This letter was written by Shenggong Kong Lingyi and asked Li Yu to open it personally, so it was never opened. Li Yu opened the envelope himself and took out the letter inside.
Although Kong Lingyi's calligraphy is not up to the level of a calligrapher, in the eyes of someone like Li Yu whose calligraphy and Chinese studies are very low, it is quite good.
Li Yu opened the letter and started reading. Yan Fu, Lu Bicheng and others on the side stretched their heads and looked forward to it.
"How is it?" Lu Bicheng asked anxiously.
"Wait a minute, I haven't finished reading yet." Li Yu said. Lu Bicheng said: "I don't read many words in total. Why do I read so slowly?" Li Yu finally finished reading and gave it to her: "You can read it too." Yan Fu, Uncle Wang and others also immediately gathered around and read the letter. It reads: "Emperor Master Li Yuqi,
"I have heard that the emperor's teacher was highly regarded as a genius in Western learning. However, although he was the emperor's teacher, he insulted the sages and I can't understand it. I don't know what Western learning is about. Can I say it with a few articles? The Holy One. Everyone knows that only the Holy Duke is the only one left among the Holy Masters. I wonder what teachings the Imperial Master has that can be called the Holy One?
"I don't know if it's okay for foreigners to insult me now, but to study their theories and become the emperor's teacher?
"Since you can be called a contemporary saint, the world also wants to know how you are different from Confucius. I sincerely invite the emperor and master to come to Qufu in person and talk face to face." Yan Fu smiled bitterly: "I didn't expect that Duke Yan Sheng had a lot of prejudice against you." Li Yu said: "Whoever said it was not the case, I was puzzled and didn't offend them." Yan Fu shook his head and said: "This letter may not be the original intention of Yan Shenggong. Qufu is not just the Kong family. It is complicated behind it." Someone is pushing it." Li Yu frowned: "What do you mean, Master Yan?" Yan Fu gently stroked his beard and said, "A lot of things happened in the capital during your absence. The Economic Special Section has announced a list of the top five. Four people were dismissed, and the whole country was in an uproar. Master Zhang Baixi and Governor Zhang Zhidong of Huguang came to the table to implement the new academic system. Although the Queen Mother was still undecided, the news was already leaning towards their views, and they wanted to gradually abolish the stereotyped writing and then abolish it. The imperial examination. And if the imperial examination is abolished, a new academic system is adopted, and talented students are neglected, do you think the Confucius family in Qufu will still have its current status?" Li Yu said: "80% of it will plummet." Yan Fu said: "Yes, this is the problem. Where! What's more important is that once the imperial examination is abolished, the imperial court will have no worries and will fully implement the new academic system. The most prestigious thing in the new academic system is talent selection, so major newspapers such as "Shenbao" highly recommend it. You, I want to push you to the position of Confucius to guide the world." Li Yu's jaw almost dropped: "What kind of logic is this?" He knew why Shi Liangcai and the others wrote this. They were really doing bad things with good intentions. He There is no such idea at all.
But what they wanted to do was to recreate the past, but changed it to
"Depose Confucianism and respect science alone." Even if he is not the so-called sage, he is at least a contemporary model.
Yan Fu said: "The idea of Shi Liangcai and other newspaper reporters is to build confidence in schools across the country, but building confidence requires a benchmark and a carrier. At present, the most suitable one is you." Li Yu felt his head hurt even more.
No wonder the letter from the Qufu Kong family was so blunt. It turned out that he felt that his position was unstable and he wanted to settle accounts with himself. ——What a disaster.
Li Yu really had no such idea at all. But three people became a tiger, and so many newspapers vowed to promote Li Yu's achievements, so they had to be wary.
Speaking of which, over the years, the Kong Family Zhengzong really valued himself very much.
The title of "Yanshenggong". This title was very high in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, surpassing the first rank, and enjoying various preferential treatment. No temple in the world could match the popularity of the Confucius Temple, not even on the same order of magnitude.
There have been countless dynasty changes in the land of China. The Confucius family in Qufu has been prosperous to this day because of the favor of the imperial court.
But there was also an episode. At the turn of the Song Dynasty a thousand years ago, the northern rivers and mountains were occupied by the Jin Kingdom, which led to the Yiguan crossing south.
The eldest son of the Confucius family at that time took the genealogy south to Quzhou, Zhejiang, so there was also a Confucius family in Quzhou, the so-called Nanzong, which was also very powerful at that time.
The remaining clan members stayed in Qufu, that is, Beizong. However, after the Yuan Dynasty unified the world, naturally there could only be one Duke Yansheng, and in the end it was decided that the Qufu North Sect was the authentic one.
As for who is authentic, there is no need to argue about this kind of thing. There are many such things in the royal inheritance. During the Northern and Southern Confucius Temple period, and the not-too-distant Northern Song Dynasty, there was still the sound of candle shadows and axes by Zhao Kuangyi.
After the Nanzong of Confucius lost its title, it declined rapidly. Fortunately, during the Ming Wuzong period, they were given the hereditary official title of Doctor of the Five Classics, and things got better.
Therefore, for a family that wanted to reproduce for a long time, hereditary titles were extremely important during the feudal period.
Not only the title, but also the title must be hereditary and cannot be downgraded from generation to generation. The situation at this time was that Duke Yansheng was worried that after the abolition of the imperial examination, the status of Confucianism would be affected. The biggest impact on Confucian status would of course be himself.
But Li Yu, as a later person, knew that they actually worried too much. The abolition of the title of Yan Shenggong would not be abolished until at least the Republic of China, but at that time Kong Xiangxi emerged to support the Confucius family.
But it is naturally impossible for people at this time to know the subsequent developments. Li Yu sighed: "Confidence is confidence, but there is no need to treat people as idols. Personality worship is not allowed." Li Yu's idea was too advanced. Yan Fu said: "What newspapers from all walks of life are doing is not wrong. Now the national confidence has been seriously frustrated. Finally seeing a little hope is like a life-saving straw or a clear spring in the desert. Of course it makes people yearn for it." Li Yu said with a smile: "They really spared no effort, but the various titles of the crown are indeed a bit too high. It's enough to be a scientific giant, but how can he become a contemporary saint? No one can afford the word saint." As mentioned before, although everyone is willing to see the creation of gods, it is not easy to live in the cold at high places. The living experience won't be much better.
Yan Fu thought it didn't matter and said: "In newspapers, there will always be some exaggerated words to attract public attention, which is understandable." Li Yu spread his hands: "I heard that the Kong family clan in Qufu now has tens of thousands of people. I will go there I’m afraid I’ll drown in spit.”
"It seems possible." Yan Fu said slightly seriously. Li Yu smiled bitterly: "Master Yan, do you have any idea?" Yan Fu suddenly thought of an idea: "To go from the capital to Qufu, you must take the canal, but now the Shandong section of the canal is restricted by the diversion of the Yellow River, and it is blocked and difficult to travel. Basically, it can only be passed through. Arrive at Linqing. Linqing is not far from Jinan Prefecture, the seat of Shandong Province. You can go to Jinan and find Yang Shixiang, the newly appointed governor of Shandong. He will issue a warrant to the Qufu County Magistrate to pay more attention to it." Yang Shixiang is Yuan Shikai's person, Li Yuyou has a lot of connections with Beiyang, and he still has a medal given by Yuan Shikai himself, which is indeed a way.
Li Yu felt a little relieved: "Thanks to Master Yan for the idea. In this case, we have to leave anyway." Lu Bicheng asked: "Do you want to write a letter first? Tell the Kong family that you are going." Li Yu said "It's necessary. It's not polite to kill them by surprise. You can't give them any excuse." Li Yu took the paper and thought for a while. It was too difficult for him to write in classical Chinese, so he waved his pen and said: "i'ming!" "Zhao Qian, please go to the Qing Post Office to send a letter." The people next to him were stunned: "What is this?" Li Yu said to Yan Fu, "It's English, Master Yan should know it." Yan Fu said, "I Of course I know you, but are you a little too hasty in your reply?" Li Yu laughed: "Didn't they say that I am a representative of Western learning? Then I have to look like Western learning. And although Chinese is indeed better than English in terms of language, but The current situation dictates that English is the basic tool for learning Western learning. My sentence in English is relatively simple and they must be able to understand it. It is better than just writing 'I am here,' right?"
"It's really yours!" Lu Bicheng laughed out loud. She found it very interesting.
"I'm afraid none of them understand such simple English."
"It's impossible, this is the simplest sentence," Li Yu said,
"Also, you can go too." Lu Bicheng asked in surprise: "Me?" Yan Fu said: "This is inappropriate. Even if the Bicheng girl can go, according to the rules, women cannot enter the Confucius Temple." Li Yu said: "Then it's even more important to take them with you. Otherwise, where will the new learning be? It's not the proper style to always reject women from the door with a condescending attitude." Yan Fu felt that what Li Yu said was very reasonable and thought about it. There is nothing to say.
Li Yu continued to ask Lu Bicheng: "Do you dare to go? I will take you to the Confucius Temple to burn incense for the old master!" To be honest, Lu Bicheng also went to a private school and memorized the Four Books and Five Classics, and he definitely respected the old master Confucius. At this time No one who has studied would not want to enter the Confucius Temple.
Lu Bicheng bit her lip: "I'll go!"
"I'm going" means really going. Li Yu clapped his hands: "Beautiful!" Seeing this, Yan Fu had no need to stop him, and suddenly remembered something: "You will leave in two days. It happens that the imperial court has already awarded you a gift. Since you are the No. 1 student of the Capital University, A graduate with excellent academic performance is specially awarded a Jinshi in Western Studies." In fact, this title is the same as the titles that Gu Hongming and Yan Fu were later awarded.
"Jinshi in liberal arts" is the same as it is formal. But after all, he is still a Jinshi. Li Yu didn't attach much importance to it at first, but with this level of Jinshi status granted by the imperial court, it can be used as a talisman.
This kind of thing was very formal and had an edict. Two days later, Yan Fu actually brought it to him. Li Yu said gratefully: "Thank you Master Yan!" Yan Fu said: "I still can't let go. I told Mr. Zhang, the Minister of Management, that I would temporarily put down the affairs of the Translation Institute and accompany you to Qufu." He was there to confirm. Li Yu was happy to be able to support him and said, "Great!" Of course Yan Fu supported Western learning and was on Li Yu's side.
The three of them went south along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, landed in Linqing, Liaocheng, and then took a carriage to Jinan Prefecture.
Ordinarily, since Zhou Fu was about to be transferred to the position of governor of Liangjiang, Shang Qiheng was temporarily appointed as governor of Shandong, but the official governor had to be Yang Shixiang.
After the three arrived in Jinan, Yang Shixiang warmly received them. Yan Fu actually belonged to Yuan Shikai's faction. Yuan Shikai had the famous Thirteen Taibao under him, including Yang Du, Liang Shiyi and Yan Fu, so they were all his own.
After Yang Shixiang knew their purpose, he smiled and said: "You are going to play in the gym?" Li Yu quickly shook his head: "No, no, it is a friendly exchange." Yang Shixiang laughed and said: "If you can have a friendly exchange, then I I am really convinced." Yan Fu said: "Sir Yang, write a warrant and we will hand it over to the local county magistrate to avoid conflicts." Yang Shixiang said: "We are all scholars, is this necessary?" Yan Fu sighed: "Scholars are impatient. Even if you are angry, you will hit someone." Li Yu said awkwardly: "It won't be to that extent. I said it was a friendly exchange. And after all, I am also from Shandong. When a fellow villager meets a fellow villager, his eyes will burst into tears. There is no possibility of doing anything!" Yang Shixiang said: "Let's follow what Mr. Yan said and add a safeguard. The Qufu Kong family is not a small family in Shandong, and it should be given due attention." After receiving Yang Shixiang's warrant, the group continued along the official road. Qufu.
In the past, the emperor often came to Qufu to worship Confucius in person, and Qianlong himself had been here, so the roads from Jinan to Tai'an Dai Temple and Qufu Confucius Temple were relatively well built.
It's just that Qufu could have been connected to the railway very early, but it was a pity that the opportunity was missed. The northern section of the Beijing-Shanghai Railway, that is, the Tianjin-Puzhou Railway, will soon start construction. The exploration work has been completed. The initial plan is to pass through Qufu.
If you look at the map, you can see that the Beijing-Shanghai Line runs through Shandong. According to geography, the Beijing-Shanghai Line passes through Jinan, then passes through Tai'an in the south, and then points straight to Qufu all the way south.
But in fact the railway turned a corner in Qufu, went west to Yanzhou, and then circled back to continue south.
Qufu, which was originally the only way to go, was completely bypassed. The reason is because Yan Shenggong Kong Lingyi heard that the railway was going to be built, so he
"Shaking the Holy Tomb",
On the grounds of "destroying the holy veins", he submitted a document to the court, requesting that the Jinpu Railway bypass Konglin so as not to disturb the peace of his ancestors.
After seeing the submission, Empress Dowager Cixi immediately issued an instruction: "Accurate!" Alas, this old man was also afraid of railways.
As a result, the Jinpu Railway changed its route. After going south from Tai'an, it meandered from Ciyao Town to the southwest. After reaching Yanzhou, it turned around and returned to the southeast to Zoucheng. Qufu is located in this arc.
The looping railroad was like a joke. It's just that Kong Lingyi himself didn't expect it, but he made a joke of the whole Qufu. Without the railway, Qufu's traffic was blocked, business was difficult, and social and economic development was restricted for many years.
Doesn't he know that the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal created many wealthy towns on both sides of the strait, which were the lifeblood of transportation?
It is a pity that Yanshenggong refused the gift of history in a completely unfounded name. Of course, many people who want to visit Qufu in the future will find that the newly built high-speed rail station is built in Qufu again, which is Qufu East Station.
It is said that Qufu belongs to Jining, but Jining did not have a high-speed rail station at the beginning... This is also an old joke in Shandong.
When the three of them arrived outside the Confucius Temple, no one came to greet them. Lu Bicheng said: "It seems that he wants to give us a show of strength." Li Yu said: "Not necessarily, after all, he is Yan Shenggong, a super first-class official, and his status is there, otherwise he would not write a letter asking us to come here. "Lu Bicheng asked: "What should we do when we go in?" Li Yu said: "What else can we do? Of course we should go to worship Master Kong first." The three of them just wanted to go in, but they were stopped.
Li Yu said to them: "I am Li Yu, invited by Duke Yan." The people at the door did not think much of Li Yu, who had outstanding scientific achievements, and asked directly like an interrogation: "Where are the two of them?" Li Yu Said: "You don't know each other? This is the famous Mr. Yan Fu, and this is Miss Bicheng, a talented woman from Beijing and Tianjin." The person at the door pointed at Yan Fu: "He can go in, but women can't." Yu said with a smile: "You don't understand this. I don't understand Confucian classics, and this place is a holy place for Confucian classics. I was afraid that there would be something I didn't understand, so I specially hired this talented woman to be the translator." The people at the door were confused. He said: "Translation?" Li Yu said: "Yes, and sometimes I like to say a few words in foreign languages, and I also need translation." Then Li Yu actually said something in English
"To see, oris the question. But we all have to go in." Li Yu used a famous line from Shakespeare's "Hamlet", life or death, is a question.
The people at the door were really dumbfounded.
"What did you say?" Li Yu said to Lu Bicheng: "You translate it for him." Lu Bicheng didn't expect that Li Yu would have so many clever ideas when he encountered a problem, so he suppressed a smile and said: "He said, whether you see him or not is up to you. Problem, but we all have to go in!”
