I, the prince, only want to be deposed.

Chapter 218 Otherwise, I will take this rebellious son’s surname!
Dong Zhongshu?
What's going on with Mr. Dong? How does it have anything to do with me?

Liu Ju was very confused, but before he figured out what was going on, he did not rush to deny it. He just bent down, picked up the scroll, and carefully examined its contents.

After reading it for a long time, even Liu Ju was shocked by Dong Zhongshu's proposition in this memorial:
Old Dong actually made earnest suggestions to Liu Che, hoping to combine the strengths of all schools of thought and redefine Confucianism!

To put it simply, it means still adhering to the strategy of respecting Confucianism alone and making the Five Classics of Confucianism compulsory courses.

At the same time, various practical theories of the Hundred Schools of Thought, such as the Legalists, Taoists, Mohists, Yin-Yangists, Eclecticists, Agriculturalists, Novelists, Diplomats, Military Strategists, and Physicians, were integrated together, and various political thoughts were eliminated. Only the practical parts were incorporated into Confucianism, and corresponding professional courses were opened, and Confucian students all over the world were required to take one or several of these professional courses.

This is undoubtedly a progressive idea that is far ahead of its time.

Even in the teaching process of later generations, there is a distinction between compulsory courses and elective courses, and they are also divided into liberal arts and science, in order to achieve the unity and professionalism of talents.

It is not difficult to see from this.

What a shock and shock those words he said that day, which were undoubtedly heard by Dong Zhongshu, brought to him and made him think so much.

He was trying to make Confucian scholars become practical.

In order to cater to Liu Che's pragmatism in selecting talents, rather than being never valued like him, wasting his whole life and being despised?

but……

Is this really possible?
"Rebellious son, have you ever thought about whether such a measure can be implemented?"

Seeing that Liu Ju had finished reading the memorial, Liu Che rolled his eyes at him. There was a hint of sarcasm in his tone, but he was also analyzing the root of the problem for Liu Ju.
"You are harming Dong Zhongshu!"

"Once this matter is made public, in the eyes of the Confucian scholars who only believe in Confucianism, Dong Zhongshu will be a traitor who betrays his own people and will definitely cut himself off from Confucianism!"

"In the eyes of the various schools of thought, Dong Zhongshu is also a thief who stole academic knowledge. They will never willingly abandon their ancestors and join Confucianism. They will definitely oppose it to the death!"

"Under such circumstances, Dong Zhongshu would be in disgrace and would end up in disgrace."

"This man is already quite old now. Although he is a bit pedantic, he is still your tutor after all. If this incident causes him to lose his integrity and become disgraced in his old age, what good will it do you?"

"..."

This is exactly what Liu Ju was thinking about.

The proposal put forward by Dong Zhongshu in his memorial was indeed ill-considered and extremely difficult to implement. Dong Zhongshu would certainly be ruined because of it, and perhaps even be dug up and whipped by some radical opponents after his death.

Even if the court accepted his suggestion and forcibly implemented it, it would face a large number of opposition voices, which would lead to serious social contradictions and even irreconcilable confrontation and turmoil.

Liu Ju is also unable to confirm at the moment.

Dong Zhongshu did not consider the issue comprehensively enough.

In his opinion, this was a righteous act for Confucianism that would bring harm to itself but benefit future generations.

That's why he made up his mind to make this happen at all costs, so that Confucian scholars can become practical and Confucianism can be truly promoted, even if he is burdened with a stigma that cannot be washed away even by jumping into the river.

But that’s it.

Dong Zhongshu was actually stabbing him in the back again. Even if he explained to Emperor Wu of Han that this memorial had nothing to do with him, Emperor Wu of Han would probably not believe it and would still blame him for it.

After all, in Liu Che's eyes, Dong Zhongshu was just an obstinate old antique.

Such an old antique simply cannot have such a "weird" idea, let alone the courage to do so, unless there is an even more "weird" prince standing behind him, who has the influence of "the one who is close to vermilion will be redder" on this old antique...

Since this was the case, Liu Ju became even more reluctant to explain himself.

He already had a lot of objections to Liu Che's national policy of tacitly approving "promoting Confucius and suppressing all other schools of thought", especially his current attitude of tacitly approving "respecting Confucianism alone and suppressing all other schools of thought".

Since Dong Zhongshu has already started it.

It would be better to let this rebellious son be treated as such to the end, take this opportunity to make things clear, and let Liu Che carefully consider the pros and cons of this matter.

Thinking about this, Liu Ju raised his head and asked instead of answering:
"Isn't the real purpose of your father's promotion of the Kong family to make the people ignorant and weak, and to make the Liu family of the Han Dynasty even more authoritarian?"

"It seems that you have an idea in your mind. I thought you were so stupid!"

Liu Che angrily scolded,

"Since you know this, why do you still dare to make a fuss about this matter? Do you know what you are doing? You are ruining my grand plan, shaking the foundation of the Han Dynasty for the next ten thousand years, and also undermining your future throne!"

"I do not agree with what the emperor said."

Liu Ju bowed again and said.

Liu Che's brows knitted into knots and he glared at him:

"What did you say?"

"Forgive me for speaking frankly. I think your father's current actions are truly shaking the foundation of the Han Dynasty for the next ten thousand years and undermining the throne of our Liu family." Liu Ju had long been accustomed to Liu Che's pressure, and he still said the words that Liu Che didn't like to hear in a humble manner.

"Father, you must have heard the saying, it is better to be the tail of a phoenix than the head of a pheasant."

"Those barbaric countries are willing to submit to the Han Dynasty because they are following this saying. As long as they submit to the Han Dynasty, they can become the tail of the phoenix. Even if it is just a feather on the tail of the phoenix, the wild pheasants will not dare to bully them easily, and they can be guaranteed peace for the rest of their lives."

"And I, the Great Han, am now this phoenix, and my father is the phoenix's head."

“The reason why a phoenix is ​​a phoenix is ​​because it is neither stupid nor weak.”

"The reason why the phoenix is ​​neither stupid nor weak is definitely not just because its head is neither stupid nor weak. If it only has a phoenix head, but its iron beak, wings, and sharp claws are all as stupid and weak as a pheasant, then it is no longer worthy of being called a phoenix. What is the difference between it and a wild pheasant?"

"In my opinion, the iron beak, wings and claws of our Han Dynasty represent iron tools, agriculture and powerful crossbows respectively."

"Iron smelting technology, agricultural technology, and crossbow technology were not invented by Feng Shou. They were all created by the common people through their experience in production, labor, and war. This is the same reason why neither the emperor nor I could have invented the farming method and agricultural tool improvement method that Zhao Guo just proposed, and we had to rely on his talent."

"Therefore, the foundation of the iron beak, wings and claws of our Han Dynasty is the people, the people's wisdom and the people's strength."

"Father, you have made the people ignorant and weak, which is destroying the foundation of the Han Dynasty's strength and causing it to degenerate from a phoenix to a wild pheasant!"

"Perhaps internally, the stupidity and weakness of the people can indeed make Father more supreme and unshakable."

“But what about the outside world?”

"As time went by, the Han people abandoned their martial arts and became as weak as wild pheasants. If other ambitious wild pheasants came to fight again, even if my father had great ambitions, he would lead the ignorant and weak people in the Han territory, using the same rusty iron beaks, wings that could not fly, and claws that had lost their sharp edges as wild pheasants. How could he win?"

"By then, even if the Han Dynasty doesn't perish at the hands of the ignorant and weak people within, it will be destroyed by powerful enemies outside. If the country doesn't exist, nothing can be attached to it. When the country is destroyed and the family is ruined, how can the Han Dynasty last for thousands of years? Where will the autocracy of my father go?"

"Say something that Father won't like to hear."

"Rather than watching foreign cavalry trample our beautiful land and our Han compatriots being bullied and enslaved by foreigners, I would rather the Han Dynasty perish under the influence of wise and strong people."

"At least I know that the Han people have not had their backbones broken by my father."

"From the beginning to the end, we are the proud phoenix. For thousands of years, we are not something that wild pheasants can covet. Although the Han Dynasty may perish, its spirit will never die!"

Speaking of it.

Liu Ju himself became uncontrollably excited, his breathing became rapid, his nose felt a little sore, and his face flushed.

This is a humiliation and unwillingness that people who don’t know the modern history of later generations cannot understand.

In fact, it is not just the modern history of later generations.

The idea of ​​"abolishing all schools of thought and respecting only Confucianism" has done more harm than good since the day it came out.

The Western Han Dynasty fell under the rule of Wang Mang because Confucianism had flourished to the extreme and had controlled the court. Later, Wang Mang came to power with the support of Confucianism. Some people in later generations joked that Wang Mang was a time traveler.

Little did people know that he was actually just a mediocre person who was led by Confucianism to pursue the old ways, and thus died in his lifetime.

Later, there was the Western Jin Dynasty, which made the people ignorant and weak, and the Five Barbarians who invaded China;
The Song dynasty had a foolish and weak people, and was destroyed by the Yuan dynasty;
The Ming dynasty made its people ignorant and weak, and was destroyed by the Qing dynasty;
The Qing dynasty was a time of ignorance and weakness, and suffered from the bullying and humiliation of the great powers...

This is the consequence of a foolish and weak people. When the barbarians invade, the country has long lost its iron beak, wings and claws. The foolish and weak people have long been accustomed to submitting to fate and have lost the courage to resist. In the end, they can only be bullied and enslaved by the barbarians who can drown them with a single spit.

"..."

Liu Che really didn't expect this. He clearly just made a light basic attack.

Liu Ju's reaction was so big and his words were so intense that he was caught off guard.

He was unable to adapt to this rhythm for a moment, and his head was buzzing...

Wait?

Dong Zhongshu only suggested that I combine the strengths of all schools of thought and redefine Confucianism.

The meaning of this rebellious son's words is clearly that he openly opposes my national policy of "respecting Confucianism alone", and he even criticizes this policy as being completely useless!
He even talked about the country's demise all the time.

They said that my actions broke the backbone of the Han people, and caused the Han people to fall from a phoenix to a wild pheasant, and they said that I was a king who lost his country and committed crimes that will be remembered for thousands of years? !

"you!!!"

Realizing what Liu Ju was talking about, Liu Che was so angry that he trembled all over. The hot blood in his chest rushed up wildly and hit his crown, and his skin all over his body turned red.

"How dare you, a rebellious son...how dare you...insult me ​​like this!"

"I! I! I!"

Liu Che covered his chest, gasped heavily, and walked back and forth on the ground with his feet stomping, as if he was looking for something.

Where are the vitex?
I have a huge bunch of brambles with a gold handle!
Today, only one of the father and son can walk out of the Xuanshi Hall upright, otherwise I will take the surname of this rebellious son!
(End of this chapter)