation; and also recommended opening free schools so that children from poor families could receive an education.
The next morning at court, Xiao Nanyi looked at the memorial his son had submitted, feeling both gratified and deeply moved. The memorial was clear and well-organized, its analysis thorough, and its suggestions practical and feasible—it was completely unlike what one would expect from an eight-year-old child. After being circulated among the court officials, it garnered expressions of surprise and admiration.
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince, at such a young age, already possesses such a deep concern for the country and its people; this is truly a blessing for our Nanzhao. I suggest that we implement the Crown Prince's plan, which will surely improve the lives of the people in the western part of the city," Prime Minister Wang spoke first.
However, not everyone supported it. Censor-in-Chief Li raised an objection: "Although His Highness the Crown Prince cares about the people, he is still young. Is his proposed plan too idealistic? Implementing it would likely consume a huge amount of manpower and resources, and we need to consider it further."
A heated discussion immediately broke out in the court, with two opposing viewpoints arguing back and forth. Xiao Nanyi looked at Chengjun and asked, "Jun'er, what is your opinion on Lord Li's questioning?"
Chengjun stepped forward neither humbly nor arrogantly, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I have already calculated the required funds and provisions in my memorial. We can first allocate a portion from the national treasury, and then call upon wealthy merchants to donate funds for education. As for manpower, we can recruit local people to participate in the construction and pay them wages, which will not only solve the employment problem but also speed up the progress of the project."
Xiao Nanyi nodded in satisfaction and immediately decided: "Let's implement the Crown Prince's plan, with the Crown Prince overseeing the construction and the Prime Minister assisting."
After receiving the order, Chengjun devoted himself wholeheartedly to the construction project. Every day before dawn, he would arrive at the construction site to supervise the progress and inspect the quality of the work. When encountering technical difficulties, he would humbly seek advice from the craftsmen; when the people had complaints, he would listen patiently and adjust the plans in a timely manner. Thanks to his efforts, the granary was quickly built, and grain was continuously distributed to the people; the drainage ditches were completed, and the sewage overflowing in the west of the city was completely eliminated; the free school was also successfully opened, and the sound of reading aloud echoed in the streets and alleys.
The people were deeply grateful to Chengjun and spontaneously built a shrine in his honor. However, upon learning of this, Chengjun immediately sent people to demolish the shrine and personally came to the west of the city to tell the people, "I am the Crown Prince, and it is my responsibility to seek the well-being of the people. You don't need to do this. Your happiness is the greatest reward for me."
After this incident, Xiao Nanyi gained a deeper understanding of his son's abilities. He began to consciously involve Chengjun in more political affairs, cultivating his talent for governing the country. And Chengjun lived up to expectations, demonstrating wisdom and composure beyond his years, whether handling border affairs or mediating disputes in the court.
However, with great power comes great responsibility. As Chengjun's prestige grew, some unscrupulous individuals began to plot against him. The Third Imperial Uncle, Xiao Jingming, was one of them. He had long coveted the throne and saw Chengjun as a thorn in his side. He colluded with some court officials to make things difficult for Chengjun in court and spread rumors in an attempt to ruin his reputation.
One day, Xiao Jingming impeached Chengjun at the morning court: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has been associating closely with people from the martial arts world recently, and I fear he harbors treacherous intentions. I implore Your Majesty to investigate this matter thoroughly!" These words caused an uproar throughout the court.
Xiao Nanyi looked at Chengjun, his eyes questioning. Chengjun calmly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I have indeed recently met several martial arts practitioners, all of whom are skilled in medicine and martial arts. I invited them to open a martial arts school and a medical clinic in the Eastern Palace to teach the guards martial arts and treat the patients in the palace." As he spoke, he presented a detailed plan.
After carefully examining the situation, Xiao Nanyi's doubts vanished. He sternly rebuked Xiao Jingming: "Jingming, as the imperial uncle, instead of sharing the burdens of the court, you maliciously slander the crown prince here. What is your punishment?" Xiao Jingming was so frightened that he knelt down and begged for mercy. In the end, he was stripped of his title and imprisoned at home.
This incident made Chengjun realize that in the vortex of power, ability alone is not enough; sufficient vigilance and strategy are also necessary. He studied even more diligently, not only delving into the art of governance but also becoming well-versed in military strategy and tactics.