Dong Wencong sat in the carriage for a long time, then entered the rankings with his official seal. He narrated the events of the past two days, and at the end, he added a quote from Confucius.
The ruler is upright. Who dares to be disobedient?
This sentence explained Confucius's understanding of the ruler. To govern, one must first be upright and fair. If the ruler's words and actions were upright and just, as an example, the officials and people of the world would be upright and would not walk the path of evil.
Soon, a large number of scholars replied to Dong Wencong's article.
"Two years ago, the Old Man thought he was just a talented child. Today, he suddenly realized that in front of Fang Xusheng, I am just an ordinary man with white hair. Prefecture Governor Dong ended with Confucius's words. He probably wanted to say that Fang Xusheng is upright and set an example. He has already stepped onto the Confucian path. "
"Fang Yun, this person, did not punish an official or harm a person. He used his body to prove the ability of the officials and relieved the worries of the people. He has the appearance of a great sage."
"Only today did I understand what it means to be upright. If one does not follow orders, one's body is not upright. Fang Xusheng is upright. Even if he did not personally order the people to leave, the people left on their own. The officials of Xiangzhou are not upright. Even if he repeatedly ordered them to leave, no one left. "
"Yesterday on the streets, today settled. Back then, Mencius said that civil affairs cannot be delayed. Fang Xusheng's actions today are as swift as lightning. They are in line with Mencius's teachings. "
Everyone connected Fang Yun's actions with the famous words of the saints. They were full of praise.
There were also some people who criticized Fang Yun for fishing for fame, which attracted criticism.
A Gyeongo scholar said angrily, "If living by the river is fishing for fame, then everyone in the world is greedy pigs and dogs."
"If this method is fishing for fame, then I really hope that all the officials in the world use this method to obtain a Literary Name."
The voices of opposition were quickly suppressed. An hour later, an old scholar from Kongcheng shook the rankings again.
"Heaven and Earth are vast. If you are not sincere, you will not be able to transform everything."
At first, some people thought that this was just a random essay. After all, there were scholars who liked to rehash other people's essays when they had nothing better to do. But very soon, some people understood the intentions of the old High Scholar.
"Hey, the one above, the Punishment Hall invites you for some tea."
"Light a candle for the one above. Observe a moment of silence."
"It seems like there are some people who don't understand what I'm trying to paint a snake with legs. Let me add a sentence. This sentence was said by the Plant Sage, the Plant Sage is good at judging."
Now, everyone could see that this was a taboo for the wise. That was why when that person said that Xun Zi was good at 'commenting on the saints', he was actually 'criticizing the saints'. However, when everyone connected the words together, they suddenly understood.
Xun Zi's original text was: The Heaven and Earth are vast, if one is not sincere, one cannot turn all living things into saints. If one is not sincere, one cannot turn all living things into one's own. If one is not sincere, one cannot turn all living things into one's own. If one is not sincere, one cannot turn all living things into one's own.
The meaning of this sentence was not profound: Even if the world was vast and boundless, if there was no sincerity, it would not be able to nurture all living things. Saints knew everything. If they could not be sincere, they would not be able to enlighten the people. Father and son were connected by blood. If they could not treat each other with sincerity, they would be estranged from each other. Emperors were respected and noble. If they could not treat others with sincerity, they would become lowly.
If the old High Scholar had finished this sentence, he would naturally be praising Fang Yun for treating people with sincerity and for being able to manage the people well. However, he intentionally left out the latter part of the sentence. Not only was he praising Fang Yun, he was also secretly criticizing Gyeongo Half-saint for not being sincere. He actually allowed Gyeongo to oppress Xiangzhou and even allowed Gyeongo to incite and deceive the people into protesting on the streets.
Soon after, many scholars started a never-before-seen 'death-seeking competition' in the comments section of the article.
The old High Scholar was the one who started the curtains. Very quickly, there were people who followed suit.
"Bright and exhausted."
Xun Zi's Chinese saying was, "Bright and inexhaustible, a Half-saint". This meant that a Half-saint could always maintain a sharp mind and wisdom that surpassed others. Now that he had removed this, it meant that a certain Half-saint was not a Half-saint.
"Judge yourself by others."
Xun Zi's original words were, "A Half-saint is a person who can rely on his own abilities to deduce things. The person who was discussing the rankings said otherwise, naturally implying that there were Half-saints who could not do this."
Later on, the comments section of the article went completely out of control. Dong Wencong had no choice but to lock down the article and not let anyone read it.
Dong Wencong silently put away his official seal and looked out of the carriage.
"Xusheng has moved to the workshop. I wonder if the one in Feng Province will build a hut on the banks of the Yangtze River."
Dong Wencong thought to himself as he smiled and shook his head.
The Sage of Zong resided in Feng Province.
That evening, the officials of Xiangzhou received a piece of news.
Today, Fang Yun personally mobilized people to investigate and apprehend a group of people who went to the papermaking workshop to cause trouble on the streets.
When this news came out, it caused a huge uproar.
Most people were silent, but a small number of people began to criticize Fang Yun on the rankings for deceiving the people. They said that he first persuaded them to leave and then secretly arrested them. This was not the behavior of a gentleman.
A few officials of Xiangzhou actually went to the rankings to issue a statement, expressing their opposition to this kind of heartless and unjust governor. They demanded that the Gyeongo cabinet and the Empress Dowager give the people of Xiangzhou an explanation.
Soon, the news spread to all parts of Baling. Those who participated in the street protest were angry and panicked.
There were more than two hundred families in Dawao Village. It was a fishing village by the Yangtze River. Most people here made a living by fishing. When they learned that the papermaking workshop that had harmed an entire generation had reappeared in Baling City, more than a hundred people in the village stopped fishing and went outside Baling City to oppose the establishment of the workshop.
Now, all the villagers were gathered in the south of the village. Many people wanted to leave, but Liu Sanzi and the others stopped them.
"Liu Sanzi, are you still human? Our fellow villagers were arrested by Fang Yun, that dog official, and you won't let us cry out for justice."
"Liu Sanzi, did you accept money from that dog official Fang Yun? I was suspicious at the time. You're usually so impulsive and reckless, like a firecracker. Why did Fang Yun not even say anything before you made us leave the papermaking workshop?"
"Liu Sanzi, if you don't explain yourself today, I'll stab you to death." A fisherman held a harpoon and stared at Liu Sanzi like a tiger watching its prey.
Liu Sanzi was over thirty years old. He had a strong body and tanned skin. There was a two-inch-long scar on his face, and he looked helpless.
"My fellow villagers, do you know that Fang Yun is a famous Illusionary Divine dream master? He is so smart and powerful. Would he go back on his words? He would chase us away first before capturing them. This is definitely not something he would do." Liu Sanzi tried his best to persuade them.
"Then why was my nephew taken away?"
Liu Sanzi said, "Are you sure that Fang Xusheng knows about this? Maybe he didn't do it at all, or maybe he can't control those who arrested him."
"Bullshit, he's the governor. How can he not control those soldiers?"
"Saint Origin World kills people every day. Can a saint control them? Don't be so harsh," Liu Sanzi said.
"No matter what you say today, I will save my nephew," Old Man Geng said.
Liu Sanzi said, "Old Man Geng, I see that you're a good person, so I'm talking to you nicely. Since you don't know how to appreciate kindness, I'll be frank. Don't you know what your son of a bitch is? Anyone who knows Old Man Geng's nephew, come forward and tell me what he is. I'll first say a few things that I saw with my own eyes. He scolded a sixty-year-old woman, touched a widow's butt, picked up his five-year-old child and hit the debt collector when he was being chased by a debt collector, hit his child on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, hit his wife on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Who else wants to add … "
To be continued.
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