pappabearbooks Chapter 99 The Zhao Family of Changshan
Chapter 99 The Zhao Family of Changshan
The next day, before dawn.
As Liu Hong sat on the throne, he felt a soreness in his lower back and heavy eyelids.
He forced himself not to yawn, but his gaze was already somewhat unfocused.
Standing at the foot of the imperial steps, Zhang Rang glanced at Liu Hong's expression and immediately understood the situation.
The court assembly usually begins with the reports presented by the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers.
The clerk of the Minister of Works reported the amount of autumn grain collected in Hanoi Commandery, and the Minister of Ceremonies reported on the preparations for the year-end sacrifice. These were all routine matters, and Liu Hong approved them all.
Then the pulling began.
Xie Bi, a court official, stepped forward and reported that the governor of Nanyang had condoned the encroachment of powerful local families on farmland, causing hundreds of households to be displaced. He requested that an imperial edict be issued to investigate the matter thoroughly.
Before Xie Bi could finish speaking, the eunuch Cao Jie stepped forward from beside the imperial steps and said in a shrill voice, "The Prefect of Nanyang was recommended by Attendant Wang. Xie Yilang's impeachment in court is probably not aimed at Attendant Wang, is it?"
Xie Bi raised his head and replied, "I only deal with corrupt officials. Does that mean those recommended by Attendant Wang cannot be investigated?"
Cao Jie sneered, "You have quite the arrogance, Xie Yilang."
"That land dispute in Nanyang was settled last year, but it's been brought up again this year. Is someone deliberately trying to dredge up old grievances?"
The two exchanged words, their voices gradually rising in pitch.
Sitting on his throne, Liu Hong felt as if the sounds were coming through a layer of water, buzzing over, and he couldn't be bothered to distinguish a single word.
His gaze fell on the caisson ceiling of the palace, which was painted with colorful auspicious clouds and flying immortals. The immortals' robes fluttered as if about to rise, making them much more beautiful than the noisy people below.
"Your Majesty!" Zhang Rang called out very softly.
Liu Hong came to his senses and found that the hall was quiet, and everyone was waiting for him to speak.
He cleared his throat, glanced at Xie Bi, and then at Cao Jie.
"The matter in Nanyang shall be reviewed by the Prefect and reported truthfully to the Emperor."
Xie Bi was about to speak again when Liu Hong waved his hand.
This approach neither refuted Cao Jie's wishes nor failed to appease Xie Bi.
The term "review" implies that room for further investigation is left open.
After all the calculations, the scales still tipped slightly in favor of the aristocratic families.
Wang Fu's expression was not good, but he did not argue further.
In the following matters, Liu Hong's decisions were largely the same: indifferent and unbiased.
But upon closer examination, it always seems to subtly lean towards the aristocratic class.
The Court of Imperial Sacrifices petitioned to increase the number of disciples for the Imperial Academy, and the request was approved.
The Imperial Household Department requested a reduction in palace repair costs to fund border defense expenses, which was approved.
Cao Jie and several eunuchs grew increasingly grim, while Yuan Huai, Xie Bi, and others gradually relaxed.
Zhang Rang observed the situation with detachment, his mind perfectly clear.
As the court assembly drew to a close, Cai Yong, a court advisor, stepped forward.
Cai Yong was over forty years old, with a thin face and a long, sparse beard.
He walked with composure, his robes remained perfectly still, and he exuded a quiet composure among the court officials.
Liu Hong's eyelids twitched when he saw him step out of the line.
Cai Yong's speeches were always lengthy, which meant he would be sitting on the throne for quite some time.
"His Majesty!"
Cai Yong bowed respectfully, his voice not loud, yet it clearly reached the ears of everyone in the hall.
"I recently reviewed the books in the Eastern Pavilion and found many errors and omissions in the texts of the classics."
There was a slight commotion in the hall, but then silence returned.
"The same Book of Documents, the version transmitted by Fu Sheng and the version annotated by Kong Anguo, have many differences in wording."
"The same Book of Poetry, the four schools of thought of Qi, Lu, Han, and Mao each have their own interpretation."
"The 30,000 students of the Imperial Academy studied different versions of the classics, with varying chapters and verses, leading to a lack of consensus."
"If this continues, the words of the sages will be spread with errors, and later scholars will be at a loss."
He raised his head, his gaze passing over the crown and looking directly at Liu Hong.
"Your Majesty, I request that the texts of the Five Classics be standardized and that stone inscriptions of the classics be erected outside the gate of the Imperial Academy, so as to set a standard for scholars throughout the land and ensure that the teachings of the sages are not lost to the earth."
Upon hearing this, the entire hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Xie Bi was the first to second the motion: "This proposal by Cai Yilang is beneficial for generations to come; I second it."
Liu Yi, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, also stepped forward: "The inconsistencies in the texts of the classics have a long history. If the court can step in to correct them, it will indeed be a great event for education and culture."
Wang Fu instinctively felt something was amiss, but for a moment he couldn't grasp the point and didn't know how to refute it.
But when he glanced at Liu Hong, he noticed that the emperor's expression was completely different from before.
Liu Hong is no longer sleepy.
I wasn't pretending not to be sleepy; I really wasn't sleepy at all.
He had never thought of the idea of erecting a stone to carve scriptures, but he understood it as soon as Cai Yong mentioned it.
The Five Classics were established and erected on stone at the Imperial Academy, so that the 30,000 students thereafter studied the classics officially designated by the imperial court.
Who is the orthodox and who is the true master is obvious at a glance. From now on, as long as education flourishes, the name of Liu Hong will be indispensable.
He straightened up, his crown tassels swaying gently.
"allow!"
In short, it was decisive and efficient.
Cai Yong bowed deeply: "Your Majesty is wise."
Liu Hong added, "This matter will be personally overseen by Cai Yilang, and the necessary expenses will be drawn from the Imperial Household Department."
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The following year, in March.
The Xiping Stone Classics, which have gone down in history, were spearheaded by Cai Yong.
Scholars such as Tang Xidian, Yang Ci, Ma Ridi, Zhang Xun, Han Shuo, and Shan Yang proofread and wrote the text.
Construction officially commenced outside the gates of the Imperial Academy.
The same spring sun shines on Luoyang and also on western Liaoning.
Ten miles outside Yangle City, beside the official road.
Liu Bei led his civil and military officials from Liaoxi to wait in formation.
Shan Jing, Wang Lie, Jian Yong, Cheng Yu, Cheng Pu, Han Dang, Tian Yu, Xu Rong, Gao Shun, Liu Deran, Hou Cheng, and a group of subordinate officials of the Commandant's Office were arranged in a wing-like formation according to their rank.
Liu Bei stood at the very front. He had grown a year older, taller than the previous year, and his shoulders and back were a bit broader.
He was dressed in the uniform of a captain, with a long sword at his waist, and his brows already showed a certain composure.
Behind him, two hundred cavalrymen stood in neat formation, completely silent.
Dust rose in the distance, and a group of over a hundred people slowly drove in.
The rider in the middle was a man in his early forties with a stern face and a neatly trimmed short beard.
Liu Bei led his men to slowly approach and greet them.
"Liu Bei, the Commandant of Liaoxi Commandery, along with his subordinate officials, respectfully welcomes Lord Zhao!"
Zhao Bao dismounted and returned the greeting, sizing up the young captain before him.
He was impeccably polite and respectful, showing none of the arrogance one would expect at his age.
Looking at the two hundred cavalrymen behind him, their ranks were orderly, yet there was not a sound.
Zhao Bao nodded slightly, a smile appearing on his lips.
"Liu Duwei is young and promising. I had heard of him when I was in Luoyang. Seeing him today, I can confirm that his reputation is well-deserved."
"You flatter me, Prefect!" Liu Bei stepped aside and introduced the people behind him one by one.
Zhao Bao exchanged greetings with Shan Jing, Wang Lie, Cheng Pu, Han Dang, and others.
His gaze lingered on Cheng Yu for a moment, then looked at Gao Shun, as if he had noticed something, but he didn't ask any further questions.
Liu Bei's gaze fell on the hundred personal guards behind Zhao Bao.
These hundred men were all young and strong. Although their formation was not as orderly as the cavalry behind him, it was still quite disciplined.
However, there were very few horses, only a dozen or so.
"The governor's personal guards are quite imposing, and their ranks are well-organized, unlike ordinary soldiers."
Zhao Bao glanced back and smiled, "I am from Ganling, and I often think about the unrest in the border regions."
"On this trip north, we made a special detour to Changshan to recruit these young men from the Zhao clan."
"The Zhao family of Changshan and Bao are of the same clan. Many of their children are skilled in archery and horsemanship. Having them by one's side is a way to have someone to rely on."
The descendants of the Zhao family of Changshan!