Volume 2: Residence in the Capital Chapter 60: The Ge Mansion Door Blocking Incident
Walking under one archway after another, Zhang Shou listened with great interest to Zhu Ying's talk about the glorious history of Ge Yong.
Although this teacher, like his fiancée, was a gift from heaven, the importance of a famous teacher is unquestionable.
"The first place in the imperial examination, the seventh place in the imperial examination. These two memorial archways are to commend Grandpa Ge's achievements in the imperial examination. Anyway, I have never heard of a place like him in the world. Originally, those who passed the imperial examination could also have memorial archways, but that was considered a big deal only in small places. In the capital, even Jinshi did not have the right to build memorial archways on the streets. Grandpa Ge was a special case."
"A teacher for generations. This is a commendation for Grandpa Ge's high status in the Imperial College and the academies of the world as he served as the teacher of the emperor and the prince. When he was about to retire, the emperor felt that he was not good enough to his teacher, so he gave him the title of Grand Tutor and then bestowed this memorial archway."
"Generations of scholars. This is even more amazing. The Ge family has produced five consecutive Jinshi. The second generation was a Jinshi at the end of the Yuan Dynasty. This scholar, who was quite influential in the literati circle, was dissatisfied with the current situation and resigned. Then he defected to the Taizu of that time. It is said that the Taizu of this dynasty, who was a commoner, was able to win the hearts of the literati. The Ge family is small, and often only one family is passed down. It is not easy to produce five Jinshi in one generation."
"He is an unrivalled eloquent speaker. This is about how Grandpa Ge persuaded an envoy who had defected to the Northern Di and then returned to show off his power to the point that he vomited three liters of blood and died when Grandpa Ruizong was on a northern expedition. Moreover, when Grandpa Ge was young, he persuaded barbarians and mountain bandits to surrender. Emperor Yingzong always used him as a pacification specialist and sent him wherever there was trouble. He never failed once. He is really amazing!"
"Master of Mathematics. This is the only memorial archway that Grandpa Ge persuaded several of his disciples to build. He said that he didn't care about the other memorial archways. If he didn't have this one, he would have to die with his eyes open. Those disciples were all university scholars and ministers, so there was nothing they could do but agree to his wishes."
As he walked and listened to his teacher's great achievements, Zhang Shou couldn't help but think that this was a perfect example of a time traveler.
But when he finally passed the archway of the Grandmaster of Mathematics, he heard Zhu Ying's story and compared it with Ge Yong's childish attitude. He finally couldn't help but ask, "When he was an official, he was not like this now, was he?"
There were more than just them who came to pay their respects to the archway. Zhang Shou never mentioned the word "teacher" often, but Zhu Ying always called him Grandpa Ge. Even if someone looked at her sideways, she didn't take it seriously. She laughed so hard when she heard what Zhang Shou said.
"You can tell a person's future from the age of three. Do you think he was like this back then? Grandpa Ge was only 19 years old when he won the first place in the imperial examination. Because he was the grandson of the emperor, he observed the three-year mourning period. After he was reinstated, he took the imperial examination and won the first place. As soon as he entered the officialdom, he directly contradicted the then Prime Minister and was directly thrown to be a county magistrate. He wandered around in the local area for many years, but he was always loved by the people and scholars. Later, when Grandpa Yingzong ascended the throne, he immediately promoted him..."
Next, Zhu Ying recounted Ge Yong's many great achievements that had offended people everywhere. Zhang Shou certainly began to doubt his life, thinking that such a bad-tempered old man should have been killed long ago, how did he rise so quickly? Even the scholars around him who pricked up their ears to listen to the explanation , some of them who were from other places and had little knowledge, were very curious about how this famous Grand Tutor Ge could have such a successful career.
And the next moment, Miss Zhu's words washed away all the doubts of everyone.
"Back then, the ancestor of the Ge family was determined not to get a title, and as a result, he died early. Emperor Taizu personally chose him to be buried with him in the mausoleum, and also passed down the ancestral precepts that the Ge family has been a family of scholars for generations, and their descendants must make good use of them. So even though the Ge family members are indeed bookworms, and their articles and knowledge are more profound than each other, but they are less good at being officials, every generation of emperors has valued them all!"
"Grandpa Ge's father died young, and his grandfather was a firecracker censor. He criticized whoever he caught. Emperor Yingzong was criticized when he was still a prince, and grandfather Ruizong was also criticized when he was still a prince. Even so, he worked his way up to the position of Left Censor-in-Chief!"
Born into a family of founding heroes, he was almost the only one who succeeded him from generation to generation. He was a loyal minister for generations, had no friends or cliques, was good at writing and learning, and could also be a mouthpiece for criticizing others. How could the emperor not use such a person? Of course, the two generations of emperors who reused Ge after being criticized were both very generous.
Zhang Shou burst out laughing. Seeing that he was about to enter the gate of the Ge Mansion, he asked the last question: "What kind of official position did our Grand Tutor Ge hold in the past?"
" Prince's Grand Tutor , President of the Hanlin Academy, Imperial College Priest... Hmm, it seems that Grandpa Ge also worked in the Censorate before."
Zhu Ying frowned slightly, then remembered and said with a smile: "Grandpa Ge was once the Right Censor-in-Chief, but not in the Censorate. Instead, he was ordered to patrol the country on behalf of the emperor with the title of Right Censor-in-Chief. He offended people along the way and even encountered assassins many times. After he came back, he became a teacher to the then crown prince, who later became the emperor."
As expected, Mr. Ge, who had a strong personality, served in all the upright official positions and had never held such posts as Grand Secretary or Minister. Otherwise, no matter which emperor he met in these three dynasties, he would probably be worried about the chaos in the court.
Zhang Shou finally understood that although Ge Yong was a powerful teacher with many students, he also had . However, he was very curious. Given the loyal ministers of the previous generations of the Ge family, why did Ge Yong suddenly become a great teacher? Shouldn't the Grand Secretary and the Minister of State be the first to preside over the imperial examination?
While he was talking to Zhu Ying, they had already arrived at the main gate of the Ge Mansion. When passing the memorial archway just now, Zhang Shou had already seen many scholars who came to admire the great achievements of their predecessors, but now he found that there were even more people gathered at the main gate. At first he thought they were here to study and become disciples, but when he got closer, he found that they were all waving long scrolls in their hands.
"I beg you to take a look at my article, Grand Master Ge. This is my commentary on the Sun Tzu Mathematical Scripture!"
"Director Ge, I'm from Jinling Academy, and this is my notes on the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Arithmetic!"
"I have read ten books on mathematics, and I know how to divide a circle!"
Although these voices were extremely restrained and strictly speaking not shouting, they still sounded noisy when added together. Even so, the doorman stood steady, not to mention answering, not even blinking. Behind him was the tightly closed door of the Ge Mansion, with a piece of writing written in a flamboyant style pasted on it.
"If you want to study, please go somewhere else. If you want to study, don't come here."
Zhang Shou saw the words written on the note on the door through the crowd and read it again in a low voice. Thinking of the time when Ge Yong left Qi Liang's house, he also left without saying goodbye with a note. He felt like yesterday was happening again. The next moment, he felt Zhu Ying gently tug at his sleeve.
"Grandpa Ge has put up a sign of no fighting again. Although he was famous in the past, there were never so many people at his door! Wait, I'll go to the door and ask. If he's not at home, he must be at Grandpa Qi's place. I'll take you there then!"
Hearing Zhu Ying's very low voice, Zhang Shou raised his eyebrows thoughtfully. When he was about to agree, he heard some of the scholars who were previously admiring the archway shouting indignantly.
"We have heard of the rule that Grand Master Ge does not accept scrolls and does not talk about personal relationships. But Grand Master Ge, a master of literature, can accept a country boy who has a so-called engagement with the Duke of Zhao as his last disciple. Now there are so many people but he doesn't even look at them. Isn't he just like those powerful and wealthy families who only recognize the origin but not the person?"
The timing was perfect, just when we arrived at the door...
Such a thought flashed through Zhang Shou's mind, and then he turned his head to look at Zhu Ying, only to see the eldest lady tapping her hand lightly with a whip, but she did not attack immediately. Instead, her pair of bright black eyes looked around the crowd, clearly staring at the person who had spoken.
He knew without thinking that the young lady was about to explode, so he subconsciously grabbed her reins. Sure enough, the next moment, he saw Zhu Ying turn her head around, her face full of indignation.
"Emperor Taizu issued a ban in the past. He directly put up an iron plate in the Imperial Examination Hall, which read that the imperial examination is fair and that it is strictly forbidden to publish papers. Those who violate the ban will be expelled. After the emperor ascended the throne, he reiterated the ban. These guys not only knowingly violated the rules, but also cursed you. I must teach them a lesson!"
