Daxing Hall is very warm because there are many heaters placed in the corners of the hall. The heaters have chimneys connected to the hollow walls. There are ventilation holes in the front and back of the walls to blow away the smoke.
After Yang Guang rummaged through the papers in front of him, he took out a memorial and read it and said:
"I heard that during my absence in the capital, a scholar from Hebei scolded both of my sons?"
As soon as the emperor said these words, all the ministers looked at each other subconsciously. Everyone knew that the decisive battle had begun...
Zhang Heng, the doctor at Yushitai, stood up and said:
"Reporting to your Majesty, there is indeed such a person. He was born in Julu, Hebei Province. His name is Wei Zheng. His father Wei Changxian was the county magistrate of Tunliu in the old Qi Dynasty. His grandfather Wei Yan was the governor of Guangzhou in the old Wei Dynasty. He is considered to be a member of the official family. This person is currently He is a disciple of Wang Tong, a famous scholar from Hedong."
Yang Guang frowned and said, "Wang Tong? Is he the son of Wang Long, Wang Bogao, the original imperial eunuch?"
"It is this man," Zhang Heng said, "This man is currently teaching in the capital and has six hundred disciples. King Xingyang is now also a disciple of Wang Tong."
Yang Guang snorted coldly: "What is this person like? Can he teach my grandson?"
Zhang Heng said: "This man is very knowledgeable and well-known in Hedong. His disciples privately call him Wen Zhongzi. I have also made great efforts to investigate. He is indeed a great talent."
Yang Guang immediately sneered: "Wen Zhongzi? There is a line in the Book of Changes: Huang Shang Yuanji, Wen Zhongye, which means a gentleman, Huang Zhongtongli, upright position, beauty in it, and smooth in the four branches, in career, beauty After all, is he worthy of this title?"
Yu Wenshu stood up directly and said: "This man is only more than 20 years old. He is so bold that he dares to call himself 'Zi' in private. He is actually a Confucian thief and cannot be the teacher of King Xingyang."
Zi is an honorific title in ancient China for the founder of a certain school of thought or someone with outstanding achievements. It can also be an honorific title for a scholar whose knowledge and character are admirable.
Under normal circumstances, it must be recognized by the emperor to be considered orthodox. However, Wang Tong's Wen Zhongzi was recognized in the later Tang Dynasty. Yang Guang did not recognize it because Wang Tong is still young and has not yet reached the level of his old age. high.
Wang Tong was invited by Pei Ju, but Yu Wenshu didn't know. If he had known, he wouldn't have stood up to find fault, because Pei Ju would have been the one to protect him.
Sure enough, Pei Ju smiled and said: "It's just a private honorific for his disciples. Duke Xu doesn't need to make a fuss. The one who cursed is Wei Zheng, not Wang Tong."
When Yu Wenshu saw Pei Ju's fate, he knew that this was the end of the matter and he should stop arguing with Pei Ju. Pei Laogou's mouth could turn black into white.
Pei Ju bowed his hands towards Yang Guang and said:
"There is no beginning or end in learning. Those who are masters are teachers. Wang Tong has only been in the capital for a year. Many of my disciples in Guanzhong have become his disciples. This shows that he is knowledgeable. I think that your majesty may be called to teach in the Imperial College."
Wang Tong's theory was aimed at the emperor, but it was not needed by the emperor of the Sui Dynasty at present, let alone the ministers under the emperor, because his academic opinions also highlighted the word "remonstrance", which meant that the emperor had something wrong. As a minister, you must point out the places.
This word does not exist in Yang Guang's dictionary at all.
Doesn't Pei Ju know that Yang Guang doesn't like this person? Why do you still recommend the other party to enter the Imperial Academy?
This move is called advancing before retreating.
He was worried that the emperor would punish Wang Tong because of the three words "Zhongzi" in the article, so he directly provided the emperor with an opportunity to refute Wang Tong. In this way, although Wang Tong had no chance of entering the Imperial Academy, he could save his life.
Sure enough, Yang Guang snorted coldly: "I am afraid that if you are not a person who is seeking fame, how can you enter the Imperial College and mislead others' children? There is no need to mention this matter again."
Yang Guang knew very well that he wouldn't be able to use Wang Tong's tactics, and his successor wouldn't be able to use it either, but that might not be the case for the next generation.
Regardless of any Confucian theory, it was used by the emperor, but this use also had its own time. Sometimes it was beneficial, and sometimes it was harmful.
This is why there were many emperors in history who sometimes respected Confucianism, sometimes Buddha, and sometimes Taoism, because it was determined by the current situation.
What about deposing hundreds of schools of thought and only respecting Confucianism? What about Huang-Lao's way of governing by doing nothing? What's more, the life of Buddhism is really hard, and you must accumulate merit for retribution in the next life.
Wu Zetian respected Buddha, why? Because Confucianism does not recognize a woman as emperor, and Li Tang Taoism is the state religion, and they do not support her, who else can she respect if she does not respect Buddha?
As soon as Wang Tong came out, it was over. Yang Guang had no intention of killing anyone, and Pei Ju came forward to protect him. Naturally, there was no need to hold on to him anymore.
So Yang Guang said: "Bring that arrogant Hebei scholar to the main hall. I want to see what kind of monster this person is and what kind of rebellious barking dog he is."
After a while, the Criminal Department had already brought people up.
Wei Zheng suffered a disaster and survived. After living in the Penal Department Prison for so long, he gained weight. This shows that the food in the prison is good, or Wei Zheng wants to be a starved person.
The chains locked on his body, good guy, those who didn't know better thought they were chained to zombies. They circled around and around, but it was difficult for him to cross the threshold of the hall under such a heavy load.
It's not clear whether Wei Zheng was someone who regarded death as his own before, but he definitely was now, because he felt that he could not escape death.
Since they are all dead, what else is there to be afraid of? I'm not plotting any treason, and I can't be punished by being beheaded. The most I can do if I insult the emperor's relatives is to be hanged, or even to be dead.
After this kid came in, he knelt down towards Yang Guang and shouted:
"The guilty people pay homage to His Majesty the Emperor."
Yang Guang found the confession from the Ministry of Justice's interrogation of Wei Zheng from a few books, then threw it down into the hall and said:
"In this confession, you insulted the King of Qi to no avail, and insulted his dignity by being humble. What is your intention?"
Wei Zheng said calmly: "The sage has said that the heaven and the earth are great, and the emperor's personal teacher is respected. The King of Qi is not the emperor, nor is he the personal teacher of the grassroots, so how can he be respected? The grassroots scold the people on behalf of all the people. They carry out the will of heaven above and benefit the people below. The country and the country of the Sui Dynasty are among them, and I have no selfish motives."
Yang Guang suddenly frowned, what a piece of shit, he doesn't even take my son seriously?
He didn't need to speak anymore. At this time, many people would stand up and refute Wei Zheng.
Niu Hong was the first to say: "People's houses are still divided into east and west, and the children in the family are also divided into direct descendants. How can you, a commoner, have the right to despise the king of Qi?"
"It's not something I despise," Wei Zheng said: "In fact, all the people reviled him, if the people respected him, he would be respected, and if the people despised him, he would be despised."
I fucked your mother, how dare you call me cheap? Yang Xian was furious, but he was still trying to suppress his anger. Where was he? It’s not my turn to end yet.
Yu Shiji said directly: "I ask your Majesty to kill these rebellious and arrogant people who despise the prince and bark at the court."
Gao Xi stood up and said: "Sooner or later he will be killed, but before killing, you might as well listen to him explain why he insulted the two princes."
"Is Dugu Gong trying to protect people?" Yu Shiji took courage and said directly to the line: "How dare a commoner insult the prince? I don't believe this person has no backing."
Gao Xi sneered: "What kind of backstage do you think can protect him? I don't have this ability."
"Shilang Yu always likes to say some ridiculous things in the court," Yang Wensi, the minister Zuocheng, said with a sneer:
"Just like the last time you slandered the princess, who was the backstage for Minister Yu in the first place, so that you dared to slander the princess with your humiliation?"
Yu Shiji retorted: "Which of your ears has heard that I slandered the princess? Your Majesty is here, and you cannot confuse the emperor and give me random labels."
"Your own hat is crooked," Yang Xuangan sneered, "Do you need us to buckle it for you?"
"Okay..." Yang Ming took the initiative to speak for the first time: "I also want to hear how people scolded me."
As soon as he opened his mouth, the King of Qin's party naturally stopped talking, but Yu Wenshu couldn't do it, so he just listened to him:
"This is Daxing Hall, a place of uprightness and light. How can we let some dirty words defile the court?"
Yang Ming retorted: "How can an upright and bright place be tarnished by a few dirty words? Just like the rumors about Xu Guogong outside, I don't believe them at all. It's the same."
"Oh?" Pei Ju said, "What rumors are there outside?"
You and the others rarely quarrel with each other, so Yu Wenshu hurriedly said: "Those who are clean will be clean by themselves."
Even though Yang Yue was in Henan, he was not idle either. The capital had already started spreading some unfavorable news about Yu Wenshu, such as encircling people's fields and the shameless things his three good sons did.
Pei Ju smiled and said nothing more.
The emperor's eyes were now looking towards Wei Zheng. Obviously, Yang Guang also wanted to listen to what the other party had to say, even though the confession was already very detailed.
Su Wei said to Wei Zheng: "Your Majesty, you are magnanimous and benevolent. Although you are disrespectful and will inevitably be punished with death, you still have one chance to speak before execution."
Wei Zheng took a long breath, looked up at Yang Jian, and said:
"I wonder if King Qi has slept peacefully recently?"
Yang Jian's teeth were almost broken. I know what you want to say. Don’t you just want to say that so many people have died in Hebei, and the souls of the dead will come looking for me? Keeping me awake?
Hum, I slept very well.
Yang Jian chose not to answer.
They ignored him, Wei Zheng smiled and looked at Yang Ming again:
"I heard that King Qin couldn't sleep well at night after hearing about what happened in Hebei, so he suffered from sleeplessness. It can be seen that although King Qin was suspected of being a bystander and slacking off, he still had some conscience. He also knew that thousands of people in Hebei were all vegetarians. There are new graves in every house, women and children have no one to rely on, young sons have no one to rely on, hungry people are everywhere, and people are in ruins. This scene has not happened in a hundred years. How can the King of Qin not feel ashamed?"
Sorry, it's not convenient for me to answer you. Yang Ming responded with silence.
Gao Xi frowned and said: "The affairs of Hebei are not under the control of the King of Qin, and the affairs of the canal cannot be dealt with by the King of Qin. Everyone has their own things to do. The King of Qin is entrusted by His Majesty to sit in the capital. It is not easy to handle government affairs. Hebei The memorials came like snow, and when the King of Qin saw them, he was interested but powerless, so he fell ill and couldn't sleep."
After saying that, Gao Xi looked at Yan Bi, who was already covered in cold sweat, and said:
"As the Grand Supervisor of the Canal, it is hard for Yan Gong to absolve himself of the blame for this incident in Hebei."
Yan Bi trembled all over, shaking like chaff.
