half life slave

Weiyang Academy is located in the west of Yangzhou City. It was originally a lecture institute founded by a minister of rites in the Shengping Dynasty in the early years.

And the Mr. Shenzhai that people say is Cheng Ruoyu, a doctor of the Wenxuan Department of the Ministry of Officials of the Shengping Dynasty. He was a Jinshi in the eighth year of Shengping. He served as a cabinet scholar, but he was dismissed from office because he offended the late emperor because of the establishment of an heir.

It is said that after he returned home, he has been giving lectures for a generation in Wuzhong. Most of his lectures were critical of current affairs and satirical about government affairs. Therefore, he has a good reputation among the people.

Seeing the crowd rushing towards the academy in groups, Lin Sheng also asked with great interest, "My lord, what is real learning?"

Rong and Dao, "The so-called practical learning, as the name suggests, means practical application. Guochao's practical learning advocates managing the world, and believes that learning must be beneficial to state affairs and be able to solve practical problems."

"That's it, it's something made by those boastful literati again." Lin Sheng sighed uninterestedly, and suddenly thought of something, turned his head and asked, "You don't think you want to listen to it, do you?"

Rong Yu blinked and said with a smile, "If you come, you can be safe."

Lin Sheng sighed, made an expression that he had already guessed, and when he looked at him again, he made a playful face at him.The two looked at each other and smiled, got on their horses and headed towards Weiyang Academy.

Although along the way, he heard a lot of the grand occasions of Cheng Ruoyu's lectures, but when he arrived at Weiyang Academy, Rong Yu realized that the sentence he heard on the side of the road, "There is no place to sit." It was really not a lie.

People sitting and standing around had already crowded the academy to its brim, and there were many people standing at the door. Looking over at a glance, there were not only literati and scholars, but also old people and children, and even traffickers and pawns. Ruoyu has been quite influential among the people.

Cheng Ruoyu is 54 years old this year, with a long beard and long beard, showing a sense of majesty in his elegance, clean and simple clothes all over his body, and a dignified and respectful demeanor.What he is talking about today is the opening chapter of "Mencius" - Mencius met King Liang Hui, "King Liang Hui saw Mencius and said, traveling thousands of miles away, there will be benefits for our country? Mencius said to the king, why should the king say that benefits are also benevolent and righteous? Hey. The king said, how can I benefit my country; the great man said, how can I benefit my family; the common people said, how can I benefit my body, the superior and the subordinates will pay for the benefit, and the country will be in danger.”

After a short pause, he said, "This opening chapter seems to be talking about the benevolence and righteousness that everyone knows, but it actually has a profound meaning. Thousands of years of profit and loss, the most important thing in the world, still can't get rid of a single word of benefit. The world is prosperous, All come for profit; the world is full of profit, all go for profit. The people are profit, and they make their livelihood; officials seek profit, and they are corrupt; The eunuchs collect commercial tax and mining tax everywhere, which is a blatant profit-seeking move. Commercial tax does not impoverish the merchants, but also impoverishes the people. The merchants buy expensive goods and never sell them cheaply. The folk goods are all expensive, all because of the tax money calculated by the merchants. The reason."

As soon as this remark came out, most of the people who heard it felt deeply. Some immediately echoed his remarks loudly, some whispered to each other with a vague attitude, and some shook their heads and asked, "Sir, by saying that, are you opposing the imperial court's taxation?"

Cheng Ruoyu responded generously, "The monarch pursues profit and ignores people's livelihood. Everyone can oppose this evil policy."

Someone responded to dissuade, "It's all right for Mr. to talk about the scriptures. Why bother to talk about current affairs. If someone listens to it, I'm afraid it will be detrimental to Mr., so Mr. just concentrate on lecturing."

Cheng Ruoyu caressed his head, with a calm attitude, "Official chariots, the aspirations are not in the father. Officials seal the frontier, the aspirations are not in the people's livelihood. Living in the forest by the water, the aspirations are not in the world. A gentleman has nothing to do."

Hearing this sentence, Lin Sheng tugged on Rongyu's sleeve lightly, "My lord, what does he mean by that?"

Rong Yu thought for a while and told him, "He said that if you are an official, your ambition is not to assist the monarch; A moral orientation that does not pay attention to the world's customs and customs. Such a person, a gentleman would not bother to be."

At this time in the school, when people heard Cheng Ruoyu's answer, many people clapped their hands in admiration, and someone immediately asked, "Then, what do you think is the biggest maladministration of the imperial court right now?"

"The imperial court sends eunuchs to collect business tax and mine tax is the biggest malpractice. Seizing the wealth of the people is not the way to make money; the way to make money is to make money, save it, and both ends. Send eunuchs to disturb the people along the way to collect taxes How can the sacred heart be stable? And the heart of one person is the heart of thousands of people. The emperor loves pearls and jade, and people also love food and clothing; the emperor loves all generations, and people also love their wives and children. And cause chaos in the world."

After a pause, he raised his voice again, "It is foolish to think that the imperial court should open up its channels of speech, so that different voices can reach the ears of the emperor, so that they will not be deceived by the villains around; Eunuchs intervene in politics. At the beginning of the founding of the country, the plaque prohibiting internal ministers from pre-government is still there, but this dynasty has the power to turn to the courtiers. The ancestors' teachings should not be forgotten. To collect commercial taxes for the eunuchs instigates, Evil policies such as mining taxes should be abolished. Returning wealth to the people and hiding wealth from the people is the country of ten thousand vehicles, and the way to govern the country should be followed."

After finishing his words, some people applauded loudly, while others looked at each other and turned pale.While everyone was talking about it, Lin Sheng stepped forward and said loudly, "Isn't it right for the imperial court to send eunuchs to collect taxes? The business tax has always been lower than the agricultural tax, but the commercial profit is more than the agricultural tax." I don’t know how many times, is it reasonable to make money and not pay taxes to the country? Or does the husband think that farmers are the most exploitable? Why don’t you see people complaining about farmers, but willing to fight for businessmen?”

He snorted, and the more he spoke, the more angry he became, "Sir, he opposes eunuchs to collect taxes. May I ask if those eunuchs have done anything improper? Is it disturbing the people? Or is it a disaster? If there is, some local officials should come forward Punishment, because it is sent by the inner court, the officials are afraid? If this is the case, it is because the officials themselves have lost their morality, disregarded the grace of the people, and ignored the people's livelihood. Attributable to those eunuchs, they are just doing errands for the emperor and the court."

Rong Yu didn't expect him to refute Cheng Ruoyu suddenly, so he was a little surprised.At this time, people in the academy were curious and turned to Gu Linsheng, and some people nodded their heads frequently after hearing his words.

Cheng Ruoyu replied with a faint smile, "Since ancient times, eunuchs have been treacherous, greedy and cruel. In the past, the Eastern Han Dynasty gathered money in the western mansions, and the misfortune of Zhongpan is not far away. This dynasty should learn from history and take precautions before they happen."

"Take precautions?" Lin Sheng raised his head and asked, "What do you mean, sir, that eunuchs have not yet happened to amass money for misfortune?"

"Taking history as a mirror, you don't need everything to happen to know. Eunuchs are royal servants. They are a word for profit, and there is no restraint in inviting favors and flattery. This has never been the case since ancient times."

Lin Sheng's eyes were full of disdain, and he raised his eyebrows and said with a sneer, "Sir, you have already answered me. It turns out that what you are worrying about has not happened yet. You can predict the outcome if it doesn't need to happen, and put all the blame on the eunuchs. Excuse me, sir." , this guilt, is it unfounded?"

Cheng Ruoyu was stunned for a moment, there were three words, like a thunderbolt on the ground, it exploded among the people in the academy, the crowd began to whisper to each other, and the voices of discussion rose and fell in an instant.

Someone raised his voice and questioned Lin Sheng, "Where did you come from, you are so rude! You seem to be speaking for those eunuchs. Could it be that he was sent by the Nanjing Twelfth Prison?"

Immediately, people booed, saying that Lin Sheng was sent by Nanjing to monitor the academy and give lectures to his master, while others said that he was fair and handsome, and he looked clearly like an eunuch. To reason with him.

"It really is a spy who got in with the eunuchs! Throw him out."

"These eunuchs are all-pervasive, even the academies are not spared, I am afraid they will encourage the emperor to ban speeches that are not good for them."

"If you harbor evil intentions, everyone will get it and punish you."

They pressed on step by step, making Lin Sheng back again and again.

Rong Yubusily took him behind him, and said in a clear voice, "Gentlemen are humble and do not fight, and they are harmonious but different. You listen to Mr. Shenzhai's lectures here, and you must all admire this way. If you besiege a person who holds different opinions, wouldn't it be useless?" Is it contrary to the teachings of the sages? I believe that you don’t want to see you fight with others and favor your own opinions.”

Everyone's eyes turned to him again, because it was difficult to guess his identity for a while, they all looked him up and down suspiciously.

Cheng Ruoyu waved his hand to signal the crowd to be quiet, and asked about Rong and Dao, "What Yu said just now is indeed the opinion of the family and his own opinion. Yu would like to listen to the different opinions of Mr. Yu, can you enlighten me?"

Rong and Chong cupped their hands at him, "Don't dare, sir, you are being polite. I also deeply agree with the statement that you don't compete with the people for profit. However, I think that this is not a good time to hide wealth from the people."

"The country's neighbors were restless, and foreign enemies frequently invaded the borders in the northwest and Liaodong. The first emperor pityed that the people on the border were plundered by foreign enemies for a long time, so he built defensive passes many times and garrisoned troops for defense. However, due to insufficient border defense funds, the current dynasty could not increase. Farmland tax is the only way to increase business tax and mine tax, so as to enrich the imperial court’s income.”

"As Mr. said, abolishing the two taxes will empty the national treasury internally and make the frontier defense funds insufficient externally. The soldiers guarding the frontier are also the people of our dynasty. They are starving and cold. How can the court provide them? ? At that time, although wealth could be hidden among the people, how should we resist foreign disasters? The national power is declining, and the imperial court cannot protect the people. Sooner or later, the wealth of the people will become the object of plunder.”

He paused, looked around, and continued, "Now the emperor is reforming the taxation policy to prevent border wars, and the wealth accumulated by the people will be plundered. Zhiyong went to the border with swords and arrows to fight against foreign enemies, but he wanted to abolish the taxation of the court, destroy the supply of border defense military funds, and damage the court's strategy of using troops. Such thinking can not help but lose the heart of anxiety. The focus is nothing more than the word related to oneself That's all."

After saying this, seeing Cheng Ruoyu and the others lost in thought, he said slowly, "Mr. said that eunuchs have been corrupt since ancient times, but it is true. If you are willing to collect taxes and taxes, why does the emperor rely on eunuchs? I believe that the current emperor is a wise and holy lord, and he will never repeat the tragedy of the eunuchs in the past. Sir and all of you, instead of just focusing on whether the eunuchs participate in political affairs, It’s better to think more about the emperor and the court, how to solve the external troubles and internal troubles, and then make the people rich and the country strong, and keep the people safe and healthy forever.”

Cheng Ruoyu frowned deeply, and looked at him more carefully.Seeing that everyone was still pondering over his words in astonishment, Rong Yu took the opportunity to say to Cheng Ruoyu, "I'm making a lie and insulting Mr.'s clear hearing. I hope you will forgive me. It is inconvenient to disturb Mr.'s lecture, please continue."

After finishing what he was going to say, he bowed to Cheng Ruoyu, signaled to Lin Sheng who was standing by the side, and strode out of the academy with a big stride. He heard the commotion in the academy gradually subside. Read the scriptures.

Just as he was about to mount his horse and prepare to leave, Cheng Ruoyu's voice asking him to stay behind suddenly came from behind him. Looking back, he was the one who chased him out. He frowned for a long time, and finally asked carefully, "Excuse me, sir, but my surname is Lin." ?”

Rong and his jaw said yes, without the slightest hesitation.Cheng Ruoyu smiled comprehensibly, and immediately invited him, "I've been in a hurry today, and I still have a lot to say. If Mr. Lin doesn't give up, I invite you to come to the academy tomorrow to have a chat. I don't know if you can talk about it." Appreciation?"

"It's an honor to be invited by Mr. Shen Zhai." Rong and bowed his hands, accepting his appointment tomorrow.

When they looked at each other, Cheng Ruoyu smiled slightly, and Rong Yu also saw that in his smile, there was always a sense of caution and precaution.