244. Classes at the Prefectural School (Part 2) (Page 1/2)
Yu Chu, the Henan provincial education commissioner, adopted a very humble posture, bowing so low he almost bent his back to the ground.
However, Choi Hyun never responded.
Outside the Kaifeng Prefectural School, an eerie silence reigned.
Yu Chu's face turned pale, and cold sweat poured down his face.
He trembled as he maintained his bowing posture, his heart pounding.
Family, this game looks like we're going to lose!
Under the watchful eyes of everyone.
The young headmaster watched silently as the Henan provincial education commissioner bowed to him, without uttering a word.
A moment later.
He completely ignored Yu Chu and walked towards the east side of the Kaifeng Prefectural School.
On the east side of the prefectural school, there once stood a seven-foot-high platform for debating scriptures.
That was created by Mr. Donglai, a leading figure in contemporary literature, for his disciple Cui Xian.
One month ago.
Cui Xian went to meet the "five-year agreement" and, on this debate platform, he was undefeated in his verbal battle against the assembled scholars.
Unfortunately, this debate platform is now riddled with damage.
On the day Huan Ying abdicated the throne, the angry Confucian scholars not only smashed the Cui family's houses and workshops.
They also vented their anger on the seven-foot-high debating platform.
The young abbot, dressed in a dark blue robe, stood before the ruined debate platform, leaving everyone with a somber and imposing silhouette.
It was silent, yet incredibly oppressive.
The students of the academy sensed the tense atmosphere and dared not even breathe.
Yu Chu, the Henan provincial education commissioner, experienced a sudden blackout.
Cen Hongchang, Zhou Xiang, and other Henan officials looked at Yu Chu with pity and sympathy.
Brother, it looks like you're about to 'die'.
Following yesterday's incident where the "case was solved in one day" at the Provincial Judicial Commissioner's Office.
All the officials present knew that Cui Xian was a man not to be trifled with.
Fortunately, the case has now been solved and the grudges have been settled.
Zhou Xiang glanced at Yu Chu with a gloating look, then walked towards Cui Xian, his voice tinged with heartache: "What a pity."
"A perfectly good debate platform, and it's been ruined just like that."
"But in my opinion, this matter cannot be entirely blamed on the education commissioner."
Yu Chu: "..."
I really want to tear your foul mouth apart.
Can't you die without making sarcastic remarks?
Taking a deep breath to suppress his anger, Yu Chu bowed to Cen Hongchang and the other officials.
Then he ran towards Cui Xian, his voice trembling as he apologized: "I was also heartbroken when I learned that the Debate Platform had been destroyed."
"Please rest assured, Headmaster, I will definitely have someone restore this debate platform to its original state within half a month at most."
"As the educational commissioner of Henan, I should bear the responsibility for the crime alone."
"However, the students of the prefectural school are all pillars of the nation, and it is not my wish for them to be innocently involved. Now the provincial examination is imminent, and the students are in a state of confusion, urgently needing a guiding light."
"We earnestly hope that the abbot will remember their thirst for knowledge and condescend to come to the prefectural school to teach and resolve their doubts."
"If we could receive your gentle guidance, it would be a blessing for the students and for the nation. As the educational commissioner of Henan, I would like to express my gratitude in advance, with tears in my eyes."
He truly deserves to be called the provincial education commissioner.
That was an exceptionally beautiful statement.
The students of Kaifeng Prefectural School cast grateful glances at the old educational administrator.
At the same time, he looked at Cui Xian expectantly.
Officials such as Cen Hongchang, Zhou Xiang, Liu Chong, and Ye Huaifeng also looked at Cui Xian.
To be honest, even though Choi Hyeon has set up this 'stage' today, the show hasn't even started yet.
No one knows what he's going to do yet.
Was he using the pretext of inspecting the Kaifeng Prefectural School to vent his anger and establish his authority?
Or perhaps, there's a deeper meaning?
This is the second day of Cui Xian's 'Invincible Seven Days'.
There are five days left before the imperial edict arrives in Kaifeng.
His every move was enough to make these guilty officials in front of him suspicious and trembling with fear.
Choi Hyun turned around and took in all the people's micro-expressions.
Then.
The young headmaster once again ignored Yu Chu, looked at the hundreds of Confucian scholars outside the academy, and said with a smile, "I am just a lowly student now."
"How dare I show off my limited skills in front of you scholars?"
"Not to mention, to teach and enlighten you talented young men and women."
"However, as you know, thanks to the favor of Duke Huan and the trust of His Majesty, I have been fortunate enough to succeed as the headmaster of Yuelu Academy. Therefore, I must fulfill the duties of the headmaster and carry out the responsibility of education."
"To be honest, since I decided to come to the academy to teach, I haven't slept a wink last night."
"I am afraid of showing my ignorance in front of you all and misleading the younger generation."
Upon hearing these words, the students of the prefectural school burst into laughter.
Looking across the entire Liang Dynasty today, who doesn't know the immense value of the name 'Cui Xian'?
One student mustered up the courage to reply: "The headmaster's words seem like he's keeping something to himself; in reality, he simply doesn't want to pass on his true skills to us!"
Upon hearing this, Cui Xian raised an eyebrow and said with a smile, "Hmm... you found out."
"In that case, our academy will have no choice but to show some of its true abilities."
Upon hearing this, the students cheered with anticipation, eagerly requesting Cui Xian to come to the prefectural school to teach.
Cui Xian shook his head.
Then, under the astonished gazes of countless people, he flicked his sleeves and sat down on the ground: "The classroom is too small to accommodate hundreds of people."
“I think this place is fine. Gentlemen, please come forward and take your seats.”
"Lord Cen, Lord Zhou, please make way and stand to the side."
Cen Hongchang and the others' mouths twitched, but they had no choice but to do as they were told.
ah?
So casual!
The students were somewhat bewildered, yet inexplicably intrigued, and hesitantly gathered around.
Thus, this interesting scene unfolded at the Kaifeng Prefectural School today.
A group of Confucian scholars sat together.
Beside him, high-ranking officials from most of Henan province were 'forced to stand' as a form of 'punishment'.
This attracted many people to stop and watch from afar.
The students had never seen anything like this before and were quite uneasy, frequently glancing at the group of officials.
...At least bring some tables and chairs for you gentlemen.
Is it really appropriate to stand like this?
He noticed the students' gazes.
Cui Xian cleared his throat, his tone slightly teasing: "Since it's a lecture, classroom discipline must be followed."
"Anyone who is not paying attention now, go over there and stand with the gentlemen to listen."
Upon hearing this, Cen Hongchang and the others were speechless.
Haven't you made enough of a scene?!
But the students couldn't help but laugh, their eyes filled with admiration as they looked at Cui Xian.
At the age of 14, he assumed the position of headmaster, and most of the high-ranking officials in Henan's officialdom became his foils.
Senior Brother Cui is truly a role model for us all!
Only Yu Chu, the Henan provincial education commissioner, felt a chill run through his body.
Cui Xian ignored him twice, and what that signified was self-evident.
He's doomed!
But Yu Chu wanted to try one more time, so he stood respectfully beside Cui Xian, his posture particularly humble.
Please, stop giving me the silent treatment!
Give me a chance, bro.
I'll do anything for you!
pity.
Choi Hyeon could not hear the pleas in the heart of the Academic Commissioner.
He sat in the center of the students, looking at the tense and unusually tense students in front of him, and said with a joking smile: "Relax, don't be afraid. This academy is just being modest. It won't really mislead you."
"Don't worry."
"Before we begin the lesson, let's get to know each other a bit. Does anyone have any questions?"
"It's best to ask questions that are meaningless, not found in books, unrelated to the imperial examinations, questions that you are very curious about but dare not ask on ordinary days."
Oh, this.
Upon hearing Cui Xian's words, the students looked at each other in bewilderment.
...It sounds like you're joking!
And, is it really okay to ask anything?
The students looked hesitant.
Choi Hyeon sat upright in front, smiling with encouraging eyes.
This is completely different from the rumored 'shameless thief'.
He also lacked the arrogance and haughtiness often associated with exceptionally talented individuals.
Today, having met Cui Xian up close, the students finally understood what it meant to say: "Thinking of a gentleman, his gentleness is like jade."
But it was precisely this gentleman who dared to stand on the debate platform, bold and radical, claiming that "all twenty classics have flaws," which angered countless old Confucian scholars of the ancient text school.
His home was even destroyed as a result, and he almost ended up in prison.
So... what was he after when he did all this?
Why ruin your future?
But the question was too pointed, and no one dared to ask it directly.
Perhaps it was because Choi Hyeon's attitude was too frank.
A student in his thirties hesitated for a moment, then stood up and asked, "Headmaster, the debate platform that Mr. Donglai built for you has now been smashed into ruins."
(This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading) 244. Teaching at the Prefectural School (Part 2) (Page 2/2)
"So...do you still want to continue arguing?"
Upon hearing this question, hundreds of students present, including Cen Hongchang, Zhou Xiang, and others, all looked over.
Choi Hyeon answered without hesitation: "Of course we'll continue."
The student who had asked the question stammered, "But... the debate platform has been reduced to rubble, how can we debate anymore? And... aren't you afraid?"
The classics are sacred and inviolable.
The tragic experience of Cui Xian half a month ago is enough to illustrate the terrifying deterrent power behind these eight words.
Even though Cui Xian has now been appointed as the head of Yuelu Academy, it is ultimately like a mantis trying to stop a chariot or an ant trying to shake a tree!
Under the gaze of countless puzzled and doubtful eyes.
The young headmaster smiled, his brows revealing a sharp, youthful spirit: "Why be afraid?"
"You only see this debate platform turned into bricks and rubble, but do you not see that under the sky, where can't a high platform for debate be built?"
"In the past, when Confucius traveled around the states, wherever his carriage ruts reached, there was an apricot altar; Sima Qian endured humiliation in a secluded room, and his bamboo slips and silk scrolls became the best of his time."
"Previously, the debate platform was there, where I, Cui Xian, sat and waited for people from all over the world to question and refute my arguments. Now the platform is gone..."
Speaking of which...
Cui Xian paused for a moment, then laughed with exceptional arrogance and unrestrained joy: "From now on, this Kaifeng Prefectural School can be my debating platform!"
"The banks of the Yellow River during flood season can be my debating platform!"
"Under the ancient locust tree where old farmers rest in the fields, and in front of the clattering shops of craftsmen in the marketplace—these are all places where I, Cui Xian, will stand and debate!"
"The platform is broken, but that's not a big deal."
"What's frightening is that some people have long lost their sense of self-worth—they dare not put the teachings of sages into practice amidst the suffering of the people, but only dare to lock the scriptures in the library and use them as stepping stones to elevate themselves to a high position!"
"So what I mean is, they are the ones who should be afraid."
"Because I will bravely and alone stir up a storm of questioning the origins of the sacred heart and challenging the scriptures and texts!"
“If this is considered ‘deviant’ or ‘heretical,’ then I, Cui Xian, will deviate from those dead scriptures and rebel against those useless ways! Simply because—”
"What I have established is a discipline that is practical and applicable to the world!"
"What I do is the way of standing tall and upright!"
Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.
The students from Kaifeng looked stunned.
The old education official was furious, but his anger only lasted for a moment.
Cen Hongchang, Zhou Xiang, and the others were filled with shock.
Good heavens, what are you saying?!
You dare say these things, but we dare not listen.
Previously, Cui Xian's debates were somewhat 'vague' and he dared not publicly declare that he would 'establish a new school'.
At this point, he's not even going to act anymore.
The position of headmaster of Yuelu Academy gave him an unparalleled orthodox Confucian 'political status'.
Therefore, this time, descending the mountain, he could finally do so without any worries—
In a true sense, this is an attack on the entire literary world of the Great Liang Dynasty!
Before Huan Yingxian passed away, he transformed into a whetstone on the debate platform, helping Cui Xian take the first step towards sainthood.
This is also the most crucial step.
Today, the debate platform has been destroyed.
The shackles that bound Cui Xian were thus broken.
From then on, the whole world became his platform for debate!
The abbot of Yuelu Mountain came down the mountain this time not just to settle scores with the people in Kaifeng.
The Old Text School of Confucianism, the New Text School of Confucianism, the Utilitarian School of Confucianism, the School of Human Nature and Ritual, the School of Practical Learning, Buddhism, Taoism, and the remnants of the Hundred Schools of Thought... they were all on his list of targets for elimination!
Then, building on past achievements and turning the tide, they ended this millennium-long war of Confucian classics!
"But—"
In the silence, a student from Kaifeng Prefectural School stood up, looked at Cui Xian uneasily, and asked, "Headmaster, I have studied diligently for fifteen years and can recite the Four Books and Five Classics fluently."
"You say the Mao Poetry Preface is wrong and the Book of Documents is a forgery, but those are exactly the things tested in the imperial examinations!"
"With your revisions, what future do we have? Where is fairness?"
Upon hearing this, many students nodded in agreement.
This is the most practical concern.
Not far away.
Cen Hongchang, who belonged to the Ancient Text School of Confucianism, watched this scene with a hint of mockery in his eyes.
In fact, this very issue is the fundamental reason why, for thousands of years, the internal struggle for interpretation of Confucian classics has been fierce, yet the orthodox status of the Old Text School of Confucianism has never been overturned.
Benefit.
The ancient text school of Confucianism, and even Your Majesty, need to govern the country using Confucian classics and the imperial examination system.
Countless students, on the other hand, need to abide by this rule and climb upwards.
In this situation, who would be willing to accept new learning?
And this is one of the reasons why Cui Xian came to the prefectural school to teach today.
He wanted to ignite the flames of his new school in front of these young students.
"The imperial examination must be taken, and mistakes must be corrected!"
"Reforming the Bible isn't something that will happen tomorrow. It's going to take three, five, or even longer. Maybe I won't be able to do it at all—I'll just be crushed by the pressure."
"But I must tell you today: governing a country with wrong knowledge is to harm the country! ruling the people with false principles is to harm the people!"
Cui Xian flicked his sleeves and pointed at Cen Hongchang, Zhou Xiang, and the others in the distance: "Look at them! When my house was smashed, no one cared. But as soon as I took charge of the academy, I solved the case in a day—I just grabbed a few old scholars to take the blame! Why?"
"Because they have turned the classics into their own ladder to heaven! But they have forgotten that these books were originally written for the benefit of all people!"
The mockery in Cen Hongchang's eyes froze instantly.
Zhou Xiang's face was filled with anger: "Headmaster, watch your words!"
The rest of the officials were all pale and ashen-faced.
To say such things in front of everyone is tantamount to killing them!
As for the students of Kaifeng Prefectural School, they were completely dumbfounded.
Oh my god!
What are you saying? Is that something we can understand?!
But why do I feel so cool and satisfied watching Cui Xian reprimand all the high-ranking officials all by himself?
Cui Xian continued speaking, his gaze sweeping intently over the group of students before him.
His words stirred the blood of a group of Confucian scholars well-versed in classical texts: "Therefore, my pointing out your mistakes is not to take away your jobs or ruin your future. It is to admonish you—to be clear-headed scholars!"
"It's a minor matter if you misread the book. At most, your exam essay won't be refined enough, and your career will be delayed a few steps."
"But if you, in the future, when you govern a region, still hold these erroneous views when judging cases, collecting taxes, managing waterways, and comforting the people—then the mistake will not be a single article, but the lives and fortunes of millions!"
"You're afraid of failing the exam, but what am I afraid of? I'm afraid that one day you'll be sitting in a high hall—judging the life and death of living people with a scripture that's been wrong for a thousand years!"
"This is the sole reason I've come here today, even at the cost of defying the world, to reveal all of this—"
"Previously, I said that I hadn't slept all night in preparation for teaching at the prefectural school today."
"That's true, I really didn't sleep last night. I tossed and turned, not thinking about how to impart knowledge, but rather, as the headmaster of the college, how should I instruct the students why we study?"
"Knowledge can be passed on, and scriptures can be revised, but if studying for the imperial examinations and becoming an official is not for the purpose of understanding principles, helping the world, securing the country, and saving the people, then what is the meaning of all this?"
"With the provincial examination just around the corner, all of you here are destined for great success."
"May every word you write when you hold the official seal in the future be worthy of this official robe, and even more so, worthy of the conscience that a scholar should have beneath that robe!"
Cen Hongchang, Zhou Xiang, and other officials listened in a daze.
...The conscience of scholars...?
The young students stared in awe at the young headmaster before them, speechless.
Study outside Kaifeng Prefecture.
Silence.
But that was the most dangerous silence before the firewood was lit.
Cui Xian threw out not reason, but sparks.
At this moment, they burn silently only in the depths of the pupils of these young, sincere students, in their clenched knuckles, and in their suddenly heavy breaths.
But this burning is alive.
It will spread on its own, from one heart to another, burning through confusion and numbness, burning out an invisible channel.
One day—
And that day is not far off—these scattered fires will recognize each other and unite into one.
They will no longer be content with illuminating academies, examination halls, and future prospects, but will set fire to the main roads.
On the wasteland of the old world, a clear and pure path of flames was burned through.
And at the end of that road, in the center where everyone gathers firewood and countless flames gather—
This is the very altar that he, the one who ignites the fire today, will surely ascend.
That day is not far away.
The flame has been extinguished.
Waiting for the wind to come.
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