The three of them continued to discuss the future development plans of the three Acropolis and the construction of railways. When it was almost late at night, Chu Junyuan and Chu Maoshi left Chu Xiujie's mansion.
The next afternoon, Chu Anping from the Royal Government Affairs Office, the six ministers, and Chu Xiujie came to the imperial study.
Chu Fan was the first to ask, "What do you think about the family members of criminal officials entering the court as officials?"
Minister of Personnel Quan Zhengcheng was the first to speak: "I believe that family members with serious criminal records should be strictly examined before they can serve as officials in the court."
Minister of Rites Fu Youde, however, held a different view. He said, "I do not agree with what the Minister of Personnel has said. I believe that every student has learned the Confucian ideals of loyalty to the emperor and patriotism. They should have equal opportunities, and the behavior of their family members should not affect their personal future."
As long as they possess sufficient talent, they should be treated fairly. Furthermore, the responsibility for sins does not extend to descendants; this is a universally acknowledged legal principle on the Shengwu Continent. We cannot erase an individual's efforts and talents because of a family's mistakes."
At this time, everyone felt that what Fu Youde said made a lot of sense.
Seeing that no one objected, Chu Fan asked, "Do you all think so?"
Chu Anping said, "I think what Master Fu said is very reasonable. As long as they are talented, we should give them the opportunity to display their talents and not let them be bound by the family's past."
Chu Xiujie and the other two kept silent, because Chu Xiujie could feel the emperor's attitude towards this matter from their conversation yesterday. It was obvious that the emperor did not want family members with criminal records to serve as officials in the court.
However, the three of them could not find a suitable reason to refute Fu Youde's words. So they chose to remain silent and wait for His Majesty's decision.
Chu Fan smiled even brighter at this time, and then said to Fu Youde: "Since Mr. Fu Aiqing's character is so noble, I would like to know whether Mr. Fu Aiqing, as the Minister of Rites, has ever punished any court officials for not observing etiquette?
Or, to put it more directly, if I were to make an official whom Fu Aiqing had suppressed when he was the Minister of Rites the Minister of Rites, and Fu Aiqing became the Vice Minister of Rites, what would Minister Fu think?
Fu Youde was stunned and embarrassed, then replied: "Of course I will obey your majesty's arrangements in everything."
After hearing Fu Youde's answer, Chu Fan knew that Fu Youde actually already had his own answer in his mind. However, in the current situation, no matter what answer he gave, it would be very embarrassing. It would be better for him to directly swear allegiance and let His Majesty make the final decision.
Chu Fan did not say anything more to Fu Youde at this time, but continued: "Let me tell you a mythological story. There was once a country on the Shengwu Continent where two snakes cultivated and became spirits.
However, monsters are not accepted by humans. No matter how kind and innocent they are, they will still be rejected and feared by people.
One of the snakes even fell in love with a human and started living among humans. A high-ranking monk, who had always taken it as his mission to eliminate demons and defend the Way, saw that the snake had not done anything harmful and only wanted to keep it from living in the human world.
In the end, the two sides fought fiercely, and the snake demon used magic to flood a human city. In the end, the monk did not kill the snake demon, but suppressed it under a tower, so that she could be with the Buddha and repent for her sins.
You can guess how the snake demon finally escaped from the tower."
At this time, everyone present was immersed in Chu Fan's story. They were all imagining in their minds how the snake demon could escape from the tower.
As a powerful warrior, Chu Anping was the first to answer, "This snake demon trained arduously in the tower. Eventually, after becoming even more powerful, it broke free from the tower, defeated the monk guarding it, and escaped."
Chu Fan directly denied it, "Wrong answer. This tower not only imprisons this snake demon, but also has the effect of blocking her from cultivation. This snake demon cannot practice any cultivation in the tower, let alone break through through strength. Therefore, she cannot use strength to break through the restraints of Leifeng Pagoda at all."
Minister of War Mu Yundian said, "Then it must have been another snake demon who went to ask for reinforcements. Then the other demons worked together to defeat the monk and rescued the snake demon imprisoned in the tower."
Chu Fan listened to Mu Yundian's answer, which was very consistent with the style of Mu Yundian, the Minister of War. As a commander, he knew that a group of people could always deal with an enemy that one person couldn't handle.
Chu Fan said, "The monster that wasn't suppressed also wanted to use your method, but after she asked for help, no other monster dared to join her in entering the human city to attack the monk.
Because if they really did that, it would undoubtedly be the monsters provoking humans, and it would be very likely that human masters would unite to encircle and suppress the monsters, which would leave even less room for the monsters to survive. So this is not the way to escape."
Minister of Rites Fu Youde said, "Could it be that the eminent monk, after imprisoning him for a while, took pity on him and released him?"
Chu Fan denied it, "Although the monk is compassionate, the other party used magic to flood the human city and committed a serious crime. The monk will never let him go."
Seeing that Chu Fan had denied all their answers, they couldn't think of how this snake demon could escape from the tower where the monk was suppressing it.
Seeing that everyone was frowning and couldn't think of any other answers, Chu Fan didn't intend to waste time letting them continue guessing.
Chu Fan said, "Do you have any other answers? If not, then I will announce the answer."
Chu Anping and his companions replied respectfully, "We are ignorant and would like to ask Your Majesty for an explanation."
Chu Fan replied, "Twenty years later, the snake demon's son passed the imperial examination and became the top scholar. As the top scholar, he brought ministers from the court to this pagoda and begged the monk to release his mother."
After hearing Chu Fan's answer, Chu Anping and others were shocked. They never expected such a result.
Minister of Personnel Quan Zhengcheng said with a serious expression: "This snake demon's son is not asking the monk to release his mother, but is putting pressure on the monk in disguise to force him to release his mother.
You have to know that the monk is just a monk after all. How could he dare to go against the imperial court of a country? When the other party's power is obviously higher than yours, you have no choice but to compromise.
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