Chapter 286 Cui Yixuan is so pitiful

"Enough!"

Seeing the two groups start arguing, Li Shimin shouted angrily.

"Your Majesty, they were the ones who insulted me first," Cheng Yaojin said, retreating to his seat with a wronged expression.

You curse my mother!

I've given you so many meaningful glances from the dragon throne, but when have you ever noticed?

Old Cheng is unreliable!

Turning my head...

Li Shimin glanced at Changsun Wuji again.

Changsun Wuji is also a good-for-nothing!

"..."

Changsun Wuji felt even more aggrieved.

If we can't beat Lao Wei, it's not our fault...

All the members of Wagang were promoted by Your Majesty yourself.

Promotion is one thing.

And they're all people with real power...

Wei Zheng, Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, Zhang Liang, Li Shiji, Niu Jinda, Guo Xiaoke, Li Junxian...

They are all great generals who command troops!

oh.

Old Wei isn't...

"His Majesty!"

Just then, Cui Yixuan suddenly stood up and said, "I believe that Wei Zheng is suspected of protecting someone."

"It is a fact that Wei Shuyu's association with Sirius has caused widespread panic among the people!"

"Regardless of the reason, the imperial court must give the people an explanation!"

Li Shimin raised an eyebrow.

There's also a gentry family...

Alright, then let you guys wear down Lao Wei first.

"What suggestions do you have, my dear minister?"

Li Shimin's smile returned.

"Return to Your Majesty."

Cui Yixuan bowed and said, "Wei Shuyu is, after all, Wei Zheng's son. Rather than asking us to say something, we should hear what Wei Shizhong himself has to say!"

The courtiers were shocked.

That old schemer is even more cunning than Changsun Wuji.

Let Wei Zheng speak for himself; whatever he says will be wrong!

"What does Minister Wei think?"

Li Shimin also inquired.

His subordinates were unreliable, so he had to personally exert pressure.

"Your Majesty, this will not do."

Cheng Yaojin stepped in again to muddy the waters: "As the person involved, Wei Zheng should, in principle, recuse himself!"

Get out of my way!

Li Shimin's eyes widened.

I did want him to avoid suspicion, but would he agree?

If he doesn't care, who else can stop me from beheading Wei Shuyu?

"Don't be hasty!"

Cui Yixuan said with a smile, "Everyone knows that Wei Zheng is upright and incorruptible; he would never show favoritism."

Cheng Yaojin remained silent.

The Cui family of Qinghe are my in-laws, so I can't just curse them.

After glancing at Wei Zheng, he returned to his seat.

"Cui Yixuan, this matter..."

Seeing this, Qin Qiong was about to speak when Cui Yixuan interrupted him...

"Qin Shubao!"

Cui Yixuan, with a stern face, rebuked sharply, "We are now discussing important matters of the court!"

"You have been away from the court for a long time, please do not interrupt!"

"Your Majesty is so kind as not to expel you. But if you dare to speak out again, the court will detain you on charges of disrupting the government!"

"If you have something to report, please submit your memorial according to the procedure!"

Unlike the recklessness of military generals.

The gentry had spent years in officialdom and were very familiar with its procedures!

Cui Yixuan could easily control military generals.

"Shubao!"

Cheng Yaojin tugged at Qin Qiong, signaling him not to act rashly.

Qin Qiong could only sigh and retreat.

That's all he can do to help...

Whether Wei Shuyu can be saved in the end depends on Wei Zheng himself!

"Wei Zheng, what do you think should be done about this?"

Having dealt with the two, Cui Yixuan looked at Wei Zheng with a smile.

"I believe this matter has nothing to do with Shuyu!"

However, before Wei Zheng could reply, another voice rang in his ears.

Um?

Turning around, he saw Kong Yingda staring intently at him.

Confucianism?

Cui Yixuan narrowed his eyes.

The aristocratic families controlled the scholars, while the Confucian scholars were their teachers.

"I wonder what the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy's views are?" Cui Yixuan asked with a slightly solemn expression.

"As heaven maintains vigor through movement, a gentleman should constantly strive for self-improvement!"

Kong Yingda began to speak eloquently: "The talk of gods and ghosts is not to be believed!"

The matter of Wei Zheng.

Confucianism must step forward.

Whether it was for the debate between Taoism and Confucianism, or for Wei Zheng's other identity.

Shandong gentry!

What is Shandong?

The sacred land of Confucianism, the hometown of Confucius and Mencius!

Wei Zheng was upright and incorruptible, put the people first, and would smash his head against a pillar if provoked...

This is the quintessential image of a great Confucian scholar from Shandong!

Wei Zheng can die.

But we must not be misled by supernatural or mystical theories about Sirius.

If Wei Zheng falls from power...

This is a provocation against the entire Shandong province!

Confucius said: "The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits."

Cui Yixuan retorted, "Even Confucius didn't care about gods and ghosts."

"Chancellor Kong, you're meddling a bit too much!"

Cui Yixuan was exceptionally domineering when facing Kong Yingda.

There's a sense that they don't take Kong Yingda seriously.

"The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits; this is to advocate that human cultivation should be the standard!"

"If right mindfulness weakens, evil mindfulness will prevail."

"A righteous heart naturally has nothing to fear!"

Kong Yingda explained earnestly.

The ministers nodded in unison.

However, Cui Yixuan responded with a cold laugh...

Confucius said: "Respect the spirits and gods, but keep them at a distance."

"Even Confucius was wary of talk about ghosts and spirits."

"You should keep your distance from Wei Shuyu, lest you tarnish the prestige of Confucius!"

The courtiers were taken aback.

Confucius's statement is quite controversial.

When Confucius' disciples asked him questions, his answers were vague and seemed to be avoiding the topic.

"Respecting ghosts and spirits while keeping them at a distance does not mean being afraid of them..."

"The main point is to encourage everyone to respect ghosts and spirits, but not to be overly superstitious!"

Kong Yingda then began to explain seriously.

"This is about politics, not philosophical discussions!"

Cui Yixuan sternly rebuked, "Please put away your theory."

Kong Yingda was taken aback.

I'm used to teaching, it's purely a professional instinct!

The courtiers couldn't help but feel sorry for Old Kong.

They've made a stand...

But he was completely being played by Cui Yixuan.

Kong Yingda is alright in teaching and nurturing students.

Working in the imperial court?

If it weren't for the fact that I'm a descendant of Confucius, I wouldn't even know how many times I'd been played to death.

"Cough cough..."

As if sensing everyone's gaze, Kong Yingda also felt a little embarrassed.

What if you can't win the argument?

Find Lao Wei!

His purpose in stepping forward was not to persuade Choi Eui-hyeon.

Instead, it deterred the other aristocratic families from making any rash moves!

Just like Qin Qiong.

Whether you win the argument or not is not important!

The important thing is that his presence makes others wary and prevents them from ganging up on Wei Zheng!

"Bold Choi Eui-hyun."

Wei Zheng stepped forward with a loud shout: "You keep saying that this is the time for government affairs!"

"Since it concerns state affairs, why can't Chancellor Kong express his own opinions?"

Cui Yixuan was at a loss.

Old Wei is here...

"Chancellor Kong has gone off-topic!" Cui Yixuan replied.

Where did we go off-topic?

Wei Zheng sternly retorted, "Zhongyuan quoted classics and the words of Confucius to warn you against superstition. What's wrong with that?"

Kong Yingda slapped his thigh.

yes.

I haven't gone off-topic...

Even if we haven't gone off-topic.

Cui Yixuan countered, "But what Confucius said has nothing to do with our court politics?"

"Our top priority right now is to quell the rumors circulating among the public!"

The ministers nodded in agreement.

"How dare you!"

However, Wei Zheng seized on this point and wouldn't let it go!

"The words of Confucius are the sacred words of Confucianism!"

"Yet you show such contempt!"

"What? Do you think you can surpass Confucius?"

Swish.

Cui Yixuan's expression changed drastically.

Surpassing Confucius? How dare he say that?

If this gets out, even the Cui family of Qinghe won't be able to withstand it!

“Wei Zheng, where have I shown contempt? Don’t you dare slander me like this,” Cui Yixuan said with a dark face.

Wei Zheng's beard trembled, and his words, resounding and powerful, flowed from his lips...

"The words of Confucius are revered as sacred by Confucian scholars!"

“It is perfectly acceptable to quote the emperor’s words in court, but you used them to mock Zhong Yuan.”

"What is this if not contempt?"

Everyone broke out in a cold sweat.

They used Confucius's words to mock Confucius's descendants.

If this is confirmed...

He is the public enemy of all Confucian scholars in the world.

"You're talking nonsense!"

Cui Yixuan rebuked him with a dark expression.

snort.

Wei Zheng sneered.

"If I'm not mistaken, your Cui family of Qinghe also believes in Confucianism, right?"

"You can easily recite the two sentences: 'The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, and spirits. Respect ghosts and spirits, but keep them at a distance'..."

"You wouldn't know what it means?"

"You clearly know the answer, yet you still had Zhongyuan explain it. What's the meaning of that?"

“Zhongyuan explained it to you, so why did you not express your gratitude but instead scold him harshly?”

"Cui Yixuan!"

"And you're still saying you're not using Confucian classics to mock Zhong Yuan?"

"Using the words of Confucius to mock their descendants!"

"you……"

"His crime deserves death!"

Everyone broke out in a cold sweat.

Wei Zheng's mouth was always full of bombshells.

Cui Yixuan was both cunning and domineering, and he was a master of all kinds of court politics.

But damn it...

They were still no match for Lao Wei.

Cui Yixuan's eyes kept flashing.

what to do?

What else can we do?

Admit your mistake!

Taking a deep breath, Cui Yixuan bowed to Kong Yingda and said...

"Master Kong, I have misspoke."

"Actually... I really don't understand the meaning of those two sentences."