A son who doesn't resemble his father? Love you, old man, see you at Xuanwu Gate!

Chapter 68 Pole Tip
This was the most unusual court meeting in the history of Chengming Hall. His Majesty and the Crown Prince were not present, yet the meeting lasted for more than six hours. A high-ranking official risked his political future, while a top-ranking attendant might pay the price with his life.

The chaos in the hall was only barely brought under control when the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital carried the person away for treatment. Although worried about his old friend's health, Mei Gao still stood firmly among the court officials.

The Crown Prince's methods were too ruthless. Of course, His Majesty's actions are also difficult to judge, but overall, he has both merits and demerits. If we don't say it's 70/30, it's roughly 50/50. So why is he being completely negated by the Crown Prince?
Now that things have come to this, the Crown Prince's faction can neither win in a fight nor in a debate, and has no influence on the new policies. But someone has to stand here and witness the rise and methods of the Crown Prince's faction.

The fusion of various schools of thought and royal official professions is arguably the most ideal model of succession in history. He wanted to see how the crown prince would manage to do it.

"Prime Minister, it's your turn," Mei Gao said slowly, flicking his spear lightly.

Behind Zhang Tang is Gongsun Hong, and behind Gongsun Hong is the Crown Prince. It must be admitted that the Crown Prince has more people in the safe zone than His Majesty.

"Gentlemen."

Gongsun Hong's overwhelming aura was far beyond Zhang Tang's reach. His voice, though not loud, resonated with everyone. "I am a Confucian scholar, but seeing the wickedness of Confucianism manifest before me, I cannot help but feel that I have never imagined this calamity. It would be too foolish and ignorant to say that I never thought I would face such a calamity. Moreover, I have received guidance from the Lord."

this moment.

They no longer bothered to conceal it, attributing all the credit for the new policies to the emperor. The officials, marquises, and members of the imperial family of both dynasties revealed their understanding.

"For the past twenty years, our Great Han Dynasty has been at its zenith, yet it is now in its twilight years. His Majesty has forgiven the Confucianists for everything that happened before. This is an act of mercy towards the Confucianists. His Majesty also pities my prudence and frugality. In my old age, I have assisted His Majesty in expanding the territory. I can be considered... I can be considered to have made great contributions..."

Even a slight pause can stir up emotions. Gongsun Hong, at the age of eighty, had served three generations, no, now we can say four generations of Han emperors. His journey was fraught with difficulties, and his study of the Gongyang Commentary proved his nature of hating evil. In the third year of Yuanshuo, he was appointed one of the Three Dukes, the Grand Secretary, and persuaded His Majesty to exclusively serve the Shuofang Commandery and stop the war between the East China Sea and the Southwest Yi.

In November of the fifth year of Yuanshuo, he was officially appointed as prime minister, becoming the first commoner prime minister of the Han Dynasty. He was granted the title of Marquis of Pingjin, becoming the first prime minister to be granted a marquisate since the establishment of the Han Dynasty. This set a precedent for "honoring a marquisate as prime minister" and broke the control of the prime minister position by the founding merit group.

Over the past three years, the Prime Minister's Office has recruited many talented individuals and paid attention to people's livelihoods; it cannot be said that it has been mediocre.

Although he yielded to the emperor in everything and used every means to promote Confucianism, he deserves both credit and hard work.

At this point, many court officials were moved. For a commoner prime minister to go to such lengths, the Prime Minister has done his utmost.

"Therefore, the Emperor entrusted me with the responsibility of managing the various hereditary officials. If there are any concerns, please point them out to me."

Gongsun Hong's humility caused officials from both dynasties to give way to him, repeatedly saying they dared not accept it.

"From this day forward, the hereditary office of historians shall be established by the Daoists. What do you gentlemen think?"

“Quietness and inaction are the most selfless virtues. It is indeed appropriate to learn lessons from the rise and fall of history and summarize the principles of Heaven.”

No objections.

"The Yin-Yang School originated from the official hereditary position of Xihe. What do you gentlemen think?"

“A person who understands the heavens and the earth can observe the celestial phenomena and formulate a calendar without any problem.”

No objections.

"What do you gentlemen think of appointing Legalists from among the officials in charge of criminal justice and rewards and punishments?"

"Rewards and punishments are clearly defined, impartial, and without any objections."

"The Mohists originated from the guardians of the Qingmiao Temple, who were responsible for clan affairs and sacrificial rites..."

"...There is no objection to loving one's fellow clansmen and respecting spirits and gods."

"The strategists appointed officials to handle foreign affairs..."

"The officials, who were originally from various schools of thought, were responsible for mastering all kinds of knowledge and using their opinions to fill gaps and assist in governance..."

"They came from the agricultural officials, who were responsible for encouraging farming, assisting in cultivation, and supporting the people..." "..."

"There is also a novelist, a former official in charge of collecting gossip and hearsay. What do you gentlemen think?"

Professionals do professional work.

Knowledge flows from top to bottom; this has been an almost irrefutable fact since the Spring and Autumn Period.

At first glance, it seems too idealistic and too divisive, after all, the various schools of thought in ancient China had their own distinct paths of dissemination.

But upon closer examination, it is terrifying.

One fact is that from the pre-Qin period to the Han dynasty, apart from the Mohists who had a strict organizational structure, most other scholars in the pre-Qin period did not have natural school boundaries. When discussing scholarship, they would only refer to a certain master, not a certain school.

Li Si and Han Fei, who are classified as Legalists, were both disciples of Xunzi, a Confucian scholar. If they did not understand the fact that there were no schools of thought in pre-Qin scholarship, they probably would never understand this phenomenon.

The reason for this is that while the philosophers were selfless, over hundreds of years of transmission, individual regional and contemporary knowledge contributed to the emergence of the so-called philosophers. Therefore, although their doctrines sometimes differed greatly, they were still intertwined, with many ideas showing remarkable consistency and traces of a common origin.

The hereditary positions of the various schools of thought resembled that of brothers in a family, each doing different things according to their abilities. This reminded many learned people of Confucius's teaching to his disciple Zixia: "Be a gentlemanly scholar, not a petty scholar."

A gentlemanly Confucian, a petty Confucian.

Even if there is another period of intellectual ferment many years later, Chinese thought is destined not to be monopolized by one school of thought, unless a scholar from one school can convince everyone.

No one could do it, at least not a Confucian scholar in the narrow sense!

Many people from various schools of thought during the two dynasties admired the Prime Minister's arrangement, but also felt somewhat resentful.

The hereditary positions of Confucian scholars were not yet fixed, and the ancient official position of Situ, who was responsible for assisting the ruler in governing the world, was also undetermined. In the end, Confucianism kept the best for itself.

Although the Confucian scholars sighed in frustration at losing the opportunity to completely crush the other schools of thought, they could accept it because of the hereditary position of prime minister, the head of all schools of thought and the head of all officials.

"Prime Minister, what about Confucianism?"

When Gongsun Hong heard the Confucian official's question, he smiled and said, "The sage puts himself last and yet comes first; he puts himself outside and yet survives. Is it not because he is selfless that he is able to achieve his own ends?"

There was no place for Confucian scholars in the hereditary civil service examinations.

"And what about the Minister of Works?"

“The one who achieves first is the one who achieves first.”

Gongsun Hong looked at the ministers, marquises, and members of the imperial family of the two dynasties, and slowly said to the shocked people, "A prosperous age is the rule of Heaven. If the talents of all schools of thought are the best in this era, then they will become the Minister of Works of this era."

"Then does that mean my Confucianism has nothing?"

"No, my Confucian talents are as numerous as carp crossing a river. Without hereditary office, I can take on any human office. Wherever I go, officials with hereditary office will respect me and keep their distance."

"what is that?"

"Lantern pole tip!"

"what?"

(End of this chapter)