Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5023: Personality Cult
Xin Maojiang was somewhat embarrassed. Everyone thought that he was trying to climb up the high branch of Xu Jingzong, but it was not true. At first, Xu Jingzong wanted to marry his beloved daughter to him, but Xin Maojiang declined. As a student of the academy, how could he not know Xu Jingzong's true nature?
Greedy, money-making, violent... Who would want to get close to such a pure villain?
However, later on, by chance, he met and got to know the daughter of the Xu family. He was immediately impressed by her gentle temperament, beautiful face, and erudition. Who could have thought that such a father with no bottom line could give birth to such a beautiful daughter?
In Fang Jun's words, "bad bamboo produces good shoots"...

The two of them secretly decided to spend their lives together, but Xu Jingzong despised them and asked for a sky-high price for the bride price in a condescending manner. Xin Maojiang could not afford it, so he had to seek help from Fang Jun.

Fang Jun personally brought Xin Maojiang to the gate of Xu's house. Xu Jingzong then reluctantly agreed to the marriage, but he also expressed his dissatisfaction by saying that "it is not appropriate to hold a grand ceremony". The wedding was held in a low-key manner, and except for a few close friends and classmates in the academy, the outside world was unaware of it.

What a shame.

……

Now that Your Majesty suddenly mentions marriage, Xin Mao will be extremely embarrassed and ashamed.

Fang Jun poured more wine for Li Chengqian and said with a smile: "Why should General Mao be discouraged? Zhang Liang was originally a commoner, and Xiao He was a county official. Yan Zi was only five feet tall, but he was appointed as the prime minister of Qi; Kong Ming lived in a thatched cottage, but he was able to be the military advisor of Shu Han... A noble son from a poor family should have lofty ambitions. Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west, don't despise the young and poor!"

General Xin Mao was born into the Xin family of Longxi. His ancestors were also a noble family with a long history. In the early Sui Dynasty, they even produced a Minister of Rites. However, after the end of the Sui Dynasty, there was a decline in talent and the family was no longer as prosperous as before. However, he still had his own family tradition of learning and was considered a humble family.

Such children have inherited family knowledge and have the opportunity to advance themselves, so their chances of success are no less than those of children from aristocratic families.

Such "middle school" encouragement naturally made Xin Mao excited.

Li Chengqian was surprised and looked at Fang Jun and then at General Xin Mao.

For many years, the reason why people in the government and the public admired Fang Jun was not because of his unparalleled poetic talent, his military achievements in conquering cities and territories, his meteoric career in the government, or his family wealth that could rival a country, but because of his ability to identify and use people.

There are those who wasted their time and were frustrated like Su Dingfang, those who came from a poor family and were down and out like Gao Kan, those who were the sons of noble families and were high-spirited in their youth like Pei Xingjian, those who were poor and down and out and had to join the army like Xue Rengui... Every one of those who was originally unknown, after being guided and promoted by Fang Jun, all shined and became capable of standing on their own.

Cen Changqian has already shown the talent to be a prime minister, and he will surely become a great man in the future. Could it be that Xin Maojiang is also such an outstanding talent?
Xin Maojiang could vaguely feel the gaze of His Majesty on him, and felt grateful in his heart, knowing that Fang Jun was promoting him. As long as His Majesty remembered his name today, he would be given an important position when the time came in the future.

But is he the kind of person who would forget his principles when he sees profit?

He left his seat and bowed to the ground: "I have been deeply touched by your teachings, which are as great as a mountain. If I achieve something in the future, I will repay you with all my heart, even at my own risk!"

Seeing Li Chengqian's expression becoming colder, Fang Jun felt helpless and scolded him, "Have you become stupid from studying too much? The education of the academy is to teach you to be loyal to the emperor, patriotic, always loyal to the emperor, and put the interests of the empire above all else. When did we ever tell you to make private payments and form cliques for personal gain? Every penny of the academy comes from your majesty's treasury. Your education is the result of your majesty's painstaking efforts. You should remember where your roots are!"

The emperor is born selfish, and only those who can be used by him are talents. How could a general like Xin Mao, who was so loyal to his ministers, be valued by the emperor?

General Xin Mao said ashamedly: "I just made a mistake in my words. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Li Chengqian looked indifferent and waved his hand: "No need to do that. The Grand Commandant is extremely talented and has great personal charm. Even I feel close to him, let alone students like you."

Only then did Xin Mao take his seat again.

Cen Changqian poured him wine affectionately, said nothing, just clinked the glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Li Chengqian calmed down and asked, "What is the current situation of students going to take the exam in various places? Apart from accommodation, are there any other difficulties?"

Cen Changqian thought for a moment and said, "There aren't too many difficulties. The county offices of Chang'an and Wannian and the officials from the Ministry of Rites conduct investigations every day. They help with accommodation, illness, etc. Overall, the situation is very good."

General Xin Mao said, "There is one thing that may need attention. Many students from all over the country have traveled thousands of miles to Beijing. The journey is long and the road conditions are poor. They may have to cross mountains and rivers. Various emergencies are inevitable along the way, causing many people to lose or destroy their travel permits and documents. After reporting, the Ministry of Rites sent people to the hometowns of these students to retrieve their files. If they are too late, it may affect the exam."

Nowadays, the infrastructure construction of various prefectures and counties in the Tang Dynasty is carried out vigorously. The first thing to be done is to pave roads and build water conservancy projects. However, the country is so vast that it covers thousands of miles, with mountains, rivers and rivers crisscrossing. The official roads connecting various places often cross mountains and rivers. It will take more than 10 to 20 years to complete the construction. Therefore, the road conditions are extremely poor, and accidents are inevitable for students while walking on them.

Once archives, documents and other certificates are lost, even if you go to their place of origin to retrieve them, it is difficult to return in time to some remote places.

Li Chengqian looked serious and asked Fang Jun, "Erlang, how do you think this situation should be resolved?"

Fang Jun considered it for a moment and suggested, "Perhaps three or more other students from his hometown can jointly guarantee that they can take the imperial examination first. If their documents and files can be obtained after the examination and before the results are announced, if they cannot be retrieved in time, they will be disqualified from the examination."

Just like the "admission ticket" in later generations, once it is lost, you will automatically lose the qualification to take the exam, and there is no question of whether it is fair.

Li Chengqian said happily: "This is a good idea! Erlang will be responsible for notifying the Ministry of Rites about this matter later. If there are other problems, they should be properly resolved. We must do our utmost to ensure that students can take the exam."

"Here."

Li Chengqian drank a few glasses of wine, chatted with the students in the academy, and then got up and left.

After seeing His Majesty off, everyone took their seats again. Fang Jun frowned and reprimanded General Xin Mao: "What on earth are you thinking? You swore allegiance to me in front of His Majesty. You are simply destroying your own future!"

He didn't care whether His Majesty had any suspicions, but His Majesty would definitely have a gap in his heart towards Xin Maojiang. If he was an official at the lower level, His Majesty might not care, but once he rose to a certain level, he would definitely be suppressed by His Majesty.

General Xin Mao smiled and said indifferently: "I don't know how to flatter others. I just say what I think. At most, I will go overseas with the navy in the future. We have leased so many lands, ports and mines. There will always be officials to govern them, right? The world is so big, there is a lot to do!"

Fang Jun shook his head and sighed, feeling quite helpless.

He is a man of great talent who can become a prime minister. Is he going to have to suffer misfortunes in his life because of him, and have to go overseas to live with foreign barbarians?
Cen Changqian also said, "Don't be upset, General. General Mao's words may seem rude and impolite, but they are actually the common voice of all the students in the academy. The academy seems to be built by your majesty's treasury, but where did your majesty's treasury come from? It was earned by you, the general, from overseas! Moreover, since the day the academy was founded, the general has spared no effort to maintain it, and has shown great care for us students. We are where we are today, all thanks to you, the general."

"The commander-in-chief has always taught us that 'national interests are above all else'. We keep this in mind. We will listen to whoever puts national interests above all else!"

"The world does not belong to one family or one surname, but to all people in the world! We are loyal to the emperor, but we love our country even more!"

Many students spoke at once and expressed their thoughts.

Fang Jun was a little worried.

The teaching in the academy was effective. The students understood more principles and knew that they should not be "blindly loyal". They knew that their reverence for the king was far less than their respect for national interests. They also understood the principle of "not accepting orders from the wrong people" and knew how to make a choice between the country and the king.

It can be said that even if Li Chengqian wanted to be a tyrant, he lost the soil to support his "reckless orders". When these students entered the court and took power, few of them would be shameless and "aid the tyrant in his evil deeds". When the prime minister in the government hall no longer pursued the idea of ​​"the king rules the world" and everything was based on "national interests above all else", then only then could the misfortune of "one person makes a country prosperous and one person destroys it" be avoided.

But in the final analysis, although Fang Jun wanted to use the students of the academy to complete the reform, he never coveted to seize power by relying on the students of the academy. He never thought of becoming a "president"...

But it is obvious that such signs have already appeared in the academy today. Perhaps his efforts were seen by the students and they admired him, or perhaps it was his powerful status that made the students willing to follow him, or perhaps it was his personal charm that was unparalleled in the world... In any case, the Zhenguan Academy today has begun "personal worship."

This is not a good thing. If this continues, he will inevitably be pushed down the path of becoming a "powerful official"...

Perhaps, I should reduce my presence in the college appropriately.

*****
On the tenth day of June, the "Ministry of Rites Examination" was held in the government offices of Chang'an and Wannian counties. From midnight onwards, the left and right Jinwu guards were under martial law throughout the city. All people entering and leaving the city had to undergo strict inspection. Within a hundred steps of the two county government offices, there was a guard post every three steps and a sentry every five steps. No one without a document or badge issued by the Ministry of Rites could approach. Thousands of soldiers in helmets and armor, with their bows strung and swords drawn, stood ready for battle.

It was pitch dark, but the streets in front of the county government were already brightly lit. Countless students came to take the exam escorted by servants. They were first checked by soldiers to make sure they had nothing prohibited on them before being allowed to pass. Before arriving at the county government, they were searched again by officials. All places where cheating items might be hidden were strictly searched, including clothes, stationery, shoes and socks, etc. The search was extremely strict.

Many students complained and kept on complaining, saying that "civility has been ruined". The provincial examinations were not so strict...

Fang Jun, wearing a round-necked shirt and a soft-footed hat, stood in front of the Wannian County government office with his hands behind his back, and said to Xu Jingzong beside him: "After the examination, I will submit a memorial to build a new building in each prefecture for the imperial examination, and name it 'Gongyuan'."