[Author's words] This plot will be divided into upper and lower, so Liu Ai has not appeared in this chapter, and the next chapter will appear, and the title is easy to mislead everyone.

But it's not about the imperial examination system, but about the Shiqu Pavilion debate.

The edict was written in a splendid manner, with more than 1,000 words.

More than half of it is praising the heavens, "the Son of Heaven invited the great Confucians to gather in Chang'an, which is a more ancient holy act in the world", while the other half is the process of debate.

However, the most striking thing is the list of Confucian scholars attached to the edict of the Shiqu Pavilion.

In the vigorous propaganda of the high soldiers and the word of mouth of the people, this list spread throughout Chang'an City.

There are a total of nineteen members in this Shiqu Pavilion Confucian group, all of whom are very famous Confucian students, some of whom are older and some of whom are young, and they are magnificent.

Although it does not include all the great Confucians, it can already represent the current Confucianism.

Invite them to Shiqu Pavilion to debate the scriptures, and the final result will be no one who dares to disagree with the subjects of the world or the Confucian scholars of the world.

In the first part of the list are Kong Ba, Wei Xian, Wang Shi, Hou Cang, and Xiahou Sheng, who are the great Confucians of the time.

In the second part of the list are Tian Wangsun, Xue Guangde, Yan Pengzu, Cai Qianqiu, Xiao Wangzhi and other eight people, who are in the prime of Confucianism.

In the third part of the list are Wei Xuancheng, Liu Anmin, Shi Yun, Meng Xi, and Liang Qiuhe, who represent the new generation of Confucianism.

What surprised the people and Confucian scholars the most was that at the end of this list there was a name that was both familiar and unfamiliar - Liu He.

After a quick glance at the past, people thought that this was another up-and-coming young Confucian student.

But soon, they reacted, what kind of Confucian is this? It's obviously the name of today's son.

At the beginning of his ascension to the throne, the Son of Heaven issued an edict to allow the people not to avoid the word "He", and over time, people forgot the Son of Heaven's real name.

The Son of Heaven is the lord of the world, and he is also the person who promotes the debate of Shiqu Pavilion, and I heard that his attainments in Confucianism are not shallow, and it is normal to be on the list.

What surprised people was that the Son of Heaven used his real name, and he was willing to put his name last.

This intention could not be more obvious: the Son of Heaven wanted to participate in the debate of Shiqu Pavilion as an ordinary Confucian scholar.

This is beyond the scope of Corporal Lixian, and it also shows that the Son of Heaven wants to convince the world of the results of this Shiqu Pavilion debate.

After all, according to the current social rules of respect and order, the Son of Heaven should be ranked in front of everyone.

In addition to this list, the process and rules of debate and comparison are also eye-catching.

The process was mediocre, but the voting method was refreshing and caused great repercussions.

From officials to ordinary people, from Confucian scholars to Bai Ding, almost everyone feels that this method is very mysterious.

There is an emperor in the world, a prefect in the government office, and a family is in charge of the family...... As long as someone is in charge, there will be no chaos.

However, there are many things that cannot be decided by one person.

For example, should a jujube tree in Lu Lane be cut down, for example, a husbandless son should not enter the family tree, and for example, the price of rice millet in the grain store......

Adjudicating these things may seem profitable, but they can also be unprofitable or even cause disaster.

Even if the chief, patriarch, and head of the council can make an idea by themselves, they are always unjustified and are easy to be criticized.

Now that we have this voting method, we can let everyone make up their minds and take the risks, which is of course very useful.

The people of Dahan are actually very smart, and when they see something useful, they will not hesitate to try it.

As a result, under the superposition of these factors, Shiqu Pavilion's reputation soared rapidly.

A few months ago, Shiqu Pavilion became the seat of the cabinet's acting government affairs, and at that time, not too many people paid attention to this remote Shiqu Pavilion.

But this time it was different, and the matter of Shiqu Pavilion and the debate of the scriptures became the talk of people after dinner.

Whether it is a Confucian scholar or an illiterate village horseman, they all talk about this matter again.

……

In the main room in the backyard of the Confucian Mansion, it was extremely quiet, only the occasional birdsong outside the courtyard came.

Kong Ba was like a newly enlightened Confucian student, sitting on the first place, extremely deferential.

On the top sat an old man who was tall, but already a little curled up.

The old man's hair was white, without a trace of variegation.

The wrinkles on the dissatisfied face are like thousands of ravines, silently telling the vicissitudes that the old man has experienced.

And under these wrinkles, there is a bit of sickness, but it can't hide the wisdom under the eyes.

This old man is none other than the world's number one Confucian-Kong Anguo.

Kong Anguo took a copy of the edict transcribed by Kong's disciples and read it silently without saying a word, without missing a word or a word.

After a long time, he slowly placed the edict in his hand on the table, and before he could speak, he first brought a violent cough from his throat.

Kong Ba, who was sitting at the top of the bottom, hurriedly stood up and poured Kong Anguo a cup of hot tea in a panic.

After half a cup of hot tea, Kong Anguo's red face gradually turned yellow, and his cough finally subsided.

In the past few days, although Kong Anguo has stayed at home, Kong Ba has passed on what has happened and what is happening in Chang'an City in great detail.

Therefore, this eighty-year-old Confucian can see the situation in Chang'an City clearly.

"Two days left?" Kong Anguo said slowly.

"Yes, two days." Kong Ba replied.

"The county official is very smart and eloquent, and he is really a strange person." Kong Anguo praised.

"It's just that it's too crazy, and it's a bit Meng Lang who acts, and Wang Shi, as a prince, doesn't know how to teach." Kong Ba complained.

Kong Anguo didn't answer, he didn't think that the Son of Heaven was disobedient to Meng Lang, but he was in a hurry.

"Well, this list is well set, have you seen these Confucian scholars in the past few days?"

"I haven't seen it all, many people either close their doors to thank customers, or stay at home, wanting to be afraid of Tianwei." Kong Ba said.

Kong Ba said very tactfully, it has been three or five days since he came to Chang'an, and he has a clearer understanding of the back in Confucianism's heart.

He didn't expect that this Confucian student was not as hostile as he thought.

On the contrary, many Confucian scholars supported the new policy of the Son of Heaven and the implementation of the popular version of the scriptures.

And this situation, Kong Anguo naturally knows it.

"Ciru, do you think we have a chance of winning this time?" Kong Anguo asked calmly.

"If Uncle Ancestor doesn't come, I have a six-point chance of winning, and Uncle Ancestor is here, and I have a nine-point chance of winning." Kong Ba said with some smugness.

It's not that Kong Ba is slapping his horse, he is telling the truth—the truth from his point of view.

Although many Confucians did not come out of the house, they still wanted to be on the side of Confucianism.

At a critical time, Kong Anguo appeared in Shiqu Pavilion, not only to convince Wang Shi and others inadvertently, but also to force the other party to defeat him in terms of prestige.

The Son of Heaven of the Liu family is the ruler of the Han Dynasty, and the giant Confucianism of the Kong family is the pillar of Confucianism.

"I hope that the county officials can see the hard work of Confucian students in the world." Kong Anguo sighed.

"Your Majesty is a holy monarch, and he will definitely repent." Kong Ba practiced and agreed.

……

Beicheng Guo, Ping'an Lijia Lu, Meng Ban called Meng Xing to the main hall.

Today, it is Meng Xing's Tang Mu vacation, and Meng Ban took leave for the first time to accompany him back.

The atmosphere in this hall was a little depressing, and Meng Xing obviously felt that his father was extremely serious today, so he was uneasy in his heart.

"You're sixteen this year, and you should be done." Meng Ban said with a shelf.

"Father, the daughter of the Guan family, I really don't want to marry ...... Can you ......" Meng Xing thought that his father was going to talk to him about it again.

"If you don't want to marry, forget it, I'll go to the Guan family and refuse this matter." Meng Ban said.

"Really?" Meng Xing was overjoyed, the sturdy daughter of the Guan family was really not liked by Meng Xing.

"Well, men should be ambitious, and marriage doesn't have to be so early, but they must start a career as soon as possible."

"Father, don't worry, I will work hard as a worker!" Meng Xing assured with some excitement.

"Hmph, what is the future of working all day long like your father and brother in the workers?"

"Father means ......" Meng Xing looked at Meng Ban with some puzzlement, his father used to be proud of working as a worker.

"From today onwards, after you get off work, you will not stay overnight in the workers, but will return to Chang'an, and then go to the Pavilion to find your Uncle Zhou Shi, and he will teach you to read the Bible."

"Reading the Bible?" Meng Xing was even more puzzled.

"Well, this year's imperial examination, there is a subject of [metalworking and carpentry] that is suitable for you, but reading the Bible is your weakness, so you have to study hard and memorize it well."

"Your Uncle Zhou Shi is also a hard-working person, he was also a Confucian when he was young, and he was almost promoted to Taixue as a doctoral disciple......

"But the township family cunning wanted their own children to replace him, so they framed him for stealing cattle, broke one of his legs, and sent him to the county jail for several months......"

"Then I ran out of money before I ransom and escape......" Meng Ban couldn't help but sigh when he said this.

"Therefore, if he wants to help you be admitted to the imperial examination, it can be regarded as a bad breath for himself."

"There are not many requirements for a father, just pass the county exam, and then you can directly serve as an envoy of two hundred stones, which is much faster than slowly working as an engineer."

Meng Xing finally understood that this was the "future" arranged for him by his father.

If the imperial examination only examines things related to the craftsmanship of metalworking and carpentry, then he is not afraid at all.

But reading the Bible gave him a headache, and when he was still able to read as a child, he felt a headache when he saw the dense words.

Therefore, after only half of the Analects, I no longer spent that unjust money.

Now, even that half of the Analects has been left behind by him.

"But, I'm afraid I won't be able to pass the ......"

"If you can't take the exam this year, you will take the exam again next year; If you can't take the exam next year, you will take the exam again the year after; After ten or eight years of exams, I can always get ......"

"You have to fight for luck, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the old Meng family, your grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-ancestor are all watching you!"

"If you don't get in, you will be an unscrupulous descendant of the Meng family!"

Meng Ban reprimanded fiercely, and a trace of ruthlessness flashed in those small eyes.

"It's just that I can't come back if I come and go, it will take twenty or thirty miles, I'm afraid I won't be able to come back......," Meng Xing said again.

"Don't worry about this, I'll go to the horse market tomorrow to buy you a horse, ride back and forth, and naturally catch up."

Meng Xing looked at his old father, who usually had to break a penny, in disbelief, as if he was facing a stranger.

That's a bit too big.

You must know that a horse costs tens of thousands of dollars, and the Meng family only has a lame donkey.

Meng Xing looked at Meng Ban's ruthless appearance, although he was still a little reluctant in his heart, but he could only accept this arrangement, and he didn't dare to have any objections at the moment.

……

Not only these two places, but in Beichengguo, where the pungent teenagers gathered, there was also a group of people who were discussing the imperial examination system and the Shiqu Pavilion debate.

is the first person, it is Liu Aiji! (End of chapter)