I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 667 Please Call Me Senior

A voice rang out in the silence.

"Then let me give you a lecture."

Geng Dingxiang had finally managed to temporarily suppress Li Zhi and was feeling proud of himself when he suddenly heard someone provoking him and jumped up.

"who!"

His head seemed to be equipped with a spring. He looked around and saw a man standing up from among the guests. He looked to be less than 40 years old, wearing an indigo cotton robe and a felt hat. He had been sitting among the guests, inconspicuous.

Geng Dingxiang bulged his eyes and asked angrily, "What achievements do you have? How dare you teach me?"

Cao Guozong, the Wuchang prefect and other local officials who were sitting there eating melons stood up hurriedly, and the sound of benches being moved was heard one after another.

"Dangdang!"

Another magistrate was so excited that he knocked over the bench under his butt, which fell to the ground and made a loud noise.

The man in the cotton robe stopped Cao Guozong and the others from bowing and said leisurely, "I am Wang Yi'e, and I am the 80th place in the second place of the imperial examination in the 32nd year of the Jiajing reign. I wonder if I am qualified to teach Mr. Chu Tong?"

Geng Dingxiang stared at Wang Yi'e with his eyes bulging, his expression flickering like a kaleidoscope.

"Since Wang Duxian is also a Jinshi and studied Zhu's Neo-Confucianism, why would he be an accomplice to the evil and slander Neo-Confucianism today?"

"Being an accomplice to the evil? Mr. Chu Tong is really good at putting accusations on people." Wang Yi'e laughed, "That's right, Wang also studied hard for more than ten years, passed three subjects in a row, and then entered the official career.

Let me ask Mr. Chu Tong, why did you study so hard back then?

Geng Ding's eyes rolled, sensing a trap in the words, and quickly gave a universal standard answer: "Establish a mind for heaven and earth, establish a destiny for the people, carry on the lost knowledge of the past sages, and bring peace to the world for all eternity!"

Wang Yi'e laughed, "Mr. Chu Tong is very alert. But I don't have the same ambition as Mr. Chu Tong. I studied so hard just to become an official!"

When this statement came out, everyone was lost.

Your Excellency the Governor, there is nothing wrong with what you said, but it is too straightforward!

Geng Dingxiang said with disdain, "I never thought Wang Yi'e's ambitions were so vulgar."

"Haha, I am just so vulgar. Unlike Mr. Chu Tong, I took the imperial examination just for fun. At that time, I was only eighteen or nineteen years old. I had just passed the imperial examination, and I was rash enough to take the spring examination the following year. I didn't expect to pass by chance."

So Versailles!
When we were eighteen or nineteen years old, we hadn’t even passed the examination to become a scholar, but you actually took part in the provincial and metropolitan examinations, and the most infuriating thing was that you passed on the first try.

Is there any reason in this world?

Geng Dingxiang was also angered by Wang Yi'e's words.

I took the exam in the spring of the following year out of recklessness and luckily passed. Do you know how many times I took the exam, from scholar to juren, to pass the exam?
But you only took the test once and passed it?

So annoying!

Who takes the science test just for fun?

Wang Yi'e continued, "My parents passed away when I was young, and I was fortunately adopted by my adoptive father and grew up. Therefore, I have seen a lot of suffering in the world, and I want to do my best to change this world.

My adoptive father taught me that if I had this ambition, I should become an official. If I became an official, I could govern the people on behalf of the heaven and stabilize the country. But if I wanted to become an official, I had to pass the imperial examination first.

So I picked up the book and studied it carefully. At first, I felt that what Cheng and Zhu said was deliberately mysterious. A teacher taught me that the imperial examination is not to test your knowledge, but to use Cheng and Zhu's Neo-Confucianism to test your learning ability.

Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism is abstruse and boring, but if you can learn it well, then other knowledge in the world should be easy for you to master. Besides, the imperial examination is just a step into the official career, can it guarantee that you will rise to the top?

No!

That's right.

Just like studying Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism and passing the imperial examination, can you govern the country and ensure the people's well-being? No! You must continue to learn, hone your skills, read more, think more, and do more.

Just as the emperor said, only by summarizing and learning in practice can we move to a higher level. Looking back, I feel that Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism is only used in imperial examinations, and is not used at all in daily life to govern chaos and help the poor, govern the government and comfort the people. "

Everyone nodded.

Yeah!
That makes sense!
There's no way, their words are too convincing.

He passed the imperial examination at the age of nineteen and served as an official all the way, defeating the Japanese pirates, suppressing bandits, and pacifying the four directions. Before he was forty, he became the Minister of War and Governor-General of Huguang.

He has had a life full of luck. His words are not convincing. Are your words, Geng Dingxiang, convincing?
In which year did you become a Jinshi?

What official rank did you achieve?
Geng Dingxiang was so angry that his chest heaved up and down and his eyes were red. He wanted to refute but didn't know how.

When it comes to fame and fortune, they are your predecessors.

When it comes to career, others are far ahead.

Seeing everyone agreeing with Wang Yi'e's heretical ideas, Geng Dingxiang became even more angry.

Success or failure determines a hero!

This is so unfair. If we study in this way and are only good at convincing people with our virtue, wouldn’t that be a huge disadvantage?

It's not that we don't want to do mundane things, but we have spent too much effort studying the subtle words of the saints and expounding the great principles of the orthodox teachings. We are also doing great things, we are establishing our minds for the world and inheriting the unique knowledge of the saints!

Wang Yi'e continued, "After reading many history books, I suddenly discovered that Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism originated in the Northern Song Dynasty and flourished in the Southern Song Dynasty.

What dynasty were the Two Song Dynasties?
The Northern Song Dynasty was known for its flourishing literature, but the country was not founded on the right principles. Emperor Taizu of Song betrayed his former benefactor Zhou, bullied orphans and widows, put on the yellow robe at Chenqiao, and stole the precious tripod.

He gained the country by unfair means and did not seek to make progress. Not only was he suppressed by the Khitan in the north, but even the Tanguts in the northwest could not do anything to him. He had to use the people's blood and sweat as an annual gift to buy a moment of peace.

The scholars and officials lived a life of drunkenness and dreams, while the soldiers fought bloody battles for the country on the frontier, but ended up with tattoos on their faces and becoming slaves.

It is better to be calm and cautious when discussing abstruse ideas. Even if China is glorious in literature, it cannot escape the catastrophe of the Jingkang Humiliation.

In a flash, the Southern Song Dynasty was in a corner, and instead of thinking about the Northern Expedition, it was fighting among its own factions, framing loyal heroes, and causing the eternal regret of Fengbo Pavilion. Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism took advantage of the situation, but it could neither help the ruler nor stabilize the country, nor benefit the people, nor bring peace and prosperity to the country.

After occupying the imperial court for decades, he finally ended up at Yashan.

It is truly a study that will lead to the destruction of a nation!

The founding of our Ming dynasty is as righteous as that of the Han dynasty. How can we continue to follow this path that leads to the downfall of our country? "

The study of the country's destruction!

Geng Dingxiang was so angry that his chest felt like it was going to explode!
Wang Yi'e, you bastard, you actually dared to say that Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism is the doctrine of national destruction. I, I want to fight you.

But looking at Wang Yi'e standing in the crowd with his agile and proud figure, he suddenly remembered that he once rode a horse and wielded a sword in Fujian, and personally killed Japanese pirates.

His adoptive father was a hereditary commander of the garrison, skilled in riding and shooting, and good at fighting.

I won't bother with a mere military man who is just a small-time soldier.

"Now, the Holy Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty has received the mandate of heaven, and is reforming the old and making progress. He is in a period of great power and should establish a legacy that will last for generations. How can we allow the teachings of the fallen nation to occupy the court?
Our great Ming dynasty shines brightly in all directions, and we should promote the brilliant new learning! "

"Good!" Li Zhi praised loudly, and the others also cheered loudly.

It was Wang Duxian who dared to say it!

He directly denounced Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism as the doctrine that would lead to the destruction of the country, and praised the New Learning as the brilliant doctrine that would befall the country in the new era.

Cao Guozong and other Hubei officials had different thoughts when they heard this.

Wang Yi'e was a minister whom the emperor highly valued. Whenever he was in the capital, he would go to the Western Garden more frequently than to the theater.

Jian is in the emperor's heart and has great trust.

He is saying these words in public now. Do you dare to say that he is not speaking out because he has figured out the emperor's intention?

These words were indeed shocking. If anyone else dared to say them in public, they would have been sprayed into a urinal. But Wang Yi'e dared to say them. His fame, his official rank, his achievements, and the trust he had in the emperor were enough for him to say these words openly.

Today's Emperor Wanli is as powerful as Emperor Hongwu, and even Emperor Yongle is slightly inferior to him.

Who dares not to carefully ponder his holy intention?
Geng Dingxiang listened to the cheers that were like the sound of a tide and gritted his teeth in hatred. He stared at Wang Yi'e viciously, and when the cheers died down a little, he suddenly spoke.

"Using Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism as the guideline and standardizing the imperial examinations is the ancestral system established by Emperor Taizu!"

The scene suddenly became extremely quiet, and everyone looked at Wang Yi'e.

Seeing the situation change, Geng Dingxiang couldn't help but reveal a proud look on his face as he felt that he had the situation under control again.

Haha, don’t you know that ancestral rules are our forte?
It is our imperial sword. Anyone who stands in our way will be killed. Even if it is a Buddha who stands in our way, we will kill the Buddha!
As for the ancestral system, it was compiled by us, and how we interpret it is entirely up to us.

The right of interpretation is in our hands!
Let’s see what you do!
Looking at Geng Dingxiang's smug expression, Wang Yi'e smiled.

Nowadays, there are still people who are stubborn enough to use ancestral rules as an excuse, and they are only you, the pedantic and unrepentant Confucian scholars.

"My Emperor Taizu was originally a commoner from Huaiyou. With his natural talent, he rose from the fields, suppressed rebellions and defeated the strong, and established his empire in fifteen years. He admired culture and respected orthodox learning. He visited famous scholars and greeted old Confucian scholars with courtesy, in order to explain the meaning of the classics and examine the rituals and music.

Read the error-free version at 69shuba! 6=9+shu_ba is the first to publish this novel.

However, there are some sour Confucian scholars who are obsessed with the tyranny of the previous Yuan Dynasty. They deceived Taizu and taught him the theory of Confucianism. They used the theory of the country's destruction to control the situation of the country's establishment. Their intentions are sinister. "

Everyone's face changed drastically, and even Li Zhi looked at Wang Yi'e in surprise.

Zijian, you are more daring than me.

I am just a heretic, but you are pushing Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism to death.

If you think about it more carefully, considering the emperor's contempt for the ancestral system and his previous actions, Wang Zijian's remarks might be exactly what he wants.

Wang Zijian is an extremely intelligent person, a rare capable official in the court. He knows the emperor's thoughts better than ordinary people. His every word and action has deep meaning.

Geng Dingxiang's face turned pale.

He never expected that Wang Yi'e would actually release such a huge bomb, which shattered all his ideas and fantasies.

Geng Dingxiang had been an official in the imperial court, and he knew that it took more than ability to reach a high position like Wang Yi'e for him to do so. Was he saying this because he was instructed by the emperor, or because he had figured out the emperor's intention?
Neither is a good thing.

Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism is doomed!
Geng Dingxiang clasped his hands and was about to say goodbye and leave, but Wang Yi'e stopped him.

"Brother Chu Tong, just now you wanted to judge a hero by his achievements, but now you still need me to do you a favor."

Geng Dingxiang's expression changed several times, and he bowed angrily and said, "I, Geng Dingxiang, greet my predecessor in this life."

Wang Yi'e smiled slightly, cupped his hands and replied, "Thank you."

With the help of his younger brother Geng Dingli, Geng Dingxiang staggered out of Jiangxia Public School and returned to his residence in Wuchang City.

Seeing his deathly pale face, the third brother Geng Dingli quietly asked the second brother Geng Dingli, found out the situation, and began to persuade him.

"Brother, Mr. Zhuo Wu is no longer the poor doctor of the Imperial College. He is now respected as the Imperial Tutor by the Emperor and is proudly known as the Grand Master of New Learning.

I also heard that Mr. Erhua, Mr. Wenchang and Mr. Que'an (Wei Xueceng) acted as matchmakers, and Mr. Zhuowu's two daughters were betrothed to Gao Ce, the son of Huining, and Wei Jianping, the son of Qingyang.

He is so powerful, why should my brother offend him?

But brother, don't worry. The Southeast School and the New School are closely related and intertwined. They look so powerful that it is hard to stop them.

But no one is good forever, and no flower is red forever.

Now that the Holy Emperor is in power, he will definitely not sit idly by and watch one party dominate the court. Now that the Chu Party has grown stronger, and the Hanlin lineage of Feng Pan Gong and others has been re-established, it can be seen that the emperor has become wary.

When the Southeastern School and the New School are weak, it won’t be too late for my brother to take revenge.”

Geng Dingxiang looked at his third brother who was talking eloquently and shook his head: "Third brother is still young, maybe he can wait until that day. But I am old, I am afraid I can't wait until that day.

The ups and downs of the great situation are just a matter of a moment in history books. But for a person, it is a lifetime. Now the times are different, and I feel it too. But I am unwilling to accept it.

"People say that the flowers in Luoyang are as beautiful as brocade, but it is not spring when I come." Zhang Fengpan is now very proud, so he left these two lines of poetry for us to enjoy."

Wang Yi'e hosted a banquet for Li Zhi at the Yellow Crane Tower.

After three rounds of drinking, Li Zhi asked, "How many days will Zijian stay in Wuchang?"

"Lord Zhuo Wu, I will convene a meeting of the three Hubei departments tomorrow and head south in three days."

"So urgent?"

"Everything is ready except for the east wind, which will blow at any time. I will go to Changsha to supervise the battle."

Li Zhi's eyes flashed, and he knew what Wang Yi'e meant.

"The numerous chieftains in Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan are a stubborn problem in the southwest of our dynasty. Now that the emperor is working hard to eradicate these problems, it is time for Zijian to show his talents."

"How long will Lord Zhuo Wu stay in Wuchang?"

"I have to wait until Jianghan Public School opens. The emperor has ordered that at least four provincial public schools be established in the south this year. Yingtian Public School, Sanwu Public School, Jianghan Public School, and Bashu Public School.

Yingtian Public School and the Three Wus in Suzhou have already been established, and Lü Yong has also established the Southeast Public School in Shanghai, adding another one. The remaining Jianghan Public School and Bashu Public School are the top priorities for me this year."

"Lord Zhuo Wu is also going to flow upstream to Sichuan?"

"I have such a plan. After Jianghan Public School opens and Chengdu is settled, I will go to Sichuan."

"Five provincial public schools in the south, the emperor has great talent and strategy."

"Yes, I see that the emperor intends to name the provincial public school a university to distinguish it from the county public school."

"University? The Book of Rites. Royal Regulations says, 'The primary school is to the south of the palace, and the university is in the suburbs. The emperor's is called Biyong, and the princes' is called Pangong.'

With this name, a hundred years from now, people will only know this university, and no one will read the other one. "

Li Zhi understood what Wang Yi'e meant and laughed out loud.

After the banquet, Li Zhi bowed to Wang Yi'e and said, "Zijian, you are leaving E, and I will not see you off."

"No need to see me off. Mr. Zhuo Wu has official business, and so do I."

"That's right. I wish you a successful start."

"Thank you, Lord Zhuo Wu."

On the way back to the headquarters in the carriage, Wang Yi'e gave instructions to Li Mingchun.

"Ziming, please do something for me."

"Please give your orders, Governor."

"Tomorrow, a meeting of the three departments of Hubei will be held. The heads of the six departments of the Provincial Government will all be present. Find an opportunity to have a good chat with Zhao Dushi of the Hubei Police Department."

"What does the governor want the students to talk about?"

"Hunan Shigu and Yuelu academies are a den of filth and corruption, and their illegal activities are shocking. The two lakes are one, so how can academies like Hubei Wenjin be immune to this?"

"I understand," Li Mingchun replied. "The governor has been focusing on the west and stationed more in Hunan. The stubborn forces in Hubei have become a little too obsessed."

Wang Yi'e smiled and said, "Once you have dealt with this matter, you will go to Sinan immediately. A big test is waiting for you."

Li Mingchun was eager to try, "Yes! Governor, the students have already made preparations."

(End of this chapter)