Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 445 All Under Heaven Are Scholars
As the saying goes, serving a ruler is like serving a tiger. People like Zong Ze, Zhang Shuye, and Li Gang may not fully understand this, but Wu Yong's experience is etched into his bones!

Wu Yong had a question in his mind: Why did the emperor treat them differently?

The emperor certainly had the answer in his heart, but he couldn't possibly tell Wu Yong, so Wu Yong really couldn't understand the reason behind it.

Back at the Council of State, they were waiting for Wu Yong to return with good news...

Wu Yong stood at the entrance of the left side gate, momentarily stunned. He had just escaped death, and even now, the drumbeat in his heart had not yet stopped, and was still pounding.

Standing there blankly, I was trying to calm myself down...

Looking ahead, there was the wide Zhuque Avenue that seemed to stretch endlessly. Looking back, perhaps because I had seen so many fortified cities and high walls, I never really thought this imperial city was that high...

Looking back today, the city wall, several meters high, seems to press down like a towering mountain, making it hard to breathe...

Wu Yong hadn't thought many things through carefully in the past...

Even after serving under the emperor for so long, he felt completely at ease, getting along well with everyone, and no one showed him the slightest disrespect...

The reason for this is that Wu Yong is adept at social maneuvering and has an exceptional understanding of human relationships. He is never stingy with small favors or great kindnesses...

This is also why he was able to become a big shot in the den of bandits who killed and ate meat, despite being just a scholar.

He himself also wanted to be such a big shot in the imperial court.

Only now did he understand why the emperor had said that he had brought the obeisance rituals from the Hall of Gathering Righteousness to the imperial court…

Actually... it's not necessarily a bad thing!

His approach works everywhere in human society.

If the emperor weren't such a cunning and calculating person, Wu Yong's methods would have allowed him to thrive...

How difficult it is to fight with others!

Should we still go to the State Affairs Hall?

I still have to go...

If you don't do your job well, your life might be in danger...

Everyone had been waiting for a long time, and when they saw Wu Yong return, they all looked on with anticipation.

Cheng Wanli was already asking, "Lord Wu, how is it?"

Li Gang then asked, "Minister Wu, does His Majesty intend to kill how many people?"

Li Gang had already considered the implementation level, so he assumed that Wu Yong and the emperor had been discussing these details for so long...

Wu Yong walked to his seat, but instead of sitting down, he stood and looked at everyone. Suddenly, he became serious and said, "The new dynasty has been established, and the world belongs to all. A thousand-mile dike can be destroyed by an ant hole. The imperial examination is the foundation of the nation, and it concerns future generations. Cheating must not be tolerated! This is the fate of the country. The laws and punishments are all written down. If the laws are not followed and the law is not enforced, the country will cease to exist!"

Everyone was stunned. Those who went outside saw that Wu Yong was not like this at all…

Why did you suddenly say such righteous words when you came back?
Cheng Wanli immediately asked, "Is this His Majesty's intention?"

Wu Yong shook his head: "No, this is a thought I pondered deeply on my journey. If I can be easily spared the crime of cheating this time, wouldn't that make people even more likely to take chances in the future?"

“It didn’t say anything about leniency… it just said whether we could kill fewer accomplices…” Li Gang said.

"This is a case of collusion, with everyone contributing and everyone profiting greatly. How can there be any accomplices? This is destroying the foundation of the nation, and scholars throughout the land are suffering. Today, by upholding the law, we can reduce such incidents countless times in the future, which would be a great achievement for all ages!"

Wu Yong spoke with utmost seriousness.

Cheng Wanli remained silent, even raising his hand to pick up his teacup.

Zong Ze frowned. Was it really necessary to kill them like this? They were all officials, officials of high rank, most of them were Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), and Confucian scholars with great influence in society.

So many were killed at once...

Zong Ze didn't say anything, and just kept walking outside...

Li Gang, following behind, asked, "Where are you going, sir?"

Zong Ze turned around and replied, "I'll go ask His Majesty..."

Wu Yong's heart tightened, and he said, "Old sir, I think you'd better not go. That... it's best... you shouldn't go..."

This was an unconscious action of his; he still wanted to be kind and compassionate towards others.

Zong Ze waved his hand: "I certainly don't intend to debate with His Majesty... It's alright..."

Wu Yong wanted to persuade him further, but the old man had already resolutely left the house.

When Zong Ze met the emperor, it was a simple matter. He simply reported it, and a carriage was arranged to escort him along the palace road.

This was also because Zong Ze was getting older, and this was the treatment he received from the emperor.

Inside the Funing Hall, after Zong Ze paid his respects, he was offered a seat.

Su Wu's attitude towards Zong Ze was not the same as Wu Yong's. He said, "Old Prime Minister, you also mentioned the matter of cheating in the imperial examinations? As for this matter, I have already entrusted the entire investigation to the Three Judicial Offices. I'm too lazy to ask any more questions..."

Zong Ze nodded and said, "Your Majesty, this old minister has come here only to have a heart-to-heart talk with Your Majesty..."

"Oh, that would be perfect..." Su Wu nodded, having already put down his pen and looked up.

"This old minister knows that what Prime Minister Wu said is all correct and without fault. All matters under heaven are nothing more than propriety, law, and human sentiment. Therefore, many people always think that one should do things in a way that is in accordance with propriety, law, and human sentiment. This old minister also thinks so. But since Your Majesty does not think so, there must be a deeper meaning behind it. This old minister also knows that Your Majesty has always been thoughtful in planning, so I wish to speak frankly with Your Majesty... In this way, I can be well-informed and act without worry..."

Zong Ze was certainly not as skilled as Wu Yong in this regard.

If Wu Yong had learned Zong Ze's methods, he wouldn't have been in such a terrible state in that hall just now...

Upon hearing this, Su Wu sighed softly, "Alas... if I must speak, I don't know where to begin..."

Clearly, Su Wu was willing to have a talk with Zong Ze.

“Then… Your Majesty, why don’t you start by saying something? What is Your Majesty’s view on scholars and the scholar community?” Zong Zezhen asked.

After all, he was a proper Confucian scholar-official. Although he was a low-ranking scholar in the imperial examination, he had been studying since childhood and had worked hard for many years to study. Wasn't studying also an extremely difficult and persistent thing?
As the imperial edict for the palace examination stated: "Study the classics thoroughly to explore the realm of sages, and carry your books to cross the strait of Confucianism."

Those who pass the imperial examinations have all endured immense hardship and persevered to achieve their goal.

Zong Ze was emotionally connected to both the successful candidates in the imperial examinations and the disgraced officials. Therefore, he hoped that the emperor would show leniency...

The emperor did not rush to answer, but thought about it seriously. This was a very broad topic, and discussing it with Zong Ze was not something that could be done superficially...

There was even a court attendant present, so Su Wu's words would be recorded.

Su Wu was pondering, while Zong Ze was waiting.

After pondering for a long time, Su Wu spoke first, asking, "Are scholars... truly a special group in the country?"

Zong Ze actually knew what Su Wu meant, but he genuinely nodded: "Indeed, scholars are a unique group within the nation, serving both the country and its people..."

“Hmm…” Su Wu nodded and continued, “Speak the words of scholars, enlighten the people, and educate all the people!”

"Indeed!" Zong Ze nodded again.

"Then let me say a few words..." "Your Majesty, please!"

"I say, I will make all people in the world scholars! Anyone who is not stupid or dull, anyone who can learn to read and understand literature, will become a scholar! What do you think? To enlighten the people and educate all people, I will truly do it, what do you think?"

Su Wu asked.

Zong Ze was stunned for a moment.

"I want scholars to no longer be a special group, no longer a different group, as long as they are loyal to the country and loyal to themselves, what do you think?"

Su Wu was still asking.

"This is a groundbreaking achievement! If Your Majesty can truly accomplish this, you will surely be the greatest emperor in thousands of years of history!"

Zong Ze answered, and his answer was particularly bold, because the difficulty of this matter was unimaginable!

But Su Wu knew that as long as he persisted, the poorer and more destitute he was, the more he persisted, and the hungrier he was, the more he could succeed!

The affairs of the nation are never accomplished overnight, nor can they produce immediate results. Only through perseverance, sustained effort, and unwavering commitment can success be achieved.

Ten years of trees, a hundred years of trees.

Why did Su Wu insist on having Wu Song take charge of this matter? It was because Su Wu knew that this matter was extremely difficult, as difficult as ascending to heaven, and was the most important matter in the world.

Su Wu refused to believe that he could receive negative reviews from later generations after doing this for decades.
Furthermore, because someone has already succeeded in doing it!
Su Wu continued, "In that case, what is there that scholars cannot be killed? Why can crimes be lightly pardoned? Let me ask you one thing: if I were to truly allow this court to forgo food and drink in order to educate the people, wouldn't the scholars be unhappy? They would no longer be able to distinguish themselves from the common people by being scholars, no longer be able to feel superior because they are scholars, no longer be able to have any special privileges because they are scholars... Wouldn't they be unhappy and unwilling? Wouldn't the sage's efforts to educate the people and enlighten their minds become a joke?"

Zong Ze was taken aback by the question...

But he understood everything. The emperor was talking about two things. The first was that everyone, including himself Zong Ze, had a point about etiquette, law, and human relationships. But in essence, they were nothing more than privileges.

In essence, this is what distinguishes scholars from ordinary people!

The second thing is that the emperor doesn't seem to be just talking; he really wants to turn everyone in the world into scholars.

The first thing Zong Zexu still had to say was that he was worried the emperor's reputation would suffer in the eyes of scholars. This was Zong Zexu's genuine concern, because he had grown up reading the works of scholars for thousands of years and knew their ways very well...

Behind the scenes, all sorts of slander, notes and journals... The emperor is fond of killing, the emperor loves prostitutes, the emperor is cuckolded, the emperor can't defecate...

He was genuinely worried about this; he worried that his descendants would one day read about the current emperor in these sensationalist books...

The second thing that truly shocked Zong Ze was also pondering a question: if everyone in the world became scholars and educated people, would the original scholars be happy or sad?

Even Zong Ze thought to himself that although he was old, he still had a large family of children and grandchildren. As long as his children and grandchildren followed the path of their fathers, they would likely produce a continuous stream of talented people and become an official family.

If everyone in the world were a scholar, then the future of their descendants would be uncertain...

Even the smile most often heard from scholars was one of pride in their status as learned men, even though many of them hadn't actually read many books, they still looked down on others with great arrogance...

If everyone in the world were a scholar, no one could ever be so high and mighty...

Zong Ze was somewhat confused and shocked, but he also pondered deeply, saying, "Throughout history, those who support scholars have always been a minority. If Your Majesty intends to support scholars from all over the world, who will cultivate the land? Who will produce the crops?"

Zong Ze's words appear to be a condescending form of discrimination, or rather, a kind of self-righteousness.

Actually, that's not the case; this statement is quite insightful...

Su Wu knew that he had heard a saying that was similar to Zong Ze's words: "Kong Yiji's long gown that he could never take off."

People who have read books are most prone to being all talk and no action, especially those who have read only a little bit and not much at all...

This can also cause social problems...

On the contrary, people who are illiterate are more likely to accept the fact that their abilities are limited and are more willing to engage in the most basic productive labor.

The policy of keeping the people ignorant is not entirely without reason from the perspective of the state.

This is the way of the world; there is no absolute black and white, only the naked, cold core logic of system operation.

What Su Wu was discussing with Zong Ze today was far more than the imperial examination cheating case. Su Wu was using this incident to talk about the popularization of education. He said that if this matter were to be accomplished, it would require the combined efforts of all parties and could not be done by Wu Song alone.

Su Wu couldn't actually answer this question. What he could answer was something else entirely: as long as education is popularized, competition will lead to the selection of more, better, and more outstanding talents, and the country will naturally become more and more prosperous.

This general direction is absolutely correct.

Therefore, Su Wu did not answer, but instead asked: "Nurturing scholars? Since ancient times, has the practice of nurturing scholars been unique to the Song Dynasty? The old Song Dynasty nurtured scholars for a hundred years, and what did it produce? The Jurchen cavalry marched down from Yanyun and directly into Yanjing. What did nurturing scholars produce? It produced a city where people trembled in fear, and outside the city, people fled in panic. The great bandits of Jiangnan and Liangzhe were devastated. What happened to the scholars? Scholars cannot be nurtured! Scholars can only be used!"

What kind of livestock should we raise? We won't!
Reading is reading, and working is working. If you don't work, you'll starve!

Either you study hard and become a top student to do intellectual work, or you do manual labor.

Zong Ze was not debating with the emperor; he was seeking his advice. This question was merely a secondary one, not an immediate one, and therefore not particularly important.

What's truly important is Su Wu's assessment of the Song Dynasty's century-long practice of nurturing scholars, which really made Zong Ze blush with embarrassment.

He empathized with those who committed crimes and passed the imperial examinations, and he could also empathize with those who did nothing, trembled in fear, and fled in panic.

Because his presence today to discuss matters with the Emperor signifies his representation of those who have passed the imperial examinations.

Su Wu also said: "When the country is destroyed and the family is ruined, why don't the scholars ask the Jurchens to kill one less person with their swords and spears? When these scholars are destroying the foundation of the country, why are they all begging to kill fewer people? Is it because they would rather be killed by the swords and spears of barbarians than by the swords and spears of the law? Is it because they would rather ruin the country themselves and then let others slaughter and torture them? Is that what makes them feel good?"

Zong Ze paused for a moment...

In a peaceful and prosperous era, people who hear such words are forgetful of past grievances; they would have long forgotten about the killings during chaotic times.

But at this very moment, the barbarians are rampant and the bandits are roaming freely. These events happened just yesterday and are still vivid in my mind. It won't be easy to forget them so quickly.

We won't discuss any cases today...

Zong Ze stood up and nodded: "This old minister understands. Your Majesty's words may not be entirely correct, but they are reasonable... Scholars are indeed lacking in many ways. I hope Your Majesty will rebuild the nation far beyond what it was before. This minister will take his leave!"

Su Wu stood up to see him off, and Zong Ze looked somewhat powerless and listless at that moment.

"I dare not, I dare not..." Zong Ze politely declined the emperor's offer to see him off.

Su Wu simply raised his hand in invitation: "It is truly tiring to walk a few steps with you, sir. Please allow me to speak a few more words. Among scholars, there are those with great talent and loyalty, and there are those like you, sir, who are pillars of the state. I am speaking of human nature. Most people are merely scheming and petty. To say that the world is full of scholars means that more people like you, sir, can emerge. As for the many who become scheming and petty, I do not care, because whether they are educated or not, they are all just scheming and petty people..."

Zong Ze had no choice but to walk together.

Zong Ze sighed repeatedly: "Yes... Most people in the world are nothing more than petty scheming individuals. This old minister also engages in petty scheming in his daily life. How many people in the world can truly follow the way of the sage?"

"Therefore, engaging in petty and despicable acts is not a crime, but breaking the law is! Breaking the law is breaking the law, and the law is the cornerstone of a country! If the law is disrupted, people's hearts will not be won over, loyalty and righteousness will be scarce, and the country will perish!" Su Wu said.

"This old minister will not say any more... Let's do as Your Majesty wishes, and let the three judicial departments conduct the trial..." Zong Ze actually understood the reasoning; how could he not understand the principles the emperor was talking about?
What he needs is a heart-to-heart talk and a starting point to re-examine the problem.

The status of a scholar-official was not so special; it was what he did that determined his character and the treatment he deserved.

Su Wu saw him off all the way to the left side gate. The two talked incessantly, discussing the affairs of the world and the importance of scholars, which was Su Wu's primary concern.

This is the difference between people. Take Wu Yong for example; he could never have had such a meeting with the emperor in his entire life.

When Su Wu turned around, he sighed, "Governing a large country is so difficult."
As for the final verdict from the three judicial authorities, let's wait and see what Zong Ze thinks...

Su Wu was waiting, waiting for the hundred or so officials outside Donghua Gate, kneeling in a line, to be sliced ​​one by one...

(End of this chapter)