Seeing that the once-famous Molixuan Academy gradually fell silent again, the school room that was once full of books became empty, with only a few people coming to study and listen to lectures every day. In the past, he only had to go to Molixuan to give lectures, not only studying in the academy. Scholars and young students must come, and even scholars and gentry who have not studied in academies will come in droves and fill the lecture hall. [No pop-up novel website]
These pomps no longer exist. The charm of Molixuan Academy has especially faded in the past year. Most students have dropped out of school. Although a few are still persisting, they show restlessness. Every time Liu Jinshi lectures, fewer and fewer people come to listen - the local gentry and their descendants rarely show up. Although some come often, they just come to say hello and talk to him. The content of the lecture was of little interest.
Liu Dalin was very anxious - he was not anxious because his appeal was not as good as usual, but because he felt that the "sage school" here in Lingao was in decline again.
This kind of decline is not the decline caused by economic difficulties in the past. Although the county could not send out money and rice, the scholars could only live in poverty, and the children were even more miserable, but everyone's "love to learn" still gained. . More than once, Liu Dalin heard Wang Ci tell stories about a certain boy in the county who went to the fields during the day and studied while working and taking a break; a certain scholar read while herding cattle and cutting firewood... Such stories of inspiring reading. The great success of Moli Xuan Academy after its restoration shows that the majority of local students are eager to learn.
Now, this studious spirit is completely gone. All the scholars seem to have changed. They are all eager to do things and make money. Build a house, find a wife, and buy all kinds of "Australian goods". Forget about the learning of saints, and talk about "Australian learning" on weekdays.
But he really couldn't blame the Australians. Not only was the Moli Xuan Academy restored by Australians, but even the tables, chairs and benches used by the students. The Four Treasures of the Study, together with a large library of hundreds of classics and history collections, all came from "donations" from Australians.
Even the monthly allowance received by students studying here comes from the "fund" established by Australians.
In this matter, the Australians have a clear conscience - not only have they not suppressed Confucianism, but they have provided a more superior learning environment than before. It allows many students who were originally hungry and cold to concentrate on their studies without worrying about food and clothing. Providing a large number of free borrowed books is a "luxury move" that local students could not even think of in the past.
However, students are constantly losing, abandoning the knowledge of "the right way of saints". Go work for the Australians as an errand. What on earth is this for?
Liu Dalin thought about this issue for a long time. He realized that in the final analysis, this was just a result of human nature's "profit-seeking". After all, Confucian scholars are also human beings, and they cannot escape the word "human desire." Since ancient times, scholars have studied well and become officials. Most of them superficially say that they are serving the country and the people. In the final analysis, it is for one's own fame and fortune.
A scholar who lives in high places. The road to becoming an official through learning and excellence has always been bumpy. In Liu Dalin's view, this road is almost impossible in Lingao - not only is it impossible in Lingao, but the entire Qiongzhou Prefecture can embark on this road. There are only a handful of people.
However, this is always a "carp jumping over the dragon's gate" way out for scholars. Even if you can't succeed in being a scholar, you can gain the reputation of being a scholar and save two shi of food. He is considered a well-dressed figure in the countryside... In this way, people can finally grit their teeth and persevere in walking this path.
Now the Australians have given a hassle-free way to "learn well and become a scholar" - it is not even necessary to "learn well", as long as the scholars can read and write. You can find a job working for Australians and live a decent life. No matter how incompetent he was in the past, the clumsy guy who always got slapped after every boy exam is now working as a private school teacher in Fangcaodi, and he looks like a role model for others.
Everything the Australians do is closely linked to the word "profit". From the establishment of markets to attract investment at the beginning of the landing, to the subsequent clearing of land, equalizing tax burdens, and establishing the Tiandihui to help farmers... all their actions are aimed at the world. His pursuit of profit can be regarded as a model of taking advantage of the situation.
Liu Dalin secretly had a hidden worry, feeling that the Australians' hidden plot was very terrifying, but he could not produce any evidence to prove his idea. Because these people have the word "profit" in mind and are the best at using profit to guide the people, but they themselves never pursue profit. Not to mention their almost hypocritical simplicity, their daily governance is a good deed from anyone's point of view.
Suppressing bandits, carrying out disaster relief, relieving refugees, constructing water conservancy projects, building bridges and paving roads, rewarding industry and commerce, assisting farmers in farming, and running schools... These are all tasks that cost a lot of money and do not bring much profit to the court. If the local officials in the past could conscientiously do one or two things like this when they were in office - even if only one tenth or one percent of the Australians did it, it would be enough to make the people of the county burst into tears of gratitude. Not to mention that since the arrival of the Australians, almost everyone in the county, including gentry, farmers, industry and merchants, has benefited from them, and their lives are getting better day by day - but the people in this county are better off, and the Australians have also taken in a large number of refugees, allowing them to stay here Settle down, open a farm, run a workshop: let everyone have a job, food to eat, and clothing to wear. Today's Lingao "does not pick up lost things on the road and does not close the door at night" is certainly not something to talk about, but the life of the common people has never been so easy, but this is true.
Now the Australians are not only doing it in Lingao, but they are also gradually expanding to the entire Qiongzhou Prefecture - even Leizhou across the strait is gradually being affected.
Liu Dalin had read history books, so how could he not know that this was the plot of the "Wang Ba"? In fact, these days, rumors that the Australians are going to change dynasties have been circulating in the market, and even among the gentry in the county, they are semi-open mention.
Liu Dalin always has an attitude of not participating or commenting on such conversations - in fact, he is very conflicted about Australians. On the one hand, everything the Australians do is to "benefit the people"; on the other hand, as a Jinshi of the Ming Dynasty, he feels that he is "deeply favored by the emperor" and does not want the Australians to aspire to conquer the Central Plains one day - based on the Ming Dynasty In such a situation, once a war breaks out, the Australians will be overwhelming! A small slave slave is a serious problem for the court. If it were replaced by this "concubine", the consequences would be even more unpredictable. Every time he thought of this, he no longer wanted to think about it.
He suddenly sighed: "Hey! There is no discrimination, there is no discrimination. Can we be worthy of it? How come it is these Australians who have done it?"
Seeing that Liu Dalin's tone was wrong, Huang Henkun said quickly: "This thief Kun is now very powerful and wealthy, so he naturally wants to be arty and win people's hearts. But when it comes to poetry, books and articles, there is still no one in the Lingao County who can compare to Shan Chang. The chief of the mountain went to visit Kunren's school, just to broaden his knowledge and gain some knowledge."
Liu Dalin looked at the second young master of the Huang family who was nagging and wanted to continue to persuade him. He thought about why he, an "anti-kun", suddenly became interested in Australian schools. He obviously wanted to go to Fang under his own name. "Finding out what's going on" in the grass - that's exactly what he meant.
In the past few days, some of his classmates who were studying in Guangdong and who were in the same year during the provincial examination, whether they were familiar with each other at the time or not, have written to Liu Dalin one after another. On the one hand, they are "reminiscing about old friendships", but more importantly, they are testing him to ask him about Lin Gao. Regarding the origins of the Australians, some asked if they could do business with them, some asked why they didn't respect themselves as kings, some asked if it was true that their firearms were sharp, and some asked Liu Dalin to buy some rare Australian toys. Number of wins.
Liu Dalin had just recovered from a serious illness. After reading these letters, he suddenly found that his understanding of Australians was so pale and ignorant. Why did this group of guys look like overseas barbarians at first, so many scholars from Guangdong wrote letters to inquire in detail. Kong Youde, who caused trouble in Shandong, and Jiannu, who was outside the customs, did not attract such attention from the scholars. They were nothing more than military rebellion. It seems that the influence of Australians in Guangdong is increasing day by day.
Huang Hankun was stunned by Liu Jinshi's look and didn't know what to say. Suddenly I saw Liu Dalin straightening his back, sitting in a wheelchair as if giving a lecture at a county school, and said seriously: "I think Australians, although they are different from what my generation learned, still have a big gap in their hearts. Besides, they are all the same." The Chinese lineage is definitely not Yi Di. I will go to see Wang Jiaoyu and ask him to come and negotiate with me. Let me also go to the Australian school to gain knowledge and gain wider exposure."
Huang Henkun finally persuaded Liu Dalin, and the stone in his heart finally fell to the ground. Fangcaodi is now mainly a boarding school, and only immediate family members can make appointments to visit students. However, Huang Xunkun was not among the family members when Huang Ping registered for school. Moreover, the Huang family and the Kun thief still have a grudge against each other for killing their son. Even if the Huang family has no idea of revenge now, the Kun thief will definitely be on guard against it.
He left Liu Dalin's house and returned to Molixuan Academy, hoping to see if there were any scholars he could take with him to visit to build up his momentum. But the academy was empty. The two rooms that were originally hard to find were empty, and the beds, tables and chairs were all visible. Only a few bunks still appear to be occupied.
While he was hesitating, a hand suddenly patted his right shoulder heavily. Huang Kunkun was preoccupied, and was startled. When he turned around, he saw that it was his comrade-in-arms Mr. Li. This Mr. Li had not been in the study for a long time and had been busy in and out of the county office. Now he suddenly appeared in the college. It's really abrupt.
"Hey, Brother Huang, how are you always?"
"You! You scared me to death. What did you do!?"
"Brother Huang, it is true that he who knows the current affairs is a wise man."
"Why, what's the matter?"
"Stop pretending, Brother Huang, aren't you Huangjiazhai all going to join the Tiandihui?"
"What! You, what did you say?!"! ~!
