Song Gexing

Chapter 103 Descendants of Confucius

"Can the two female relatives tell me their last names?"

Kong Daofu asked solemnly, looking at Meng Xin and Han Xue.

Meng Xin was stunned and didn't dare to answer, but Han Xue didn't dare to hesitate and leaned forward and said, "My maiden name is Han, and I have met Senior Kong."

"Han Zhigui's daughter!"

Han Xue was shocked, and the onlookers suddenly screamed.

Zhao Fang was startled, and looked at Liu Jisun in confusion, seeing that he also shook his head blankly at himself, and Kong Daofu sighed in his ears: "I have seen your father before, and after looking carefully, the eyebrows are very similar, so there is this When I ask, I don't want to... Alas!"

After sighing, he looked at Zhao Fang, shook his head and said, "Come with me."

Without waiting for Zhao Fang to agree, he turned around and walked away.

Zhao Fang hesitated for a moment and followed, the remaining two instructors looked at each other, and the surrounding students whispered.

Soon they arrived at a side hall. After Kong Daofu dismissed the servant serving tea, he saluted Zhao Fang solemnly and said, "Your Majesty, Kong Daofu, pays homage to the thousand-year-old King of Wei!"

At this time, Zhao Fang already had some guesses as to whether his identity had been exposed. Seeing his salute, he immediately understood that he hadn't escaped the eyes of these elders.

I had no choice but to support him and ask, "How did Kong Qing see through me? Is it because of Sister Xue'er's suspicion? It's not like that. He should have guessed it before, right?"

Kong Daofu glanced at Liu Jisun and said, "If you go back to King Wei, I started to suspect Liu Jingwen."

"Here?"

Liu Jisun widened his eyes in complete confusion.

Kong Daofu nodded and said: "Jing Wen is an official, but he is half a step behind and does not dare to approach the female relatives. You, who was born as a companion of the King of Wei, why are you so respectful to those who are traveling together? It only shows that this person's identity is not simple. After looking closely at Yu Attendant Han, you will understand."

Only then did Zhao Fang and others clear up their confusion. Liu Jisun couldn't help but said angrily: "I have calculated it hundreds of times, but there are still clues in my behavior. It seems that I am still not steady enough!"

Kong Daofu ignored his annoyance, and when he looked at Zhao Fang after explaining, his face was so serious that Zhao Fang didn't dare to tease Liu Jisun anymore.

"How could King Wei be so ridiculous! As the eldest son of the emperor, with the title of prince and the governor of Kaifeng, doesn't King Wei know what it means? He left the capital privately and took his female family members with him. Are all the ministers in the court crazy?"

Zhao Fang knew he was going to be criticized as soon as he opened his mouth. This man dared to angrily criticize Liu E and Lu Yijian for supporting the deposed queen, but his combat effectiveness was not inferior to that of Kou Zhun.

If he hadn't been worried about his identity being exposed, he might have complained outside at first. Of course, he was definitely a loyal minister and a descendant of Confucius. Before the Northern Song Dynasty, he really didn't have any weak points.

Unlike his descendants, who took refuge in the Jin Kingdom, the Mongols, and the Manchu Qing Dynasty.

Don't talk about the great integration of nationalities in later generations. That is something that will happen after the Chinese people are united. Before that, the debate between Huayi and Huayi is the right way.

From the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties to the troubled times of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, I have never seen the descendants of Confucius sing praises for those regimes.

Accepting the canonization of the Northern Wei Dynasty was also a matter of the Northern Wei Dynasty's implementation of ethnic integration and the forced implementation of comprehensive Sinicization.During the Hou Jing Rebellion, Kong Huan was arrogant and self-possessed, and did not sacrifice his life by flattery. During the feudal rebellion at the end of the Tang Dynasty, Kong Chao's father persuaded the feudal governor Tian Yue to obey the court's orders, and was finally killed while persuading another feudal governor, Li Huaiguang.

It can be said that before the Jin soldiers went south, the Kong family maintained the integrity of scholar-bureaucrats. Even if they could not be gentlemen, they were never willing to be hypocrites and villains.

Of course, at this time, Confucius had not been canonized as a saint by the court, and his title was King Wenxuan, but this title was different from the title of a king with a different surname below the emperor, but a title of a king who was on the same level as the emperor.

This title was conferred by Li Longji of the Tang Dynasty, and it was conferred by the standard of the title of King Zhou Tianzi, which already means supreme.

The title of Dacheng's Most Holy Master was conferred by the Yuan Dynasty. From then on to modern times, Confucius continued this title.

As for the title of Yan Shenggong, it was conferred by Zhao Zhen, but not by Confucius, but by his descendants in the second year of Zhihe (1055).

The purpose of canonizing this is to allow the descendants of the Confucius family to worship their ancestor Confucius, and has nothing to do with the title of Confucius himself.

Of course, it can also be said that the direct lineage of the Confucius family during the Song Dynasty still maintained its integrity, because the Yan Shenggong canonized by the Jin Kingdom was not a direct lineage of the Confucius family.

The real descendant of the Confucian family, Yan Shenggong, who was canonized in the Northern Song Dynasty, took his direct descendants and escorted the wooden statue of Confucius to go south to Zhejiang to defect to Zhao Gou.

The one who stayed in the Confucius Mansion in Shandong was his younger brother who was born as a concubine. He was canonized as Yanshenggong by the Puppet Qi controlled by the Jin State, and was not directly canonized by the Jin State.

The real shamelessness began in the Yuan Dynasty. In order to compete for the title of Yan Shenggong, three descendants of Confucius actually competed to flatter Kublai Khan.

The Manchus entered the customs and issued an order to shave their hair, and the contemporary Yan Shenggong also took the lead in shaving their hair and called on scholars to support the Manchus. This is probably an important reason why the Confucian family was attacked and liquidated during the New Culture Movement.

But this does not mean that there is something wrong with Confucius’ thoughts, it can only be said that there is something wrong with his descendants. After all, tiger fathers and dogs are everywhere, let alone descendants dozens of generations later.

Therefore, respecting Confucius is necessary, which is the root of Chinese civilization, but respecting Confucius does not mean respecting the descendants of Confucius. His descendants are no different from all living beings.

Those like Kong Daofu who uphold the principles of a gentleman should be respected, and those like Kong Yinzhi who take the lead in shaving their heads are actually traitors and should be cast aside. This is the normal concept of right and wrong.

Zhao Fang knew Kong Daofu's character, so he didn't dare to talk back when he was criticized, so he could only explain weakly: "Xiao Wang's trip has been approved by his father and the officials. Xiao Wang believes that a king should know the sufferings of the people. If you don’t come down and see with your own eyes, how can you know the truth by just listening to the ministers’ reports? But when you reveal your identity, you are afraid of deception by local officials, so a private visit incognito is the right way. Does Kong Qing think this is the truth?”

Kong Daofu was glaring at him angrily, and was stunned after hearing these words, his face changing unsteadily.

After a long time, he suddenly bowed his head and saluted: "I have wrongly blamed the king. The king's words are like enlightenment. They are actually good words. It's just that the official family has poor heirs. The safety of King Wei must be guaranteed!"

Seeing the sincere look in the veteran minister's eyes, Zhao Fang was equally moved. He reached out and grabbed his arm, gave it a firm squeeze and said, "Don't worry, Kong Qing. Xiao Wang is with his bodyguard. It's just that the academy can't be too noisy, so he didn't bring him in."

Kong Daofu relaxed a lot and his face became better. He pondered for a while and said: "The king is curious about the academy. I should have let you take a look around, but Master Attendant Han and this female family member have revealed their clues before, so it is better not to stay any longer." , next time I come, I will definitely take the king for a walk."

Meng Xin never said who she was, and Kong Daofu didn't know her identity. Now Zhao Fang didn't dare to tell her. If he came out by himself, it could be said to be a private visit, but if he came out with the princess, he might make the old man angry again.

Han Xue was a concubine, so it was reasonable. After all, it would be strange if he didn't bring a female family member with him. He nodded and agreed, and soon left Songyang Academy in a hurry.

(End of this chapter)