gnovel Chapter 17: The Hope of the Gongyang School, A Beauty in the North!
Chapter 17: The Hope of the Gongyang School, A Beauty in the North!
Guangchuan has a flat and open terrain, with thousands of miles of plains, a dense network of rivers and canals, and wide roads.
The Qingliang River flows gently from the west, surrounded by lush forests and abundant aquatic plants.
An unpretentious mansion sits on the riverbank, surrounded by hundreds of thatched cottages. This was the residence of the great Confucian scholar Dong Zhongshu. Confucian scholars from all over the country came to him, built huts to live in, and listened to the true meaning of the Gongyang Commentary. Gradually, it became a place where Confucianism flourished.
The winds of Chang'an blew to Guangchuan, and the most prominent Confucian scholars of the Gongyang School gathered at Dong Zhongshu's residence, hoping that Dong Zhongshu would make a decision.
"Master Dong!"
Chu Da said solemnly, "Guliang is corrupt and filthy, and he is good at flattering superiors, which is why he has gained the favor of His Highness the Crown Prince."
"Now that His Highness the Crown Prince has seen through the true nature of Guliang, it is a great opportunity for us Gongyang."
"Excellent!"
Ying Yu, Duan Zhong, Lü Bushu, and other disciples of Hu Wusheng echoed his sentiments.
"I am nearing seventy, and though my heart is willing, my strength is insufficient."
Sitting upright on a straw mat, Dong Zhongshu had a square face, a light beard that flowed under his chin, mottled silver hair, a face full of wrinkles, and deep, bright eyes that seemed to possess the wisdom to see through everything. He was 68 years old this year.
"Master Dong!"
The group of Gongyang School Confucian scholars were greatly surprised.
Dong Zhongshu was the greatest Confucian scholar of the Gongyang School, and his position in the heart of Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, was unparalleled. If he had not stepped forward, how could the Gongyang School have returned to Bowang Garden, and how could they have made a fuss about the crown prince?
"All of you, please listen to what I have to say."
Dong Zhongshu's lips moved slightly, and his gaze fell on the crowd.
"Please enlighten me, Master Dong!"
The Gongyang School Confucian scholars became extremely serious, treating him with the utmost respect as a teacher.
"Whether it's the Guliang School or the Gongyang School, they are both Confucianism."
Dong Zhongshu spoke eloquently: "The tyrannical Qin Dynasty was ruthless, and the people's livelihood was in ruins. Emperor Gaozu emerged from the wilderness and valued the teachings of Huang-Lao."
"Politically, it is about non-interference; economically, it is about light taxes and levies; and ideologically, it is about tranquility, inaction, and the study of criminal law."
"Responding to the opportune time and leveraging the advantages of the land, and following the will of the people, is the inevitable trend."
"During the reigns of Emperors Wen and Jing, the Han Dynasty reached an unprecedented level of prosperity."
"It is the time, it is the change."
Although Emperor Jing quelled the Rebellion of the Seven States, all the vassal states in the land still had the ability to rebel, and the Xiongnu in the north became increasingly rampant.
"Beset by internal and external troubles, the current emperor wanted to change everything that had been established, abandoning Huang-Lao philosophy and emphasizing Gongyang and Guliang philosophy."
"Our Gongyang and Guliang schools of thought incorporated the teachings of all schools of thought into Confucianism. This is nothing more than the so-called suppression of all other schools of thought and the exclusive veneration of Confucianism."
"The monarch values profit over righteousness. If you only see the crown prince's aversion to grains and rice, but do not understand the deeper meaning behind it, then you are making a grave mistake."
"The rise of Guliang lies in rites, and this reform also lies in rites."
"Etiquette and law are not etiquette or law; they are a combination of etiquette and law, and neither can be missing."
"The Zhou Dynasty emphasized ritual, while the Qin Dynasty emphasized law; both had their shortcomings."
"The Han Dynasty draws on the experience of its predecessors, emphasizing both rites and laws; this is what Your Majesty desires."
"I see!"
The group of Gongyang School Confucian scholars listened with great interest, completely absorbed.
"Previously, the Crown Prince was young and only knew the harm of war, but was unaware of the dangers posed by the surrounding barbarians."
"Now, the crown prince has grown up and is gradually maturing into a monarch."
"His Majesty knows this, and he naturally understands it; this is the reason why the Guliang lineage suffered such a heavy blow at the Crown Prince's palace."
"But the Crown Prince did not reject Guliang. The fact that Rong Guang, Haoxing Gong, and Wei Xian traveled around calling on their friends is clear proof of this."
"The Gongyang school should not only focus on the crown prince, but should also focus on the world."
"Only in this way can it become a prominent field of study in our time, and endure through the ages."
Do you understand?
Dong Zhongshu stroked his long, gray beard and said in a deep voice.
"Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Dong. We understand."
The Confucian scholars, including Chu Da, Ying Yu, Duan Zhong, and Lü Bushu, all stood up and respectfully bowed.
With Dong Zhongshu's words, they knew how the Gongyang lineage should face the Crown Prince and His Majesty.
"Go then."
With a wave of his hand, Dong Zhongshu dismissed the guests.
"promise."
The Confucian scholars who had gathered there left one by one.
Watching them leave, Dong Zhongshu sat on the straw mat, remaining silent for a long time.
Ultimately, this world is beyond the control of an old man like him; he can only place his hopes on these young people.
Dong Zhongshu served three dynasties in his lifetime, experiencing the most glorious period of the Western Han Dynasty. He served as chancellor of Liu Fei, the King of Jiangdu, for ten years and Liu Duan, the King of Jiaoxi, for four years. After resigning from his post, he returned to his hometown and devoted himself to writing. Whenever the court had major events, it would still send envoys and the Minister of Justice to inquire about them.
There is nothing he cannot see through; it is precisely because he sees through the current emperor that he chooses to shut himself in and study.
Everyone thought that Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, valued the Gongyang ram, but little did they know that His Majesty valued profit more than the Gongyang ram.
The Gongyang School was able to unite the court and instill in the Han Dynasty the belief that it could fight the Xiongnu and expand its territory, something the Guliang School could not do. That is the reason.
Today, the drawbacks brought to the Han Dynasty by the Gongyang School far outweigh the benefits, and it is only a matter of time before His Majesty abandons it. If the Han Dynasty cannot turn its chariot around, it will ultimately face only destruction.
Crown Prince Liu Ju's support for Guliang stemmed precisely from this understanding, and the conflict between him and His Majesty also originated from this.
Dong Zhongshu once did not think highly of Crown Prince Liu Ju, believing that even with the support of Gu Liang, he could not stand against Emperor Wu of Han. But now things were different. The Crown Prince's punishment of Gu Liang showed the world that he had changed and was beginning to gather more power, which changed the course of events.
He hoped that Crown Prince Liu Ju would win, because only if the Crown Prince won would there be a chance for the Han Dynasty to change, and Gongyang would not be abandoned by the world.
.............
Chang'an, the General's Mansion.
"She is indeed a beauty that could topple kingdoms."
Princess Pingyang smiled inexplicably the moment she saw Lady Li.
Li's figure and appearance were unparalleled in the world, far surpassing that of the former Wei Zifu.
With such a beautiful woman, Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, would surely be overjoyed, and her power and status would become even more secure.
"Your Highness is too kind."
Li Yannian, the Commandant of Music, lowered his posture to the lowest possible level and replied respectfully.
Although he and Princess Pingyang were equal partners, he knew that if the Li family wanted to rise to prominence, they would have to rely on Princess Pingyang's power. By being humble and subservient now, they could eventually rise to great heights. This deal was definitely worthwhile.
"I heard you wrote a poem?"
Princess Pingyang scrutinized Li Yannian and said calmly.
"Return to your highness."
Li Yannian began, "I have composed a poem entitled 'Song of a Beautiful Woman'."
"It is said: In the north there is a beautiful woman, peerless and independent. One glance can topple a city, a second glance can topple a nation. How can one not know that such beauty can topple cities and nations, but such a woman is hard to find again."
"good!!!"
Princess Pingyang's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed in admiration, "What a wonderful 'Song of the Beautiful Woman'!"
"You may leave your sister in my residence and train her."
"When the opportunity arises in the future, there will be a chance to soar to great heights."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Li Yannian and Li Shi were overjoyed and quickly bowed.
PS: Guangchuan is now Da Dong Guzhuang Village, Guangchuan Town, Jing County, Hengshui City, Hebei Province.