Before Zhu Jinglun went abroad last year, he met Zeng Guofan once, but the two did not meet, but only took a look at it from a distance at the entrance ceremony of the ironclad ship. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

Before leaving the country, Zhu Jinglun explained to the local officials, and even invited Zeng Guofan to see the education in Guangdong, and he hoped that Zeng Guofan could make some suggestions on local education in Guangdong.

Soon after returning to China, Zhu Jinglun still did not see Zeng Guofan, but found someone to send a letter to Zeng Guofan, asking some questions, Zhu Jinglun wrote very politely, calling Zeng Guofan the Zeng Duchy Domain, and Zeng Guofan's reply was also very polite, calling Zhu Jinglun His Majesty the Ming Emperor.

The two of them have been going back and forth in the letter for a few months, and Zhu Jinglun found that Zeng Guofan had a very thorough understanding of the education system of the Ming Dynasty.

I don't know if it's out of politeness, Zeng Guofan is more appreciative of Daming's teaching of mathematics, he said that these students not only learn the books of sages, learn the principles of life, but also learn some arithmetic, and in the future, they will not pass the imperial examination, do some small business, or work as a bookkeeper to make a living.

But he suggested that students should not only be taught arithmetic, why not directly teach them the practical knowledge of finance, no matter how good arithmetic is, if they can't do arithmetic, it would be a pity.

Zeng Guofan also denied the fact that the rural squires rejected poor students, and he visited three counties in the Pearl River Estuary, talked with the local squires, and even taught Analects in a school for half a year. He told Zhu Jinglun with his intuitive attitude that the squire was not against poor students learning, but the school was limited, and he couldn't accept all students, so instead of letting some naturally stupid children waste a few years in vain, it was better to let them learn a craft and be able to stand on their own feet in the future.

Obviously, Zeng Guofan recognized the views of the country squires, and in the eyes of the new people, and even in Zhu Jinglun's view, they were all a conservative style of the country corporal and doctor class, trying to monopolize culture, but in Zeng Guofan's view, this is the reality, and he also gave a few examples of the squire, saying that several private schools run by the squires are mostly children with foreign surnames, rich and poor students, but they do not accept the foolish children of their own clan.

Zhu Jinglun refuted Zeng Guofan and said that some people say that Zeng Guofan is a stupid person, and if he didn't read and learn words when he was young, there would be one less great Confucian in the world.

At the end of the Qing Dynasty, there was a strange phenomenon, everyone who had seen Zuo Zongtang praised Zuo Zongtang as a talent, the earliest was when Lin Zexu was exiled to Xinjiang and passed through Hunan, others introduced Zuo Zongtang, who already had the name of a talented man at that time, after Lin Zexu saw it, he concluded that Zuo Zongtang would definitely be the pillar of the court in the future.

When Zuo Zongtang was eighteen years old, Da Ruhe Changling treated him as a national soldier. Tao Shu, a feudal official, took the initiative to propose to Zuo Zongtang when Zuo Zongtang was still a commoner, and married his niece to Zuo Zongtang.

But anyone who has seen Zeng Guofan will often come to a stupid conclusion. Including Zuo Zongtang often laughed at Zeng Guofan's clumsiness, and Zeng Guofan himself praised Zuo Zongtang's acumen.

Zhu Jinglun has never interviewed Zeng Guofan, he doesn't know whether Zeng Guofan is stupid or not, but since so many celebrities think that Zuo Zongtang is smart and Zeng Guofan is clumsy, Zhu Jinglun does not doubt this conclusion, he just doubts this concept of cleverness and clumsiness.

First of all, Zuo Zongtang is smart, this person is clever, the world knows, and later helped the magistrates of Huguang to train the army to fight the Taiping Army, and he did show his talent, I heard that when the Taiping Army entered Hunan, Shi Dakai also visited Zuo Zongtang, but the Taiping Army's behavior of smashing the Confucian Temple made Zuo Zongtang unable to accept them.

But is Zeng Guofan really stupid?

The smart Zuo Zongtang did not pass the examination three times, but Zeng Guofan did not pass the examination, not only in the examination, but also before the formation of the Hunan Army, he became a waiter in the Ministry of Works, ranking second. From the eighteenth year of Daoguang to the twenty-ninth year of Daoguang, he was promoted seven times in ten years, and he was promoted ten levels in a row.

The most important thing is that after being summoned by the emperor for questioning, he was evaluated by Emperor Daoguang as the first in preaching Zeng Guofan, believing that Zeng Guofan's understanding of the Four Books and Five Classics was the most thorough and the most clear, and as a result, he was promoted to four levels in a year.

Obviously, this is not the behavior of a stupid person.

But after seeing him, every colleague said that he was stupid, and even many people visited Zeng Guofan, and when they left, they were very disappointed that Zeng Guofan had a false name, which was quite disappointed.

Zhu Jinglun described Zeng Guofan through these external news, and he felt that this person was more likely to be a person who knew how to hide his clumsiness, he could let everyone see his clumsiness in front of ordinary people, but he could leave the most profound impression on the emperor after meeting with the emperor.

In other words, Zeng Guofan can make people think that he is a great talent, but also make people think that he is a stupid person.

This kind of kung fu requires extremely deep Taoism.

Another possibility is that those who really understand Zeng Guofan, saying that Zeng Guofan is clumsy, are actually praising him, saying that he is wise and stupid, and changing the method to praise his great wisdom, and those who can't see through Zeng Guofan really think he is clumsy.

Zhu Jinglun saw from Zeng Guofan's letter that this person is at least a person with an experienced vision, but he does not show his edge, never criticizes others, and only looks at affairs from the most positive perspective.

Half a year after the correspondence, Zhu Jinglun invited Zeng Guofan to meet, he planned to interview Zeng Guofan in person, before deciding whether to ask him to do things, as for Zeng Guofan will refuse, to Zeng Guofan's status, in fact, the key is to see whether the thing is worth him to do, from the heart Zhu Jinglun has seen that let everyone have books to read, there is a great achievement of teaching without class, Zeng Guofan is also very fond of it.

What Zhu Jinglun wants to investigate is whether Zeng Guofan can do this well, whether there are enough ways to do this, as for the rest, whether it is execution or courage, Zhu Jinglun has no doubt at all.

"Zeng Gong, I have heard his name for a long time, and I hate to see each other late."

Zhu Jinglun personally greeted him at the gate of the main hall of the palace, and Zeng Guofan did not kneel when he came in, but just hugged his fists.

Zhu Jinglun didn't care, he pulled his sleeve very disgustingly, welcomed him into the palace, and talked about things in the study of the side hall.

Zeng Guofan was very generous, sitting on the circle chair upright, drinking the Yingde black tea made for him by the guards next to him.

Zhu Jinglun silently observed him for a long time, and found that this person was really a person who was not good-looking, with a thin figure, and some stiff, dark faces, his eyebrows were still drooping downward, and his expression looked very wooden, and he couldn't see half of his aura.

Such a person, it is difficult for people to remember in terms of face, I really don't know how he impressed Emperor Daoguang.

Zhu Jinglun observed Zeng Guofan, Zeng Guofan didn't seem to notice, and drank the cup of tea in front of him very seriously.

"Zeng Gong, I have been traveling in Daming for two years, and I have traveled to at least seven counties, what do you think of me Daming?"

Zhu Jinglun couldn't stand it anymore and opened his mouth to break the silence.

Zeng Guofan said slowly: "The country is very magnificent, the people are very rich, the officials are very clean, and the things are abundant. ”

It's all words of praise, and if you say it, you don't know why, the words of praise said by a person with status like Zeng Guofan should make people feel proud and can be quoted in books, but Zhu Jinglun just feels that what this kind of person says may not have the slightest credibility.

"Zeng Gong has a reputation, the four words of Wufu Minfeng, I still can't take it now. Just ask about Zeng Gong, what is my education in the Ming Dynasty? ”

Zeng Guofan said slowly: "Very good! ”

Zhu Jinglun said: "Maybe better? ”

Zeng Guofan said: "Step by step, great things can be expected, and great achievements can be achieved." ”

Step by step, or say it is equal to not say.

Zhu Jinglun knew why this guy was stupid, so he didn't tell the truth.

Zhu Jinglun didn't go around the bend with this person anymore, I believe that he invited him to come, he has already figured out the meaning of seven or eight points, and it has been correspondence for more than half a year, Zhu Jinglun has not figured out who Zeng Guofan is, I am afraid that Zeng Guofan has figured himself out.

So Zhu Jinglun asked directly: "If I want everyone to have books to read within five years, can I succeed?" ”

Zeng Guofan shook his head.

"In ten years, can it be done?"

Zeng Guofan still shook his head.

"Those thirty years, can it be done?"

Zeng Guofan continued to shake his head.

Zhu Jinglun simply asked directly: "Then Zeng Gong thought, when will it be successful?" ”

Zeng Guofan said: "Ten years of trees and a hundred years of people." ”

Zhu Jinglun said: "I can't wait for a hundred years, even if I wait, I'm afraid this country can't wait." I don't know if you know that all countries in the West are in the process of universal education, and there are three people who can read one person, two out of three people who can read books, and all three people can read books, no less than five countries. I can't wait, have you waited? ”

Zeng Guofan was silent, he may not know about compulsory education in Western countries, Zhu Jinglun can't see it, maybe he knows, Zhu Jinglun can't see it.

Zhu Jinglun can wait for his attitude.

Zeng Guofan didn't slowly put down the cup until he drank the cup of tea dry.

"There is urgency, there is urgency, there is urgency."

Zhu Jinglun asked: "What is the strategy for slowing down, and what is the strategy for urgency?" ”

Zeng Guofan said: "If you slow down, you will consolidate the foundation and cultivate the yuan, persuade the good to help the students, and you can have a small success in ten years, and you can see great achievements in a hundred years." ”

Zhu Jinglun was not interested, although Zeng Guofan didn't say anything, and he didn't plan to ask.

He only asked, "What about the rush?" ”

Zeng Guofan was silent for a moment before saying: "If you are in a hurry, you will build a Confucian temple in a village, and a temple will set up a school. ”

Zhu Jinglun was overjoyed, this old fool really has a way.

Using Confucius's signboard to encourage education is one way, even if the squires in the countryside want to smash the school, it is impossible to smash the Confucian Temple.

As for the expansion of Confucius's faith in this way, there is no need to worry at all, this country is a Confucian country in itself. As for making Confucius's prestige too heavy, Zhu Jinglun has no interest in competing for prestige with an old master who has been dead for more than 2,000 years, if necessary, he can kneel in front of the statue of Confucius and be the most devout believer. The premise is to complete the purpose of his compulsory education, and the education popularization rate has not been able to be promoted for nearly three years.

It's just that this village has one temple, one temple and one school, how many temples have to be built, how much money does it cost, and the reason why it can't be promoted is that the biggest problem is the problem of funding.

Zhu Jinglun said: "I don't know how much it costs? ”

Zeng Guofan said: "The people are naturally enthusiastic about running schools, and they have money to pay, and they have jobs to work." 10,000 taels can be enough for a county, 100,000 taels can be enough for a government, a million taels can be enough for a country. ”

10 million taels of silver can allow Daming to complete compulsory education within three years, even if Zeng Guofan has the water to brag and can have eighty percent of schoolchildren enrolled, it is also cost-effective, on average, only three million funds a year.

But Zhu Jinglun still wanted to use Zeng Guofan, and said with a smile: "I am willing to pay, is Zeng Gong willing to work?" ”

Zeng Guofan looked up at the sky: "Respecting Confucius and respecting ancestors is the duty of a scholar, and the country is naturally willing to do his best." ”

Zhu Jinglun smiled: "What Zeng Gong said is very true, some of them are good fathers-in-law who pay money to build temples. ”

Speaking of this, the two of them didn't talk about business, so they drank tea and talked about customs, most of them were Zhu Jinglun said, and Zeng Guofan listened.

We talked for five hours, and the tea cost a lot, from Qin Shi Huang to Emperor Xianfeng, from Shanghai to New York, China to the world, and finally Zeng Guofan took the initiative to get up and say goodbye.

Zhu Jinglun was very happy, although it was not clear that Zeng Guofan would do things for the Ming Dynasty, and Zeng Guofan would never be able to do things for the Ming Dynasty, but he set the method for Zeng Guofan to do things for Confucius, to Confucianism, and for Zhu Jinglun to pay for it.

Through this method, being able to use a person like Zeng Guofan, Zhu Jinglun was of course happy, and he felt that he had sprinkled incense bait and caught Zeng Guofan's golden ao.

But Zeng Guofan's figure had just left the palace, and Zhu Jinglun suddenly felt that although Zeng Guofan spoke very little, it seemed that he had always taken the initiative, and it seemed that it was not Zhu Jinglun who was fishing Zeng Guofan with incense bait, but Zeng Guofan, the golden ao, had been waiting for the incense bait.

Whether you are in love or not, I am willing or not, in short, the two of them reached an agreement, Zhu Jinglun, a rich man, and Zeng Guofan, a well-working man, will work, and the matter of running education is decided.

But Zhu Jinglun always felt that something was wrong, things seemed too easy, easier than him to hire a shopkeeper with a ticket number.

Zhu Jinglun suddenly thought of Swedish education, through the practice of setting up a school in a diocese, so that every Christian can go to school, which is similar to Zeng Guofan's method of one village and one Confucian temple, one temple and one school.

Thinking of religion, Zhu Jinglun suddenly thought that before he left, Zeng Guofan could often run to the church of foreigners during that time, and had a close relationship with the priest, of course, Zeng Guofan could not believe in foreign religion, but now he wants to build a Confucian temple.

Zhu Jinglun was suddenly shocked in his heart:

Zeng Guofan: This is what he wants to do!

No one knows what Zeng Guofan thinks, and after he left the palace, he went straight to the Guangfu Academy.

entered the Temple of Confucius, and then put a stick of incense on Confucius, and then knelt in front of the statue of Confucius, quietly staring at the master, until the incense burned out, respectfully kowtowed three heads, he didn't say anything, and no one knew what he was thinking, and then he left in silence.

Later, everyone found out that this was the last time Zeng Guofan worshiped Confucius, and it was not until many years later that he entered the Confucian Temple again.