Chapter 960: Declaration of Human Rights

Li Huang and his group's expressions changed drastically.

Li Tun, however, could not help but slap his thigh and shout, "Good!"

The scholar-official must come from the people!

This is where the illness of the current Li Dynasty lies!

What is a scholar?

First, one must possess sufficient cultural knowledge; in modern terms, that is an intellectual. In ancient times, readers were called Confucian students or Confucian scholars, and students who became officials were called scholar-officials.

Second, it is virtue; one must be an upright person who cares about society, cares about the people's livelihood, is enthusiastic about social construction and development, and contributes to it. This has already formed a consensus.

Only when the two are combined can one be called a "scholar"!

However, what about the current Li Dynasty?

What Easterners, Westerners, Southerner Party, Northerners.

But what about the Li Dynasty of this world?

:

Students from humble backgrounds?

Hah.

The formation of these parties has, in reality, solidified the class structure of the entire society over time.

Class solidification.

China's Ming Dynasty also had such a situation, but after all, at that time, China's Imperial Examination was already very mature, and occasionally a talent for governing the world like Zhang Juzheng could still emerge.

Just like the muddled monarchs of past dynasties, such scholar-officials ascend to heaven, talking about pleading for the people, worrying about the country and the people, what intellectuals, what elites—most have become the parasites of this society!

To put it another way.

In terms of talent, there has been no replacement or injection of fresh blood for such a long time. People all have selfish desires; how could those truly in positions of power not want to think of their own descendants?

Wanting to enter an official career? Don't even think about it!

This has led to officials always being officials, while the common people can only be common people! Over time, scholars have truly become a kind of hereditary Noble! But human development is, after all, full of too many uncertainties; who can guarantee that their descendants will all be scholars?

And so.

"You"

"Talking nonsense!"

"What do you know about the Li Dynasty!"

Discontinuity.

This is class solidification and a talent gap.

This is the true illness of the Li Dynasty!

"Well said!"

"Vice Minister Liu is worthy of being Vice Minister Liu!"

"Good!"

"You"

The civil and military officials brought by Li Huang were all furious and filled with righteous indignation.

The common people, the masses, and among these people, naturally including those students from humble backgrounds, had already gone wild.

"You"

Li Huang looked astonished; clearly, he had just been about to say that.

"Good, did you see that? This is the true face of these scholar-officials!"

"This is the voice that belongs to us!"

Li Huang was left red-faced and speechless by Liu Zheng's retort.

Liu Zheng laughed heartily and continued: "Is the gentleman going to tell me that there is no place for these lowly people in participating in state affairs?"

"You all"

"You all are insulting the refined, insulting the refined!"

Li Huang and the others had ashen faces, yet they could not strike back, and the Duqi Duwei nearby watched as if they saw nothing.

"Hahahaha, on one hand talking about loving the people as one's own kin, on the other hand calling us lowly people!"

"Bah! Without us, where would you come from!"

The masses present today came from all walks of life; among them were students from humble backgrounds, merchants, wealthy landowners, and even various artisans and farmers. At this moment, they were all following Liu Zheng's rhythm, cursing loudly. They were not all scholars; they were spitting with rage, and several women even threw rotten vegetable leaves they were holding.

"Shameless!"

"Wild talk!"

"Not knowing a single character, how can you govern the country?"

"Just by relying on these people?"

Li Huang pointed angrily at Liu Zheng: "Just by relying on these vulgar people, how can you govern the country?"

Liu Zheng laughed: "It can be governed!"

"Presumptuous!"

"You"

"You, you, you, you Vice Minister Liu, where do you place the royal family!"

"Scholar-Farmer-Artisan-Merchant has been so since ancient times; is Vice Minister Liu trying to forget his ancestors?"

Liu Zheng said indifferently: "But in Liu Zheng's view, the so-called Scholar-Farmer-Artisan-Merchant is merely a social division of labor, not a difference in social class. The people are the most important, the state comes second, and the ruler is the least important. Therefore, one gains the support of the common people to become the Son of Heaven, gains the support of the Son of Heaven to become a feudal lord, and gains the support of the feudal lords to become a high official. If the feudal lords endanger the state, they are replaced. When the sacrifices are prepared, the grain is clean, and the sacrifices are offered at the proper time, yet there is drought or flooding, then the state is replaced."

"The Master's words mean this world should be the people's world, the commoners' world, the world of the millions of lowly people you look down upon! The Master spoke of Heaven-Given Imperial Power, but Liu Zheng believes that what is Heaven-Given should be human rights!"

Liu Zheng continued: "Liu Zheng believes that in terms of rights, people are born equal and free, and only in public utility should there be social differences. This is the difference between Scholar-Farmer-Artisan-Merchant. Therefore, since ancient times, people's interpretation of 'Scholar-Farmer-Artisan-Merchant' has already been distorted."

"You."

Li Huang was so shocked by these shocking words that he stood up.

A group of Scholar-officials beat their chests and stamped their feet, adding fuel to the fire, wishing the King would put this brat to death.

However, everything they did was in vain.

Li Tun remained calm.

Liu Zheng was reinterpreting these principles and traditions that had been passed down for thousands of years, yet it did not feel out of place at all!

What is eloquence?

This is eloquence!

Yet this Liu Zheng cited classics in every sentence, making people convinced, and he had no way to refute it.

The commoners listening were already trembling with excitement!

Well said!

He's crazy!

Li Huang shouted out, looking at Liu Zheng in horror.

This was no longer just shocking words!

"Two."

At this moment, Liu Zheng had become the focus of the entire venue, and everyone was looking at him with different expressions.

He also turned his head to look at Li Tun, continuing to speak shocking words: "Liu Zheng believes that the purpose of any political group should be to preserve the natural, inalienable rights of man! These rights are liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression! This includes the Scholar-officials, and it also includes the royal family!"

Unstoppable cheers.

Listen to these words; every single one of them was fighting for their rights! Yes, what they wanted were rights, not power!

The whole venue roared, a mountain-shaking, sea-toppling sound that could no longer be stopped.

This was simply horrifying to hear!

This is a taboo!

The commoners were also crazy.

"No group and no individual may exercise any authority that does not emanate from the sovereign power!"

"Fourth."

Everyone, by this time, had been stunned.

"My god."

Queen Inhyeon was startled by this future son-in-law of hers.

Liu Zheng, however, became more and more excited as he spoke: "Third, the principle of all sovereignty and political groups resides essentially in the nation!"

Liu Zheng's voice was resonant and powerful.

But the voices of the commoners were even more incessant, cheering without end.

It could not be stopped.

"Human rights and liberty mean having the right to engage in all actions that do not harm others! Therefore, the exercise of the natural rights of each individual has no limits except those that ensure that the other members of society enjoy the same rights!"

"Fifth, the law is the expression of the general will, and all citizens of the country have the right to participate personally or through their representatives in the formulation and improvement of the law."

"Sixth."

He suddenly realized something was wrong and looked abruptly at Li Tun behind him.

Li Tun remained calm.

Was all of this authorized by him?

It was completely unstoppable.

Li Huang tried to interrupt Liu Zheng several times, but he was soon drowned out by the voices of the commoners.

The debate had become a one-man speech.

Following that, this old fox who had galloped through the officialdom for decades began to break out in a cold sweat at this moment.

Your Majesty

Does he not want the royal power anymore?