Chapter 1169. The Civil Revolution in Nanjing (2).
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After leading Lu De to the second floor of Guanjiang Tower, Chai Yuan felt that what happened today was too dizzying for him to listen to the conversation between Lu De and Huo Zhengyuan.
Only then did he realize that the middle-aged Confucian scholar surnamed Huo in front of him was actually a great scholar at the center of the imperial court, or some sort of patrol envoy to the southeast!
The dignity of such a status is far beyond Chai Yuan's initial imagination.
However, before Chai Yuan could recover from the shock, he heard the panicked shouts from the store clerk downstairs, saying that some students were making trouble.
So, Chai Yuan quickly walked to the window, looked out the window into the distance, and quickly understood the situation.
Across the Qinhuai River, the gate of Jiangnan Gongyuan was completely in chaos. There was a large group of scholars holding various banners, seemingly trying to rush out of Jiangnan Gongyuan, but another group of scholars struggled to stop them.
In order to block the former in the Jiangnan Gongyuan, the two sides pushed each other and exchanged fists and kicks, which turned into a group fight.
Chai Yuan made a rough estimate in his mind and discovered to his surprise that the number of scholars involved in this conflict was six to seven hundred. Obviously, this fight not only included the vast majority of the tribute students from Jiangnan Gongyuan, but also
A large number of readers from other academies participated.
If it's just a group of scholars fighting each other, although it's polite and passed down as a joke, it's not a big deal. After all, most of these scholars are powerless. As long as they don't hold a weapon, they can fight no matter how hard they try.
, it is difficult to cause death, and at most it will only cause more bruises on both parties.
However, Chai Yuan discovered that the scale of this conflict was rapidly expanding. At first, it was just two groups of scholars beating each other, but these scholars each had their own connections, and helpers from both sides soon came in a steady stream to help, some of them were book boys.
Servants, some of whom are relatives and friends, and many green-skinned scoundrels actively join in, fishing in troubled waters, lest the world remains in chaos!
As a result, the scale of the conflict expanded rapidly like a snowball. In just one cup of tea while Chai Yuan was observing the situation, the number of people participating in the conflict increased from six to seven hundred to two thousand in the blink of an eye, and the spread spread
Still expanding.
For a time, with Jiangnan Gongyuan as the center, the entire north bank of the Qinhuai River fell into complete chaos and disorder, and it was still spreading rapidly towards the south bank of the Qinhuai River where Guanjiang Tower is located!
Those green-skinned scoundrels who fished in troubled waters took the opportunity to rob and smash nearby shops, and even one shop suddenly burst into flames.
Chai Yuan is not a stupid person. After seeing these situations, he was greatly frightened and he also figured out many things in an instant!
After Huo Zhengyuan, Jiang Zheng, Lu De and others came to Guanjiang Tower one after another today, they all said that there would be a big show in Nanjing today. Chai Yuan was originally curious about what the so-called "big show" meant, but now
He has already guessed the answer - the "big drama" mentioned by Huo Zhengyuan and others obviously refers to the scene in front of him!
Also, why haven’t I seen the scholars from Jiangnan Gongyuan dining in Guanjiang Tower today? It turns out that it’s not that these scholars went to Xiaoling to watch the fun, but that they didn’t bother to eat at all and only focused on gathering with each other.
Get ready for conflict!
In the end, this conflict not only happened suddenly without warning, but also expanded its scope rapidly, making everyone red-eyed. This situation must be because there are some people hiding behind the scenes who are fueling the flames, and now they are watching the river.
Huo Zhengyuan, Jiang Zheng, and Lu De, who were "watching a show" on the second floor of the building and had already anticipated this "big show", were probably not able to escape their involvement!
After understanding these situations, Chai Yuan naturally did not dare to stay on the second floor of Guanjiang Building. On the one hand, he was eager to instruct the store clerk to close the store to prevent Guanjiang Building from being affected by this conflict. On the other hand, he did not dare to continue.
Staying with Huo Zhengyuan, Jiang Zheng, and Lu De, I am worried that I will hear something I shouldn't hear next.
So, Chai Yuan quickly confessed to Huo Zhengyuan and others, and hurried downstairs to leave. Before leaving, he also took away all the store clerks. For a time, only Huo Zhengyuan and Jiang Zheng were left on the second floor of Guanjiang Building.
, Lud, and one of Lud's followers.
*
Seeing the shop owner Chai Yuan leaving in a hurry, Huo Zhengyuan couldn't help but smile and said: "This shopkeeper Chai is actually a smart man."
Hearing what Huo Zhengyuan meant, Lu De also meant something and said: "Please rest assured, Master Huo, I have had many contacts with this shopkeeper Chai. He is a truly smart man and must be
Understand what you should keep secret."
In fact, Huo Zhengyuan just mentioned it casually and was not really worried that Chai Yuan would spread what he saw and heard today. On the one hand, Chai Yuan did not hear much really useful news from them. On the other hand, Chai Yuan did not hear much real useful information from them.
It's because deep down in his heart, Huo Zhengyuan doesn't care about a little person like Chai Yuan, and he doesn't think that a little person like Chai Yuan will affect him.
Therefore, after Huo Zhengyuan nodded lightly, he forgot about Chai Yuan's matter. He just stood by the window with his hands behind his hands and continued to look at the chaotic situation on the other side of the Qinhuai River. He said with a half-smile: "I am also from Jiangnan. Since I
After I went to the capital to serve as an official, I often heard from my colleagues from the north saying that the people in Jiangnan were weak and not as tough and strong as the people in the north... But now it seems that we Jiangnan people are also very bloody, even in these Gongyuan.
Scholars, when fighting each other, they are unambiguous."
Huo Zhengyuan's words may seem like praise, but anyone can hear the sarcasm in them.
In Huo Zhengyuan's eyes, the word "bloody" is most likely to be derogatory, and is synonymous with "reckless".
Therefore, although this conflict and chaos had been expected, Huo Zhengyuan, who was also a scholar in Jiangnan, felt a little bit sad when he saw that the most talented scholars in Jiangnan had lost their minds and actively participated in the group fights.
Hate his lack of contention.
On the side, Lu De opened his mouth to explain to his classmates, saying: "Under the general trend, it is difficult for individuals to stay rational when they are caught up in the public sentiment. At this time, if everyone is drunk and I am sober, I will be affected in the future.
Isolation and exclusion, not to mention the fact that there are many forces hiding behind the scenes to fuel this conflict, so I can’t blame them for losing their minds.”
Huo Zhengyuan turned to look at Lu De and asked straight to the point: "Master Lu, you should be one of the driving forces behind the scenes, right? If you hadn't repeatedly instigated public sentiment and intensified conflicts during this period, your classmates would not be here now.
To be so impulsive and blind."
At this point, Huo Zhengyuan did not wait for Lu De to answer, raised his hand and pointed to the chaotic situation on the other side of the river, and asked: "Although this drama looks lively, in the end, it is just a look at the excitement, and we cannot understand the specific situation.
, but I wonder if Mr. Lu can explain it to the two of us?"
Hearing Huo Zhengyuan say the words "the two of us", Lu De couldn't help but feel stunned, and then turned to look at Jiang Zheng carefully.
Lu De originally thought that Jiang Zheng was Huo Zhengyuan's entourage and didn't particularly care. However, after hearing what Huo Zhengyuan meant, he realized that Jiang Zheng's identity seemed not simple and that he had some weight in Huo Zhengyuan's heart.
Under Lu De's observation, he saw that Jiang Zheng was also carefully observing the situation on the other side of the river. However, unlike the calm and sarcastic Huo Zhengyuan, Jiang Zheng's expression was very serious. He had been following Yang for many years.
When I first started studying law, I was naturally disgusted with this kind of disorderly and chaotic situation.
After briefly sizing up Jiang Zheng, Lu De just thought about it for a moment, and also assumed an open and honest attitude, and explained softly: "The source of today's chaos is that some Gongsheng students from Yingtian Academy are dissatisfied with Nanjing.
In the past six months, the Ministry of Rites and the Nanjing Imperial College have increasingly favored policies favoring the children of wealthy families. In addition, His Royal Highness the Seventh Prince has an excellent reputation in Nanjing. Therefore, these Gongsheng students plan to gather today and go to the Nanjing Rites Yamen to gather a crowd to protest, hoping to
Attract the attention of His Highness the Seventh Prince and seek justice for them.
But at the same time, those Gongsheng students who came from wealthy families and entered Yingtian Academy with their wealth, as the beneficiaries, naturally did not want His Highness the Seventh Prince to notice this situation and step forward to bring order to the chaos, so they also gathered together and wanted to stop it.
The other party left Gongyuan to stop their protest...
Therefore, the current situation is that some Gongsheng students intend to break through the obstruction and come to the Nanjing Rites Yamen on the south bank of the Qinhuai River to gather a crowd to protest, while the other Gongsheng students are desperately trying to intercept them. In this way, conflicts will naturally occur!"
After hearing Lu De's explanation, Huo Zhengyuan carefully observed the situation on the other side of the river and commented: "The two sides are evenly matched."
Lu De explained again: "Yingtian Academy is not only one of the two major tribute academies in the north and south of the imperial court, but also the top of the four major academies in the world. It has always been a golden sign and has strict admissions requirements. However, the Nanjing Ministry of Rites and the Nanjing Imperial Academy do nothing to favor the children of wealthy families.
It lasted for more than half a year, so among the students of Yingtian Academy, most of them are still scholars with real talents. However, although the number of children of wealthy families who entered Yingtian Academy with their family's wealth is small, they have a large number of followers around them.
and guards, which has resulted in the current stalemate...Under such a stalemate, the conflict and chaos will naturally become more and more serious, and the negative impact will become greater and greater."
After a pause, Lu De added: "However, if we just wait a little longer, this stalemate will inevitably be broken, because those dissatisfied scholars must go to the Nanjing Rites Yamen to gather in protest! Only when those dissatisfied scholars can
After the dissatisfied scholars gathered outside the Nanjing Rites Yamen to protest, this conflict against the Nanjing Rites Bureau evolved into a civil unrest against the Nanjing Six Ministries!"
Just like a prophecy, not long after Lu De finished speaking, the conflict and stalemate on the north bank of the Qinhuai River was quickly broken.
This is because a new force suddenly joined the conflict!
*
As one of the tribute students who entered Yingtian Academy with his true talents and knowledge, Zhang Zhiyuan deeply hated the various bad policies of the Nanjing Ministry of Rites and the Nanjing Imperial College that overly favored the children of wealthy families in the past six months or so.
Because of the perverse actions of the Nanjing Ministry of Rites and the Nanjing Imperial College, not only were two of Zhang Zhiyuan's close friends ineligible to enter Yingtian Academy, but also a young man from a wealthy family who had an old grudge against him but was uneducated actually entered the academy.
He entered Yingtian Academy and suddenly became a tribute student like him.
After entering the Gongyuan, the young man from a wealthy family repeatedly provoked Zhang Zhiyuan, often saying, "What are you doing except studying?" and "Young Master, I am also a Gongsheng student like you."
Therefore, under Zhang Zhiyuan's anger, coupled with the constant instigation of some people, he naturally joined the scholars who went to the Nanjing Rites Yamen to protest, which can be said to be a positive performance.
For this action, Zhang Zhiyuan also specially prepared a banner with eighteen Chinese characters on it, which reads "Those who do things for others, let the crowd help them; those who do things for themselves, let the crowd go." This sentence comes from "Huainanzi"
, meaning that if you do big things out of a public spirit, people will naturally help you; if you only consider yourself, people will leave you.
Zhang Zhiyuan firmly believed that this warning would definitely make those officials of the Ministry of Rites feel ashamed and shameless.
But at this time, due to the obstruction of the movement and the deliberate and violent conflicts between some people, the conflict between the two sides quickly evolved into a group fight, and Zhang Zhiyuan soon became a participant in the group fight.
I saw Zhang Zhiyuan tightly grasping the banner in his hand, twisting the banner into a cloth whip and swinging it everywhere. Many people were hit by his cloth whip at that time.
However, even though Zhang Zhiyuan became more and more courageous as he fought, as if he were unworthy of all men, in the end he only had a cloth whip in his hand, which did not hurt anyone at all, and the result of the battle was almost nothing.
However, as a scholar who has read many sages' books, Zhang Zhiyuan's fighting level is just like this. In fact, most of the people on both sides of this group fight are also at this level. The method of holding himself to death is to grab his hair and tear his clothes, which is far inferior.
The shrews in the market fought each other, thinking that they had severely damaged their opponents and greatly boosted their morale.
Because of the fighting between the tribute students on both sides, the chaos caused by this conflict has quickly spread from Yingtian Academy to the entire north bank of the Qinhuai River. All the people have fled, and many green-skinned rogues have taken the opportunity to loot, but in the center of the battlefield
, the battle scene between Gongsheng on both sides is a bit dumbfounding.
Just when Zhang Zhiyuan was waving a piece of cloth to hit the enemy repeatedly, the man who was fighting against him picked up a wooden stick from nowhere, carried the piece of cloth and hit him hard, bullied himself in front of Zhang Zhiyuan, and then smashed Zhang Zhiyuan with the stick.
Stars are shining in my eyes.
After being in pain, Zhang Zhiyuan couldn't help but feel panicked when he saw that his opponent showed no respect for martial arts and took the lead in using a deadly weapon like a wooden stick, and planned to retreat temporarily to regroup.
At this moment, Zhang Zhiyuan suddenly heard a familiar shout.