Chapter 359: Envoy Zhao is my teacher!
Chapter 359: Envoy Zhao is my teacher!
Lost to him... Gave to him...
When Zhengyang pointed at Zhao Duan and said this in a calm tone, the expressions of almost everyone present were stunned.
My brain went blank, my thoughts were intermittent, and I was confused for a moment.
"Mr. Zhengyang, what did you just say? You admit defeat? You lost to..."
Walking beside the pavilion, Mei Jijiu, the "host" of the Imperial College, almost stumbled and lost his composure. He stammered and asked, trying to confirm it, suspecting that he had just heard it wrong.
Zhengyang remained calm and repeated the two sentences he had said.
It’s true, you heard it right.
"Wow—"
As expected, the scholars around and some court officials who came to watch were moved and lost their composure, expressing great doubts and exclamations.
The expressions of several old acquaintances sitting next to Zhao Duan were particularly shocked.
"Brother Zhao? Zhengyang said he lost to Brother Zhao?" Dong Da was dumbfounded and stood up.
"Mr. Zhao? Is he referring to you?" Han Zhou and other scholars lost their composure, not knowing what was going on.
The old supervisor, who had come to join in the fun and was sitting in a steady posture, also had his pupils narrowed and a wooden face. He stared at his nominal subordinate beside him in disbelief, and was caught off guard by this sudden change.
As for Mo Chou, this "female prime minister" widened her eyes, and the makeup on her eyebrows was distorted...
You really did something secretly, and you said you didn't do it...
She stared blankly at Zhao Duan beside her, and suddenly gritted her teeth and blurted out:
"Did you threaten him secretly? Did you get hold of something against him?"
This was her first thought and also her instinctive guess!
This fits her stereotype of Zhao Duan as a sinister and cruel guy!
Not only her, many people present had the same guess after seeing the direction of Mr. Zhengyang's finger.
It must be Zhao Duan who was behind this. He must have used some means of intimidation or bribery to force such a great scholar to bow his head and "admit defeat in public"!
The monk Bian Ji, who was sitting opposite the crowd, had a strange look in his eyes, and developed the mentality of a person who was just enjoying the show.
"Mr. Zhengyang, don't talk nonsense!"
Master Dong was the first to be affected. After he came to his senses, he guessed this possibility and his face changed slightly.
If it was really a threat from Zhao Duan, then when the news that Zhengyang was forced to admit defeat spread today, it is hard to tell what public opinion would be like.
Dong Xuan said solemnly: "Today we are discussing academic matters. This is the capital of the Great Yu Dynasty. There are many Confucian scholars here. You can discuss academic matters with me without worrying about any interruptions."
He expressed his stance in an attempt to reverse the negative impact.
However, Mr. Zhengyang was unusually calm. He raised his hand to suppress the noise around him, and shook his head seriously, saying:
"Grandmaster and you may have misunderstood. I am not joking when I admit defeat today, nor am I doing it out of anger. Nor am I forced by anyone. I just think that even if I try my best today, I will not be able to win."
He seemed to smile, but it was more of a self-deprecating smile:
"I have lived in seclusion in Yunfu for ten years, writing books and interpreting the words of saints to explain the orthodox learning. I have gained some reputation, but the more I delve into this knowledge, the more I feel fragmented. Some ideas have sprouted in my mind, but they have not taken shape. Instead, I feel like I am in a fog and cannot get to the point.
This time I came down the mountain, not only because I was asked to do so, but I also wanted to come to the capital in person to meet with the Confucian scholars of the world and discuss knowledge to see if I could dispel the confusion in my heart and resolve the doubts. "
After listening to his story, everyone quieted down and realized that Zhengyang's appearance and attitude did not seem like he was being coerced.
Zhengyang suddenly looked at Zhao Duan, his eyes complicated and he said:
"After I entered the capital, I also talked with some famous Confucian scholars, but I found that I gained nothing. The scholars in the capital were not concerned about learning itself. So I simply stayed indoors and waited for today. Unexpectedly, my disciples sent a message that I met the envoy Zhao at Bailu.
The philosophy of mind proposed by the envoy, or the "new school", seemed contrary to the orthodox school we hold at first glance, but when I went back and thought about it, the more I understood it, and many of his ideas were vaguely consistent with what I had realized in Yunfu.
But I only thought of the "heart is reason" in "respecting virtue and nature", and I had a slight grasp of the true meaning of "reaching conscience", but I never expected the four words "unity of knowledge and action"..."
Zhengyang narrated calmly, his deep voice echoing in everyone's ears.
He did not explain the details of the debate with Zhao Duan, but started from this topic and publicly stated the theories of "Xinxue" that Zhao Duan had told him.
It was as if they were not debating at all, but rather preaching Zhao Duan's theory.
At first, Dong Xuan was confused by the words "Xinxue" and "Xin is Li", but as Zhengyang explained in a simple and easy-to-understand way, this Confucian master couldn't help but frown and change color.
As a great scholar who firmly adhered to "Neo-Confucianism", he even wanted to interrupt and refute several times.
But remembering that these heresies were proposed by Zhao Duan, she had to hold it in.
However, the other scholars around him did not share his concerns, and their expressions became more and more interesting as they listened.
Some people's eyes became brighter and brighter, attracted by this novel knowledge.
But this is still a very small minority.
Most people still subconsciously rejected it, but faced with Zhengyang who was almost preaching, they really couldn't say anything to refute it.
As for the disciples of Zhengyang School, they were completely dumbfounded, like a group of abandoned children.
It feels absurd that a general has defected at the critical moment of battle.
Lu Cheng and Mr. Song looked at each other in silence, and both saw the shock in each other's eyes.
Zhao Duan's expression also looked a little strange. This was better than the best case scenario he had expected.
According to his original plan, he would snipe Zhengyang once. Today, Grand Tutor Dong was on the stage and he was below.
If Zhengyang beat Dong Xuan, he would appear. But unexpectedly, Zhengyang voted directly after two days of debate.
Not only did he vote, but he also changed his name and began to preach the theory of "Xinxue" in public, while throwing the original "debate" aside.
and……
He explained it very well, more thoroughly than Zhao Duan.
Not surprisingly.
Although Zhao Duan applied the theory of psychology, in terms of understanding, he could not be compared with Zhengyang.
Now Zhengyang has mastered it, and the philosophy of mind that comes out of his mouth is more comprehensive, profound and easy to understand.
"…So, the fog in my heart has dissipated. Last night I sat alone in the inn all night, waiting for the dawn. When the morning light came, I saw the faint morning light in the house, illuminating the dark room. My heart is bright, and I no longer want anything."
Mr. Zhengyang's eyes became brighter and brighter, his face flushed with red, and he felt a kind of sincere joy after attaining enlightenment.
He looked around at the scholars present and said seriously:
"Therefore, I know that if I continue to argue today, even if Envoy Zhao does not take action, I will not be able to escape the fate of losing, because my heart has changed its flag and has a new direction."
He pointed to his chest and bowed to Dong Xuan:
"I have been in Yunfu for a long time and I didn't know how big the world is. There are many hidden talents in the capital. Just one person, Envoy Zhao, has enlightened me. I think Master Dong has deeper knowledge, so I won't humiliate myself anymore."
"Sir, you are too modest..." Dong Xuan looked embarrassed and hesitated to speak.
Zhengyang ignored him, turned around and looked at Zhao Duan, bowed again, and said:
"Your words are very inspiring to me. You deserve the title of 'teacher'. They also let me see the little man under the fur coat. After today, I will return to Yunfu and go back to the mountains to write a book to explain the principles of mind learning. When the book is completed, I will send it to the capital. Please take a look at it, Your Excellency."
Zhao Duan smiled and said, "Okay, okay..."
This sentence put Zhao Du in the position of a division commander.
A great scholar calls a sycophant his teacher?
Zhengyang turned around again, looking at the almost frozen faces present, and sighed meaningfully:
"It is easy to defeat a thief in the mountains, but it is difficult to defeat a thief in one's heart..."
He didn't say anything else, turned around, and walked out of the pavilion step by step.
Lu Cheng and other disciples bewilderedly made way to both sides and watched their teacher walk out with his chest held high. After a moment's pause, they took a step forward and chased after him.
……
The autumn wind blows across the plum garden.
Everyone just watched quietly as the people from the Zhengyang School left.
People were still in shock and had not yet come to their senses. Some were immersed in the theory just discussed, while others found it difficult to accept the dramatic development of the matter.
"Sir... Hey... Master, look..."
Mei Jijiu stood there, looking left and right, not knowing how to end it.
Is this the end? Or is it not the end?
Master Dong just stood there, still not coming back to his senses. He had been preparing for many days, putting all his energy into it.
As a result... the theory that could have easily shaken the legitimacy of the empress's succession to the throne was just... gone?
The smile of watching the fun on the face of the white-robed monk Bian Ji had already frozen. He slowly turned his head to the opposite side and looked at the smiling Zhao Duan.
Zhao Duan moved his lips, but no sound came out.
Bian Ji understood his lip language, which was: "Master, are you satisfied?"
Bian Ji had a blank expression on his face, closed his eyes, and quickly moved the Buddhist beads with his thumbs to calm his mind.
"Leaving now?"
Dong Da stood there in a daze, and turned his head to see the complicated faces of Han Zhou and other scholars.
Then, a group of people looked at Mr. Zhao, who had been sitting in the chair from beginning to end, with a lazy and leisurely posture, as if the major events in front of him had nothing to do with him at all.
"What about psychology..." Sun Lianying asked hesitantly. The old eunuch didn't know much about this subject either.
Mochou looked stern and stared at him with a gloomy look in her eyes: "I need an explanation."
After a pause, she quickly added, "To His Majesty."
Zhao Duan faced these faces with an innocent look, and then found that many people in the garden turned their heads and looked at him, as if they were about to pounce on him and ask him questions thoroughly.
Oh no... I seem to have disturbed a hornet's nest... Zhao Duan patted his butt and got up and ran away:
"I still have something to do, you guys continue."
Now that the matter had been resolved, he didn't want to stay and be watched by a group of scholars.
It should be noted that the School of Mind challenged the old theories. These Confucian scholars did not dare to refute Zhengyang, but they had no burden in refuting Zhao.
trouble.
"Hey, wait a minute..."
Hearing the shouting behind him, Zhao Duan didn't even turn his head, only to hear the voices of people outside the high wall of the Plum Garden.
He pulled the corner of his mouth, his eyes full of resentment:
Zhengyang, ah Zhengyang, the scholar is mean and mean. Today, he is afraid that he will cause hostility from many old-fashioned Neo-Confucianists.
Fortunately, if there are too many lice, you won’t be afraid of itching.
……
As Zhengyang and Zhao Duan left one after another, everything that happened in the Plum Garden was like an autumn wind blowing through the streets and alleys, blowing towards the countless people inside and outside the capital who were watching from afar and waiting for the results of the academic discussion.
(End of this chapter)