Red Mansion Royal Cat

Chapter 556: The Young Man

Twenty-eight renowned old scholars and ministers publicly declared that they would break away from the most influential Neo-Confucian schools, including the Xilin Party, the Jin Party, and the Shu Party. This was like a thunderbolt from heaven dropping on the capital, which stunned all the scholars.

"Oh my goodness, this is going to be a riot!"

Today's Baoyu is no longer the old Bao Yu who mingled with the rouge-faced people. When the old children cut their hair to show their determination, they could already foresee the shock in the literary world.

Even if Jia Cong didn't mention it, he would put what happened in the theater tonight on the front page of tomorrow's "Daxia Daily".

It would be great if I could get a review from a great scholar who has a great reputation in the literary world...

Baoyu's expression suddenly changed from surprise to excitement, and his whole body became aroused.

He grabbed Jia Cong's arm and held it tightly: "Brother Cong, can you take me to Prime Minister Zhou's residence? I want to visit the Grand Prime Minister!"

Ok?
The sudden and strange request made everyone in the private room look at Baoyu.

Jia Cong asked in confusion: "Why do you suddenly want to visit Mr. Zhou?"

Baoyu rubbed his hands and smiled shyly: "Well... tomorrow's front page lacks a sharp review. I would like to ask the Grand Master to take charge and give this matter a personality first."

What a good idea! Baoyu actually has such an idea. He is amazing!

It’s no wonder that Prime Minister Zhou Jiong is the most suitable person for this matter.

Whether it was the reinterpretation of the sages' classics or the reform of the imperial examination system, or this noisy incident of carrying a coffin to make a remonstration, it was actually not just a matter of the officialdom and literary circles, but also a matter of national policy concerning the country's major affairs.

Zhou Jiong was not only the prime minister of the imperial court, but also a leader in the contemporary literary world and a top official.

By writing a sharp review, he could make a thorough assessment and at the same time show the attitude of the central government.

Thinking of this, Jia Cong also became interested.

He felt like he was itching to write an article, and he even thought of a pen name: Yipin Royal Cat!
"Let's go, let's go now..."

Boom boom boom!
Someone knocked on the door of the private room, interrupting their excited discussion.

Jia Shiyi came in respectfully with an old servant, holding a tray in hand.

"Third Master, Wang Ru sent someone over to deliver something."

The old servant bowed and said, "I greet you, my lord, the princess, and Master Bao. I have co-signed an article with the other lords, and I would like to ask Master Bao to publish it in the Daxia Daily tomorrow..."

Jia Cong took it and looked at it. It contained more than a thousand words, written with a sharp knife-like style. There were a total of eighteen questions, and each question would be a sharp sword that would stab the waist of the various schools of Neo-Confucianism.

Daiyu and Baoyu also came over curiously, and as soon as they took a glance, they both took a deep breath.

This is scary!

"Confucius said: 'There is no distinction in education.' In the southeast, the rich are famous for their talents, while the poor are not famous for their talents. Are they really not talented? They are just not rich."

"The Master said: 'If one's conduct is upright, people will act without being told; if one's conduct is not upright, people will not act despite being told.' The orders of the Emperor today are to eliminate bad government, improve the people and set things right. What you have done is to serve your own selfish interests and harm the people's livelihood. How can this be disloyal, unrighteous, unfair and unjust?"

"The Master said, 'To restrain oneself and return to propriety is benevolence. One day, if one restrains oneself and returns to propriety, the whole world will return to benevolence. Is it up to oneself to be benevolent, or is it up to others?' Yan Yuan said, 'Please tell me what it means.' The Master said, 'Do not look at what is not proper, do not listen to what is not proper, do not say what is not proper, do not do what is not proper.' Yan Yuan said, 'Although I am not smart, I will follow this advice.' The teaching of the sage is to restrain oneself and return to propriety. Now I have heard that your cliques are undermining the public interest and enriching themselves, have no merit in governing the country, and have no effort in caring for the people, and sit in high places, wear fancy clothes, and live in luxury..."

The Eighteen Questions directly labeled all the Neo-Confucian schools that bewitched them as disloyal, unjust, unkind, etc.

Finally, they were expelled from the Holy Way, saying that they had distorted the words of the saints, rebelled against the Holy Way, and were no different from a cult.

In particular, taking the southeast as an example, I asked: Your southeastern half has a prosperous culture, but why is it that whenever we mention talented people, they all come from wealthy and official families?

Why do all the major colleges in the southeast only recruit students from wealthy families...

Jia Cong couldn't help but curl his lips. Master Zheng had discovered this when he was the governor of Zhejiang.

Even if a poor boy is talented, it is difficult for him to stand out in the southeast.

It's hard for a poor family to produce a talented child, not because the children don't work hard or are not smart, but because you are the one being suppressed. You can't even find a place to study, how can you make a name for yourself?

Fortunately, the imperial court now promotes compulsory education, and public schools are the main way for children from poor families to become successful.

"Wang Ru and his people have completely torn off the fig leaf of the Neo-Confucian clique!"

Daiyu's evaluation was very accurate, and Jia Cong and Baoyu both nodded in agreement.

But Daiyu immediately said to the old servant: "But if we do this, the trouble Wang Ru and his men will face will not only be a dispute over academics, but also a dispute over faith, which will lead to bloodshed. Go back and tell Wang Ru to be careful!"

Daiyu almost pointed out the danger, and the old servant bowed in agreement and then retreated.

Baoyu frowned and asked, "This is the capital, do they dare to do anything wrong?"

"Then you underestimate the madness of these people. Brother Bao, do you still remember what happened to your uncle in Zhejiang?"

After Jia Cong's reminder, Baoyu remembered how embarrassed his father was when he returned to Beijing from Zhejiang.

The provincial education commissioner, the father of the imperial concubine, and the second master of the Duke of Wumercy nearly died on the canal.

Academic disputes are just verbal disputes at best, but disputes over beliefs can be fatal.

Jia Cong also realized the seriousness of the matter, and put away his desire to watch the fun. He whispered a few words to Jia Shiyi with a serious expression, and let him go to look for the person.

……

Twenty-eight great Confucian scholars cut their hair to show their determination to break away from the Neo-Confucian school and issued a declaration of war on the doctrine. This matter fermented completely overnight and became a hot topic in the capital.

At this time, no one talked about carrying a coffin to make suggestions or reforming the imperial examination system.

Because those candidates preparing for the imperial examination were dumbfounded. The despicable things exposed by Wang Daru and others last night made them question the study of Neo-Confucianism.

They shout about the justice of heaven, but actually do despicable things. Is it necessary to learn such knowledge?

The young scholars were confused and angry.

They felt that interest groups such as Xilin, Jin Party, and Shu Party had betrayed the holy way and Confucius.

Fortunately, August 14th was a holiday, otherwise several members of the Xilin and other academic cliques would have died in the capital.

Even so, the confused and angry scholars still gathered together early. They gave the clique a Mid-Autumn Festival gift of rotten vegetable leaves and rotten eggs, wrote poems full of satire and abuse on the walls of their mansions, and finally shouted slogans to eliminate traitors and protect the holy way, and rushed to the outside of the Great Xia Gate...

The Crown Prince Liu Hong, who was the Regent, cordially summoned representatives of officials and Confucian scholars to calm their emotions.

When he heard that the students were confused and didn't know what to do, he threw the trouble onto Jia Cong.

"Many of you have received invitations to the poetry gathering at Rongguo Mansion, right? He is the incarnation of Wen Kui Xing, why not go and ask him for his opinion..."

Your Highness, this is a brilliant idea!

It would be most appropriate to ask Wen Kuixing, who won the top six places in the imperial examination, about this matter.

Hence, a group of people marched towards Ningrong Street, shouting slogans to eliminate the traitors and protect the Holy Road.

When Jia Cong walked out of the gate to check the situation, the two old servants in charge of guarding the gate were stunned.

Jia Cong was too tired to complain. Come on, just come on, and don’t change the slogans you shout.

If you don’t know, you would think there is a traitor in his family!
The poetry reading, which was originally scheduled to begin in the afternoon, had to be moved forward by more than an hour.

Fortunately, the garden is quite large, otherwise it wouldn’t be able to accommodate so many people.

Daiyu asked someone to go to the He family to invite Baochai over, while Jia Cong and Baoyu greeted everyone to enter the garden through the side door.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the red maple leaves in this royal garden sway in the wind, creating a dazzling display of splendor.

The pavilions and waterside terraces all amazed everyone.

The originally confused and irritable heart was touched by the beautiful scenery and gradually calmed down.

At this moment, no one would look at the invitation or not. Since they were here, they were guests of the Rongguo Mansion.

When the old lady heard that nearly two thousand scholars and literati had come at once, she felt both headache and happiness.

Master Zheng, who has always loved reading, even personally called the housekeeper and solemnly instructed him not to lose the reputation of the Jia family.

"Send people to the major restaurants, and make sure all the snacks, drinks and dishes are delivered to our homes with guaranteed quality and quantity. Also, go to the East Palace, the Lin Family, and the Xue Family to borrow people. We must ensure that these scholars return home with great pleasure today..."

……

For a poetry gathering, reciting poems and composing essays are essential.

However, everyone seemed to be in low spirits today, as their thoughts were blocked by what happened last night.

"Mr. Wenkui, I don't know whether we should continue to study Confucianism. I don't know what Confucianism is. Please teach me, Mr. Wenkui!"

The person who raised this question on behalf of everyone was actually someone Jia Cong knew.

This man was a famous talent in the Imperial College, named Ma Wencai.

This man came from a family of officials. His father served as the Tongzhi of Kaifeng Prefecture. In the eighth year of Yuanyou, when he was still serving as the magistrate of Xiangfu County, the Yellow River was flooded.

His father had made great contributions in flood control and pacifying the people, so he allowed his son to study at the Imperial Academy.

Ma Wencai also attended the wedding banquet of Jia Cong and Daiyu. At that time, this man's congratulatory speech made all the guests cheer.

The lyrics say: The purple streets are beautiful, the embroidered pavilions are fragrant. On the full moon night, the bride and groom are celebrating their marriage. I have been in love since I was a young man, cherishing the beauty of the bride, and have been waiting for a long time to become a couple. This evening, we are enjoying the flying music, and we are learning to fly back to the beams.

Ask for wine, welcome the immortal guest, get drunk with red makeup. Tell the true feelings, some good words are unforgettable. I hope that in the thousands of years, we can have a thousand years of joy, and the love should last forever. I am happy to live in Changchun House, and the orchids and jades are full of fragrance in the garden.

Jia Cong still admired Ma Wencai very much. His father was an official who was loyal to the emperor and loved the people, and he himself was also a very talented scholar. If he was well trained, the court would have more capable officials.

In Jia Cong's eyes, Ma Wencai and the students he represents are truly good young men of the country who have a sense of justice in their hearts, as they can raise such questions.

At least, right now!

Jia Cong looked at the confused young men, cleared his throat, and said loudly: "The Zhou Li says that there are nine and two things to tie up the people of a state. One is the shepherd, who wins the people with the land; the second is the leader, who wins the people with nobility; the third is the teacher, who wins the people with virtue; the fourth is the Confucian, who wins the people with the Tao; the fifth is the clan, who wins the people with the clan; the sixth is the master, who wins the people with benefits; the seventh is the official, who wins the people with governance; the eighth is the friend, who wins the people with responsibility; the ninth is the bush, who wins the people with wealth. The ninth is to persuade the people, and Confucianism is one of them. Confucians respect saints, teachers, and virtues. Teachers win the people with virtues and teach the Tao to solve problems. Saints are dedicated to the land..."

Using "Zhou Li" to explain Confucianism is actually a bit far-fetched.

But there is one point that can clarify Jia Cong's view on Confucianism, that is, Confucianism is Taoism.

Nourish yourself with the Tao and win others over with virtue.

The way of Heaven is that Yin and Yang alternate, and that movement and stillness have their times. A gentleman is content with what he has and knows his destiny.

The virtue of a person is to cultivate himself to gain benevolence, to regulate his family and to secure his country; a gentleman chooses the good and sticks to it.

"We often say that self-cultivation, family harmony, governance of the country and peace in the world are the real purposes of studying. Being an official is just one of them."

At this point, Jia Cong asked someone to bring a booklet that had been prepared long ago.

It was a register of whereabouts of some graduates from the Beijing Public School. He flipped it open and said, "You may not have noticed that when the court promoted compulsory education, the first priority was not to teach the classics, but general knowledge. That is, literacy, etiquette, loyalty, right and wrong, and the world..."

Jia Cong's purpose for the four years of compulsory education was not to force all the students to rush into the single-plank bridge of the imperial examination.

The textbooks of public schools in various places were unified by the imperial court, including Chinese studies, mathematics, sociology and technical education.

By taking Chinese studies as the foundation for self-cultivation, you can gain an understanding of the general situation of the world and learn basic survival skills.

After four years, even the worst students can master the basic techniques of bookkeeping and cashiering, or skills such as blacksmithing, carpentry, and construction.

If you go to a town or city and be an apprentice and practice for a few years, you will most likely be able to support your family.

The most important point is that Jia Cong has never changed the dominant position of Confucian classics. Chinese studies were summarized by the great talents of the Hanlin Academy, who summarized the essence of the entire Confucian thought and used it as the main tool for establishing the three views.

Over the years, the greatest achievement of compulsory education is that it enables the children of our country to form correct views on the world, life and values ​​while learning new skills.

At first, everyone thought that Jia Cong was off topic when he told them about compulsory education, but gradually they understood what he was saying.

"I understand. Marquis Yongfeng is saying that there is nothing wrong with the teachings of the sages. We study Confucianism to improve ourselves, and it has nothing to do with what others do!"

As long as one person gains something, it can enlighten a large group of people.

Soon, someone suddenly realized something and murmured, "I think I understand it too. No wonder the great minister wants to re-explain the saints' classics..."

"I understand now. Science... or the way of science that I learned before, was actually deliberately misinterpreted by them."

Everyone knew who these two words "they" referred to.

Jia Cong continued, "We are all disciples of the Holy Way, but we should also carry forward the Holy Way instead of sticking to the old ways. The clothes we wear will no longer fit us after three or two years, not to mention that the Holy Way has been passed down for thousands of years, so there are naturally many things that are out of date. If it is worshipped as a god, that is what Confucius does not want to see. Saints are not gods, but people. We must dare to question and dare to innovate..."

First pull Confucius down from the throne and put him in the position of a wise ancestor, so that we can talk about what he really wants to do.

Jia Cong said, "If the youth are strong, the country will be strong. We are the future of the holy way and the future of the country. We should strive for self-improvement, establish our hearts for the world, establish our destiny for the people, inherit the lost knowledge of the past sages, and bring peace to the world for all eternity."

"You should have already felt the harm of academic cliques. Now that Wang Ru and others have taken the lead in starting the war, we young people of the Holy Path should fight for the Holy Path!"

Monthly ticket recommendation ticket

　I’ll stop here tonight and continue tomorrow. Good night!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)