Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

They are often unable to perform the sacrificial rites on time.

Because the Duke Yansheng might hold an official position elsewhere.

They cannot leave their place of work without permission.

Without a chief priest, it is naturally difficult to perform the sacrifice.

Confucius in the Northern Song Dynasty was truly pitiful.

Even the grand sacrificial ceremonies at the Confucius Temple in Qufu were interrupted every few days.

"Your subject, Kong Duanyou, pays his respects to Your Majesty the Emperor!"

"Sir, please sit down."

...

Regarding Kong Duanyou

Zhao Yuan's impression was quite good.

At least this one didn't drop the gold medal.

Instead, he led his people to flee to Jiangnan.

He became the progenitor of the Southern Confucian lineage in Quzhou.

Although Emperor Huizong of Song broke the restrictions,

However, they didn't actually appoint members of the Kong family as magistrates of Xianyuan County.

They were simply given the qualifications to be county magistrates.

When the Northern Song Dynasty fell,

Kong Duanyou's identity is:

Duke Yansheng, a rank of eighth-grade Tongzhilang (a government official in the capital).

Zhimi Pavilion was dedicated to the worship of Confucius.

He also recommended his clansman Kong Ruocai to Emperor Huizong of Song.

He served as the registrar of Jiyin County for the previous two years.

"Your subject requests to present the vermilion seal of the former dynasty's temple shrine!"

Kong Duanyou held up a seal with both hands.

This is to show our attitude.

We don't need the official seals from the previous dynasty.

Please, Great Ming, bestow upon me a brand new one.

Zhao Yuan smiled slightly.

He tapped his fingers on the armrest of the chair.

Bai Sheng immediately stepped forward and took the seal.

Seeing that the emperor was willing to accept the seal,

Kong Duanyou breathed a long sigh of relief.

Zhao Yuan took the seal, glanced at it twice, and asked:

"I've heard that the Kong family possesses a portrait of Confucius painted by Wu Daozi himself?"

Kong Duanyou replied, "There is indeed one."

Zhao Yuan said, "The Imperial Palace in Tokyo also has copies of this portrait for its collection."

"I observed that Confucius wore a sword,"

"The scabbard is thin and long,"

"This seems to be something that could not have existed in the early Warring States period."

Kong Duanyou was taken aback.

I don't understand what "emperor" means.

Zhao Yuan continued, "According to the Records of the Grand Historian, Confucius was nine feet and six inches tall."

"The sword in the portrait,"

"From Confucius's chest,"

“It extends diagonally to Confucius’s ankle.”

"If it were standing upright, this sword would be about the height of Confucius's chin."

Even if Confucius had a big head,

"This sword must be seven or eight feet long."

"Confucius, who was nine feet six inches tall,"

"If you encounter bandits while traveling through the states,"

"How can one draw a seven- or eight-foot-long sword?"

"Wu Daozi's painting is too careless."

This statement is reasonable and well-founded.

Kong Duanyou could only agree:

"It is indeed poorly drawn."

Zhao Yuan asked, "What does Mr. Kong think of that painting of Confucius carrying a sword?"

"Confucius was drawn too short,"

"Did you draw the sword too long?"

Kong Duanyou thought for a moment: "Perhaps the sword was drawn too long."

Zhao Yuan added, "Wu Daozi most likely never saw Confucius's sword."

Kong Duanyou said, "Of course I've never seen it."

"Did he ever meet Confucius?"

Zhao Yuan said,

"He probably never even met Confucius,"

"But I don't know how it was drawn."

Kong Duanyou finally realized something was wrong and explained:

"There were portraits of Confucius painted during the Qin and Han dynasties in the Tang dynasty,"

"Wu Daozi's painting was probably a copy of a portrait from the Qin and Han dynasties."

Zhao Yuan asked with a smile, "Is Mr. Kong absolutely certain?"

"Did Confucius really look like the portrait?"

Kong Duanyou hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself.

After hesitating for a long time, I finally answered:

"I'm not sure."

"They enshrined this portrait for hundreds of years,"

"Who exactly is the Kong family worshipping?" Zhao Yuan questioned.

"This……"

Kong Duanyou began to sweat, and explained,

"The portrait should only capture the spirit of the subject."

"What later generations worship is the ancestor in their hearts."

Zhao Yuan asked again, "Since you have your ancestors in your heart,"

"Why bother worshipping portraits of unknown origin?"

"Isn't this putting the cart before the horse?"

Chapter 1952 The Wrong Person Was Drawn

"In the Imperial Ancestral Temple of the Ming Dynasty,"

"They only worship ancestral tablets,"

"We dare not allow anyone to draw our portraits haphazardly,"

"I'm just afraid that if I make a mistake in the drawing, I will offend my ancestors."

Kong Duanyou could only say, "After I returned home,"

"Immediately have the paper portrait and wooden statue removed."

"Sir, you are a very filial person!" Zhao Yuan praised.

Kong Duanyou was filled with frustration and had nowhere to vent it.

Zhao Yuan's words were too harsh.

If the Kong family dares to worship a statue of Confucius again,

They are all unfilial descendants!

Zhao Yuan then said, "I have some doubts in my mind, and I would like to ask you to enlighten me."

"The Temple of King Wenxuan in Qufu,"

"Is it an official temple or a family temple?"

Is it the Temple of Literature or the Temple of Confucius?

Kong Duanyou replied, "The Ming Dynasty has not yet officially conferred the title. If we follow the system of the previous dynasty,"

"The Temple of King Wenxuan in Qufu,"

"It is both an official temple and a family temple,"

"It is both a Confucian temple and a temple dedicated to Confucius."

"How can you blur the lines between public and private matters?"

Zhao Yuan looked surprised.

"The current Ming Dynasty court even clearly distinguishes between the imperial treasury and the national treasury,"

"The Confucius family can't even distinguish these things."

The new Ming Dynasty kept delaying the official recognition of the Kong family.

It's obvious that this is meant to be a warning.

How could Kong Duanyou dare to contradict the emperor?

If the emperor is angered,

Delaying the investiture for decades,

That would have been truly embarrassing for the Kong family.

Kong Duanyou said, "Indeed, public and private matters should be clearly separated."

"But it's up to Your Majesty to decide."

Zhao Yuan finally revealed his true intentions and said:

"I am not very knowledgeable and have a crude idea."

"That will be the future Confucius Temple in Qufu,"

"It should be used as the ancestral temple of Confucius,"