Yan Aohan laughed at Zhu Yanyi’s playful demeanor. As long as his wife was happy, that was all that mattered.
The Ruthless Young Master, watching from the side, stated directly, "None of you are good people."
Zhu Yanyi nodded. "Hmm. I never claimed to be a good person. I only said I am a doctor. Are you a good person?" She clicked her tongue twice. "I’ve never seen a 'good person' like you before."
Her words were blunt. The Ruthless Young Master could not deny their truth. He had to admit he was not a good person either. Even if there were many good people in the world, he was certainly not one of them.
She fell into silent contemplation. She realized she had been childish. She shouldn’t have said that. But since she had, it proved she was wrong.
She looked at the sky and rubbed her hands, which were just beginning to regain sensation. She thought: If Zhu Yanyi truly wanted to kill her, she could. Although she claimed to rely on Yan Aohan, she possessed the ability herself. Yet she did not kill her. Was it because she was soft-hearted?
She scoffed. A woman who could kill dozens in a few days was not soft-hearted. This meant she simply disdained or refused to fight her.
After watching Zhu Yanyi all day, the Ruthless Young Master concluded she was a contradictory woman. If she were soft-hearted, her actions were never soft. If she were hard-hearted, she could not see that side of her.
She sighed deeply. Perhaps her cultivation bottleneck was tied to this woman. If so, she needed to observe her closely from now on.
The Ruthless Young Master was decisive. Over the next few days, she indeed observed Zhu Yanyi’s actions intermittently.
That evening, it was time for Zhu Yanyi to teach the Emperor. Originally, the other three did not need to appear. However, the Ruthless Young Master suddenly said she wanted to hear the lecture on the "Art of the People."
Although they did not appear openly, they could still listen secretly.
Yan Aohan looked deeply at the Ruthless Young Master. He had noticed the latter’s behavior these days but did not intervene. Sometimes, one must experience things personally to understand them. Others’ reminders are not always useful.
"Your Seat," Emperor Yuhua said, rising to bow as Zhu Yanyi entered.
Zhu Yanyi nodded slightly. "Your Majesty, my lessons will not be long. Each session will not exceed half an hour. However, after each lesson, you must reflect on many things yourself."
"Please speak, Your Seat." These past few days, whether it was Ouyang Mingyue’s Imperial Arts, the Ruthless Young Master’s Ruthless Art, or Yan Aohan’s laws, everything had been eye-opening and deeply moving for him.
She had been Emperor for several years. Although her father had taught her since childhood, she found that what her father taught was merely the surface compared to what these Imperial Teachers taught. If her father had received such guidance, Great Yu would not be in its current state.
"Your Majesty, please sit. I will speak first. You can save your questions for the end or ask them anytime," Zhu Yanyi said seriously.
"I have noted it. Please speak, Your Seat." Yuhua sat down, listening attentively.
Zhu Yanyi nodded. "The People. The masses. They are your citizens. 'Wan' (Ten Thousand) refers to types, races, and quantity.
Your Majesty, remember that the subjects of any country are not of a single type. Simply put, they are divided into scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. Beyond this, there are ethnic divisions, such as the Qing, Ai, and Shan tribes, among others.
Great Yu has dozens of ethnic groups, not including those yet undiscovered. There may be even more.
Then there is quantity, referring to the population. Your Majesty, do you know how many people remain in Great Yu today?"
"I am ashamed. I do not know." Yuhua lowered his head in genuine shame.
"It is fine. You do not know now, but you can have it investigated later.
The people and their hearts are what you should understand. Before understanding their hearts, you can first determine the current population of Great Yu. The more you understand and approach them, the better you will know what kind of Emperor to be.
There is an old saying: The ruler is light, the people are precious. Some compare it to water and a boat. The people are the water; the ruler is the boat. Water can carry the boat, but it can also overturn it. Your Majesty, the people’s hearts are crucial. Since ancient times, those who win the people’s hearts win the world. The current situation in Great Yu is largely because the nation has lost much of the people’s support."
Zhu Yanyi looked seriously at Yuhua.
Yuhua knew this too. Because of the royal family’s incompetence, much support had been lost. "Your Seat, you are right. I admit this. I am not a good Emperor."
"This is not entirely your fault. A nation reaching this state is not the error of one person. One could say the entire royal family, including your deceased father, shares the blame. If she had not trusted the State Preceptor so easily, things would not be as they are now." Zhu Yanyi looked at Yuhua with great seriousness.
Yuhua knew this too. He nodded, agreeing in his heart, but dared not speak so disrespectfully. "Your Seat, then what should I do?"
"Pie does not fall from the sky. If it does, it is likely poisoned. You should know this.
To gain support, you must first understand what your people need now."
Zhu Yanyi looked seriously at Yuhua and said solemnly, "Because the State Preceptor has left, your people urgently need a new faith. You must create a new faith for them.
In a few days, during the Heaven and Ancestor Sacrifice, you must be extremely devout. I will provide a miracle to prove you are the legitimate Son of Heaven. Then, you must work hard for your people’s livelihood.
For example, food is the first necessity. You must solve the people’s problems of food, clothing, and warmth. You must also give them a stable home.
Actually, the people’s demands are simple. They hope for a stable home, no war, and peace. After paying taxes, they should have savings. At the end of the year, besides what they eat, they should have surplus silver and grain. As long as they are fed, clothed, and have a stable home, the people will naturally support you."
Yuhua knew this too. However, having grown up in the royal family, he had never worried about food or clothing, even in difficult times. Thus, he did not fully understand this aspect.
"I know you live in the royal family and do not fully grasp the concept of basic needs. Therefore, in a few days, after some matters are concluded, I will take you to understand the people’s livelihood, so you can truly understand the lives of the commoners," Zhu Yanyi said seriously.