The Sage of Confucianism and Taoism

Chapter 2458: The left prime minister and the white goose scholar

Fang Yun's approach was opposed by officials of the Department of Liberal Arts. Many officials of the Faculty of Arts believed that Fang Yun had no right to decide to promote a book in the academy. This decision had to be made by the Minister of Literature or the senior scholar in charge of the academy.

Because, what books are taught in academies, except for the classics of all saints, which are compulsory, other books are decided by local liberal arts colleges as compulsory or elective.

The versions of "Twenty-Four Filial Piety" are different in different countries, because they have to promote celebrities from their own country, and it is impossible to promote people from other countries.

For example, in the "Twenty-Four Filial Piety" written in various places in Jingguo, there is no burial of children to serve their mothers, because the place where Guo Ju later became an official was in the current Qingguo area. There are also different versions in Qingguo's "Twenty-Four Filial Piety". The former Xiangzhou version had this story.

When he was the governor of the two states, Fang Yun removed the story of burying children and serving their mothers in Xiangzhou's version of "Twenty-Four Filial Piety", but this time when adapting "Twenty-Four Filial Piety" into "Twenty-Four Filial Piety", he added this story.

At that time, even the Qingguo Wen Palace was afraid of causing controversy and allowed each state to decide whether to include Burial of Children to Serve Mother. However, Fang Yun went his own way this time and adapted it and even wanted to promote it nationwide, which intensified the controversy.

Soon, some officials remembered that Fang Yun had deleted the story of burying children to serve their mothers in the Xiangzhou version of "Twenty-Four Filial Piety". They felt that Fang Yun's behavior was weird and seemed to have other intentions, so these officials remained silent on this matter.

Because the impact of this incident was so great that the Prime Minister requested to hold a court meeting tomorrow to discuss it.

Fang Yun seemed completely unaware of how much trouble he had caused. On the second day, he went to court normally, but from the moment he appeared outside the palace, he became the focus of the audience.

Even the guards who usually remained motionless turned their eyes to look at Fang Yun.

The other officials looked at Fang Yun and did not dare to ask questions. When officials asked questions, Fang Yun did not answer.

Because, on Wuhou's carriage, Fang Yun had fox glass on his left side and a white lamb on his right side.

There will be drums and music, dancing and other tedious etiquette during a big court, but there are not so many trivial matters in an ordinary court meeting. After the officials and the monarch return to their places, the court meeting begins.

This time, Jing Jun did not get down to business first, but asked: "Fang Aiqing, why did you bring the lamb to the temple?"

Fang Yun smiled and said: "The Book of Rites records that people at different levels carry different greeting gifts. For example, the greeting gift given by the emperor should be wine for sacrifices, the meeting gift of the princes should be jade and Gui, and the high-ranking officials should use lambs. Ordinary officials use geese, scholars use pheasants, and ordinary people use ducks. I am not the emperor, and I am not a prince. Therefore, as a minister, I should use lambs as gifts."

Fang Yun sat motionless on Marquis Wu's carriage, while Hu Li brought the trembling lamb forward and handed it to the eunuch. The eunuch put it away and sent it to the side hall.

The Assistant Prime Minister Yang Xuwen said: "Today we were originally discussing the "Twenty-Four Filial Piety Illustrations", but Prime Minister Fang gave you a lamb, and it seemed that he had other intentions?"

Fang Yun nodded and said: "The prime minister announced that this thirteenth gift is a restricted gift. Gift-giving is very popular in the officialdom of Jingguo. In order to reduce waste, according to the "Book of Rites", first- and second-grade officials can only give gifts. Give lambs. For officials of the third to seventh grades, they can only give wild geese. However, now that wild geese are hard to find, white geese will be given as gifts. "

Yang Xuwen was stunned for a while, not knowing how to answer the question.

A large number of officials also looked at Fang Yun blankly, unable to understand Fang Yun's thirteenth ceremony.

This ancient ritual is only recorded in history books. Even in the Spring and Autumn Period, not many people followed it, but modern people are forced to follow it, which is far more ridiculous than carrying rice for a hundred miles.

Carrying rice for hundreds of miles is at least under the banner of filial piety. If you really want to limit the value of gifts, just give the price. Officials can only send sheep, white geese, and pheasants. What's going on?

"Absurd!" Sheng Boyuan, the Minister of Rites, accused Fang Yun in public.

Fang Yun asked in surprise: "Shang Shu, haven't you read the Book of Rites? It is a book of saints and everyone must learn it. Are you blaming the Holy Academy and all the saints of the past?"

Sheng Boyuan said: "Master Fang, this is wrong. Although there is a record in "Book of Rites", it does not say that only this gift can be given. Didn't Duke Zhao of Lu give carp to Kong Sheng back then? It would be illegal for princes to give carp to them. "Etiquette, why did Kong Sheng name his second ancestor Kong Li?"

Fang Yun smiled and said: "Indeed, the "Book of Rites" does not stipulate what can only be given as a gift. However, the "Book of Rites" also says that when the country is in trouble, waste should be reduced. The purpose of promulgating this gift is to avoid waste. , so according to the "Book of Rites", the list of gifts for officials in the future can be lifted after the Jingguo is strong and free of internal and external troubles. "

Sheng Boyuan knew that he could not argue with Fang Yun, so he suddenly said: "I am holding a banquet at home today. If any officials come, they must give sheep, geese and pheasants as Fang Xusheng said. I will open up a new place in the humble house. Raise these animals specially and eat them slowly.”

"I will bring the white goose to my door today."

"The official can only carry the pheasant."

"I should have learned from Fang Xusheng and brought the lamb to your mansion."

Those officials who opposed Fang Yun made fun of him with animals.

Fang Yun just snorted coldly and didn't care about them.

Afterwards, everyone discussed the implementation of the "Illustrated Theory of Twenty-Four Filial Piety". Even many officials of the Academy of Arts who originally supported Fang Yun remained silent on this matter.

In the end, the implementation of the "Illustrated Theory of Twenty-Four Filial Piety" was shelved.

After the court was dismissed, some officials indeed brought lambs, white geese or pheasants as gifts, and these officials deliberately wore court robes and walked to Shengboyuan, which caused the news to spread rapidly everywhere.

That night, people from Qing laughed at the discussion board, saying that Jing had a left prime minister who carried a sheep and a great scholar who held a goose, which became the most famous joke on the discussion board that day.

Some scholars found that something was wrong and advised Fang Yun very sincerely on the discussion board that some etiquette could be restored to the past, but some etiquette was not suitable for the ancients.

However, Fang Yun did not seem to care about all the opposition.

Soon, Fang Yun announced the 14th ceremony again.

As soon as the 14th ceremony was announced, some officials publicly accused Fang Yun and were filled with righteous indignation.

After the 14th ceremony was passed to the discussion board, many scholars were a little confused.

This fourteenth ritual also originated from the "Book of Rites", requiring officials to wear jade in formal occasions according to the records of the "Book of Rites", and the sound of the jade pendant on the right should make the sound of the five sounds of Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zheng and Yu, and the jade pendant on the left should make the sound of Gong Yu.

When the official walks in small steps, the rhythm of the sound of the jade pendant should correspond to the music "Cai Qi", and when walking normally, the rhythm of the sound of the jade pendant should correspond to the music "Si Xia".

When the official turns back, he should not turn his head immediately, but walk out of a semicircle. When turning right, the route should be a standard right angle.

This so-called ancient ritual was rarely implemented in ancient times, but it was just an ideal state. Not to mention ordinary officials, even Confucius, who respected etiquette at that time, could not do this all the time.

There is one thing about this fourteenth ritual that is not harsh, that is, it is not necessary to do so in private, but it must be done in formal occasions such as the court, meeting with senior officials, and handling government affairs.