After settling the little episode between Tao Dazhi and Chen Jun, Wei Chen turned to look at Wang Yaochen and asked: "On the day of the society gathering, how many people will probably come?"
Wang Yaochen hesitated for a moment and said with some uncertainty: "During today's banquet, there were dozens of people interested in participating in the society gathering. If the news spreads for a few more days, by the day of the society gathering, there will be at least two to three hundred people. Of course there will be
Probably more."
Wei Chen nodded with satisfaction after hearing this.
One hero and three gangs.
In the current Jingxi Club, there are Sheng Changbai, who will join the cabinet twice in the future, and Wang Yaochen, whose talents are not inferior to Sheng Changbai's. These two people will be Wei Chen's powerful assistants in the future.
In addition, Tao Dazhi, Chen Jun, Weng Dingfan, and Tang Henian are also outstanding in talent and learning, and they are likely to pass the Jinshi examination next year.
With these few people here, the backbone of Jingxi Society has been formed. As long as some new members are recruited to replenish the branches and leaves, it will soon have a small climate.
Wei Chen set up Jingxi Club because he wanted to set up a cram school for the imperial examination. He would use his reputation as a judge to attract scholars who were interested in the imperial examination, and then select talents from them, recruit talents, and expand his small group to prepare for the imperial examination in the future.
Make preparations in class.
Perhaps Jingxi Club will not be able to become a giant that controls the court in the future, but as a township party, it is not a big problem for members to support each other.
Wei Chen was very concerned about the community gathering, and after returning home, he continued to discuss it with several friends.
When everyone was discussing the rules of the society, Wang Yaochen looked at Wei Chen and asked: "Xingyun, I have always had a question in my mind, why are the rules of the Jingxi Society so strict?"
The reason why Wang Yaochen asked this question was because at the beginning of the founding of the society, Wei Chen had set a rule that members were not allowed to criticize current affairs, and later added a series of rules and regulations.
For example, new members who join the society must have the title of scholar or above, must be recommended by two old members, and must be approved by the head of the society and the vice-president of the society.
Such complicated and strict social rules are unprecedented in ordinary literary and poetry societies, so the other people also felt the same as Wang Yaochen: "Yes, Xingyun, other poetry and literary societies in Jiangning Prefecture only need members
You can join the club by being recommended. Our Jingxi Club’s rules are so complicated and strict, will no one be willing to join the club?"
"If you want, you will come; if you don't, you will leave. There are scholars everywhere in the south of the Yangtze River, and there is no shortage of a few."
Wei Chen solemnly said: "We founded Jingxi Society because we hope that like-minded people can get together to sharpen their character and discuss articles. When they become successful and famous, they can support each other and do something for the common people.<
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Therefore, people who join the society must be carefully screened, especially at the beginning of the establishment of the society, when people's hearts are still uncertain. If a few young people get in and ruin the atmosphere of the society, it will be difficult for the Jingxi Society to last long."
"What Xingyun said makes sense."
Sheng Changbai was the first to nod in agreement and said: "I heard that literary societies in southern Jiangsu and other places often gather scholars to discuss political affairs, often gather people to attack the government, and intimidate local officials. How is this behavior different from treason? Jingxi Society must not repeat the same mistakes.
."
Wang Yaochen smiled and said: "It's true that I got carried away. I only wanted to make Jingxi Club bigger and stronger and forgot the original intention of founding the club. In this case, let's follow the rules of the society proposed by Xingyun."
The head of the club and the two vice-presidents both nodded, and a consensus was quickly reached in Jingxi Club regarding the rules of the club.
……
The ninth day of September, the Double Ninth Festival, is also the day when Jingxi Society gathers.
On this day, the seven sons of Jiangning climbed Qixia Mountain outside Jiangning City together and came to the Qixia Ancient Temple at the west foot.
Tao Dazhi had already known that he would meet with the abbot of the temple and arrange the venue for the community meeting, which was on a shady hillside among the peaks.
In addition to the seven elders of Jingxi Society, there are also many scholars who came here to admire the name and waited here early. Many of them held a copy of "Collected Works of Xingyun" in their hands.
This anthology was produced by Qi Heng before Wei Chen came to Jiangning to take the exam. It contains not only Wei Chen's previous poems and articles, but also hundreds of carefully selected contemporary and ancient articles written in the following two years.
.
After the results of the rural examination were released, the scholars in Jiangning City learned about the name of Xie Yuanlang, and rushed to bookstores to buy the newly published "Collected Works of Xingyun".
In just half a day, nearly a thousand books in various bookstores were sold out, and many scholars who had not yet bought one were beating their chests and feet, hating that they came too late.
Riding on the momentum of Weichen High School's reform of the Yuan Dynasty, the sales price of this "Collected Works of Xingyun" has also risen accordingly. Suddenly, paper in Luoyang was expensive.
Most of the scholars who can come to participate in the society meeting today are Wei Chen's supporters. Everyone borrows it if they can, and copies it to each other if they can't. Basically everyone has a copy of "Collected Works of Xingyun".
As soon as Wei Chen and his seven friends arrived, they were warmly welcomed by the scholars. After a brief exchange of greetings, several leading scholars invited Wei Chen to climb onto the temporary wooden platform and speak to everyone.
Wei Chen climbed up to the high platform and looked down. He saw that the hillside was crowded with people attending the lecture. Some brought their own futons, and some simply sat on the floor. A conservative estimate was that there must be five or six hundred people. Wei Chen was excited, but also felt a little sad. He didn't know how many of the audience would be left in the end.
Wei Chen bowed to everyone, and then said a few words of welcome and said: "Today is the first gathering of Jingxi Club. Thank you for your taking the time to come. Wei Chen is very grateful. However, some words are...
I have to say it first."
Wei Chen glanced at the crowd and said sternly: "First of all, our Jingxi Club is specially set up to discuss the meaning of scriptures. We don't talk about mysteries or Zen. Anyone who violates this will be removed."
After hearing this, everyone in the audience started talking quietly. There was not much commotion, but a dozen or so people left here and there.
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Wei Chen continued: "Secondly, our Jingxi Society's elegant gathering does not discuss current affairs, regardless of the government situation, and we are not allowed to gather members to disturb the government. Anyone who violates this will be removed."
The people below suddenly became commotion, and some scholars shouted loudly: "We are here just to listen to Xie Yuanlang's lectures. If there are so many rules, it is really not our original intention to come here!"
Wei Chen said calmly: "Today is the gathering of Jingxi Society. We only select like-minded people. What I said before are all the rules of Jingxi Society. If you want, stay. If you don't want, don't force it."
There was a chatter below, and after a while, half of the five or six hundred scholars left. Among the remaining half, there were also many who simply left unwillingly and were ready to listen again.
"Everyone who stayed behind must have agreed with our Jingxi Club's rules?"
Wei Chen looked at the people below and said in a deep voice: "In that case, I am the head of the society, and ten society supervisors will be selected later to inspect the place on their behalf. If there is anyone who violates the rules of the society, they will be removed.
”
"I won't listen anymore, I won't listen anymore!"
"A shabby society is putting on such a big show!"
"It was useless for me to stay in Jiangning for two more days."
"It's better to go home!"
There was a commotion below, and the audience was decreasing at a speed visible to the naked eye. However, Wei Chen did not hold back at all. He just watched them leave cursing and silently, and then silently counted the number of people left behind.