Daming: Brother, there is no future for monks, let's rebel

Kong Mingde even invited Yan Xiangdong: "Xiangdong, you can live in a tent with my old man."

Faced with Patriarch Kong's kindness, Yan Xiangdong waved his hands again and again: "No, no, no, I'm young and strong, so I can just spend the night by the fire, no problem!"

Kong Mingde had no choice but to give up.

It's not enough to have a tent, we have to find some firewood, otherwise the young and strong who are outside to watch the night tonight will not be able to survive.

Ever since, a group of young adults stumbled a little deeper into the woods, finding a lot of dead branches and leaves.

Although the moisture in these branches and leaves is a bit heavy, it is not impossible to ignite.

At this moment, the sky is already dark, and the fire is getting darker.

It was just right for the people to make two fires and sit around them separately.

It was okay to be busy just now, but now that I am free, my heart is empty.

That is to say, everyone can't help but start worrying about the future.

This night is over, but what about tomorrow?
Thinking of this, everyone missed the comfortable life at home in the past.

Eat all day long, there is no shortage of fish, there are cooling fans in summer, and stoves in the east.

In the past, I thought everything was normal, but today I realize what a joy it is.

Thinking of this, many people could not help sobbing secretly.

When Kong Mingde heard the sobbing, he originally wanted to scold everyone to silence, but then he thought again, these days have changed a lot, and it is not easy for the clansmen to persevere until today.

Just let them vent.

Thinking of this, Kong Mingde didn't speak, but silently took out a small piece of dry food from his bosom, which was distributed by the soldiers on board.

Everyone has a share, and if you save some food, you can last for two or three days, but after two or three days, you can only figure out your own way.

Suddenly, Kong Mingde seemed to remember something, and touched Yan Xiangdong who was sitting beside him: "Xiangdong, do you have dry food? If not, I'll share some with you."

Yan Xiangdong hastily and carefully took out a small cake from the words: "There are some!"

As he said that, he took a bite hard, only this bite, he used all his strength to bite, and it was bitten off just now, as for swallowing...

It was so dry, I couldn't swallow it at all.

Although the condition of Yan Xiangdong's family is not good, he has never eaten such unpalatable dry food.For a while, I couldn't swallow it.

"Xiangdong, drink some water!" Kong Mingde's voice came.

Yan Xiangdong was about to smile wryly, where is the water coming from right now?

But then his eyes widened, and Kong Mingde grabbed a handful of snow from the ground and stuffed it into his mouth.

Kong Mingde also couldn't eat any more, so he had no choice but to swallow the blood.

Yan Xiangdong looked at it speechlessly for a while, then he could only stuff snow water into his mouth imitating the example.

In my heart, I hypnotized myself crazily: "Mencius said: "Heaven will send a great mission to the people, and they must first suffer from their hearts and minds, exhaust their muscles and bones, starve their bodies and skins, empty their bodies, and mess up their actions. Inspired by patience, Zeng benefited what he couldn't..."

A small piece of dry food, if eaten sparingly, is only a matter of one or two bites, this little thing cannot withstand the severe cold.

Especially here near the bay, the wind blowing at night is especially biting.

Even relying on the bonfire, the effect it can play is very limited.

At this time, Kong Mingde couldn't help but think of the big carved bed when he was at home.

It was a big bed made of Zhang Nanmu, covered with a layer of Uszang blankets and a layer of lynx catkins inlaid with sable fur. It was covered with blue silk fabrics from the Suzhou and Hangzhou areas, which not only kept warm but also Very expensive.

Just the big bed carved with nanmu wood is enough for an ordinary family to spend 20 years of daily expenses!
But those are all in the past, now, I can only sit on the snow, warming up around the fire surrounded by fireworks...

If you don't believe me, I can't just keep immersing myself in the things of the past, I should... By the way, there are these things!

Kong Mingde seemed to have thought of something, and hurriedly ordered a few words to the old housekeeper behind him.

The old housekeeper listened, but he was hesitant: "Patriarch, it's already this time, why do you still want to look at that thing?!"

Kong Mingde's face turned serious, and he scolded: "You old man, what do you know?! That is a treasure handed down from my Kong family!"

The old housekeeper had no choice but to turn around and leave.

Yan Xiangdong, who was sitting next to him, heard the words of the master and servant clearly, and suddenly became curious, looking forward to what the old housekeeper was about to bring.

After a while, I saw the old butler dragging a big wooden box over with all his might.

In fact, Yan Xiangdong noticed this big wooden box during the day when he was talking to Kong Mingde. At that time, he was still wondering why the Kong family could bring a big wooden box here because all their belongings had been confiscated. ?

Yan Xiangdong couldn't bear it anymore, and couldn't help asking: "Mr. Mingde, what is this?"

Kong Mingde smiled slightly, just opened the box and took out something, and handed it to Yan Xiangdong: "Look!"

Yan Xiangdong was taken aback, this seemed to be a book.

While muttering in his heart, he took the book, and by the light of the fire, he saw the two words on the cover clearly: "The Analects of Confucius?"

At this moment, Yan Xiangdong's tears were about to fall.

Fate tricks people!Isn't it because of the saint's books that I came to this ghost place?
To be honest, Yan Xiangdong did not regret that it was a lie when he came to America in the freezing weather at this time, but if he was given another chance, he would still be willing to be a student of Dongshan College, and he would still be willing to support Liu Fulin and Zhang Hong.

Of course, there are some thoughts of being able to pass these few people to become officials, but more of it is the attachment to the Four Books and Five Classics, and the attachment to the study of sages.

After all, this is what he has insisted on for almost most of his life!

At this moment, looking at this Analects of Confucius, Yan Xiangdong suddenly felt that this frigid and barren land was really a little bit unbearable.

Just when his mood was agitated, Kong Mingde said with a smile: "Xiangdong, just open it and have a look!"

Yan Xiangdong was a little puzzled. As for the Analects, he had already memorized it backwards when he was ten years old. Hearing what Mr. Ming De said, is there anything novel in this Analects?

Yan Xiangdong muttered to himself, but he still turned the pages of the book, and saw that there were rows of small characters between the vertical and vertical lines of familiar sentences!
"This is... this is someone's commentary on the Analects of Confucius?" Yan Xiangdong looked at it for a while before he recognized it.

Kong Mingde asked with a smile: "Just guess again, who wrote this annotation?"

Now Yan Xiangdong asked, and he turned a few more pages, only to see that the paper was yellowed and the ink was a little browned. It seemed that this Analects of Confucius should be quite old.

Annotate the Analects?

According to Yan Xiangdong's knowledge, there was one of the Southern Confucius ancestors...

Thinking of this, Yan Xiangdong's mind trembled, and he asked in a trembling voice: "Could it be..."

"That's right, it was written by Duan Yougong, the ancestor of my Southern Confucian who accompanied Emperor Gaozong to the south. As a great scholar of Confucian classics, his manuscript annotations are very rare!" Having said that, Kong Mingde endured Can't help but feel proud.

Yan Xiangdong was even more excited and tearful: "The only thing I can see in this life is the public commentary, and Xiangdong has no regrets in this life!"

Kong Mingde chuckled, patted the big wooden box behind him and said, "There are also "Mencius", "Book of Changes", "Spring and Autumn" with annotations in official manuscripts..."

"All my Confucian classics have been annotated by Duan Yougong. This time I was exiled in a foreign land. I brought them all. Xiangdong, you can read them to your heart's content!"

When Yan Xiangdong heard this, he felt his blood boil all over: "Mr. Mingde, Yan Xiangdong will never forget such a kindness!"

After all, without saying much, after paying homage to Kong Mingde, he carefully read the annotations of the Analects in his hand page by page.

Kong Mingde was satisfied when he saw that Yan Xiangdong admired his ancestor's masterpiece so much.

The other people around the bonfire at the moment are either Kong Mingde's cousins, or Kong Mingde's nephews.

At this moment, Kong Mingde also said to them: "The night is cold and the fire is very bright. You should also take a look at Duan Yougong's manuscript!"

The origin of the Southern Confucian family is really not empty talk.

In this generation, Kong Mingde's knowledge is the best.

But his cousins ​​and a bunch of nephews are actually not bad. If the imperial examination system has not been reformed, they will still test those Four Books and Five Classics.

These people dare not say that they can pass the Jinshi examination, but it is absolutely no problem to pass the examination.

But once the imperial examination system is reformed, the things they learn are basically useless.

Therefore, the reason why Kong Mingde had the confidence to push Hou Fang, Zhang Hong and others to run Dongshan College this time, and the support of these brothers and nephews had to be said to have played a big role.

Being exiled to this barren land this time, he felt fortunate to have narrowly escaped death, but he was more disappointed, resentful and desperate.

At this moment, when the Patriarch said that the manuscripts of these ancestors can be read, he was overjoyed.

You must know that these manuscript annotations all contain the essence of public knowledge. As long as they have these things, they have the confidence to rebuild a Kong family in this barbaric world and revitalize the learning of sages.

The most important thing is that there is no distinction between the North and the South, and it is the real and unique Confucius!
In such an excited mood, everyone couldn't wait to get a copy of the manuscript.

I looked at it eagerly, and for a while, there was a bit of an atmosphere of studying hard all night.

It's just that as time goes by, this atmosphere can't last anymore.

Without him, as the night deepened, the wind became colder and colder, like a sharp knife, cutting people's faces with pain.

Even if there is a bonfire, the heat it can provide is quite limited.

But these are not the most important thing, the most terrible thing is that the branches they picked up seem to be not enough!
Now the trouble is big, there are no branches to light the fire, the bonfire will be extinguished in a short time, once it is extinguished, those people outside are afraid that they will freeze to death tonight!
Thinking of this, the books in everyone's hands suddenly couldn't read anymore.

The temperature is getting lower and lower, and the cold wind is getting more and more bitter. Finally, a nephew of the Kong family couldn't help it: "Patriarch, let's go to the forest to pick up some branches and come back!"

Before Kong Mingde could speak, Yan Xiangdong opened his mouth bitterly: "We have almost picked up the outermost branches. If we want to pick up more, we have to go deeper into the forest..."

"But we don't know if there are ferocious beasts in the depths of the dense forest. If we encounter them, then..."

At this time, Kong Mingde also nodded: "That's right! The wind and snow are even stronger at the moment. I'm afraid that if you go deep into the forest, you will get lost. It will be even more dangerous then!"

As soon as this remark came out, everyone fell silent.

But some people still muttered: "Then what should I do, is it really going to be frozen to death tonight?"

No one can accept these words, because what everyone is facing now is such a cruel situation.

So, in the oppressive silence, time passed by bit by bit, and the bonfire in front of me was also slowly reducing its fire intensity!

Dozens of pairs of eyes were fixed on the slowly decreasing fire.

Feeling the warmth in front of them, gradually fading away, everyone began to feel anxious.

Everyone involuntarily started to have an idea, how nice it would be to have something that continues to burn and keep warm...

Thinking of this, everyone was stunned for a moment, then turned their gazes to the book in their hands, and then to the large wooden box behind Kong Mingde...

No!

You can't even think about this kind of thinking!

Everyone was startled by the daring idea in their hearts, this is simply outrageous!

Kong Mingde's brothers and nephews blamed themselves one after another. As a blood descendant of a saint, how could he have such an idea?

Although Kong Mingde didn't speak, he could clearly see the actions of the clansmen just now.

He knew... Now is the time of life and death, if there is no way to deal with it, I'm afraid something unbearable will really happen tonight.

However, the matter is of great importance. If he really does this, how will Kong Mingde face the ancestors of the past generations, how will he face Kong Sheng in the future?

Kong Mingde's complexion was cloudy for a while, and then he looked at the clansmen whose faces were turning paler, and finally let out a long sigh.

Then he said slowly: "Everyone, the fire is about to go out, throw all the books in your hands into the fire to help it burn!"

"what!"

As soon as this remark came out, the clansmen sitting around the bonfire immediately stood up in shock.

Although this thought flashed in their minds, it was really just a flash.

If they were really asked to burn books at this moment, they would definitely not be able to accept it emotionally.

The most important thing is that these books can be called the wild way, the only sage's study, if they are burned, they will be completely gone.

Among them, Yan Xiangdong, a man with a foreign surname, was the most excited: "Mr. Mingde, why do you say such foolish words?! If we burn books to save our lives, then what is the difference between us and the corrupt emperor who reformed the imperial examination system? "

"If Duan Yougong's manuscript is burned, then what's the point of our exile in Yinzhou? Mr. Mingde, don't be confused!"

Yan Xiangdong's hoarse voice earned the approval of many members of the Kong clan.

"Yes, Patriarch, don't be confused!"

"I don't care if I wait to die, but this sage's learning should not be hurt!"

"Patriarch, absolutely not!"

Facing everyone's persuasion, Kong Mingde still let out a long sigh. He pressed his hands down, and everyone fell silent.

Kong Mingde first looked at Yan Xiangdong: "Let me ask you, among the three talents in the world, which one is the most expensive?"

Yan Xiangdong said without hesitation: "The Master said: In the nature of heaven and earth, people are the most precious... Naturally, people are the most precious!"