People in Datang have been expelled from school

Chapter 138 Forbidden Books
A Dream of Red Mansions is of course a very good story, but this book is full of satire on feudalism and ethics.

Not long after Cao Xueqin wrote this book, it was also listed as a banned book.

It is not tolerated by many great Confucian scholars.

But such books still moved many people in Chang'an.

Especially girls have at least one volume in their hands.

Li Shimin sat in the Ganlu Hall, ate dried fruit and looked at the Dream of Red Mansions. As an emperor, he had a rare time of cultivating immortals.

While watching, someone came to report, "Hanzhong King Li Yuanchang asked to see him."

Putting away the Dream of Red Mansions in his hand, Li Shimin remembered that Li Yuanchang was still in Chang'an.

After thinking for a while, Li Shimin said, "Let him in."

Li Yuanchang came to Li Shimin, took out Dream of Red Mansions and said to Li Shimin: "Your Majesty, please list this book as a banned book."

"Forbidden books?"

Li Yuanchang said: "Dream of the Red Chamber is full of satire and contempt for officials, so how can ordinary people trust the imperial court?"

Li Shimin remembered that there was indeed a story in the Dream of Red Mansions about the collusion between government and businessmen.

Li Yuanchang went on to say: "This son Li Zheng is so bold! How dare such a book be published and sold! Such a rebellious son should be punished!"

Li Shimin closed his eyes as if he was resting and said, "You step back first."

A few days later, discussions on the story of Dream of the Red Chamber intensified.

This story is not like The Legend of the White Snake.

Some stories are even experienced by some people.

It is written in the book that Mrs. Wang used Qingwen to seduce Baoyu as an excuse, and was driven to death in hatred.

When Daiyu heard the news of Baoyu's engagement, she felt overwhelmed with sorrow.

How helpless is the resistance of ordinary people under the aristocratic family.

Some people also speculate that this has something to do with Li Zheng's being kicked out of the bookstore.

Since Li Zheng left the bookstore, even though he is unparalleled in poetry, he has no intention of official career.

Just like Baoyu in the story, he finally looked down on the love of his children.

An article on the Red Chamber has exhausted the warmth and coldness of the world.

The blame is that the red building is so real.

It's so real that everyone has experienced it.

There will be such a big discussion.

In the court hall, Tang Jian and other civil servants stood out and said, "Please, Your Majesty will list the Dream of the Red Chamber as a forbidden book! Take down Li Zheng!"

As soon as this remark came out, discussions broke out in the court.

The story in Dream of Red Mansions is indeed not good for Chaotang.

And it even more alludes to the relationship between the gentry and officials today.

Among them, the five surnames should be the most sensitive to the story of A Dream of Red Mansions.

Before Li Shimin could speak, Wei Zheng stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty! No one outside of our country has ever been convicted for his words. Your Majesty is open to speaking out. Do you all think that the story in that book is about you?!"

Li Tai glanced at Wei Zheng in surprise, but he didn't expect Wei Zheng to also read this Dream of the Red Chamber.

Tang Jian said again: "If this book is widely known, no one in the world will believe in the imperial court!"

Wei Zheng sneered and said, "Could it be that it's impossible for His Majesty to burn books and bury scholars again!"

Burning books and burying Confucianism is indeed a bit too much, Li Tai thought about it carefully, this red building is indeed not tolerated by many veterans.

The irony of the bureaucracy in Dream of Red Mansions does exist, but not so much.

Rather, it is more of a satire on secular ethics, as well as those intrigues in the big family.

Not to mention that none of the characters in A Dream of Red Mansions seem to be a good person.

Li Tai stepped forward to smooth things over and said, "Father, my son thinks that punishing Li Zheng is an overkill."

Li Shimin looked at Li Tai, "Tell me."

"My son thought that it was not enough to punish Li Zheng, but the story of Dream of the Red Chamber is really thought-provoking. Father and Emperor openly speak out. Naturally, this book cannot be tolerated. However, if it is banned, it will obviously make people dissatisfied. It is better to use the book as a guide!"

"Does King Wei mean that His Majesty will go down to praise this book?" A civil servant said immediately.

Li Shimin looked at the civil servant who spoke, and he knew the details of these officials clearly.

Most of these people who oppose the Dream of Red Mansions are people with five surnames.

Li Shimin secretly had a plan in his heart.

After saying a word about this matter, the discussion was over and the court dispersed.

Li Shimin, who returned to Ganlu Hall, asked Li Junxian, "How many copies of this Red Mansion have been published now?"

Li Junxian replied: "Not many, according to reports, there are only more than [-] volumes in total, and now the publication has stopped."

"It's broken again?" Li Shimin was curious, just like the Legend of the White Snake, it always stopped selling after a certain amount was sold.

What the hell is Li Zheng trying to sell?
Sitting in Jingyang, Li Zheng didn't care about the current rumors in Chang'an. He was eating a mutton skewer and Li Zheng said to Li Yifu: "Let the news out, just say that I'm in Jingyang to accept the business of printing books, and it costs ten cents per page."

"How big is a page for the Marquis of the county?"

Li Zheng pointed to the book of Butterfly Lovers on the table and said, "It's the same size as the one we print now."

"Understood, let's make arrangements."

Jingyang spread the word that it was accepting the business of printing books, and it only cost ten cents per page to print books into paper books.

The literati in Chang'an went crazy when they heard the news.

What is the concept of ten cents for a page of a book?
Paper is so cheap at Li Zheng's place.

The literati in Chang'an have many articles.

Especially those rich and powerful, they sent carts of bamboo slips to Jingyang.

There are also Changan booksellers who saw business opportunities.

With the money and the Dream of Red Mansions, the White Snake passed on to Jingyang County.

Needless to say, the Legend of the White Snake has become a well-known story.

The Dream of Red Mansions even caused disturbances in the court.

It caused a sensation throughout Chang'an, and such books would not worry about selling, even if they were sold all over Guanzhong.

He, Li Zheng, does not sell, there are only a few hundred copies on the market, and many businessmen are scrambling for books.

Scholars are crazy, and businessmen are also crazy.

The entrance to the village was blocked, and Li Ke and his people struggled to maintain order here.

Seeing these businesses, Li Zheng stood at the entrance of the village smiling brightly, making a fortune!

Li Shimin, who was in the palace, received the news and didn't know why looking at the Dream of the Red Chamber in his hand lost his taste.

Putting the book on the desk case, I thought how noble and honest this kid was.

No wonder these books disappeared after hundreds of copies were printed.

Make it impossible for people to buy it.

The price of the original book has risen even higher.

To make people who can't buy books greedy, they can only be relayed and copied for them.

You come up with such a moving story just to let the scholars in Chang'an take the book to your place to print a few more copies, right?

What a story, what a literary talent!
This kid didn't take knowledge and literary talents seriously at all, he only had money in his eyes.

Such a good literary knowledge, so many abilities, why did they all fall into the hands of Li Zheng, who was so demanding of money.

God is really blind!
The Legend of the White Snake and the Dream of Red Mansions are all for the people in Chang'an to know that Li Zheng can print books.

"Li Zheng! You play well with your hands."

Li Shimin shouted loudly in the palace: "Li Junxian!"

Li Junxian hurried over, "Your Majesty."

"Can Jingyang really print so many books?"

(End of this chapter)