As the words fell, an elderly man with a white beard and white robe, a thin face appeared inside the gate.
The old man had a kind and approachable face. Although not a cultivator, he carried a sense of closeness to the Heavenly Dao, which inspired a renewed goodwill.
Moreover, the old man exuded an extraordinary scholarly aura; every move he made aligned with the will of heaven, giving off a very comfortable feeling.
Long Chen had never met such a person before, and couldn't help but feel admiration. He cupped his fists slightly and said, "
Kid, Long Chen, greets you, senior. May I ask how you should address me?"
"You're too kind, sir. I absolutely do not deserve the title of senior. Learning never ends; those who succeed are teachers."
Your knowledge is deeper and more broad than anyone in our Confucian Academy; we cannot match you.
I am ashamed and have been promoted to one of the three senior officials of the Scholar's Academy. I am hereby granted the honorable surname Yang, styled Ziqian, to greet the Imperial Envoy. The old man performed a scholarly bow.
"The senior was courteous and courteous, his gaze as pure as water, calm and unruffled, bright as a mirror. Long Chen greatly admired him.
Unlike Master Sun, who even called himself a public intellectual? It was as if he knew nothing in the world he didn't know—arrogant and overbearing, making people detest.
Before coming, I always thought the Confucius' Courtyard was a total mess from top to bottom. But now it seems I, Long Chen, was too shallow and shouldn't have knocked everyone over at once. Long Chen said.
"Imperial Envoy, you flatter me. I am incompetent, the scholar's quarters are chaotic and the literary style is improper. I bear undeniable responsibility.
Zhuque treated the Confucius Courtyard with such generous intentions, as the saying goes, 'Using copper as a mirror can straighten one's attire.' By using history as a mirror, one can understand the rise and fall of states; By using people as a mirror, one can discern right and wrong.
The Vermilion Bird treats the Master's Residence generously, using martial strength as a mirror and literature as a mirror; each mirror illuminates the path ahead.
Reflecting the mind and enlightening the spirit, understanding the principles of literature, one seeks what is right without deviation, awakens without confusion, and is pure without being stained.
The Master's Courtyard is a mirror for Vermilion Bird cultivators, but now this mirror is covered with too many stains and accumulated dust, making it no longer the mirror the Vermilion Bird desires. The old man couldn't help but sigh.
Long Chen suddenly understood. It turned out this old man knew everything, but things weren't as simple as they appeared on the surface.
"If a stain appears on the mirror, then the stain should be cleaned up. Don't you agree?" Long Chen said with a smile.
"Of course, I just don't know. What exactly do people mean by 'clean'?" The old man asked in return.
"Of course, it's spotless." Long Chen said without hesitation.
"But what about after being spotless?" A mirror is still a mirror; once used, dust will inevitably settle. The old man probed.
Long Chen looked at the old man and said, "Only after it's spotless will I know if this mirror is still the same as before."
What Vermilion Bird wants is a mirror—one that can reflect people. If the mirror itself is fine, once the dust is removed, it can still be used.
If the mirror has already been corroded by stains and cannot be fixed by wiping, then I believe Zhuque should consider replacing the mirror. What do you think? Long Chen looked at the old man and said.
The old man looked a bit gloomy and said, "Can't you give them a chance?" If a person is not a sage or worthy, who can be without fault? "
Sorry, the opportunity isn't given by others—it's something you fought for. His Majesty knows better than anyone what the Confucius Academy has done over the years.
I believe you know well that the country has its laws, and every family has its rules. This time, the mistakes they made must be borne by themselves.
However, if the mirror is still the same one, I would consider covering it with a cloth before wiping, which is my biggest concession. Long Chen said solemnly.
Long Chen knew that the Confucius' Academy had long caused dissatisfaction within the Empire over the years, but the Empire had always tolerated them.
The empire's endurance only made these self-important scholars even more lawless.
Criticizing the government, mocking martial artists, commenting on colleagues in authority, and acting as sycophants for other countries—Long Chen didn't need to think about it. There must be spies in the Confucius Courtyard bribed by other countries, deliberately inciting hatred and disrupting the empire's development.
At first, Long Chen didn't understand why the Vermilion Bird Empire would tolerate such a bunch of idiots, but after this state banquet, he realized that feelings were all for others' sake.
After enduring for so many years, the Vermilion Bird Empire finally stopped and began to bare its fangs. The first step in the Vermilion Bird eruption was to eliminate this group of foolish fools who didn't know their place.
Long Chen agreed to give the Confucius Institute a fig leaf, meaning he wanted the academy to handle it himself. If Long Chen did, then the Confucius Academy would have no reason to exist.
The old man pondered for a long time. Long Chen remained silent, standing there expressionlessly, waiting for the old man to speak. After a while, the old man sighed helplessly and said,
"Thank you, Imperial Envoy, for replying to His Majesty. The Scholar's Institute will purge itself and give Your Majesty a satisfactory answer."
Long Chen nodded without saying anything and turned to leave. He knew that Yu Xiaoyun had sent him here to prevent this old man from messing with him. Long Chen was here, and he had no room to bargain.
To put it bluntly, let Long Chen handle the villain. After this incident, the Scholar's Academy will remain the Scholar's Courtyard, and the Emperor will remain the wise Emperor. Even if the work inside and out is inhuman, Long Chen will be the one to do it.
Long Chen had just left the Confucius' Institute when news shocked the entire Vermilion Bird Empire: the academy had launched an internal investigation, and even Master Sun was implicated and locked in a cell.
What shocked countless people was that most of the students in the Confucius Academy had committed acts of treason, accepted bribes from the empire, spread negative rumors, and shook the foundations of the empire.
What is most unbelievable is that nearly ninety percent of the Hanlin students in the Hanlin Academy, the highest academy under the Confucius Institute, have entered through connections and corruption.
The plump, fair-skinned Hanlin scholar who clashed with Long Chen was brought out as a case in the day, subjected to harsh interrogation, and a string of masterminds were uncovered.
This time, when the disciples of the Confederation made mistakes, they no longer used the academy's rules but instead used imperial law for sentencing.
As a result, countless scholars wept and wailed at the execution ground; the once glorious scholars were mercilessly executed.
Besides the scholars who colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country, many scholars were also shameless behind the scenes. The acts of scholars belittled and framed each other were even more thrilling and insidious than the life-and-death struggles of martial artists.
Some even poisoned the entire family of a concubine just to seize a concubine, using their power to harm others and use their power to kill her.
When all kinds of dark methods were exposed, even cultivators felt their scalps tingle. These people were ruthless. The bloodstained knife wasn't scary, but the kind that killed without blood but was invisible and intangible.
Executions were carried out continuously for seven days and nights at the execution ground. Hundreds of thousands of scholars were killed, and millions were exiled to the wilderness. Although their crimes did not warrant death, according to civilian punishments, after exile, they had no means to survive—no different from the death penalty.
Only those with lighter sentences were imprisoned. The Great Purge of the Confucius' Institute instantly wiped out ninety percent of the scholars. This major event shocked the entire Vermilion Bird Empire and was recorded in history.
According to historical records, this bloody purge was carried out from start to finish because of a man named Long Chen in black, who obtained this punishmentI almost coughed up blood from anger. Is this a huge scapegoat for me to take the blame?
Just as Long Chen was about to confront the emperor, the emperor proactively issued an edict inviting Long Chen into the palace.