Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

Thanks to the golden finger, Ju Ming not only remembers the books he read before traveling, but he can also quickly remember the books he has not read now.

The three cardinal guides and eight objectives of the Tao of the University are to lead to the theory of Taoism.

And if you want to rebel, you have to solve the problem of "loyalty".

Ju Ming would spend an hour every night reading Confucian classics and excerpting what he wanted.

There are a large number of Confucian books that discuss "loyalty", one is "The Analects" and the other is "Zuo Zhuan".

Confucius' loyalty has two directions: one is loyalty to the emperor, and the other is loyalty to people.

Loyalty is easy to understand, it means being loyal to others.

As for loyalty to the emperor, Confucius is conditional, and the core is "the emperor, the emperor, and the ministers."

That is to say, the monarch and his ministers must each abide by their duties. "The monarch will treat his ministers with courtesy, and the ministers will serve the emperor with loyalty." If you don't treat me with courtesy, don't expect me to be loyal to you!

Does high-ranking officials and generous salaries mean treating each other with courtesy?

No!

At least Zhu Ming didn't understand it this way. He believed that his high position and generous salary came from the people's wealth and anointment.

Confucius not only opposed foolish loyalty, but also opposed risking one's life to give direct advice. He believed that the monarch had made mistakes and should give advice as he would a friend. If the monarch doesn't listen, then stop talking and don't bring shame on yourself.

As for facing an unprincipled and ignorant king, Confucius's advice is to run away quickly and live in seclusion to study and do whatever you want.

He also said, "The country is virtuous, but I am poor and lowly, which is my shame; the country is ungrateful, but I am rich, this is also my shame."

Therefore, before Ju Ming rebels, he must resign and go into seclusion. It is best to resign one or two years in advance.

Confucius' loyalty to the emperor has priorities. The first task is to "respect his duties" and "find his way", that is, to help the monarch govern the country.

Many of the remarks in "Zuo Zhuan" have a sense of foolishness and loyalty, and they often talk about wanting to die. This is contrary to Confucius' original intention.

But "Zuo Zhuan" also has its own standards, such as "Thinking better will benefit the people and be loyal."

For another example, Sui Hou said that when he sacrificed to the gods, the animals were fat and the food was abundant. Why is it called disrespecting the gods?

Ji Liang replied: "The people are the masters of the gods. Therefore, the holy kings first let the people have food and clothing before worshiping the gods. During the sacrifice, the animals are fat and the food is abundant. The monarch is showing the gods that the country is strong and the people are rich. Now the people can't eat. You’re full, you’re useless by yourself. How can the gods bless you if they know this?”

Well, this can be used to persuade Emperor Shu to persuade Emperor Huizong of Song Dynasty before resigning.

It is simply a portrayal of Huizong of the Song Dynasty. The monarch is rich, the people are poor, and they are still keen on worshiping gods.

Ju Ming has now collected several classics and copied down all those related to "loyalty". He will continue to read the excerpts, and when the time comes, he will write an "On Loyalty", seriously and carefully explaining the way of loyalty.

…

"The Meaning of University Chapters and Sentences" spread very quickly. It didn't have many words and could be copied in half a day.

The phenomenon of person-to-person transmission soon appeared in the state schools, and scholars rushed to circulate and copy the book. Even those who haven't copied it yet still keep talking about "Xiu Qi Zhiping", as if Sanzang and Bamu have become fashionable. If you don't emphasize this, you will be embarrassed to say that you have read the book.

Li Daochong sent his confidants and spent a lot of money to get a manuscript.

After reading it, Li Daochong fell silent.

This book will surely spread quickly, and its author will leave his name in history. And if he goes against Ju Ming, he may leave his mark in history, but the reputation he leaves behind may not be a very good one.

This book must be banned!

It's not like the imperial court had never banned it. The first person to turn "The Great Learning" into a separate book was Sima Guang.

Sima Guang's "Great Learning" is no longer available on the market today.

Cai Jing presided over the ban on learning, and Luoyang had the strictest ban. Er Cheng and Sima Guang each wrote "The Great Learning" into separate books, but they were all confiscated by the officials.

Almost all the Confucian scholars who have read "Great Learning" have died of old age, and few are still alive today.

Of course, it doesn't matter what Sima Guang's book is, because the annotations in "The Great Learning" are too cumbersome and explain the main principles upside down.

And the more it is explained, the more absurd it becomes. For example, "to protect things", Sima Guang interpreted it as "to resist foreign objects". "Studying things to achieve knowledge" came to Sima Guang's point of view, which meant "being able to defend external objects and then knowing the true way."

He seems to understand "ge" as "block". The literal meaning of "guard" is to hold a shield, and "to defend" means to hold a shield to block and resist.

What's wrong with things?

Why are you resisting others?

Li Daochong broke into a cold sweat and shouted: "Bring me a pen and ink!"

This thing couldn't help but work. Li Daochong didn't even think about making money. He had to think about his posthumous reputation.

A small role player like him who relies on the traitorous party to become a corrupt official will be scolded for decades at most. Once the "Explanatory Meanings of University Chapters and Sentences" becomes popular, he will bear a thousand years of infamy!

In his letter to Cai You, Li Daochong even said that if the book was not banned, he would resign immediately.

Anyway, I have already made enough money!

…

Although Zhang Gen went to listen to Ju Ming's lectures, he didn't take it seriously.

Many days later, he came across the book "Explanatory Meanings of University Chapters and Sentences". After reading it, he was as speechless as Li Daochong.

The classics he studied were not the "Book of Rites", so he did not study the "Great Learning" deeply.

Now that I have read the ultimate version of the sutras, biographies and annotations, I feel as if someone has penetrated my soul and I have discovered that many of the principles can be explained.

"Why are you reading so stupidly? You just sit there and don't talk." Huang asked with a smile.

Zhang Gen handed over the book and said: "Let's change the dowry for my daughter to ten thousand guan. If we choose a round number, marrying a daughter with ten thousand guan will be a good deal in the future."

Huang read it curiously and quickly exclaimed: "What a big heart!"

Zhang Gen said: "This book... I don't know how to evaluate it."

Not to mention the scholars of Jinzhou, even officials are passing copies and writing letters to their friends.

Officials come to visit every day, not to report on their work, but to ask for advice.

As a result, Ju Ming had to make a rule not to talk about academic matters during office hours, but to talk about anything during the holidays.

Ju Ming sent a copy back to his father and gave it to Min Wenwei to help spread it. He believed that it would spread throughout the three counties of Yangzhou soon.

The Wei brothers made a copy and sent it to their hometown in Dengcheng. It is estimated that it will also spread quickly in Dengcheng and Xiangyang.

…

Tokyo.

Taoist priest Wang Zaixi is finally finished.

Lin Lingsu collaborated with eunuchs, Taoist priests, and officials to constantly make reports, and every accusation was true.

Even Song Huizong thought his arrogant and domineering behavior was excessive. But he still missed his old love, and Wang Zai had made great achievements in alchemy in the past, so the emperor ordered him to be imprisoned in the East Taiyi Palace. We can't even say imprisonment, just grounding.

Seeing that the time was right, Lin Lingsu immediately launched a second wave of offensive, reporting Wang Zaixi for his rude words.

Wang Zaixi's words and deeds were very casual, and he often beat and scolded eunuchs and Taoists. Sometimes he would talk nonsense and complain that the emperor was fatuous and should not trust that fake Taoist Lin Lingsu.

Speaking rudely is a grave sin!

The crimes were more serious than beating eunuchs, killing people, and taking bribes.

Therefore, Wang Zixi was imprisoned and died directly there. The jailer had long been bribed by Lin Lingsu.

From then on, Lin Lingsu's family became the dominant one and became the leader of Taoist priests in the world.

"Father, Wang Zi has been put in jail and is on death row. The elixir he refined may also be fake," Cai You said. "The elixir he used was Ten Thousand Years Ganoderma lucidum donated by Zhu Guoxiang. Could it be that the Ten Thousand Years Ganoderma lucidum is also fake? What about?"

Cai Jing's eyesight became worse and worse, and he couldn't even see who he was walking by. He sat on the chair with his sleeves rolled up and looked into the distance with turbid eyes: "It's not necessary. If the Zhu family and his son don't return to Beijing for one day, it will do no harm to us. Don't want to impeach indiscriminately and create extraneous problems."

"Yes." Cai You handed over his hand.

Cai Jing asked: "What has Wang Fu said and done recently?"

Cai You replied: "It's just an invitation to favor."

Zheng Juzhong, who went home to attend the funeral for his mother, had his love stolen by the emperor and returned to the court.

Cai Jing's series of arrangements have all failed, and it is still a situation where Cai Party and Zheng Party are fighting. Moreover, that damn Wang Fu was actually promoted to deputy prime minister!

Cai Jing shook his head and said, "I didn't say how he behaved in the palace."

Cai You replied: "The official gave him a house worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. This guy still felt that it was not enough, so he took a fancy to his neighbor's house. His neighbor was the descendant of General Xu, and he actually collaborated with Liang Shicheng to force General Xu's descendants to move out. , occupying the neighbor’s house.”

"General Xu? It's unlucky for him. He won't be able to live in peace even if he dies." Cai Jing smiled.

General Xu was the first number one scholar in Fuzhou and rose to the rank of deputy prime minister. He wavered during party struggles, but his ability was extremely outstanding.

He wanted to make peace, and when the new party gained power, he interceded for the old party; when the old party gained power, he said that the new law was not all bad.

As a result, he was unhappy with both sides and was demoted to the prefect along the way.

After his death, his posthumous title was determined, and the ceremony of opening the mansion was the same as that of the third division.

General Xu's son Xu Fen is now also Zhilong Tuge.

This family's house was actually occupied by Wang Fu. Where could they go to reason?

Cai You added: "The two houses are now worth a million dollars in total. Wang Fu ordered the craftsmen to dig through the walls, and the two houses were connected. They were extremely luxurious. He also asked his servants to buy many women and fill them in the two houses, like an emperor's harem. "

Cai Jing said: "These are not crimes."

Wang Fu has become a godfather to Master Liang, and is a close friend of Tong Guan. He is also Zheng Juzhong's right-hand man. These four people secretly formed a clique and were very powerful, causing Cai Jing to suffer a lot.

"Ms. sir, there is someone in Jinzhou reporting urgently!"

"Bring him in."

Li Daochong's confidants came very quickly, urging the boat to move quickly. If you can't take a boat, you spend money to buy delivery horses, and run to Tokyo without regard to horse power. It's like rushing eight hundred miles.

Cai You asked, "What's the matter with you?"

Li Daochong's confidant presented a book.

Cai You read it carefully and was suddenly horrified.

He wanted to read it to his father, but his younger brother Cai Tiao reached over.

Cai You's face turned ugly for a moment. He put the book into his brother's hand and turned around with a gloomy expression.

Cai Tiao returned to Cai Jing and began to read aloud neither quickly nor slowly.

After reading, Cai Jing closed his eyes and said, "Read it again."

Cai Tiao reread it.

Before he finished reading the second time, Cai Jing said: "Humph, the remnants of Luo Xue. Prepare the car and enter the palace!"

With Cai Jing's current status, he would not come forward in person if he wanted to deal with anyone. Small officials would directly deal with the officials, while senior officials would ask Yushitai to impeach them.

This time, he was frightened by the "Shu Yi of the Great Learning". Cai Jing went directly to the palace to face the sage and threatened to ban the book.