National Division

Chapter 81 He who follows the will of Heaven and the people shall be the ruler of the world!

In prison
Xue Zhihua stood still, gazing intently at the composed young man, a strange light flickering in her eyes.

Although we do not know what was written in the memorial, it must have been a magnificent piece of writing, otherwise the Empress would not have been so excited.

When Zhou Liang heard that the Empress had invited Shen Xian to the palace for dinner, his heart sank to the bottom.

When he was favored, the Empress had not yet received such treatment.
Shen Muzhi is not even twenty years old yet, what merit or ability does he possess?
Zhou Liang stared intently at the boy, a surge of jealousy rising in his heart, spreading and entwining like weeds.

The Princess Zhenguo's beautiful eyes also turned to the young man, but she became increasingly curious about the memorial in the Empress's hand. What exactly did it say that made the Empress treat the young man with even more respect?

Gu Nanzhu had secretly glanced at the scene while the lamp was being lit and caught the words "gentleman" and "petty person".

It should be a political commentary!

As Gu Nanzhu pondered this, a thoughtful expression appeared in her gentle and scholarly eyes as she glanced at the composed young man.

It's unclear what the boy wrote on it.

Shen Xian bowed to the Empress and thanked her. Then, he and the Empress left the Dali Temple prison together.

Just before leaving, Shen Xian glanced at Jiang Rui and met a pair of complicated eyes.

He thought to himself, "If this person is indeed talented, we can rescue him from the Dali Temple and recruit him to our side."

By this time, it was completely dark, but the Dali Temple office was brightly lit and bustling with people.

Shen Lin, Shen Zheng, Shen Zhai, and the others sat down at a small table, waiting for the sounds from inside. When they saw the Empress and Shen Xian come out together, they quickly got up to greet them.

Shen Lin's aged gaze instantly focused on Shen Xian's face, his lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to ask something.

Shen Qian stared intently at Shen Xian, his face full of excitement, yet he hesitated to speak.

The Empress's gaze swept over everyone present, and she said, "Gentlemen, it's getting late, you should all go back now."

Shen Xian didn't say anything else, but gave his uncle Shen Qian a reassuring look and nodded to Shen Lin.

The others, Shen Zheng and Shen Zhai, were only glanced at and did not look at them much.

With just a quick glance, one could see the embarrassment and awkwardness on Shen Zhai's face—his fourth uncle's face.

Shen Xian didn't say anything else. He followed the Empress Dowager closely and, accompanied by the Imperial Preceptor Murong Yue and a group of guards including Gu Nanzhu, left the Dali Temple office.

At this moment, Zhou Fang was surrounded by squads of strongmen and guards, carrying banners and thousand-ox knives, with lanterns in hand and vigilant expressions.

"Mr. Shen, may I ride in the imperial carriage with you?" The Empress turned her head to look at the young man and said softly.

Shen Xian hesitated for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty, this humble subject... is this inappropriate?"

After all, the Empress was a woman. Although she was much older than him, he was afraid that if they rode in the same carriage, rumors would spread that she was a gigolo.

The Empress smiled and said, "I still have some doubts after reading this memorial, and I need to consult with you, sir."

As she spoke, with Gu Nanzhu's help, she stepped onto the phoenix carriage using the bamboo steps placed on the ground. The beautiful woman's figure was plump, like a peony in full bloom.

Gao Yanfu smiled and said to Shen Xian, "Scholar Shen, don't just stand there, get in the carriage."

Shen Xian's expression turned solemn, and he cupped his hands towards the phoenix carriage, saying, "Then, Xian, I shall respectfully comply."

He did indeed have a few words of his own that he needed to speak to the Empress Dowager privately.

Shen Xian stepped onto the phoenix carriage by stepping on the bamboo stools placed on the ground.

With the crack of a whip and the clatter of hooves, the imperial carriage sped towards the palace gardens.

The space inside the carriage was quite spacious, with an octagonal incense burner filled with spices. At this moment, amidst the flickering sparks, wisps of smoke could be seen rising, and the aroma wafted through the air.

Shen Xian sat on the left side of the carriage, while the Empress, dressed in a gorgeous gown, sat in the center, and Murong Yue sat opposite her. The nun's whisk was wrapped around her arm, her expression was aloof, and her fair face was as calm as a lake.

The Empress held the memorial "On the Administration of Officials" that Shen Xian had just written in her hand. Her voice was as authoritative as ever, yet with a touch of gentleness: "Sir, this memorial fully describes the situation in the court. Nowadays, the so-called virtuous gentlemen in the court are merely occupying positions without performing their duties, neglecting their public responsibilities, and engaging in empty talk. This can be described as harming the people. If you do not agree, sir, you should have some advice for me."

"A person who holds a position without doing any work, a mediocre and incompetent individual, is not a gentleman." Shen Xian's expression was as indifferent as water as he said, "In fact, he is a hypocrite!"

The Empress sat upright, her beautiful face showing focused attention: "I would like to hear the details."

Shen Xian said, “A gentleman disciplines himself with morality, cares about his family and country, and is devoted to the public good. However, those who have no family or country in their hearts, only care about their own reputation, and although they eat the emperor's food, they are not loyal to the emperor. How are they any different from hypocrites?”

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager sighed and said, "How few are there officials who are truly devoted to the public good?"

"Does the Empress intend to govern the world with city foxes and temple rats?" Shen Xian asked. The Empress replied, "In the court today, gentlemen say that when a woman rules, the order is broken, and talented people are often misled, caring only about their reputation but unwilling to serve."

It's not that the gentleman considered her a woman and refused to use her.

Shen Xian said, "A gentleman understands righteousness, while a petty person lures him with profit. If Your Majesty chooses a gentleman, you should advocate righteousness and win people's hearts. Heroes from all directions will gather to respond, and the hearts of the people will be won over by the hearts of the people."

To put it bluntly, it's about controlling the discourse of public opinion and ideology.

"The greater good?" The Empress's phoenix eyes flickered as she murmured, gripping the memorial in her hand tightly.

Shen Xian said, "If Your Majesty wishes to become a sage emperor like Yao and Shun, you should use the matter of pacifying evil spirits and demons to spread your teachings, demonstrate your sage virtues, and let the people of the world know that your grace is like sweet dew, coming from above. Those moral gentlemen who cherish their reputations will not isolate themselves from the world and the people under the support of the people!"

This highlights the importance of propaganda and a sense of righteousness.

After entering the pass, great Confucian scholars naturally came to explain the classics to me.

The diva immediately grasped the crux of the matter: "So, sir, you intend to use newspapers for educational purposes?"

"It's not limited to newspapers. Nowadays, most scholars come from aristocratic families. Powerful clans and influential families control the power of public discourse. Ordinary people can use other methods of communication, such as storytelling and opera. On a smaller scale, these can help change customs and promote the virtues of the sages," Shen Xian said eloquently.

The newspaper was just one part of his propaganda matrix; the previous photographic stone could be made into images to spread his teachings.

The Empress's eyes lit up upon hearing this.

Meanwhile, Murong Yue listened to the young man's eloquent speech, and a look of surprise appeared in her clear eyes beneath her willow-leaf eyebrows.

Shen Xian pondered for a moment and said, "The Holy Empress should also rebuild a school of thought to curb the Taoist trend of tranquility and inaction, and the tendency to talk about metaphysics. As the saying goes, empty talk harms the country, while hard work builds it up!"

There must be a grand narrative drawn by the rulers to educate the people, to draw the largest concentric circle, and to find the greatest common denominator.

The Empress pondered the eight characters, finding them increasingly profound: "Empty talk harms the country, hard work builds it. I will write these eight characters down and hang them in the Qian Yuan Hall so that my ministers may look upon them daily and be mindful."

After all, it was a broadcast of imperial voices, embodying the crystallization of collective wisdom.

A strange light flashed in Murong Yue's eyes as she asked, "Then, Mr. Shen, what doctrine do you use to counter the Daoist principles of tranquility and non-action?"

Because he was a Taoist priest, Murong Yue was also somewhat curious.

Shen Xian said, "Like the ancient sage emperors who ruled the nine provinces, the world was in harmony, so that the old had a place to end their days, the strong had a place to use their talents, the young had a place to grow, and the widowed, orphaned, lonely, disabled and sick were all cared for, and men had their roles and women had their homes."

The Empress's eyes lit up, and she said, "The Zhou system?"

She originally admired the Zhou system.

Shen Xian said, "This is not based on the Zhou system, but on the system of Great Harmony."

The Empress was utterly bewildered upon hearing this.

Shen Xian said, "The world belongs to all, and we should build a harmonious society. The Holy Empress, as a woman, is carrying out a revolution in accordance with Heaven and the people, and should be the ruler of the world!"

Upon hearing these words of "urging him to ascend the throne," the Empress was both surprised and delighted, but feigned anger: "How dare you utter such outrageous words, Mr. Shen? I will pretend I did not hear you, for you do not know the gravity of the matter. Do not speak recklessly in the future!"

During those one or two years, no ministers submitted memorials urging him to ascend the throne. Even the opportunistic Zhou Enlai and his ilk dared not defy public opinion and openly propose that the emperor should succeed him.

This was the result of the Li Jing royal family's accumulated prestige over a century of establishing the country. Moreover, the Empress was, after all, a woman.

It can be said that Shen Xian was the first scholar to so bluntly say, "Women should be the rulers of the world!" He was truly the first!
The Empress Dowager was even more convinced that this man was a national hero and should be her chief strategist.

Shen Xian said, "Your Majesty, these are my heartfelt words. The people of the world are in dire straits. Only a wise ruler like the Holy Empress can bring order to the world and restore order to the world."

In the Taoist-led world, the Taiqing and Yuqing lineages colluded with powerful families and clans, parasitizing the vast empire. The privileged class lived a life of decadence and debauchery, and it was time to burn away the filth with the Vermilion Bird Fire.

Murong Yue's gaze, framed by her delicate eyebrows, was fixed on Shen Xian as she asked, "Scholar Shen, are you referring to the Confucianism of the enemy state, Ruichao?"

As a figure at the peak of the seventh realm of immortality, he naturally had extensive knowledge and experience, and had even visited the Great Rui, a dynasty ruled by Confucianism.

Shen Xian shook his head and said, "This is not the teaching of cynics, but the way of inner law and outer sainthood, which can be called the way of the sage emperor."

We should uphold the rule of law and educate people with propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame, rather than using it as a tool for oppression and exploitation.

The Empress was now completely captivated by the blueprint described in Shen Xian's words.

……

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(End of this chapter)