Chapter 213: The rain is falling, and we meet again. Thank you for your help.

In Dong Xingshu’s study.

At night, the lights illuminate the room clearly.

But the expressions of everyone in the room were as gloomy as fog.

Dong Xingshu had a stern face, Dong Xiude had an angry face, Xu Dingsheng sneered and said nothing, and the other literati who were skinned like pigs had strange expressions.

How should today's matter end?
Suddenly, Dong Xingshu said, "Xiu De, go and call all the servants, bring in the people outside, and have them wait in the courtyard outside the main hall."

"Yes, father."

Dong Xiude went out for a while, and Dong Xingshu looked at Xu Dingsheng again, "If you do something wrong, you must be punished."

Xu Dingsheng was still unwilling to accept the fact. He thought, "We followed you, not to be punished."

If it wasn't for your son's proposal to publish the "Awakening Newspaper" and let us write about it, I wouldn't have run into Zhou Tieyi's gun!

Most people tend to blame others when they make mistakes. Xu Dingsheng would never think that even if Dong Xiude had not invited him, with his previous temper, he would have fallen into Zhou Tieyi's trap.

Lamps lit up the courtyard in front of the main hall of the Simin Mansion, but the grass and trees in the courtyard, which was usually well-manicured, were withered, just like the faces of the hundreds of people present.

The servants kept their heads down and dared not say anything, for fear of making mistakes.

Dong Xiu De called everyone to the yard, and then Dong Xing Shu led Xu Ding Sheng and others out of the study.

"Father."

Dong Xiu De said respectfully.

Amid the astonished gazes of the crowd, Dong Xingshu suddenly pulled out a goose egg-thick teaching stick from his sleeve. With a strike of lightning, he knocked Dong Xiu De to the ground.

What followed was Dong Xiu De's screams and beatings.

The sound of bones breaking reached everyone's ears. Xu Dingsheng, who was originally resentful, felt a chill from head to toe, and his resentment immediately disappeared.

After beating Dong Xiu De until he was almost silent, Dong Xingshu put down the bloody teaching stick in his hand and said, "I didn't notice that you were visiting prostitutes on weekdays. Since the matter has been exposed by Inspector Zhou today, you must be punished. In two days, I will also go to the palace to apologize to the emperor for my failure to notice and teach."

Then Dong Xingshu looked around at everyone.

Xu Dingsheng and others hurriedly lowered their heads.

This is my biological son!

"The disaster of officials visiting prostitutes is indeed damaging to the foundation of the country. Although there was no national law to rely on before, after tonight, I will discuss legislation with the Minister of Law to prohibit officials from visiting prostitutes. What do you think?"

Everyone bowed their heads and said, "Mr. Dong's actions have truly convinced us."

Xu Dingsheng and several other officials even stood up and said, "We have not set an example for the people of the world. We are really ashamed of the saint's teachings. We will resign from the court meeting in two days to atone our sins."

Why not atone for your sins? Didn’t you see that Dong Xingshu was so cruel to his own son? Do you really think that you are Dong Xingshu’s illegitimate son who was lost for many years?
······
What happened to Dong Xingshu in the mansion spread throughout Yujing Mountain like wildfire. This was what he wanted to do for the world to see, and the place where it would reach the fastest was naturally the nearby Silu Mansion.

When Qingkong Gui heard the words "Please ask Mr. Dong to go out and meet the saint", he knew that things would not end well tonight.

He looked directly at the Simin Mansion. After seeing how Dong Xingshu beat his son, he made a decision in his heart and said to the servant beside him, "Light the lights in the courtyard, get all the servants up, and bring Qingkongming over."

Naturally, his son was also involved in this prostitution affair.

Although Qingkong Ming is now a commoner like Dong Xiu De, he participated in the editing of moral articles for the "Awakening Newspaper", so these two fathers had to use their son to set an example for the people of the world.

Of course, there is another way.

That is to make peace with Zhou Tieyi, give up enough political interests, and suppress this matter.

But it was impossible for Dong Xingshu to seek peace, and it was impossible for me to seek peace either.

······
After a cup of tea, Zhou Tieyi, who had not yet slept, heard the news from the Simin Mansion and the Silu Mansion.

He chuckled, "Reacts really quickly."

Dong Xingshu and Qingkong Gui used their own son to plug this gap. Although it was a stupid method, it was effective.

This is also a common practice used by Confucianists. In order to avoid mentioning the names of respected people, the subordinates have to take the blame.

This is not even a routine unique to Confucianism, but rather a routine shared by the entire human society.

At its core, it is the power class that has the final say on the interpretation of the legal system and morality.

Reflecting on this incident, it can be said that it is the oppression of patriarchy over paternal rights. Reflecting on Mei Qingchen's case, it is the oppression of monarchy over ministerial power. If it is changed to other places, it is just a change of name.

But this kind of oppression and exploitation is useful!

At least in this feudal era, in the simple values ​​of the people, this is the solution that can maintain the moral system of the entire society from collapse. The sons of Simin and Silu were beaten half to death in front of everyone for soliciting prostitution, which was enough to extinguish the resentment in the hearts of the people before the fire started.

if not?
Prostitution is not a capital crime, and it is not even certain that a conviction can be made. Now that the inspector Zhou Tieyi has discovered the signs, what else can the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Law do when they don't even pamper their own son? Are they really going to beat their son to death?
Ordinary people also have sons, and if they have money, they will go to prostitutes. If the Simin beats his son to death because of this, it will make the people terrified and panic.

By doing this, Dong Xingshu also achieved his second goal. The officials who were arrested today did not dare to blame Dong Xingshu and could only resign on their own initiative. This in turn calmed the anger among the people.

Afterwards, Dong Xingshu joined forces with Qingkonggui to formulate laws to restrain officials. After these three consecutive strikes, if Zhou Tieyi continued to make a fuss about this matter, he would not be able to make any fuss, and people all over the world would think that he was taking advantage of the situation.

From a righteous whistleblower to a politician who uses public opinion to engage in political struggles.

No one is a fool, especially the opponent is not weak. There is no need to pursue a move that has already run its course.

However, Zhou Tieyi did not gain nothing.

First of all, of course, two days later, the Tianjing News had another round of hot sales, which increased its sales and broadened its fame among the people. At the same time, it began to seize the moral high ground. You, Dong Xingshu, did handle it well, but the fact is that I, Zhou Tieyi, was the first whistleblower, so as long as I don't make any mistakes, no one will take the credit.

The second is that Dong Xingshu and Qingkong Gui prohibited officials from visiting prostitutes. This would always offend people, especially those literati who prided themselves on being romantic. They dared not say it openly, but they must have done a lot of small things in secret.

And can you ban it for a while, but can you ban it for a lifetime?

Don't give me the chance to catch you again!
The third is that my inspection office is doing practical things! This must be featured in the Tianjing Daily!

Throughout my life, I, Zhou Tieyi, have been impartial and dedicated to the people, not afraid of power, working hard and caring about the country and the people.

“Before you worry about the world, you will be happy after the world is happy.”

Zhou Tieyi thought about how to write an article praising himself.

"No, such a good quote cannot be left for such a small matter. I have to wait until I have concocted the Moshi case before I can make a move."

He estimated the time. Dong Xingshu was being pressed by him so hard that he must want someone or something to entangle him. But the more anxious he was, the more likely he would overlook details and make mistakes. Or he had already made a mistake, but he had not yet realized how big his mistake was.

Zhou Tieyi thought of Dong Xingshu's judgment of "Seek benevolence and you will get benevolence" and sneered.

It is always easy for big shots to make mistakes when they put pen to paper and sign. It just depends on whether others can catch them. The backlash of power is no joke.

······
Six thousand miles away, Shantong Prefecture.

The weather here is always gray. In the early morning, the cold air starts to cause raindrops to float in the sky, causing clouds to rise and the grass to turn green.

In the pavilion on the hillside of Lulin Academy, Lu Shanqing said to Mo Tianheng with a sigh, "This journey is difficult and the road ahead is uncertain."

Mo Tianheng was silent for a while, then said, "I know what's going on."

When he brought his students to beg Lulin Academy, Mo Tianheng guessed that the Confucians wanted to use them to suppress General Huwei's Mansion, but he also had a fluke in his heart, hoping that this matter would remain at the level of Shantong Mansion.

I just didn't expect Confucianism to act so quickly and so resolutely, as if it was being chased and driven by something.

Lu Shanqing looked at Li Jianhu again, "Your mother and brother will stay in the academy. I have already sent your brother to Jiazi Academy for enrollment."

What he feared most now was that Li Jianhu, a teenager of fifteen or sixteen years old, would retreat halfway, because on this journey of six thousand miles, no one knew how many people would die. Even he was not sure that he could protect Li Jianhu safely.

Naturally, he was also afraid that Li Jianhu would walk halfway and would not dare to go on.

However, Li Jianhu gave him a clear answer. He patted the gourd of pills that Lu Shanqing had given him on his waist and said with certainty, "Even if I have to walk on my knees, I will finish this journey."

Hearing such a positive answer, Lu Shanqing stroked his beard and laughed, "It is indeed a young man with great ambition. It should be able to scare the mountain tiger."

He looked at his disciples again.

Before he could even open his mouth, Cui Yu bowed and said, "Teacher, don't worry about me."

Lu Shanqing's expression froze, realizing that his disciple had made up his mind. However, compared to saving Li Jianhu and Mo Tianheng, Lu Shanqing was more confident in saving Cui Yu.

As long as the He family is not stupid, they will not regard Cui Yu as the first target. They already have the sixth level of "Haoran Qi" in their bodies, and they have several secret treasures given to their disciples, which are enough to block most of the dangers.

As for the remaining dangers, it depends on the decision of the Confucian masters along the way and Cui Yu himself.

After leaving Lulin Academy, everyone just walked to the foot of the mountain, and saw a carriage parked at the foot of the mountain. The driver was forty years old, but he looked like an old man, with an indelible look of vicissitudes in his eyes.

When he saw Mo Tianheng, he bowed and said, "I heard that you are leaving the city, so I came to see you off."

Mo Tianheng was stunned. Of course he remembered who the coachman was. It was because of this coachman's car that was hit by He Qigong's carriage that he kowtowed to admit his mistake and stand up for justice.

I didn't expect that after so many twists and turns, I'd end up back here again.

The rain was drizzling, and when they met old friends, Mo Tianheng bowed and said thank you, "Thank you for your trouble."

(End of this chapter)