The guard continued: "When the minister came back to report, His Royal Highness King Qi was composing poems with the students. The guard said.

"Haha", Li Shimin smiled: "This kid really has a set." Let's talk about it in detail. ”

The guards described in detail what had happened in the square.

"Hahaha", everyone burst into laughter.

Li Chengqian and the others were also a little convinced, and they didn't dare to think that things would turn out like this.

Fang Xuanling said with a smile: "Your Majesty, it's okay, His Royal Highness King Qi is really a wonderful idea, he asked Kong Yingda to come forward first, this is a good idea." ”

Li Shimin ordered the guards to inquire about the news again, and then said: "Well, I want to see how this kid Li You will deal with this matter in the end." ”

on the square.

Seeing that the situation was controlled by Li You and others, the troublemakers who were mixed in with the students came out again.

However, in the current atmosphere, they don't dare to be too presumptuous.

The thin-faced student asked, "Your Royal Highness King Qi, could you please explain why you want to give the children of merchants the opportunity to participate in the imperial examination?" ”

Li You smiled: "Okay, I'll discuss this issue with you."

I won't talk about the big truth, Master Kong has already told you a lot.

I'm going to ask you some questions now. Excuse me, what part of a person is the most important? ”

The students are now very well-behaved, and one by one they raise their hands to ask for answers.

Xiao Wanyu pointed out a young student who was a beautiful man. He replied: "The head is the most important, and people's actions are carried out under the command of the mind, and without the brain, it is a fool." ”

His words caused some of the students to laugh.

"Yes, that's a good answer." Li You praised.

"The most important thing for a person is his mind, but can this person do without a neck, torso, hands and feet?" He then asked.

The young man's words just now caused everyone to laugh, a little proud, and continued to show his humor, he said: "Only a head, isn't that a monster, walking on the street, don't you scare people to death?" ”

"Hahaha", the students laughed again.

Li You stretched out his hand and motioned for the student to sit down, and said, "Fellow students, one person is like this, and so is a society.

Our Datang is like a person, with a brain, a torso and limbs.

Your Majesty, the court is the mind, and you will be officials in the future, and you are also part of the mind. But you alone will not work.

The army is the powerful arm of the country, the peasants and workers are the strong legs of the country, and business is also very important, it is the blood of the country.

It's all indispensable. ”

The thin-faced student said unconvincedly: "Merchants can make a fortune by not producing, buying cheaply and selling expensively, and hoarding, so that they can get rich, is their behavior also commendable?" ”

"Yes, the merchants get nothing for nothing, it's hateful." The students discussed.

Li You said: "Fellow students, it is actually a misunderstanding to say that businessmen are not engaged in production.

Let's put it this way, Your Majesty and the officials are not directly engaged in production, but they can't do without them, and the army is not directly engaged in production, can it be done without them? ”

"No, isn't the world chaotic then?" The students replied.

"Yes, my classmates are right. Production is not something that can be done alone, and it cannot be done without you. Now I'm going to talk about the role of business.

For example, the satin clothes that you all wear, how did this satin clothes come about?

First of all, there will be people who raise silkworms, then there will be people who will weave cloth, then there will be people who will cut them into clothes, and then there will be people who will buy them, and then they will be able to wear them on you.

There is a sequence of hearing the Tao, and there is a specialization in the art industry. It is impossible for everyone to be proficient in all things, for example, when it comes to reading, you are all successful people who have learned. But if you are put into battle, raising silkworms, weaving cloth, building houses, you are no match for soldiers, farmers, and craftsmen.

The peasant households raised silkworms and drew silk, and sold them to the craftsmen who weaved the cloth, and the craftsmen woven the cloth and sold it to the tailors who made the clothes, and the tailors made the clothes and sold them to you who wore the clothes.

If a farmer raises silkworms and draws silk, but can't sell them, will he still raise silkworms? Craftsmen weave cloth, tailors make clothes, and they can't sell them, will they still do the same?

Definitely not. Whoever does that must be a fool.

Therefore, production is not a single act, and you, the consumers who buy clothes, are also part of production.

In these various links, the role of businessmen is very great, and the connection between these links must be completed by businessmen, and it is impossible to do without them.

It can be said that they are also part of the whole production chain, and they are a very important part. ”

"Makes sense." The students began to talk.

Kong Yingda, Xiao Wanyu and others also nodded frequently.

Li You went on to say, "Do businessmen create wealth? Let me give you another example.

A farmer, he planted pear trees in the mountains, the pears were harvested, the merchants came to buy them, the farmers had money, he used the money to support his family, build a house, marry a wife, have children, and live a good life. In order to live a better life, he will plant more pear trees.

In this way, the wealth of society increases.

If the pears can't be sold, they rot in the ground, and the farmer can't sell them for money, and he can't make a living, will he plant more trees?

No, he'll cut down the pear tree and do something else. Isn't the wealth of society decreasing? ”

"yes, that makes sense." The students discussed.

Li You continued: "The merchant bought the farmer's pears, and the farmer made money. The merchant hired porters to transport, and the porters made money. He sold it to you, and you tasted the delicious pears and enjoyed the deliciousness.

Merchants made money, and they also paid taxes to the state. Is there anything wrong with the state using these taxes to raise soldiers, run schools, and build roads?

So, businessmen are involved in production, and they are part of social production.

I can say that without business, this society cannot develop, and without businessmen, Datang will not be able to exist for a day. ”

"Makes sense." Kong Yingda and the students were touched.

Li You continued: "There are scum among the merchants, they hoard and make a fortune, although it is hateful, but that is only a small part of the merchants.

Let's put it this way, the proportion of businessmen in the prisons of the penal department is extremely low, almost negligible compared to the rest of the class.

Why is that? Because the merchants were relatively wealthy, their children were well educated, and they themselves were wealthy, so they would not engage in theft and other acts.

This situation may seem ironic, emotionally difficult for everyone to accept, but it is a fact. ”

"Buzzing", the students were talking.

Then, Li You told them about the role and significance of businessmen's donations to education.

"Okay, that's all for now. Next, I will talk about some people who say that the children of merchants are crowding out the places in the imperial examination.

When I was a kid, I participated in a running race and went back to tell my mother that I had finished second.

My mother was also very happy, saying that I was so good, that I had won the role of the leader, and wanted to reward me. But I cried. ”

The students are speculating that they don't know why Li You is still not satisfied with the second place in the exam.