When Tian Ergeng was thinking about it, the soldiers guarding the door suddenly reported that Yang Huan and Cui Yingyuan came to ask to see him.

"Let them in." Tian Ergeng sighed, stopped thinking about his worries, and said lightly to his own soldiers.

As soon as they entered the room, Yang Huan and Cui Yingyuan congratulated each other: "Congratulations, Lord Dudu, after those Zhuang guests judged Zhuang Tou and Companion, they basically obeyed what they said to us, and they must soon be able to complete the task of restructuring the entire Huangzhuang." ”

Tian Ergeng's face was not happy, he looked at the two subordinates and asked anxiously: "Do you think this is a thing worth congratulating?"

Yang Huan and Cui Yingyuan looked at each other, a little surprised by Tian Ergeng's inexplicable question, Yang Huan couldn't help but reply cautiously: "Why did the governor ask such a question, is there anything wrong with this Huangzhuang's affairs going so smoothly?" ”

Tian Ergeng looked at the two subordinates who seemed to be unaware, and couldn't help but hesitate and said, "Don't you think that the performance of those Zhuang guests today is a little frightening? ”

"What do you mean?" Yang Huan and Cui Yingyuan are still a little unclear. One of them is a hereditary military attache of Jinyiwei, and the other is a gangster in the market, limited by their own knowledge, although they are a little surprised by the performance of these bankers today, but they will not think deeply.

But Tian Ergeng was different, his grandfather was an outstanding person among scholars, and he was educated by the most orthodox scholars from an early age.

For the scholarly class, how to maintain the stable order of the dynasty was the subject of their lifelong research.

Ethical order and various rituals are the best way to maintain a stable and orderly society in the eyes of scholars and doctors.

As for whether the people can still have the emotions of a normal person under the constraints of these kinds of rituals, it is not something that scholars and doctors need to consider.

Therefore, Zhu Xi, who proposed to "go to human desires and preserve heavenly principles", will be honored as Zhu Zi, and become the only person who is not a disciple of Confucius and enjoys the Confucian Temple, ranking one of the twelve sages of Dacheng Palace.

But this world-famous figure for his science is really a pseudo-Taoist.

When he was in office to promote Zhedong Chang to close the position, because he had a personal grudge with Tang Zhongyou, the prefect of Taizhou, he forced the camp prostitute Yan Rui to admit that he had an affair with Tang Zhongyou, and tried to make Tang Zhongyou criminal.

Volume 37 of the "History of the Song Dynasty" also records that Shen Jizu, the superintendent of the imperial history, impeached Zhu Xi for the crimes: one is to "lure the two nuns to think that they are favored concubines" (seducing two nuns and successfully accepting them as favorite concubines), and the other is "the housewife is pregnant without her husband and pregnant" (the daughter-in-law is pregnant but her husband has died, which is obviously done by his family).

It can be seen that for the scholars, the rules they set were not for themselves to follow, but for the people who were ruled to obey.

Only by making the common people a mindless walking corpse can the scholars and doctors enjoy their arrogant and extravagant life without any worries.

Therefore, even if Zhu Xi was a person with a loss of personal morality, the scholars and doctors turned a blind eye to it, but vigorously admired his scientific proposition of "removing human desires and preserving heavenly principles".

In the education that Tian Ergeng received, once the people's emotions were stirred, they would lose their minds and be difficult to control, which was the most hated and feared popular rebellion by the scholars.

Today, in front of Tian Ergeng, he personally instigated an incident that was almost like a popular uprising.

Unlike what he saw in the book, this incident, which resembled a popular uprising, was brought under control after getting slightly out of control.

But this result did not make Tian Ergeng feel happy, but made him feel frightened, if someone can wantonly stir up the emotions of the people, and can manipulate this majestic power like a flood, then whether it is a scholar or an imperial power, it will be turned into powder under this power.

"Don't you think this force is disturbing? If this power is manipulated by someone with a heart, will the current ethical order of the Ming Dynasty still exist? Without the present order, what will the future of our people become? ”

For Tian Ergeng's question, this kind of almost philosophical thinking, Yang Huan, who is shallow in knowledge, obviously didn't know how to answer, he looked at Tian Ergeng a little blankly.

Cui Yingyuan replied with a sneer: "Dudu, shouldn't we try to survive before this?" Now in the imperial court, the Donglin Party members are crying out for Yang Lian, Zuo Guangdou, Wei Dazhong, Yuan Huazhong, Zhou Chaorui, Gu Dazhang, Gao Panlong, Zhou Shunchang, Zhou Qiyuan, Miao Changqi, Li Yingsheng, Zhou Zongjian, and Huang Zunsu every day, saying that they are loyal ministers who were persecuted and died. If they are loyal ministers, then those of us who kill loyal ministers are not treacherous villains? The Governor thought that without His Majesty's protection, what good fate would we have? ”

Tian Ergeng still couldn't let go of his knot, and he said hesitantly: "But if this continues, when this force grows up, who can guarantee that we will be able to control it?" If even the Ming Dynasty didn't exist, our relatives might not be better off than they are now. ”

Yang Huan seemed to understand a little, and he said with some excitement: "Dudu, it may not be worse than now." I thought that even if I lived one more day, it would be good.

And it was not us who started the attack, when **Xing refused to reconcile with Gonggong Wei, and shouted and killed the Donglin Party members in North Korea and Central Africa, are we not allowed to fight back? The Donglin Party's attack on us is called eliminating traitors and punishing evil. When I fight back, it will become a persecution of Zhongliang, is this any reason? ”

Cui Yingyuan added fuel and vinegar on the side and said: "That's right, not to mention that the Donglin Party instigated the people and killed the tax collector and the cavalry not once or twice." Why do the Donglin Party people do it, and I can't do it when I wait? ”

Tian Ergeng almost wanted to retort that the Donglin Party instigated the emotions of the people, but they could not control the actions of the people, and it could be said that what they were doing today was very different.

But when the words came to his lips, Tian Ergeng thought of what Yang Huan said, "It's good to live one more day".

If it were the past, Tian Ergeng would definitely be angry, this is too shameless. But Tian Ergeng, who had been closed from the ghost gate for a while, faintly agreed with Yang Huan's words in his heart.

On the same day, Father-in-law Wei and Cui Chengxiu were impeached by Donglin Shangshu, and these factory guards who worked for Father-in-law Wei naturally became the first to bear the brunt.

At that time, no one understood the mind of the new emperor, but they were not optimistic about the future of the eunuch party. After all, once a son of heaven and a courtier, an institution like the factory guard that directly protects the safety of the emperor and maintains the rule of the imperial power, every emperor will never hand it over, not a cronie eunuch from his side.

No matter what the ending of Wei Zhongxian and Cui Chengxiu is, Tian Ergeng and other Wei Zhongxian's cronies in the factory guard, going to the border is already the best ending. Since they have been serving in Jinyiwei for a long time and have learned too much about the secret affairs of the palace, basically no emperor will let them leave alive.

Tian Ergeng was in such a dangerous situation at that time, and finally deeply understood what it meant to be in the hot and cold world.

In the past, even if he knew, in this era of bad etiquette, human affection has always been as cold as paper. But he always believes that there is always a continuous blood connection between relatives and in-laws.

Tian Ergeng has two sons and a daughter, and the eldest daughter is married to Wei Guangwei's second son. When Tian Ergeng was hot in front of Wei Zhongxian and his power was scorching, Wei Guangwei took the initiative to propose to Tian Ergeng to form a marriage in order to enter the cabinet.

However, when Wei Guangwei saw that Tian Ergeng might be liquidated, he immediately severed the communication between the two families, and forbade his daughter-in-law to have any more contact with the family, trying to clear the relationship between himself and Tian Ergeng.

Tian Ergeng still has some psychological preparation for others to avoid him, but Wei Guangwei's approach is even more ruthless than others, but Tian Ergeng really can't accept it. Only then did he understand why Father-in-law Wei abandoned Wei Guangwei and drove him to Nanjing.

When Wei Zhongxian was finally sent to Fengyang, Wei Guangwei seemed to feel that Chongzhen did not mean to kill the eunuchs, so he allowed his daughter-in-law to write a letter to his family.

After experiencing this, Tian Ergeng realized that the power he pursued for his own ** in the past has now become a barrier to protect his relatives. Only if he lives, his family can live well.

And he now knows very well that once he loses His Majesty's protection, those Donglin Party members will tear him to pieces as soon as possible. And once he dies, his family will inevitably be lost, even if he is the eldest daughter who married into the Wei Mansion, it is estimated that she will die of a violent illness.

Even though there are a thousand words in his heart, Tian Ergeng finally said one sentence: "Yes, we must live first before we can see the future." ”

After saying this sentence gloomily, Tian Ergeng finally made up his mind to continue along this road.

After putting aside half-heartedness, Tian Ergeng quickly led people deep into the reform of Huangzhuang.

Relying on these villager representatives who were elected by the villagers at the time of the trial of the head of the village and the companions, Tian Ergeng felt for the first time how happy it was to get things done with a group of right-hand men who were like arm-and-fingers.

In the past, when the sergeants were pressed and forced to clear the roads or repair the city defenses, Tian Ergeng was used to the normal state of getting twice the result with half the effort, delaying time, and never completing the task within the specified time.

However, in front of these villagers, who had gained a little power for the first time, their enthusiasm for work made the heavy work of clearing the acres and harvesting the autumn grain, which was originally thought to take half a month to complete, be completed five days ahead of schedule.

But Tian Ergeng knew very well that this was only because of the momentary passion for the head of the village and the accompanying judgment, which would soon fade if it was not rewarded.

And the most important thing now is how His Majesty will deal with the list of punishments he has submitted. If His Majesty does not agree to this list of punishments, the villagers who have actively participated in the trial will soon be discouraged, and it will be very difficult to carry out reforms in other villages.