Chen Lin quickly conveyed Zhao Zhen's decree to the ears of civil and military officials.

All civil and military officials wailed.

Just as Kou Ji expected, when faced with the choice between real duty and false duty, the civil and military officials decisively chose the real duty.

They handed over some of their frail children and young children to the care of the women in the house. With the help of their strong children, they hurried to the location of the altar.

The auspicious time selected by Qin Tianjian for this sacrifice was in the afternoon, so there was plenty of time for the civil and military officials to make their way.

Some young officials, with a little bit of hardship and gritted teeth, were able to arrive within the stipulated time.

Some elderly people, with the support of their able-bodied heirs, were able to arrive within the stipulated time.

After all, Zhao Zhen was still a kind king and did not treat his officials harshly.

If it were Liu Che, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, more than half of the officials participating in the sacrifice would be dismissed by him.

If Liu Che, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, was determined to eliminate some corrupt officials and nobles, he would definitely bring the role of sacrifice to the extreme.

He might move the time to noon or even the morning after the Qin Tian Jian announced the time for the afternoon sacrifice. He might even send someone to closely monitor the civil and military officials who were on their way.

Unfortunately, Zhao Zhen is not Liu Che, and he does not have the courage to abolish half of the civil and military officials in one go.

Kou Ji did not have the courage, so even if he knew that half of the civil and military officials could be dismissed through sacrifices, he would not dare to encourage Zhao Zhen to do it.

When the auspicious time comes.

Nearly 80% of the civil and military officials arrived at the location of the altar.

Zhao Zhen lay down in the gap of the tent door curtain, looked carefully, and found that most of the important officials in the court were there, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Looking at Lu Yijian, Wang Zeng, and Zhang Zhibai sitting on the ground, sweating heavily and panting heavily.

Zhao Zhen sighed: "I'm really afraid that the three of them will waste time..."

Kou Ji stood behind Zhao Zhen, calmly staring at the panting officials outside the tent, and said: "The three of them know the importance of the gift of Jiaotian, so even if they have to climb, they will climb within the stipulated time.

Go here."

This is a bit unkind, but it is true.

The decree passed down by Zhao Zhen may not make Lu Yijian and the others feel afraid.

But those great Confucians who valued sacrifice as their lives were different.

They will definitely try their best to make everyone aware of the importance of sacrifice.

"They moved..."

Kou Ji whispered.

Zhao Zhen looked outside the tent and saw the great Confucians who had arrived at the altar with the support of their disciples. They gathered together and blocked the road leading to the altar. They blocked the officials, Wu Xun, and concubines who came after them.

Blocked from the main road.

After the officials, Wu Xun, and concubines who came later were blocked from the main road by the Confucian scholars, they all wanted to force their way in based on their status.

Some people took advantage of the strength of the crowd and pushed the great Confucians back.

Some great scholars accidentally fell to the ground.

His disciples immediately gathered around him and knocked his leader to the ground.

The other great scholars shouted harshly.

Lu Yijian, Wang Zeng, and Zhang Zhibai all looked at the tent where Zhao Zhen was, and saw that Zhao Zhen was not moving.

Lu Yijian gasped and stood up, "The official is determined to punish these disobedient guys, so he will definitely not come forward. If we don't come forward, once those great scholars are hurt, we will have to

Follow up and recite the insults."

By now, Lu Yijian had already guessed the purpose of Zhao Zhen's decree.

Those great scholars were obviously looking towards Zhao Zhen, and Lu Yijian had no way to go to Zhao Zhen and ask Zhao Zhen to take back his life.

Once he finds Zhao Zhen, those great scholars will definitely blame him for destroying the sacrificial ceremony.

In the early Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin simplified some etiquette to a certain extent in order to facilitate officials at both the government and the public.

The cumbersome etiquette has been removed, while the essence has been retained.

None of the etiquette left today is superfluous.

It is impossible for the great Confucians to sit back and watch Lu Yijian destroy the few remaining etiquette.

Lu Yijian didn't want to suffer a bad reputation, so he could only silently cooperate with Zhao Zhen's will.

Lu Yijian stood up, used the prime minister's order, and mobilized a troop of hundreds of soldiers and horses to stand in front of Da Ru and the officials. He also captured all the officials who had collided with Da Ru and brought them to Zhao Zhen's tent.

Zhao Zhen appeared outside the tent by chance.

In the complicated expression on Lu Yijian's slip, in the spirit of the great scholars who were looking forward to it, Zhao Zhen snorted coldly and said: "The person who presided over this ceremony is a famous and famous scholar in Bianjing City. I still have to respect the three of them.

Well, how dare you collide with them?

Many of you have become Jinshi through their interpretation of the scriptures.

After some people entered the official career, they also studied the articles and classics they spread.

They want to teach you, but you don't respect them.

There is no place for ruthless and unjust people in my court."

"Chen Lin?"

"The slave is here!"

"Dismissal from office, resign, and assassinate Qianli!"

"Here..."

Chen Lin led the imperial guards and dragged the officials who had collided with Da Ru out of the altar.

The great scholars all saluted Zhao Zhen with excited expressions.

"The official sage!"

Zhao Zhen gave them enough respect, so they paid their most sincere respect to Zhao Zhen.

Lu Yijian and others could not pretend to be deaf and dumb. They could only follow the great scholars and praise Zhao Zhen as a saint.

Zhao Zhen, who is extremely wise, continued to speak after they saluted, "Those officials and nobles who did not arrive at the auspicious time will all be demoted to six levels...and the concubines in the palace will all be demoted to three levels..."

As soon as Zhao Zhen said this, the great scholars agreed without hesitation.

Lu Yijian and others felt heartbroken, but they could not say anything in opposition.

The titles they had finally obtained for the little boys at home were all gone.

When the imperial court gave birth to an heir in the family of an official in Mengyin, the rank he gave him was not very high.

Downgrade them all by six levels, and you can drop them to negative numbers in one fell swoop.

Naturally, there is no negative number on the official title, so they are equivalent to being dismissed from the official position.

Of course, like Lu Yijian, when old ministers such as Wang Zeng resigned from office or passed away, the officials and titles of the heirs in the family had other opinions and were not included.

When they were in the central position, the court would not grant their heirs too high an official title, and they were basically all below the seventh rank.

If the heirs in their family want to obtain a higher official title, they can only wait until they reach adulthood, enter the official career, hold actual positions, and be promoted based on their own merits.

Or when they pass away or resign, they can go further through the shadow.

This is not difficult to see from Kou Tianci.

It can be said that Zhao Zhen liked Kou Tianci very much, but even so, he only gave Kou Tianci an official position as a prince's attendant based on Kou Ji's merits.

After Kou Ji made great achievements in the northwest and returned to the court, Zhao Zhen did not give Kou Tianci any more promotions or titles.

Instead, part of the grace was allocated to Xiang Yan and Kou Li.

After Zhao Zhen's decree reached outside the altar, there was a lot of wailing.

But no one at the altar cared.

The Minister of Etiquette stood on the stone steps at the altar and announced the salute.

The great Confucian scholars stood under the altar to greet Zhao Zhen respectfully, holding the sacrificial inscriptions they had prepared.

The civil and military ministers were divided into three groups, followed by Lu Yijian, Kou Ji, and a royal clan member.

Zhao Zhen, wearing a uniform, stood at the front.

"The Ritual Ceremony Begins..."

When the Minister of Rites pronounced these three words.

Zhao Zhen led the civil and military officials and relatives of the emperor to the altar.

Zhao Zhen offered incense, and civil and military officials and relatives of the emperor kowtowed.

Zhao Zhen presented three livestock, five grains, civil and military officials and relatives of the emperor before paying homage.

Afterwards, Zhao Zhen took Lu Yijian and Kou Ji to the altar.
To be continued...