Chapter 98: Chen Biao's version of "Investigating Things to Gain Knowledge"
Chen Biao and Ma Xiuying discussed the matter for more than half a month, and when the golden autumn of October arrived, they finally decided on the curriculum reform of the Noble Girls' Academy.
After that, Chen Biao never interfered in either the imperial edict for women or the Enlightenment Academy.
Mrs. Xiuying will work with her own mother and a group of sober women to figure out how to achieve their goals.
Chen Biao can only be a guide and does not need to and should not be deeply involved in this matter.
Chen Biao still believed that he was from the future and was a man. Even if he tried his best to put himself on his mother's side and think from her perspective, there were still many omissions and unrealistic aspects.
The only path that women of this era can take is the one they can explore on their own.
Without the blood shed by the female martyrs for national independence and rejuvenation, the great leaders would not have written "equality between men and women" into the Constitution.
Chen Biao and the heavenly book he brought may be the "spiritual mentors" of my mother and even Madam Xiuying, but whether to pave the way or to shed blood, sweat, or even sacrifice their lives on this thorny road, the choice can only be made by the women of this era themselves.
If the efforts of Madam Xiuying and her mother failed due to the backstabbing of women of this era, that was also the choice of the women of this era.
It was only a few hundred years later that a group of great women paved the way again.
Ma Xiuying became busy again. Her second and third brothers were enjoying themselves at school, so Chen Biao began to take on the responsibility of taking care of her fourth and fifth brothers.
Chen Biao doesn't feel like he's being wronged. He enjoys playing with his younger brother, and he also likes to work harder so his parents can realize their dreams and focus on their careers.
However, Chen Biao did not delay his career.
It’s just that he has two more well-behaved younger brothers following him. How could it hinder Chen Biao’s career?
Chen Biao also began to reform the curriculum of Yingtian Primary School.
In fact, it’s not called reform, but some children should be promoted to higher grades.
The curriculum for senior students was naturally different from that for juniors. They couldn't just study the Four Books and Five Classics all the time, could they? The children of noble families didn't need to take the imperial examinations; they only needed to understand the allusions and ideas in the Four Books and Five Classics, not memorize and recite the entire text.
Chen Biao arranged more "miscellaneous courses" for senior grades.
Biology was too advanced for the times, so Chen Biao didn't dare teach them. But he could teach them physics and chemistry. Basic physics and chemistry knowledge would broaden their horizons and prevent them from being deceived by the tricks of some charlatan.
Chen Biao combined physics and chemistry into one course, called "Gewu Course".
Doesn't Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism advocate "investigating things to gain knowledge"? Physics and chemistry both study the fundamental principles of objects. If that's not "investigating things," what is it?
Isn’t the meaning of “investigating things and seeking knowledge” to learn physics and chemistry well?
This is the true essence of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism!
Nothing wrong.
Not to mention that Chen Biao thought there was nothing wrong with it, even Zhu Sheng, the only relatively orthodox Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucian scholar under Zhu Yuanzhang, thought there was nothing wrong with it.
He even believed that this was the true path of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism that Chen Biao had found.
To study things and gain knowledge is not to sit there and look at the objects in front of you! You have to study them!
What is research? Isn't it about finding out the essence of these objects?
Besides, physical chemistry is so interesting!
Zhu Sheng and Ji Renshou brought a group of students to Chen Biao's laboratory table to watch Chen Biao do experiments.
Chen Biao was going to teach a pulley system experiment this time. He would first do the experiment and then teach the mechanical theory and calculations.
Pulleys and pulleys had already been used by this time, but many of the things people took for granted were based on experience, not science.
Chen Biao now wants to combine experience and theory, to know the facts and the reasons behind them, which is "investigating things and seeking knowledge."
What Chen Biao wanted to teach was not theoretical knowledge, but applied physics and chemistry.
He made the children of nobles present interested in physics and chemistry and made them understand the benefits of physics and chemistry, thus achieving the purpose of the course.
Theoretical research without any consideration of output is something that Mrs. Xiuying's women's college should consider.
A few days later, Zhu Sheng not only came himself, but also brought his eldest son Zhu Yi and youngest son Zhu Tong.
Zhu Yiben followed Zhu Sheng to Yingtian to handle paperwork, and Zhu Tong was left in his hometown by Zhu Sheng to study behind closed doors.
Zhu Tong was much better than Zhu Yi in studying the classics and was the true successor of Zhu Sheng. However, Zhu Yi was better at business than Zhu Yi.
Zhu Sheng took his eldest son with him and left his second son behind, also wanting to leave a way out for his family.
Now, he brought Hou Lu to Yingtian and dropped him off at Yingtian Primary School to study the "Gewu" course.
Zhu Sheng shook his son's shoulders as if possessed. "Datong! You must study hard in the Gewu class! The Gewu class is the future of Neo-Confucianism! Neo-Confucianism is the right path! The School of Mind is absolutely wrong!"
Ji Renshou, who studied psychology, gave Zhu Sheng a look of contempt.
He also told his son: "You must study the subject of Gewu well. Only by thoroughly studying the essence of things can you better understand the inner world."
Ji Renshou's son: "...Yeah."
So his father called him from his hometown, leaving no way out, and the whole family stayed in Yingtian, just for this "Gewu Class"?
The two sons of the two enemies looked at each other and established a friendship of mutual understanding.
The father is a bit of a jerk, forcing them to study under the same child, so it is difficult for them not to establish a friendship.
But soon, they were impressed by this amazing child and began to study seriously.
The two men went hand in hand, learned from and encouraged each other, and eventually together they reached the pinnacle of the pursuit of knowledge through investigation of things, creating a story of friendship that will be passed down through the ages. This is what happened later.
Now they just frowned and opened the thin textbook with the four words "Gewu Zhizhi" printed on them with doubt on their faces.
Other older students studying with them include Yan Qian and Liao Yongan.
After Liao Yongan dealt with the Liao family's affairs and clarified some interests with Liao Yongzhong, he found his wife and concubines who had returned to their parents' home, and they officially moved into the Chen family's villa together.
After Liao Yongan was captured, Liao Yongzhong felt it was not appropriate to support his brother's wife and concubines who had no children according to etiquette, so he let his brother's wife and concubines return to their parents' home and provided them with money and food every month until they remarried.
At that time, neither of the two brothers believed that Liao Yongan would ever come back alive.
Now Liao Yongan has found his wives and concubines who did not remarry, and they have formed a family again.
Liao Yongan was indeed very weak, and it would probably take several years of recuperation before he could recover. He gave up the thought of returning to the battlefield to make a name for himself, and returned to the clan to formally hand over the position of head of the clan to Liao Yongzhong, and devote himself to teaching Chen Biao the navy.
As a result, after Liao Yongan taught him, he felt depressed and thought that although Chen Biao had no practice, his water army skills on paper were better than his.
In the end, it was Chen Biao who taught him.
After Chen Biao started teaching the Gewu class, Liao Yongan also joined in the study.
Although Liao Yongzhong was not fighting at the moment, he was training his troops in other places and did not often return to Yingtian. Whenever Liao Yongzhong returned to Yingtian to see his brother, he would find that his elder brother was either studying hard or playing with the children of the Chen family, looking very relaxed.
Liao Yongan had already lost a lot of weight during his time in prison. Now that he was studying with Chen Biao, he had acquired the aura of a scholar. When he changed into a scholar's long gown, he truly looked like a weathered scholar, without a trace of incongruity.
Liao Yongzhong didn't know why, but he felt a little sad.
"Brother, you'd better exercise well and return to the battlefield as soon as possible. Let's lead the troops to fight together and achieve great achievements." Liao Yongzhong said sourly.
Liao Yongan said calmly, "My lord has promised me that when he becomes emperor, I will definitely be a marquis. I no longer need to establish any achievements. You should work hard and see if you can become a duke."
Liao Yongzhong said sourly, "Brother, you can also work hard and become a Duke. How great would it be to have two Dukes in one family?"
Liao Yongan patted his brother's shoulder and said, "I am currently recuperating and trying to have children. Without life and children, what's the point of being a Duke?"
Liao Yongzhong said, "Then you can also come back to my house to recuperate and play with my children. Your nephew is closer to you."
Liao Yongan shook his head and said, "Will my nephew teach me to read? Will he cook delicious meals for me? Will he play all kinds of interesting games with me? Ah, poker is really fun."
Liao Yongzhong: “…”
Liao Yongan pulled out a box of playing cards from his sleeve. "Here, I'll give you a box of this new game that Biao'er hasn't sold yet. The rules are in the instructions inside the box. You can continue with your work. I'm going to the workshop with Yan Langya to do some experiments."
Liao Yongan waved his hand, leaving Liao Yongzhong with a dashing back view.
Liao Yongzhong clenched the playing cards tightly, feeling even more bitter and aggrieved.
Brother, am I still your only relative? I missed you day and night when you were captured, but it seems that you didn't miss me much after you came back?
Is the Chen family so interesting!
After Liao Yongzhong returned home, he opened the box of playing cards and studied with a gloomy face how fun this game was that could capture his brother's heart.
After studying it, he asked his wives and concubines to play a few games together.
Then he looked at the note on his wife's face, touched the note on his face, and was horrified.
He actually played poker with his wives and concubines all night long with candles lit, and he wasn't sleepy at all!
Liao Yongzhong's wife asked, "Husband, where can I buy these playing cards?"
Liao Yongzhong was dazed for a moment and said, "Ah, it's not for sale. My brother got it from Biao'er."
Liao Yongzhong's wives and concubines immediately gathered around him, their eyes sparkling. "Brother, can you get something good from Biao'er that hasn't been sold yet? Even rouge, powder, and skin cream are possible!"
Liao Yongzhong: “……??!”
