Dawn of the Empire

Chapter 8 Crying King Zhao (1)

The funeral of Yang Shi, a great Confucian of a generation, was extremely mournful.The government sent the third prince, Zhao Qi, to proclaim a decree to appease the court, and several of Yang Shi's descendants all lost their official positions.The mourning hall in the mansion is full of elegiac couplets written by the prime minister, the privy envoys, and the six important officials.Huang Qingchen, the Minister of Rituals, saw Zhao Ke's face change slightly, smiled forcedly after seeing the ceremony, and left in a hurry, not even caring about greeting Yang Shi's family.In recent years, the official family has become unshakable in their desire to be easy to reserve. The important officials and scholars who are close to the prince Zhao Ke are all in danger. Although they did not openly change their families, there are not a few who secretly communicated with the third prince.

This moment, that moment, after solemnly worshiping Yang Shi's spiritual seat, Zhao Ke, who was dressed in plain white robes, looked extremely lonely.The coldness and warmth of human feelings made him sigh in his heart: "Father is old, and it is more and more obvious that he prefers the third brother to succeed. The ancestors of the past dynasties have always been merciless against brothers who failed in the battle for the throne, and cutting off party members is also due. The civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty were eager to draw a clear line with Gu, but there was nothing they could do about it.”

While he was full of bitterness, suddenly someone behind him whispered: "I have seen His Majesty the Prince." Zhao Ke was slightly taken aback, then turned around and looked over, he was a Confucian scholar in white robes. The person's imposing manner, his appearance is clear and bright, and there is a hidden light in his eyes, which seems to have a kind of attraction.

"Who is this gentleman?" Zhao Ke instinctively felt that this person looked familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him before.

"Next is Zhangzhou Chen Dong." The Confucian scholar smiled slightly, and bowed his hands again.It was only then that Zhao Ke suddenly realized that the last time he met Chen Dong was before the case of Lishe’s revelation of the posts, time flies like an arrow, and it has been several years since then, the high-spirited scholar of the Imperial Academy who used to be provocative in writing is now a well-known scholar in the southeast Leader, in the north and south of the river, Confucian scholars are actually proud to join the society.Zhao Ke even heard that even Shao Wu, Chen Dong's teacher, was faintly jealous of him and even became jealous of him. This man has already grown up. Although he has not yet become an official, many scholars actually claim to be his disciples.The reputation is so high that only the reclusive Zhao Yuanzhi can compare with it.

The two walked out of the mourning hall together, and standing under the dense ancient cypresses in the courtyard, Zhao Ke sighed: "In a few tens of days, Mr. Shaoyang might not be able to call Gu a prince. Avoid ghosts." His tone was very bitter. After being the prince for so many years, Zhao Ke asked himself not to take a wrong step, and he had to act like a gentleman every day. Once the emperor's mind changed, all his efforts were in vain, and his end was not as good as those who are drunk all day long and don't care about the government.

Chen Dong's heart was slightly darkened, and Shao Wu also revealed to him the officials' feelings.Seeing Zhao Ke's sad expression, he couldn't bear it, so he comforted him and said: "Your Highness, don't worry, there is nothing wrong with the East Palace, and the whole world hopes that His Highness can inherit the great rule. This is what people want. Your Majesty cannot change it at will."

"What do people want?" Zhao Ke murmured, as if a hot current surged into his heart, he asked, "Is that really the case?"

"It's absolutely true, I don't dare to lie." Chen Dong nodded and said, "Since ancient times, abolishing the elders and establishing the younger is the way of 'chaos'. Even the succession of the Xia Kingdom in Guanxi has the most important order of the elders and the younger. How can I be ashamed After that?" Since he exchanged letters with Zhao Xingde, he is familiar with many systems of the Xia Kingdom, but he has not experienced it personally, so he can't help being biased. In Chen Dong's eyes, it was extremely important for the country, and it was also an important reason for the great rule of Kansai.

"That's right." Zhao Ke never felt that Xia Guo's political system was reasonable like now.He nodded, choking with sobs and said: "The Qing Dynasty is full of high-ranking scholars, only Shaoyang is the real loyal minister. If there is a day for Gu, he will be the pillar of the country." fly.

Chen Dong cupped his hands and said: "Your Highness loves you. For the sake of the country, I should do my best and die." He sighed slightly in his heart, and said to himself: "The third prince's talent is certainly high, but compared to talent, the prince His virtue seems to be superior. It is a pity that the officials insist on going their own way."

After the two said goodbye, Chen Dong walked around the Bianliang market a few times, changed into casual clothes, and came to Gonglou.Over the past few years, the leading girl here is not only beautiful, but also considerate, with a slight sadness on her face, like a fairy who does not eat fireworks.

"Among the guests who came and went recently, one out of ten mentioned Chen Lang." Li Shishi had a proud look on his face, but also concealed a trace of melancholy.The Neo-Confucian Society criticizes the government and denounces power as 'traitorous'. Chen Dong's reputation in the Confucian scholars is getting bigger and bigger, but such a celebrity must marry a lady from a famous family, and it is impossible to accept a singer as his wife.

It was freezing cold outside, but inside the warm pavilion was a red copper fire.The charcoal fire was very hot, the clothes of the two were thin, but they were a little sweaty.Shishi cut open a tribute orange kept in the ice cellar, broke it into several petals, carefully picked out the tangerines one by one, and then fed them petal by petal into Chen Dong's mouth.If she looks like this, if those guests who are willing to spend thousands of dollars to listen to a song and drink a cup of fragrant tea see her, they will definitely beat their chests.

In the past few years, Li Shishi has become more and more popular, and gradually became famous among the brothels in Bianliang.I don't know how many wealthy businessmen have spent a lot of money just to meet her.It's just that she was determined to follow Chen Dong, and she was 'forced' by death to stop serving the other guests. Mother Li had no choice but to serve the hen that lays golden eggs, gnashing her teeth The girl's ransom money increased to a jaw-dropping high.Even if Chen Dong made a lot of money by helping Li Yong sell sea treasures, he couldn't come up with such a large sum of money all at once.

Chen Dongzheng was leaning over the table to write a letter. One was to Zhao Bo, the shopkeeper of the seafood business in Hangzhou. He was Zhao Yuanzhi's younger brother, quick-witted and reliable, and had been helping to manage the seafood business.The treasure ship carrying the sea goods has already made two trips. Li Yong has great requirements for the rapid expansion of the business scale, and Chen Dong hit it off in this regard.Chen Dong was expelled from the ancestral hall by the clan, and his father never let him go back, so he couldn't use the old people in the Chen's business, but gradually relied on a group of shopkeepers and assistants he personally discovered.

The next few letters were written to the heads of the Neo-Confucianism Society's branches in various places, Deng Su, Wu Zilong, Cao Liangshi, Su Wenyu and others. "The power of the ministers has reached the extreme. The so-called extremes must be reversed. When the old is destroyed and the new is established, look at the government and the public, and there is no one to study and study. Therefore, at this time, we are not hesitating to wait for the future." Each letter has only a few words, but it is true. It implies that Yi Chu is irretrievable. During this period of time, do not forcibly oppose the matter of abolishing the elders and establishing the younger ones, otherwise the situation where the imperial court condones the development of the Neo Confucianism Society may be lost.And no matter which prince succeeds to the throne, in order to check and balance the power of the powerful ministers, he must rely on the power of scholars.After finishing writing, Chen Dong's eyes darkened slightly, and he sighed. He was no longer that high-spirited young scholar. In his heart, he undoubtedly supported the crown prince's succession, but the situation was strictly forbidden. "The so-called loyalty and righteousness of the national scholars are not for the self-interest of the family. What is more important is the country and the country. It is the common people in the world. The people are the most important, the society is second, and the king is the least, let alone the East Palace." These letters were stamped with beeswax, and the Lishe gave up its support for the prince.

The last letter was written to Zhao Yuanzhi.Over the past few years, everyone in the world knows that the head of the Neo-Confucianism Society is Zhangzhou Chen Shaoyang, and Zhao Yuanzhi is like a hermit isolated from the world, only articles are handed down from time to time, but his reputation is not inferior to him.There are many local gentry who live in seclusion and don't pay attention to the accounts of the society, thinking that they are too impetuous to work hard, and when they mention Mr. Yuanzhi, they have an expression of admiration for an outsider.Chen Dong was very curious, how would they feel if they knew that Zhao Xingde was wielding swords and arrows all day long, fighting in battles in foreign lands.

When he wrote down, he was discussing something with Zhao Xingde.Zhao Xingde occasionally came up with a kind of grand theory that scholars elected prime ministers, high-level officials such as prefectures and counties, pretending to be real, and governing the world with the sages of the world.Chen Dong intends to compile and publish it.There are already thousands of scholars from various geographical societies, although they are very popular in various places.Most of these scholars may not be able to be officials for life. If according to Zhao Xingde's design, these scholars can not only participate in the governance of the local area, but also elect important court officials, so that the government will not be controlled by a few foolish and treacherous officials. , can also impeach and remove those who harm the country and the people.

Li Shishi looked worried on the side, and said softly: "Is the court still unwilling to apologize for Mr. Zhao?" She has always been grateful to this person who helped her out of trouble with several wonderful poems back then.

"Well," Chen Dong nodded slightly: "The most important recluse in my court history, Zhao Yuanzhi has been looking after him for a long time, his reputation is already too great, once he is exonerated, the power traitors in the court are afraid that he will be even more powerful. A trace of regret flashed across his face, this case was decided by the official himself, if he died suddenly today, just out of filial piety, it would be difficult for the new emperor to use Zhao Xingde when he succeeds.Zhao Xingde will also be appointed as the school captain, and he has not hesitated to inform Chen Dong about entering the Huguo Mansion and other matters.

"Yuan Zhi's official position in Xia State is getting higher and higher. We won't be enemies to each other in the future, right?" Chen Dong smiled lightly and sealed the letter.During the Warring States Period, Su Qin and Zhang Yi both came from the sect of Guigu, Su Qin was the minister of the six countries in the East of the Guandong, and Zhang Yi was the minister of Qin, and the world has been troubled ever since. "If that's the case, I'm afraid that Zhao Yuanzhi's real whereabouts will be hidden for him forever."

Two months later, the letter was sent to Dunhuang, and Li Ruoxue bundled Chen Dong's letter into a bundle and put it in his family letter.This letter was mailed to Zhao Xingde via the road Cao Qianqian, three months after he arrived in Liaodong after a long trek.