I am not Yuan Shu

Chapter 4 My father is Yuan Feng!
Hearing what Yuan Shu said, Ma Rong felt somewhat dissatisfied.

"That won't happen. The Five Marquises have committed evil deeds. The Emperor must have seen clearly that eunuchs cannot be trusted. He must improve politics and education, govern the country, employ more virtuous officials, and stay away from villains. How can there be a new Five Marquises?"

"Eunuchs cannot be trusted, but the wise ministers mentioned by the teacher can be trusted?"

Yuan Shu sneered, "Teacher, when the emperor got rid of Liang Ji, how many wise ministers helped him? And how many eunuchs risked their lives? The five marquises were not earned by flattery, but by life. No matter how foolish the emperor is, would he confer marquises casually?
"In the final analysis, [virtuous ministers] each have their own families, and few of them would disregard their families and risk their lives. Eunuchs are castrated and have no families, so they are alone and are willing to sacrifice their lives for wealth and glory. Moreover, they have no families to tie them down, so they are more loyal and reliable to the emperor. Teacher, don't you agree?"

Ma Rong's pupils shrank and he propped himself up, looking in disbelief at Yuan Shu who was leaning against the end of the bed.

"You know all this?"

"all know?"

"Fourteen family rules, ancient Chinese classics, how many have you read?"

"All."

"All of them? But you're only ten!"

“Ambition is not limited by age.”

"…………"

Ma Rong stared at Yuan Shu in silence for a while, then lay down again and sighed softly.

"Your ambition, your Yuan family's ambition, really makes an old man like me feel a little creepy. Outstanding young men study and learn, deeply understand the ways of their predecessors, and then enter the court to serve as officials and make great changes.

Ordinary young men go out to make friends with powerful people, give away money, accumulate popularity, hide in the countryside, and wait for changes in the world, raise their arms and shout, and a hundred people will respond. What on earth does Yuan want to do?"

"Teacher, it's not just the Yuan family that does this, but nine out of ten wealthy families in the world do this."

Yuan Shu put away his smile and said softly: "However, no matter what they want to do, I am not of the same kind as them. If they are only for their own selfish interests, why would I travel thousands of miles to study in Guanzhong?
With the Yuan family's wealth, I can stay at home until I grow up, and then I can easily enter the court to serve as an official. My career will be smooth, and I will be promoted to a higher position. By then, I can still make changes and have everyone respond to my orders. Why should I go through all this trouble?"

Ma Rong was stunned, then a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes. He sat up and looked at Yuan Shu.

"Shu, since you have already learned everything, why do you come here to study again?"

Yuan Shu also sat up and faced Ma Rong.

"I still have some doubts in my mind that I cannot resolve, and I hope to get guidance from a famous teacher."

Ma Rong nodded.

"What doubts?"

Yuan Shu stared into Ma Rong's eyes.

"Can the modern and ancient classics govern the world? If they can, why did the Han Dynasty decline? If they can't, why did the Han Dynasty last for 400 years? And, what is the future path?"

Yuan Shu put forward a grand proposition, which shocked Ma Rong.

Even Ma Rong felt dizzy, and this was even more so for the two little maids whose hands Yuan Shu had secretly grabbed under the quilt and wouldn't let go.

They originally thought that it was a playboy who was taking advantage of them, so they could only endure it. But the little guy stopped messing around after grabbing their hands, and even talked about so many things that sounded very noble...

It feels so great!
The two maids relaxed their bodies and secretly looked at Yuan Shu, who had a serious expression.

It took Ma Rong a while to recover from the shock, and he looked at Yuan Shu with a complicated expression.

"Shu, are you really only ten years old?"

"Replacement guaranteed."

"Why don't I feel like that?"

"What's the difference?"

"How can an ordinary ten-year-old child think about such a question like you? This kind of question, I think, no one can give an answer. If someone can answer it, wouldn't he be a monster? Those who can ask such questions are either people who care about the country and the people, or monsters."

"Teacher, do you think your disciple is a monster?"

Yuan Shu chuckled: "Teacher, your daughter is my aunt, we are relatives, even if the bones are broken, the tendons are still connected, don't say such terrible things, besides, how do I look like a monster?"

Ma Rong examined Yuan Shu carefully.

"Except for their human-like appearance, they are similar in every way."

"That's good. Anyway, people can only see my handsome appearance, but not my heart."

Yuan Shu laughed happily, but Ma Rong was stunned for a while.

After a while, he also laughed out loud.

"Yuan Zhouyang, ah Yuan Zhouyang... You are so lucky to have such a son, who is so smart that he is almost a demon. Your Yuan family will have three dukes in four or five generations."

"Three dukes for four generations, three dukes for five generations?"

Yuan Shu curled his lips and said, "Teacher, I have an elder brother who is the eldest son and the future head of the Yuan family. How can I be the one? I am afraid that I can never get the position of the Three Dukes!"

"No, no, that's not the case."

Ma Rong smiled and said, "Shu, with the talent you have shown now, if you can improve further and gain prestige, as long as nothing major happens and your father fades out of the government, the future of the Yuan family will definitely be in your hands."

Yuan Shu looked at Ma Rong and smiled.

"Teacher, the Yuan clan's land is now a dirty and smelly place, full of stench. I don't like it."

Ma Rong was silent for a while and then chuckled.

"Then why don't you just find ways to change it to the way you like? You even want to change the classics to the way you like. How can a mere Yuan family do anything to you?"

Yuan Shu didn't expect that Ma Rong saw through his thoughts in such a short time.

People really become more sophisticated as they get older.

"Teacher, do you know what I am thinking?"

"Guessed some."

Ma Rong sighed and said slowly: "In fact, when we were young, we also had many ideas. We wanted to use what we learned to serve the emperor and wipe out all the dirty things. In the end, we were almost wiped out. Then we realized that simple written articles are useless and the power of Confucian classics is limited.

Today, I see everything clearly. No matter whether I have a superficial understanding or a deep understanding of the classics, it is almost the same when I enter the court. Once I enter the court, I first distinguish between those who are different from me and those who are my own. I will use those who are my own, no matter how treacherous they are, and exclude those who are different from me, no matter how virtuous they are.

Even if one is well-read and well-versed in the world, if one cannot fulfill the aspirations of the rich and powerful, at best one will be sent to the Eastern Palace to proofread books for twenty years, at worst one will be exiled to a remote place, where life and death are left to fate. In this case, what is the point of being well-read? If there are too many such things, the morals among scholars will be corrupted. "

"Teacher, I have not found a solution from the scriptures of the saints."

Yuan Shu smiled and said, "Does the teacher have a solution? Or has the teacher noticed some chapters that the disciples have not noticed?"

Ma Rong smiled bitterly.

"If there is, this old skeleton of mine should still be in Luoyang, not in my hometown."

"Then there is none."

Yuan Shu shook his head and sighed: "The wisdom of our ancestors is limited after all. To solve the current problems, we must start from now and explore on our own."

When Ma Rong heard this, a strange light suddenly flashed in his turbid old eyes.

"Shu, do you have this ambition?"

"If I don't have this ambition, I don't need to come to learn from you."

Yuan Shu said slowly: "The more books you read, the more things you know, and the more you will think."

"What did you think of?"

Ma Rong asked expectantly, "Do you think it is feasible to replace the modern classics with the ancient classics, break down the barriers of academia, and bring the best talents from all over the world into the court?"

"Teacher, isn't this still seeking solutions from the ancients to solve modern problems?"

Yuan Shu shook his head and said, "The wisdom of the ancients came from the practical problems they encountered at that time. Hundreds of years have passed, and everything is different. Looking for solutions from the ancients hundreds of years ago is like looking for a sword on a boat."

Ma Rong was a little surprised.

"You also read Lüshi Chunqiu?"

"I think that one person's words cannot be trusted completely, and one should read widely."

"It's not a good thing to tell others this."

Ma Rong sighed, shook his head and said, "The way of Confucianism is to follow the ancient kings. What you said is the academic work of the Legalists. If you make it public, you will definitely be greatly criticized and it is unlikely to be tolerated by the world."

"Is it so good to just say Fagu, Fagu, Gu?"

Yuan Shu sneered, "The so-called human heart is not the same as it used to be, it's nothing more than the ancients didn't have much experience, they didn't know there were so many ways to do bad things. People are people, there should never be a saying that the ancients are better than the moderns!"

Ma Rong was silent for a while.

After a while, he spoke slowly.

"Shu, these words come out of your mouth and enter my ears, and no third person is allowed to know them."

"What about those two..." Yuan Shu looked at the two sweet and soft girls on his left and right.

The two girls shuddered suddenly.

Ma Rong shook his head and said, "They are the children of the Ma family and they are illiterate, so it doesn't matter."

"Oh."

Yuan Shu nodded and asked, "Teacher, don't you think my words are bad?"

"It seems you are still self-aware."

Ma Rong said seriously: "Even if you are a descendant of the Yuan family, if you say something like this and it is known to everyone, it will not have a good result, so you must not say it outside."

"Teacher, do you also think that what I said makes sense?"

Yuan Shu suddenly chuckled: "Otherwise the teacher should pick up the ruler and beat the student."

"I am eighty-seven years old. I can't even fail to show respect when meeting the emperor, let alone a few words?"

Ma Rong curled his lips and said, "But your words cannot be explained by reason or not. The world worships Confucianism and follows the ancients, but you insist on respecting the present king and following the path of Han Fei. Once you are criticized by others, you will have no future. You are talented and intelligent, and your teacher does not want you to die too early."

"I didn't say I wanted to follow Han Fei's path. I just felt that blindly following the ancients was meaningless."

Yuan Shu smiled and said, "Zun Jin Wang's words are just used by disciples to ridicule those who are seeking knowledge but are actually seeking land and shelter, and to ridicule the ancient classics and tease them."

"You still say?"

Ma Rong rolled his eyes at him and said in dissatisfaction: "I am teaching ancient texts here. You come here to study, but you criticize ancient texts like this. If you were not born into a privileged family, you would have been kicked out long ago! Do you know how many people are dissatisfied with you these days?"

"They dare not do anything to the disciples. No matter how rebellious they are, they can only debate with them at most, but they will never dare to lay hands on them, let alone drive them out."

"Are you so confident?"

Yuan Shu nodded.

"My father is Yuan Feng!"

"…………"

"Jingzhao Yin Yuan Feng!"

"I know, I know!"

Ma Rong was dissatisfied and said: "The more this happens, the more disgusting it becomes."

"Disgust? It's nothing more than jealousy."

Yuan Shu laughed and said, "If they had disciples like me, I don't know if they would be bullying men and women or doing evil now. Compared to them, I am simply a saint!"

Ma Rong wanted to refute, but then he thought, hey, it’s true.

For ordinary people who have a father who is a high-ranking official and a powerful family to support them, bullying men and women and doing evil are just small matters. Who knows what kind of heinous things they can do.

But Yuan Shu did not do anything bad, nor did he bully others. He just showed his pride on academic issues, which was not a big deal compared to his background.

With this comparison, it seems that the word "sage" can be used to describe Yuan Shu now.

"You're such a rebellious kid!"

Ma Rong continued to teach him, "You must know that the mouth can cause disasters. Many talented people do not understand this and end up in a dead end. I, your teacher, also offended the powerful because of my mouth and almost lost my life. You must be careful!"

"Disciples are the children of the rich and powerful."

Yuan Shu grinned and said, "Teacher, the Ma family back then is different from the Yuan family now. If the Ma family back then had the power of the Yuan family now, you wouldn't have to suffer those hardships."

Ma Rong was suddenly speechless.

Hey, this kid.

How infuriating!

Ma Rong felt very angry, but he just didn't know how to refute this hateful boy.

Why is this kid like a hedgehog, impossible to control?
So angry, really so angry!
It feels like life is speeding up!
Ma Rong knew that he didn't have much time left, and in order not to continue losing his precious life, he had to force himself not to be angry with Yuan Shu.

"You, you, even if you have some real talent, you can't be so rebellious. No matter if you are in a higher position or a lower position, they all prefer people who are modest, cautious and respectful. Rebellious people will become the target of public criticism. Once you become the target of public criticism, even the emperor can't save you."

"Hehehe, didn't the disciple say those words publicly before?"

Yuan Shu smiled and said, "In fact, I have had some ideas about the future. I want to follow a path similar to yours, but not exactly the same."

"What do you mean?"

Ma Rong became interested and asked, "Same as my teacher, but not exactly the same?"

"The disciple wants to become a teacher's disciple, get the teacher's recognition, and become famous. Then, like Zheng Kangcheng, he can set up his own school and be followed by many disciples."

Yuan Shu said excitedly: "Then, I will be able to teach what I want to teach, gain recognition from more people, get help from more people, and finally achieve a bigger goal."

A higher goal than Emperor Zhong.

Yuan Shu didn't say this out loud, but just added it silently in his heart.

"That's it..."

Ma Rong thought about it and nodded slowly: "It is indeed a way. With the support of Yuan family, there are enough resources for you to use. If so, it is a feasible way, but the premise is that you must completely control Yuan family, be the master of Yuan family, and maintain the status of Yuan family.

In this sense, if you want to use the teachings of the current king as the family doctrine of the Yuan family and maintain the current position of the Yuan family at the same time, it is almost impossible. Even if the Yuan family can be controlled by you, how can you make the court and other powerful families accept the Yuan family of the current king?"

The head of Yuan family?

Is he just the head of Yuan family?
Yuan Shu laughed secretly in his heart, but his expression remained calm.

"Teacher, everything depends on human effort. There is nothing impossible in the world."

Yuan Shu said slowly: "Besides, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I am not yet a disciple of the master. Isn't it too early to talk about controlling the Yuan family in the future?"

Ma Rong blinked and then smiled.

"It's not easy to become a disciple of a teacher. Not only do you need to be recognized by the teacher, but more importantly, you need to convince the public. Are you crazy or am I getting old and confused if you let someone who mocks ancient Chinese classics become a disciple of a teacher?"

Yuan Shu smiled confidently.

"Then I must let some people know that the reason I can ridicule you is because I understand you well enough."

Ma Rong was very interested in this, and he talked with Yuan Shu about how many books he had read and how much knowledge he had mastered. The more he talked, the more excited he became, until dawn, when Ma Rong was satisfied, feeling that he had really found a piece of gold.

But this piece of gold is indeed covered with manure, and it still smells a bit after wiping it -

Before leaving, Yuan Shu expressed his interest in the two maids who warmed Ma Rong's bed, and hoped that Ma Rong could give them to him.

I came from Runan, and I only have Xu Chong, my lackey, by my side. I feel very lonely and cold. I hope they can warm my bed to relieve my loneliness and coldness.

Hey! This kid! He's only ten years old and he's already so lustful? What will happen to him in the future?

Ma Rong was so angry that he laughed. He pointed to the door and asked Yuan Shu to leave his room in a smooth manner.

Yuan Shu was not discouraged. He pushed the door open and left without any hesitation under the shocked gaze of the doorman outside.

A month and a half later, Ma Rong found that Yuan Shu seemed to have calmed down, and his heroic words that night seemed like just an illusion.

Yuan Shu listened carefully in class and completed his homework seriously after class. If there was something he didn't understand, he would take the initiative to ask me. He was completely different from the rebellious look he had in the previous month and a half.

Many people were surprised by this and wondered if Yuan Shu had changed his personality. His lackey Xu Chong was even more worried. He asked Yuan Shu every day if he was sick or stupid. He wondered whether he should tell his father, the Jingzhao Yin, and ask Yuan Feng to come and see him.

Yuan Shu actually stopped causing trouble.

This is not normal.

This is very abnormal!

However, the Ma family mansion was peaceful for only a month and a half.

During this period, some small things happened in the world.

First, the former queen Deng Mengnu angered Emperor Huan of Han, Liu Zhi, because of jealousy. Liu Zhi deposed the queen in anger and sent her to the cold palace. Deng Mengnu subsequently died suddenly in the cold palace. There was a rumor in Luoyang that Deng Mengnu was executed by Liu Zhi.

Secondly, after Deng Mengnu's death, Liu Zhi wanted to make Tian Sheng, a beautiful woman of commoner origin, his queen, but this was not tolerated by the court officials. Liu Zhi then started a tug-of-war with the officials. The battle is currently fierce and the outcome is yet to be determined.

Third, because the eunuchs "Five Marquises" were arrogant and formed cliques for personal gain, threatening the imperial power, Liu Zhi further cleaned up the power of the Five Marquises after cracking down on the eunuchs three years ago, completely ending the Five Marquis' monopoly of power. Then, as expected, he promoted five more eunuchs to the front stage to serve as the wings of the imperial power.

Fourthly, in order to prevent officials from forming cliques for personal gain and local forces from colluding with each other, Liu Zhi promulgated the Three Mutual Laws, the main content of which was to impose very strict restrictions on the officials' origins and places of employment, greatly increasing the difficulty of collusion between local tyrants and officials.

Fifth, Hu Lan and Zhu Gai, people from Guiyang County, gathered a group of people to revolt, with tens of thousands of followers. Lingling County was also threatened, and southern Jing was in turmoil. The court hurriedly mobilized troops from Youzhou and Jizhou and Wuhuan cavalry to rescue. Hebei was in chaos and the people were uneasy.

Of course, these little things could not affect the big event that happened in the Ma family mansion in Maoling.

Yuan Shu stood up!

(End of this chapter)