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At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the three great Confucian scholars in China were Huang Zongxi, Sun Qifeng, and Li Yong.

Li Yong belongs to the special one because he has no teacher.

After his father died in battle, his widowed mother raised him to live a difficult life. Every time he was sent to a private school, he was rejected because he had no money. At the age of nine, Li Yong finally entered a private school and was driven home after only 20 days of study.

Li Yong helped his mother chop firewood and sell money, and helped his mother spin and weave. In his spare time, his mother taught him to read and write.

Malnourished, with a complexion like vegetables, known as "Li Cai".

There is a wealthy family in the county who has a lot of books. Hearing about Li Yong's deeds, he was allowed to browse the books casually. At a young age, he was self-taught and wrote "Twenty-one Historical Corrections". Later, he burned this book because it was not the main line of Confucianism, and then devoted himself to studying Song and Ming Neo Confucianism, and finally became the great master of "Guan Xue".

Li Yong in this time and space has a slightly better situation.

When the Datong Army regained Shaanxi, Li Yong had already passed the age of free reading. But the principal of the local elementary school still allowed him to sit in, but he was not allowed to take the final exam.

Without any academic qualifications, Li Yong sat in on the elementary school courses, and borrowed books to complete the middle school courses by himself. Because the government divided the fields between the mother and the son, he had to study by himself while farming. It was so difficult, but he had finished reading "Spring and Autumn", "Historical Records" and "Zi Zhi Tong Jian", and was invited by rich families to be a tutor to teach math and physics to rich families.

Moreover, Li Yong was still studying Song and Ming Neo Confucianism by himself, inheriting the improved Guan Xue lineage in the late Ming Dynasty.

Wang Zhiliang, the president of Jinling University, heard of Li Yong's diligent deeds when he returned to his hometown to visit his relatives, so he recruited him to test and teach in person.

Li Yong answered fluently, and Wang Zhiliang fell in love with him, so he asked him to attend Jinling University. Wang Zhiliang paid for all expenses, but he didn't have a high school diploma, so he couldn't take the formal exam.

Li Yong was unwilling to go to Nanjing because his widowed mother was at home. His mother tied a noose to the beam and forced him to commit suicide. Li Yong finally went to Jinling University.

Now that I have finished my college courses, I first found a job as a tabloid editor, and later I was hired as a librarian for the "Golden House".

The Golden House is a public library funded by the royal family.

When Li Yong was managing books, he could point out the location no matter what kind of book it was. No matter what questions were raised by the guests who borrowed books, he could quickly answer them, gradually accumulating a lot of fame.

To find teachers for the prince, not all of them are famous scholars, but also a few young people.

Wang Zhiliang then recommended Li Yong, but his qualifications were too shallow, and he was not qualified to be a teacher at all.

Unexpectedly, after hearing Li Yong's deeds, the emperor invited him to personally examine him.

Li Yong was only 25 years old this year. He was guided to walk in the Forbidden City calmly and without squinting. The majestic palace did not affect his mind at all.

In a large hall, Li Yong met the emperor, and he knelt down and kowtowed: "Xiaomin Li Yong, kowtow to my emperor!"

Zhao Han put down his brush and said, "In the new dynasty, there is no need to kneel on non-important occasions. Get up."

Li Yong knelt straight and cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, my father died early, and it was not easy for my mother to raise Xiaomin. Xiaomin went to school many times, but was rejected by the school teacher. As soon as our Datong army arrived, we settled down with the people and shared the land. Xiaomin He and his mother also share the fertile land. Although Xiaomin has passed his age, the primary school of the Datong court actually allows him to sit in and study. Giving the land and receiving education, both of these two things are the grace of regeneration. This kneeling, this Kowtow, it's not the people who kneel to the king, but they are actually kneeling to thank the benefactor!"

Zhao Han was very satisfied with these remarks, and said with a smile, "Come here and give me a seat."

Li Yong stood up straight, as if he didn't know how to be polite, he strode up to the emperor, and then sat there upright.

Thin, the man was very thin, with sunken cheeks.

But he is definitely not a weak scholar. He has been chopping firewood since he was a child and selling it for money. After dividing the fields, he has been farming all year round.

Zhao Han asked: "You are from the Guan Xue line?"

Li Yong shook his head: "Reporting to Your Majesty, Xiaomin has no teacher, so he can only read any books he can get. In Xiaomin's hometown, there is a bibliophile who allows Xiaomin to read books. At that time, Xiaomin read history books and books. Guan Xue. Later, he sat in on elementary school, middle school, and university, and learned a lot of practical knowledge. Mathematics, physics, astronomy, geography, law, water conservancy...the list goes on. Although he is not very proficient, he also learned a lot. As for mathematics, Xiaomin also has some experience, and has been admitted as a member of the mathematics society."

Zhao Han couldn't help laughing, Li Yong, the three great Confucianists in the late Ming Dynasty and the master of Guan studies, actually engaged in mathematics research in this time and space.

Zhao Han asked: "You have learned a lot, which knowledge is the most important?"

Li Yong replied: "The most important thing is people, not any kind of knowledge. All kinds of knowledge can be summed up in only fourteen words: understand the Tao with the heart as the body, and manage the world for use. If scholars in the world can't understand the Tao with the heart, then Knowing astronomy at the top and geography at the bottom is of no benefit to the country or the people. If you only know the way and have the heart, but don’t know how to apply what you have learned, and don’t understand all kinds of miscellaneous learning and practical learning, then you will become a fake Taoist.”

"This statement makes sense." Zhao Han was extremely satisfied.

Historically, Gu Yanwu and Li Yong had repeatedly debated knowledge. Li Yong clearly proposed that the object of investigation should be extended to "ceremony, music, military punishment, taxation and farming", and even to practical studies such as "Taixi Water Law".

At that time, because of his great fame, he was invited by the Qing governor of Shaanxi to give a lecture at Guanzhong Academy. Although Li Yong accepted the invitation, he did not wear the clothes and hats given by the government, but only wore common clothes to give lectures.

After three months of giving lectures, he was recommended by the governor of Shaanxi to be an official. Li Yong refused eight times. This incident alarmed the Ministry of Rites, and sent a commissioner to visit, urging him to go to Beijing as soon as possible to become an official. Li Yong pretended to be sick and was bedridden, but was carried to Xi'an with the bed. When he reached the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, he grabbed a knife and committed suicide, but was stopped by the officials and had to be sent back to his hometown.

Li Yong continued to peddle his own ideas: "The chaos of the world lies in the righteousness of the people's hearts. The righteousness of the people's hearts lies in the clarity of academics. The brightness of academics lies in the likes and dislikes of the current world. The death of the Ming Dynasty, in addition to land annexation, also perishes To get scholars by stereotypes is to perish when everyone is chasing profit!"

"Continue." Zhao Han was noncommittal.

Li Yong said in detail: "There is nothing wrong with imperial examinations. Stereotyped essays are not a bad thing. However, stereotyped imperial examinations cannot find chapters and excerpt sentences. If things go on like this, the learning of sages will be ruined and fall into the evil situation of taking righteousness out of context. Jinshi Juren , Learning does not distinguish the true meaning of sages and sages, and governing the people does not understand farming, mulberry and harvest. I study hard in the cold window, only seeking the title of the gold list. After three years of clearing the magistrate, one hundred thousand snowflakes and silver, they want fame and profit, but they do not repay the emperor's favor , Not sympathetic to the suffering of the people."

"To study and learn, the first thing is to correct the mind, and the second is to be pragmatic. Not only must the minds of the scholars be corrected, but also the minds of all the people in the world. If you persuade the good and eliminate the evil, everyone will do good, and the social atmosphere will be correct. Your Majesty promotes education, and children can Three years of free reading, as long as it is implemented for 20 years, this move will surely correct the hearts of the world."

"That's all?" Zhao Han felt that it was not enough.

Li Yong went on to say: "The granary knows the etiquette, and the food and clothing are enough to know the shame. If you want to correct the hearts of the people in the world, you must not only let the people in the world read good books, but also let the people in the world eat enough and wear warm clothes. The people are freezing. Is it not a big joke to let them observe the etiquette and know their shame after starving to death? Therefore, it is righteous to let the people in the world read books; it is pragmatic to let the people in the world have no worries about food and clothing. Both of these are indispensable. "

Zhao Han asked: "The Confucian scholars of the Imperial Academy look down on the practical scholars of the Qintian Academy. What's your opinion on this?"

Li Yong replied: "Confucius scholars who look down on practical learning are comprehending fake Confucian classics. Confucian classics are based on practical learning. If there is no practical learning, only classic learning is like a person who has only a head but no hands and feet. Similarly, only practical learning , ignorant of Confucian classics, like a burly fool."

Confucian classics here generally refers to Chinese philosophy.

Zhao Han was very satisfied with this young man, and finally expressed his attitude: "Principal Wang of Jinling University recommends you to be Zuo Chunfang's adviser. This official position is too low, and you can only learn from the ninth grade, which does not match your talents. But you have no education. Fame is too high-ranked rashly, and it will inevitably attract criticism, so you should be the Qing Jilang of Zuo Chunfang."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

After all, Li Yong was only 25 years old, and he was quite excited when he was suddenly recognized by the emperor, but his face was still calm.

Qing Jilang was only a minor official of the eighth rank, responsible for the picketing and reporting of offending officials in the East Palace. It is also necessary to review the official documents of the East Palace, and to correct the violations and omissions in the official documents.

Zhao Han added: "The prince is studying in the Wenhua Palace, you can follow the prince around."

Li Yong finally couldn't be calm, he looked at the emperor in surprise, this is a close minister who asked him to be the prince.

The three major Confucian scholars in the late Ming Dynasty, Huang Zongxi and Li Yong, were all thrown to the prince by Zhao Han. Although Huang Zongxi was not an official of the Eastern Palace, he also served as one of the main lecturers of the Eastern Palace.

There is only one Sun Qifeng left, Zhao Han does not intend to use it.

Sun Qifeng lived in seclusion in Henan at this time, and has been recommended by many officials. But this person is too deeply involved with the Donglin Party, and he majors in Lu Wang's Psychology. Although he also strives to integrate the Psychology and Neo-Confucianism, advocating the practical application of the world, Zhao Han always feels that it is not to his liking. This gentleman, let's continue to be his Northern Confucian master among the people.

In the entire northern region, Sun Qifeng has been hailed as the number one Confucianist.

By the way, Sun Qifeng is also the village chief and primary school principal.

He originally lived in Beizhili, but his land was seized by the Tartars, so he had to flee to Henan with his clan. Many disciples followed him to settle in Henan. Scholars in Henan also seek him to study. Sun Qifeng called on the students to reclaim the wasteland, and a brand new village was formed amidst the chaos.

The young boy who studied under Sun Qifeng at first got two Jinshi in the first imperial examination of the New Dynasty of Datong.

Li Yong left the Forbidden City steadily, and not far from the city gate, he staggered and almost fell. He was so happy that he forgot to look at his feet, tripped over a foreign object and lost his balance.

"Be upright, be upright, don't be surprised by favor or shame!"

Li Yong clenched his fists tightly, thinking silently all the time, but he couldn't help but smile on his face.