Quick Travel to the Clouds

Chapter 707 Talent for Governing the Country 6

Yun Chu nodded and handed him a bag of dry rations and several bamboo slips covered with writing: "Take these with you. Remember to recite the chapter 'The people are the foundation of the state' every day."

The boy took the bamboo slip, his fingers lightly tracing its edge: "Aren't you coming with me, sir?"

“I will come when you really need me.” Yun Chu pointed to the villagers working in the fields in the distance. “Right now, I belong here, and these children still need me.”

Young Master Zhao Dan bowed deeply, his forehead touching the ground: "I will certainly live up to your teachings, sir."

He turned and left, his back as straight as a pine tree. When he reached the hilltop, he stopped and looked back, seeing Yun Chu still standing in front of the thatched hut, her clothes fluttering in the wind.

He raised his hand to wave goodbye to her, then resolutely turned and disappeared into the spring mist.

When Yun Chu returned to the schoolhouse, eleven children were already waiting at the door. Ahe held the terracotta figurine left behind by Young Master Zhao Dan, her eyes filled with tears: "Teacher, will Young Master Zhao ever come back?"

"Yes, he will." Yun Chu gently stroked Ahe's head. "When he has the ability to change the fate of more people, he will definitely come back."

As spring turned to autumn, Yun Chu's thatched-roof schoolhouse became increasingly lively. She not only taught the children to read and write, but also led them to observe the changes of the seasons and record the patterns of agricultural activities.

The village elders said they had never seen a teacher like this before—she had the children measure the land in the fields and calculate the harvest; and observe the water flow by the stream to understand the principle of "the highest good is like water".

In winter, Yun Chu taught the children to make simple magnifying glasses with ice to observe the shape of snowflakes; in summer, she took them to the top of the mountain to identify the Big Dipper and explain the profound meaning of "governing with virtue is like the North Star".

"Sir, will Young Master Zhao become a good ruler as you say?" Shi Dan often asked.

Yun Chu always smiled and said, "Whether a monarch is good or not does not depend on where he comes from, but on how many people he cares about in his heart."

A year has passed like flowing water, and the bamboo slips in the thatched schoolhouse have filled three large baskets.

Yun Chu compiled the children's works into a book, which included "Spring Ploughing Picture", "Autumn Harvest Ode", and a simple abacus made of grass to record the changes in the harvest throughout the year.

That morning, Yun Chu was leading the children in morning reading in the courtyard when they suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves approaching from afar.

A dozen or so soldiers dressed in Zhao military uniforms rode up on horseback. The leader dismounted and saluted: "By order of the King of Zhao, we invite Mr. Yun to go to Handan."

Yun Chu asked calmly, "Was it requested by Young Master Zhao Dan?"

“Indeed,” the soldier replied respectfully. “Prince Dan has already explained the Master’s teachings to King Zhao in detail, saying that the Master’s learning is not in the Four Books and Five Classics, but in the support of the people and the fundamentals of governing the country. King Zhao was overjoyed to hear this and specially sent us to welcome the Master.”

Yun Chu pondered for a moment. She knew this was a crucial step in completing the mission. Cultivating a talent for governing a country required not only early education but also continuous guidance. If Prince Dan of Zhao truly came to power, her teachings would influence the entire Zhao Kingdom.

"Allow me to say goodbye to the children."

She turned and went into the schoolhouse, where eleven children were already gathered at the door. Ahe's eyes were red-rimmed: "Is the teacher leaving?"

Yun Chu knelt down and gently stroked each child's head: "The teacher is going to teach more children to read in more distant places. You must continue to write every word well and do everything well. Remember, 'Though the things are small, the heart is sincere.'"

She took out the children's artwork from the past year and handed it to Ahe: "Keep these safe for Mr. Zhao. Give them to him when he returns."

Suddenly, Shi Dan ran into the house, carrying a cloth bag: "Sir, these are the cloth shoe soles I made. Please take them with you on your journey."

Yun Chu took it, her eyes slightly moist. She took out a bamboo slip from her bosom, on which was written the character "仁" (ren, benevolence): "This is the first character I will teach you, and also the most important one. A benevolent person loves others, and a ruler should treat the people with a benevolent heart."

At noon, Yun Chu set off with the soldiers. Villagers stood at the village entrance to see them off, and the children recited in unison: "The Great Learning teaches us to manifest our bright virtue, to love the people, and to abide in perfect goodness..."

As the carriage reached the hilltop, Yun Chu looked back. The thatched schoolhouse stood quietly in the spring breeze, the mugwort under the eaves swaying gently in the wind. She knew that the seeds sown here had already taken root and sprouted in Zhao Gongzi Dan's heart.

On the way to Handan, Yun Chu saw the aftermath of the war: desolate fields, dilapidated villages, and displaced people.

An old farmer stopped the carriage and asked in a trembling voice, "Sir, are you going to Handan? Please tell King Zhao for us that if it doesn't rain soon, this year's harvest will be a complete failure again..."

Yun Chu noted this down and pondered: The way to govern a country is to first ensure the well-being of the people. If Young Master Zhao Dan truly comes to power, these are the things he should understand first.

Ten days later, outside Handan City. Prince Dan of Zhao personally came out of the city to welcome him.

A year has passed, and he has grown much taller. The childishness between his brows has faded, replaced by a sense of composure.

He strode forward and bowed deeply: "Sir, Dan has been eagerly awaiting your arrival day and night."

"Did your father agree?" Yun Chu asked.

“My father said that a teacher who can instill the idea that ‘the people are the foundation of the state’ must be a great talent.” Young Master Zhao Dan’s eyes gleamed. “Please take a look, sir.”

He pointed to a newly reclaimed piece of land outside the city: "I have persuaded my father to set up a 'village school' on the outskirts of the city so that children from poor families can also study. The first batch of thirty children enrolled yesterday."

Yun Chu's heart warmed. She knew that Young Master Zhao Dan had not forgotten his promise to the thatched-roof schoolhouse.

After entering the city, King Zhao held a banquet in the palace. The elderly monarch had piercing eyes: "I heard from Dan'er that the teacher didn't teach the Four Books and Five Classics, but instead taught him 'save one person first, then save ten'?"

Yun Chu respectfully replied, "Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish; one must start with the smallest details. If one does not know the hunger and cold of the people, how can one talk about governing the country?"

King Zhao pondered for a long time, then nodded and said, "Good. Starting tomorrow, the teacher will instruct Dan'er in the Eastern Palace."

The next morning, Yun Chu arrived at the East Palace. Young Master Zhao Dan was already waiting in the courtyard, with writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone laid out before him.

“Sir, I would like to learn first how to ensure that people have enough to eat,” he said earnestly. “Yesterday I visited the village school outside the city. The children were studying on empty stomachs; how could they concentrate?”

Yun Chu smiled and said, "Alright. Today, let's begin with the principle that when the granaries are full, people will know etiquette."

She took out a map marked with farmland and rivers throughout the Zhao state: "Governing a country is like managing water; you must prevent floods as well as combat droughts. Do you know why there was such a severe drought last year?"

Young Master Zhao Dan shook his head.

“Due to deforestation upstream, soil erosion downstream.” Yun Chu pointed to the map. “If we want favorable weather, we must first protect the mountains and forests. This is the principle of harmony between man and nature.”

Young Master Zhao Dan observed intently, occasionally asking questions. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the master and disciple.

At this moment, Yun Chu felt as if he had returned to the thatched schoolhouse, only the students listening to the lectures had changed from eleven children to the future king.

In the afternoon, Zhao Gongzi Dan led Yun Chu to visit the newly built village school. Thirty farm children were reciting aloud, and upon their arrival, they all bowed in unison. Yun Chu noticed that each child had a bowl of hot porridge in front of them.

“What is this…?” she asked.

“I used my own salary to prepare breakfast porridge for the children,” Zhao Gongzi Dan said softly. “My teacher taught me to ‘save one person first,’ and I thought I should first ensure that these thirty children don’t go hungry while they study.”

Tears welled up in Yun Chu's eyes. She knew that the seed sown in the thatched schoolhouse was taking root and sprouting, and would eventually grow into a towering tree.

In the stillness of the night, Yun Chu was organizing her lesson plans in her room. Outside the window, the moonlight shone like water. She took out a bamboo slip and wrote: "Cultivating talents for governing the country does not lie in lofty talk, but in practical actions."

She knew that the mission was more than halfway complete. The points were within reach, but more importantly, she had witnessed the growth trajectory of a future wise ruler.

Tomorrow, she will continue to teach Prince Zhao Dan: how to ensure that the people of a nation no longer worry about food and clothing; how to ensure that all students in the world have access to books; and how to let the light of benevolent governance shine upon all nations.

Though the lights in the thatched-roof schoolhouse were small, they ignited hope. Now, this spark has continued in the Handan palace and will eventually spread like wildfire.