Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 379: The Emperor's Feet
I originally wanted to leave Qufu and live in the capital, but now it seems that it was a very wrong decision.

For a long time, the Kong family has been invincible.

There are powerful ministers in the court and the emperor is weak. The Confucius family represents a steady stream of new forces in Confucianism, which can help the emperor hold on to power.

The emperor was powerful and wanted to carry out drastic reforms to enrich the country. The Confucius family could rely on the interests of Confucianism represented by officials and gentry in the court and the country, so there were always upright ministers who dared to speak out and make suggestions.

The basis for this is naturally the official status of Confucianism and the fact that the Ming Dynasty was governed by scholar-officials.

Now this situation has already had a big crack because the emperor is too powerful.

He achieved astonishing military achievements, and used political tactics to transform the court from the original cabinet and six ministries into the future one room and seven courtyards.

The eunuchs did not abuse their power, the Jinyiwei were not overbearing, and the court and the people were respectful to them.

These are all fine. What makes many people feel at a loss about the future is the emperor's achievements in scholarship and the changes in Confucianism.

This private land of the literati and officials was now being manipulated by the emperor and was increasingly becoming his own.

"This is the result of Duke Yansheng's years of intensive study of the theory of investigating things and seeking knowledge."

In the Taichang Temple, Li Tingji took out three thin volumes in front of the Taichang scholar.

Among the scholars of Taichang were Dong Qichang, Chen Jiru, Zhang Jian, Jiao Hong, Lu Kun, and Xu Guangqi.

Li Zhi has passed away, and the biggest "heretic" is no longer in the Taichang Temple, but now there are more and more "heretics".

In other words, those who are still unwilling to admit that "the sages do not have to be the most holy and the classics do not have to be the most truthful" are heretics.

Now, Confucius' descendants have also brought out the results of his research on the theory of investigating things and seeking knowledge.

"Duke Yansheng devoted his life to studying the Way of the Great Learning. The Way of the Great Learning is to manifest the Bright Virtue, to be close to the people, and to stop at the highest good." Li Tingji looked around at everyone, "Ming means to shine. Shining in all directions is called Ming. Bright virtue is brilliant, like the sun and the moon in the sky. What puzzled Duke Yansheng throughout his life was how to manifest the Bright Virtue so as to be selfless and desireless."

"First, your Majesty awakened the deaf and dumb, and explored the way of change through the theory of the study of things and the extension of knowledge, and understood the opportunity of the transformation of the contradiction between yin and yang. In the battle in the northern border, if we say that the Ming Dynasty started the war as a hegemony, then the Tongliao Alliance fully demonstrated the kingly way. The sincere submission of all ethnic groups, isn't it the wonderful transformation of contradictions and the result of the change of the times? So this achievement is still in the word contradiction."

"The Duke of Yansheng has just realized that selfishness and desires are just like contradictions, which will last forever. The sun and the moon shine on all directions, and there are also yin and yang. The theory of knowing things through investigation is not to avoid selfishness and contradictions. When applied to state affairs, it means to stop war with war and to practice the kingly way with hegemony. This is because the contradictions among our internal and external tribes are also eternal, and each has its own selfish desires. To achieve the kingly way and educate the people inside and outside, we must eventually break this deadlock. This is called planning by people, which promotes the transformation of the times, just as the scorching sun has no pity on the winter snow, and the cold wind has no pity on the grass and trees. Between the withering and flourishing, life and growth are hidden."

"By extension, the theory of "investigating things to extend knowledge" is actually a method to manifest the bright virtue. It should be understood that the bright virtue is not selfless and desireless, but actually strives to illuminate all directions and be close to the people and do good. To manifest the bright virtue, one must first obtain its method. Duke Yansheng believed that the theory of "investigating things to extend knowledge" does not avoid selfish desires and does not shy away from contradictions. Its lofty intention is like the sun and the moon in the sky. It is indeed a brilliant avenue, a wonderful method of studying, and also the ultimate principle for conducting oneself in the world."

"Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, you have resolved the dangers of party disputes, solved the difficulties of the royal family, and relieved the financial difficulties. Externally, you have defeated powerful enemies on all sides, eliminated the treacherous traitors, and won the hearts of all ethnic groups. In the past ten years, the Ming Dynasty has laid the foundation for a prosperous and rejuvenated era. Duke Yansheng sighed that Your Majesty has not only achieved the unity of knowledge and action of Duke Yangming, but also the principles of understanding the essence and applying it, and studying things to gain knowledge. The Holy Son of Heaven is above, he has lived in the capital for ten years, and finally gained some knowledge. He wrote these three volumes to present to the emperor for his review, and he smiled and said goodbye to return to his hometown. Your Majesty praised it repeatedly."

Li Tingji said so much in one breath, and everyone felt different after hearing his words.

Did Kong Shangxian really like to stay in the capital? Their Taichang Temple was right next to the Beijing Confucius Temple where Kong Shangxian lived, and they knew it very well.

Did he really leave with a smile and return to his hometown? I'm afraid that's not necessarily the case. Those who are well-informed have already heard about what happened in Qufu.

But Li Tingji's retelling of Kong Shangxian's academic experience in the three thin volumes of Yanshenggong sounded really... quite reasonable.

It seems that the descendants of this master are no fools in terms of learning.

With the help of the Holy Emperor's theory of investigating things and seeking knowledge, he came up with his own explanation of the illustrious virtue.

Interpretation of the scriptures is very important. Now the descendants of Confucius are helping the emperor to interpret the scriptures.

Li Tingji specially invited them here today for another matter: "I read this book by Duke Yansheng, and it was like drinking sweet spring water, which opened my eyes. Looking back over the past few years, Your Majesty has vigorously promoted the style of officials and scholars, set up the Inspection Office, and sent students to supervise the school records. On the other hand, you have increased official positions, set up public funds, and rewarded honesty and employed talents. Confucianism is the basis and hundreds of schools of thought are used. There are tens of thousands of students in the Imperial College, and various provinces have set up official schools. In addition to strictly enforcing preferential treatment and exemption, you also promote learning. I only hope that the Ming Dynasty will have more and more people who are knowledgeable and sensible, and more and more people who have achieved fame and honor, the better."

He paused for a moment, and he was indeed a little emotional: "It turns out that they all face up to contradictions without avoiding selfish desires. Today, I invite all the scholars to gather together for a discussion. What do you think are the contradictions in the officialdom and scholars in the court? Which one is the main one and which one is the secondary one?"

The Taichang Temple is about to start a discussion on the primary and secondary contradictions in this regard.

Li Tingji had already gained the emperor's clear trust, and he was also very excited. He wanted to realize his ambitions in his later years and make achievements that would go down in history.

After all, this was a Taichang Restoration that was visible to the naked eye and will surely be recorded in history.

What the emperor talked about most was changing one's mind.

It is the people who propose. How far the Taichang Restoration can go naturally depends on the people, especially the very important officials and gentry of the Ming Dynasty.

Li Tingji, who had experienced ups and downs in officialdom for so many years, certainly understood that the main contradiction in the Ming Dynasty was probably the contradiction between the need for national prosperity and the selfish desires of officials and gentry.

Kong Shangxian's life-long study of the virtues of enlightenment was simply stuck on the issue of being close to the people.

He only loved the common people, not the common people.

At this time when the contents of the examinations of the provincial and imperial examinations have been changed, the Taichang Temple should promote new learning, and the Jinxian Academy should also have new standards for selecting talents, as well as for inspection and punishment.

In Jining Prefecture, Xie Tingzan used only one method to disperse the many angry students there.

That is to say, the Imperial Astronomical Observatory observed the weather and the Agricultural Research Institute observed the climate, and they were afraid that this winter would be very cold. The Caohe River froze early and thawed late.

So a large number of people scattered like birds and beasts and hurried on their way.

For them, the main contradiction now is not to miss the imperial examination.

There is a Confucius Temple in the capital city.

The rest is to continue investigating secretly.

Then he came to Yanzhou and met Xu Hongzu.

"Now that I have arrived in Yanzhou, the Kong family will not dare to act rashly." He looked at the Yanzhou prefect, "Let him follow me, no one can touch him."

After saying that, he looked at Xu Hongzu as if he were a treasure.

This look made Xu Hongzu uncomfortable.

Xie Tingzan looked at him this way because he saw the key to his official career in the second half of his life.

"Do you dare to follow me to Qufu again?"

Xu Hongzu knew that he was the Shandong Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, so he just saluted without being servile or arrogant, and then said: "I want to seek justice anyway, so why dare not?"

"Good!" Xie Tingzan clapped his hands and looked at him. "I see that you have also been educated, and it is time for you to go to school. I also heard that you are not going out to study, but just planning to travel around the world and have no intention of fame. Why did you go to Qufu?"

"I left Jiangyin, went to Zhenjiang via Caohe River, crossed the Huaiyang River, and went to Linqing before going to Jinan. After climbing Mount Tai, I planned to go to Yanzhou to see the hometown of my teacher and look for traces of Meng Mu's three moves, and then return to Jiangyin. Traveling along Caohe River is the most convenient. Mount Tai is a must-see. Yanzhou is so close to the south of Mount Tai. Since I have studied, I can naturally go and see it."

It did sound like a very natural route arrangement. Xie Tingzan was not questioning him, but was just curious: "As the saying goes, one should not travel far away while his parents are still alive. There are many scholars on Caohe who are preparing for the imperial examinations and studying abroad, but there are very few people like you who have not passed the imperial examinations and have achieved fame. You are at the age to enter school, and your parents are relieved that you are traveling alone, and they are not worried about your studies? Even if you fail the boy's examination, can't you still take the elementary school examination now?"

"... Didn't Lord Neita say that I have no ambition for fame?" "I was born in Jinxi, Jiangxi. I am very familiar with Jiangyin." Xie Tingzan asked with a smile, "What is your father's name? Are there any elders in your family? Since we are destined to be together, I am willing to help you a little."

"This is a rare opportunity!" The prefect of Yanzhou knew that Xie Tingzan wanted to win his heart first and make him willing to do things according to his orders, so he quickly chimed in, "The Minister of the Ministry of Education was the supervisor of Zhejiang's academic records, and later he was the assistant secretary of the Ministry of Education. At such a young age, with such a family background, how can he not be interested in fame and fortune!"

In their opinion, Xu Hongzu's current behavior was considered extravagant.

How could ordinary people afford such a trip for the sole purpose of traveling? When you are away from home, you have to spend money every day, right?
He was well-educated, well-spoken, rich and had a lot of fun, and was born in Changzhou, a wealthy city in the south of the Yangtze River where culture and education flourished.

Therefore, the image that both of them had in their minds was that of a child from a wealthy family.

The surname is Xu, maybe it has something to do with the Xu family in Songjiang? They are so close.

This was also one of the reasons why Kong didn't dare to kill him directly before.

Xu Hongzu's eyes dimmed, and then he said, "Your Excellency is right. Although my father is gone, my mother is still here, and I shouldn't travel far. But my life's interest is here, and my mother is kind and open-minded, and she encourages me to travel. Before, I only traveled to Taihu Lake. My mother saw that I was thinking about the beautiful mountains and rivers, so she prepared money for me to fulfill my wish. I left home in March, and now I should be close to Jiangyin. I'm afraid my mother is worried about me."

Then he answered Xie Tingzan's question: "My father's name is Youmian. Although he had little family wealth, he only passed down the family tradition of farming and studying. He had no interest in fame and did not make friends with the powerful. I wish to be like my father, morning in the blue sea and evening in Cangwu. This is my father's aspiration, and it is also my aspiration."

"...So you are the descendant of Xu Hengfu." Xie Tingzan was stunned. "I know your father... In the first year of Taichang, I was ordered to go south. I heard that your father and his brothers divided the family property by using the game of guessing covers, and repeatedly gave up the position of the principal wife. Dong Xiangguang and Chen Meigong, these two people respected your father very much, but I didn't expect that he has passed away..."

"...Master Dong? Master Chen?"

The prefect of Yanzhou was shocked, and the jailer who helped Xu Hongzu over was also shocked after hearing what the prefect said: This guy really has a background.

Xu Hongzu just lowered his head and said, "So Lord Neitai knows my ancestors and my father..."

"Of course I know." Xie Tingzan was also very emotional, "'I like to be quiet and free, and I am increasingly tired of the company of officials and nobles.' Before I went to Shandong, I often drank with Dong Xiangguang. He was in the Taichang Temple and envied your father very much. I heard him say that your father said that there was a misty air between your eyebrows, and you were good at reading and hospitality. You can carry on his ambitions, but he does not want you to be rich and noble. It seems that you have no intention of fame, but in fact you are filial..."

Now he knew that no support would be of any use to this young man.

After all, he is the descendant of Xu Jing and Xu Heng's father.

Xu Jing, a wealthy man from Jiangyin, traveled north with Tang Yin to take the imperial examination in the 12th year of Hongzhi. Later, the imperial examination case occurred, which affected Tang Yin for his whole life, and Xu Jing was not immune either.

After Xu Jing, the Jiangyin Xu family went from prosperity to decline and can no longer be called a wealthy family.

Xie Tingzan knew about their family because he followed Xiao Daheng to the south to investigate the big case of "pretending to be Japanese pirates to rob and destroy the grain ship"? That case involved countless gentry families in Jiangnan. As for the Xu family in Jiangyin, they were now just afraid of officialdom and kept themselves clean.

Xu Hongzu's father, Xu Youmian, lost his father at the age of eighteen. The two brothers inherited the family business and divided the property. Xu Youmian was humble in the end and only took a shabby room on a vacant land, cultivated the land by himself and enjoyed the mountains and rivers, which made the family prosperous.

Otherwise, Xu Hongzu would not dare to claim that he had a small fortune, and now he doesn't have the spare money to travel far away.

He was friends with Dong Qichang and Chen Jiru because one of them had returned to his hometown and was also passionate about literature and art, while the other had clearly stated that he would not pursue a career in imperial studies and would only study and publish books.

Xie Tingzan asked again what year his father passed away and learned that he had been dead for five years.

"It seems that you have completed your mourning period and are ready to inherit your father's ambition and travel the world." Xie Tingzan sighed, "Now that you know you are involved in a big event, you don't even try to avoid it. Are you willing to follow me to Qufu?"

"Student..." Xu Hongzu looked at the deep meaning in his eyes and suddenly hesitated. "Student's legs were almost destroyed for no reason, and I feel really unfair. Lord Neitai knows my origins, so he naturally understands that if I lose my legs, it is tantamount to killing me. According to my temper, since my legs are expected to recover, I don't need to care about it anymore. But the Lord of the Mansion has done me a favor, and I should repay him. Now listening to what Lord Neitai said, this matter... is it extremely dangerous?"

The prefect of Yanzhou immediately smiled. It seemed that what he had done was right, and the governor should be grateful to him.

"I wouldn't say he's evil, but..." Xie Tingzan paused and sighed, "Never mind, it doesn't matter whether you're here or not. If some dirty things pollute your elegant demeanor, it would be bad."

The expression of the prefect of Yanzhou froze again: Wasn't he planning to take him personally to identify and search for what exactly Kong had carried away from the Confucius Temple that made him act so arrogantly when he was caught?

"Did you really not see clearly what it was?" Xie Tingzan was just going to ask him, as long as there was a clue.

"I was only watching from the Chongsheng Temple at that time. The Kong family came from the ancestral temple in the backyard. Ordinary scholars and tourists who came to pay homage were not allowed to go to the ancestral temple. I was dozens of steps away from them, so how could I see clearly?"

"What does it look like?"

"…Put in a sedan chair, it should be just a tablet of the deity, right?" Xu Hongzu said uncertainly, "I don't understand why you took me away and sent me to the county government office without any explanation."

"Were there no other scholars or visitors in the Temple of the First Master at that time?"

Xie Tingzan thought that if Kong had been planning to do something that day that she didn't want others to see, she could have simply blocked outsiders from entering first. How could she have missed this mistake?
Xu Hongzu suddenly realized: "I waited there for two days. They said they were preparing for the autumn festival and the temple was being cleaned and tidied. Later, the temple keeper came to the inn to find me and told me I could go. So I went. I was so engrossed watching the whole way that now I think about it... I really didn't see anyone else along the way."

"..." The prefect of Yanzhou looked at him with mixed feelings.

Why do I need to think about these words now? Why didn't I say them before?
He only said that he had no achievements, was from Jiangyin, Changzhou Prefecture, and that this trip was purely for travel. But he did not say that his ancestor was Xu Jing, or that his father was friends with Dong Qichang and Chen Jiru. He also did not say that what he saw that day seemed to be the carrying of a shrine tablet, and that there was someone leading him there!

After all, I am afraid that I still cannot trust the Yanzhou prefect, and I am afraid that he and Kong are actually playing the good cop and the bad cop respectively.

Xie Tingzan also understood.

"I see. The one who needs to be so solemn, burning incense and fasting before inviting the Lord God must be the Master Lord God." Xie Tingzan is not a fool. "You are so far away, and they are so nervous. I'm afraid it's the title above."

He sneered, "A frightened bird. Who in the court or in the country doesn't know this? During the Jiajing period, the title was changed to the Most Holy Teacher, and the Kong family had some complaints. Now it seems that they just keep the old god and still honor him as the King Wenxuan. How petty."

Would the emperor really care what they called their ancestors behind closed doors? There was nothing wrong with boasting about their ancestors.

What the Kong family feared was nothing more than that others would accuse them of being disloyal and still yearning for the title of king bestowed upon them during the Yuan Dynasty.

In fact, what the emperor wanted was that Kong was smart and knew how to set an example.

As long as this was done, the emperor would not bother to interfere if they worshipped privately in the ancestral temple.

Xie Tingzan nodded: "That's enough. Now that we know it's a divine master, if it's useful in the future, we'll naturally be able to find it."

Because: Can the later generations be so unfilial as to take the initiative to destroy the ancestral tablets of their ancestors?
He looked at Xu Hongzu again and said, "I will help you deliver a letter home to Jiangyin to let you know that you are safe. Since you are not interested in fame, I don't need to encourage you to study or support you, and I don't want you to continue to get involved in this matter. However, you might as well continue to go north to the capital."

"...Going to the capital?" Xu Hongzu was a little surprised.

If you don't want him to get involved in this matter, why go to the capital?
Xie Tingzan smiled and said, "You want to travel all over the country. His Majesty has been looking for someone to do this. When it comes to selecting the right people for the right positions, no one is wiser than His Majesty. If you go to the capital, I guarantee that you will be summoned by His Majesty."

Xu Hongzu and the prefect of Yanzhou both opened their mouths wide.

Isn’t this still support?
"I know your father's deeds, so I believe that since you are dedicated to this goal, you will definitely achieve something." Xie Tingzan looked at him, "Most importantly, you are young! Little did you know that His Majesty has been looking for a geography consultant for the Institute of Research. His Majesty despises the mountains and rivers of the world and the maps of the four seas brought by Westerners. Xu Hongzu, don't you want to see the maps drawn by Westerners?"

Xu Hongzu's eyes lit up.

Xie Tingzan, who had been a secretary for so long in the central government, patiently advised: "Your Majesty has a method that combines mathematics, surveying, mapping and other sophisticated methods to produce maps that are far more accurate than the current ones. This requires a specialist, someone who can integrate several disciplines and take the trouble to personally survey the world. If you can do this, you will be the emperor's feet and the Ming Dynasty's feet in the future. Wherever you want to go, your majesty will help you go!"

(End of this chapter)