The news of Zhengxue Academy's failure spread from Linhai, like a bird with wings, flying north to Ninghai.
Fang Xiaoru saw Liao Ming's uneasiness when he tried to speak but couldn't open his mouth several times. After calculating the days, he expected that the results of the civil education examination had come out, so he called out to Liao Ming who was passing by again: "Zheng Yong, why? Master once taught you to act openly and aboveboard, and not to panic when encountering problems. Now you are at a loss and hesitate to speak. Why is this?"
Liao Ming lowered his head and thought about his words.
There were footsteps outside the door, and a disciple in Confucian robes came in. He bowed deeply to Xiaoru and said, "Teacher, there is a man named Guo Lian outside the academy who wants to see you. He says he is an old friend."
"Guo Lian?"
Fang Xiaoru frowned.
This name is not unfamiliar. This is the earliest talent to come out of the Imperial College. He was promoted by Emperor Zhu Yunwen at the same time as the current Jijiu Li Zhigang.
I heard that Guo Lian has risen through the ranks in recent years. He entered the civil service department in his early years and later succeeded Huang Zicheng as the prefect of Qingzhou. He performed his duties diligently and managed Qingzhou Prefecture well. During the assessment at the beginning of this year, he was promoted to Minister of Rites. At this time, he appeared, presumably not to visit relatives and friends, but to represent the imperial court.
"please."
Fang Xiaoru said softly.
"Wait a minute."
Liao Ming quickly stopped him and whispered to Xiaoru: "Teacher, Guo Lian must not have any good intentions when he comes here at this time. The government office has already announced the results, and we are studying in the academy - it can be said that it is a complete failure."
Fang Xiaoru closed her eyes slightly, her eyebrows trembling slightly.
A complete failure!
What kind of tragic failure would it take to use this word?
Fang Xiaoru's mouth moved: "Lin Jiayou and Liao Yong should be very frustrated now. Let them go back to the academy. Tell them that they can afford to lose and not lose the courage to chase after them, so that they can drift away. Seek knowledge, Everyone has to overcome a few hurdles."
Liao Ming was filled with sadness: "We are ashamed of our teacher's teachings!"
Fang Xiaoru chuckled, stood up and said, "It doesn't matter, I'll do it again someday. Go ahead and invite Guo Lian in."
Liao Ming was worried: "I'm afraid he is here to ridicule his mentor..."
Fang Xiaoru shook his head: "There are not many people who come out of the Imperial College who are good at ridicule, especially those who can get bigger and bigger. Go ahead and let me see what he brings."
Liao Ming had no choice but to go out to invite him.
Guo Lian has gone through many experiences and is no longer the young supervisor he was when he was just starting out. However, when he saw Fang Xiaoru, he still straightened his clothes and bowed deeply: "Disciple Guo Lian, I have met the old dean."
Fang Xiaoru's expression changed slightly.
Old dean?
This is what the Imperial College students call themselves. No one has called themselves this for many years. The disciples of the Zhengxue Academy either call themselves their mentor or their mountain leader.
"I don't dare take this title seriously."
Fang Xiaoru sighed and raised his hand slightly to return the salute.
Guo Lian smiled calmly and looked at Fang Xiaoru: "We haven't seen each other for many years. It's gratifying to see that the old dean is still in good health. I will never forget the kindness of his teaching back then. Today, Guo came according to the order and did not send a message in advance. Please also ask the old courtyard Haihan."
"By decree?"
Fang Xiaoru stared.
Sure enough, Guo Lian's arrival was arranged by Emperor Jianwen Zhu Yunwen.
Fang Xiaoru led Liao Ming and others to perform a grand ceremony, and Fang Xiaoru shouted: "Your Majesty, Fang Xiaoru, accepts the decree!"
Guo Lian hurriedly stepped forward and helped Fang Xiaoru up: "Your Majesty just wanted Guo to convey some words to the old dean, and did not issue an explicit edict. Once the edict was made clear, it became the emperor's order that cannot be violated, and your majesty did not want to embarrass the old man. Dean, respect the wishes of the old dean."
Fang Xiaoru's eyes were wet and he stood up after thanking him.
Guo Lian looked at the old-looking Fang Xiaoru and sighed.
To be honest, Fang Xiaoru is a good old man, he is really good, kind to others, loyal and filial to others, and he is also a great Confucian.
It's just that Fang Xiaoru really shouldn't have been sitting in the position of dean of the Confucian Academy of the Imperial Academy but thinking about the people in the court.
thing. You teach, you teach, and it is your mission to train a few good disciples. As a result, you have to get involved in court disputes.
Because of a heavy snowfall and cold weather, you insist on asking Emperor Jianwen to issue an edict to admit your mistakes and let God stop the cold wind. This is why some people still believed you a few years ago. If you go to the Imperial College now to say If you say this, someone will probably send you to the sky in a hot air balloon to tell you what it means to be cold at high places.
Also, the Japanese invaded Yangjiang, killed the Ming soldiers, and plundered the Ming shipwrights. Emperor Jianwen had already sharpened his sword, tightened his belt and was ready to fight. He was holding his breath. As a result, you jumped out and insisted on being tolerant. Friendly, friendly and courteous.
This made the emperor angry and kicked you out of the Imperial Academy. In the final analysis, the reason why the emperor did not keep you in Jinling was just because there was something wrong with your knowledge. It was not because you were not qualified enough to continue teaching at the Imperial Academy, but because you were not in the court and had to go there.
Just drill, it doesn't mean that you are not allowed to drill, after all, there are many gaps, but you insist on drilling into the gap between the emperor's toes, no one can blame you.
Time has passed and everything has become a cloud.
Guo Lian sat down and said seriously: "The official results have been released, and I heard that Zhengxue Academy also sent people to participate, and the results are not ideal. I wonder what the old dean thinks?" xь.
Fang Xiaoru frowned slightly and said frankly: "Zhengxue Academy originally only wanted to study with peace of mind, and it has been true for these years. However, the ultimate goal of knowledge lies in the word inheritance. If the disciples I teach cannot become teachers, they will not be able to If you enter private schools, social schools, county schools, or even teach in government schools and Imperial College, then the inheritance of this knowledge will be discontinued."
"Knowledge without inheritance is no different from dead knowledge. Therefore, I decided to open an academy and let the disciples of Zhengxue Academy pass the Fuxue examination and obtain the qualifications to enter the Imperial College. In the future, they can use this status to enter Fuzhou and County schools. Sociology spreads knowledge. It’s just that Zhengxue Academy’s teaching specializes in Confucianism and lacks the practice of miscellaneous studies. It’s understandable that the overall score is low.”
Guo Lian looked at Fang Xiaoru, tilted his head slightly to the left, and said softly: "Looking at what the old dean means, you don't know that Zhengxue Academy also failed in the Confucian single subject examination, right?"
"What?"
Fang Xiaoru couldn't believe it and looked at Liao Ming.
Liao Ming lowered his head, took out a document from his sleeve and handed it over.
Fang Xiaoru unfolded it and almost fainted. Lin Jiayou, Liao Yong and other disciples he was proud of did not come out on top in the Confucian examination. Let alone the top, they couldn't even get into the top fifty!
Guo Lian sighed: "Old Dean, there is no need to doubt the fairness of the verdict. The Security Bureau, the Supervisory Censor, the Government Office, the Government School, and private school judges all participated in the verdict. If it were not for Zhengxue Academy's reference to Tai Suddenly, the gentleman who came to Zhengxue Academy will also be involved. Such a result is definitely not because someone is deliberately partial. I guess it is because the disciples of Zhengxue Academy are no longer good at asking questions..."
Fang Xiaoru felt very sad. The fruits he had worked so hard to water turned out to be dry and useless.
After years of hard work, why?
After all, am I still wrong?
Over the years, I have been holding my breath, wanting to prove that I can still lead the direction of Confucianism in the Ming Dynasty after leaving the Imperial College, and tell Emperor Jianwen that it was a mistake for the Imperial College to weaken the status of Confucianism and introduce miscellaneous studies.
Now, it is myself who ultimately fails.
It would be understandable to say that failure in miscellaneous studies is not good enough. But when it comes to Confucianism, if you lose to Fu Xue in terms of your best knowledge, then what dignity does it have to be called a great Confucian?
Guo Lian saw Fang Xiaoru's pain and struggle, and understood that Zhengxue Academy's ambition was to defeat the Imperial College of Confucianism in an upright manner, and then become the vanguard of leading Confucian thought, forming its own sect to rival the imperial court.
This kind of ambition was possible for the tolerant Emperor Jianwen, but if it had been left to the Hongwu Dynasty, if Fang Xiaoru even revealed this idea, he would probably be sent to Song Lian to continue his studies.
However, when Confucianism was reformed, especially when the royal family supported the integration of Yongjia School and Confucianism, traditional Confucianism paid too much attention to the character of mind, and the shortcomings of lack of practice became more and more prominent, and it became more and more lifeless.
Just like a train, what needs to be burned now is coal. You have to burn a bunch of old
Clothes, the fire is not strong enough, the steam is not enough, the train cannot run, and even if it does get up, it can't go far, like an old and hobbling old man.
Guo Lian said bluntly: "Before you sent me here, your Majesty did not know that Zhengxue Academy participated in the Taizhou Fuxue Examination. Your Majesty hopes that the old dean will reconsider being used by the imperial court, actively accept reformed Confucianism, stand up and explain it, and develop New Confucianism, and Armed with thought in the hard-working and practical Ming Dynasty. His Majesty also said that the imperial court is about to move its capital, and the position of dean of the Confucian Academy of the Imperial College in Peking will remain yours if you wish, including a group of your disciples who can also enter the Imperial College to teach."
"It's just the old dean. His Majesty hopes that you can put aside your prejudices against New Confucianism and see the changes brought about by New Confucianism. The path of Zhengxue Academy is no longer suitable for the Ming Dynasty, and it will not help if it continues like this."
Regarding the re-recruitment of Fang Xiaoru, Guo Lian's understanding was that the emperor saw that the Zhengxue Academy had deceived 800 students, and if it continued to defraud, it was estimated that many more people would be deceived, so he simply discussed with Fang Xiaoru to follow the reform of Confucianism and let these students It would be better to enter Fuzhou County School as soon as possible, so that he can be used by the court in the future.
You must know that other colleges and private schools are actively keeping up with the pace of the imperial court. The imperial court teaches miscellaneous studies, and others also begin to teach miscellaneous studies. Only this Zhengxue academy is rigid and rigid.
Fang Xiaoru didn't know what Zhu Yunwen was thinking, but he knew that there was something wrong with his teaching, so he lamented and said: "You go back and tell His Majesty, just say that Fang is old and doesn't want to go out anymore, and then he only thinks about writing books. As for Let the three disciples Lin Jiayou, Liao Yong, and Liao Ming be responsible for the affairs of the academy."
Retirement is Fang Xiaoru's frustration and an explanation for his failure.
Liao Ming tried to stop him, but did not change Fang Xiaoru's decision.
Fang Xiaoru stood up and looked at the changes in his eyes: "Tell your Majesty, Fang Xiaoru wishes that the Ming Dynasty will prosper and prosper forever!"
Guo Lian saluted.
In the era of old Confucianism, Fang Xiaoru's retirement marked the end of Ming Dynasty history. The light of New Confucianism began to spread throughout the world, and the trend of ideological emancipation eventually penetrated into the people along with education and literacy.
The great wisdom of the people will finally be enlightened.
The shackles of heavy imprisonment were finally broken, and the Ming Dynasty was about to usher in its peak prosperity.
