Chương 644: An official who doesn't serve the people is no better than the Zhang family selling

He held up one finger: The first sentence, "To establish a moral compass for Heaven and Earth," simply means that one must have a conscience. One cannot sacrifice one's conscience for the sake of promotion and wealth.

We cannot sell inferior goods and harm the people just to make dirty money. Heaven and earth have righteousness, and people's hearts must also have righteousness.

Whatever you do in the future... whether you become an official, a craftsman, a farmer, or a teacher... first touch your heart and ask yourself if your heart is still there.

No amount of money should be given for doing something against one's conscience.

The second finger: "The second sentence, 'to establish a life for the people'... means to do things in a way that is worthy of the people."

Many of you come from humble backgrounds and know how hard life is for ordinary people. In the future, when you have the ability and power, don't forget to turn back and help those who are still struggling in the mire.

I'm making this clear... Any graduate of the Royal University of Luoyang who dares to oppress the people, exploit the locals, or engage in corruption and bribery will be dealt with by me first.

No matter how high your rank or how great your achievements, I will show you no mercy.

The third finger: "The third sentence, 'To continue the lost learning of the past sages'... means to pass on the good things and throw away all the dross."

Our ancestors left us many treasures: agriculture and water conservancy, medical techniques and calendars, poetry and literature, and craftsmanship. These must be passed down well and not lost.

However, there are also dross ideas, such as "a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent" and "hierarchy and social status are predetermined by heaven," as well as those outdated rules like foot binding. These should be thrown away and not cherished.

Learning to distinguish between good and bad is a million times more important than rote learning.

The fourth finger: "The fourth line, 'To usher in an era of peace for all generations'... This is the ultimate goal."

Whether I will live to see this is uncertain, and neither will you. But each generation has its own responsibilities. If we do our part well, the road ahead will become wider and wider.

If officials are honest and upright, workers are skilled and dedicated, farmers are diligent and conscientious, and teachers are responsible and responsible, then a peaceful and prosperous world will not be just empty words.

The more we sweat, the less suffering our descendants will endure.

The audience was silent.

More than a thousand pairs of eyes were focused on Liu Ce, and even their breathing became soft.

Many students from impoverished families felt a lump in their throats. They had studied the classics and only knew that "those who excel in their studies will become officials." No one had ever told them such a simple truth... Studying is not for becoming an official and enjoying a life of luxury, but for one's conscience, for the people, and for future generations to live better lives.

Liu Ce took a sip of water, changed the subject, and his tone became more relaxed:

"Speaking of being an official, let me tell you an old saying: Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it."

He tapped the blackboard: "You've all heard this saying before, but I want you to remember the underlying principle... The common people are the water, and the court and officials are the boats."

Only when the water is calm can a boat sail steadily forward; but if the water is angry, a single wave can overturn even the highest-ranking official or the greatest power, throwing you into the river to feed the turtles.

"So what is the most important skill for an official? It's not being able to write beautiful articles, not being able to flatter, not being able to figure out what the superiors want... it's being able to keep the people under you happy. If the people are doing well, your position is secure; if the people are struggling, no matter how high your rank is, it's useless."

He paused for a moment, then uttered the most blunt statement: "To put it simply... if an official doesn't serve the people, he might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes."

"Pfft..." At first, someone in the audience laughed, then burst into enthusiastic applause, clapping until their palms turned red.

Some people laughed and nodded, thinking that this was a million times easier to understand than the profound truths in the Four Books and Five Classics, and some even wrote it down on the spot.

When the applause stopped, Liu Ce's expression turned serious again, and he brought up the last topic: loyalty to the emperor and love for the country.

"I know that some people have opinions about these four words. They think that 'loyalty to the emperor' means being a dog for the emperor, and 'patriotism' means just empty slogans."

I'm telling you today... that's not how it is."

"What does it mean to be loyal to the emperor? It doesn't mean to kowtow to me like a pestle in the ground, or to shout 'Your Majesty is wise' no matter what I say."

If I make a mistake, such as wanting to waste money on palace renovations or wanting to kill people at will, and you dare to stand up and say, "Your Majesty is wrong," and dare to stand up to me, that is true loyalty.

Those who blindly flatter and fawn are not loyal ministers, but sycophants, waiting to see me make a fool of myself.

What does it mean to be patriotic? It's not about shouting "Long live the Han Dynasty!" all the time.

If you are a farmer, cultivate every acre of land well and make more people have enough to eat, that is patriotism.

You are a craftsman, making every machine and every farm tool well; that is patriotism.

You are a doctor, and taking good care of every patient is patriotism; If you are an official, you should handle every case properly so that the people feel that justice still exists. That is patriotism.

Doing your job well, to the best of your ability, is the best way to show patriotism. It's more effective than shouting ten thousand slogans.

He paused, looked at the thoughtful young faces below the stage, and smiled slightly:

"You may not fully understand what I'm saying today. That's alright, take your time. Most of you will be staying here for at least three more years, so you have plenty of time to figure it out."

I only hope that... when you walk out of this school three years from now, your minds will not only be filled with book knowledge, but also with a conscience that knows what you should and should not do.

Only those with both ability and conscience can uphold the future of the Han Dynasty.

He dusted off his hands with chalk dust and said crisply:

"Alright, get out of class dismissed."

The cafeteria added extra dishes today: braised pork belly and stewed ribs, all you can eat... It's on me.

"Long live the principal!!!"

Cheers instantly resounded throughout the university hall, even louder than the earlier shouts of "Your Majesty."

The students' eyes lit up, their faces filled with excitement and joy, as if it were Chinese New Year.

Wang Hui stood in a corner of the auditorium, quietly wiping the corner of his eye.

He spent most of his life as a teacher, teaching thousands upon thousands of students and attending countless lectures.

But there has never been a class like this before... It doesn't delve into the meaning of scriptures or textual research, it doesn't test memorization or dictation, it doesn't impose complicated formalities, it's like chatting with family, gently planting the simplest truths in the hearts of more than a thousand young people.

He suddenly realized that this school could really change a lot of things.

Cai Yong stood to the side, stroking his beard and nodding slightly, his face full of satisfaction.

Although her son-in-law was usually unreliable, he could really speak his mind when it came to reason.

As the class ended, the students crowded out, chattering incessantly about the day's lecture.

Li Mo, who had just been repairing the steam engine, squeezed to the front, blushing, and bowed deeply to Liu Ce.

"Principal, I promise I will study hard and live up to your expectations!"

"Good lad, I'll be waiting for you at the Ministry of Works Research Institute." Liu Ce patted his shoulder and said with a smile, "Don't disappoint me then."

Li Mo nodded vigorously, turned and ran away, gathering with a few classmates and excitedly talking about something.

Liu Ce stood at the entrance of the university hall, watching the students disperse in twos and threes, a smile on his lips.

The spring sunshine shone down, warm and gentle, illuminating the faces of the young people and the young school itself.

He thought it was worth it.