Chapter 41: The Remonstrating Son

"April 15th, Qiu white, clan brother is safe?

Received the Prince of Jingling's letter at noon, saying that the Commandery School is a matter of the state government, and it has always been decided by the Inspector of this state,

Although the Prince is a prime minister, he cannot seize the state affairs.

The Prince admires the brother's talent very much, often places the book *Book of Documents Sound Correction* written by the brother on the desk, reads it day and night, and sighs and praises it endlessly,

Now sincerely invites the brother to enter the capital and enter the curtain of the West Mansion.

And said if the brother is unwilling to be an official in the Prince's Mansion, he can also fill the position of National School Doctor..."

Liu Zhao read this and was furious: "I, Liu Zhao, am asking for the sake of the Jingzhou school pulse, not for my own benefit?! People in the world all say the Prince of Jingling is virtuous, is this how he is virtuous?!"

What "Commandery School is a matter of the state government, it has always been decided by the Inspector of this state."

That Jingzhou Inspector, the Prince of Badong, is the fourth younger brother of the Prince of Jingling!

Although the Prince of Badong is arrogant and wild, as long as the Prince of Jingling is willing to speak, how could the Prince of Badong not give face?!

If he is unwilling to help, he should say he is unwilling to help, why use such words to block it?

Seeing his master trembling with anger, the servant hurriedly went to support him. Liu Zhao waved his hand and continued to read the letter.

He still held a glimmer of hope. After all, the Prince of Jingling's virtue and love of learning were well-known, and he was also known for helping the poor. Logically speaking, it was just a matter of one sentence, and he wouldn't refuse so simply!

Then Liu Zhao was completely disappointed. The following text was all Liu Qiu's retelling of the Prince of Jingling's praise and recruitment of Liu Zhao, and persuading Liu Zhao to set off for the capital quickly.

If it were an ordinary person, receiving such a letter would naturally be overjoyed. But Liu Zhao was getting angrier the more he thought about it, only feeling insulted!

He put down his pride, let go of his aloofness, and wrote to the Prince of Jingling for help, asking the Prince of Jingling to save the century-old Commandery School and the Jingzhou school pulse. But the Prince of Jingling actually allowed him to be an official! The implication is that what I, Liu Zhao, am worried about is not the survival of the Commandery School, but my own salary and glory!

Liu Zhao was shaking his hands and eyes, when suddenly a servant ran over to report: "Master, Master, Young Master Wang is back!"

Liu Zhao hurriedly calmed down and silently recited: "Don't be angry, don't be angry, learning is the first. Don't be angry, don't be angry, learning is the first."

After Wang Yang arrived, Liu Zhao had already calmed down, prepared paper and ink, and said half-jokingly and half-seriously: "Zhiyan, you can't sleep too early today, at least you have to write until the Hai hour (9 to 11 pm)."

"The Master sleeps at the Hai hour. Tonight I am prepared to finish the manuscript in one go!"

Wang Yang said confidently. Since he promised to pick up Ah Wu to play in the city tomorrow, he should finish the work today!

Liu Zhao only felt that joy came from heaven, patted his palm and said:

"Good! Since Zhiyan is so diligent, how can I sleep alone?! Come! Start!"

Wang Yang: I understood the meaning, why does it feel wrong???

Yu Yuling saw the two people's hot-blooded appearance and also got on the head: "I won't sleep either! Serve the teacher and Brother Wang until dawn!"

Liu Zhao waved his hand: "No need for you to serve, you go home quickly, what is it to live here all the time?"

Yu Yuling was dissatisfied with his father's cold attitude towards the Commandery School, and said angrily: "I won't go back! I don't even want to stay in that house!"

"What kind of words are these? The Master said: 'Serve parents with gentle remonstrance, if the will is not followed, be respectful and not violate, labor and not complain.' Although you failed to remonstrate with your father, you must not have resentment. I agreed to let you live in the Commandery School before, which is to let you uphold the meaning of 'accepting small sticks and running away from big sticks.' Now your father's fire should have gone out, and you should go back to fulfill the way of a son. Besides, you will be ranked soon, if you are demoted by public opinion because of this, that is my crime as a teacher."

"Public opinion" is local opinion, which is the reputation formed by local gentry for a person.

In the Wei and Jin Dynasties, public opinion was an important part of the "Nine-Rank Middle Official" selection system.

By the Southern Dynasty, the Nine-Rank Middle Official system became rigid, and the role of public opinion began to weaken, but it still could not be ignored. Even if an official violated public opinion, he would be punished, and in serious cases, he would be "imprisoned for life," that is, he could not be an official for life.

Seeing that Yu Yuling was still reluctant, Liu Zhao said seriously: "If you still recognize me as a teacher, go home immediately!"

Yu Yuling sighed, bowed to the teacher and said: "The student obeys the order."

"Back?"

A thin and tall man in a blue and white long shirt was practicing the Five Animals Play in the garden, slowly stretching his arms, and asked indifferently.

This is the most prestigious person in the Yu clan of Xinye, and also the leader of the Jingzhou gentry—Yu Yi.

"Yes." Yu Yuling looked at his father's indifferent attitude, and felt stuffy in his heart.

"Go back to the room and read, go to the National School in October."

Yu Yuling clenched his fists, brewed again and again and said: "The son won't go."

Yu Yi's arms bent, shoulders sank and elbows dropped, continuing to practice: "You have studied in the Commandery School for three years, and you were supposed to enter the National School after graduation."

"The son knows, but if the Commandery School is abolished, the son will stay in Jingzhou and help the teacher restore the school. If the school is not restored, I will not leave Jingzhou."

Yu Yi's arm movement stopped, slowly closing the posture, and looked at Yu Yuling: "You go to the National School, it is by family background, not by the recommendation of the Commandery School."

"Yes, but since the son graduated from the Commandery School, he will not watch the school being abolished!"

"What can you do?" Yu Yi frowned.

"The son's power is not enough, I can't do anything, so I can only try to rebuild after the school is abolished."

"Your teacher doesn't dare to say he can rebuild, can you?"

"The son is young, strive to become a great Confucian twenty years later, and then do human affairs and listen to heaven's destiny."

Yu Yi smiled lightly: "You Confucians say ruler and minister, father and son, can the son not listen to what the father says?"

Yu Yuling paused and knelt down, answering:

"The *Classic of Filial Piety* says: 'If a father has a remonstrating son, he will not fall into unrighteousness.'"

Yu Yi leaned down, his eyes forcing his son:

"Then your meaning is, you are a remonstrating son, and I am an unrighteous father?"

Yu Yuling endured and endured, but still couldn't help it, and said loudly:

"You are the leader for the gentry of my state, a friend for my teacher, and a father for the son.

Now the Jingzhou school pulse has a disaster! Friends are in trouble! The son is in a hurry!

But the father stands by and watches, indifferent, and is not willing to say a word!

Publicly and privately, it really can't be called an 'righteous' word!"

Yu Yi didn't speak, stared at his son for a few seconds, suddenly sneered a few times, flicked his sleeves and left.

Yu Yuling looked at his father's back and was stunned for a while, then sighed, stood up, and decided to return to the Commandery School to live. When he reached the door, he saw his brother Yu Qianlou rushing over with several attendants:

"Ajie! You just returned home, are you leaving again?"

Yu Qianlou was twelve years older than Yu Yuling and was currently the Chief Clerk of Jingzhou.

He had been steady and heavy since he was a child, known for his filial piety and brotherly love, and had been managing family affairs on behalf of his father very early. It can be said that the heavy responsibility of raising and teaching Yu Yuling was transferred to this brother. It can be said that the time Yu Yuling spent with his father was not as much as the time he spent with his brother.

Seeing his brother, Yu Yuling felt sour in his heart and said in a hoarse voice: "Father hates me so much, why should I stay here to add to his blockage?" ===== CHAPTER 42 =====

When Yu Yuling saw his elder brother, he felt a pang of sorrow in his heart and said in a hoarse voice, "Father dislikes me so much, why should I stay here and be an eyesore to him?"