Water Margin people

Chapter 1654: Crazy Group of Literati

"Scholar clique? Us?"

Zhu Xi and Lu Jiuling's faces turned very ugly, and they realized the crisis of the situation.

"What should we do? What if the family..."

Lu Jiuling was a little anxious.

"Report, sir, the old master is here with two other masters!"

The servant came running to report.

"This……"

Lu Jiuling's words were stuck in his mouth. He was just thinking about what to do if his family was involved in this, when his father came.

"I think I'd better leave first! Go out the back door!"

Zhu Xi stood up and said that since the Lu family had all arrived, it would not be appropriate for him to be here, and there were many things he did not want to know.

Lu Jiuyuan asked the servant to take Zhu Xi out through the back door.

Lu Jiuyuan and Lu Jiuling stood up and walked to the door.

"Father!"

The two men bowed to their father who walked in from outside the courtyard. The Lu family was a master of Confucianism. Their ancestors had always adhered to Confucian etiquette, and the elders had a very high status in the family.

"You still remember to come back!"

Lu He said with a gloomy expression.

Lu Jiuling and Lu Jiuyuan could only continue to pay their respects. They knew why their father was angry. This house was given to them by the emperor. Since they were traveling with the army, the house was temporarily closed and no one was allowed to enter, including their relatives who were away from home.

"Father, this is the mansion His Majesty gave us. We only have the right to live in it, not the right to use it. We left in a hurry and didn't make many arrangements."

Lu Jiuling spoke.

"Is being anxious your excuse? You came back yesterday, and you also knew that my father was staying at the inn, so why haven't you said a word to him until today? Have you forgotten the benevolence, filial piety, courtesy, and righteousness that you were taught since childhood?"

Lu He looked at Lu Jiuyuan and scolded him. He had six sons, each one was smarter than the other, and Lu Jiuyuan was the smartest of the six. But now he had even forgotten the most basic filial piety and etiquette, which made him very angry as he was a strict household manager.

"Father, it's not that I'm unfilial, but I just returned from the army and there are many things I haven't dealt with yet. Today I'm still sorting out memorials and preparing for the grand court meeting on the first day of the new year."

Lu Jiuling hurriedly helped his brother explain that the first day of the lunar year court meeting originated in the Western Zhou Dynasty. It was the highest level of court ceremony and has continued through the dynasties until today.

"Father, please forgive my fifth and sixth brothers. They have been on the expedition with the army and have suffered a lot along the way..."

The other brothers also spoke up to plead for mercy.

When Lu He heard that they were preparing for the first court meeting on the first day of the new year, his expression relaxed. With his two sons serving as officials in the court, the affairs of the court must be given top priority, not to mention the first court meeting on the first day of the new year.

"Father, why did you come to Liangshan City? What's going on in Qingtian?"

Seeing that his father's attitude had softened, Lu Jiuyuan then opened his mouth to ask.

"We were invited to Liangshan City. They... they wrote a letter together to persuade His Majesty to stop fighting, stop killing people, and rest and recuperate with the people."

Lu Jiushao spoke.

Lu Jiuling and Lu Jiuyuan's faces suddenly turned bad. How could they say these words casually? His Majesty the Emperor personally led the army to the west, won a great victory, and destroyed countless countries. This is an unprecedented achievement.

At this time, to accuse the emperor of excessive military spending and excessive killing is to seek death. If this is reported to the emperor, ten lives will not be enough to kill him.

"Father, I'm afraid this matter needs to be considered carefully!"

Lu Jiuyuan looked at Lu He and said.

"The elders have already discussed this matter, there is no need to discuss it further!"

Lu He said directly.

"Father, let them go after they have finished discussing. Our Lu family will not go. I suggest that everyone in the family come and live in the mansion and don't go out from now on!" Lu Jiuyuan looked up at his real father and said.

"What do you mean? With justice at the forefront, how can my Lu family fall behind?"

Lu He spoke with a stern face and the authority of a father.

"Father, there seems to be something wrong with your righteousness!"

Lu Jiuyuan spoke directly.

The five brothers standing nearby all had pale faces. The Lu family was very strict in family management. The elder was the head of the family and was in charge of all family affairs. It was unforgivable to disobey their father.

"Okay, okay, your wings are strong!"

Lu He was so angry that his beard stood up. He reached out to grab the cane, but it was empty. Then he remembered that this was Liangshan City and there were no canes here.

"Father, our Lu family respects Confucius and Mencius and learns from them, but why do you deny them?"

Lu Jiuyuan spoke without any fear, he knew that if he didn't say these words, the Lu family would be doomed.

"The traitor! The traitor!"

Lu He was so angry that he slammed the table and stood up, waving his hand to hit him, but he was old, and he felt dizzy after standing up suddenly, so he sat back down.

"Father!"

"Father, don't be angry!"

Several sons rushed forward to comfort him. Lu He was already in poor health, and if he got hurt from anger, it would be a serious matter.

"Sixth brother, kneel down!"

Old Dalu Jiusi glared at Lu Jiuyuan and shouted, how come his well-mannered sixth brother had become like this after being away from home for a year.

"Brother, I am not wrong, it is you who are wrong!"

Lu Jiuyuan stood straight and spoke.

"Rebel!"

Lu He continued to roar angrily.

"Father, you taught us loyalty since we were young, but why did you abandon it today and choose to stand on the side of His Majesty the Emperor?"

Lu Jiuyuan looked at Lu He and said.

"Your Majesty has been aggressively pursuing war, and the world has suffered for a long time. We are writing to persuade him, and this is a manifestation of loyalty and righteousness."

Lu He said directly.

"Father, those people said these things, didn't they? Your Majesty is militaristic? What impact does the war have on the people in the country? Is it forced conscription or heavy taxes? Your Majesty is lenient with corvée labor, and the people are not living better now than during the Zhao and Song dynasties? Who is suffering? Only those rentiers are suffering!"

Lu Jiuyuan spoke.

Lu He didn't know how to respond for a moment. Qi was truly a dynasty that they couldn't understand. The war was so big, but there was no pressure on the country at all. This was something they couldn't understand.

"Father, those people just want to coerce us and make us their power, so as to put pressure on His Majesty, preserve the thousand-year-old tradition, and also guarantee their own interests."

"If it were any other dynasty, these people would definitely succeed. Emperors of all dynasties did not dare to embarrass the scholars because the Central Plains is vast and has a large population. The emperors needed scholars to govern the country."

"But now that the emperor has opened the door to culture and education, everyone in the world can read and learn for free. The scholars from the aristocratic families have suddenly fallen from the altar. Seeing their benefits being divided up, they have jumped out to fight back!"

Lu Jiuyuan made his point clear.

"Nonsense! Scholars and gentry are the foundation of the country. We study hard to serve the country. Now the emperor only cares about miscellaneous studies. If the door to culture and education is opened wide, the world will be full of petty tricks. How can this go on in the long run? We still have to educate people with the teachings of Confucius and Mencius!"

Lu He slapped the table and spoke.

"You are so noble, and it sounds good, but it is all for the benefit. In the past, emperors had to accept it because they had no choice, but Your Majesty is different, and will not compromise!"

Lu Jiuyuan spoke.