Chapter 1884 The battle of ideas
Zhang Xingcheng was sweating!
How could he not know that he was acting against the emperor's will? How could he not know that the emperor was furious and that he was about to face a violent storm?
However, as a Confucian student, you must stick to your own orthodoxy!
As a child of a Shandong family, you must stick to your position!
"Your Majesty has learned clearly, Confucius said: If you don't learn etiquette, you can't stand up. What is 'ritual'? Etiquette means respecting others, and people who respect others will always respect them. Nowadays, Silla is in civil strife, and its queen is helpless, so she turns to the Tang Dynasty for help. Offering the country to Zuo to express his sincerity is certainly a sincere move, but if our Tang Dynasty accepts it happily, how can we take advantage of others? What's the difference between danger and etiquette? Morality and righteousness cannot be achieved without propriety; teaching the right customs cannot be done without propriety. The Tang Dynasty is so powerful that it is respected all over the world. It should use etiquette and morality to overwhelm everyone. It is said by Zhi that if one behaves rudely, he will be punished by himself. This is what he means! ”
After saying this, he stood up and left the table, bowing his head to the ground.
His Majesty Li Er's nose is almost crooked with anger!
Doing too many rude things will lead to self-defeat?
If you do too many rude things, will it inevitably bring disaster to yourself?
What a bastard!
A common man only knows how to cling to the views of his ancestors and cling to the old, open his mouth and shut up to say "Confucius said" and "poetry clouds", does not understand how to advance with the times, and is unwilling to reform and innovate, what a rotten scholar!
His Majesty Li Er scolded with a dark face: "Are you cursing Li Tang?"
Zhang Xingcheng was startled, quickly bowed to the ground, and defended loudly: "How dare you, a humble minister? I just made a slip of the tongue and offended your majesty. I hope your majesty will convict you of it! I can learn from the sun and the moon about my loyalty and I am willing to overcome all obstacles for your majesty's great cause." I am willing to fight for the prosperity of the empire forever!”
Lying on the ground, Zhang Xingcheng was so regretful that he almost wanted to give himself a slap in the face!
Why do you speak so carelessly and say nonsense like "If you do too much rudeness, you will be punished for it"?
It seems that I am really not a person for officialdom. I am full of poems and classics, but when it comes to conspiracy and sophistry in the court, I have nowhere to show my skills...
At the same time, he also had questions in his mind that could not be answered - why since the Han Dynasty "deposed hundreds of schools of thought and respected Confucianism alone", Confucianism, which has always been unfavorable in the minds of emperors of all dynasties, has not been favored by Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty and His Majesty today. How about waiting for the king to be abandoned and looked down upon?
Confucianism mainly advocates etiquette. The so-called etiquette means that there should be distinctions between elders, superiority and inferiority, and distinctions between high and low. If these hierarchical orders can be clearly distinguished, and everyone can do things within their own level. , This can promote the development of a country and will not cause chaos. Therefore, monarchs, ministers, fathers and sons have become the most ideal social state in the minds of Confucians. If this social phenomenon is violated, then a corresponding price must be paid. This is the best way of management. .
Such a doctrine is like a lifeblood for those who want to maintain orthodoxy! As for the common people, it is just that "the Confucian ancestors have taught it hundreds of millions of times, their fathers and teachers have followed it and educated them, and the young people who are deaf can hear it", "ten thousand people have the same word", and "the same thing for thousands of years". "And do it", naturally the rivers and seas will be united, and the emperors will govern the world. They can be compared to the three emperors in governing the world and shining through the ages...
But why didn't these talented and powerful emperors just listen?
On the side, how could Changsun Wuji miss such a good opportunity?
He immediately stood up and left the table, paid homage and started to chant: "Your Majesty, the barbarians are afraid of power but not virtuous. This is called vulgarity and lack of knowledge of civilization. Your servant's intention to transform the barbarians into kings is like playing the harp to an ox, which a wise man cannot do. Why. The Tang Dynasty relied on the advantage of the military revolution to dominate the world, so the barbarians surrendered and flocked to it. The famous officials of the two Jin Dynasties became popular, and their poems and writings were popular for centuries. However, in the end, it was the barbarians who went south to wreak havoc. The Central Plains and Chi County of China are full of fishy smell. Therefore, if our Tang Dynasty wants to dominate the world and prosper for a century, we must be light on culture and emphasize military force. We must always be prepared for war and strengthen our troops. Please do not neglect your Majesty! Those who put the swords and guns in Nanshan into the treasury and can calm the world with only benevolence are really harboring evil intentions and are suspected of trying to overthrow the Tang Dynasty. I hope your majesty will see clearly and punish them severely!"
Most of the ministers in the palace nodded in agreement.
The Tang Dynasty established its country by force and coerced the barbarians. Naturally, it had to maintain its martial style. If it turned to civil rule and restrained the barbarians with benevolence, justice and morality... Not to mention that the barbarians would not listen at all, what about the vast majority of ministers and generals in the hall who started their careers with force? To ensure their own interests?
If Fang Jun were here, he would probably give Changsun Wuji a thumbs up immediately!
Confucianism is no longer the thought of the "Great Revenge" led by Dong Zhongshu in the early Han Dynasty. The radical doctrines of the "Gongyang School" led by Dong Zhongshu have all declined, and what has emerged in their place is "monarchy." There are no restrictions, there are differences between high and low", playing the "Guliang School" of "the king, the king, the minister, the father, the son," and "the king wants the minister to die, the minister has to die"...
History has proven that without the radical idea of "great revenge", Confucianism, which emphasizes "clan friendship" and "relative privacy", will not only cultivate generations of powerful clans in the fish and meat village, but also make infinite compromises with the outside world!
What is a barbarian?
You're just a beast with two legs. You can't have a beast bite you and you have to go back, right?
If so, what is the difference between humans and animals?
We have the beauty of uniforms, which is called Hua, and the greatness of etiquette, so we call it Xia. We close the door to "close relatives and hide each other". We have a harmonious society. The Holy Emperor rules from the top of the arch. The return of the Three Kings is just around the corner. Why bother with the barbarians who drink blood from their hair?
Those barbarians don't know etiquette and shame, so why should we be like them?
If they call over, just give a woman a hand in marriage. If that doesn't work, give them some gold and silver. It's better than having to fight with the barbarians for your life, right?
It's totally unnecessary...
This is the orthodox thought of Confucianism after the Han Dynasty.
Generation after generation, the martial arts of the Han family were gradually corroded, and the ambitions and pride of the descendants of Yan and Huang were castrated!
Therefore, even though the Central Plains dynasty prospered several times and ranked first in the world, Wei Qing, who "attacked the Dragon City, recaptured Heshuo, made a surprise attack on Gaoque, and swept Mobei" was no longer seen, let alone "Zhiqu fortress, Guang Henan, and Qilian". , connected to the Western Kingdom, conquered the Northern Hu, chased the North, and sealed the wolf to live in Xu" Huo Qubing!
Changsun Wuji certainly represents the interests of the Guanlong nobles, but in the general direction of national development, it is an extremely bright road.
Of course, the selfish nature of the family members makes them only care about the present and themselves, and will not care about the family, the world, and the inheritance of the nation. Once the situation is crisis, they will cause civil war and bring disaster to the world...
Zhang Xingcheng trembled, took off the crown on his head, bowed to the ground, and said in a hoarse voice: "I dare not defend myself for the death penalty of a minor minister, but your majesty is the one who makes the final decision without any complaints!"
Who is Changsun Wuji?
That was the emperor's brother-in-law, a man who once fought side by side with the emperor, was close to him, and obeyed his every word!
Even though he is alienated from him now, the influence of the Guanlong nobles behind him is enough to force the emperor to make a decision against his will!
What's more, Changsun Wuji's accusation is too serious!
To harbor evil intentions and subvert the country? !
In the entire feudal society, this is the bottom line that no one can touch, and whoever touches it will die!
If there are other charges, the emperor may order a supervisor to investigate strictly, but when it comes to the country, it doesn't matter whether there is evidence or not, as long as the emperor thinks you have it, he will be killed without mercy!
It involves the throne of the country, the ancestral temple and the country. No matter how kind the emperor is, he will never tolerate it!
At this point, the original dispute over interests has turned into a battle over etiquette.
This is a battle of life and death!
Zhang Xingcheng can only express his strength and determination in this way, and he will never give in!
Either the emperor chooses Changsun Wuji, or the Guanlong nobles behind him.
Or, support Zhang Xingcheng and the Shandong family behind him.
However, this does not seem to be a difficult choice...
His Majesty Li Er's face was as sinking as water. He only hesitated for a few breaths and then said in a deep voice: "Your right servant shot Zhang Xingcheng. He is seriously ill and has a weak energy. He is unable to handle the complicated government affairs. He is allowed to return to his hometown after serving as an official and to take good care of his body." ... All the ministers and ministers of the Political Affairs Hall, please propose the candidate for your right servant later and discuss it in the court hall."
Zhang Xingcheng felt sad.
Sure enough...
How can the Shandong family compare to the influence of the Guanlong nobles?
No matter how strong your Majesty's determination is to suppress the clan, he will never be able to insist on refuting Changsun Wuji under such circumstances.
It's just a pity that I, the right servant of Shangshu who was promoted by the entire Shandong family, didn't even sit for a year, and was "returned to his hometown" to live in old age...
Of course, he also understood that if the emperor really wanted to wipe out the Shandong family, then he would not be "returning to his hometown" at this moment. Instead, he would order the Third Law Division to conduct a thorough review of himself.
Even though it fell into the dust for a while, the Shandong family still has a chance... Maybe the emperor in front of him is fierce and powerful, and he can swallow thousands of miles like a tiger, but the prince is elegant. After taking office, he may focus on internal affairs and relax his martial arts. By then, maybe it will be When the Shandong family rises!
(End of chapter)