Chapter 5 remonstrance

The screaming and wailing lasted for half an hour.It wasn't until the family members of the whole family came from all over the place, gathered around the door of the study for a long time, looking around the house in fear, that everyone gradually stopped crying.However, after the violent venting passed, the ensuing exhaustion made everyone lose the energy to go back to their chairs, and each of them was still sitting on the square brick floor, staring blankly with red and swollen eyes. Huang Zongxi is the same as everyone else.Moreover, it was only now that he was able to suppress the grief in his heart a little bit, and reassess the meaning of the catastrophic upheaval before him.It is true that in recent years, he has also been deeply aware of the seriousness of the crisis, and more than once he has made predictions that catastrophes are imminent, but deep down in his heart, he always has a glimmer of hope, thinking that maybe it will not really end up like that ending.In fact, until yesterday, on the boat passing through Yaojiang, he had imagined that the situation might be improving, and he had new enthusiasm and expectations for reforming the government.Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, all hopes and plans were smashed to pieces!Ah, what will happen in the future?It is said that Liudu is discussing the establishment of a new monarch, so it intends to follow the example of the Eastern Jin and Southern Song in history, and try to protect half of the country in the south of the Yangtze River.However, after being tossed by natural and man-made disasters for so many years, can Jiangnan really hold on?If you can't keep it, is it possible that you have to bow your head and obey your ears, and let that group of low, vulgar, and lawless "rebels" come to slaughter and trample on you?Or, as Lu Zhonglian from Qi said during the Warring States Period, jump into the East China Sea and die? ... Huang Zongxi didn't dare to think about it anymore.He felt only genuine fear and resentment.It is the fear of finding oneself about to be deprived—of the status, the privileges, the possessions, the careers, the ideals, the lives, in short, of everything that has been theirs for so many generations. and resentment. "Ah, look, I told you a long time ago that you must make up your mind to get rid of the evils and reform the government, but you just don't listen to it, and you always think that you can just hang on. What happened? The catastrophe is imminent, and everything is over. It’s gone! It doesn’t matter whether you cry bitterly or regret it, what’s the use of it!” In addition to grief and indignation, he thought desperately and gloomyly.At this time, the crowd gathered outside the door was dispersing, and those sitting beside him also stood up one after another. It was clear that something happened again, but he didn't want to pay attention to it at all...

"Big brother, big brother!" A voice called out eagerly, it was Huang Zonghui. "Well, what is he doing? What else is there to shout about?" Huang Zongxi looked around indifferently and dullly, and found that Liu Zongzhou -- and his sons and sons-in-law were gone.In the corridor outside the door, the sound of their chaotic footsteps was heard. "Brother, go and have a look, it is said that there are many people outside, they want to see the teacher!" Huang Zonghui urged nervously. Huang Zongxi was startled for a moment, then jumped up.Realizing that something might go wrong, he suddenly became nervous again. He didn't even bother to slap the dust on his robe, so he took three steps at a time, stepped out of the threshold, and hurriedly followed.

When they arrived at the gate, they found that the atmosphere in the foyer was really unusual. Many servants in black clothes and trousers were holding sticks in their hands, standing there as if they were facing a big enemy. Squeeze against the side door and look out.Huang Zongxi didn't see the teacher in the hall, so he guessed that Liu Zongzhou had already arrived outside the door, so he separated the servants who were blocking the way, and followed him outside. Based on the noisy sound coming into the house, although Huang Zongxi had guessed that there must be quite a few people gathered outside the door, he was still taken aback when he cast his eyes on the spacious place in front of the Liu residence.I saw the dark and dense crowd, pushing from the front gate to the edge of the inland river. There was no room for them in the field, and they meandered and extended to the streets on both sides.It seemed that there were at least five or six hundred people, who were clamoring fiercely there, and some even raised their arms and waved their fists vigorously. "Ah, what are these people trying to do? Why are they all gathered here?" Huang Zongxi wondered, "Could it be that they want to take advantage of the changes and create chaos? Or..."

"The universe is broken, so far! How to deal with it, I beg you to show me the instructions quickly, so that we can follow them, I can't help crying blood!" A high-pitched voice sounded from the crowd. Huang Zongxi looked quickly, and found that the person speaking was a middle-aged Confucian scholar standing facing Liu Zongzhou, and looked at the few people beside him, all of whom were dressed as gentry. "Oh, if these people are in the lead, it doesn't seem like they are taking advantage of the situation to initiate chaos." He thought, "Just what did that person just say - ask the teacher to 'show instructions quickly'? Yes, they have undoubtedly heard the bad news .Then, it must be that they were terrified and didn’t know what to do, so they gathered here and hoped that the teacher would give them some advice.” After guessing like this, Huang Zongxi was relieved a little; then he thought that even he, in fact, had no time to ask the teacher. Ask how to respond.This is undoubtedly extremely important at the moment.So, while wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, he turned his face away and started looking at the teacher expectantly with everyone else.

Liu Zongzhou stood upright and didn't speak immediately.It appeared that the grieving old man had recovered from his previous frenzy.Although his face was strangely pale, and there was a bruise and blood mark on his forehead from kowtow, but his expression was very firm and calm.He had put his hat back on, and his beard and hair had been tidied a bit, so they were not as disheveled as before.However, from his standing posture like a stone statue, as well as his deep and persistent eyes, Huang Zongxi vaguely felt some ominous meaning.Right now, Huang Zongxi couldn't say what that meant, but his heart trembled involuntarily...

Finally, Liu Zongzhou spoke, with a heavy and slow tone: "My fathers and elders, Kunzhong, Zong Zhou is a minister, and when he treats the sinners in the village, he can neither do his best to win the king and cause the country to be so bad, nor can he go to the thieves first and turn the tide to repay the country's kindness. How can he survive in the world? You should judge yourself Here, I would like to thank the late emperor! What will happen in the future is beyond the knowledge of Zong Zhou, and I am deeply ashamed to bear the high expectations of all of you. I only hope that you will be cautious, keep what you have learned, and don't stoop to become a thief. Zhou is under the Nine Springs, and he should also be grateful for the great virtue!" He crossed his hands, turned around, and bowed respectfully to the audience.

While the President was speaking, everyone in the audience held their breath and pricked up their ears.However, Liu Zongzhou's resolute, but negative confession made them feel a little disappointed while being shocked, so that after a while, the venue was still silent, without any reaction. Huang Zongxi's head buzzed, startled by the teacher's decision.Just now he had a vague premonition that the teacher would say something extraordinary; but he never expected that the teacher would actually plan to die for the country!Originally, as a minister who received the grace of the country, facing the catastrophe and upheaval in front of him, resolutely ended his life, it might not be a way to achieve righteousness and benevolence.However, even in the most pessimistic and desperate moment just now, Huang Zongxi still considered this matter much more broadly.It can be said that he did not expect to die immediately.So the teacher's decision really surprised him.In desperation, regardless of the presence of so many people, he rushed forward and said sharply:

"Hey, the teacher's words are wrong!" In Shaoxing Mansion, Liu Zongzhou has always been regarded by the scholars as a noble symbol of morality and learning, and his words and deeds are respected reverently.Doubting its validity seems unthinkable, let alone accusing it in public.Therefore, it was unexpected that everyone in the audience was stunned when they heard such a shout. The faces of Liu Bi, Chen Gang and Wang Yuzhi who were standing beside Liu Zongzhou even changed their colors. However, Huang Zongxi's mood was just the opposite.Because he understands very well: as a teacher, once he expresses his determination to die for the country in public, it must be fulfilled.The only way to make him change his mind is to remonstrate on the spot and explain exactly why he should not do that. Maybe there is still hope.Otherwise, when the crowd dispersed and the news spread, things would become irreversible.Therefore, without even waiting for Liu Zongzhou to respond, he asked again loudly:

"Teacher has the high hopes of the common people in the world, don't you think that if you die, you can settle the responsibility?" As far as the way of serving as a minister is concerned, although Liu Zongzhou's decision is inevitably negative, it is still a loyal and heroic act after all.Now Huang Zongxi not only openly opposes it, but also directly denounces it as "evading responsibility", which is a bit too arrogant and rash.Especially from the mouth of a disciple of the sect, it is unheard of in the Jishan School.Therefore, Chen Gang, who was red-eyed and mourning for his father-in-law's decision, couldn't help it first, and said sharply:

"Huang Taichong, as a disciple of the Liu Clan, you dare to be so rude and ridicule sir, why?" "Could it be that you dare to despise the teacher because you think you have a poor reputation among scholars? From now on, do you still want to stand on your own in the Jishan School!" The second son-in-law Wang Yuzhi also assisted.Compared with Chen Gang's dry and thin body, Wang Yuzhi was tall and strong.His eyes were dilated under his short, furrowed brows with anger. Huang Zongxi ignored them.In fact, he was also very excited at the moment.Because speaking from the heart, why couldn't he understand the teacher's loyalty and indignation?Moreover, after the fall of Beijing, even he doubted whether the half of Jiangnan could be preserved.If he can't keep it, in the end, including himself, I'm afraid they will inevitably die.However, that is only the most pessimistic estimate after all, at least Jiangnan has not yet fallen.If you give your life easily without any attempts and struggles, Huang Zongxi cannot agree.What's more, Liu Zongzhou is still his most respected and beloved teacher.Based on this alone, Huang Zongxi couldn't let him die like this anyway.He made sharp remarks and publicly accused the teacher, because of the urgency of the situation, he had no other choice. "Ah, I hope the teacher can understand me and understand my painstaking efforts!" He secretly prayed, looking at the old man more and more eagerly.However, to his despair, even at this point, Liu Zongzhou still stood motionless with his eyes closed, neither speaking nor showing any expression on his face.

Huang Zongxi's heart tightened. "Oh, why did the teacher do this? How could he do this! Could it be that he didn't understand that that decision was wrong and should be given up!" He asked himself bitterly, his breathing began to become short, and his chest heaved violently.If he hadn't realized that he was surrounded by countless eyes, he would probably have shouted. "Teacher," he tried his best to control himself, staring at the old man's stone-like still face with burning eyes, and said in a more serious tone, "don't you hear that a man lives in the world, regardless of right and wrong, regardless of profit and loss; , regardless of success or failure; for all ages, regardless of one's life. It is not difficult to die, but it is necessary to die at the right place and at the right time. Today, the bandits use a piece of dry grass to invade, commit chaos, and poison the world, and they are able to steal Shenjing. There is a catastrophic change in the name and religion that has not happened in a century. Confusion between right and wrong, reversal of obedience and inversion, nothing is more serious than this! At this time, Mr. An Neng can despise this useful body because of a moment of grief and indignation. Don’t you fear a thousand generations Afterwards, the commentators will say that Mr. is focused on success, failure, benefit, and harm, and more importantly, whether it is right, wrong, right, or wrong?" Huang Zongxi uttered these words with sincere distress, word by word. Although the words were not as sharp and astonishing as before, the meaning of reproach was deeper and more intense. Therefore, even Liu Bi, who had not spoken all the time, also I can't hold my breath anymore. "Brother Taichong," he said with tears in his eyes, "Mr. is a great man in clothes and clothes in the world. He looks all over the world, and his words and deeds are all in the style of the world. When this catastrophe changes, how to deal with it is up to you. That's me. Those who have been sons and sons-in-law all their lives can only listen to their fate with sorrow, bow their heads to accept teachings, and dare not have the slightest thought of disobedience. Today, my brother's disgrace in public and admonishment is of good intentions, but..." He would have gone on.Suddenly, Liu Zongzhou raised a hand to stop him.Then, the old man opened his eyes, stared at Huang Zongxi, and asked: "So, in your opinion?" With a calm tone and unchanging expression, Huang Zongxi still couldn't figure out what the teacher was thinking.But the other party finally opened his mouth, after all, it was a turning point.So, he became excited again, took a deep breath, and said in a high voice: "Teacher! Going against the law, falling into the capital, and harming the lord, all my courtiers are heartbroken, blood and tears poured out, and I wish I could eat this thief alive to vent my mortal anger! Now when the people hear the bad news , They gathered in front of the mansion, which shows that the hearts of the people are not dead, and the morale is available. From the perspective of the disciples, why not send the mourning as soon as possible, call the Quartet, wave the north finger, avenge the hatred of the king and father, and settle the difficulties of the country. This is today's matter! Mr. Qi takes the responsibility of the common people in the world as his own responsibility, and if he fulfills this responsibility, the disciples, the people will be lucky, and the Ming Dynasty will be lucky!" After finishing speaking, he lifted the hem of his straight skirt, and kneeled down solemnly and solemnly. During this period of conversation, the people around have been listening quietly.Huang Zongxi's words clearly expressed their common wish.So, as soon as the words fell, a group of gentry standing in the front row first echoed in unison and said: "Mr. Taichong's words are very true, sir, please take this responsibility!" After saying that, they also knelt on the ground one after another. "Yes, yes, we are all willing to listen to Mr.'s orders!" More people expressed in awe.With the waves of sound one after another, people bent down in a whole piece.In a blink of an eye, the entire venue and the streets on both sides were crowded with knees. Liu Zongzhou did not immediately agree.He slowly kneaded the beard hanging down to his chest, and gradually, his eyes became determined and bright.At last he dropped his hand and said in a grateful, sonorous voice: "All the lords are responsible for the righteousness, which makes Zong Zhou feel very ashamed! Although I am old, I should serve as a pioneer and die, and I will definitely live up to the expectations of the lords!" After speaking, he turned around and strode into the door.After a while, when he came out again, a white cloth was wrapped around his head, and a spear was added to his shoulder.He waved his hand to everyone and said loudly: "Everyone, please go with the old man to pay respects to the royal prince!" "Okay, let's all go! Let's all go! Let's go!" People cheered wildly. So everyone stood up one after another, crowded, greeted and shouted, and followed Liu Zongzhou in a swarm, towards the direction of the magistrate's yamen, and walked chaotically. "Brother, then, what should I do about my younger brother going to Beijing to take the exam?" After walking for a while, Huang Zongxi heard an anxious voice asking. He was slightly startled, turned around, only to realize that his younger brother Huang Zonghui had been following him the whole time.Surrounded by the frenzied flow of people around, this newly elected Gongsheng student seemed so depressed, bewildered, and at a loss.He bent his body slightly, raised his white and sensitive face in astonishment, and looked like a desperate lamb being driven to the slaughterhouse... Huang Zongxi gave an "um" and tried to say a few words of relief.But, after a moment's hesitation, a cold, dark thought seized him, so powerful and so heavy.Then he turned his head around again, stared at the front, and clenched his teeth...