Confucian and Taoist scholar

Chapter 767 Traitors in the State

In Anguo, a series of decrees concerning Confucianism were promulgated.

For example, the number of candidates for the Confucian and Taoist examinations in various regions was reduced, and emphasis was placed on promoting self-taught scholars.

New schools were established in various regions to cultivate other types of talent.

Increase the proportion of non-Confucian and Taoist scholars among local officials.

Reduce some of the special privileges enjoyed by Confucian and Taoist scholars, and strengthen supervision over the assessment of scholars who entered officialdom through the imperial examinations.

……

In the past, even just one of these decrees would have caused some officials in the court to jump up and down in anger.

However, this time, they did not stand up to oppose anything because they no longer had enough confidence.

However, some old Confucian scholars still went to Anjing, hoping that the court would rescind some of the decrees, saying that these measures were detrimental to Confucianism, and that Anguo, which was founded on Confucianism, was also harming the country's fortunes...

An Jing directly retorted, saying that these measures were both about increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, and also about responding to the decline of the Confucian and Taoist spirit.

If anyone could instantly become a Confucian sage and lift up the great pillar of the country, the court would not mind canceling some of its decrees.

These words silenced all dissent.

Becoming a Confucian sage on the spot is far more difficult than cultivating other sage realms.

In the entire An Kingdom, the only one who could potentially become a Confucian sage is probably that half-step literary sage from the An family.

Oh, and that guy in the north now is someone many people believe has that potential.

However, that young man clearly disliked the current Confucianism, and now that Anguo is in such a state, he is probably already applauding it.

……

In the golden autumn season, the area outside Yongding City is covered with an endless expanse of golden yellow.

Those were fields of ripe crops, waiting to be harvested.

A demon walked through the fields, checking the growth of the crops.

"The harvest will be ready in a couple of days. With so many fields, we'll be able to harvest so much grain."

One of the people nearby couldn't help but say, "We had someone estimate the harvest from these lands on the outskirts of Yongding City..."

The people nearby couldn't help but gasp when they heard the number announced.

Such a production volume was something they had never heard of before.

Some people, being quick-witted, exclaimed, "With so much grain, there's enough to feed everyone in Yongding City for several years, right?"

Someone said, "That doesn't feel like much! Mr. Lu said that he would turn the Northern Region and Taiping Region into the granary of the world, so that the people of the world would never have to worry about food."

Everyone reacted differently upon hearing this, as they hadn't heard Lu Zheng say it themselves.

But many people are spreading this rumor.

There are other similar sayings that have been spread.

At first, they thought those words were too far-fetched and unrealistic.

But having witnessed the changes in this area firsthand, they were certain that Lu Zheng's words were not boasting.

On the contrary, it made them feel that some things were easier to do than spiritual practice.

……

In Yongding City, Lu was engrossed in reading the manuscripts of some Taoist masters in his temporary residence.

After all, Yun Xiao asked him to take some time to try compiling a scripture, so he naturally had to put in some effort.

Moreover, these notes from Taoist masters are rare, so there's no harm in learning more of them.

It is said that if one understands one method, one understands all methods. Although Lu Zheng is not proficient in Taoist studies, he is not completely ignorant of them and cannot understand them at all.

When Lu Zheng broke through to the Daoist realm, he felt the power of the Daoist sect supporting him.

He had learned some magic in the past and could be considered to have entered the field.

Of course, asking him to compile some Taoist scriptures would be asking too much, at least for now.

Just as Lu was pondering this, he heard footsteps outside.

A figure appeared before the door, which had been slightly ajar.

"gentlemen!"

The newcomer bowed respectfully to Lu Zheng.

Lu Zheng smiled slightly when he saw the person who came, "Your Highness Yuan Tao".

The person who arrived was Yuan Tao, but he looked much thinner than before, and his face showed undisguised fatigue.

Lu Zheng couldn't help but ask, "Has something happened to the State of Wei?"

Seeing that Yuan Tao no longer possessed the high spirits he had when he first became the crown prince, he thought that Yuan Tao had encountered some great calamity.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tao said, "Wei is doing well. I'm just... just a little exhausted, so I came to visit you, sir..."

Lu Zheng nodded and said, "Sit down and let's talk slowly!"

Yuan Tao found a seat next to Lu Zheng and raised his hand to rub his stiff cheeks.

Yuan Tao still remembers when he was a prince of Wei, he felt that his life was quite carefree, and he could do whatever he wanted.

However, since becoming the crown prince, various affairs have piled up on his shoulders, and he feels that the burden on his shoulders has suddenly become very heavy. He cannot slack off for a moment, and it is almost suffocating him.

Yuan Tao was under so much pressure that he secretly came to find Lu Zheng with a few guards, hoping to relax a bit.

He saw that the Taiping Domain had expanded considerably, and Lu Zheng had also reached cooperation agreements with most of the demon race forces, and the development was going quite smoothly.

It went so smoothly that it seemed unbelievable to many people.

Compared to the State of Wei, the disparity between them made Yuan Tao feel even worse.

Yuan Tao couldn't help but sigh, "I thought you would be in charge of Qingcheng, but you've already come here. The changes here in less than a year are truly remarkable. On the other hand..."

Yuan Tao felt a little ashamed and didn't dare to continue.

He felt he had tried his best, but his results were far inferior to Lu Zheng's.

Lu Zheng smiled faintly and said, "I told you before that the situation in Wei is different from here. It will take a long time to change the current situation in Wei."

The power structure in Wei is too rigid, unlike in the Northern Regions where various forces operate independently, making integration much easier.

Yuan Tao said softly, "I know that Wei's reforms cannot be accomplished overnight. But I didn't expect there to be so many things for me to deal with. Even though I had anticipated some bad developments, dealing with them is still overwhelming..."

Yuan Tao poured out his grievances there, recounting his difficulties.

There were some things he couldn't say in front of his subordinates, so he could only vent them to Lu Zheng.

Lu Zheng remained calm and listened quietly to Yuan Tao's story.

After Yuan Tao finished speaking, Lu Zheng said, "Take things slowly and don't put too much pressure on yourself. Cultivate more trusted confidants to share the burden. The fact that I can transform this place is not something I can do alone."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tao hesitated, as if he wanted to speak.

Seeing this, Lu Zheng said, "Speak freely, no one else here will hear."

Currently, in the entire Yongding City, his cultivation level is the highest; no one has yet managed to eavesdrop on their conversation. Yuan Tao's expression tightened slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "I'm worried I can't wait any longer... In this short period, less than a year, I've already encountered eight assassination attempts, each one incredibly dangerous..."

"The reforms in Wei have affected the interests of too many people, and countless individuals both inside and outside the court want my life..."

"The Buddha descended to earth and resided in the monastery, but his influence and role will eventually weaken. It is impossible for him to suppress certain people forever."

"There are too many people, including local Buddhist monks, powerful figures, and even high-ranking officials and ministers in the imperial court who are very close to me, who are all eager to make their move..."

Yuan Tao said with deep concern, “It’s too difficult. No wonder so many wise rulers and capable ministers throughout history have failed in their reforms. I worry that one day I will follow in their footsteps.”

Yuan Tao looked somewhat dazed, his former high spirits gone.

Lu Zheng calmly asked, "Are you prepared to compromise?"

Yuan Tao was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "Do you think I can still compromise? From the moment I embarked on this path, there was no turning back!"

He has already offended many people. If he goes back to his old ways now, not only will his position as crown prince be in jeopardy, but his life will also be in danger.

After all, he had never heard of many deposed crown princes being able to live out their old age in peace.

Yuan Tao then said sincerely, "I wonder if you could lend me another hand, sir?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Zheng asked, "What do you want me to do for you?"

Yuan Tao shook his head. "I don't know either. I just think you should have some way to help me break out of this predicament, or at least make things better than they are now."

Lu Zheng couldn't help but say, "You really know how to flatter me... But I have thought of something, it just depends on whether you dare to do it."

Yuan Tao's eyes lit up, and he became more energetic.

"Please speak, sir!"

Seeing Yuan Tao's eager expression, Lu Zheng remained calm.

He looked at Yuan Tao and said clearly, "The reforms in Wei are fraught with difficulties, surely because there are traitors within the country, right beside you..."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tao was horrified, as if a thunderbolt had struck his mind, causing him to shudder.

A country has treacherous and rebellious people by its side.

This "君" doesn't refer to him, but to that one...

Yuan Tao immediately felt his heart pounding like a drum, clearly audible.

Lu Zheng continued unhurriedly, "To revitalize a decaying nation, we must shave off the rotten flesh and inject new blood. The current officials are all old and decrepit; they need young and idealistic successors to replace them..."

"Since Your Highness feels you have no way out, why not draw your sword?"

Yuan Tao opened his mouth, but was so shocked that he was speechless.

This is to send him to purge the court of corrupt officials! And what the final step of purging the court of corrupt officials is, needless to say.

Yuan Tao had never even considered such a thing, but Lu Zheng practically said it outright.

Moreover, he couldn't do anything to Lu Zheng because of this, since such a conversation would be extremely detrimental to him if it got out.

Lu Zheng remained composed and asked, "What does Your Highness think?"

"I……"

Yuan Tao felt that saying it was good or bad was not quite right.

Lu Zhengdao said, "I don't know how much power or determination you have in Wei right now. So I'm just giving you a suggestion."

Yuan Tao sat there pondering for a long time.

Upon closer examination, he might have had the opportunity to do such a thing.

If it works, it can really eliminate a lot of troubles at once.

There are successful examples in history.

Yuan Tao's heart stirred with desire, and he couldn't help but say, "If we were to purge the court of corrupt officials, then what would become of my father...?"

If things really come to that, how to settle the Emperor of Great Wei will still be a problem.

If not handled properly, it could bring trouble upon oneself and earn one a bad reputation.

Even if he manages to take that position, it will be much more difficult to implement reforms, making it a losing proposition.

Lu Zheng slowly said, "The Emperor of Great Wei is a wise and benevolent ruler who loves his people. He can be granted the title of Bodhisattva, named the Bodhisattva of Universal Virtue, and moved to the Garan Temple to keep company with the Buddha..."

Yuan Tao was stunned. Good heavens, they've even thought of a title for the Bodhisattva? That's a bit too thoughtful, isn't it?

Yuan Tao looked at Lu Zheng with a somewhat inexplicable expression.

Lu Zheng didn't care at all and said, "If it really comes to that, you can talk to him. If you want another title, that's fine too. Anyway, we can still afford to give you a Bodhisattva title."

Conferring a title upon a Bodhisattva is not a difficult task; it only requires a visit to the Buddha and the expenditure of some Buddhist and Taoist power.

If it's a Buddhist position, and a living Buddha at that, then that's a bit unrealistic.

Lu Zheng himself hasn't even reached that level yet, so expecting others to achieve enlightenment on the spot is truly wishful thinking.

After some thought, Yuan Tao felt that Lu Zheng's suggestion was the best option.

He knew that Lu Zheng had a deep connection with Buddhism and Taoism, and having his father, the emperor, bestow upon him the title of Bodhisattva was the best way to keep him in check.

Lu Zheng added, "Think things through before you act; don't rush things. This is all I can do to help you."

"If you succeed, there are still quite a few Wei people here. You can recruit them back to work for you; they are quite capable..."

Yuan Tao felt a surge of warmth in his heart, realizing that Lu Zheng was still very considerate of him, having thought of so many things.

He solemnly declared, "Whether it succeeds or not, Yuan Tao will keep his mouth shut about today's matter and will not allow you to be implicated."

Lu Zheng said nonchalantly, "Just be careful in everything you do."

Perhaps having made up his mind, Yuan Tao felt much less pressure on himself, and his eyes regained some brightness, no longer looking as listless as before.

Yuan Tao then discussed other matters with Lu Zheng.

Afterwards, Yuan Tao quietly left with a few of his personal guards.

Not long after Yuan Tao left, Qing Wan curiously approached Lu Zheng. "When he came, I thought he was here to avoid trouble! What did you say to him that made him change his expression? He seems like nothing happened again."

Lu Zhengdao said, "He was under too much pressure... so we just chatted casually."

"Too much pressure?"

Qingwan clicked her tongue and said, "To be honest, the pressure on a crown prince is indeed quite great, and he has a lot to do. Speaking of which, when I was reading history books before, I discovered a problem: less than half of the emperors were succeeded to the throne by the crown prince!"

Lu Zheng couldn't help but say, "This is indeed a problem."

Qingwan said softly, "Do you think he can go that far?"

Lu Zheng thought for a moment and said, "It's hard to say, but the sooner he takes that position, the better it will be for us."

Qingwan stroked her chin, and said suspiciously, "The sooner? I think the Emperor of Great Wei is still in his prime, so wouldn't it be better to wait a while..."

Suddenly, Qingwan thought of a possibility and couldn't help but wink at Lu Zheng.

"He wouldn't want to..."

Lu Zheng said leisurely, "Thinking about it is one thing, but being able to do it is another."

Qingwan, hands behind her back, whispered, "The younger generation wants change, and they've launched an attack on the older generation of powerful figures. Who will be the ultimate victor?" (End of Chapter)