Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

"Starting tomorrow, you will go and measure the fields in this county and confirm the ownership of the land in detail. After you have finished checking Fengxin County, go and check the surrounding counties."

"Yes!" The young men of the Chen family quickly accepted the order.

Wei Liangchen then smiled and said to Hu Jiaoye, "The Chen family of Jiangzhou is a prominent local family. They certainly won't frame us when they come to investigate."

"Headmaster Hu, don't you agree?"

Hu Jiaoye forced a smile and replied, "Indeed."

Wei Liangchen asked again, "Has Hu Shaoji (Hu Zhiru) moved out?"

“They haven’t moved out; they’re still in the county,” Hu Jiaoye said.

Wei Liangchen said, "A prominent family should have many descendants; how can it remain confined to one corner?"

"Please ask the headmaster to bring Hu Shaoji's parents and brothers. I will immediately send someone to escort them to Hubei."

"And they will be provided with land, and they will definitely go to the prefectures and counties where they can recruit tenant farmers."

"Of course, the Hu family also had to prepare money and provisions for their relocation."

Hu Jiaoye hesitated, "Shao Ji is currently serving as the Right Provincial Administration Commissioner in Sichuan. Shouldn't we write to him first to discuss this?"

Wei Liangchen said, "There's no need to discuss it."

Hu Jiaoye began wiping his sweat: "Alright, I will immediately send my clansmen to invite Shaoji's parents and brothers."

Wei Liangchen then asked, "What about Hu Jimou (Hu Jiaoxiu)? Has he moved out?"

"No, not at all," Hu Jiaoye replied.

Wei Liangchen said, "Then let's invite his parents and brothers to come, and the whole family will move to Shandong."

"Governor Wei has thought things through thoroughly." Hu Jiaoye grew increasingly fearful.

The Right Provincial Governor and the Provincial Education Commissioner were both forcibly relocated with their entire families, as a way to sever their ties with the Hu family of Hualin.

After cutting, it's time to get started!

Wei Liangchen didn't even bother with those lower-ranking Hu family officials.

Wei Liangchen said in a low voice, "Is the Chen family willing to atone for their crimes through meritorious service? Is the Hu family also willing?"

Hu Jiaoye insisted, "Hu is innocent."

"Whether they are guilty or not will be known after the land clearing is completed," Wei Liangchen said with a smile. "What do you say, Headmaster Hu?"

Hu Jiaoye still refused to admit his guilt, but lowered his voice and said, "Hu is willing to serve you like a dog or a horse."

Wei Liangchen's smile grew even more smug: "Then the Hu family, just like the Chen family, should also send some of their young members to accompany me to investigate other major families. What do you think?"

Hu Jiaoye felt a chill run down his spine and lowered his head, saying, "It is only right."

They ordered officials from the provincial, prefectural, and county governments in Nanchang to investigate the Chen family's land holdings, then ordered members of the Chen family to investigate the Hu family's land holdings, and now they've ordered members of the Hu family to investigate other families...

If things continue like this, it will be difficult for the major clans in Jiangxi to maintain harmony in the future.

Even generations of in-laws can fall out!

Chapter 3583 Reading is not as good as doing.

Wei Liangchen threatened in a low voice, "I know that the Hu family and the Chen family are related by marriage. You'd better not interfere."

“If my investigation reveals any error, the entire Chen family of Jiangzhou will be exterminated, along with your entire clan. And your Hu family of Hualin will also be considered accomplices!”

"I wouldn't dare," Hu Jiaoye quickly replied.

Wei Liangchen's antics weren't over yet. He then walked among the thousands of scholars and said, "Many of you are studying hard here, and many of you have come from other provinces to study. I greatly admire your spirit of diligent study."

"Don't dare to take it seriously."

"The best time to study is now."

"..."

The scholars were delighted to receive the governor's praise.

Wei Liangchen began to reminisce about the past: "Back then, I was also a student at the Imperial Academy of the former Song Dynasty."

"His Majesty issued a proclamation at Liangshan, denouncing the six traitors, and was imprisoned in Dali Temple by the tyrant."

"Chen Shaoyang (Chen Dong) and I led the students to petition the emperor, begging him to release Liangshan. The emperor refused, so Chen Shaoyang and I traveled thousands of miles to Liangshan to join him."

"Until he assisted His Majesty in raising an army, he finally ushered in this prosperous Ming Dynasty!"

Many scholars were unaware of Wei Liangchen's background.

Upon hearing him speak of it, everyone was immediately filled with awe, and many even felt a desire to curry favor with him.

For a time, flattery poured in.

Wei Liangchen continued, "As the saying goes, reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles."

"But I believe that traveling ten thousand miles is not as good as focusing on doing one thing well. I have focused on Your Majesty and have followed and assisted you all the way to where I am today."

"Instead of studying here, you should do something great. After you have done it, I will present your names to His Majesty, and you will be praised by the people of Jiangxi for generations to come."

"May I ask what important matter the Governor has in mind?" the scholars asked one after another.

Wei Liangchen laughed and said, "Put down your books and head to the prefectures and counties of Jiangxi to assist the court in investigating the land!"

When Wei Liangchen said these words, the scholars from Jiangxi hesitated.

Some were worried about their own family being investigated, but most were afraid of offending their fellow villagers or powerful families.

In Jiangxi, large clans all have their own clan schools, generally called "shuguan".

It was mainly used to educate the children of the same clan, but occasionally it also allowed scholars of different surnames to enroll.

Only those institutions that open themselves to external enrollment and reach a certain scale can be called "academies".

Therefore, apart from the Hu family members, most of the three or four thousand students in front of us did not come from prominent families in Jiangxi.

Their family backgrounds were mainly from small to medium-sized families and merchant families—of course, there were also children from large families from other provinces.

The children of prominent families in Jiangxi could study directly in their own family libraries, and would only come to Hualin Academy for further study when they encountered a bottleneck.

Wei Liangchen said loudly, "You don't need to decide now. I will stay at the foot of Hualin Mountain for two days."

"Go back to the academy and think it over carefully. If you are willing to assist the imperial court in land surveying, then register at my lodging. You may leave now."

The scholars bowed and bid farewell to the governor.

Yin Tun, a teacher at Hualin Academy, witnessed Wei Liangchen's actions throughout the entire process.

He returned to the academy without saying a word.

Among the four disciples of the Cheng family, Yin Tun had the worst aptitude.

Junior brother Zhang Yi could memorize and comprehend knowledge in a day, while Yin Tun needed ten or twenty days to learn, or even a month of repeated memorization and comprehension.

He's usually not very talkative, and even when he talks to his wife, he's so quiet he can't get a word out.

However, he founded the Hejing School!

The core of this school can be summed up in one word: respect.

If I had to elaborate, it would be to be sincere and focused, cultivate oneself, and have reverence for heaven and earth and all things.

Yin Dun believed that whether one is pursuing scholarship or taking on a job, one must first learn how to be a good person, and one must be a good person with a clear conscience.

Historically, Yin Dun did indeed keep his word.

Zhong Shidao recommended him for an official position, but Yin Tun did not accept.

Liu Yu offered him a position as an official in the puppet Qi regime, but Yin Dun fled directly to the south.

Zhao Gou summoned him to serve as an official, and Yin Tun gladly went, receiving the title of Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince. However, because he opposed the peace negotiations, his memorial was blocked by Qin Hui, which angered Yin Tun so much that he repeatedly asked to resign.

Zhao Gou ordered Yin Dun to stay, but Yin Dun seized the opportunity to submit a memorial to the throne, launching a scathing attack on Qin Hui. As a result, he was demoted and forced to retire (with a sharp reduction in his retirement benefits).

“Given time, this man will surely become a prime minister,” said Yao Zhongkuan, a teacher at the academy.

Yin Tun commented: "What is rigid is easily broken."

Yao Zhongkuan, a renowned teacher hired from Huainan, lowered his voice and gloated: "The powerful clans in Jiangxi are too domineering, their land spanning multiple prefectures and counties, and the local government cannot control them."

"In the former Song Dynasty, at most the clan would be dismantled, but in the Ming Dynasty, the land had to be measured."

"This emperor is a ruler who rose from humble beginnings; how can he tolerate a state within a state?"

Yin Dun did not respond.

He was well aware of the advantages and disadvantages of the "Yimen" operating model.

The advantages are that it can resist corrupt officials and natural and man-made disasters, while the disadvantages are that it is difficult for the government to manage and that it is necessary to evade corvée labor and taxes.

In times of division and chaos, advantages can play a leading role.

In a unified dynasty, the shortcomings become all the more apparent.

Yin Dun didn't know how to evaluate the "Yi Men"—he both admired and loathed them.

The Hu family of Hualin is in a slightly better position; its members have relative freedom and can choose to move to other places to register their household registration.

Chapter 3584 I've wanted to separate the family for a long time

Therefore, although the Hu clan has developed for more than 700 years, the number of its original clan members is far less than that of the Chen clan.

The Chen family of Jiangzhou has gone too far; unless forced by external forces, the clan members are basically not allowed to move away.

Moreover, they were to remain in their original hometown and were absolutely forbidden from separating from their family.

All family members must obey the family's arrangements.

Not to mention profits from business, even an official's salary had to be handed over to their family—officials often resided away from home for extended periods.

You can keep enough money for your own use, but you must bring back a portion of the funds periodically.

The idea that money and grain should be turned over to the public is terrifying.

The Chen family of Jiangzhou had ample wealth and took advantage of years of famine to acquire other properties, expanding their territory with incredible speed.

Yin Dun was very fortunate that he was not born into the Chen family of Jiangzhou.

Being a part of it would drive the family crazy!

The drawbacks of Chen's operating model have become increasingly apparent over time.

The family's younger generation gradually lost their ambition.

Many people chose to live a life of leisure and idleness, while every year many people went to participate in the imperial examinations.

However, the number of successful candidates in the imperial examinations has been decreasing over the past century.

A sense of gloom and desolation pervades the air!

On the contrary, the descendants of the Chen family who were dismantled and relocated by the imperial court produced a succession of heroes and famous figures, which is extremely ironic in comparison.

Yin Tun suddenly said, "Running water never stagnates, and a door hinge never rusts."

"This time, the imperial court's dismantling of clans may not necessarily be a bad thing for the Chen clan of Jiangzhou."

Yao Zhongkuan was taken aback and asked, puzzled, "Why do you say that?"

Yin Tun explained, "In the past few decades, has the Chen family of Jiangzhou produced any great Confucian scholars or renowned officials?"

“There are no true scholars. I once talked with the so-called scholars of the Chen family, and they were all rigid and outdated, with no insights of their own at all.”

“Their family values ​​are too upright. From childhood to adulthood, if anyone goes astray even slightly, they will be severely reprimanded by their elders.”

"Even if you read a lot of books, you're still just a yes-man."

"I see, I've learned something!" Yao Zhongkuan quickly bowed, having understood many of the principles.

Although Yin Tun was not very bright and didn't talk much, he was not very intelligent.

But he was, after all, a true Confucian scholar. Whenever it came to topics related to being a person and pursuing scholarship, Yin Tun could speak eloquently and endlessly.

"Sir!" A scholar in his twenties rushed over.

This man was named Zhang Liangyou, the posthumous son of the great Confucian scholar Zhang Yi.

Although Zhang Yi was Yin Tun's junior brother, after Cheng Yi's death, the senior brother had to ask his junior brother for advice.