Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 464 Everyone is against me? It’s a waste!

Public opinion was surging, and the perimeter of the imperial city was packed with people.

The capital is a place where countless students study. When more students see the banners held by the protesting crowd and hear the protest slogans they shout, the more likely they are to be inspired and join in.

Ten years of hard study paid off with a chance of success.

And now someone wants to deny all their previous efforts. It is hard for anyone to accept this.

Negative emotions are most easily transmitted among the crowd. In the eyes of Confucian scholars, the greatest Confucian sage has been invited out of the Confucian Temple. What is there to regret even if he is torn to pieces?

It really is like defending the truth and exorcising demons, with high morale.

In the eyes of the people in the outermost part of the capital, when they saw and heard the crowd shouting the name of Duke Dingguo, everyone's face looked uneasy.

The invasion of the south by the northern barbarians ten years ago was not long ago. Today, the common people in the capital have more or less benefited from the grace of Duke Dingguo, and many of them still worship the longevity tablet of Duke Dingguo in their homes.

Apart from Heaven, Earth, the Emperor and my parents, if there is another person that I don't want to disobey, I'm afraid Duke Dingguo will have to rank high.

"What did Duke Dingguo do to make these people so angry?"

"I heard that Duke Dingguo is going to preside over the imperial examination and add more subjects. The next spring examination is less than a year away. If there is a sudden change, it will definitely have a huge impact on these students. Some people who could have passed the exam may fail because of this change. The difference between passing and failing is like heaven and earth."

A group of common people in coarse linen clothes surrounded a scholar in Confucian robes and asked for details.

After the scholar explained it all, the people around started chattering again.

"I am a rough man. Whether I pass the exam or not is just a matter of whether I can become an official. Officials don't care about our lives, but has Duke Dingguo ever cared about our lives? Duke Dingguo said he wants to change, so there must be benefits to the change."

When someone spoke up, others echoed, "That's right, Duke Ding just came back from Jiangnan, saying that he had beheaded many corrupt officials in the south. Aren't those corrupt officials also selected from the imperial examinations? Since the Duke doesn't like them, I think they will still be beheaded in the future!"

"That's right, they are just a bunch of troublemakers, and they even came to the Imperial City to make trouble. I don't think they will get any good results."

"Stop talking, stop talking, look, the city gate is open!"

Amid the noise of the crowd, the gate of Xuanwumen slowly opened, the protests gradually subsided, and everyone stared ahead intently, expecting a response from the imperial city.

Unexpectedly, two teams of imperial guards in golden armor ran out from the city gate, with shining weapons in hand, and drove the crowd away like sheepdogs driving a flock of sheep.

Emperor Longyou did not want to give these students an explanation, and did not even find a eunuch to pass the message. Instead, he directly used the imperial guards to disperse the crowd with a very tough attitude.

However, such a tough confrontation made the anger in the crowd rise to a higher level. Shouts and curses came one after another, and everyone shouted "traitorous ministers are ruining the country."

In the imperial study room,

Emperor Longyou's anger was no less than that of the students outside the city. He threw the memorial in his hand on the table, feeling extremely angry.

"Crazy! Are these people crazy? They are inciting riots so openly. Do they think this will end well?"

Emperor Longyou's anger was so violent that Xia Shouzhong, who was accompanying him, did not dare to speak out to appease him.

"I investigated corrupt officials, and they cried foul. I investigated nobles, and they complained in the court. I changed the imperial examination system, and thousands of students came to the imperial city to force the emperor to abdicate. If one problem is solved, another one will pop up. If nothing changes, won't the country fall forever?"

"Your Majesty has your own difficulties. Although these students are sincere, they are easily instigated. The people behind them must have evil intentions and want to fight for the gains and losses of a city or a piece of land in the court."

Emperor Longyou slammed the table and said, "I am too lenient with them! That's why they dare to do this!"

Xia Shouzhong held his breath again and said nothing more.

After a long silence, Emperor Longyou let out a light breath and turned to a new memorial, which turned out to be another report on the imperial examination. He spoke up for the students and became even more angry.

Emperor Longyou narrowed his eyes deeply, threw the memorial aside, and stood up suddenly.

"Your Majesty, think twice. Thousands of students are the pillars of the future. If the swords and sabers fall on them, it will definitely backfire and spread, and it will only highlight the intentions of the treacherous people behind the scenes."

Xia Shouzhong hurriedly knelt at the feet of Emperor Longyou and began to persuade him.

Since ascending the throne, Emperor Longyou has been kind-hearted and has pursued benevolent policies, which has made the officials forget that this emperor on horseback, who was a powerful figure on the battlefield more than a decade ago, also had his own cruel side.

But Xia Shouzhong, who had been with Emperor Longyou since childhood, knew all of this very well and was really afraid that Emperor Longyou would get furious.

Emperor Longyou walked down the stone steps step by step and said in a cold voice: "I don't want to bother with them."

Xia Shouzhong looked up in confusion, "What is this, Your Majesty?"

"I hereby order that I am unwell and will not attend court for ten days."

Xia Shouzhong's pupils shrank slightly, and he realized the brilliance of Emperor Longyou's move, which really had many benefits.

Sometimes, doing nothing is the best solution.

First, put the incident aside and do nothing, then turn to the backstage, watch the storm rise and find out who is causing the trouble.

Secondly, it can buy time for Yue Ling to deal with the next situation.

Thirdly, this was also the emperor's silent protest to his ministers, forcing those ministers who reported injustice to act more cautiously.

The key is to retreat in order to advance. Although he was forced into a desperate situation, he regained the initiative.

He could claim to be sick and leave court, but when to attend court again would still depend on what Emperor Longyou said.

……

At the same time, in the Imperial City, Mei Mansion,

Mei Wenhe returned from the imperial city. After entering the mansion, he was called away by a maid and brought to the main hall of the Mei Mansion.

In front of the hall, the two elders were seated, and Mei Wenhe bowed respectfully, "I pay my respects to my father and mother."

When mother Hu came down the hall, she saw that her son's Confucian robe was covered with dust and even had many fist and footprint marks on it, and she couldn't help feeling distressed.

"What have you been doing? You have made yourself so embarrassed, and it is unworthy of you as a scholar."

Mei Wenhe shook his head, thinking that he had taken the righteous position. "Mother, you are wrong. I am defending the righteous path. This little bit of physical pain cannot erase my loyalty and courage!"

Hu Shi advised: "You shouldn't worry about this. You just need to stay at home and study hard in the Imperial Academy." "Father once taught me that when the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact? By the time I have mastered the classics of the saints, this Confucian Temple may have been razed to the ground by Duke Dingguo. If we don't fight now, when will we fight?"

"But you don't dare to follow them to cause trouble outside the imperial city. The guards outside the gate are all Yulin soldiers. What if they hurt you and arrest you and put you in jail?"

"Father once said that Your Majesty is a wise and enlightened ruler. I thought Your Majesty was just deceived by treacherous ministers and would not resort to violence against students like us. Moreover, today the situation was so great that more than 10,000 people gathered at the foot of the capital, but Your Majesty still did not resort to violence. This is enough to show Your Majesty's wisdom. We must make Your Majesty realize what is right and what is wrong."

Mei Hanlin, who had not commented for a long time, finally asked, "You were driven back today, what will you do tomorrow?"

Mei Wenhe said firmly: "If the servant hadn't sent a message today saying that my father wanted me to come back, I would have fought to the end with the talented people and patriots at the foot of the imperial city."

"Now, many people have already started making coffins in the capital. Tomorrow we will all carry them to the city gates so that Your Majesty can see our determination!"

Mei Hanlin frowned slightly, thinking that there was something fishy going on. Things were getting more and more serious, how could it have reached the point where it could not be resolved without bloodshed?

"Let's not talk about this for now. There is something I want you to do right now."

"Father, please speak."

Mei Hanlin sighed and said, "You should have heard from your mother that when I was studying abroad, I was helped by a family. Although the head of the family was a businessman, he was well-educated and became my close friend."

"At that time, his wife was pregnant, and we discussed and decided on this marriage. But later I heard that he died early due to overwork, leaving this orphan and widow to run the family business. It was not easy. The girl was also underage, so she never came to the capital to recognize her relatives."

"Now this girl has come to the capital."

Mei Wenhe asked in surprise, "Father wants me to get married?"

Mei Hanlin shook his head, his expression distorted, as if the next words were difficult to say.

After taking a sip of tea, Mei Hanlin took a deep breath and said to Hu: "You should tell the story."

Mrs. Hu nodded slightly and said to her son with embarrassment, "We originally had this old friendship and wanted to help that family. If she could marry into the Mei Mansion, we would treat her as our own daughter and take good care of her. But who knew that she has gone astray now."

Mei Wenhe was even more confused, "What do you mean, mother? Is the girl not good? If father is a well-educated and well-mannered man, the girl should not be any worse than him."

Mrs. Hu said with regret, "Yes, I heard before that the girl was very talented, proficient in poetry and songs, and well-versed in foreign studies. But since her father passed away, under the influence of the main branch of the Xue family, she has gradually moved closer to the Dingguo Mansion."

"She is now helping Fengxue Pavilion to run some kind of underwear business. How can such things that are popular in this place be compatible with our family? Many families have already known that this vulgar business was suggested by your unmarried wife to Duke Dingguo. It is better for a noble family like us to cut off contact with her as soon as possible."

"Duke Dingguo again?"

Mei Wenhe frowned, feeling very angry.

He had just been shouting for a long time at the foot of the imperial city about punishing the traitors, but now the debt has really come upon him.

Without saying anything more, Mei Wenhe bowed and said, "Father, mother, rest assured, I will take care of this matter!"

……

Dingguo Gongfu,

In the front hall, Xue Baoqin was giving a work report to Yue Ling as scheduled.

It has to be said that Yue Ling still underestimated Xue Baoqin's work ability. Not only does she have extremely rich knowledge, but she also has strong coordination skills.

Or maybe it's because she has lived on a boat since she was a child, and every time she encountered dangerous situations such as storms, the cooperation of everyone on board was needed to overcome the difficulties, and this is an instinct she has developed.

She always manages to assign work to the most suitable people, greatly improving efficiency. She is indeed much more efficient than Xue Baochai, who always does everything herself.

"It's not that Baochai is bad. She is serious and responsible in her work. She doesn't want to make any mistakes, so I can understand her desire to ask about everything. But the Baoqin in front of me is really more outstanding..."

Yue Ling was thinking this in his heart. Xue Baoqin in front of him smiled sweetly, played with her hair with her fingers, and said shyly: "My Lord, why are you staring at me? Aren't you supposed to be reading a book?"

Yue Ling's mind was in a trance, and he suddenly realized that Xue Baoqin was like a little vixen, not as cute and well-behaved as she seemed.

"Forgive me for being so presumptuous, but do you know why I am in such a hurry to break off the engagement?"

Yue Ling coughed lightly, stood up and walked away, saying: "Let's get down to business first, I'll listen to your chat later when I have time."

Xue Baoqin pouted, trying not to roll her eyes, and pushed a few books over. "Some of these are works by foreigners, but the mathematics they describe are different from the content of the Chinese roots. Some of the contents called 'geometry' provide different methods for solving engineering and water conservancy problems. I have gathered people to calculate, and the theory is not wrong."

"Speaking of water conservancy, there is also this book 'Western Water Methods' given by the missionary. It contains the methods of land irrigation used by foreigners, as well as some different equipment suitable for different terrains. Our country has vast land, and the yield of flat and fertile fields is much higher than that of mountain fields. If the irrigation method can be improved, it may be easier to reclaim wasteland in the future..."

Xue Baoqin gave a simple narration of each book. The first batch of translated books were all carefully selected by her. They included practical subjects such as mathematics, engineering, water conservancy, surveying and mapping, astronomy, and calendar, which were exactly what Yue Ling wanted.

Not only that, Xue Baoqin also asked someone to make a simple small waterwheel, which looked like a model in Yue Ling's eyes, but it also had a sense of technology.

All in all, Yue Ling was very satisfied with her work at this stage. Just as he was thinking about how to commend her achievements, a guard came to report the news.

"Master, Prince Beijing Shui Rong is here to pay his respects. Should we bring him to the front of the hall?"

"Shui Rong?" Yue Ling narrowed his eyes, rubbed his chin, and pondered.

After a while, Yue Ling first ordered: "Baoqin, take these away first, and we will discuss the next thing later."

Xue Baoqin blinked and said, "Does the Marquis have old acquaintances with Prince Beijing's Mansion?"

"We had no previous contact, but we met a few times during court sessions." Yue Ling said truthfully.

Xue Baoqin said, "If that's the case, why are you visiting me at this critical moment? It shouldn't be for some old friendship, right? I think the way you treat a guest is not in line with your style and image, and it will make him suspicious."

"So what should I do?"

Yue Ling couldn't help but laugh. He didn't expect Xue Baoqin to point out his worries in just a few words. It resonated with him and they were thinking the same thing.

Xue Baoqin waved her hands and said, "My Lord, please wait a moment. I will be back soon! Please wait for me to come back!"

……

"Your Highness, please come this way. My master is waiting in the main hall."

"Okay, I'm sorry."

(End of this chapter)