"After waiting for almost two months, the emperor is finally here. The wait is finally over!"
"Stop it to the end? Are you sure you don't have to endure it to be beheaded?"
"I wonder what the emperor will do with the Confucius Mansion. Will it be cut down directly like Suzhou and Nanjing?"
"It's unlikely. Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty by Taizu, even though the Ming Dynasty has not treated Confucius very well, and Emperor Jiajing even reduced his rank and rank, it has not gone too far.
For example, in the fourth year of Chenghua, Kong Hongxu, the Duke of Yan, raped more than 40 women and killed four of them. Xianzong only cut off his title. For such a serious crime, the butcher's knife was raised high and lowered gently, which is enough to show his respect for Confucius. The government's fear. "
"The emperor also knows that the Kong family cannot be brought into power with just a few ancient books. The southern tour is just a cover to go to the south of the Yangtze River to kill some people and recruit temporary talents.
This is telling the Confucius family and scholars all over the world that they do not have to take the imperial examination route. If the Confucius family is not convinced, then they will take the imperial examination route and see how the Confucius family responds! "
"That's right, otherwise we would have arrived in Qufu a long time ago, why would we need to take such a long time?"
"Hey, Master Kong Zhenyun is really confused. He even stated that he will not participate in the court's handling of the Kong family. Are you preparing to watch the fire from the other side, or have you given up completely?"
"Also, the imperial court issued an edict not to allow the world to hold a grand ceremony this year. This is standing in opposition to the world's scholars. The people worshiping are Confucius, not the Confucius family. Your Majesty's actions are a bit ill-considered!"
"Otherwise, what should we do? We can't go unpunished for such a big thing in the Kong family. Not allowing the big sacrifice is to show our attitude. Taizu was so strong, didn't he still give in in the end?"
"In the Ming Dynasty, no emperor has ever personally visited the Confucius Mansion. If the emperor cancels the grand ceremony, is it just an exchange?"
"Cancellation of the Great Sacrifice of the World did not say that sacrifices cannot be held in Qufu, Quzhou, and Beijing!"
…
An imperial edict brought the already heated discussions in Qufu to a climax again, and after receiving the news, some counties around Qufu received the news, and countless people came.
Whether they are just watching the excitement or have other ideas, only they themselves know.
A crisis of imminent rain spread throughout the city.
In the lobby of the Confucius Mansion, Yan Shenggong Kong Yinzhi and others looked haggard and had heavy dark circles under their eyes. They had not had a good night's sleep since the news came that the emperor was beheading people and recruiting temporary talents as officials in Suzhou. .
Especially after the officials of the five ministries and six offices in Nanjing were cut off and the Fushe was forcibly disbanded, they became even more panicked.
By doing this, the emperor not only rectified the official administration of Southern Zhili, but also told the Confucius Mansion in Qufu and the scholars all over the world that I really dare to kill people.
And what Kong Zhenyun of Nanzong said just now made them even worse. The old man actually said that the presence or absence of the Confucius family could not affect Confucius and Confucianism. This statement shook the position of many scholars.
In the hut at the foot of Nishan Mountain, several people gathered together with different expressions.
"Father, what you just said is a bit... inappropriate!"
Looking at the indifferent old man sitting in the first seat, Kong Shangqian, the 63rd generation head of the Southern Sect, spoke up, and then said softly: "Even if we don't want to go back to Qufu, we just have to wait and see.
You said it in public, we have no way out. "
"Patriarch, my uncle said that he only represents his personal views. He has no control over future generations. This has left us some room!"
"Confused, it's true that I am the clan leader, but if the emperor finds trouble to lock me up and insists on letting my father be the clan leader, what will happen then?"
"I think what my uncle said makes sense. We have lived in Quzhou for so many years, passing down poems and books, studying Confucius and Confucianism, and enjoying ourselves. What are we doing in this muddy water?
If we really want to become Yan Shenggong, we have had several opportunities before. "
"But have you ever thought about it, even if we don't want to fight, what if the emperor insists on making us the Holy Dukes of Yan? What will happen then?
Promising the emperor would be a slap in the face and everyone in the world would laugh at him. Not agreeing would be disobeying the emperor's decree. Without the protection of Duke Yan Shenggong, it is possible for the three tribes to be punished! "
"Quiet!"
A low shout came from the hut, and the person who made the sound was Kong Zhenrui, the third brother of Kong Zhenyun, the magistrate of Quzhou.
Kong Zhenrui looked at the crowd first, and then his eyes were fixed on Kong Shangqian: "Shangqian, you want to die yourself, do you want to push all the clan members into the fire pit?"
As soon as these words came out, not only Kong Shangqian was stunned, but also everyone in the hut was stunned. These words were really too much.
"Third uncle, you..."
"Shang Qian, why do you think the emperor has to appoint another Yanshenggong?"
"Or do you think the emperor needs a Duke Yan?"
The two questions made everyone in the hut fall silent. Their eyes were full of doubts. They seemed to understand something, but they didn't know where to start. This feeling was very contradictory.
"Onlookers are clear, but those in authority are confused!"
Kong Zhenyun, who was sitting at the head of the table, put down his tea cup, his eyes full of thoughts: "Your third uncle is right, the Ming Dynasty may say that the emperor does not need a Yanshenggong, or that he does not need a Confucian Yanshenggong.
From Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang to Emperor Jiajing, they have been attacking the universal significance of the Confucius Temple as a cultural symbol, making it unable to compete with political authority.
Unfortunately, due to civil power checks and balances and government issues, it was only weakened and never fully implemented. If the new emperor had not ascended the throne, it might have been maintained.
But after the new emperor ascended the throne, first Kong Xingxie collaborated with the enemy, and then he thoroughly investigated the children of the Confucius family, and then showed impure blood. Doesn't this series of actions show that the emperor was suppressing the Confucius family?
You then contacted the martial arts hall, weakened the civil servants, temporarily recruited talents in Jiangnan, etc., all of which vaguely indicate that the emperor was going to take action on the imperial examination or official selection system.
If that's the case, what else does the Kong family do? Wouldn’t it be great for you to establish a Duke Yan and lead the world’s scholars to find happiness for yourself?
If you become Duke Yansheng, will the children of your family follow the same path as the children of the Confucius family in Qufu?
Do you think the Emperor will find an opportunity to kill you again? The two main branches of the Kong family were eliminated, so the emperor was naturally relieved. "
hiss……
The eyes of everyone in the hut were full of fear, and cold sweat broke out all over their bodies in an instant.
"Father, what should we do?"
"Whatever we did before, if the emperor doesn't ask us to attack Yanshenggong, then it would be for the best.
If you find someone, then reject it outright, even in public, with a firm attitude and without any hesitation.
Whatever the emperor asks us to do, we just need to cooperate directly.
I still say the same thing, Confucius’s thought will not be affected by the presence or absence of the Confucius family, just like other schools of thought contending, it will only disappear, but will not truly die. "
Everyone was silent again. Although what the old patriarch said made sense, there were still several middle-aged men who looked unwilling.
"Uncle, if the emperor... abolishes Duke Yansheng, it will be equivalent to half-abolition of Confucianism and the abolition of the ideological rule that has only respected Confucianism for nearly two thousand years. Isn't the emperor afraid of rebellion?"
