Zhongdu, Cheng'an Building on the bank of the Qinhuai River.

This is a new large-scale reinforced concrete structure completed this year – the current Zhongdu New Town has begun to phase out wooden buildings.

With the maturity of Daming steel production and cement technology.

The construction industry has also advanced with the advancement of technology.

Although it is said that the construction of wooden structures has its advantages.

But the disadvantages are also obvious - the point is that the fire resistance is too weak.

Therefore, after the emergence of reinforced concrete mechanism buildings, a large number of reinforced concrete buildings with tower structures like Cheng'an Building appeared in Zhongdu.

The six-storey Cheng'an Building has begun to take on a little bit of the meaning of a modern commercial complex.

A large number of shops are stationed, and on the top floor of the sixth floor, there is a well-known Shunxing restaurant in Zhongdu, which is the most famous restaurant on the Qinhuai River.

Those who receive people come and go, and they are naturally high-ranking officials and nobles.

In a private room by the river.

Several Confucians served Suzhou pastries and Huaibei rice wine in front of them, but the difference was that the little girl who did not play the pipa was waiting on the side.

Of course, the great Confucians are romantic.

It is not uncommon for a pear flower to press a begonia on the Qinhuai River.

After all, with the Ming Dynasty dominating the world, population movement was more unrestricted than in the previous Qing Dynasty.

A large number of people poured into the city.

The Qinhuai River has also become far more prosperous than before - not to mention that the Ming Dynasty is not strict with officials, at least the officials of the Ming Dynasty are not restricted from holding hands with the little girl, so these officials of the Ming Dynasty do not have to have fencing with the rabbit for fun.

Qin Ying, Zhang Huiyan, Zhang Wentao, and Li Tiaoyuan are all great Confucians.

If you are not a scholar, you are not a poet.

He is very famous among Confucian scholars, otherwise he would not be able to be a bachelor of the Ming Hongru Academy.

However, at this time, the faces of the four people were a little worried.

"The big arrest of the Chengdu Gongyuan arrested more than 300 scholars at once. There are a lot of scholars who came to Zhongdu this time, I am afraid that there are tens of thousands of people, all of them are reading seeds, if the emperor opens a killing ring."

Zhang Huiyan said with a frown.

"It's not going to be a big killing! There's no way to go on a killing spree! Our emperor, isn't the kind of character who kills people without blinking, and this time the Chengdu Gongyuan arrest, didn't he kill a person? If this is placed in the former Qing Dynasty, it will definitely be a fabricated crime, and the whole door will be beheaded," Qin Ying shook his head again and again and said.

During this time, he often had contact with Emperor Zhu.

Although Emperor Zhu was the founding emperor.

But he is not a thirst for killing, and he will not easily use tactics against ministers, officials, and ordinary people.

Moreover, he made the rites, so naturally he would not destroy the sacredness of the rites himself.

Come to think of it.

Qin Ying said: "As long as the scholars are restrained to act strictly according to etiquette, do not do acts that are rude or indecent, just a peaceful petition, even if the emperor is angry, he will not break the rules himself!" ”

The other three nodded.

There is a ritual hanging overhead.

For most people, it is indeed guaranteed.

This [gift]. It's not just officials and ordinary people who are constrained.

Also restrain the Emperor!

The emperor's power is restricted, the rules are on the surface, and everyone does not have to be so restrained.

"It's okay to make trouble this time, the reason why the emperor doesn't trust the Confucian scholars is that he thinks that the Confucian scholars are useless and pedantic. Artillery, steam engines, ships, etc., do not use Confucianism, and Confucianism is naturally irrelevant in the eyes of the emperor. ”

Sichuan Confucian Zhang Wentao said.

"However, you can rely on strong ships and cannons to fight the world, but you have to rely on Confucian scholars like us to govern the world. The emperor doesn't understand if he doesn't suffer a little, after all, he has lived overseas for a long time and doesn't understand the national conditions of China. ”

"This time, no matter what, the scholars must show a righteous and awe-inspiring Confucian backbone! Let the emperor see, my Confucian disciples are not all useless scholars! ”

Zhang Wentao's voice fell.

The other three were silent for a moment.

Li Tiaoyuan said: "We must make trouble, but we can't make too much trouble, and we can't make too much trouble, it's difficult to handle it!" ”

"There's nothing bad to handle, just meditate at the noon gate, it's best to starve a few, so that the world can see the backbone of the scholar!"

Qin Ying said.

"This time, it's about the future of the big guys. Whether it's a new school or a Confucianism, it depends on this time! In my opinion, the emperor may not hate Confucianism, as long as the children of Confucianism can show their strength in the struggle so that the emperor can see that the children of Confucianism also have heroes, Confucianism can be revived in the world! ”

Several people nodded.

This struggle.

These old Confucians can't participate.

It's a struggle between young readers!

Is it the Confucian disciples who are more combative, or the college students of Daohua University who are more capable.

It depends on the struggle of the big guy this time!

As long as the struggle is controlled within the prescribed limits of the [rites].

No courtesy.

Emperor Zhu and the Ming court could never directly intervene.

This is the opportunity that the Rite gives to the scholars!

Meanwhile.

Several young scholars leaders of the "Scholars' Petition" movement.

He was also discussing in another restaurant on the edge of the Qinhuai River.

They are Du Ruchong and He Changling from Sichuan, Wu Xinzhong from Jiangxi, Xie Jieshu from Anhui, Shi Chengzao from Shandong, and Fang Baosheng from Hunan.

Collectively known as the "Six Gentlemen"

At this time, the gentlemen were also deliberating on a plan for the struggle.

"The slogan must be set well, not too much, everything is constrained by academic disputes, no criticism of the emperor, no collision with the palace, no conflict with the defenders of the Forbidden City, only sit-in at the noon gate!"

Jiangxi scholar Wu Xinzhong said loudly.

For the scholars,.

What they feared most was that this petition struggle would eventually develop into an attack on the Ming court.

That's the end of it.

After all, according to [etiquette], you must not speak disrespectfully to the Ming court and the emperor, and you must not have words of rebellion.

otherwise

Depending on the severity of the incident, they were imprisoned, sentenced, and even killed.

In fact, he has undergone the iron fist education of the Qing Dynasty.

These scholars rushed to the gate of the palace to petition, and they were already very cautious.

And before.

It is not uncommon for Confucian literati to stand in front of the palace and jump to their feet and scold the emperor.

And if the emperor cares about fame, there is generally not much good way.

After all, if you beat someone to death.

That's a reputation for the family.

Wen died and fought to the death.

Leave a name in history!

How many Confucian literati who are not afraid of death can be attracted to scold you.

Aren't you looking for trouble?

But in the Great Qing Dynasty.

But no Confucian scholar dared to point at the emperor's nose and scold.

After all, the verse "Qingfeng is illiterate, why do you flip through the book" can make the nine clans happy.

The backbone of the literati were all killed in the early Qing Dynasty.

Now it's just a little freer breath blowing.

The scholars were not bold enough to directly restore traditional arts.

The gentleman sat in the restaurant and discussed.

The low-level scholars are not so romantic.

After all, most of the scholars didn't have a few words in their pockets.

The consumption of a trip to a high-end restaurant is not something that these poor scholars can handle.

Therefore, most of the low-level scholars from all over the country lived under the old city of the southern city of Zhongdu.

It was originally the residence of some residents of the old city, but with the increase of nearby factories and the real estate development of Beicheng, many local old and middle schools who sold land and made a fortune have moved to Beicheng, where the environment is better and there is no need to smell the exhaust fumes of factories.

These old houses were rented by many workers, and many people opened some cheap taverns.

The complex environment, with the ubiquitous hooks and old prostitutes, as well as the cross-flowing sewage and the sounds of factories not far away, all combine to weave together the scene of a modern industrial slum.

And those scholars from all over the world, wearing long robes, have become the target of ridicule by the workers in the slums of Nancheng these days.

The workers are not necessarily poor – they are all from other places, and the housing prices in Zhongdu are so expensive that most of the workers cannot afford to buy a house in Zhongdu.

Therefore, they all like to live in this kind of "urban village", save rent, and save more money all year round, waiting to go back to their hometown to build a new house.

These are people who are running for a living, wearing short clothes that are easy to work in, and their hair is basically shaved, and they have short hair that is convenient for working in the machine shop, which is too dangerous in a rumbling workshop.

their costumes.

It is naturally incompatible with the scholars in long shirts and big sleeves.

In this piece of misfit.

Chen Chuanjing, who is from Sichuan, is thinking about how long he can stay in every inch of land.

The cost of the journey from home has been almost spent.

Fortunately, the urban villages in the south city are cheap, otherwise. These scholars who wanted to petition the emperor could only go home in disgrace.

"The Six Gentlemen have already submitted a petition on behalf of the scholars! According to the rites, the subjects of the Ming Dynasty have the right to petition! I will wait until tomorrow to go to Zhongdu, sit down and petition, and show the emperor the backbone of my Confucian disciples!! ”

Soon.

A gentleman burst in and announced loudly.

"Good! Go tomorrow! Everyone get up early, maybe you can catch the train to the noon gate! ”

"Yes, yes, yes, otherwise I'm afraid I'll have to walk for a long time if I walk over!"

"It's all set! This time, we must ask the emperor to issue an edict to promote Confucianism and abolish new learning! ”

The crowd shouted.

Chen Chuanjing also breathed a sigh of relief.

Chen Chuanjing from Sichuan is forty years old, but he was not admitted to Xiucai in the former Qing Dynasty, and he was just an old boy.

The family originally had more than a dozen acres of thin fields, but because they had to support him to study, they bought several acres of land, and now there are less than ten acres left.

A long shirt without blue hung on his body, covering his thin body.

Chen Chuanjing, who has been taking the Bagu Wen examination for decades, has the only hope of turning over the imperial examination.

However.

This Qing Dynasty said that it was gone.

The Ming Dynasty is back.

You said you'd come back, so come back.

This imperial examination suddenly said that there was no need to take the Bagu Wen, and what new studies should be examined.

The world of the old boy Chen Chuanjing collapsed because of this.

He counted on it all his life.

A lifelong dream.

It is the middle brother of the imperial examination, the glorious lintel.

However.

Now the imperial examination policy of the Ming Dynasty has undoubtedly shattered the dream of Chen Chuanjing, who is already forty years old.

The emperor of the Ming Dynasty must have been deceived by traitors!

Since ancient times, these are all eight-share scholars, how can it be said that the rules of hundreds of years have been changed.

So.

This time I came to Zhongdu to petition, just to tell the emperor that the rules are still good!

Chen Chuanjing thought about it, and had already taken his baggage north and began to pack his things.

"Brother Chen, let's take the train together tomorrow."

Someone said.

"Oh, let's talk about it tomorrow, I have something to do today."

"What's the matter?"

"Little things, little things."

Chen Chuanjing went out with a burden.

By train?

Chen Chuanjing can't sit still.

The money he had left was almost not enough to go back to his hometown in Sichuan.

This time he went out, so to speak, out of the way.

For scholars like Chen Chuanjing, if they can't take the imperial examination for their lifelong studies, they are basically useless.

It's not expensive to take the train though.

Just one copper dollar.

But.

This money is enough for Chen Chuanjing to eat.

So, he plans to walk now.

From here to the noon gate, it can be more than 50 miles.

Arrive in time for the big guys to gather.

Can't you go overnight?

Woooooooo

Head north along the railway line.

Chen Chuanjing's side.

A train is coming.

The speed of the train is slow.

It may be about the same speed as a horse's trot.

But it's much faster than Chen Chuanjing walking.

And right on this train.

It was Chen Chuanjing's opponents in this struggle.

There are several student leaders of Xinxue, Deng Xianhe, Xiao Yuangui, Guo Rentu, Wang Xuezong and others.

There are also batches of students.

Meantime.

There were also workers who had been "invited" from Songjiang Prefecture to join in the struggle.

"Hey, did you hear that? Those corrupt Confucians plan to force the emperor to abolish the new school, close the factory, and take the scholars! ”

"Shut down the factory, why? Where do we go when the factory is closed? ”

"That's it! So this time we're going to petition too, and if they can petition us, can't they? If they want to smash our jobs, we will smash their dogs' heads! ”

"That's right! Smash their dogs' heads! ”

Inside the carriage.

A group of industrial workers were excited.

Wu Xianggui was also among them, and he was also angry.

He is a skilled worker at Jiangnan Machinery Factory.

He used to be a scholar, but he couldn't pass the imperial examination, so he could only farm at home, and later Jiangnan Machinery Factory set up a factory to recruit literate young people to enter the factory and run a technical school under preferential conditions.

Wu Xianggui thus became a member of the glorious working class.

After graduation.

He soon became the technical backbone of the factory.

The monthly salary is 20 yuan, and the contract is signed for five years.

This income is properly middle-class.

In Songjiang Mansion, Wu Xianggui married his daughter-in-law and gave birth to a baby, the doll is still in a new-style primary school, and his future dream is to be admitted to the four major universities in the Ming Dynasty!

The future can be said to be bright.

Those corrupt Confucians will abolish new learning and close down factories.

That is, I can't get along with the future that Wu Xianggui yearns for, and I can't get along with his beautiful life!

So Wu Xianggui, who looked very strong, signed up as soon as he heard that he was going to Zhongdu to fight with those rotten Confucians!

(End of chapter)