Chapter 4999: Put down your posture
Xu Jingzong looked at Cen Changqian with a smile: "Changqian is talented and intelligent and has a well-established family background. A title on the gold list is not a problem. Maybe the ranking in the imperial examination is unpredictable, but she is a sure winner in the rites examination."
Cen Changqian said humbly: "The younger generation is less talented and less knowledgeable. How dare we underestimate the heroes of the world? The road to the imperial examination is just about trying your best. No matter where you go, you should not be complacent or arrogant. You should study diligently, work tirelessly, and study wholeheartedly."< br>
These words were humble and low-key, and Xu Jingzong pointed at Cen Changqian, smiled at Fang Jun and said: "Young people should be arrogant, full of energy, and scornful of all directions, but this kid is old-fashioned and mature. It's not good, no OK.”
Fang Jun doesn't want to pay attention to him at all. Are you as devoid of emotional intelligence as you are?
This king has profound qualifications, outstanding talents, and amazing knowledge. However, as a minister of Emperor Taizong's late residence, his official career has always been wasted because of his excessive greed for money and low emotional intelligence.
Being able to laugh at Ouyang Xun's ugly appearance at the funeral of Queen Wende is something a normal person can do?
Fang Jun ignored Xu Jingzong and asked Cen Changqian: "Where are you going?"
"Students need to issue written directions when returning to their hometowns to avoid being questioned by officials on the way. Li Siye invited officials from Jingzhao Mansion to the academy and worked on site behind the building under the mountain gate to facilitate the students. The students are here to help.”
Fang Jun nodded: "Then let's go. Be careful when you return to your hometown. In the middle of winter, the ancient Shangyu Road is difficult to travel because of the thick snow, so don't be careless."
"Well, students say goodbye."
Looking at Cen Changqian's back, Fang Jun said: "Li Jingxuan has extraordinary talents and extensive connections. He is a promising person."
Xu Jingzong stroked his beard and said: "This academy will nourish the career of countless people, but Li Jingxuan and others may not follow our path."
The two walked slowly side by side.
Fang Jun understood what Xu Jingzong meant. Li Jingxuan was born in the Li family of Zhao County, a well-established Confucian family. Although he served in the academy, it was contrary to the disciplines and concepts taught by the academy.
Fang Jun said: "Don't be either/or. Although the academy teaches various scientific subjects, it does not reject Confucianism. On the contrary, Confucianism is the best for moral cultivation, tempering of human nature, and universal values. If you only study science, If you are not familiar with Confucianism, it will be superficial and technical, and it is not a good thing to pay too much attention to interests. On the contrary, Confucian students can also learn our arithmetic, physics, and medicine. ”
The most perfect education is one that is based on Confucianism and supplemented by science. The most perfect official has a moral character infiltrated by Confucianism and superb scientific skills.
Xu Jingzong didn't quite understand: "But now the Confucianists have already sharpened their swords and want to severely damage the academy students in this year's imperial examination!"
Fang Jun asked curiously: "Aren't you a Confucian?"
Xu Jingzong said proudly: "My Gaoyang Xu family is from a family of metaphysics!"
Fang Jun was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized.
Xu Xun, the seventh generation ancestor of Xu Jingzong, was a famous scholar in the Wei and Jin Dynasties and a master of metaphysics. He was talented and knowledgeable, and his poems were beautiful. What is most talked about by later generations is that he had an irreversible friendship with Wang Xizhi, and he once participated in the imperial examination with Wang Xizhi. Adding "Lanting Xiuye", at that time Wang Xizhi wrote the "Preface to the Lanting Collection" in running script, which is the best in the world. The forty-one people sitting on the left and right are all famous people in the world, and Xu Xun was among them...
Looking at Xu Jingzong's actions in history, although he did not commit any serious crimes, they were indeed incompatible with and even ran counter to Confucian teachings. Although many of his deeds can be certified as smearing him in the later period, they were unfaithful and unfilial. There is almost no shortage of Confucian taboos such as unkindness and unrighteousness.
This is a model who values interests over moral character.
Fang Jun didn't care if he still became a treacherous minister, and said calmly: "So your burden will not be light in the future. Everyone in this academy will be your disciples, and they will naturally become your strongest backing in the future. But as the saying goes, what you take in advance must be given in advance." It's there Now, you must do your best to protect these disciples. You have been in the academy for a long time, and you know these disciples very well. You should know what outstanding talents they are, and every loss of one is an immeasurable loss. ”
Although he now has a high status and military power, it is not easy for him to interfere too much in civil affairs, which can easily backfire. There are two officials, Ma Zhou and Xu Jingzong, one good and one evil, taking care of these academy students. If there are no omissions, it will take twenty years to consolidate the foundation of natural science and make it mutually reinforcing and inclusive with Confucianism, and then it will be done.
Xu Jingzong didn't quite understand Fang Jun's deepest plan, but he had already boarded Fang Jun's ship, and the two had the same interests, so he naturally understood the reason. He nodded solemnly and said: "Don't worry, Lieutenant. Although I have many difficulties, Criticisms continue, but the aspect of protecting the calf has never changed! Since these students are my disciples, I naturally treat them as my sons!”
After making an impassioned expression, he turned around and saw Fang Jun looking at him with playful eyes. His heart trembled and he suddenly woke up. He didn't know what to say, so he could only smile awkwardly.
Having said that, he really doesn't have the demeanor of a "loving father" when it comes to his children...
"Erlang's original advice to Emperor Taizong to establish Zhenguan Academy was indeed far-sighted. It cultivated the world's talents into practical talents, in sharp contrast to those boastful and useless Confucian disciples. Because of this, the empire prospered and China prospered. A hundred years later, it is not impossible for Erlang’s name to stand alongside Confucius and Mencius, and to be worthy of the Imperial Ancestral Temple!”
As an elder, a minister of Emperor Taizong's late residence, and the current Minister of Rites, Xu Jingzong was not at all conceited. When he complimented Fang Jun, he was full of flattery and had no bottom line. He even said "worthy of enjoying the Imperial Ancestral Temple."
Fang Jun couldn't stand it anymore, so he glared and said, "How can you say these words? It's like what many ministers in the court said, 'The Xu Yan clan has the image of a traitor!'"
Unexpectedly, Xu Jingzong did not feel dissatisfied at all, but smiled and said: "Loyalty, treachery, good and evil are nothing more than the lies of the world. They are all appearances and it is difficult to see the true heart. Your Fang Erlang has never been criticized as a 'sycophant' by the imperial officials? You?" We are like-minded and should work together to move forward, haha! ”
Fang Jun was speechless.
Therefore, even the treacherous ministers who are famous throughout the ages have superhuman abilities themselves. Regardless of Xu Jingzong's talents, his mentality of doing things in front of others and entertaining himself with humor is far beyond that of many people who claim to be upright officials.
*****
The entire Tang Dynasty was rejoicing for the upcoming imperial examination, but there was a gloomy atmosphere in Zongzheng Temple.
Li Xiaogong's body became more and more fat, and his spirit became more and more depressed. He was sitting there in a bloated robe, his eyes seemed to be open and closed, and he said nothing.
Li Yuanjia took a sip of tea and said: "Li Shenfu has been executed secretly. More than ten people were executed together with him, and more than twenty people were deprived of absolute and fiefdoms... After this incident, the clan suffered heavy losses and its vitality was severely damaged. Fei Er It cannot be recovered in ten years.”
Zongzheng Shaoqing Li Xiaoyi wiped his face, sighed heavily, and said helplessly: "Your Majesty has forgiven you many times before, but he has no loyalty, is unsatisfied, is unfaithful and unjust, and digs his own grave. What can be done about it?" ?”
From the time when Emperor Taizong first expressed his intention to change the throne during the Zhenguan period, the clan became involved. Later, when Li Chengqian ascended the throne and encountered a mutiny, the clan became involved in causing trouble. There were two mutinies in a row, and there were many participants in the clan.
But His Majesty knows that the clan is the cornerstone of the empire and is not easily broken, so he endures it again and again. However, these people are stubborn and have finally led to today's situation...
Li Shenfu was his uncle. Dozens of his family members, old and young, were executed. Only a few children under five years old and some female relatives were left. Their titles were taken away, their fiefdoms were abolished, and the whole family was expelled from the prince's palace to live outside the city. , this branch is completely in decline, with almost no hope of rising.
Even his branch was implicated. Fortunately, His Majesty was generous and did not pursue the matter, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable...
Li Yuanjia shook his head and said: "The matter has come to this, and it is useless to regret. We who are in charge of the clan have the responsibility to revitalize the clan. We should plan good strategies to deal with the crisis. If the clan is weak, the country will be unstable. How will we meet Emperor Gaozu under Jiuquan in the future? , Taizong?”
"If the King of Han has any good ideas, you might as well tell them all, and I will naturally help you with all my strength."
After hearing Li Xiaoyi's statement, Li Yuanjia looked at Li Xiaogong.
The latter raised his eyelids, then lowered them, and said feebly: "If you have any last resort, please tell me."
Li Yuanjia said: "First, we advise Your Majesty to allow the descendants of the clan to participate in the imperial examination and serve as officials."
Li Xiaoyi frowned: "How can this be done? Although the imperial examination has been decreed as the only way to become an official, the highest official rank awarded is only six or seven grades. He has no real power in any yamen. After more than ten years of hard work, he cannot reach the third grade. What's the point of being a high official? We can't afford to wait! Your Majesty should still be appointed to the official position. Such a high position can still maintain the foundation of the clan."
Although students all over the world took the imperial examination as the only way to become an official, the clan was an exception. Children of the clan could hold official positions by order of the emperor.
Li Yuanjia said: "But to become an official by His Majesty's order, you must either be in a special government office such as Zongzheng Temple, or in a clan territory such as the Yulin Army. But if you want to occupy real power in various government offices, you must take the imperial examination."
< br>
An official appointed by decree may be of noble birth, but if he is incompetent, who among the yamen will take you seriously? Although the royal family is famous, the children of other aristocratic families are not much different!
What's more, it is very likely to be tricked to death by those human spirits...
Only by growing up step by step through the imperial examination can one cultivate one's own abilities, occupy real power, and in turn boost the clan's heritage.
This will be a long and difficult process that cannot be accomplished overnight.
Li Xiaoyi pondered for a moment, looked at Li Xiaogong and asked, "What do you think, Brother Wang?"
Li Xiaogong was noncommittal: "How about the second one?"
Li Yuanjia said: "Second, send all the children of the appropriate age in the clan to Zhenguan Academy, choose subjects according to their interests and talents, enter the school and study intensively, put down your stature, and start from the bottom." Li Xiaoyi was speechless. It is to completely decentralize the clan's children. They will no longer have the noble status of being at the top, but will start from the bottom...