"Da Ming Forum" was gently put down, and then picked up and read again. Several tribute scholars were thinking about something and were speechless for a while.
Li Sancai was well-known in the court and the country. He was arrested and imprisoned. This major event was also reported in the newspaper, along with Li Sancai's resume and memorials from the ministers to defend him.
"He's not honest by nature, and he's certainly corrupt." Wen Zhenmeng frowned and said, "But using the imperial guards to arrest him isn't appropriate."
Birds of a feather flock together.
During the more than half a month of waiting for the palace examination, the candidates in the capital gradually became familiar with each other through poetry gatherings, parties, and outings, and those with similar aspirations gathered together more frequently.
This teahouse was one of the gathering places. Wen Zhenmeng, Huang Daozhou from Fujian, Fu Guan from Jiangxi, Wen Anzhi from Yiling, Liu Lishun from Henan, Feng Yuanbiao from Cixi, Lu Xiangsheng and others often discussed poetry and lyrics and discussed national affairs here.
Naturally, "Da Ming Forum" became the main channel for tribute scholars to obtain news, and every time an issue came out, they would gather to analyze and discuss it.
Huang Daozhou disagreed with Wen Zhenmeng's opinion and said, "Greed is greed. If guilty, they should be arrested. What about the Ministry of Justice and the Imperial Guards?"
Liu Lishun had studied under Yuan Keli in Suizhou. He had Yuan Keli's uprightness, and after passing the imperial examination, he was further taught by Yuan Keli. He was very disgusted with party struggles and had a different perspective on issues.
"It's a wonder to see so many officials speaking up for him!" Liu Lishun said with a hint of sarcasm, "The case isn't clear, and the outcome hasn't been announced yet. I really don't know what they're thinking."
Wen Anzhi blinked and said, "Brother Liu, do you think this is a case of party protection? I find it strange too."
Wen Zhenmeng said, "I heard the charges are 'great treachery pretending to be loyal' and 'corruption, deceit, and treachery.' This is just a rehash of the old tune, so that's why so many officials are speaking up for him!"
"Back then, the factional strife arose because of Li Sancai's appointment to the cabinet," Liu Lishun said. "Furthermore, even though this is a rehash of the old story, there was no investigation or confirmation at the time."
"Could it be that the arrest and imprisonment of Li Sancai is another party dispute?" Wen Zhenmeng was also a little unsure and frowned.
Fu Guan was reading the newspaper and listening to everyone's discussions. Suddenly he chuckled twice, attracting everyone's attention.
"Have you seen this article?" Fu Guan pointed and said, "This newspaper isn't just about Li Sancai. It also contains Mr. Jishan's 'Letter to Our Friends'! Let me read it to you!"
Mr. Jishan is Liu Zongzhou, the last Confucian master of the Ming Dynasty and a master of Song and Ming Neo-Confucianism (Xinxue).
The Jishan School he founded had a huge influence on the history of Chinese thought, especially Confucianism. Early Qing Confucian scholars such as Huang Zongxi, Chen Que, and Zhang Luxiang were all descendants of this school.
At this time, Liu Zongzhou was appointed as the head of the Ministry of Rites after he had been at home for three years. With the purpose of "being cautious in solitude", his academic thoughts had matured and his reputation was far-reaching.
Although Liu Zongzhou was regarded as a member of the Donglin Party because he admired Gu Xianzhi's ideas, he was extremely saddened by the trend of factionalism and the decline of moral standards and the increasingly dangerous morals of scholars.
"The situation in the world is deteriorating rapidly. Whether at home or abroad, we urgently need to rescue the country to prevent a split in the world... Our party is also guilty, and we cannot put all the blame on the treacherous party..."
"There are many things we say and do, and they are debatable. We are often concerned with our own reputation and cannot truly serve our country..."
"...you only care about gaining a good reputation for yourself, not the country. If the world were to fall apart, you would be dead without a burial place. It's true that my party's crimes are even greater than those of the Song people!"
After reading aloud, Fu Guanlang looked around at his peers and said with a smile, "Publishing it at this time is extremely meaningful! It transforms factions and ultimately leads to their demise, without distinguishing between good and evil based on factions. Is Mr. Jishan's argument just a rehash of the same old tune?"
"Transform the partial parties and bring them to an end, without distinguishing between good and evil based on factions," these are the words from "Revising Learning to Improve People's Hearts and Cultivate the Vitality of the Country" written by Liu Zongzhou four years ago. The words are still fresh in our minds, yet factional disputes still continue.
Liu Zongzhou's self-reflection two years later was even more intense in his words, "My party is also guilty" and "The guilt of my party is greater than that of the Song people." These words were extremely profound.
"Use your spear to attack your shield!" Huang Daozhou clapped his hands and laughed, "It is said that the 'Da Ming Forum' was compiled by the emperor. If so, it shows the emperor's intentions."
Liu Lishun chuckled and said, "The harm of factional strife is obvious. The party itself has also reflected deeply on this. What else can its members think?"
Wen Zhenmeng was lost in thought, and there were many people who were lost in thought like him.
…………
At this time in Liu Zongzhou's mansion, Mr. Jishan put the newspaper on the table, smiled bitterly and shook his head.
The case of Li Sancai had already caused a lot of controversy, and officials who defended him submitted memorials one after another, but once his article was published, he was pushed to the forefront.
You traitor! We are all working together to rescue people, but you say "our party's crimes are greater than those of the Song people". This is clearly an attempt to create division and infighting!
One can imagine how his fellow officials would look at him and how they would treat him.
Your Majesty, you hate factional strife so much, so why do you push me to the front?
Liu Zongzhou only muttered one sentence in his mind, and then he wanted to slap himself twice. How dare a disciple of Confucius and Mencius resent his emperor and father?
After thinking it over again and again, Liu Zongzhou picked up his pen and paper, ready to resign and go home.
Speaking of which, Liu Zongzhou did not like officialdom. He preferred to study and teach, and he was reinstated several times with great reluctance.
"...When I was young and began studying, I was ashamed to be an ordinary person. After I became a scholar, I was always filled with a sincere heart, thinking of repaying my lord and father and devoting my life to the duty of serving them. We all establish our hearts for heaven and earth, our lives for the people, and all things are one. We will also work hard for this... In the past, Han Tuizhong was dismissed from his post and wrote "Explanation of Advancing Learning" to encourage himself, and eventually became a famous scholar. Is this what we are like today?"
Liu Zongzhou suddenly stopped writing and smiled to himself. The thought of being able to devote himself to learning after his dismissal, leaving behind the entanglements of worldly affairs, and complete his "Renpu," made him feel relieved. What kind of writing is this? It doesn't look like a petition for resignation!
After changing the paper, Liu Zongzhou pondered for a while before picking up his pen and writing, "Minister Liu Zongzhou of the Ministry of Rites respectfully submits: The world is in decline, and the scholars and officials are ignorant of propriety and righteousness. They often advance without knowing how to retreat. As for the changes... I humbly request Your Majesty's approval."
………………
In the main hall of the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Youxiao was summoning Xu Guangqi and others.
Zhang Yu'er, the cat's owner, stood by the temple holding her cat, occasionally glancing at the strange-looking men with blue eyes and yellow beards, listening to their strange Beijing dialect. Then he looked down at White Snake, and she seemed to bear a resemblance to him.
Gui Lao? Gui Lao? Gui Lao?! Yeah, that’s how the Emperor pronounced it with a smile, Gui Lao!
Zhang Yu'er's lips moved, silently repeating and correcting the pronunciation. When she felt that she had mastered it, the girl wondered in her heart: Why is he called Gui Lao and not Lao Gui?
The young emperor had no idea what the naughty girl beside the palace was thinking, but he let her stay there to watch the foreigner just to satisfy her curiosity.
He had a gentle smile on his face, fiddling with a telescope in his hand, nodding from time to time, and was having a great conversation with the "foreigners".
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