Pei Xingjian finally breathed a sigh of relief. With the words of His Highness the Crown Prince, the stone in his heart finally fell to the ground. This time he had to give an explanation to his ancestors when he went back.
None of the villagers dared to go over and ask why these soldiers of the Tang Dynasty, who were suddenly like heavenly soldiers and generals, wanted to build a simple wooden house. Even the most respected old man in the village didn't know whether he was happy or worried when he saw this scene.
Just now, someone sent someone over to ask for my opinion, but before I could finish what I said, they assumed that I agreed, and then the scene in front of me began.
The villagers, who had nothing to do in the snowy weather, watched as the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty enthusiastically dragged the trees to the open space with dozens of war horses. A group of people borrowed brooms from the villagers that were slightly better than those tied with branches. , a large open space was cleared.
As the villagers saw these soldiers working, everyone was talking and laughing, and the tension and fear in their hearts gradually disappeared.
When people are unclear about an unknown food, they often choose to hide and then observe, just like wild beasts in the mountains.
But when you observe and understand the habits of these people and feel that they will not harm you, or when you have enough self-protection ability to face these beasts, you will become more and more courageous.
In less than an hour, the villagers began to gather around the open space and watch the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty build wooden houses. When they learned that these wooden houses were the future schools, some people showed excitement on their faces, while others He still looked hesitant and did not want his children to come to study.
"You damn ghost, why did you agree to it in the first place? Why didn't you say something if you didn't want to? Now that they have built a school, you can't let them go if you don't want to. Look, you dare to mess with a wolf-like tiger? "A middle-aged woman kicked the man next to her on the calf and cursed dissatisfiedly.
My family has little labor, and a lot of land was cultivated last year. There are four children, one younger than the other. In the past two years, they were the eldest and the second child, and none of them can help with the farm work.
Now that I was finally able to work hard, I could help the family with some farm work, but unexpectedly, someone put a crossbow on my neck and sent me to this shabby school.
What's the use of learning to read? You can't eat food, and you can't grow crops. How can you recognize a few words? The crops in the field can pop up on their own without planting.
"Say less, why don't you say something? Why don't you say anything when you are hiding in the corner while they are holding that black and cold thing?" The man habitually patted his leg, which was already full of bruises. The robe with footprints said impatiently.
Some people were arguing and some were curious. After seeing that these soldiers who put down their weapons and picked up boards were not as scary as they imagined, they began to try to find something to say to the soldiers who were working hard.
"Brother, why are you helping those two people build a school? Who are they?"
"That's right, why do you want to help them? They have been living with us for a while."
"Aren't you here to take them back to the city?"
"What are you taking back to the city? It seems that they are young masters and young ladies from wealthy families. The school is built for our own good. Maybe they are the magistrate of Xingyang County."
"It's good that it's built, but who will be educated? You can't let your husband travel thirty miles to come to us to be educated, right?"
Some families are happy and some are worried. Those who work a lot at home will put their hopes on the next generation after they have enough food and clothing. They hope that the next generation can be respected like the gentleman from the neighboring village. Naturally, they insist on building a school. Absolutely supportive attitude.
But no matter how these villagers asked, no one among the soldiers who were immersed in their work was willing to answer their questions.
Pei Xingjian was also full of questions. It was a good thing to build a school, but who would learn from it? You can't send students from Chongwen Hall here, right
"You should go back to Xingyang early tomorrow morning and bring me the head of the Zheng family in Xingyang. I want to try whether this method is feasible." Li Hong surrounded dozens of people and slowly walked along the stream. The clearing came over.
"Yes, Your Highness, when I go back tomorrow, I will bring him here in person." Pei Xingjian didn't understand what Li Hong wanted to do, but he replied firmly.
"You don't want to come. A dignified minister, Sheng Youpushe, does all these trivial things every day and doesn't feel tired. In addition to the head of the Zheng family, it's best to bring a few educated gentlemen here tomorrow."
Pei Xingjian understood now, but after thinking about it for a moment, he said with some worry: "Your Highness, this is probably inappropriate, isn't it? Now the Zheng family in Xingyang is a guilty clan, so let's let it go..."
"Who said we should let them go? Aren't they unwilling because their influence among the world's scholars has been weakened by me? Then I will give them another chance to teach and educate people, and let them live their lives. It satisfies the addiction of worshiping the world's scholars." Li Hong sneered at the corner of his mouth and stood next to the clearing, looking at the thick tree trunks erected as pillars.
The people who had originally formed a circle around the open space to watch the excitement, when they saw the new villagers approaching surrounded by people, dozens of soldiers suddenly ran over and blocked them to the other three sides of the open space, leaving open space. On one side, the new villager and another middle-aged man stood.
At this time, no matter how stupid the villagers in the mountain village are, they still know that this new villager cannot be a villager, let alone a slave of some family who secretly ran out with a maid.
The rumors were naturally dispelled when Li Hong came here, but the identity of the new villagers became a question mark in the minds of the villagers.
So while watching the construction of the school, everyone would secretly glance at Li Hong and others from time to time, and they all guessed in their hearts which noble son Li Hong was.
Facing Pei Xingjian's worried look, Li Hong explained calmly: "Of course it is impossible for them to study in the name of the Zheng family in Xingyang. They are all guilty, how can they have a name? Right?" Therefore, no matter who comes here to study, they can only come here to study in the name of Donggong Chongwen Hall. Not only the Zheng family in Xingyang, the Cui family in Boling, but also the Wang family in Taiyuan, they can do this, oh, By the way, all the school fees are also paid for by them.”
Pei Xingjian's eyes lit up when he heard this: "Your Majesty, what a plan. In this way, the newly trained scholars and literati will only know about the Chongwen Hall of the East Palace and will not remember the Zheng family in Xingyang. But you think of them as your own Xu's duty to teach and educate people all over the world tightly bound them and made them a part of Chongwen Hall, which completely eliminated their own influence, leaving them dumb and miserable in the future. I can’t tell you. If you are dissatisfied again, it is not the behavior of a gentleman.”
"Hey, that's what it means. In this way, ten years from now, new scholars and scholars in the world will only remember the kindness of the imperial court and Chongwen Hall. As for their five surnames and seven looks, they are just a branch of the East Palace. Their influence With the consumption of financial resources, how much will be left?" Li Hong said proudly, smiling like the "traitor" Cao Cao.
"But what about ten years from now? What should they do when they are unable to make ends meet? By that time, they will not be as guilty as they are today, and it will not even take a few years for them to start to feel dissatisfied. "Pei Xingjian, like everyone in this period, will think about it once and for all after getting a good idea.
In their thoughts, just like the thoughts of the rulers of five thousand people, they always believe that the creation of a law or a decree is eternal. No matter how the court or the country changes, these laws and decrees will remain unchanged. Nothing should change.
For them, adapting means denying the greatness of the late emperors and sages, disrespecting the decisions of the sages, and betraying their ancestors.
Li Hong looked at the lively scene, then at the villagers who would greet him normally, smiled and nodded to them, and then motioned for Pei Xingjian to leave.
“As a decision-maker, you must always be confident that every decision you make is correct. Similarly, you must always be able to listen to the suggestions and suggestions of your subordinates with an open mind. When practice proves that your decision-making is completely wrong, you must have the courage to admit your mistakes and have the courage to admit your mistakes. You must have the courage to take on the responsibilities that come with decision-making, and you must also have the courage to correct chaos, so that you can control the decision-making organization you are in. What's more, everything in this world is changing, nothing is static, and flexibility is the key to success. Characteristics needed by superiors. On the battlefield, when people dig trenches to stop your cavalry, you know how to be flexible. Why don't you know how to be flexible when it comes to important national affairs in the court? Three or five years later, the Five Surnames and Seven Hopes will exist, but No one can tell whether it will exist in its current form." Li Hongchang was happy from the inside out that he had found a way to truly weaken the Five Surnames and Seven Hopes in his grand plan.
"Your Highness, teach me. I would like to know what to do when the fifth surname is Qi Wang, or the Zheng family in Xingyang?" Pei Xingjian said to Li Hong as a disciple.
This made the villagers who were not far away from them almost dropped their jaws when they peeked at them!
In an era where elders are respected, a man in his fifties actually paid discipleship to a man in his twenties! This... who is this new villager? Why is it so powerful! So noble!
"The Zheng family of Xingyang should be the one with the smallest influence among the five surnames and Qiwangli. However, its influence is still not comparable to that of other wealthy nobles. Therefore, in ten years, if their financial resources cannot support it, Then they will submit a document to the Ministry of Rites of the imperial court, and then the imperial court will order the Ministry of Rites to allocate funds. The head of the Zheng family in Xingyang died within ten years. It doesn't matter. The court and the Ministry of Rites will cooperate with them to select a head of the family. How about letting him be the head of the family for five years, if you can't change him again. In this way, within a few years of the cycle, the court can even send a humanist to take over the Xingyang Zheng family. So... is the Xingyang Zheng family at this time still the Xingyang Zheng family? ?”
"Based on the principle of teaching and educating people, the financial resources and influence of the Zheng family in Xingyang were absorbed by the court and disappeared, and then the court allocated funds to support it? The head of the family is controlled by the court, then... Doesn't it mean that the Zheng family in Xingyang has become a member of the imperial court? Has the Zheng family in Xingyang become a different kind of existence in the hands of the imperial court?" Pei Xingjian was shocked. Your Highness is draining the bottom of the cauldron. He has wiped out the Zheng family in Xingyang. Next piece of skin.
(End of chapter)