I am not a deposed emperor of Han Dynasty

Under the gaze of the emperor, officials and Confucian scholars, Yan Pengzu felt that he was the protagonist of today, and he was not far behind Dong Zi back then.

As a result, the more he spoke, the more complacent he became, and the more he spoke, the more presumptuous he became.

“In the past, Dong Zi’s proposal of ‘deposing all the schools of thought and respecting Confucianism’ was to ban the [learning] of the hundreds of schools of thought, not to ban the [skills] of the hundreds of schools of thought…”

"Confucian classics and Confucianism encompass the fundamental principles for the operation of the world, so as long as your majesty respects and respects Confucianism, the affairs of the court will naturally run smoothly."

"As for letting Confucian students learn the skills of hundreds of schools, and letting officials test the skills of hundreds of schools..."

"I would like to express my sincere remonstrance. Your Majesty's new policies are indeed suspected of neglecting the fundamentals. I hope your Majesty will think twice."

After Yan Pengzu finished speaking, he pretended to salute the emperor, which seemed to be respectful, but in fact he was arrogant.

I didn't expect that there really are such rotten scholars in the world. It's simply abominable and ridiculous.

Such rotten scholars who have done nothing should be swept into the dustbin of history.

But Liu He didn't get angry immediately, there was still a smile on his face.

This sincere smile gave Yan Pengzu an illusion. He thought that the emperor would immediately come down to greet him, and then the emperor and his ministers would go to the Greenhouse Hall to talk in detail.

From now on, Yan Pengzu will be like Dong Zhongshu, the sage of Gongyang School, who will have a prosperous career in the court.

But the emperor's next words stunned Yan Pengzu - and also stunned the entire hall of Confucian scholars and courtiers.

"Mr. Yan, who do you think you are?" the emperor asked with a smile.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty... I am at home. I have an elder brother above me and a younger brother below me." Yan Pengzu replied doubtfully.

"I'm asking you, who do you think you are in this court?"

When Liu He finished speaking, his original warm smile also disappeared.

Everyone in the hall was shocked and immediately understood what the emperor meant.

When they saw the emperor's face turn from sunny to gloomy, they confirmed one thing - the emperor was angry.

The person involved, Yan Pengzu, was still immersed in fantasy and looked at the emperor with some confusion, as if he wanted to confirm something.

"Whether it's a new deal or a complete system..."

"I am the one who thinks and plans the government, the cabinet is there to fill in the gaps, the ministers are working day and night, the officials are working diligently, and the officials are giving advice and suggestions..."

"You, Yan Pengzu, are just a Confucian scholar with no rank or official position. Even if you have read a few Confucian classics, when will it be your turn to speak nonsense here?"

"I just made it clear that those who came here today are all Confucian scholars, and they are discussing the popular version of Confucian classics, not the imperial examination system and the academic system that have been established!"

"Why are you going to such unnecessary lengths to create unnecessary complications!?"

These merciless reprimands finally made Yan Pengzu, a silly goose, come to his senses. He suddenly felt the oppressive feeling of the emperor's wrath.

Doesn’t the world say that the emperor has the demeanor of a benevolent and wise king? Why does it sound more like the tyrant behavior of the First Emperor when he opens his mouth today?

Most of the people in the hall had the same doubts and astonishment as Yan Pengzu - it seemed that the wind was blowing in a different direction?
  Yan Pengzu didn't have time to think clearly about how to respond, and the smile reappeared on the emperor's face.

But this was not a smile of approval, but a mocking smile.

"Today, all the talents have arrived. I thought Mr. Yan was the first one to stand up and he would have a great talk..."

"Unexpectedly, it is still a cliché. At first glance, it makes some sense. In fact, it is of no benefit to the country or the people. It is just some old and useless words."

"Rotten wood cannot be carved, and a wall of dung cannot be demolished: these words of Master Zhongni could not be more appropriate for Duke Yan!"

"Or maybe I haven't seen you with any real talent or knowledge... But don't forget that the tree on Dr. Dishan's grave is already as big as his arms!"

After the emperor said these last words, the whole hall was in an uproar. In the blink of an eye, Yan Pengzu knelt down in front of the emperor with a "pop".

Di Shan is the best "role model" for Confucian students - using him as a warning to Confucian students who "cannot practice" is the most lethal.

At that time, the Huns made a marriage request to Emperor Xiaowu.

Di Shan tried his best to remonstrate and hoped that Emperor Xiaowu would agree. The reason was that the use of force would impoverish the people. Zhang Tang, the imperial censor at the time, ridiculed this as an ignorant view.

Later, Di Shan refuted Zhang Tang, claiming that he was "foolishly loyal", and denounced Zhang Tang as "fraudulently loyal". He even accused Zhang Tang of being too cruel in handling the rebellion of Huainan King Liu An.

At that time, Zhang Tang, as a typical man of action, was highly regarded by Emperor Xiaowu, so Di Shan accused Zhang Tang of words and deeds that made Emperor Xiaowu very displeased.

As a result, Emperor Xiaowu and Di Shan had a very interesting conversation.

Emperor Xiaowu said: "I have sent you to govern a county. Can you prevent the Xiongnu from invading the border?"

Dishan replied: "No."

Emperor Xiaowu asked again: "Where is that county?"

Dishan replied: "No."

Emperor Xiaowu asked again: "Where is the Zhang?"

Dishan replied fearfully: "Yes."

So Emperor Xiaowu immediately issued an order and sent Dishan to control a shackle on the frontier fortress.

Only a month later, the Xiongnu invaded. Dishan was unable to resist, and their heads fell to the ground.

This is the cleverness of Emperor Xiaowu. He did not say a word of nonsense to these empty-talking Confucian scholars.

Let them seek benevolence and gain benevolence, and seek death and gain death.

Dishan's fate is a lesson engraved in the bones of Confucian scholars, and no one does not know what it means.

It's just that Emperor Xiaozhao was too benevolent, and Huo Guang was in power unjustly and did not dare to offend Confucian scholars, so Yan Pengzu and others forgot the hard work and decisiveness of the Han Emperor. Now, when the emperor mentioned Dishan, he immediately awakened the memories of all the Confucian scholars and officials in the hall.

The former had a look of fear on their faces, while the latter looked a little moved - the emperor still protected them, the doers in the court.

Especially Zhang Tang's son Zhang Anshi was in a very complicated mood.

As for Yan Pengzu, he fell to the ground like a snake with its bones removed, nodding his head to apologize.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty... I was blinded by lard and wanted to gain fame, so I spoke arrogantly. I beg your Majesty to forgive me!"

"Weak minister? You have no character, no rank, no merit and no work. How dare you call me a 'minister'?!" Liu He sneered.

"It's simply an insult to the seven great bachelors of the day!"

"It's also an insult to the second house of Jiuqing and other ministers!"

"It's still an insult to more than a hundred county ministers and more than a thousand county magistrates and county magistrates."

"It's even more insulting to the Han Dynasty's more than [-] officials!"

"You are not even as good as the fifteen-year-old internal official next to me. He can be my pen, but how can you be mine!"

Liu He scolded him mercilessly, showing no mercy at all.

This sudden burst of emperor's anger filled the entire Shiqu Pavilion, making all the Confucian scholars in the hall afraid to say a word.

"Since you want to be a minister so much, then I will give you this opportunity to be a commander in the border area like Di Shan. Let's go to Wuyuan County!"

"Your Majesty..." Yan Pengzu let out a howl and wanted to refuse, but couldn't say a word.

Doesn't this kill him?

There was a moment of silence, and no one expected that the Shiqu Pavilion debate would kick off like this.

At this moment, Yan Pengzu, the leader of the Gongyang School, kept nodding his head and begging for mercy in the hall, without looking like a Confucian scholar.

The emperor was sitting firmly on the imperial couch, and the index and middle fingers of his right hand were tapping the table rhythmically, as if they were the gongs and drums commanding the soldiers to charge.

In the silence, the atmosphere in the entire Shiqu Pavilion became more and more depressing.

All that could be heard was Yan Pengzu's "bang bang bang" and intermittent begging for mercy.

Kong Ba and Wei Xian looked at each other with pale faces and shook their heads helplessly.

This Yan Pengzu is simply ridiculous. He took action rashly without any understanding of the emperor.

One moment, he was still righteous and strict, and wanted to be the "sage" who upheld the supreme status of Confucianism.

The next moment, he paused and begged for mercy, becoming a person who was greedy for life and afraid of death, and his face was completely lost.

Isn't this a slap in the face and showing with practical actions that "a useless scholar is a Confucian scholar"?

If Kong Ba and Wei Xian had not known that Yan Pengzu had resentment against the emperor, they would have mistakenly thought that he was playing a double act with the emperor and deliberately smeared the Confucian scholars.

They now wished that Yan Pengzu would be killed immediately, otherwise it would be too ugly and would simply embarrass the Confucian scholars.

But in the end, Wei Xian stood up.

"Your Majesty, Yan Pengzu deserves to be punished for speaking out against Meng Lang, but after all, he is already at the age of knowing his destiny..."

"If you go to defend that bitter cold place on the frontier, I'm afraid you will die soon. Please have mercy on Your Majesty and forgive Yan Pengzu's sins." Wei Xian begged, enduring his disgust towards Yan Pengzu.

"Mr. Wei Ge, you said something wrong. Instead of punishing him, I rewarded him. Isn't it just what he wanted?" Liu He sneered.

"Your Majesty... Weichen made a mistake, but I still ask Your Majesty not to let Yan Pengzu go to the frontier fortress." Wei Xian sighed in his heart and cursed Yan Pengzu hundreds of times.

"Mr. Wei Ge, I respect you and am willing to give Yan Pengzu a chance..."

"Yan Pengzu, as long as you admit that you can only study scriptures in the monastery and cannot be the captain of this term, I will not let you go to the frontier." Liu He continued to press.

Once Yan Pengzu answers "yes", he will only be a "doctoral officer" at best in the future, and he will become the laughing stock of the world and discredit Gongyang School.

But compared to his own life, these are not important at all.

Yan Pengzu only hesitated for a moment, then said in shock with his swollen forehead and red eyes: "Your Majesty, ordinary people cannot be the chief of the barrier."

"Then make a note of this in advance, take a seat, and remember, if you want to say something else, think about it before you say it..."

"You can take potions indiscriminately, but you can't say anything indiscriminately, it will kill people." Liu He did not forget to threaten again at the end.

Yan Pengzu didn't dare to say no, so he quickly thanked him and hurried back to his bed.

Tian Wangsun and Cai Qianqiu, who were sitting on both sides of him, leaned to both sides with some disdain.

I don't know if I'm afraid of being stuck by the tears on his body, or if I'm afraid of being contaminated by the bad luck on his body.

Wei Xian sighed again, thanked him and returned to his couch.

Today's debate has not even started yet, and this unexpected situation has occurred, which seems to indicate that everything in the future will not go smoothly.

After this chaos, the entire main hall of Shiqu Pavilion was even more depressed than before.

Whether it was the common people who fully supported the New Deal or the gentry who had some criticisms of the New Deal, they were all a little scared for a while, so they kept silent.

Liu He looked at the sunlight coming in from the window lattice, feeling some regret in his heart.

I was too anxious. Now that Yan Pengzu has been knocked down, I'm afraid no one will stand up as a target anymore, which will take away a lot of fun.

Or maybe I should have scolded him harder just now, it would be better to scold him to death. (End of chapter)