During the imperial wine ceremony, Tao Dalin buried his head and used Shen Shixing to block the emperor's figure, for fear of being seen by the emperor.

My heart screamed torture.

During this autumn lecture, the emperor always did not attend class well and asked some sensitive questions.

This class is about "Mencius", which talks about "There are three types of unfilial piety, and the greatest is not having offspring."

It is very simple in itself, and there is no room for debate. On the contrary, it has more political significance.

Nowadays, the content and progress of the lectures are arranged by the daily lecturer, and the specific review and interpretation are personally reviewed by the two cabinet ministers.

Today's session was arranged by Chen Dong, the young minister of Dali Temple, and Wen Chun, the right minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that this is paving the way for the emperor to take charge of the government and to pave the way for etiquette.

It is great to have no heirs.

The emperor is twelve years old, which is an age for marriage.

If you want to choose a concubine, you should plan it more than a year in advance. If you are to get married at the age of fourteen, then you should issue a decree and start preparations at the beginning of the new year.

If you are eager to take charge, then the granddaughter of Li Chunfang in the palace is not impossible.

As for the ancestral law, not to marry the daughter of a scholar-official...

The meaning of Chen Dong and Wen Chun was very clear. Shun Shang could hide his parents in order to stay as an heir, so it is completely reasonable for His Majesty to make some contingency changes in order to stay as an heir.

This is what Zhang Juzheng just mentioned as "the power of etiquette".

This was a political statement limited to the emperor's close officials and officials.

After Zhang Juzheng, the first assistant, saw Chen Dong and Wen Chun's arrangement of classes, he didn't raise any objections and just went along with the flow and took over the classes.

He also looked supportive.

Logically speaking, if the emperor and his ministers are so harmonious, and the emperor understands it, he should be moved, reward him with something to show his attitude, and then go back and think carefully about when the wedding will be.

As a result, the little emperor did not follow the routine and turned to an extremely sensitive topic - did the Ming Dynasty rule the world with filial piety?

Tao Dalin scratched the back of his hand and felt a little itchy all over his body.

Otherwise, the emperor's question can only be answered by the elder Ge.

How dare they say one more word to the emperor about this kind of matter that involves the foundation of Confucianism and the origin of the country?

If you say the wrong thing, you will be ruined.

Zhu Yijun's eyes swept across the banquet officials.

Take into account the different expressions of everyone.

Finally it fell on Zhang Juzheng, who looked embarrassed.

Zhu Yijun naturally knew why Zhang Juzheng was in such trouble, otherwise he would not have asked so straightforwardly.

This statement may sound insensitive.

After all, this is political correctness that has existed for thousands of years.

Since the Han Dynasty, all dynasties have flaunted themselves in this way.

Talking about the Three Kingdoms from afar, Bao Xun once said, "Mingben established the religion and governed the world with filial piety."

Later in the Sui Dynasty, the emperor even said: "I want to govern the world with filial piety, but I am afraid that Taoism will ruin it, so I established the Five Religions to promote it."

In the old Tang Dynasty book, Li Bo's statement also read, "Your Majesty, I will govern the world with filial piety, and I will be a little gracious to you."

Not to mention the Song and Yuan Dynasties, before the Yi Jian, Liu Anshi, Li Bingchang, and Cui Jingchuan wrote in black and white, "Your Majesty rules the world with filial piety."

Even in this dynasty, this statement is very common.

When the two palaces were given emblems, the words of the Ministry of Rites were still "The Emperor governs the world with filial piety, and the emblem of the Holy Mother is here."

For the orthodox dynasty, this itself is a sacred golden garment worn on the body.

Only when the Sima family sees these words will the program be fully effective.

Otherwise, why would Zhu Yijun be called the father of the king all day long?

But precisely because this issue is very important and involves the source of the legitimacy of the imperial dynasty, it has always been forbidden to discuss it.

The most sensitive part is, in the Confucian system, when did the emperor occupy the ecological niche of the pinnacle of "filial piety"?

That is since the Great Unification! This is an evolution of orthodox Confucianism!

Before the great unification, Confucianism was still very pure.

Mencius once told King Xuan of Qi: If a king treats his ministers like dirt, then his ministers will regard him as a bandit.

Confucius also said that the king should treat his ministers with courtesy, and the ministers should be loyal to the king.

If you are good to me, I will be good to you.

If you are not good, then don't blame me for killing Dufu - this is what Zhu Yijun said after passing the exam and inviting people to watch the ceremony.

However, since the Han Dynasty, this acquired two-way obligation has gradually evolved into a natural one-way obligation.

The so-called thunder, rain, and dew are all gifts from God.

This concept of a minister's absolute loyalty to the monarch does not exist in Confucianism.

Fortunately, there are great Confucian scholars who debate the classics.

Confucianism doesn’t have it, but Legalism does.

The Six Classics annotated me, which is essential for the study of Confucian classics - so Dong Zhongshu sewed this Legalist approach into Confucianism.

Under the Confucian philosophy, it is called transferring filial piety and making loyalty.

In the concept of Confucianism, it is called external Confucianism and internal law.

In the framework of governing the country, it is called the isomorphism of the family and the state.

A filial son must produce loyal ministers.

The title is a posthumous recognition of power and at the same time further strengthens its legitimacy, especially the word "king and father".

The purpose of stitched Confucianism is mainly to explain the source of the legitimacy of the emperor's command of the world, not to engage in philosophical speculation.

Naturally, there is no room for discussion on this matter.

If we delve deeper into this issue, are we questioning the imperial power?

The court officials at most used phrases and never discussed the meaning of scriptures in this area.

So after the emperor asked this question, He Luowen looked up at the beams, Tao Dalin huddled behind Shen Shixing, and Ma Ziqiang looked left and right.

Zhang Juzheng, who faced this problem head-on, looked even more uncertain.

Mr. Zhang, the first assistant, I really want to say something now, son, for your own good, stop asking, stop asking.

But I had to answer.

Zhang Juzheng weighed his words very carefully.

After a long while, he slowly spoke: "Your Majesty, the country, the dynasty, and the people, are endless. They start with the family and extend from the body, so all the people are close to each other."

"Your Majesty is the king and father of the country. He respects the royal family at home, helps the people externally, hangs down his clothes and governs the house, and is kind to the grass and trees."

"Now we are in harmony with each other, and we have no grudges on all sides. We are sincere in the affairs of the country, and it is also a family tradition."

"Your Majesty, our dynasty governs the world with filial piety."

Your Majesty, everyone in the world will call you king and father. Everyone you care about is a son. The emperor's favor and father's love are for everyone. Of course, you govern the world with filial piety.

Zhang Juzheng was very cautious when he spoke, and stopped at the point.

Zhu Yijun suddenly said: "No wonder the king calls him the king's father..."

Seeing this, Zhang Juzheng knew that the little emperor was going to talk about tigers and wolves again.

Obviously he came prepared.

He had no choice but to concentrate on it and take it seriously - it was enough for him to just stand behind him. No one knew which lesson the little emperor would post in the new newspaper.

Zhang Juzheng could guess the emperor's purpose. After all, it was to send Wang Shizhen to the capital, to pass the imperial examination, and to invite the great Confucians to observe the ceremony.

It's really obvious.

When he and Gao Gong first entered the cabinet, they did the same thing.

At that time, Xu Jie, Li Chunfang, and Zhao Zhenji respected the Yangming School and used their power to spread it everywhere.

He even gave lectures in person, summoned the court, and local officials came to listen to the lectures, and recruited disciples.

The so-called "empty words to understand one's mind and nature, cultivate oneself and govern others to know practical learning", "ignore the poverty all over the world, and talk about dangerous and subtle theories all day long" - ignore the poverty and poverty of the people all over the world, but indulge in it all day long

Suitable for discussing those doctrines that are subtle and profound but of little help in solving practical problems.

Although Gao Gong and he regarded themselves as Confucian ministers and still followed the teachings of Confucius and Mencius in words, they actually respected Legalism.

Subsequently, the two of them absorbed, screened and eliminated the essence of Confucianism and Legalism, and established a set of theories of change.

Gao Gong, in particular, was very energetic and produced a huge amount of works, such as "Spring and Autumn Zhengzhi", "Questions and Bian Lu", "Rijin Zhisuo", and "Benyu".
To be continued...