In the evening, in Sikong Mansion.
After Sima Shi returned from Chongwen Temple outside the South Gate, he had been thinking about this matter.
After arriving home, Sima Shi discussed the affairs of Imperial College and Chongwen Temple with his younger brother Sima Zhao.
After listening to Sima Shi's talk about the upcoming exam at the Imperial College in October and the recruitment of a new batch of students, Sima Zhao's expression began to become excited.
Born into a top official family like the Sima family in Henei, Sima Zhao naturally had a strong interest in being an official.
"Brother, do you think father will allow me to enter the Imperial College this year?" Sima Zhao said, "If I can enter this year, I will only be two years younger than you were last year."
Sima Shi looked at his brother and said with a smile: "Entering the Imperial College? It sounds easy, but it's not that simple. Although your father is one of the Three Dukes, it would be embarrassing if you were not ranked in the A grade when you enter the school, but were ranked in the B or C grade instead."
Sima Zhao felt a little confused for a moment.
Sima Zhao is seventeen years old this year. Facing this brother who is much better than him in knowledge, intelligence and temperament, Sima Zhao does not have much confidence in his heart.
Sima Shi had no choice but to appease his brother. Whether to enter the Imperial College or not, it was still up to his father to decide.
Not long after, Sima Yi had just returned home when Sima Shi and Sima Zhao came to greet him at the door.
"Greetings, father." The two of them bowed.
Sima Yi also had a slightly surprised look on his face. This kind of situation was rare. "Ziyuan, Zishang, what do you two want to talk to me about?"
Sima Shi said, "Father, I went to Chongwen Temple with Xiahou Taichu today. There are some things I don't understand, and I would like to ask you for your advice."
Sima Yi nodded: "Then let's talk in the study."
Seeing Sima Yi walking straight inside, Sima Shi followed him immediately. Sima Zhao was stunned for a moment and then followed behind.
Zhang Chunhua called out to several people in the courtyard: "Husband, are you going to the study? If you have something to say, it's better to have dinner first and then talk about it."
"Why are you so noisy?" Sima Yi glanced in the direction of Zhang Chunhua and said in a low voice.
If you look at it from Zhang Chunhua's perspective, she could only see her husband glance at her and then walk away.
But Sima Yi's complaint was heard clearly by Sima Shi behind him.
When they arrived outside the study, the servants waiting nearby had already pushed the door open. After Sima Yi and Sima Shi entered, Sima Zhao stopped nearly ten feet away from the door, his eyes full of hesitation.
Only my eldest brother could enter my father's study room! Sima Zhao had never been allowed to go there even once even when he was grown up.
But when Sima Yi sat behind the desk and saw his second son like this, he had an idea and waved his hand to signal Sima Zhao to come in.
Sima Zhao's expression remained unchanged, but he was already beaming with joy in his heart.
As far as Sima Zhao could remember, his father had been on the battlefield with Cao Cao. When Sima Zhao was a little older, his father had been handling state affairs in the Secretariat.
As the second son in the family, he had never been valued by his father. Even though it was just a "small matter" like being allowed to enter the study today, Sima Zhao was still very excited.
After the three of them sat down, Sima Yi took the lead and asked, "How is Chongwen Temple doing now?"
Sima Shi replied, "Father, Gao Tanglong spends all day in the palace reading books, and Wu Zhi spends all day at drinking parties. Only Prince Yongqiu is left in Chongwen Temple, but he doesn't take care of things."
In fact, before Sima Shi went to his father to ask questions, he had gone through repeated struggles in his heart.
The focus of the controversy is actually He Yan's "illegal operation" in helping Bi Jin, Deng Yang and four others obtain official certificates.
Sima Shi had two considerations in mind:
First, if his father, who was the recorder of the Secretariat, knew about this, from the perspective of the Secretariat, Yuan Kan, the official of the Ministry of Personnel, who had violated the rules, would be punished, and Wei Zhen would not be in a good situation either. It was unclear whether He Yan and his colleagues could keep their positions.
Secondly, from Sima Shi's own perspective, he had finally gained some fame among the circle of celebrities in Luozhong. If he were to expose this matter again and implicate He Yan and others, no one would be willing to be friends with him anymore.
Sima Shi did not want to lie to his father, he just did not tell the whole story.
Sima Yi heard that Cao Zhi was the only one in Chongwen Temple almost every day, so he couldn't help asking, "Is it only Prince Yongqiu who is on duty all day? How long will it take for him to finish the task of revising the sutras that Your Majesty has entrusted to him?"
Sima Shi replied: "Father, I have not seen the Prince of Yongqiu. I heard that the Prince of Yongqiu does not see anyone in Chongwen Temple and does not care about anything."
"I heard from He Yan and He Pingshu that it is better to say that we are translating scriptures rather than revising them. Now the Prince of Yongqiu is leading the translation of the Book of Songs, and He Pingshu is leading the translation of the Book of Changes. After the Book of Songs and the Book of Changes are completed, the remaining three classics will be translated."
"According to the current progress, I'm afraid it will take until the end of the year to finish translating the Five Classics. Besides, there is still work to be done on annotations."
Sima Yi snorted: "It will take another year to translate the scriptures. Cao Zhi and He Yan are both useless."
Sima Zhao was stunned. That was the King of Yongqiu, and his father not only called him by his name, but also called him a waste?
When Sima Zhao was surprised, Sima Shi next to him did not think so. His father could be polite to many people, but he could not have the slightest respect for Cao Zhi. When fighting for the throne, Sima Yi and Chen Qun were at odds with Ding Yi, Yang Xiu and others. This was a life-and-death struggle. If they had lost, it would not be Ding Yi who would be killed, but Sima Yi.
Sima Yi asked, "You, Taichu, and He Yan have agreed to be friends?"
Sima Shi nodded and said, "That's right. Xiahou Xuan called He Yan "Brother Pingshu", and his son also called him that."
"This fake son." Sima Yi said disdainfully: "Ziyuan, you know that the late emperor looked down on He Yan the most. Emperor Wu recognized He Yan as his fake son, but He Yan often used his surname He to show off. When Emperor Wu was still alive, He Yan's clothes and costumes were even similar to those of the late emperor."
"But since he is a fake son who has not changed his surname, the generations are a bit messy. Doesn't His Majesty still call Qin Lang Asu?"
Sima Shi had heard his father talk about many past events and was very familiar with the stories of those years, so he asked directly: "Father, even if it took them more than half a year to translate the scriptures, it would probably take them three or five years to annotate the Five Classics."
"Father, do you think Chongwen Temple is a good place to go?"
"What does Ziyuan mean?" Sima Yi asked with narrowed eyes.
Sima Shi explained: "Father, I also heard about it. He Yan was able to select four people to enter Chongwen Temple, and once they entered, they were all scholars with a salary of 600 dan!"
"Six hundred stones?" Sima Yi asked, "Who did He Yan choose?"
"Bi Gui, Deng Yang, Li Sheng, Ding Mi."
Sima Yi shook his head slightly: "I have been in the Shangshutai for a long time, too far away from the circle of these young people in Luozhong, and I am not familiar with them."
"But Ziyuan, you must stay away from this Ding Mi."
Sima Shi asked in confusion: "What's wrong with this person?"
Sima Yi glanced at his eldest son and asked, "What's his last name?"
Of course, the surname is Ding.
As soon as Sima Shi thought of this word, he immediately recalled a story: "Could it be that Ding Mi and Ding Yi's family have a past?"
"Humph, it's more than just a past." Sima Yi said, "Ding Yi is Ding Mi's cousin! Back then, Ding Yi was the chief strategist of the Yongqiu King, but later the late emperor ordered that all the male members of his family be beheaded. How dare you get close to such a person?"
Sima Shi took a breath and said, "I was wondering why Ding Mi looked at me with such coldness today. This is the reason."
Seeing this, Sima Yi said, "Whether it's Cao Zhi or Ding Mi, they are all people who have had grudges against my father in the past. From their perspective, you are nothing more than the son of an enemy! Don't go to Chongwen Temple anymore in the future!"
"Just now you said that all the scholars in Chongwen Temple are awarded 600 dan. Who granted this?"
Sima Shi hesitated for a few moments and then said, "From what He Yan said, it seems that His Majesty has agreed to it."
Sima Yi nodded, and then explained earnestly: "Almost all the so-called famous scholars in Luozhong now are headed by He Yan. This is clear to me."
"If you want to become famous, of course you can. Become friends with Xiahou Xuan, and work your way up in knowledge and position bit by bit, and you will naturally get what you deserve."
"The position of a bachelor in Chongwen Temple seems like a shortcut, but if you really step into it, you will be trapped for 10 to 20 years without any accidents."
"Except for the emperor, there is no other place in the world that can give you a shortcut!" Sima Yi looked at his eldest son: "Ziyuan, do you understand?"
"Father, I understand." Sima Shi nodded, "There is one more thing. I heard that after a student has completed one year of study, he can pass the examination and become a student of the Imperial Academy."
Sima Yi nodded: "Father has probably heard of this matter. Why, Ziyuan wants to use this position as a Imperial College Scholar to enter the government?"
Sima Shi smiled and said, "It's not that I want to. I just want to ask my father about this, the Imperial College Scholar and the Chongwen Temple Scholar."
Sima Yi also smiled: "Ziyuan, you must know that His Majesty ascended the throne early, and apart from Wei Zhen, Gao Tanglong, Guanqiu Jian and a few others in the former East Palace, there are no more direct descendants."
"Since His Majesty wants some direct descendants, I don't think His Majesty would want you, a child from a wealthy family like you."
Sima Shi nodded and said, "My son understands."
Sima Zhao, who had been listening for a long time, could no longer hold back and asked, "Father, I heard from my elder brother that the Imperial College will recruit students this year. Can I also enter the Imperial College?"
Sima Yi glanced at his second son and asked casually, "Why did Zishang want to enter the Imperial College?"
Sima Zhao said with a proud look: "Of course I want to be like my elder brother, make friends and become famous in Luozhong, and then wait for an official position in the future!"
Sima Yi looked at his second son, then at his eldest son. If he wanted to become famous and become an official, without real talent and knowledge, he would only bring trouble to himself.
While lamenting the gap between the two, Sima Yi left no room for negotiation and said directly: "Zi Shang is wrong!"
"The Imperial Academy is the Imperial Academy. Of course, it is a place to learn classics and understand principles! Since what Zishang said is wrong, you are not allowed to go to the Imperial Academy this year."
Sima Zhao was stunned. (End of this chapter)
