Chapter 359 Ambassador Zhao is my teacher!
Lost to him... gave to him...
When Zhengyang pointed at Zhao Duan and said these words in a calm tone, almost everyone present looked dull.
My brain went blank for a while, my thinking was intermittent, and I was at a loss for a moment.
"Mr. Zhengyang, what did you say just now? Are you admitting defeat? You lost to..."
Walking by the pavilion, as the "host" of the Imperial Academy Plum Festival, he almost stumbled and lost his composure. He stammered and asked, trying to confirm, suspecting that he had just heard wrong.
Zhengyang's expression remained calm, and he repeated the two sentences he had said.
It's true, you heard me right.
"Wow——"
As expected, the surrounding scholars and some of the officials from the DPRK and China who came to watch were moved and expressed huge 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 stunned and stood up.
"Scholar Zhao? Is he pointing at you?" Han Zhi and other bachelors lost their composure and were at a loss as to what was going on.
The old supervisor, who came to join in the fun and was sitting upright, also had narrowed pupils and a dull face, staring at the nominal subordinate next to him in disbelief. He was unexpectedly surprised by this unexpected incident.
As for Mochou, this "female prime minister"'s eyes were widened, and the makeup between her eyebrows was distorted...
You really did something secretly, and you said you didn't do anything...
She stared blankly at Zhao Duan beside her, suddenly gritted her teeth and blurted out:
"Did you secretly threaten him? Did you take advantage of him?"
This was her first thought and instinctive speculation!
This fits her stereotype of Zhao Duan, a sinister and cruel guy!
Not just her, many people present had the same suspicion after seeing the direction of Mr. Zhengyang's finger.
Zhao Duan must have been up to something. He used some method of coercion and inducement to force the dignified scholar to bow his head by "admitting defeat in public"!
The Bian Ji monk across from the crowd had a strange look in his eyes, and he had a fun-loving mentality.
"Mr. Zhengyang, don't talk nonsense!"
Grand Master Dong was the first to bear the brunt. After regaining consciousness, he also guessed this possibility, and his expression changed slightly.
If Zhao Duan was really a threat, then the news that Zhengyang was forced to admit defeat spread today, and we still don't know what the public opinion will be like.
Dong Xuan said seriously: "Today you and I are discussing studies. This is the capital of our Yu Dynasty. There are many Confucian scholars in front of us. You can discuss studies with me without worrying about any interference."
He is taking a stand and trying to reverse the negative impact.
However, Mr. Zhengyang was unusually calm. He raised his hand first, suppressed the noise around him, shook his head seriously and said:
"Grand Master and you all may have misunderstood. My surrender today is not a joke, nor is it out of anger, nor is anyone forcing me to do so. It is because I think that even if I try my best today, I will not be able to win."
He seemed to smile, more self-deprecatingly:
"I lived in seclusion in Yunfu for ten years, devoted myself to writing books, interpreting the words of saints and expounding the true learning, and gained some false fame. However, the more I delved into this knowledge, the more fragmented it became. Some ideas sprouted in my mind, but they failed to form. On the contrary, it made me feel like I was in a fog, unable to grasp the point.
This time I came down the mountain not only because I was entrusted by others, but also because I wanted to come to the capital in person, meet with the Confucian scholars in the world, discuss knowledge, and see if I can get rid of the confusion in my heart and solve my doubts. "
After listening to his story, everyone became quiet and noticed that Zhengyang's appearance and attitude did not seem to be under coercion.
Zhengyang suddenly looked at Zhao Duan with complicated eyes and said:
"After I entered the capital, I also talked with some famous Confucian scholars, but found that I got nothing. The scholars in the capital were not interested in knowledge itself. So I simply stayed behind closed doors and waited for today. Unexpectedly, my disciples sent word, Met Zhao Jun in Bailu.
The philosophy of mind proposed by your Majesty, also known as 'new learning', initially sounded contrary to our orthodox teachings. However, when I thought about it again, I became more and more aware of it. On the contrary, many of my ideas were vaguely consistent with what I had learned in Yunfu. .
It’s just that I only thought of the ‘mind as principle’ of ‘respecting virtue and nature’, and I had a slight grasp of the true meaning of conscience and the unity of knowledge and action, but I never expected it at all…”
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 these words and publicly stated the "mind learning" theories that Zhao Duan told him.
It was as if they were not debating at all, but preaching Zhao Duan's doctrine.
Dong Xuan was confused at first by the words "Xin Xue" and "Xin is Li", but as Zhengyang explained it in simple and in-depth terms, the Confucian master couldn't help but frown and change his expression.
As a great scholar who firmly upholds "Neo-Confucianism", he even wanted to interrupt and refute several times.
But remembering that these fallacies were proposed by Zhao Duan, he could only hold back.
However, the other scholars around him were not as worried as he was, and their expressions became more and more exciting as they listened.
Some eyes are getting brighter and brighter, attracted by this novel knowledge.
But this is ultimately a very small minority.
Most of them still reject it subconsciously, but facing Zhengyang who is almost preaching, they really can't say anything to refute.
As for the disciples of Zhengyang School, they were completely dumbfounded, like a group of abandoned children.
There is quite a sense of absurdity that the general defected just before the war.
Lu Cheng and Song Juren looked at each other in silence, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.
Zhao Duan's expression was also a little weird, and this was better than the best-case scenario he expected.
In his original plan, he would first snipe Zhengyang once. Today, Master Dong was on stage and he was off stage.
If Zhengyang wins against Dong Xuan, he will appear. Unexpectedly, Zhengyang voted directly after two days of debate.
Not only did he vote, but he also changed his appearance and preached the theory of "Xinxue" in public, leaving the original "debate" aside.
and……
What he said was very good, more thorough than what Zhao Duan said.
No surprise.
Although Zhao Duan adopted the theory of mind science, when it comes to understanding, it is impossible to compare with Zhengyang.
Now that Zhengyang has understood everything, the philosophy of mind spoken from his mouth is more comprehensive and easy to understand.
"...Therefore, the fog in my heart cleared. Last night, I sat alone in the inn all night, waiting for dawn, and saw the faint morning light in the room, reflecting the dark room. My heart is bright, and I don't need anything more."
Mr. Zhengyang's eyes became brighter and brighter, his face flushed with color, and he felt like he was sincerely happy after enlightenment.
He looked around at the scholars present and said seriously:
"Therefore, I know in my heart that if I continue to argue forcefully today, even if Commander Zhao doesn't take action, I will not be able to escape the end of losing, because my heart has changed its flag and has a new direction."
He pointed to his chest and cupped his hands towards Dong Xuan:
"I have been in Yunfu for a long time, and I don't know how big the world is. There are crouching tigers and hidden dragons in the capital. Only one Zhao Shijun has given me enlightenment. I think Grand Master Dong will learn more and will no longer humiliate himself."
"Sir, you are too modest..." Dong Xuan looked embarrassed and hesitated to speak.
Zhengyang ignored him, turned around and looked at Zhao Duan in the distance, cupped his hands again and said:
"Your Majesty's words are very inspiring to me, and I should use the word 'teacher'. It also makes me see the little boy under the leather robe. After today, I will return to Yunfu, go into the mountains again, and devote myself to writing a book to explain my inner learning." Li, when the book is completed, it will be sent to the capital. Please give me your attention."
Zhao Duan smiled and said: "It's easy to talk, easy to talk..."
This sentence put Zhao Duan in the position of teacher.
A dignified scholar calls a sycophant his teacher?
Zhengyang turned around again, glanced at the almost frozen faces present, and sighed meaningfully:
"It's easy to break a mountain, but it's hard to break a heart..."
He didn't say any more, turned around, and walked out of the pavilion step by step.
Lu Cheng and other disciples blankly opened a path to both sides and watched their mentor walk out with his chest raised and his head raised. They were stunned for a moment before taking steps to catch up.
…
The autumn wind blows through the plum garden.
Everyone just watched the Zhengyang School people leave in silence.
People are still in shock and have not yet recovered. Some are immersed in the theory just now, or they are temporarily unable to accept the dramatic development of things.
"Sir... eh... Grand Master, look..."
The plum wine wine was stuck in place, looking left and right, not knowing how to end it.
Is this the end? Still not over?
Grand Master Dong just stood there, still not recovering. He had been preparing for several days and thinking very hard.
As a result... the theory that might have shaken the legitimacy of the empress' succession was just... gone?
The smile on the face of the white-robed monk Bian Ji had long since froze. He slowly turned his neck to the opposite side and looked at the smiling Zhao Duan.
Zhao Duan's lips moved, but he made no sound.
Bianji understood his lips, and the sentence was: "Is the mage still satisfied?"
Bianji had an expressionless face, closed his eyes, and quickly moved the prayer beads with his thumbs to calm his mind.
"Leaving now?"
Dong Da stood at a loss, turned around and saw the complicated faces of Han Zhi and other bachelors first.
Then, a group of people looked at Zhao, who had been sitting in a chair with a lazy and leisurely posture, as if the important matter in front of him had nothing to do with them.
"What about the study of mind..." Sun Lianying asked hesitantly. The old eunuch didn't know much about learning either.
Mochou had a straight face and stared at him with dark eyes: "I need an explanation."
After a pause, she quickly added, "To Your Majesty."
Zhao Duan faced these faces with an innocent face, and then found that many people in the garden also turned their attention and looked at him, as if they were about to pounce on him and ask for a thorough explanation.
Oh...it seems like a hornet's nest has been stung...Zhao Duan patted his butt and stood up to run away:
"I have something else to do, please continue."
Now that the matter has been settled, he doesn't want to stay and be watched by a group of scholars.
It should be noted that Xinxue challenged the old doctrine. These Confucian scholars did not dare to refute Zhengyang, but there was no burden in refuting him, Zhao.
trouble.
"Hey, wait a minute..."
Hearing the shouts behind him, Zhao Duan did not look back. He only heard the sound of people outside the high courtyard wall of Meiyuan.
He twitched the corners of his mouth, his eyes filled with resentment:
Zhengyang, Zhengyang, the scholar is wilted. Today, he is afraid that he will arouse the hostility of many old Neo-Confucian scholars.
Fortunately, lice are not itchy if there are too many.
…
As Zhengyang and Zhao Duan left one after another, everything that happened in the Meiyuan was like the autumn wind passing through the streets, blowing towards countless people inside and outside the capital who were watching from a distance and waiting for the results of the theory.
(End of chapter)