In the square in front of Fengtian Gate, the ceremonial guards were in accordance with the law, the Shao music was solemn, and the officials lined up left and right according to their civil and military status. There was no trace of the previous kneeling at the gate.
After three whips were fired, all the officials knelt to greet His Majesty. Zhu Yuanzhang, accompanied by the prince, ascended to the golden stage and looked at his courtiers with a serious expression.
After they thanked them and stood up, Eunuch Wu proclaimed in a long voice the decree of establishing a Confucius Temple in Guozi University and restoring the rights of Mencius.
All the officials once again expressed their gratitude and accepted the order. Zheng Jiuzheng led the civil servants who participated in the kneeling ceremony to go out. They knelt down first to express gratitude, then to apologize, and together they took off the black gauze on their heads and waited for the emperor's disposal.
Even if Boss Zhu wanted to deal with them, it was not now, let alone the fact that he still had to rely on them to work. He reprimanded them lightly, and only Zheng Jiuzheng was dismissed as an official. The rest of the officials were only fined half a year's salary, which was a light punishment.
That's all.
Well, for a poor Beijing official, half a year's salary is definitely not a light punishment...
Then, Zhu Yuanzhang said to Lao Liu with a straight face: "Look, how much trouble you caused because of your negligence?"
"Yes, yes," His Royal Highness the King of Chu, who set the record for consecutive court appearances, hurriedly accepted the teachings humbly: "It's all my fault. I immediately rectified it when I got back and built the most exquisite Confucian temple for Saint Confucius on the top of Jilong Mountain.
"
King Chu's words made the civil servants feel a lot better, and it was worth all the trouble to get back an exquisite Confucian temple standing on the top of Taixue.
"No excuses are allowed to delay the construction. When will the construction be completed and when will the school start again?" Zhu Yuanzhang blew his beard and glared: "Did you hear that?"
"Okay, okay." Lao Liu's attitude was extremely good.
"We must teach students the way of saints. This is the body, and those laws, arithmetic, accounting and the like are used, and they must not be confused." Zhu Yuanzhang continued to teach:
"We don't care which subject you want to take the imperial examination. Those who are not good at studying the saint's way will not be allowed to graduate, let alone take the imperial examination! I don't want officials like that in the Ming Dynasty!"
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" Hu Weiyong quickly led the crowd in shouting, covering up Lao Liu's voice.
~~
During the next court session, the civil servants carried Yasheng's tablet to the Confucius Temple with their heads held high and their chests held high. The posture was as if they were returning in triumph.
"Prime Minister Wang, forgive me for being stupid, why didn't you see what they should be happy about?" Cao Guogong was stunned and asked Wang Guangyang:
"Haha, a bunch of idiots are messing around." Wang Guangyang smiled and said lazily, "I am being manipulated by others without knowing it."
"It can't be said that it's a waste of time. At least the Confucian Temple was built on Jilong Mountain." Cao Guogong said with a smile: "Although the price is a bit high."
"They just don't do anything, and this will be the situation in the end. The Emperor and the King of Chu have never said from the beginning to the end that the Confucius Temple will not be built in Guozi University." Wang Guangyang said with a smile: "That way, so many people would not have to die, and there would be no need to be dragged into trouble.
Into the vortex."
"Good opinion, Prime Minister Wang." Cao Guogong's pupils shrank when he heard this. Wang Guangyang was indeed sober in the world and could see everything clearly. He couldn't help but praise: "His level is still the same as before."
"No, I'm old." Wang Guangyang shook his head and said: "Now I have to break down three times to play a game of chess. It's boring. Let's go back and play chess."
After saying that, he bowed his hands to Cao Guogong and left.
Li Wenzhong thought for a moment and felt the same way. The excitement was theirs, and he could only be an outsider. It was really boring, so he walked away.
~~
Although Zhu Zhen was scolded by the old thief, he was in a good mood on the way back to Jilong Mountain. When he passed by the flower shop, he bought flowers for the girls he loved and asked people to send them to express his feelings.
But at the moment, he couldn't think about meeting his young lover, and had to return to Guozi University first. All the teachers and students were in the square in front of Piyong, waiting for news about him.
Lao Liu's carriage stopped outside the mountain gate in front of the stone tablet that read, "Civilians alighted and military attachés dismounted," and was surrounded by Luo Guanzhong's academic officers who were not qualified to go to court.
"Your Highness, what is the result?"
"Let's make do." Lao Liu said calmly: "I will explain it in detail later."
"Yes." Song Ne and others had no choice but to endure, and surrounded the King of Chu to Piyong. More than three thousand college students had already lined up and were waiting there.
Although they all have experience and have received professional training, during this period of time, they all still felt uneasy.
"The sacrificial wine has arrived!" the student on duty sang loudly.
In accordance with the new academic rules, the college students ‘pay attention when lining up densely’. They held their heads high and their chests high, and their eyes followed His Royal Highness the King of Chu. They said in unison: “Welcome to the sacrificial wine!”
Under the gaze of 3,600 teachers and students, Lao Liu climbed onto the three-foot platform in front of Panchi, looked around and said loudly:
"Without being too pretentious, let's talk about the results first - those people will no longer obstruct the three reforms, and you can go to school, take the imperial examinations, and become officials with peace of mind!"
The square, where the drop of a pin could have been heard, suddenly erupted with an irrepressible buzz, and the college students couldn't help but whisper to each other, conveying their excitement to each other.
"Shout loudly if you want to, it will hurt your body if you hold it in!" King Chu smiled and announced that he could temporarily ignore the school rules.
"Great!" As soon as the words fell, the college students burst into cheers. They jumped and jumped to let out the pressure they had accumulated over the past few days.
Although they all had experience and received professional training, during this period, the opposition to the three reforms was so loud that it was difficult for them not to be affected.
After all, the three reforms are closely related to their future... Needless to say, education reform is the product of the reform itself.
If the reform of the imperial examination is blocked, they will not be able to pass the Jinshi examination and become officials after completing their studies, so why study hard?
If the reform of the official system fails, the vast majority of them will only be officials for the rest of their lives, with no future left.
Therefore, if any of the three reforms is stranded, their prospects will be cast into a shadow. Anyone will be uneasy if it changes.
In fact, the students have been mentally prepared for setbacks in the reform of the official system and even the reform of the imperial examination. They said that as long as the education reform can be carried out, we will continue to study and see if there will be any changes in three years.
Because they also know how strong the resistance is among the civil service group and even the entire Shihlin community.
They never expected that the Emperor and His Highness the King of Chu could withstand the pressure and eliminate all the resistance to the three reforms. Now the future is bright, how could they not be overjoyed?
When the cheers of the students died down, Zhu Zhen raised his hand, and there was immediately silence in front of the Panchi.
"I know that you are very happy, and I am very happy too." King Chu said, changing the topic: "But don't be happy too early, our enemies are just forced to surrender under pressure."
"They have neither given up nor lost their fighting capacity. This means that if something goes wrong with us in the future, they will definitely come back!" King Chu said loudly: "This is called 'the reactionary forces are determined to destroy me'!"
"We can only unite as one to fight back resolutely, while teachers and students go all out to contribute outstanding talents to the court as soon as possible!" As he spoke, his eyes slowly swept across the crowd again, and he said in a sonorous voice:
"By then, it will be the end of the old bureaucracy and the era of our college students!"
