Daming: I really don’t want to be an emperor!

As the huge procession of coffin bearers walked along the street, the news spread in all directions like the wind.

In just one morning, the news had spread throughout the capital. Everyone knew that thirty loyal ministers had died admonishing the crown prince to burn books and bury scholars.

Then all the officials seconded the motion.

The Crown Prince had no choice but to agree, so the imperial court issued an edict to burn books and bury scholars!

All ministers who died for their remonstrances will be posthumously honored.

As the imperial notice was posted, the entire capital city was in an uproar!

The above describes the reasons for burning books and burying scholars, and a lot of other things, and then the court decided to follow the will of the people and burn books and bury scholars.

The last two are the most important.

Starting today.

Anyone who calls himself a Confucian scholar will be killed!

Anyone who studies Confucianism will be killed!

There are obviously huge loopholes in these two points. It just depends on whether there are smart people in Confucianism.

First, as long as you say you are not a Confucian scholar, you can live!

Second, it’s okay for you to hide Confucian classics, but you cannot read them.

In this way, it not only ensured that the teachings of Confucius and Mencius would not completely disappear in the long river of history, but also dealt a devastating blow to Confucianism.

At least on the surface, they burned books and buried scholars.

"The court is incompetent and unjust. They don't respect the saints and don't follow their words! There are treacherous officials in the court!"

"That's right. We, the Confucian scholars, beg you to revoke this decree!"

"Burning books and burying scholars is a move that harms the country and the people! The court is incompetent and unjust!"

"My fellow comrades, we must rise up and resist. Wherever there is oppression, there will be resistance!"

"Oppose the burning of books and burying of scholars! Oppose the contention of a hundred schools of thought! Oppose the posthumous title of traitor!"

"How can someone who betrays his ancestors deserve a posthumous title? How can someone who betrays his teacher and destroys his ancestors deserve a state funeral?"

"A traitor who brings disaster to the country is also worthy of being a peerless patriot?"

In the capital city, tens of thousands of Confucian students paraded through the streets holding banners for public display.

Protest against the court's decision.

A massive demonstration was held directly.

This matter was immediately reported to the palace. "Your Highness, tens of thousands of Confucian scholars outside the palace are protesting and demanding that the court withdraw its order! How do you think we should deal with this?"

When Prime Minister Feng Sheng received the news, he hurried to report to Zhu Yunhuan.

When Zhu Yunhuan heard this, he nodded slightly, but did not answer. He just asked Feng Sheng, "I only saw the rebels, did you see the Confucian scholar?"

"I didn't see it either. I saw a group of traitors who were forcing the emperor to abdicate and rebelling!" Feng Sheng immediately understood what Zhu Yunhuan meant.

Zhu Yunhuan hummed, "What is the Prime Minister still doing here? A bunch of people who are forcing the emperor to abdicate dare to be disrespectful to the court. Why don't we kill them and keep them for the New Year?"

"I understand. They slandered loyal ministers who died for their crimes and attempted to force confessions. They should all be executed! But wouldn't it be better to keep them as laborers?" Feng Sheng suggested.

Zhu Yunhuan asked in return, "A bunch of fools who can't carry anything on their shoulders or hands, who waste air when alive and waste land when dead, are asked to do hard labor? Don't waste the imperial court's food!"

This group of people have become stupid and useless because of reading too much.

Those who cannot see the situation clearly will only die.

Someone might say, isn't dying to remonstrate with the emperor abdicating? Isn't that a violation of the rules?

But, so what.

The essence of human nature is double standards. No matter what standards are used, people will have double standards. As long as people have obsessions, interests, and positions, double standards are inevitable.

Because human selfishness is innate, and because people have their own set of perverse logic, which conforms to all their interests and all their moods.

If what you do, say or say is not in line with his mood and interests, you are wrong.

People with double standards are always lenient with themselves and harsh with others. They have two sets of moral standards in their minds, and whichever set benefits them is right.

It was in the interest of Zhu Yunhuan that Kong Youde and his men died for their advice. Zhu Yunhuan said that they were loyal ministers, and once this tone was set, they were loyal ministers.

The Confucian protests were not in the interests of Zhu Yunhuan, so they were traitors.