Chapter 129: Making an Enemy of the Confucian School?

"Little friend, do you really want to establish this academy?"

"Once you do this, the pressure you face from the Confucian school will be immense," Lu Miaozi said, looking at Su Fan with a solemn expression.

He was a polymath with a vast range of knowledge; whether it was Confucian scholarship, Daoist classics, Mohist craftsmanship, or Legalist laws, there was nothing he was not proficient in.

These were his personal hobbies, and he was also well-versed in the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but that was just him as an individual.

However, it was a different matter if someone wanted to establish an academy for the Hundred Schools of Thought.

Ever since Emperor Wu of Han dismissed the Hundred Schools and honored only Confucianism, the Confucian school had held absolute dominance. The Daoist school had already retreated from the imperial court, while the Mohist school and other schools had all been branded as demonic paths by the Confucians.

The Legalist school had largely merged with the Confucian school.

Since the Han Dynasty, apart from a few, the Hundred Schools of Thought had almost all vanished into the long river of history.

Now, someone wanted to restore the Hundred Schools—would the Confucian school allow it?

The Confucian school was not just a single sect or faction; it was a complete union of Confucian scholars, including noble families, powerful clans, and humble scholars. This power was immense—so strong that even Emperor Guangwu would not dare to confront it head-on.

Therefore, Lu Miaozi was very worried that Su Fan was taking too large a step, which would easily lead to his own undoing.

"Haha! Master Lu, rest assured. I am naturally aware of the dangers involved. However, my academy is not called the 'Hundred Schools Academy,' and it will still be based primarily on those Confucian classics. After all, those who graduate from here in the future will all need to become officials."

"But Master Lu should be clear that the Confucian way is not entirely applicable to the territory I currently hold. I don't need them all to become polymaths like you, but at the very least, they should be able to adapt to local governance as quickly as possible once they graduate."

Su Fan was also being forced into this. Talent was hard to come by; how many talented people could the Yuwen Clan provide? It was merely a drop in the bucket.

Moreover, he did not fully trust those from the scholar-official clans. After all, many of the things he did often harmed the interests of local powerful families.

Because of this, ordinary scholar-officials were unwilling to come to him.

Only some humble scholars who felt their talents were unrecognized would come to him to try their luck.

His current territory was already quite large, spanning six commanderies and over forty county seats.

Even after retaining some of the original officials, he still needed hundreds more.

The previous officials, especially local ones like county magistrates and assistants, were mostly incompetent and lived off the state, being active only when it came to harming the common people at the bottom.

As for anything else, whenever they encountered a problem, they would only procrastinate or shift the blame.

He naturally had no need for such people.

He needed those who would bury themselves in hard work to help him execute various orders, especially now that his territory required massive construction and more capable people.

To be honest, Su Fan did not like the Confucian way, but he would not reject it either; after all, it had existed for thousands of years and must have its own merits.

However, for the various construction projects in his territory, the Confucian school alone was not enough.

"Since you have made your decision, this old man will support you with all my might."

"Haha! Naturally, I cannot do without you, Master. You are the Principal I have chosen for the academy."

Su Fan chose Lu Miaozi naturally because of his polymathic nature.

"The location of the academy will be on that mountain southeast of Wu Jun. It is near the mountains and water, only thirty-some miles from Wu Jun. The academy will be built in a few days, and I will have to trouble you then, Master Lu."

"And what are your plans for the students, little friend?"

Opening an academy was not difficult; there were many academies in the Great Sui, some founded by great Confucian scholars, but those who could enter them were generally children of noble families and powerful clans.

But Lu Miaozi believed that Su Fan would definitely not limit himself to just those.

Having been in Wu Jun for half a year, he had traveled through the entire commandery, not even sparing the villages.

In Wu Jun, he saw a vibrant vitality that did not exist elsewhere.

In other places, the common people at the bottom lived mostly in numbness, but it was different in Wu Jun. Even though the people at the very bottom were still poor, there was always a hopeful smile on their faces.

That was hope for life, hope for the future; they could see a future where their lives would become better.

This shocked Lu Miaozi. Later, when he chatted with Su Fan about this, Su Fan's answer was simple: "That is because you truly treat these common people as human beings."

"Treat them as true human beings?"

When Lu Miaozi heard this, he felt as if he had been struck by a morning bell and evening drum. So, it was that simple.

From then on, he had little doubt about whether Su Fan could unify the world. In terms of background, Su Fan came from the Yuwen Clan, which was among the top tier of the various warlords.

In terms of ability, it went without saying; in just a few years, he had built Wu Jun—originally a barren land—into something comparable to Jiangdu. If that wasn't ability, what was?

In terms of martial arts, his combat power as a Grandmaster had shaken the world after the battle at Jingnian Zen Temple.

Lu Miaozi also developed confidence in Su Fan.

He did not have much ambition for power; it was just because Su Fan had saved his life, and if Su Fan could conquer the world, Feima Ranch might at least be able to survive.

Now, since the former wanted to build an academy, he agreed without hesitation, even knowing the "dangers" involved.

As for whether it would anger those in the Confucian school, Lu Miaozi did not care. He was already old, and he did not care about his posthumous reputation.

As for the danger of being assassinated by the Confucian school, he was even less afraid.

The Confucian school became the number one school in the world not by relying on martial force. Even if the Confucian school had some experts, it was unlikely they had a Grandmaster.

After all, most orthodox Confucian disciples practiced martial arts only for self-defense and health, just like some in the Daoist school who practiced martial arts for longevity.

Killing and fighting were not the nature of the Confucian school; that was the way of the Military School.

There was a Grandmaster in Wu Jun; no one with eyes would dare to come here and act recklessly.

Therefore, the academy could be opened. As the Principal, the danger existed but was not great, though his reputation might not be good.

The pens of the Confucian school were very terrifying.

Of course, Lu Miaozi knew that Su Fan's future would likely be even more difficult. He could perceive that some of Su Fan's actions were setting him against all the noble families and powerful clans.

He did not voice the worry in his heart because he believed Su Fan was aware of it himself, and since the other party still chose to do so, he must have already made up his mind.

It was just that Lu Miaozi still hoped Su Fan would move a bit slower, as that would be more stable.

"The first batch of students will be selected from my private troops. Those people have learned for a few years in the military camp; they are all literate and have read books for a few years."

"Then, we will accept a portion of students from humble backgrounds. As for the scholar-officials, if they are willing, they can also be admitted."

"The ocean accepts all rivers, and thus it becomes vast. Whether they are from noble families or humble backgrounds, as long as they are willing to enter the academy to learn, they can be admitted."

"In the future, I will have to trouble you with the academy, Master."

Su Fan knew that the future academy would definitely not be peaceful. After all, mixing so many classes of people together would likely be a powder keg, and it would require Lu Miaozi to keep the peace.

"Sigh!"

Lu Miaozi gave a bitter smile upon hearing this, naturally understanding that this was not an easy job. ===== CHAPTER 130 =====