The immortal of the Tang Dynasty, but the game starts at Xuanwu Gate?

When Kong Yingda spoke, the hall fell silent for a moment. Lu Yanqing opened his mouth but said nothing.

He always said that unifying the interpretation of the classics required a famous Confucian scholar to lead the way, but this person who never spoke and didn't care about their debates was the most outstanding Confucian scholar of the time.

Moreover, Kong Yingda is the 32nd generation descendant of Confucius.

Even he said that, what could Lu Yanqing possibly refute?

No matter how powerful your Lu family is, can it compare to the Kong family?

In this respect, they might not even be able to compare with the Yan family.

"The mind is reason, extending innate knowledge, and the unity of knowledge and action?" Kong Yingda didn't care what Lu Yanqing was thinking at all, muttering to himself, clearly still pondering this sentence carefully.

Chen Huai'an glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Even Kong Yingda didn't believe the other party could answer the question in a short time.

It's not that Chen Huai'an underestimates people; he has never doubted the wisdom of great Confucian scholars like Kong Yingda and Yan Shigu.

But... Wang Yangming was indeed too strong.

Even Kong Yingda, after pondering for three days, would be lucky to give a rough answer.

"Tsk!"

Li Shimin clicked his tongue, looked up at the sky and sighed, then slowly got up.

Seeing this, the ministers dared not speak again and sat up straight.

Just when everyone thought Li Shimin was about to settle the matter once and for all, he didn't mention what had just happened at all. Instead, he brought up a sentence that Chen Huai'an had said:

"To establish a moral compass for Heaven and Earth, to secure a destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of past sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations!"

"OK!"

"Well said!"

"This is the true spirit of a scholar—no, this is the ideal that scholars of this era, and indeed of future generations, should hold!"

"I... I don't know how you feel when you hear these words, but I was deeply shocked and unable to calm down after hearing them."

Li Shimin chuckled lightly: "The mind is principle, extending innate knowledge, the unity of knowledge and action... I cannot comment."

"However, I have a question for you all."

"Does the scholarship of someone who utters such words need to be questioned?"

"To put it another way, does anyone have the right to question this?"

No one spoke; Lu Yanqing and Cui Shanwei remained silent.

Li Shimin turned to Confucius and asked, "What do you think, Master Kong?"

Kong Yingda firmly stated, "Even if Mr. Chen leads the unification of the classics, I have no objection."

"Of course, Yan Shujian is equally qualified, and I have no objection. It is entirely up to Your Majesty to decide."

Li Shimin was quite satisfied with the answer. He turned to look at Lu Yanqing and said in a low voice, "Minister Lu."

"Duke Anguo, can you answer this question, or can't you?"

Lu Yanqing trembled and knelt down with a thud, cold sweat instantly pouring down his forehead: "Your subject... Your subject is ignorant and has never heard of such principles. I humbly admit defeat."

Kong Yingda admitted it, so he dared not deny it.

To deny it would be sophistry and arguing in front of the court officials would only bring shame to the Lu family of Fanyang. To admit it would at most result in personal humiliation, but at least they would gain a reputation for honesty.

"You admit defeat?" Chen Huai'an had no intention of letting him off so easily. "Didn't Lord Lu just say that those who can't answer the questions aren't qualified to assist in the study of the classics?"

"Now that you can't even answer the question I posed, do you not even have the right to stand here and discuss the meaning of the scriptures?"

Lu Yanqing lay on the ground, his face turning purple, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.

Wei Zheng sat at his desk, watching Chen Huai'an humiliate the powerful families, and felt incredibly relieved.

Looking at the scene inside the hall, Li Shimin knew it was about time, and said calmly, "Since the bet has been decided, let's end this matter here."

"The matter of unifying the interpretation of the classics will still be led by Yan Shigu, with the Duke of Anguo assisting. Preparations should begin immediately, and it must be finalized before the provincial examination."

"I will say it again: the imperial examinations and the study of classical texts are of paramount importance to the nation, and no one is permitted to obstruct them!"

Li Shimin's cold gaze swept over the members of the five clans and seven noble families, and he said in an unquestionable manner: "Anyone who raises objections again will be punished for disobeying the imperial decree."

"Your Majesty, we obey!"

All the civil and military officials knelt down in unison, their voices perfectly synchronized.

"There is one more matter!" Li Shimin sat down again, propping his head up with his hand. "I command Minister of Works Chen Huai'an to build a palace specifically for the imperial examinations, and to have these four phrases engraved in the most prominent position: 'To establish a heart for Heaven and Earth, to establish a destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of the past sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations!'"

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Chen Huai'an immediately replied.

The emergence of the imperial examination system inevitably led to the palace examination; similarly, a palace specifically for the imperial examination was indeed necessary.

The national treasury isn't short of money right now, and there's no shortage of people outside who need to find work.

"Go down!"

Li Shimin waved his hand casually.

The officials bowed and slowly withdrew.

Before long, only Li Shimin, Zhang Anan, and a few eunuchs remained in the hall.

After sitting for a while, Li Shimin couldn't help but exclaim, "I am increasingly suspicious that Chen Huai'an is a reincarnation of the God of Literature."

"Tell me, how can the human brain be so incredibly powerful?"

"To usher in an era of peace for all generations... the mind is principle, to extend innate knowledge, and to unite knowledge with action!"

"No matter how many times I hear it, I still find it unbelievable."

Zhang Anan hesitated for a moment, then tentatively said, "Your Majesty, it's hard for others to understand why you are so good at fighting."

"They would also find it unbelievable."

Li Shimin was taken aback, but instantly understood Zhang Anan's meaning, and chuckled, "In that case, there is some truth to it."

"It is my good fortune to have Huai'an!"

"But this kid just loves to cause trouble; he actually thought about teaching those two techniques to others."

Now, Zhang Anan was at a loss for words. Having followed Li Shimin for so long, he naturally understood what kind of technique the other party was referring to.

After hesitating for a long time, she said, "Your Majesty...should I hint to the Duke of Anguo not to spread these two techniques?"

"Hmm?" Li Shimin waved his hand. "No need. This kid knows his limits. He probably also thought it wouldn't be good to teach him."

"Furthermore, there's no harm in teaching the so-called Dragon-Supporting Technique."

"The Dragon-Slaying Technique... is simply impossible to execute!"

"Absolutely not, at least not now."

"Then... what about the future?" Zhang Anan asked with a bitter face.

"In the future?" Li Shimin smiled, stood up, "In the future, I will probably be long dead. Even if I have great abilities, I can't control what happens after that."

After saying that, he walked away, and Zhang Anan quickly followed.

Halfway there, Li Shimin seemed to have thought of something, and turned his head to say, "Besides, if someone in the future can really perform the art of slaying dragons and bring harmony to the world, what difference would it make if my Li Tang imperial family ceased to exist?"

"One lifetime's fate is the fate of ten thousand lifetimes; one whale fall, and all things are born!"

"If only we could exchange the Li Tang imperial family for a world of universal harmony!"

"I say, it was worth it!"

"..."