Chapter 87: Dong Zhongshu Becomes a Sage

When the Southwest Yi successfully suppressed the rebellion, paper currency was smoothly implemented, and merchants traveled frequently along the Tea-Horse Ancient Road.

Dong Zhongshu, who had achieved extraordinary feats, chose to retreat from the tumult and returned to the school he had first established in Qiongdu Yi.

He looked at the Qiongdu people gathered in the school and spoke loudly: "Folks, this school contains knowledge and wisdom you have never encountered, which can improve your lives and give your descendants a broader future."

Dong Zhongshu said sincerely.

Thanks to his efforts, some brave children finally entered the school.

In the school, the simple desks and chairs were neatly arranged, and sunlight streamed through the windows, forming bright patches on the floor.

Dong Zhongshu stood on the podium, holding a yellowed book in his hands, which was the teaching material he had carefully prepared.

At the start of class, Dong Zhongshu first taught the children to recognize characters.

He picked up a branch, and on the leveled sand he wrote simple Chinese characters stroke by stroke, explaining each character's meaning and pronunciation as he wrote.

"Children, look at this 'ri' character; its shape resembles the sun in the sky that brings us light and warmth every day, round and radiant."

As he spoke, he raised his head and pointed to the sun hanging outside the window; the children followed his gesture, curiously looking up at the sky.

"Our daily life cannot be separated from the sun; this 'ri' character represents the sun, and it is also the Son of Heaven of the Great Han and the spirit of Qiongdu Yi, symbolizing light and hope."

The children widened their eyes, staring fixedly at the characters on the ground; some followed Dong Zhongshu's gestures, tracing them in the air, whispering the pronunciations softly, striving to remember these unfamiliar yet novel symbols.

Next came the arithmetic lesson; to make abstract numbers vivid and understandable, Dong Zhongshu pulled a handful of pebbles from his pocket.

"Come, children, today we will learn to count."

He divided the pebbles into several piles, then began guiding the children to count.

"One pile of pebbles is one, two piles are two, what about three piles?"

The children eagerly stretched out their little hands, pointing at the pebbles while counting seriously.

……

Besides literacy and arithmetic, Dong Zhongshu also added history and geography to the curriculum.

In history class, he would tell the children about the long history and splendid culture of the Great Han.

"Children, long ago our ancestors toiled on this land, creating countless miracles. They invented writing, enabling us to record every detail of life; they built magnificent palaces and sturdy walls, protecting our homeland."

As he spoke, he used a branch to draw simple patterns on the ground—such as ancient palaces, walls, and farm tools—to help the children better imagine that distant era.

"There are many heroic figures who sacrificed their lives to defend the Great Han. For example, General Huo Qubing led the Han army to defeat the Xiongnu repeatedly, allowing our people to live in peace and prosperity."

The children listened, entranced, with admiration shining in their eyes.

In geography class, Dong Zhongshu would use a simple map to introduce the children to the vast territory of the Great Han.

He pointed to different regions on the map and said: "Children, look, this is where we live, the Southwest Yi. To our east lies a vast plain where the land is fertile and people grow abundant grain and vegetables; to our north stretch continuous mountains and grasslands, home to many brave herders. The land of the Great Han is extremely vast, with all kinds of scenery and products."

To help the children directly experience the characteristics of different regions, Dong Zhongshu would also recount his own travel observations, such as how coastal fishermen catch fish and how desert caravans cross sand dunes.

The children listened with relish, their curiosity and longing for the outside world filling them.

Dong Zhongshu not only educated the naive children, but also deeply participated in mediating the conflicts between tribes, constantly resolving them.

Thanks to Dong Zhongshu's efforts, conflicting tribes continually reached agreements and reconciled.

At the same time, Dong Zhongshu established a long-term cooperation mechanism for exchanging experience in agriculture, handicraft production, and so on, developing together.

As tribal disputes were successfully settled, Dong Zhongshu's prestige in the Southwest Yi further increased.

The people of all tribes praised his wisdom and fairness without reserve, and more and more tribes, when encountering problems, would proactively seek his help.

Dong Zhongshu went with the flow, actively shuttling between tribes to mediate.

He organized inter-tribal exchange activities, allowing everyone to share production experience and customs, enhancing mutual understanding and trust among the tribes.

Thanks to his efforts, conflicts between tribes gradually diminished, replaced by mutual cooperation and support.

Dong Zhongshu also, based on Liu Ju's ideas, helped the tribes establish fair and reasonable trade rules, promoting economic development in the Southwest Yi region.

He guided the people to utilize local resources to develop specialty industries, significantly raising the living standards in the Southwest Yi.

Dong Zhongshu cultivated batch after batch of outstanding students who not only mastered rich knowledge but also inherited the cultural essence of the Southwest Yi, becoming the backbone of its regional development.

After Dong Zhongshu's relentless efforts, the Southwest Yi region underwent a tremendous transformation.

Tribes lived in harmony, the people dwelled in peace and prosperity, and culture flourished.

Dong Zhongshu's name became known throughout the Southwest Yi; more and more people began to honor him as the "Confucian Sage," and increasing numbers of Southwest Yi populace hung portraits of the Son of Heaven Liu Ju and Dong Zhongshu in their homes for veneration.

When the messenger raced back to Chang'an on a whipped horse, bearing the latest news from the Southwest Yi, he entered the court dusty and weary.

He knelt on one knee and loudly reported: "Your Majesty, Dong Zhongshu's teaching of the people in the Southwest Yi has yielded outstanding achievements; he has now been honored by the local populace as the 'Confucian Sage'!"

As soon as the news spread, the court erupted in an uproar; officials stared at each other, whispered, and the atmosphere grew tense.

After a moment, Jin Ridi bowed his hands and advised Liu Ju: "Your Majesty, the fact that Dong Zhongshu is revered as a Confucian Sage in the Southwest Yi must not be taken lightly; his prestige is rising daily, and if left unchecked, it may threaten Your Majesty's supreme position in the hearts of the Han populace."

"If this continues, it will pose a threat to Your Majesty's rule! I believe the urgent priority is to recall Dong Zhongshu to Chang'an, weaken his influence in the Southwest Yi, and prevent future troubles."

Upon these words, many officials nodded in agreement.

And Minister of Works Chen Ying echoed: "Your Majesty, that official's words are quite correct. Although Dong Zhongshu has merit, his prestige is now excessively high, exceeding the bounds proper for a subject. We must guard against it; if left uncontrolled, the consequences would be unimaginable."

Facing the officials' doubts and suggestions, Liu Ju did not immediately express his stance.

His gaze swept over the officials in the hall one by one, as he pondered silently.

After a moment, Liu Ju spoke slowly, his voice steady and strong: "All my beloved ministers, I have observed everything that Marquis Xuanwen has done in the Southwest Yi."

"Through his wisdom and effort, he has earned meritorious service for the stability and development of the Southwest Yi, letting its people live in peace and prosperity, and remaining loyally devoted to the Great Han."

"Being honored as a Confucian Sage is his deserved honor, reflecting the people's recognition and reverence for him."

Liu Ju paused, then continued: "As the Son of Heaven, I hold the world in my heart, taking the people's welfare as my duty. Dong Zhongshu's actions are precisely putting my governance philosophy into practice, seeking welfare for the people."

"The higher his prestige, the greater his contribution to the people; this poses no threat to the Great Han's rule, but rather greatly promotes it."

"Marquis Xuanwen Dong Zhongshu's achievements in establishing virtue, words, and deeds—the three immortals—make him a model for all scholars under heaven."

"I will not only refrain from recalling Dong Zhongshu, but will also enshrine him as the true Confucian Sage, to be worshipped by scholars worldwide!"

"From today onward, Dong Zhongshu shall be the benchmark of sages through the ages, revered for eternity."

The ministers, upon hearing Liu Ju's words, all showed expressions of utter shock.

They never expected that Liu Ju would actually make such a decision.

But Dong Zhongshu truly possessed great merit; only when they examined carefully did they discover that Dong Zhongshu had become a sage, wholly deserving of it.

Thereafter, Liu Ju issued an imperial edict, formally honoring Dong Zhongshu as the Confucian Sage, enfeoffing him as Prince Xuanwen of the Great Han, and ordered the construction of Confucian Sage shrines throughout the country for scholars to worship.

As soon as this edict was issued, it immediately caused a sensation throughout the Great Han.

Scholars everywhere expressed reverence and admiration for Dong Zhongshu, and his name spread to every corner of the Great Han.

Dong Zhongshu had become the living sage of the Great Han!