novelAbuy Chapter 31 You can silence the gossip, but you can't silence the hearts of the people.
Chapter 31 You can silence the gossip, but you can't silence the hearts of the people.
"Why doesn't the ruler pay homage to the sages of various schools of thought, especially the Confucian saints?"
The torchbearers slowly realized that it seemed like a few people were missing from the Holy Temple.
Facing them, Si Chen said slowly, "The Way of Laozi and Confucius is vast and ancient, as enduring as heaven and earth. When I have swept away the evil influences and cleansed the ancient energies of the six heavens, I will offer sacrifices to them on a grand scale."
nonsense.
If I come and they still occupy the seats, wouldn't my trip be a waste?
The worship of Lao Tzu will inevitably lead to a great uproar among various schools of Taoism.
If people worship Confucius, the scholars and officials will inevitably use this as an excuse to point fingers from their moral high ground. Without the right to interpret the text, they will not worship this uncrowned king.
Not to mention other heretical sects.
Si Chen glanced around.
Liu Ji immediately picked up the large ironwood shield in her hand, spread her wings, bent down and sternly shouted, "Step back. Do not disrupt the order."
The torchbearers looked terrified and quickly retreated.
Si Chen then calmly left, surrounded by the crowd.
Meanwhile, the people were still immersed in the festive atmosphere.
They even took out the few firecrackers they had.
The air was filled with the smell of saltpeter and sulfur.
Because of the rationing system, people couldn't buy good things even if they had money, and they lived in a monotonous lifestyle.
Normally, this place is just like a large military camp.
Sichen then ordered the government treasury to be opened and announced a seven-day holiday, during which each household could receive cloth and silk to make new clothes.
While on patrol, the Tiger Warriors and their followers encountered hungry wild beasts. Even they could not bear the bitter cold weather, so they distributed all the prey they had hunted to have a treat.
The riverbank and embankment were filled with people fishing.
The reeds, which had been neatly cut, were full of people.
In the courtyard of the Palace of Saints, a large number of pottery jars were neatly arranged, and the air was filled with the aroma of rice and meat.
It was also New Year's Day of the seventeenth year of the Chongzhen reign.
Emperor Chongzhen arrived at the Hall of Supreme Harmony early in the morning, but only one imperial guard was on duty. By the time the bell had rung out, no one had come to pay their respects.
After all, the country was on the verge of being lost.
There's no need to pretend to be a loyal subject or a filial son anymore.
Those who are determined to die for their country, cherish this last New Year's Day and enjoy themselves at home.
Those who are determined to surrender and change their allegiance are no longer worth bothering with.
It's so cold.
Only a fool would go to court.
Only the imperial guards remained, gradually falling silent as they waited. "Your Majesty," one of them said, "the officials must not have heard the bells and drums and are therefore late. Why not ring the bells again and open the east and west gates so that everyone near and far can hear them and they will come rushing here."
Emperor Chongzhen ordered, "Ring the bell again."
On this day, the gate in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony had been open for a long time.
There was still no one in the heavy snow in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
At this moment, Chongzhen deeply felt his own insignificance, and felt cold in his hands and feet, and cold all over his body. In fact, he felt cold in his heart.
After a long while, Empress Zhou realized something was wrong and sent someone to fetch him back.
Looking at the plaque above the Jinyiwei headquarters that read "Return My Rivers and Mountains," Luo Yangxing, the Left Commander of the Jinyiwei, raised his cup and drank heartily.
Inside the British Duke's mansion, weapons and armor were being moved from the treasury at a rapid pace, ready to be sharpened.
The Duke of Cheng was transferring his wealth, while the Duke of Ding was using the pretext of "bandit suppression" to send his youngest son away from the capital region.
Zhou Yanru was executed in the snow.
at the same time.
Li Zicheng formally established the Great Shun Dynasty in Xi'an, changing the era name to Yongchang. He appointed Niu Jinxing as Grand Secretary and established the Six Ministries.
Liu Zongmin, Tian Jianxiu, Gu Ying, Li Jin, Liu Fangliang, Zhang Nai, Yuan Zongdi, Liu Guochang, and Ruyi, all under his command, were ennobled as marquises.
Seventy-two were enfeoffed as earls. The rest were countless.
He bestowed titles upon civil and military officials, drafted a proclamation, and intended to cross the Yellow River northward.
Originally, Li Zicheng only wanted to dominate the Northwest and seize the throne, but the sudden plague destroyed the last defenses. With the throne within reach, how could he not be tempted?
Zhang Xianzhong was eager to try his luck and attempted to march into Sichuan.
And what were the literati in Jiangnan doing?
They are instilling ideas into a new world and preparing for the future.
The Palace of the Prince of Zhongshan.
Duke Xu Hongji of Wei, and his sons Xu Yunjue and Xu Wenjue, were ranked first.
Marquis of Lingbi, Tang Guozuo; Marquis of Linhuai, Li Hongji; Earl of Xincheng, Zhao Zhilong; and Earl of Chengyi, Liu Kongzhao, were waiting on the left.
The leaders of the Donglin Party, Qian Qianyi and Qian Longxi, along with Zheng Zhilong, who controlled five merchants and had three thousand large ships, stood side by side on the right.
There were no missionaries here.
"In today's world, the people are not united. When Qi Jiguang first built the city of Santunying, it was the place with the highest concentration of temples in the world. In addition to the temples of the Earth God, the Confucian Temple, the Martial Temple, the Three Pure Ones, and the Bodhisattva, there were also temples of the Sea God, the River God, and the God of Wealth. Wasn't this an attempt to bridge the gap between the North and the South, as well as between the Han and the Tatars, and to unify their beliefs?"
"The same methods, only Si Chen is more skillful."
"Now it seems that those Western scholars are not as good as them, readily labeling them as heretics."
Xu Wenjue spoke eloquently, holding the latest intelligence.
The Duke of Wei smiled but remained silent.
"Please, Mr. Qian, explain this to my son."
Qian Qianyi rose from his seat, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, “Third Master, you may not know this. The supreme deity worshipped by Sichen is called Zhonghuang Taiyi, who is in fact Heaven and Earth. Judging from his words and deeds, he is above the gods and establishes himself in the world through merit and education. The gods transmitted by Western scholars have become the orthodox debate in Europe, and he is below the gods, which leads to people doing selfish things.”
"And what about us?"
Duke Xu Hongji of Wei raised his hand and passed the secret letter down, saying, "There is no distinction between the two. If they are useful, support them; if they are useless, reject them. This is why the Heavenly Princess of Universal Salvation and Christianity were able to flourish simultaneously along the coast."
Xu Wenjue's eyes widened. "What's the next step?"
Marquis Chengyi Liu Kongzhao laughed and said, "We have enormous wealth, but if we cannot turn this wealth into power, then no matter how much land and wealth we have, it will be useless. We will only be at the mercy of others. Leaving the Eastern Lands is just a last resort."
"Make all academies and societies speak with one voice."
"Promote the idea that poverty breeds cunning, while wealth fosters conscience."
"Let this statement become a universal truth that applies to all places."
"To create another myth, a myth of getting rich overnight."
"Repair bridges and roads, erect memorial arches, and spread academies all over the country."
"For every scholar who steps forward, we will fund him, help him, encourage him, and incite him, so that scholars will quarrel endlessly."
"At that time, a new ruler will be established, and the government will simply govern by its own efforts, allowing the virtuous and capable people of the land to rule."
"We will formulate the policies we need."
"We don't need an emperor; we can be governed by wise men."
The scene was quiet.
Everyone was already imagining how wonderful the world would be next.
At the same time, we should be wary of this old thief.
A sorcerer who plays with prophecy is definitely not a good person.
At this moment, a messenger came and reported, "A report has come from the capital. The emperor intends to issue an order to come to the aid of the emperor."
Duke Xu Hongji of Wei looked around and asked, "Gentlemen, you all know how to respond, right?"
Qian Longxi raised his glass and said, "Tell them that if they hold on, there will be a way."
"Absolutely! Absolutely!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Xu Wenjue, still not grasping the deeper meaning, asked again, "Father, what should we do when the emperor marches south?"
Xu Yunjue said, "Hahaha, Third Brother, don't worry. He won't come down. Who do you think Si Chen is? The emperor is utterly insignificant in his eyes. If the Ming Dynasty falls, the emperor should perish with it. Of course, we are all in agreement on this point. If the emperor dies, we will praise him and elevate him to a divine status."
Qian Qianyi laughed and said, "Then let's call him—Sun God!"
After all, Emperor Chongzhen's private morality cannot be defamed.
He sacrificed his life for his country, thus fulfilling his posthumous reputation.
Duke Xu Hongji of Wei said, "Indeed. The sun and moon are bright, but it's a pity that His Majesty only sees the white and not the black. The name 'Sun Duke' is truly fitting."
Xu Wenjue immediately bowed, "Sir, you are truly talented. I have heard that you have recently taken a beautiful concubine, so I would like to present you with ninety-nine sable furs and ten bushels of pearls as a congratulatory gift."
Qian Qianyi was quite conceited, thinking it a good story, "Hahaha, I'm unworthy of such praise, I'm unworthy of such praise!"
Duke Xu Hongji of Wei stood with his hands behind his back.
"You should read more history books."
"In the past, Qin Hui's methods were too crude. Look, he executed Yue Fei on trumped-up charges, which scared the emperor so much that he had to carry a knife to court. He also ordered a ban on the compilation of private histories."
"And what was the result? Was it useful? He could silence the public opinion, but he couldn't silence the hearts of the people! He made the entire Song Dynasty stink to the bone."
"We are, after all, meritorious officials, and we must act with dignity. Preserving the posthumous reputation of the Ming Dynasty is preserving our own face."
"We should live in the present, shine in the world, and remain hidden in the annals of history."
"Look at the merchants of Pu these days, they're utterly useless. They actually have to beg that great wise teacher for help; their power is like water without a source."
"Those of us are the true and righteous path."
They collectively disappear from history, enjoy eternal wealth and absolute personal safety.
"Your Excellency is truly wise."