I am not Yuan Shu

Chapter 144: What’s the use of this emperor?

After entering Luoyang City, Yuan Shu did not go to find his father immediately, but went directly to the residence of Taichang Qing Tang Zhen to ask for an audience with Tang Zhen.

To be honest, Yuan Shu was not very sure whether he could ask Tang Zhen to move.

First of all, he had little contact with Tang Zhen.

Secondly, although the Yingchuan Tang family was also considered a noble aristocratic family, the Tang family and the Yuan family had one thing in common - they both had eunuch relatives in their families.

Xun Yu's father-in-law, the eunuch Tang Heng, was a member of the same clan as Tang Zhen. It was thanks to Tang Heng's power that the Tang family was able to survive the two Party Persecutions without being implicated. Later, when Emperor Shao of Han ascended the throne, he was even able to make a daughter of the Tang family his empress.

The Yuan family had bitten a piece of meat from the eunuchs in the previous turmoil. Although the two sides repaired their relationship on the surface, their relationship in private became more subtle. As Yuan Shu was the main "hero", it was estimated that many eunuchs resented him.

What if Tang Zhen and the eunuchs were in cahoots and still held a grudge against Yuan Shu for his previous behavior, and wanted to trip Yuan Shu up and do something tricky? That would be a bit uncomfortable.

However, there was no other way at this time. If Tang Zhen was really such a person, Yuan Shu could only prescribe the right medicine and spend some money.

Money makes the world go round. Eunuchs all like money. If there is any real grudge, give money. If that doesn't work, it means the money is not enough. Keep giving money.

Anyway, there is no hatred between Yuan Shu and them for killing their father and mother.
Tang Zhen was a little surprised to learn that Yuan Shu, a well-known figure in Luoyang City, was coming to visit him. He went out to greet him in person and wanted to call Yuan Shu to the living room to entertain him. However, Yuan Shu held Tang Zhen's hand and would not let go. He directly asked him at the gate to open the Imperial College.

"Now, more than 100,000 disaster victims outside Luoyang City have nowhere to go. Under the fierce wind and rain, many people are naked and hungry. I can't bear it, so I have built two shelters in Liangzhuang to rescue the disaster victims.

However, there are too many victims and not enough shelters. It will be very difficult for them to enter Luoyang City. It is unknown when it will be open. But if they cannot make it through in the next few days, many people will surely die.

After searching everywhere, Shu found that only the Imperial College had sufficient houses available, so he specially asked Tang Taichang to open the Imperial College's houses and allow the victims to take refuge there until the flood receded! "

Yuan Shu straightened his clothes and saluted Tang Zhen.

Tang Zhen was surprised when he heard this.

"Yuan Jun, you...you want to save someone?"

"Yes, I want to save people."

"But...this isn't what you need to do, right?"

"The person who should do it doesn't do it, so I have to do it for him."

"This... Mr. Yuan, forgive me for being blunt, but if you do this, I'm afraid it will do you more harm than good."

Tang Zhen whispered, "The people who should have done it didn't do it, but you did it. How will those who should have done it view it? And how will they view you? With Yuan Jun's talent, isn't this clear to you?"

"Of course I know."

Yuan Shu shook his head and said, "Those people are just sitting there doing nothing but getting paid without doing what they should do. They will be punished. I am just following my conscience and doing what I think is right."

Tang Zhen was suddenly surprised.

"Mr. Yuan, I did hear that you helped farmers in Youfufeng and saved many lives, but this is not Youfufeng. This is Luoyang, at the foot of the emperor. You are doing the same thing here, but it has a different meaning."

"Tang Taichang, if I cared, I wouldn't come here to beg you."

Yuan Shu bowed again and said, "Please ask Tang Taichang to open the Imperial College for the disaster victims to take shelter. If anyone investigates the matter later, I will take full responsibility for it. All the responsibility will be on me, and Tang Taichang will never be implicated."

Tang Zhen frowned and looked at Yuan Shu who saluted him, and was silent for a moment.

After a while, he sighed.

"Well, opening the Imperial College is not a big deal. I will send a message to the Imperial College soon, but other than that, there is nothing more I can do. Afterwards, I will not say a good word for Yuan Jun, and I will distance myself from the matter. I hope Yuan Jun will understand."

"Thank you."

Yuan Shu said nothing more. He bowed, turned around and left.

Looking at Yuan Shu's back as he rode away on his horse, Tang Zhen felt somewhat puzzled, yet also somewhat moved.

It is obvious that doing this kind of thing does not bring any political or economic benefits to Yuan Shu. The people he helps to rescue are all poor people. What kind of rewards can poor people give him?

Maybe there is, but the rewards that a poor man can give are what ordinary officials dare not possess. Yuan Shu was born into a wealthy family, so it is impossible for him not to understand this truth.

So, is it really for his so-called conscience?
Saving a life is indeed a kind act, but doing this in Luoyang would probably cost a lot...

Tang Zhen thought about it over and over again, but felt extremely confused, so she stopped thinking about it and just waited and saw what would happen.

After Yuan Shu settled the matter at the Imperial College, he returned to the Yuan family mansion in the city and sought help from his father Yuan Feng, hoping that his father could provide him with some food and cloth support to help the victims outside the city get through this difficult time.

Yuan Feng was somewhat surprised and puzzled by this. "Shu, please don't tell me that you don't know what the consequences of doing this will be. You know that there has been a huge argument in the court over whether to open the city to receive disaster victims and allocate funds for disaster relief. Many people are unwilling to do so. The court has not made a decision, and the emperor has not issued an order. How can you do such a thing?"

"I know, I know everything, that's why I did this. If I don't do it, they will really be hopeless."

Yuan Shu frowned and sighed, "Father, human life is of paramount importance. No matter when, human life should be put first. Money, food, and cloth are all external things. As long as people are alive, they will have everything they deserve."

"What do you mean by human life is at stake? Is this something you should consider?"

Yuan Feng was a little angry, and said angrily: "This is not something you should consider. Regardless of other things, once this matter gets out, the crime of buying people's hearts will ruin your entire future! This is not Youfufeng! This is Luoyang! Under the feet of the emperor!"

"Should something like this happen under the emperor's feet?"

Yuan Shu did not back down and said sternly: "If that's the case, what's the point of having this emperor? If he doesn't even care about human lives, what else can he care about? He doesn't even care about his own people. Where in the world can there be such an incompetent emperor?!"

Yuan Feng was startled and looked around. Seeing that there was no one around, he quickly stepped forward and covered Yuan Shu's mouth.

"Little ancestor! You want to destroy my Yuan clan! Even if we want to depose the emperor, we are still Han officials. There are some things that officials cannot do! Go and deal with this matter immediately and don't continue!"

Yuan Shu broke free from Yuan Feng's hand.

"Father, I'm sorry, I can't obey your order!"

"you……"

"What children learn is to develop a good conscience and to integrate knowledge and action. Now is the time to integrate knowledge and action."

Yuan Shu said seriously: "If we retreat, if we give up, then the foundation of our school will collapse. How will it be different from the modern school of literature? How will it be different from those insects? This is not the original intention of doing all this."

Yuan Feng's face was full of surprise, as if he had just met his son for the first time.

"Shu, do you really know what you are talking about?"

"know."

"then you……"

"Father, I established a school and created a doctrine not just to enhance my own and Yuan's reputation."

Yuan Shu shook his head and said, "I really want to carry out the principles of following my conscience and integrating knowledge and action to the end, so as to change this decadent world where people have to think twice before doing good things! I am not wrong, the ones who are wrong are those who think I am wrong!"

"…………"

Yuan Feng opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

Seeing that he could not get any help from Yuan Feng, Yuan Shu sighed, bowed to Yuan Feng, turned around and left.

After he left, Yuan Feng was unable to recover from the shock for a long time. It was not until Yuan Wei came after hearing the news that he told Yuan Wei about these things. Yuan Wei also knew some things.

"There are people in the court saying that there are many boats outside the city rescuing people in flooded areas. It was Shu who sent the boats. I thought it was just a rumor, but I didn't expect it to be true..."

"He did this, and he did it under the emperor's feet. This is a big problem!"

Yuan Feng said in distress: "Not to mention that the eunuchs are still in power now, it is very troublesome to say anything in front of the emperor. Even if we really succeed in deposing the emperor, he can't do this! He is not the emperor, how can he do something that the emperor doesn't do?

To follow one's conscience and to unify knowledge and action is just like self-discipline and restoration of propriety. It is enough to talk about it, but how can one really do it? Once someone says that he is trying to win people's hearts, even if he has a mouth all over his body, he still can't explain it clearly! "

Yuan Feng was very dissatisfied with this, and kept complaining that his son did not listen to him, but instead wanted his father to listen to his son. This was really against Tian Gang. He wondered if he had beaten him too little and whether he should beat him again.

Yuan Wei was silent for a while, thought about it, and felt that this matter could not be simply regarded as a bad thing.

"Brother, I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing. At least, what Shu did can gather people's hearts. He did the right thing, and his reputation will be better. Who can publicly say that what he did was wrong?"

"But this matter...it...he just can't let a minister do it! At least, at least the emperor needs to give the order, right?"

Yuan Feng said helplessly: "Ci Yang, why don't you pay attention to this kind of thing? Even if we really succeed in deposing and enthroning, we still have to pay attention to the difference between the monarch and the ministers, right? We Yuan family are still the ministers of the Han Dynasty. How can a minister overstep his authority?"

Yuan Wei shook his head.

"Brother, although this matter is indeed very dangerous, we will definitely carry out the matter of deposing and enthroning the emperor. Will it matter what the little emperor in the palace thinks at that time? The eunuchs must be killed, so does it matter what they think?

Shu can stick to what he wants to do and gather people's hearts, so that his followers will not leave him, but more people will follow him and strengthen his power. This is obviously a good thing. As for those who want to say that Shu is buying people's hearts..."

Yuan Wei looked around and whispered, "Brother, in Luoyang City today, who do you think is more powerful, the emperor or our Yuan family?"

(End of this chapter)