Linxia

Chapter 151, Initiative
Three days later, a village drinking ceremony was held in Huai'an Prefecture. According to old custom, those who came to participate were people with connections and some prominent people.

Fang Lin and Master Ou entered the provincial school and then separated.

Today Fang Lin only came to watch the ceremony and went to find Dong Zugao who came to watch the ceremony with him; as a local celebrity, Master Ou had a place to participate in the village drinking ceremony as a guest.

When Master Ou entered the place, he saw dignitaries in fine clothes and gorgeous garments, as well as wealthy merchants with slicked-back hair and powdered faces. They were obviously not very educated, but they were still pretending to be cultured.

The sound of stringed instruments was incessant, mixed with a lot of discussion.

"Brother Duan, today's village drinking ceremony is over. How about going for a walk outside the city? My family has just built a new garden..."

"Alas, I didn't get to eat the bone-in abalone from Qingyun Restaurant today. I feel so depressed."

"You all say Qinghuan Xiaoju is good, but I don't like it. I prefer Jinhua Tower. Not only are the girls there beautiful, but there are no twists and turns. You can sleep with them for money."

……

There were only these topics: where to have fun in the city, where to eat delicious food, which brothel had the prettiest girls, etc. No one was seen discussing poetry or books. What was even more disheartening was that the more vulgar the language, the happier they were in communicating.

Mr. Ou frowned, feeling out of place with the atmosphere here, but thinking of today's plan, he suppressed his brows.

There were many scholars watching the ceremony, and many of them felt that the provincial school seemed to be polluted after seeing this scene.

"Why would the prefect invite these people as guests to participate in the village drinking ceremony?"

"You don't understand this, do you? In today's society, officials and businessmen are colluding with each other. These people are either powerful or rich. They have everything except fame. They are trying their best to participate in the village drinking ceremony, just to get a false reputation. This is no secret."

"Alas, such measures really chill the hearts of scholars like me."

……

"The world is in decline, people's hearts are no longer as they used to be, it's really a mess." Dong Zugao also said.

"Brother Dong, please wait a minute. Something interesting might happen today." Fang Lin said in a low voice.

"Oh?"

Dong Zugao's eyes lit up, and he thought to himself, "Could it be that Prefect Pu is angry and wants to catch an example to correct the atmosphere?"

When he thought of this, he became worried. Under the current circumstances, if he did not make up his mind to take tough measures, it would be difficult to rectify the situation. But if he made up his mind to take tough measures...

Such chaos in the village drinking ceremony is no longer a matter of one family, but the whole society is vying to imitate it, and the powerful are vying for quotas. It is no joke to really manage it. If one move affects the whole body, it will offend the powerful people in the prefecture. At that time, even if Pu Zhifu is the parent official of the prefecture, it is probably difficult to gain a foothold.

"Don't worry. Magistrate Pu has been in officialdom for a long time and has his own plans. Even if he wants to do something, he will use strategy and won't force it." Fang Lin said softly.

……

As they were talking, Prefect Pu arrived and walked into the crowd. According to the plan, he introduced Master Ou to everyone: "Master Ou is a famous scholar in the prefecture, with both moral integrity and talent. Although he is only a scholar, he has been teaching and educating people for many years and has great moral prestige."

Upon hearing this, the guests participating in the village drinking ceremony all nodded to Master Ou. They seemed very polite, but one could tell from their eyes that it was all superficial courtesy and that not many people actually took him seriously.

This is normal. In today's society, people only care about wealth and power. So what if you have virtue and talent? However, a mere scholar is not worthy of their attention.

Of course, this is also because Master Ou is an upright person and has never publicized his teacher-student relationship with the Censor Han Yuanjing. Even a close neighbor like Fang Lin doesn't know about it, so one can imagine what the other guests know. Under such circumstances, how could they look up to Master Ou?
Master Ou felt it clearly, but said nothing, knowing that now was not the time to make trouble.

Among the crowd watching the ceremony, Fang Lin was just watching. Although he participated in perfecting the plan, he had no role and was an outsider behind the scenes today.

Prefect Pu introduced Master Ou, and after that, the village drinking ceremony officially began amid the greetings.

At this time, except for the distinguished guests and the elderly, everyone stood in silence.

Prefect Pu stepped forward, raised his wine glass and read aloud: "I respectfully wish that the court will follow the old rules, uphold etiquette and morality, and hold a village banquet, not for food and drink. All of us, young and old, should encourage each other. As ministers, we should be loyal, as sons, we should be filial, the elders and the younger should be in order, the brothers should be friendly and the younger brothers should be respectful, the clan should be harmonious, and the neighbors should be harmonious. No one should fail to do good to their parents."

This set of words is from ancient books. After saying it, he would drink first, then hand the cup to the others and bow to everyone. The guests would return the greeting and take their seats.

The whole process was quite serious and proper, but things started to get chaotic after they sat down. They started whispering to each other, urging each other to drink, and talking and laughing, as if it was no different from an everyday banquet.

……

"Brother Dong, I'm here." Fang Lin suddenly smiled and said in a low voice.

"Oh?"

Dong Zugao perked up and looked towards the field.

……

At this time, someone came to toast Master Ou. It was Mr. Yang, who had once collided with the woodcutter. Later, his son became an official and held a grand banquet, inviting Sun Erniang to be the host.

Mr. Ou stood upright, showing no intention of returning the greeting, which made Mr. Yang very embarrassed. He frowned and was about to get angry.

Prefect Pu saw this and knew it was his turn to take the stage, so he spoke first, "Master, I see you seem absent-minded today, who are you thinking about?"

Master Ou glanced at Prefect Pu and said, "I am only thinking about our great ancestor."

Master Ou spoke in a loud voice and brought Taizu out again. This time, everyone in the audience was slightly startled, fell silent, and looked over.

"Master, you are really good at joking. Our government is holding a village drinking ceremony. Why did you think of Emperor Kangxi?" Prefect Pu remained calm and continued to set the stage.

Master Ou said in a deep voice: "Since the founding of the country, this dynasty has attached great importance to etiquette. In the fifth year of Emperor Guangwu's reign, Emperor Taizu issued an edict to establish the village drinking ceremony. The Ministry of Personnel then presented the "Book of Rites" and the system of the Tang and Song dynasties, and the officials and people of the Zhou Dynasty read the law and participated in the establishment of the ceremony. In the fourteenth year, he ordered the Ministry of Rites to clarify the village drinking ceremony, saying: "Since the founding of the country, although the village drinking ceremony has been held, the village and the community may not have implemented it. Now it is the end of the year and the people have nothing to do, so it is appropriate to revise the old rules and set the old and virtuous people to be the first, and the old and loyal people to be the second, in order of age." In the sixteenth year, he issued another edict, "The chief officials of the prefectures and counties are the main guests, and one retired and virtuous person in the village is the main guest, and the old and virtuous people are selected as the guest of honor, the next is the intermediary guest, the next is the third guest, and the next is the other guests'..."

This is a story about how Taizu promoted the local drinking ceremony. Anyone who had read books or worked in official circles could understand it. This was politically correct and absolutely irrefutable. For a moment, the whole place was silent.

They didn't say anything, so Prefect Pu asked, "What exactly do you want to do, Master?"

"What do you want?"

Master Ou looked around at the people present and asked, "May I ask which of you here complies with the etiquette and how were these people selected?"

These words undoubtedly stirred up a hornet's nest.

The implication is that none of the people who came here today are virtuous and talented. To put it more bluntly, it is equivalent to pointing at someone and scolding them, "None of you well-dressed people are qualified to participate in the village drinking ceremony."

This really angered everyone present. They were all rich or noble, and usually they would bow and nod to others when they met them. They were the only ones who looked down on others. But today, they were the ones who were looked down upon, and they started cursing at once.

"We are not qualified, so are you qualified?"

"You are an old scholar, you just studied for a few more years, so you are considered to be both virtuous and talented?"

"Hey, old man, if you don't tell me the truth today, don't blame me for making things difficult for you!"

……

Some scholars with a sense of self-righteousness who were watching the ceremony from the sidelines suddenly felt worried for Master Ou.

"No, the old gentleman spoke for justice and offended the guests."

"The guests here are all either rich or noble. I'm afraid you won't get away with it today, old gentleman." "How ridiculous! In today's society, there are many people chasing fame and fortune, but those who speak the truth have to worry about being ostracized and retaliated against!"

……

"Brother Fang, this..." Dong Zugao became a little nervous.

"It's okay." Fang Lin shook his head slightly.

How could he not know that Magistrate Pu and Master Ou were on the same stage, but one played the good guy and the other played the bad guy, and everything was still going according to plan.

……

"Are you doubting this prefect?" Prefect Pu seemed to be annoyed and said in a cold voice.

Master Ou responded with a cold smile: "Sir, would you dare to tell me the identities of the people in the hall and confront me?"

It was unprecedented that a mere scholar, without any official title, dared to confront the prefect, and did so at a drinking ceremony in the village where celebrities and dignitaries gathered.

Many guests in the room thought that Master Ou was a kind of poor, corrupt scholar with an upright character, who claimed to be upright, and was stubborn and stubborn, and they secretly thought that he was unlucky.

However, some smart people thought that with the vision and skills of Prefect Pu, how could he invite such a person and make such a mistake? Thinking back to the conversation just now, it seemed strange.

Before, Mr. Yang was humiliated by Master Ou. Now that he saw Master Ou confronting Prefect Pu, he didn't think too much and immediately stepped forward and shouted, "You old man who doesn't know how high the sky is and how deep the earth is. The prefect invited you here to give you face. Don't take yourself too seriously. Whether our status is suitable for participating in the village drinking ceremony is up to the master. When will it be your turn to make decisions? Are you qualified?"

As soon as these words fell, a voice suddenly rang out from outside: "My mentor is not worthy, then am I, Han Yuanjing, worthy?"

A group of people came from outside. The person walking in front was none other than the Censor Han Yuanjing. Following closely behind him was the former professor of the prefectural school, and behind them was a group of yamen runners. Seeing this scene, all the guests in the venue were dumbfounded.

Especially when they heard the Censor Han Yuanjing call Master Ou his mentor, the guests finally understood how Master Ou dared to be so bold and what made him so confident, and they all secretly said "oh no".

Mr. Yang, who was the first to be hit, felt his head buzzing, his face turned pale, and his whole body was shaking.

On the other hand, many scholars watching the ceremony were secretly excited. Fang Lin and Dong Zugao looked at each other and smiled slightly. Everything was said without words.

At this time, the Supervisory Censor Han Yuanjing glanced at the scene and said in a deep voice: "The purpose of the village drinking ceremony is to respect the virtuous and the elders, so that the people will know shame and etiquette. My master has worked diligently all his life and taught people for fifty years. If he is not worthy of raising objections, how can you be worthy of participating in this grand ceremony?"

Wherever his eyes passed, all the guests bowed their heads, and one could hear a pin drop in the room.

They knew clearly in their minds that they had basically gotten in through connections. Political matters like these could be big or small. If they had to be serious about it and were to use the standards of the rural drinking etiquette from the time of Taizu to investigate today's incident, then all those present would be guilty.

It can be said that Han Yuanjing, as the Censor-in-Chief, made his debut at the right time, stood up for his mentor and took advantage of the three elements of power, emotion and reason. All the guests who participated in the village drinking ceremony through connections were caught today, and almost all the dignitaries and wealthy businessmen in the city were caught in one fell swoop.

At this time, Prefect Pu said, "Legal principles are nothing more than human feelings. The situation of Taizu back then was different from today, so we can't generalize. I hope that Censor Han will be flexible."

Since political matters can be big or small, what he meant was naturally to make big things small.

When the guests heard this, they all felt hope in their hearts, but they did not dare to make any noise. They just looked at Han Yuanjing expectantly.

——Yes, theoretically speaking, with so many dignitaries and wealthy businessmen, such a huge force, it is impossible for Han Yuanjing to go against them and bring them all to justice. However, Han Yuanjing has a reputation for being impartial and strict in enforcing the law. If he really gets stupid, even if he can escape in the end, he will be humiliated.

Han Yuanjing frowned slightly, as if considering it. After the guests had been in agony for a long time, he finally spoke slowly: "Things change with the times. This statement is not without reason..."

After hearing this, the guests finally put their minds at ease. On the other hand, many upright scholars who were watching the ceremony were a little disappointed.

"Prefect Pu has carefully planned this, how can he let it go? There must be a trick up his sleeve." Dong Zugao was sober, thinking to himself.

Fang Lin smiled and confirmed his idea: "Some people are too happy too early. The real series of traps has just begun."

As expected, Han Yuanjing changed the subject: "However, some problems exposed in this village drinking ceremony must be observed. The village drinking ceremony should be solemn and sacred, but now it is indulgent and wanton; it should be simple tea and plain food, but now it is extravagant and extravagant... Seeing this, this official is deeply saddened. When Taizu was in power, he strictly practiced austerity and frugality. How could it have come to this point?"

The guests were all smart people, and they understood the hidden meaning, so they let them go. As a deal, they had to support and advocate frugality. People under someone's roof have to bow their heads, and no matter what they thought in their hearts, they all agreed.

"That's right. We should follow Taizu's example and practice frugality."

"After listening to what Han Yushi said, I feel deeply ashamed. From now on, I will live a simple life."

"Alcohol and sex are detrimental to one's life. From today on, I will... quit drinking!"

……

"Since you all have this intention, why not sign this proposal." Han Yuanjing immediately took out the proposal he had written long ago and circulated it to the guests present, asking them to sign it.

No, an initiative, what the hell is that?
At this moment, all the guests were dumbfounded. If it was just a verbal agreement, whether to do it or not was one thing, but signing this damn initiative was a different matter, as the binding force was not comparable to verbal promises.

They were all so righteous just now, but now they were all quiet as they circulated the proposal letter.

The scholars who were watching the ceremony finally understood Han Yuanjing's intention. Seeing this scene and seeing these dignitaries and wealthy businessmen being humiliated, they almost laughed out loud.

"Why? Are you trying to fool me with what you said just now?" Han Yuanjing frowned and said in a deep voice.

According to the plan, Prefect Pu and Master Ou should have come out and taken the lead in signing, but unexpectedly, someone else got there first.

"I'll do it!" It was Mr. Yang.

He knew that he had offended Mr. Ou and Han Yuanjing before, so he spoke decisively at this time, hoping to save some points in their impression.

With the first person, other families followed suit. Some wealthy families who seemed to be prosperous on the surface and had to put on a brave face to maintain their family reputation even went along with it and expressed their support.

Finally, the top families in the city, such as the Fan family and the Gu family, had to sign the initiative.

Of course, the reason they compromised like this, apart from the fact that they were caught in the trap set by Prefect Pu, Master Ou, and Han Yuanjing, was another important factor, which was that this move only hurt their face but not their substance, and did not make them really cut their losses.

Han Yuanjing put away the proposal signed by all the guests, nodded with satisfaction, and said: "I will present this proposal to His Majesty to show your determination to practice frugality..."

"Zhang your mother!" This was another unexpected move, causing all the guests present to curse in their hearts.

The other party used one trick after another, how could they not know that they were fooled? But at this time, the retreat was blocked.

If this proposal really reaches the emperor, it will not be a perfunctory matter, but real action must be taken. Otherwise, at the very least, it will be considered double-dealing; at the most, it will be a crime of deceiving the emperor!

These dignitaries were not stupid. Even if they had not reacted before, most of them had come to their senses by now and realized that Prefect Pu, Master Ou, and Han Yuanjing were in the same group. However, they were not as skilled as them and could do nothing about it.

Even though Governor Pu helped them on the surface, they had to express their gratitude and acknowledge the favor. How heartbreaking was this matter?
……

At this village drinking ceremony, Prefect Pu, Master Ou, and Han Yuanjing set up a trap, taking advantage of the people's unpreparedness. Without any back and forth, they captured all the dignitaries and wealthy businessmen in the city in one fell swoop, and made them sign a frugality initiative, setting a tone for frugality.

Since then, the rich and powerful in Huai'an City had to restrain themselves, and the extravagant lifestyle was greatly reduced. From top to bottom, some wealthy families and ordinary people were also affected, and the whole Huai'an City's atmosphere was cleared.

The events of that day were also spread by the scholars who were watching the ceremony. Han Yuanjing, Prefect Pu, and Master Ou used clever tactics to control the powerful and gained great reputation among the people.

However, Fang Lin, one of the important planners of this plan, hid behind the scenes, watching the situation and was unknown to outsiders from beginning to end.

……

(End of this chapter)