Red Mansion Royal Cat

Chapter 555: Science, cracked!
Confucianism has been a prominent school of thought in the Central Plains dynasties for thousands of years. As time goes by, it has indeed developed many drawbacks that make it inappropriate and unable to keep up with the development of the times.

But there is one thing that no one can deny, that is, Confucianism has made great contributions to the cultivation of human morality.

Loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness, especially serving the king with loyalty, are beliefs that surpass the weight of their own lives in the hearts of those stubborn and stubborn old children.

"It's hard to imagine that one moment he threatened to die on the Nine Dragon Wall in front of the palace gate, and the next moment he burst into tears, saying that forcing the king was not the right thing for a minister, and he wanted to die to apologize..."

Jia Cong had never seen such a scene. Meng Luoyi and several of his friends, plus more than a dozen Han generals, almost failed to stop Lao Ru, who was about to crash to death in front of the palace gate to apologize for his crime.

Just because Meng Luoyi parroted Jia Cong's remarks, the old women were dumbfounded, their faces turned red and white, and then they burst into tears, struggling to stand up and were about to bang their heads against the wall.

Meng Luoyi and the others couldn't stop him, and seeing that he was about to die to atone for his sins, Jia Cong had no choice but to run over.

The voices arrived before the people arrived. Just as the old men and women were shouting that they would never atone for their sins and struggling to die, a loud shout suddenly came from their ears: "How can you atone for your sins? In my opinion, you are trying to force His Majesty to issue an edict of repentance?"

This loud shout, like a thunderbolt, stopped everyone from taking any action.

"Master Hou..."

Meng Luoyi immediately felt a lot more relaxed, although he was still holding the old man's waist tightly and pulling him back.

Soon, the big Han general who came with Jia Cong stood between Lao Ru and the wall, temporarily controlling the situation.

Jia Cong showed no mercy this time. He scolded them as if he was scolding his grandson: "You are all old scholars and ministers. The youngest one is already over 60 years old. Can't you think about what the people will think if you die in the palace?"

With just one question, the crying of the old children, which had finally stopped, started again.

They are all well-versed in classics and history, so which one is stupid?

If there really were to be an incident of blood splattering on the palace walls today, the emperor would not be able to clear himself of the charge of forcing old scholars and ministers to death, even if the entire Yellow River was diverted.

Explanation? That requires someone to believe it.

First, there was carrying a coffin to make a remonstrance, and then there was dying to apologize...

"Your Majesty, even if I die, I cannot atone for my sins!"

"I was wrong, I was wrong!"

"I've lived my whole life, but I still can't see clearly enough for my child. I might as well die!"

This time they didn't even dare to die. These stubborn old children were in a dilemma. Their eyes were lifeless, and some sat on the ground and continued to cry loudly, while others stood there with pale faces and trembling all over.

"My Lord, look at Wang Daru. I feel like he's having a stroke."

Wang Daru was trembling all over, biting his lips tightly, with a hollow look in his eyes. Jia Cong hurriedly asked someone to call the imperial physician over.

At this time, let alone death, even a stroke would cause people outside the palace to imagine a lot and make up countless rumors that are unfavorable to the palace.

Fortunately, the imperial physician arrived quickly and it was discovered that Wang Daru did not have a stroke but was angry.

He was mad at himself, and he was sulking with himself, unable to let go of the sulking.

"I was fooled by someone..."

Wang Daru is not only a renowned scholar, he is also a former official in the Ministry of Rites and holds the honorary title of Prince's Tutor.

The old scholar with a background in Neo-Confucianism has now reacted.

He grabbed Jia Cong's arm and trembled with anger.

"Marquis Yongfeng, let me die, let me die. I have no face to see the people of Jiangdong again!"

Jia Cong was so angry that he laughed. He still wanted to die?
You have done such shameful things. The incident caused by carrying a coffin to make remonstrances had such a great impact on the court and the emperor. Now you want to die?
late!

He broke free from Wang Daru's hand and sneered, "Wang Ru, if you die, you can feel at ease and free of guilt, but who will clean up the dirty water you threw on His Majesty?"

"I don't have any. Heaven and earth can attest to my loyalty..."

"The palace walls block your view. People outside cannot see your loyalty. They only see that an old scholar and minister is ready to die in order to awaken the tyrant emperor!"

As soon as the word "tyrant" was uttered, one could hear a pin drop in front of the gate of Longshou Palace, and even the birds dared not make a sound.

Jia Cong's words were like sharp swords, tearing off the last fig leaf of the old scholar and minister.

Yes, they died with a clear conscience, but who will deal with the impact they caused?

"Marquis Yongfeng is right. This is all caused by us. We should be the ones to deal with it..."

Once one person spoke up, the others regained their faith.

Wang Daru struggled to get up from the ground and called his old friends to leave the palace.

At this time, Meng Luoyi said quietly: "It is useless to just explain. The people have already formed a preconceived idea. They will think that you elders are forced to say this."

what?
Everyone stopped immediately and looked at Meng Luoyi in disbelief.

"To be frank, although all of you elders are well-known, this incident has been going on for several days. The rumors have probably spread to Nanzhili. Who will believe us if we just explain it verbally? Marquis Yongfeng once said that it takes only one mouth to spread a rumor, but it takes a lot of effort to refute it. If we don't produce actual evidence, not many people will believe us."

Meng Luoyi spread his hands, sighed, and then remained silent.

Jia Cong just nodded, raised his head forty-five degrees to look up at the sky, and acted with compassion.

The old men were completely dumbfounded. They had not expected that their impulsive actions, which they thought were just actions to uphold the justice of heaven, would actually lead to a dead end.

"This...what should I do? I didn't expect it to turn out like this!"

"I cannot die, I am truly a sinner for all eternity!"

Seeing that this group of old men had gotten into a dead end again, Jia Cong's understanding of their stubbornness deepened.

My goodness, Meng Luoyi has ordered it several times, why don’t they know how to adapt?
cough cough...

Jia Cong had to cough lightly and said, "Didn't Wang Daru just say that you were fooled? Then find that person, lay out all the things in the open, and put all the conspiracies in the sun..."

……

Never underestimate the influence of these old scholars and ministers, and never underestimate the power of their families.

At Jia Cong's reminder, Wang Daru was the first to take action.

That afternoon, a piece of gossip broke out in Beijing that no one could have imagined.

Wang Heling, the president of Dongcheng Academy, one of the largest academies in the capital and former tutor of the crown prince and minister of rites, tied up his son-in-law Sun Ji and threw him into the Beizhenfusi.

The daughter insisted that her father release her. It is said that Wang Daru only said one sentence: "Either you and I have nothing to do with each other from now on, or you divorce Sun Ji!"

Soon after, one after another, famous old scholars and ministers reported the incident to the Northern Pacification Office. In less than half a day, eight people were thrown into the imperial prison.

Before the sun set, a great scholar named Wang and more than 20 other great scholars made a joint speech. They said that they would announce a piece of news at the largest theater in Nanchifang City during dinner and invited the elders of the capital to come and witness it.

For a moment, the capital was in an uproar.

Before the lights come on, Nanchifang Market is already crowded with people.

There were scholars dressed in Confucian robes, civil and military officials who did not have time to go home to change clothes, clerks and yamen runners wearing white robes, and a large number of ordinary people dressed in various costumes.

Jia Cong, Daiyu, Baoyu, Xiangyun and Xichun, who came to watch the fun, were sitting in a private room on the second floor, looking in shock at the packed hall on the first floor.

“There are probably hundreds of people here!”

Baoyu was a frequent visitor to Nanyinfang, but this was the first time he saw such a crowded scene.

Xichun, who was lying in front of the window facing the street, added: "Look here, Brother Bao, there are more people!"

Nanyinfang is very big, but it can’t accommodate all the people who want to come and watch the fun.

Outside the theater, the entire street was blocked by people. If it weren't for the patrolling guards helping to maintain order, there would have been a stampede.

The nearby teahouses and restaurants were all packed, and at least tens of thousands of people gathered in the Nanchifang Market tonight.

dang dang...

The sound of bells and chimes rang out, and the original noise gradually disappeared.

Wang Daru, leaning on a crutch and with a sad face, walked onto the stage with 27 other great scholars with the same expression.

They will sing in today's play.

"I am very grateful that you all can come..."

As soon as he opened his mouth, Wang Daru suddenly took the lead in bowing deeply, and then knelt down with a plop facing the direction of the imperial palace.

Immediately afterwards, the other twenty-seven great scholars knelt down and kowtowed three times in a row.

There was still a lot of noise outside, and the people in the theater were dumbfounded, staring blankly at the people on the stage.

"This……"

"What are Wang Daru and the others doing?"

The questions in everyone's mind were soon answered. After Wang Daru stood up, he continued, "It is unfortunate for my family that I married my daughter to a treacherous man..."

It turns out that the reason why Wang Daru would stage the drama of carrying a coffin to give advice was because of his son-in-law Sun Ji.

Sun Ji is a man of great origin. His teacher is named Qian, the former leader of the Xilin Party, Qian Qianyi.

After Qian Qianyi was blocked in Xilin Academy by King Wu Liu Chen and killed by artillery fire, Sun Ji took over all of Xilin's power in the north.

Although this old man was dismissed from his official position because of Qian Qianyi's involvement, he was a Jinshi after all and married Wang Heling's legitimate daughter.

Therefore, he was doing very well in the capital. While teaching at the East City Academy, he was secretly building up his influence in the north of Xilin.

Even though the Xilin Party's power in the south was defeated and disintegrated by the imperial court, this factionalism is like stubborn weeds that cannot be burned out and will grow lush again when spring comes.

This time, the emperor suddenly issued an order to reform the imperial examination system. Before the grand court meeting of the day was over, someone contacted Sun Ji and set up a plan to teach the emperor a lesson in order to stop the court's plan to reform the imperial examination system.

Wang Heling was also a miserable person. It was because of his stubborn character and the etiquette he had observed all his life that someone took advantage of him and he was harmed by his own son-in-law.

Under the instigation of Sun Ji, Wang Heling thought that the imperial court was trying to boil the frog in warm water, and ultimately destroy the prominent status of Confucianism in the Celestial Empire...

Of course, Jia Cong's ultimate dream is to use Confucianism and Taoism as a way to cultivate himself, combine the teachings of hundreds of schools of thought, and create the most appropriate way to select talents for the country, which can be regarded as in line with Sun Ji's statement.

However, he will not do so at the moment. He will still focus on Confucianism and select a few theories that are most suitable for the current dynasty as supplements to improve the imperial examination system.

After all, taking big steps can easily lead to failure, so it is better to take one step at a time with your feet on the ground.

Wang Daru even made his family scandal public, and the other great scholars also explained why they carried the coffin to make remonstrances.

They all had similar experiences. Basically, they were bewitched by someone and contacted their friends to cause that incident.

Everyone in the audience was stunned. It turned out that this noble and righteous act that everyone praised was actually a conspiracy...

"Brother Qi, do you know why there are two of me here? Because I am split!"

"Brother Bai, I feel the same way. I seem to hear the sound of a broken heart!"

The three perspectives of the officials and scholars were shattered, and they all followed the expressions of the old children on the stage, feeling sad, angry and confused.

Confucianism and Taoism are indeed good ways to cultivate oneself.

At least the vast majority of Confucian scholars advocate loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness.

Today, Wang Daru and others exposed the despicable intrigues behind carrying the coffin to give advice, which made them feel the collapse of their faith all of a sudden.

Is it correct for us to study Confucianism?

……

"You should have heard that my son-in-law is from the Xilin School; Li Ru's nephew is from the Jin Party; the person who bewitched Zhang Ru is a disciple of the Shu Party..."

Protecting the interests of the party members is the reason why they would mislead these old people.

Wang Daru suddenly waved to the side, and a servant came over holding a tray covered with a red cloth.

Swish!
It was as if a golden light flashed, and a dagger appeared in Wang Daru's hand.

Jia Cong was startled and stood up to shout to stop them.

Fortunately, the dagger did not draw blood. Wang Heling took off his hairpin, and when his white hair fell, he used the dagger to cut all his hair.

"My crime is beyond redemption. However, I cannot die until my crime is redeemed. Today, I swear to break away from the shame of the Confucian school, including Xilin, Jin Party, Shu Party, etc."

"So do I!"

"So do I!"

shhhhhh...

Twenty-eight of the most famous Confucian scholars and senior officials in the capital cut their hair and swore an oath to break with Xilin, Jin Party and others.

He also issued a declaration of war on the spot, challenging Xilin and other party members to a debate on the subject of etiquette and Confucianism.

The entire theater was in an uproar, and then the entire street and the entire Nanchifang City went crazy.

Ordinary people could not understand the significance of the 28 old men and women cutting their hair and swearing an oath and issuing a declaration of war, but the Confucian scholars did understand.

Science is cracked!
In the past, Xilin, Jin Party, Shu Party, and all the Neo-Confucian schools in various places were considered branches of Neo-Confucianism.

Most of them are regional divisions or interest divisions, but the essence of academia is still one family.

But today, these 28 old men in the capital vowed to split up and issued a challenge to each other. This meant that Neo-Confucianism, which had always been a prominent school of thought in the dynasty, began to split.

Apart from anything else, Wang Heling and others were all well-known pillars of Neo-Confucianism in the government and the country. After what happened today, the Neo-Confucian disciples below the stage felt as if a sledgehammer had hit their heads hard, making a buzzing sound.

……

Jia Cong really wanted to laugh heartily, but unfortunately the occasion was not right.

His mouth was grinning from ear to ear, and he said to Baoyu who was also dumbfounded, "Second Brother Bao, how about publishing this on the front page of tomorrow's Daxia Daily?"

　Thanks to cyndi1982 for the reward!
　　I’ll stop here tonight and continue tomorrow. Good night!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)