Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

Chapter 363 Return without success

The essence of the imperial examinations of the country lies in the eight-part essay, and the essence of the eight-part essay lies in solving the problem. Whether the problem is solved well or not can be known at a glance, and it cannot be false in the slightest.

Therefore, when the examiner marks the paper, he is very quick. He only needs to look at the wrong questions. If the wrong questions are not good, it proves that the meaning of the scriptures is unclear and the intention is shallow, and he can be dismissed directly. There is no injustice.

When Jia Cong saw everyone looking at him, he coughed dryly and said: "It seems that you don't study hard on weekdays. You can't answer such a simple question, and you still come to ask me. Should I teach or Mr. Pang?"

shameless! No one dared to argue with him in class, they just slandered him.

Pang Chao smiled and said, "If you have something to say, it's okay to come up and talk about it."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Sir, let's talk first. I'll ask you later, sir."

Pang Chao nodded and said: "If this question is broken, there will be no reputation in future generations, which is a worry for saints. How about it?"

All the sentient beings suddenly realized that although they could not defeat the good ones, they knew the goods. They all praised in unison: "The gentleman is a great talent, and the students can be taught."

"What's so good about it?" Jia Cong asked the students at the table in a low voice.

The student rolled his eyes at him, but explained: "I told you, you don't understand. If you are in the imperial examination, you can almost be sure of solving the question by relying on this."

Jia Cong curled his lips and danced with writing, which was useful.

Pang Chao looked at Jia Cong and said, "Young man, I may have some high opinions, but it doesn't matter."

Jia Cong was not polite, stood up and walked onto the podium. Pang Chao stepped aside and let him do what he wanted.

Since he dared to come to the academy, he also did some homework with Baochai yesterday, because he smiled and said: "Confucius said to become benevolent, and Mencius said to obtain righteousness. Benevolence is the essence of Confucianism."

Zengzi said that a scholar cannot be without great perseverance, as the responsibilities are long and the road ahead is long. Isn’t it important to consider benevolence as one’s own responsibility? Isn't it just a matter of time before death? Everyone, what is benevolence? Can you teach me? "

Everyone frowned. This problem is not a big one. The word benevolence seems simple. Countless old Confucians may not be able to explain clearly what "benevolence" is even if they have studied for a lifetime.

Pang Chao smiled slightly and let him perform.

After thinking about it for a while, all the sentient beings couldn't say that after reading the books of sages for so many years, even Ren didn't know, so they all started talking.

"The Master said: Clever words and beautiful expressions bring out benevolence!"

"The Master said: Benevolence is the beauty. How can you know if you choose not to be benevolent?"

"The Master said: Only the benevolent can do good to others and do evil to others."

"The Master said: Everyone's faults are due to his own party. By observing his faults, he will know benevolence."

……

All sentient beings have learned to be wise, and they are always right to quote the words of saints.

Jia Cong chuckled and said: "That's nonsense. You study hard and study hard, without any original ideas. If a saint were alive, he would definitely scold you. Is benevolence an endorsement?"

"You! Rude!"

"Insanity!"

"You blasphemed the saint."

"Quiet! Gentlemen are harmonious but different; villains are harmonious but not harmonious." Pang Chao frowned.

All living beings were busy silent and sitting upright.

Jia Cong said: "Mr. Pang, dear friends, I foolishly think that the so-called benevolent people only have four meanings.

The most superficial one is for self-cultivation; the upper level is for the family, just for the family; the upper level is for shepherding, just loving others; the upper level is for governing the world... Mr. Pang, what do you think is benevolence? "

The students nodded silently, and his words were not wrong.

How could Pang Chao be stumped by him? He smiled and said: "The people are the most important, the country is the second most important, and the king is the least important. This can be said to be benevolent."

"Sir, what you said is extremely true." All living beings applauded and praised.

Jia Cong's eyes were intense, and he asked the last question: "Everyone, if we talk about reality, can the new law be called benevolent? Can the old law be called benevolent?"

Everyone frowned, this is a bit off topic, but criticizing current ills and discussing government affairs are the favorites of scholars.

"The new law raids cruelty and increases the burden on the common people. It is not a blessing to the people and is not considered a benevolent law." Almost all the students come from wealthy gentry families, so how can they say good things about the new law.

"Yes, the new law is unkind." Everyone said in unison.

Jia Cong sneered and said, "Could it be that the wine and meat of the Zhu family are stinky, and the bones are frozen to death on the way to be considered benevolent?"

"How can two different things be confused?"

"Yes, don't mess around."

Jia Cong was too lazy to argue with these scholars. He looked at Pang Chao and said, "What do you think, sir?"

Pang Chao frowned slightly and said: "In the academy, we only talk about knowledge, regardless of country. That's all for today's class." After that, he left.

Jia Cong hurriedly followed him out and followed him into a small courtyard, which must have been Pang Chao's residence or study.

"Why are you following me, little friend?" Pang Chao turned around and asked.

Jia Cong smiled and said: "Sir, you know my purpose, why bother pretending to be confused."

Pang Chao shook his head and said, "I didn't know that. Since I'm here, let's just have a cup of tea."

"That's annoying."

Jia Cong followed him into the main hall and sat down. A boy poured out the fine tea, and the fragrance of tea suddenly filled the air.

"My little friend, why are you here?" Pang Chao said calmly.

"Please come out, sir." Jia Cong didn't talk about any strategy, he just got straight to the point and went straight to the point.

Pang Chao said with a smile: "My friend and I met for the first time today. We have had a close relationship. Besides, my friend may not tell me by his real name."

Jia Cong said with a smile: "What happens once makes you familiar. Actually, my student is not named Jia Baoyu. As for my identity, I heard that Mr. Sir has extraordinary talents and unpredictable abilities. Can you guess it?"

Pang Chao shook his head and laughed: "My dear friend, you are over praised. You don't need any great talent to guess your identity. Recently I heard that Admiral Jia, the Imperial Guard, was patrolling the south of the Yangtze River on behalf of heaven. This most talented man in the world seems to be different in age and appearance from your Excellency." Not big."

Jia Cong smiled and said: "Sir, you have good eyesight. I am none other than Jia Cong. I have come here to ask you to help me and serve the court."

Pang Chao smiled and said, "I'm not in the mountains, so how can I get out of the mountains?"

Jia Cong advised: "Sir, wouldn't it be a pity if all your talents are wasted in vain?"

"No. If you can preach and educate talents for the country, you will be full of talents all over the world, wouldn't you also be serving the imperial court? How can it be wasted?" Pang Chao said.

"Well... this... what the sage said is that a gentleman ultimately wants to rule the country and bring peace to the world. Teaching all his life is nothing." Jia Cong hurriedly moved the sage out. Pang Chao shook his head and said with a smile: "The sage also said, 'If you are poor, you can be good for yourself; if you are prosperous, you can be good for the world.' If you are poor, you can be prosperous. Now everyone has their own place, so why force it."

When it comes to eloquence, Jia Cong can't compare to him. When it comes to the way of a saint, he's even beaten to death.

Jia Cong had no choice but to clearly mark the price: "Sir, you can say whatever you want, as long as you are willing to help me. Fine wine, beauties, gold and silver jewelry, mansions, whatever is available in this world, just ask, you're welcome."

Pang Chao laughed and said: "The book has its own Yan Ruyu, and the book has its own golden house. Everything you mentioned is in the book, so why ask for it from outside. You and I have different ways and do not want to conspire with each other. You still have to ask me Come back."

Jia Cong smiled bitterly. Fortunately, he did not intend to invite the giant Buddha back at once. The rejection was expected. He stood up and held his hands in his hands and said: "Sir, I will come to visit another day."

Pang Chao shook his head and laughed. Is this kid also following the example of the ancients who visited the thatched cottage three times?

"Your Excellency is busy with official duties, so why waste your time on me as a teacher? There are so many talented people in the world, why not look for someone else?"

Jia Cong said: "Although there are many talents in the world, who can compare with Sir?"

Pang Chao waved his hand and said with a smile: "It's useless to flatter others. I won't accept this trick."

Jia Cong said: "I will always find the way Mr. is doing." After saying that, he stood up and left.

Pang Chao shook his head and said nothing. Once the fire was extinguished, how could it be easily rekindled?
-

Early that morning, Wen Youfang hurriedly went to Jia Cong.

"Your Majesty, in the past two days, Qiao Qianhu has led people to arrest the sons and stewards who committed crimes in each house of the four families and detained them in the guard prison. There are more than 180 people in total."

"Intensify the interrogation."

"Yes."

As soon as Wen Youfang was sent away, the girl came to report that Sister Feng and Baochai were invited.

Jia Cong laughed, got up and went to the back house.

In the upper room, Sister Feng and Baochai were talking to Qingwen. When they saw him coming, they all stood up to greet him.

"Sister-in-law Feng, sister Bao, what's the matter?" Jia Cong said with a smile.

Sister Feng smiled and said: "You are so powerful this time. You arrested so many people at once. My father called me back at noon yesterday.

Aunts, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law and wives from each house all came to me to ask for favors. They were all groveling and frowning, which made me want to laugh. "

"What did Sister-in-law Feng say?" Jia Cong asked.

"I said, we are all family friends, how can we kill him? It's just a scare. You go and apologize and apologize, and I will make peace for you, and he will come back." Sister Feng said with a smile.

Jia Cong looked at Baochai and said, "I think I'll ask Sister Bao to come to the Xue family. What does Sister say?"

Baochai nodded and said: "I said, this is the official business of the yamen, but I don't understand. Cong'er has never been good at instituting unjust prisons. I thought that if all brothers and nephews were unjustly accused, they would be fine and there would be no need for more. consider."

Jia Cong nodded and said, "Sister Bao's words deeply touched my heart."

Sister Feng was startled and said, "Brother Cong, don't you really want to disown your family?"

Jia Cong sneered and said: "Sister-in-law Feng, you guessed it right. These idiots have aroused my murderous intention. It is impossible not to kill people. Let them prepare for the funeral."

Sister Feng's face turned pale. There were more than a hundred people here, and she hurriedly said: "Brother Cong, don't you want to implement a new method? Just force them to submit. Why use a knife? It will hurt the harmony between relatives."

Jia Cong smiled and said: "Does it mean that if I let them go, it won't hurt the peace? Rather than making them hate me, it's better to make them afraid of me! Of course, I will definitely give you and Baochai their dignity. Come on!"

"Third Master's orders." Yan Shuangying ducked in from the door.

"Call Qiao Yin, if the prisoners of the four families are not guilty of capital crimes, they will be beaten and released."

"Yes." Yan Shuangying took the order and left.

Baochai looked a little gloomy. She knew very well that Jia Cong's temper was true to his word, so she said nothing, lamenting in her heart for her brothers and nephews who were about to be guillotined.

Sister Feng hurriedly said: "Then the remaining people..."

"Whether you should be reincarnated or go to the eighteenth level of hell, this is the Lord of Hell's business. How do I know?" Jia Cong said calmly.

"You..." Sister Feng was choked and speechless.

Jia Cong glanced at her: "When did you become so philanthropic, and you didn't touch any of your family members? Why are you anxious?"

Sister Feng spat, "Everyone you look at is as cold-hearted and cold-faced as you, my poor brothers..." She spoke with a tearful tone, picked up a handkerchief and gently wiped the corners of her nose and eyes a few times.

Jia Cong sneered and said, "If you want to go back and cry, don't bother me."

"You bastard, you are a heartless little thief. I am the only one in the Wang family. Is this what Bao Yatou's family does? Is this what my family does too?" Sister Feng said.

"What family? What does the Jinling Jia family have to do with me? I just killed a few unscrupulous children. It's not like I haven't done this before in the capital."

Jia Cong looked at Baochai with a calm expression and a little apologetically, and said, "Sister Bao, I..."

Baochai waved his hand and said with a smile: "This is an external matter, why do you need to worry about me. And you have the emperor's mandate, so you have your own difficulties. They violated nature and violated national laws, and they will have their own retribution, which is also the cycle of nature."

Am I asking you to show mercy outside the law? Even if you are kind to the Xue family, what about other families? If the case is unfairly decided and the law is bent for personal gain, wouldn’t it be criticized by others? How can I let you be in a dilemma because of me. "

After saying this, Sister Feng lost her temper and became speechless.

Jia Cong sighed, went over to hold her hand, and said: "The official should be King Jinwu, and the wife should be Xue Baochai."

Nasty! Sister Feng spat, feeling jealous and envious. She secretly scolded this beast for being gentle and petty towards Bao Yatou, but overbearing and overbearing towards me. He was too partial and wasted my efforts to serve him.

Baochai's ears were red, she hurriedly withdrew her hand, glanced at Sister Feng, and said hurriedly: "What do you look like? You're talking nonsense, and you're not afraid of being laughed at. If you do this, I won't come to your door again."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "If you don't come to my door, I will come to yours, and it's the same thing."

Sister Feng was a little amused and said with a smile: "Baby girl, Brother Cong has always been accustomed to being lawless. I think he is not talking nonsense, but he really means it. Just wait until you become the countess of our family."

"Girl Feng, I didn't come to talk to you, but you became frivolous. Please let me spare you." Baochai was shy and anxious, so she scratched Sister Feng's body.

The speaker was unintentional, but the listener was intentional. Sister Feng dodged and laughed dryly: "What did you say about me?"

Baochai spat: "You know it yourself, and you still come to ask me."

Sister Feng said: "I really don't know about this. You scholars are just so frivolous. I won't be stubborn with you anymore. I'm tired today and I won't be an eyesore here. I'll go back and have a rest." After saying that, he ran away.

"Being a thief has a guilty conscience." Baochai looked at Sister Feng's back and chuckled.

"That's right, I don't feel guilty."

"Pooh!"

(End of this chapter)