Core of the Sage.

Summary

The Thousand Bull Guards aggressively pursued scholars suspected of opposing the court's favor for Du Yu, leading to widespread arrests and violence. An elderly Confucian lamented the insult to culture as the guards demanded the burning of the Only True Sage's portrait, replacing it with Du Yu's. The Emperor decreed Du Yu as the new True Sage, inciting outrage among scholars, who accused Du Yu of ambition and hypocrisy. Despite initial public support, the court's propaganda efforts turned sentiment against Du Yu, branding him a "literary thief." The Emperor, recognizing the brewing dissent, planned to use it to further undermine Du Yu, believing that once public trust eroded, his downfall would be inevitable.

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