Emperor Zhengde

Chapter 123: Guarding the house for you Jiangnan nobles?
Zhu Houzhao is very satisfied with the current development model of the Ming Dynasty.

The Kaocheng System revitalized the Ming Dynasty's civil service, curbed political corruption in the empire, and laid the foundation for further reforms in the future.

At the same time, the establishment of Imperial University of Peking gave new ideas and new disciplines the opportunity to germinate.

Zhu Houzhao even wanted to further expand the Imperial University of Peking. Before opening the military academy, he wanted to send a group of children of nobles to the Imperial University of Peking for cultural education, which could also make up for the shortage of students at the Imperial University of Peking.

The children of nobles do not have to take the imperial examinations, so naturally they will not object to going to the Imperial University to learn other knowledge. Moreover, they are a group of people whose interests are closely related to those of the emperor. There is no reason not to let them become useful talents instead of playboys.

However, just when Zhu Houzhao was fantasizing about making the Imperial University of Peking a truly comprehensive university in the future, Wang Ao's memorial requesting him to hold an imperial lecture and to demolish the Imperial University of Peking was placed in front of his desk.

After Zhu Houzhao saw the memorial, he threw it in front of the cabinet chief Ma Wensheng and others and said, "What does Wang Ao want to do? Does he want me to be the top scholar in the imperial examination or to become a saint? He even thought of holding a lecture every five days! How is your cabinet going to draft it?"

Ma Wensheng, the chief minister of the cabinet, knew that Zhu Houzhao would be angry because of Wang Ao's memorial. In fact, he himself could not accept Wang Ao's request for the emperor to hold the imperial lecture, and to hold it every five days. He also knew that Wang Ao was definitely using the imperial lecture to manipulate the emperor and force him to follow the orthodox Confucian education and be manipulated by their clean officials.

Ma Wensheng originally thought that Wang Ao would be as honest as before and would only study and not interfere in state affairs. However, he did not expect that Wang Ao would seize power as soon as he arrived. He wanted to seize the power to contact the emperor, and his reason was very legitimate. That is, the emperor needed imperial lectures, needed to read, and because of his young age, he had to attend imperial lectures frequently.

This was undoubtedly an open conspiracy to seize power, but precisely because of this, even cabinet ministers such as Ma Wensheng were unable to stop it, because they could not say that the emperor did not need to read or hold imperial lectures.

"This is a matter for your Majesty. We do not know how to make a decision, so please make the decision yourself!"

Xu Jin, who was on duty, said something at this time, and his meaning was very clear. This was your own business, Emperor. We did not draft the memorial and gave it to you. Let your emperor decide whether to listen to the advice of the clean officials or continue to rely on the dirty officials.

However, in order to make Zhu Houzhao realize the importance of this lecture, Xu Jin added: "But I think Wang Ao also wants Your Majesty to become a sage monarch, so he should often hold lectures to bring peace to the world!"

"An who? An Rulin's heart? Does Wang Ao want me to become Jianwen?"

Zhu Houzhao said this directly, and Xu Jin was so frightened that his face turned pale. He hurriedly saluted and said, "Your Majesty, Wang Aodang has no such thoughts! It's just, it's just..."

"Just what?" Zhu Houzhao asked with a smile, and then said: "Since he wants to teach me, I will also fulfill his wish. I will say that I am too busy, so there is no need for face-to-face teaching. Let him write down the content of his teaching every day in a memorial, which must not be less than 10,000 words! The Tongzhengsi will submit it to me, and I will read it carefully. If I have any questions, I will summon him to answer them! Every day, I want him to study hard! Study every day!"

Zhu Houzhao also knew that Wang Ao wanted to hold the imperial lecture just to control him, but would he, Zhu Houzhao, be easily controlled by others?

Since Wang Ao wanted him to study the classics, Zhu Houzhao simply used the excuse that he was too busy and asked Wang Ao to write the contents of the classics in a memorial. He would then study on his own in the palace and summon Wang Ao when he had any questions. Of course, no one knew whether Zhu Houzhao would read it or not.

Moreover, Zhu Houzhao was even more diligent, asking you, Wang Ao, to write imperial lecture articles every day, and to update them 10,000 times a day! It was even more tiring than the authors of Qidian in later generations!
Xu Jin did not expect Zhu Houzhao to come up with such an idea. He admired the emperor's wit and wanted to laugh. At the same time, he wondered how Wang Ao would feel when he knew it. He had to write an article for the imperial lecture every day, and write 10,000 words. This would be exhausting!
But at this time, Ma Yongcheng, the eunuch commander of the East Factory, came running over and said, "Your Majesty! Just now, someone from below reported that Wang Ao went to the Imperial University of Peking and said that he wanted to persuade the teachers and students of the Imperial University of Peking to withdraw and demolish the Imperial University of Peking!"

"What! What on earth does Wang Ao want to do? It's not enough for him to control me, he also wants to destroy the hope of my Ming Dynasty! Go to the Imperial University immediately!"

Zhu Houzhao said this and left the Forbidden City.

……

At this time, Wang Ao did come to the Imperial University of Peking. As a disciple of Confucianism, he could not tolerate the existence of something like the Imperial University of Peking.

As soon as he arrived at the Imperial University and saw the statues of ancient and modern celebrities carved on the screen wall, Wang Ao denounced them directly:

"How ridiculous! How ridiculous! How can these warriors and craftsmen be listed alongside the statue of the most holy teacher Confucius! What qualifications do they have! And this Huang Dao Po, she is just a village woman, and even a person who rebelled against her husband! How can she be listed alongside our most holy teacher! And how can Li Qingzhao and Xie Daoyun be listed alongside Li Bai, Du Fu, Su Shi and Xin Qiji? Don't they know that a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent! Ridiculous! Really ridiculous!"

"Mr. Wang, you don't know that there is something even more ridiculous than this. His Majesty personally teaches students, and there are businessmen teaching Jinshi how to do abacus. Tell me, doesn't this mess up the order?" At this time, Hanlin editor Yan, who came with Wang Ao, echoed.

"Not only that, I heard that the Imperial University of Peking does not distinguish between the high and the low. The emperor sits with the court officials and students, arguing with each other, and even the Jinshi scholars bow to the eunuch Qiu Ju. What's worse, these Jinshi scholars of the Imperial University of Peking now learn horse riding, archery and swordsmanship every day, but do not study the Four Books. Tell me, this Imperial University of Peking is simply heresy!" Zhuang Zhongyun also echoed. "Scholars learning martial arts, isn't this putting the cart before the horse! It seems that this Imperial University of Peking really needs to be demolished! And it must be demolished immediately!"

As Wang Ao was speaking, Yan Song arrived with two students from the Imperial University, Zhang Cong and Xia Yan, and greeted Wang Ao: "Greetings, Minister Wang. The chief priest is currently re-grading the bamboo, so he cannot come. I hope you will forgive me. I wonder why you suddenly visited the Imperial University?"

Wang Ao ignored Yan Song and asked directly, "Who among you are the newly-appointed Jinshi Xia Yan and Zhang Cong?"

At this time, Zhang Cong and Xia Yan stood up: "The student is Zhang Cong\Xia Yan!"

"You are also successful candidates in the imperial examinations, and brothers of Confucius and Mencius. You hang out with these merchants, doctors, and eunuchs all day long, and you are not afraid of tarnishing the reputation of your own family!
I have already submitted a petition to the imperial court, urging it to demolish this Imperial University which is violating social order, being disrespectful to laws and respecting Confucianism!

Now I will give you two chances. If you are willing, please leave the Imperial University. I can let you, Zhang Cong and Xia Yan, go to Jiangnan to be county magistrates. In one or two years, you will be transferred back to Beijing to take important positions. But if you are unwilling, don’t blame me for being rude. I will send you to Guangxi, Yunnan and Guizhou! Don’t even think about coming to Beijing for the rest of your life! "

Wang Ao came today to persuade Xia Yan and Zhang Cong to leave. He was the Minister of Personnel and had the power to manage low-level officials. Therefore, he wanted to use coercion and inducement to make Zhang Cong and Xia Yan, the only students of the Imperial University, leave first.

If the Imperial University of Peking were to lose its students, it would naturally be easier to find a way to destroy it.

At this time, Xia Yan directly said: "Why go to Jiangnan? To guard the house for you Jiangnan nobles?"

Xia Yan was known for his outspokenness in history. After having stayed in the Imperial University for a long time, he naturally understood the thoughts of Wang Ao and others more clearly, so he retorted to Wang Ao without any hesitation.

Wang Ao was so angry that he didn't say anything. At this time, Yan Hanlin started to scold him: "How dare you speak like that! Who are you? You should know who our Mr. Wang is! I will give you one more chance to answer Mr. Wang's questions again!"

Yan Song and Xia Yan were political enemies in the original history, but at this moment, he admired Xia Yan very much and praised him in his heart: "He is worthy of being my fellow countryman!"

However, although Yan Song admired Xia Yan's courage to confront Wang Ao, as the Dean of the Imperial University, he still took the initiative to persuade him:
"Minister Wang, please don't be angry. The students below are rude. It is my fault for not teaching them well. I hope you will forgive me! In addition, this Imperial University was built by the decree of His Majesty, and they were also recruited by His Majesty. If Minister Wang really wants to transfer them, he must first wait for His Majesty's approval."

Snapped!
At this time, Wang Ao slapped Yan Song directly. He was already angry because the Imperial University did not respect Confucianism alone and had no moral principles and etiquette. Now he was even more criticized by Xia Yan. Now Yan Song used the emperor to pressure him, which made him even more angry, so he slapped him directly.

At the same time, he also wanted to suppress the arrogance of the teachers and students of the Imperial University by beating Yan Song, and at the same time force the two students of the Imperial University to leave the Imperial University on their own initiative!

"Yan Song! You are also a Jinshi who passed the imperial examination twice. Why did you also degenerate and deceive His Majesty together with Wang Shouren to build this heretical school? You even actively seduced His Majesty and flattered His Majesty. I have long wanted to get rid of you and other treacherous officials. Now, giving you a slap is too light! Sooner or later, I will dismiss you from office and let you return to your hometown to serve the people!"

Wang Ao scolded Yan Song.

Yan Song didn't expect that he would be slapped like this!

But he knew that this was not just a slap in the face to him, but also a slap in the face to Imperial University of Peking and His Majesty.

But Yan Song also knew that he could do nothing now, but the only thing he was sure of was that Wang Ao was determined to destroy Imperial University!
"presumptuous!"

Zhu Houzhao happened to arrive at the Imperial University at this time and saw Wang Ao beating Yan Song. He could not help but shout loudly and came over to ask Wang Ao, asking solemnly, "Which hand did you use to hit him?"

"Your Majesty, I am your master!"

Wang Ao was obviously used to being a teacher, so when he saw Zhu Houzhao questioning him so harshly, he found it a little hard to accept and hurriedly gave a reminder.

"I ask you, which hand did you use to hit me?"

It will be on the shelves at 12 o'clock tonight, and three chapters will be updated at that time. I hope book friends will subscribe to support it! Please make the first order! Please go to Qidian Chinese website to download the Qidian Reading APP to subscribe and support! Thank you! Your support determines how far this book can go, and I am very grateful! There will be two more chapters updated tomorrow during the day! If the results are good, there will be more updates! In addition, the author is typing now, damn, it’s so cold!
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(End of this chapter)