Chapter 933 Baiyun Lake

The Confucius Mansion is a place that no one can avoid when visiting Shandong.

However, as early as the 44th year of the Jiajing reign, the imperial court had taken advantage of the side house of the Confucius Mansion to stir up trouble and oppress the people. Hai Rui caught them and hacked the Confucius Mansion, the largest landlord in Shandong, half to death.

Duke Yansheng was retained in the capital, and except for the annual sacrifice he would return to the Confucius Mansion in Qufu to offer sacrifice on behalf of the emperor and the court, he was not allowed to leave the capital.

Kong Shangxian of the contemporary era had two sons, Kong Yinchun and Kong Yingui, both of whom died before reaching adulthood. Kong Shangxian was angry and anxious, and fell ill. He lay in bed for two or three years and died in the ninth year of the Wanli period.

The 63rd generation of Duke Yansheng had no descendants, so according to the rules, the title of Duke should be passed on to a close relative.

The Ministry of Rites pretended to submit the proposal, selected four candidates, and presented them to the Western Garden.

During the Jiajing period, the Confucius Mansion was purged and all the branches and offshoots of the Yanshenggong Mansion were wiped out. Six thousand of them were killed or wounded, either by beheading, hanging, or exile.

But there are still many people left from the distant branch.

As soon as Kong Shangxian died, these people were eager to try.

No matter how far away you are, just tell me whether you are the descendant of Confucius?
They secretly took the family tree and calculated left and right to figure out what position they would be in terms of the degree of inheritance.

It turned out that everyone was far away.

This is a great thing. We are all so far away, which means that we are all on the same starting line.

So these people jumped up and down, using all their powers, seeking various ways and using various connections, just to get themselves on the list of candidates.

He also tried every means to get in touch with the Imperial Household Department and the imperial harem, asking them to say a good word for him in front of the emperor.

unfortunately
When the memorial from the Ministry of Rites was brought to the Western Garden, it was kept there and not sent out.

The emperor said he needed to think about it further.

In fact, the meaning is very clear, that is, there is no need to consider it. This is the fate of Duke Yansheng. If he has no descendants, then he has no descendants. This is God’s will.

But some people still want to try harder.

Some people were tempted by the emperor’s southern tour this time.

There were also many old Jinshi officials who had retired before the Longqing period, who were trying to invite the emperor to visit the Confucius Mansion. Even if they did not want to worship Confucius, it would be good to confirm the succession of the Yansheng Duke’s descendants.

With such a signboard, you will be able to turn things around sooner or later.

Wang Zongzai and Chen Dake were also under great pressure and had to take the risk and mention the matter tactfully in front of Zhu Yijun.

Zhu Yijun waved his hand, “No, we won’t go.”

Okay, Your Majesty, please seal the door directly.

Not only will he not go, he won’t send any entourage with him either. This is unprecedented.

Zhu Yijun asked again: “There is a Prince De’s Palace in Jinan.”

Wang Zongzai and Chen Dake quickly replied, “Yes, Your Majesty. After the Defan was abolished, all the fields were taken over by the government, and a portion was distributed to the people. The rest were used as farms in Baiyun Lake, Jingyang Lake, Guangping Lake, and Nanwang Lake, and managed by the Shandong Farmland Bureau Company of the North China Farmland Bureau Group.

After the renovation of Prince De’s Mansion in Jinan City, it was used as the school building for Shandong University and Jinan Middle School.

“Yes, that’s how it should be. The Confucius Mansion is not small in size, so it can be turned into a university. Confucius is revered as a teacher for all ages, so the mansion of his descendants can be turned into Shandong Normal University. I’m sure his spirit in heaven will be very happy.”

Zhu Yijun’s words finally finalized the matter.

The Yanshenggong Mansion died out, and the Confucius Mansion was taken over for regular use.

Xu Zhenming, Pan Yinglong, Wang Zongzai and Chen Dake all knew that although the new learning was now triumphant and had become the mainstream of the Ming Dynasty, the old Confucianism of Neo-Confucianism was still deeply rooted.

Now that he saw that the new school had the upper hand, he hurriedly loosened his opponent’s shackles and handcuffs. The emperor was such a smart man that he would not do such a stupid thing.

Zhu Yijun continued, “In Shandong, in addition to visiting the five projects in one village, I will also select three to five farms to take a look. The Agricultural Reclamation Bureau Group is under the jurisdiction of the Shaofu Supervisor, Jinshui will help me arrange it, and the Shandong Provincial Administration will be responsible for coordination.”

“According to the order.”

As they were talking, the train slowly pulled into Jinan Railway Station.

The Left Councillor of Shandong Provincial Administration, along with the Right Councillor, the Deputy Censor, the Deputy Military Commissioner, the Prefect of Jinan County and other local officials, were waiting on the platform.

Zhu Yijun got off the car with officials including Xu Zhenming, Zhang Siwei, Pan Yinglong, and Hu Ruguang.

Wang Zongzai, Chen Dake, the Censor and the Military Commissioner accompanied him and introduced their respective subordinates one by one.

Zhu Yijun shook hands with these officials one by one, then smiled and said to them: “I will talk to you all these days.”

“We respectfully welcome Your Majesty to Jinan, Shandong.”

Everyone knows that this is a big test.

Anyone who fails the test will have no career, while anyone who does well will be promoted to a high position.

I just don’t know what kind of test questions the emperor will give.

After resting for a night in the Jinan County Magistrate’s exclusive guesthouse, Zhu Yijun took a group of people to cruise the lake early the next morning, accompanied by Wang Zongzai and Chen Dake.

However, the lake they visited was not Daming Lake where Xia Yuhe was, but Baiyun Lake in the northeast of Jinan City, spanning the two counties of Licheng and Zhangqiu.

In the morning, Zhu Yijun stood on an official ship as it sailed slowly on the lake.

Wang Zongzai and Chen Dake accompanied them on both sides.

“Your Majesty, according to historical records, this Baiyun Lake should have been built during the Han and Jin dynasties. The Ji River silted up and the riverbed was raised, and the southeast of the south bank became a swamp.

In the first year of Jianlong in the Former Song Dynasty, Wuzhang River, which was the old course of Jishui River, split into two, forming its own embankment. Water from Nabalou River and Pingling City gathered here to form a lake.

The circumference of the lake is more than sixty miles, and the lake is long and narrow, stretching from east to west.

According to the Surveying and Mapping Bureau, the lake is 10.12 kilometers long from east to west, 3.3 kilometers long from north to south, with a water depth of one to three meters. The entire lake area is 71.6 square kilometers.

Prince Zhuang of Defan was granted the title of Jinan. In the third year of Chenghua, he wrote a petition to the emperor requesting that the vacant fields of Dongchang Prefecture and Yanzhou Prefecture, where the two princes Qi (Zhu Gui, the seventh son of Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang) and Han (Zhu Gaoxu, the second son of Ming Chengzu Zhu Di) lived when they were demoted to commoners, and the three lakes of Baiyun Lake, Jingyang Lake and Guangping Lake, be granted.

The late Emperor Xianmiao issued an imperial decree of grace, so the Baiyun Lake, with a radius of 300 miles, was given to Defan.

The Baiyun Lake has a surface area of ​​less than 20 square kilometers, and the rest is all reeds, muddy land, and swamps. After hundreds of years of management, there are 24,500 mu of excellent paddy fields and 23,700 mu of semi-dry land around the Baiyun Lake, which is also rich in ducks, geese, fish, and shrimps.

It is one of the few places in Jinan that is rich in fish and rice. ”

Chen Dake pointed at the vast lake and introduced it. “When the Defan was abolished, Baiyun Lake was confiscated as government farmland, and then allocated to the Shandong Reclamation Bureau of the North China Reclamation Bureau Group. In the third year of Longqing, the Baiyun Lake Reclamation Group was established, and in the second year of Wanli, it was changed to Baiyun Lake Farm.

There are 1,676 households of agricultural workers on the farm, divided into 16 production teams, 13 of which are dedicated to farming, and three are dedicated to fisheries. Each production team has its own breeding farm.

The official ship quickly crossed Baiyun Lake and landed at a pier. The director and deputy director of the Shandong Agricultural Reclamation Bureau, Baiyun Lake Farm Director Yu Dafu and deputy director were all standing on the pier waiting.

This was a simple dock, not a big place. Zhu Yijun shook hands with several people one by one and urged them to go to the farm headquarters first.

This is a three-story reinforced concrete building with a large open space in front and two missionary columns on each side.

There was also a row of wooden frames in front, each with cardboard pasted on it and a line of words written on it.

“Resolutely implement His Majesty the Emperor’s plan to develop agriculture and build the country!”

“Unwaveringly follow His Majesty the Emperor to create the new world!”

There was also a long banner hanging on the top of the building, “Long live the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty! Long live the Ming Dynasty!”

Zhu Yijun looked at it with great interest, then turned to ask the farm manager Yu Dafu: “Who wrote these slogans and banners?”

“In reply to the emperor, this was written by Wang Xuecheng, the head of the Propaganda Department of our farm.”

“Call him over.”

“Yes.”

After a while, a man in his twenties, wearing light blue work clothes, was brought forward and saluted with his arms crossed.

“Wang Xuecheng, the head of the Education Section of Baiyun Lake Farm, greets His Majesty the Emperor.”

“You are college students?”

“Yes.”

Yu Dafu, the farm manager next to him, quickly replied, “Your Majesty, Wang Xuecheng was the first student in our farm middle school to be admitted to university. In the fifth year of the Wanli reign, he was admitted to the Agricultural College of Longqing Normal University. He graduated last year and applied to return to our farm.”

“Don’t forget your original intention. Good job.” Zhu Yijun nodded and encouraged. He pointed to the slogans and banners and said, “These words can only be written by people who have studied in college and received the baptism of new learning.

I hope you will continue to put your knowledge into practice, use your acquired knowledge to serve your fellow countrymen and lead them on the road to prosperity.”

“Students follow the will of the Lord.”

“Okay, you go with them and introduce your farm to me.”

“Yes.”

Many people couldn’t help but take a second look at Wang Xuecheng and firmly remembered this young talent who had just graduated a year ago.

Zhu Yijun did not go into the farm headquarters building, but went to the nearby farm primary school and Baiyun Lake Middle School.

“Our Baiyun Lake Farm has a total population of 7,957. We have two primary schools and a junior high school. Students can apply to Jinan High School or Qilu High School run by our Farm Reclamation Bureau in Jining for high school.

The student studied at Qilu Middle School and was admitted to Longqing Normal University. “

Zhu Yijun nodded: “There is a primary school here, and there is another one?”

“To answer your Majesty, it’s across the lake.”

“Then the children who go to junior high school will also need to cross the lake every day to go to school. Is it safe?”

“In reply to the emperor, Baiyun Lake Junior High School currently has 717 students, 661 of whom are boarders, and the rest are day students nearby.

During every ten-day holiday, the campus and the school would arrange the largest boat to take students across the lake.”

“As the head of the missionary department, you are very familiar with these situations.”

Yu Dafu immediately said, “In reply to the emperor, Wang Xuecheng is not only the head of the farm’s propaganda and education department, in charge of propaganda and education, but also the principal of Baiyun Lake Junior High School.”

Zhu Yijun laughed loudly, “That’s right, he is a rare young talent in Baiyun Lake, so you should give him more responsibilities.”

He turned to Wang Xuecheng and asked, “Principal Wang, what do you think about the teaching strategy of Baiyun Lake Middle School?”

“In reply to the emperor, the enrollment rate of Baiyun Lake Middle School is not high, only 15%. Most students will return home after graduation and become the main force of farming.

I think the teaching strategy of Baiyun Lake Middle School is, on the one hand, to improve the admission rate, so that more Baiyun Lake teenagers can go to higher institutions, receive better education, and contribute to the Ming Dynasty.

On the other hand, I think it is a good time to plan for vocational education in advance. Through teachers and classmates from my alma mater, I contacted the Shandong Agricultural Science Institute and Shandong Fisheries Research Institute.

They each have an agricultural school and a fishery school under them, which are technical schools.

On the one hand, I encourage students from Baiyun Lake Middle School who fail to get into high school to apply to these two schools to learn more practical agricultural and fishery techniques.

At the same time, we also applied to the farm and the Agricultural Reclamation Bureau to approve more places for sponsored students from several units, so that more students can enter these two schools.

At the same time, I also invited teachers from two technical schools to give lectures regularly at Baiyun Lake Middle School and the First and Second Primary Schools to explain agricultural science knowledge to students, show them the advantages of scientific farming and scientific breeding, and help them cultivate an interest in science from an early age.
In return, I applied to the farm to open two large experimental fields and experimental waters for the two research institutes and technical schools.”

Zhu Yijun nodded with satisfaction: “As expected of college students, you have a flexible mind and a broad vision! You have done a good job!”

Pointing at Yu Dafu, the deputy director, and the director of the Shandong Agricultural Reclamation Bureau, Zhu Yijun continued, “You are not jealous of their youth and talent, but boldly use them and give them your full support. This is very good.

Be open-minded.

Some places and units, after begging and pleading with all their might, finally get a college student assigned to them, but they just use the job for show.

We have college students too!

In actual work, people are envious and jealous of others, and they throw all kinds of small shoes at them without paying. Not only do college students suffer a lot, but they also cannot use the knowledge they have learned in four or five years.

What a waste of talent! It’s a crime!”

Zhang Siwei took over the conversation at the right time, “Your Majesty is wise, and you have hit upon the crux of the matter. The Ming Dynasty’s economic development is now booming, and there is a shortage of talent everywhere.

Some places are wasting talent. Isn’t this a crime?
Your Majesty, I feel that the Shandong Agricultural Reclamation Bureau, especially Baiyun Lake Farm, is very knowledgeable in the use of young talents. Just as you said, they are open-minded!
I feel that the Ming Dynasty needs such broad-minded officials to carry on the torch and continue to implement the grand cause set by the Emperor.

Your Majesty, as the director of the Civilization Construction Steering Committee, I sincerely request that Baiyun Lake Farm should be used as a model, not only as a model for the new agriculture of Daming, but also as a model for the rational and effective use of young talents. “

Zhu Yijun nodded and said, “Mr. Feng Pan’s investigation and rectification is very good. The Civilization Committee is responsible for such things, setting a new trend of civilization in the new era. You can do it.”

Zhang Siwei was delighted and immediately responded, “I obey your order.”

(End of this chapter)