Volume 4: Gathering of Sages Chapter 623: The Name Matches the Reality
One wave has not yet settled when another wave arises. People in official circles all feel that the constant farce in recent days is dizzying and overwhelming. Even the idle people in the capital, who always like to talk about all kinds of official affairs to outsiders in order to show off their well-informedness as the subjects of the emperor, feel a little overwhelmed after watching the show for a few days.
Because it is difficult for anyone to seriously identify the mastermind behind the scenes and then proudly tell others about their judgment.
Therefore, the emperor suspected the deposed empress, the eldest and second princes directly in front of the Empress Dowager of Qingning Palace, and even the commoners who had been corrupt for more than ten years. This can't really be said that the emperor is too suspicious. Because... there is really no logical mastermind behind the scenes! Could it be that all kinds of contradictions have been suppressed for a long time, so they always erupted before the crown prince was appointed?
So, although the empress dowager advised the emperor not to immediately target the Imperial College - even though she was deeply dissatisfied with those academic officials - the emperor was furious at the court meeting that day, and after returning home he got angry at the empress dowager, but in the afternoon he immediately summoned the ministers to discuss the matter. It was decided that all the students who had caused trouble that day would be dismissed, and all the academic officials from top to bottom would be fined between one year and three months' salary.
As for Zhang Shou, the Doctor of the Imperial College, the emperor simply dismissed him.
Faced with such good news, Academician Kong was naturally overjoyed at first. Even the few ministers who thought Zhang Shou was too troublesome , after being surprised, felt that the emperor was surprisingly fair this time and finally put the blame on Zhang Shou. But immediately afterwards, the emperor said something that shocked them all.
"Since the Imperial College can't accommodate Jiuzhang Hall, then we should follow Zhang Jiuzhang's suggestion and directly transfer Jiuzhang Hall to the public school outside the city. Not only Jiuzhang Hall, but also Banshan Hall, so that the school officials won't be displeased with these poor students who study mathematics and these noble children who don't do their jobs properly. The freed-up classrooms can also give the six classes some space, so that they don't have to squeeze together for lectures!"
Academician Kong frowned and was about to object, but Elder Wu immediately echoed him loudly, "Your Majesty, this is a very good idea! Jiuzhang Hall and Banshan Hall are incompatible with the atmosphere of the Imperial College, so moving them to another place is just right. This way, the dispute can be resolved and both sides can live in peace. Secondly, it can also reduce the burden on Dr. Zhang. He is still a lecturer in the Eastern Palace, and he has to compete with the academic officials and students all day long. He is exhausted!"
Seeing that Wu Ge Lao was acting like a yes-man again, Grand Secretary Kong was furious, but he didn't expect the emperor to smile nonchalantly and said, "Yes, he has too many positions, so it won't hurt if I reduce one of them. Well, he is not a doctor anyway, but he is also a lecturer in the East Palace and a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy. From now on, just change his title from Doctor Zhang to Scholar Zhang."
At this point, the emperor said lightly: "The students of Jiuzhang Hall used to serve as teachers in the public school. This time, Banshan Hall was moved there, so that they can also go to the public school to gain experience and experience, and see the sufferings of the people! Well, since they are not in the Imperial College, the word "student" is not suitable for them. Since they are half reading and half lecturing, guiding the students of the public school to read and write, they should be called "tutors"!"
Elder Wu immediately rushed to praise , "Your Majesty is wise! The word 'mentor' is so appropriate!"
This time, even the emperor couldn't help but glance at Lord Wu - he was good at flattering, reading people's expressions, and more importantly, he could make good decisions at critical moments. Of course, he used such talents very easily. Who would remember that even Lord Jiang, who had stepped down in disgrace before, did not stay in the cabinet as long as this Wu in front of him?
But this time, he couldn't help wanting to play a trick, so he said slowly: "You don't need to flatter me. I'm not that idle yet. Nothing has happened yet. I'm just thinking of a new name for these students. This is Zhang Jiuzhang's suggestion."
If it were someone else, after being attacked by the emperor, and seeing his colleagues such as Academician Kong looking at him with ridicule, he would definitely feel embarrassed.
But who is Wu Ge Lao? He smiled nonchalantly as usual: "So it was Master Zhang who suggested it? Oh, it's true that heroes emerge from youth. He is worthy of the emperor's respect. He knows how to live up to his reputation!"
As he spoke, he smiled and nodded to Academician Kong. Seeing the other party's expression of shamelessness, meanness and shamelessness, he suddenly realized something and asked, "Your Majesty, it's about that strange case involving the Imperial Household Department..."
Compared with the dispute in the Imperial College, what Mr. Kong was most concerned about was of course the farce rather than a strange case. Since Wu Ge Lao had started it, he immediately took over in a deep voice.
"There is a lot of discussion now. The dispute in the Imperial College actually arose from this. If we don't investigate it thoroughly, it will be difficult to calm it down. Although Magistrate Shen of Wanping County is a capable person, I'm afraid he can't handle this matter..."
"What are you afraid of? It's such a simple case, am I afraid that he will be lenient to the criminal?" Seeing that Grand Secretary Kong dragged out a long tone and stopped talking, the emperor frowned and said bluntly, "I want to find out where the rumors came from behind the criminal, but although Shen Qing acted vigorously and tortured him severely, he insisted that it was just hearsay, which made me angry."
"As for Liu Feng, the manager of the Qianqing Palace who spread rumors about Silang, I had him interrogated with a stick, but nothing came out of him. So we have to conclude that he was the only one who did it. Otherwise, could it be that someone in the inner court or the outer court was able to control him?" The emperor did not mention whether Liu Feng was dead or alive, but just casually threw out a statement.
How could Grand Secretary Kong let it go so easily? He stood up and said, "But when the Imperial Household Department selected people, they actually taught those orphans who had no father or mother, without filial piety and affection, without family ties and human relationships. This is a serious matter! If the palace attendants really teach like this, isn't it against the laws of nature and human desires? How can there be loyalty without filial piety?"
"That's of course Liu Feng talking nonsense to Si Lang!"
The emperor denied it outright, and then said categorically: "Our dynasty has always ruled the world with filial piety. How can one be loyal without being filial? That was Liu Feng's deliberate attempt to discredit the Imperial Household Department! Si Lang talked nonsense outside, and he regretted it after returning to the palace yesterday. Today, he has gone to the Qingning Palace to plead guilty, and then the empress dowager ordered Zhang Jiuzhang to discipline him. Now, not only has he been punished with a ruler, but he is also copying the "Book of Filial Piety" in the Fengxian Hall!"
What? The Queen Mother herself didn't care about the Fourth Prince, but let Zhang Shou take care of him?
Even the academician Kong thought there was something wrong with his ears. You know, the empress dowager is not the emperor who always acts independently. The emperor might play such unbelievable tricks, but the empress dowager is always very strong and strict! Not to mention anything else, when the emperor was a child, he also received many severe lessons from the empress dowager!
He opened his mouth to ask why, but Zhang Shou's fellow student, Minister Chen of the Ministry of Revenue, asked very cautiously, "I would like to ask, why is it that Scholar Zhang is disciplining the Fourth Prince?"
"Isn't he the fourth prince's teacher?" The emperor asked in return. Seeing that everyone, including Wu Ge Lao, was dumbfounded, he said earnestly, "Since he has been entrusted to the teacher, then we should let the teacher discipline him. This is also in line with the name. After Si Lang came back from the palace after being beaten, he asked to go to Fengxian Hall to copy the "Book of Filial Piety", which shows that he has deeply reflected on himself."
Hearing this, Lord Wu couldn't help but sing praises to the Fourth Prince for admitting his mistakes and correcting them, which was a great virtue. However, Minister Chen was surprised that Zhang Shou actually dared to hit him. As for Scholar Kong and others, they felt that the Emperor's words were not entirely true.
However, even if they instigated others to continue submitting petitions against the matter, they would not, like those trouble-making students in the Imperial College... or the school officials who instigated them from behind, directly point the finger at Zhang Shou for corrupting the Fourth Prince.
Everyone knew that the emperor had driven away the first and second princes, but doted on the third and fourth princes. Those two little guys were not to be touched. As for Zhang Shou... it was still unknown whether Zhu Ying was the daughter of Zhao Guogong Zhu Jing or the emperor's daughter. Even if it was just because he loved the whole family, it was no doubt that the emperor favored Zhang Shou. What's more, Zhang Shou had a wise and brave mother?
So, seeing that the emperor had quickly resolved the issue of the Imperial College but was avoiding the issue of the Imperial Household Department, Academician Kong and others decided to return and focus on the key points and not continue arguing with the emperor for the time being.
But when the group left Wenhua Hall and returned to their respective offices, they learned a shocking piece of news.
The one who beat the Fourth Prince was not Zhang Shou, but Ah Liu, Zhang Shou's follower who was becoming more and more famous and was said to be praised by the Emperor. Moreover, not only did the Fourth Prince receive twenty blows with the ruler, but Zhang Shou himself also received ten!
It is said that the Fourth Prince did not stop his teacher from taking the blame for him, and he cried so hard that he was heartbroken. The Third Prince, who came later, saw this scene and was so angry that he slapped the Fourth Prince! You know, this pair of brothers used to be very harmonious and friendly. Not to mention beating their own brother, when the Fourth Prince was blamed in the past, it was said that the Third Prince would rush to plead for mercy, and even wanted to take his place.
All kinds of news were flying around. Academician Kong, who had previously planned to strategically abandon Zhang Shou and focus on the Imperial Household Department, sighed that he was indeed foresighted and did not hold on to Zhang Shou and the Fourth Prince, the teacher and student pair, in front of the emperor.
When the scholars of the Imperial College received a tip-off that a salary deduction would be enough to get through the difficult times and that Zhang Shou was even dismissed from his position as Doctor of the Imperial College, they were initially excited. However, after learning that the Fourth Prince was being blamed, most of them were shocked.
Zhang Shou actually ignored the dignity of a teacher and was so patient and pretentious that the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince were all deceived. If the Third Prince kept this in mind, even if they managed to get through this time, wouldn't the Crown Prince bear a grudge against them in the future?
Zhang Shou, who had stayed in the Outer City Public School for most of the day and discussed many things with Lu Wan and Liu Zhiyuan, was greeted by the largest and most powerful crowd in history on the road when he returned to Zhang Garden. He was so overwhelmed by the crowd that he had to get on the car to take shelter.
But it wasn't over even after he took refuge for a while. Someone actually recommended his own children and grandchildren in the street and begged him to take them as his disciples... At this point, he had no choice but to let Ah Liu drive the car and flee.
However, when Ah Liu, who took the shortcut, turned and turned skillfully, Zhang Shou could no longer tell east from west and north from south. He simply lowered the curtains and let Ah Liu go around in circles. After an unknown amount of time, the car suddenly stopped in an alley. Then, he heard Ah Liu's voice.
"Master, the main gate, back gate, and all the side gates of Zhang Garden have been blocked. There is a sentry every three steps and a sentry every five steps outside the wall."
Zhang Shou couldn't help but cover his forehead and groaned, "Is it that serious?"
"Of course." This time, Ah Liu's answer was firm, "Because everyone thinks that the young master is a good teacher. There are many famous teachers in the world, but most of them only help those students with outstanding talents to stand out. As for the dull ones, most of them are left to fend for themselves. But how many of the young master 's students who were once dull have gained a good reputation?"
"It's not all because of me."
Zhang Shou had no intention of taking all the credit for himself. When he noticed that Ah Liu, who had suddenly become very talkative, was silent, he smiled and said, "You always think I'm the best, but that's because you follow me all day and have no chance to see a better teacher than me. Besides, I'm not without selfish motives, for example..."
"Like what?"
As the curtain was pulled open, Zhang Shou saw Zhu Ying's angry face in front of him, and he felt as if he was in a dream. But soon, he realized that Ah Liu must have met Zhu Ying halfway on the road and deliberately stopped the car in this shabby alley! Anyway, this kid usually obeyed him, but he turned against him when he met Zhu Ying!
Zhu Ying stared at Zhang Shou for a long time, and suddenly stretched out her hand like lightning to grab Zhang Shou's left wrist, but with her martial arts skills, this move that had always been successful in the past failed, because Zhang Shou just lowered his shoulders and shrank back, and her move that was full of momentum failed to work. But she still didn't care, leaned forward and tried again, and finally jumped into the car.
Zhang Shou certainly declined the opportunity to have a physical fight with Zhu Ying without any erotic meaning in this small carriage - and his few self-defense skills were not for use against girls.
Therefore, he could only helplessly watch Zhu Ying finally grab his left wrist with both hands after several failed attempts, and then stared at the left hand wrapped in layers of white cotton cloth. Fearing that she would do something extreme in the car, he hurriedly reminded her: "Yingying, Ah Liu is just pretending, it's okay!"
"What are you pretending to be? Can Ah Liu do this kind of difficult work? Aunt Yuquan is proficient in martial arts and medical skills. If Ah Liu is pretending to fight, will she not be able to tell? There is no teacher in this world who would take the blame for his students. Ah Shou, you always do things that are different from others!"
Without waiting for Zhang Shou to explain, Zhu Ying smiled and suddenly reached out to hug Zhang Shou's neck: "But I just like that you are different from others! After the Fourth Prince returned to the palace, he honestly went to Fengxian Palace and cried bitterly and blamed himself. I think he really knows he was wrong this time! I plead for him and you take the blame for him. We have a tacit understanding!"
