Li Ran heard what his father said, but stood aside, unable to speak.
Li Er continued:
"So, my son is like everyone else who only clings to the "form" of rituals and music, but ignores their "quality"! What's more, the virtue of the king is also impermanent. As the saying goes, "There are ten days in the sky, and people have ten hearts."
"Virtue". Being bold in killing is the virtue of masculinity, and being gentle and tolerant is the virtue of femininity. However, the strong are easy to break, and the soft are not. How can this truth be explained clearly by the world in a few words? "
Li Er's words made Li Ran not know how to respond for a while. He always felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't explain it.
At this time, Confucius and Li Er couldn't help but look at each other.
Confucius had always admired venerable people like Li Er the most, and he had already heard others talk about him, so he had been fascinated by him for a long time.
However, now that I heard such fallacies, I was a little confused by what he said. It felt very different from what I thought.
However, vaguely, I felt that what he said did have some truth, and it was impossible to refute it.
After all, Changhong is the same generation as Li Er. The two were the closest colleagues before, so they were relatively familiar with each other.
Seeing that Li Ran and Confucius seemed to have too many things to say, or that they didn't dare to say anything, he immediately spoke to Li Er:
"The Duke of Zhou founded Zhou Li and maintained the Zhou sect for hundreds of years. Although the world is becoming increasingly difficult, it is at least a constraint..."
"Brother Changhong, I think you are still the same age as me, but why are you still unaware of the variables in this world?"
Changhong couldn't help but smile bitterly:
"Haha, it can be said that one's nature is hard to change, right? Alas... However, Hong still thinks that the Zhou family's decline today is really our fault."
When Li Er heard this, he finally put down the boring letter he had put down:
"Haha, brother Changhong, I think you are also a person who has read a lot of history books. You might as well imagine that before Duke Zhou established Zhou Li, our ancestors of the Xia, Li Xia and Shang Dynasties, were really immoral? Really?
Is it because there are no saints? If so, how can there be such saints as "Yao, Shun, and Yu"? And Xia, Jie, Shang and Zhou all brought their own defeat, and is it really because of their ignorance of virtue?"
"Furthermore, you are all talking about the rule of the sage king, but the Duke of Zhou established rituals and music, and divided the princes of the world. What he did was to make the princes become the order guards of the Zhou Dynasty and stabilize the world. At that time, the reason why the world could be quickly stabilized is this
They are all the result of enfeoffment! However, when time passed and the time came to Liyou, the world was in great peace and internal troubles abounded. Therefore, Marquis Shen led the dogs and soldiers to bring trouble to the Zhou Dynasty and caused the collapse of heaven! Isn't this also the disadvantage of enfeoffment?!"
"Xia began with the rule of Yu, and was divided into Jie, so there was Shang. When the world was unified under Shang Tang, it fell apart under Zhou. These are all destined to be divided and united, how can it be done by human power? But now the Zhou Dynasty is
Isn't decline inevitable? Everyone, have you understood the profound meaning of this?"
When Li Ran heard this, he hesitated for a moment.
"Then according to father's wishes, is it the way of heaven for the world to collapse and become unified?"
"Haha, this is obvious! Therefore, a wise man should comply with the destiny instead of going against it!"
Li Ran was stunned and had a moment of reflection in his heart. He thought that he had actually been pursuing the "perfect system" in his mind since time travel.
He also tried hard to revive the prosperity of the Zhou Dynasty, bring peace to the world, and make the government harmonious, but in the end, it was all in vain.
So did he really only see the surface? But he didn’t see through the essence?
In fact, he is not completely ignorant of this theory of separation and combination.
After all, all the subsequent dynasties he knew were true to this principle.
Therefore, as a person of later generations, he should obviously be able to see more clearly.
However, when Li Ran was actually involved in it and truly witnessed the current chaotic situation, Li Ran seemed to be trapped in it and unable to take care of himself.
Confucius finally couldn't bear it anymore. He had been eager to try and argue with Li Er:
"Mr. Li's words are wrong! The world has its own destiny. However, Qiu believes that the exact number cannot be guessed by human beings. Duke Zhou made rites and music, and his merits were outstanding. He saved eight wastes, and our dynasty was able to do so.
It continues to this day, and everything is tied to it. Without rituals and music, how could our Zhou Dynasty have maintained it for so long? Moreover, our dynasty has gone through many ups and downs, and the reason why we were able to turn danger into peace in the end is all because of rituals and music. How can we say
Is it because the rituals and music I show to Duke Zhou are useless?"
"So, Qiu believes that the system of rituals and music is actually the foundation of the world! The reason why rituals and music have collapsed now is just because people's hearts are old and the original rules have been broken, which led to the current situation."
"As the saying goes, "If you straighten the wrong, you can straighten the wrong." Qiu believes that as long as we uphold the right path, the system of ritual and music will naturally flourish again." (Zhi...zhi: hold straight.
Use tools to correct the crooked things, and the crooked things can be corrected.)
When Li Er heard this, he couldn't help laughing and shook his head:
"Hahaha!... Zhongni, you are really just a little Confucian. You only think you understand the principles of nature. In fact, what you have learned now is just a superficial knowledge! You only think that you can help the world? You are really pedantic.
Arrogant!"
When Confucius heard this, his face turned red.
"Everyone knows that Mr. Li is proficient in Zhou Rites, but why is he so dismissive of Zhou Rites?"
When Li Er heard this, he couldn't help but sigh, as if he felt helpless that the two of them were not in harmony with each other:
"Hey... It's not that I despise rituals and music. The existence of rituals and music is also in line with the destiny of heaven. It's just that today is different from the past. As the saying goes, "Things grow old when they grow strong." The birth and death of all things have their own laws.
Born by the Tao, it will naturally perish by the Tao. Things that are not suitable for the times will die sooner or later. Therefore, the world's people only want it to develop and grow, and only hope that its Tao system can last for eternity, but do not understand the ebb and flow of destiny. Isn't it very stupid?
?"
(Things grow old when they are strong. This is called immorality. The immorality has already happened.)
This chapter is not over, please click on the next page to continue reading! "So, Zhongni, as I just said, you are only aware of the benefits of etiquette and music, but do not know their disadvantages. You only stick to their forms but not their reality.
! If things go on like this, in the future you will only be stuck in your own ways and at a loss what to do! Doesn’t Zhongni hear that Shen Sheng died in obedience to etiquette, while Chong Er did nothing and the world was in great order?"
After hearing this, Confucius fell into deep thought again...
Later, I heard Li Er say calmly:
"Zhongni! I see that you are a man of talent, so I am telling you this! In fact, I know exactly who you are. You are a commoner, so how can you come here to discuss etiquette?
Le? "Stop the coffin to invite fame", "Wear filial piety and serve", "Return to the Ji family", "The great righteousness of the monarch and his ministers in the gap", if you look at it from Zhou Li, is there anything in you that is not deviant?"
"If Zhong Ni is really so rigid, I'm afraid he can't take himself seriously, right?"
Confucius was speechless by Li Er and didn't know how to refute.
At the same time, I also felt a little guilty, because what Li Er said was indeed true one by one.
And Li Ran couldn't help asking at this time:
"Father, please forgive my child's ignorance. If what my father said is that the cycle of heaven is constant and all things rise and fall, then why would my father still acquiesce in allowing Guan Cong to cause trouble to the Chu country? If King Ling of Chu had not been deceived by Guan Cong, he said
It’s uncertain and we won’t make any rash advances. If we let it develop, maybe the Chu Kingdom really has the blessing of destiny, and we don’t know.”
When Li Er heard this, Li Ran asked, apparently with the feeling of "repaying the other person with his own way."
Yes, since you always insist on "governing by doing nothing", why do you want to cause trouble to the Chu State?
In response to this question, Li Er couldn't help stroking his goatee and replied slowly:
"Haha, although the way of heaven is permanent, it is not without its benefits. King Ling of Chu has exclusive power. If it is allowed to develop, the harm will be far greater than that of those high officials in the Central Plains! Nowadays, those high officials are all
These are people who are arrogant and arrogant. But as far as Li Shu is concerned, he still has some concerns and does not dare to bully the people too much! But King Ling of Chu is different. If he really succeeds, then everyone in the world will probably want to
Deeply afflicted!"
Following the previous question, Li Er continued to speak slowly:
"What's more, the decline of Chu was also destiny. King Ling of Chu resorted to military violence, and the common people of Li suffered greatly from it. In this case, how could Chu's hegemony last long? Therefore, even if he never does anything, his defeat is inevitable!
Therefore, the way of heaven and earth is also constant, and if humans live in it, they can also live in the male and guard the female, which is the pattern of the world."
Changhong frowned at this time, but said somewhat reproachfully:
"Dan, although many of your ideas are considered self-consistent, they are actually hard for everyone to agree with! If you are really in compliance with God's will and considerate of the people of the world, I definitely shouldn't have such negative thoughts!"
When Li Er heard this, he couldn't help but sneered and said:
"The best is like water, and holding on to one's humbleness does not mean that you are not born in the world, but that you move with the times! Brother Changhong, this obsession in your heart is even higher than that of my son. And this obsession will probably be given to me in the future.
You are causing disaster!"
Chang Hong smiled indifferently at this:
"In order to keep the thoughts in his heart, Chang Hong has no fear even if he dies. It will just turn into a pool of green blood! That's okay!"
Li Er also smiled when he heard this:
"Haha, you...well..."
Confucius took a deep breath. Although he respected Li Er, but now they had different opinions and he was ashamed by Li Er's words just now.
He shouldn’t have mentioned it again, but there were some things he still didn’t like saying:
"Old sir, you just said that the current situation in the world will eventually converge, but now that the situation of the princes in the world is in danger, and the ministers and officials from various countries are rising up, aren't they also converging? Like the Jin Dynasty, which created the Six Ministers.
At that time, there were still clans such as the Xian clan, the Qie clan, and the Luan clan. But what about now? The only six remaining clans continue to scheming there, and I am afraid that the big clans will become fewer and fewer in the future."
"And these aristocratic families, such as the Ji family of Lu State, have already become a "state within a state". And these ministers and officials have already become de facto "kings"."
"Qiu is not a talented person. He once served as a minor official under the Ji family. Qiu is well aware of the Ji family's cruelty to the people! Therefore, Qiu believes that under the rule of these high officials, they have already become authoritarian in nature.
, looking at Li Shu, isn’t it a catastrophe?”
"There is a saying in "Poetry": "Carrying the tadpoles and cultivating the sedge." Since Mr. Li cares about the people in the world, Qiu believes that he should use his own strength to eradicate these fields in the fields like an old farmer.
The evil weeds take nutrients from the stubborn weeds! And in this way, the orthodoxy can continue!" (Zai Qian...Ze Ze: Pull out the weeds and remove the tree roots, and those cultivated fields will look so moist)
Li Ran heard this and echoed:
"What Zhongni said is true. I think that obeying God's will does not mean doing nothing. Rather, it should be like an old farmer, carefully protecting the orthodoxy. If you do nothing, then you will definitely become a dominant family in the future. Just like
The Chu State before was like that! Or it was like the Lu State! Since we can still distinguish between good and false, we can’t let the stubborn grass spread like this and terrorize the world again!”
"You two actually sing in harmony!"
Li Ran bowed and said:
"Father, I mean no offense..."
Li Er only waved his hand:
"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter... what I said is already clear. Since you still can't understand it clearly, it seems that the time has not come yet. In this case, everything is in vain. It's just... Brother Changhong, for the sake of brother
You, I’m afraid, are not among this list. Brother, you have been stubborn all your life, so this is what you want!”
Changhong couldn't help but smile knowingly:
"It's true. We've been fighting for the rest of our lives, and we can't even try to convince anyone else."
Li Er then looked at Li Ran:
"You and Zhongni are still relatively new to the world. Perhaps you don't understand the principle of "good is evil and evil is good". Anyway, my father will be leaving soon. Anyway, you are now the master of the host pavilion. According to the "Taoist Discipline"
"In accordance with the rules, you have become the chief strategist and divination officer of each vassal state."
When Li Ran heard this, he was extremely confused:
"Master of the Host Pavilion?"
As for the "Master of the Host Pavilion", Guan Cong had actually said before that once Li Ran entered the Zhou Dynasty, he would definitely inherit this position. However, all this happened too suddenly. How could he become the Master of the Host Pavilion all of a sudden?
?
At this time, Li Er continued to say:
"Actually, the Taishi of the Zhou Dynasty is the master of the Dongdao Pavilion. After my father left the Zhou Dynasty, this position has been vacant to this day. My father, Yu Zongzhou, was temporarily in charge of all the ministries and had no time to go east. I originally wanted Changhong to take this position.
, However, Brother Changhong is too deeply involved in the world, and he sticks to righteousness and does not know how to adapt."
"Brother Changhong, in my opinion, why don't you just go west out of Hangu with me?! You can live your life here."
When Changhong heard this, he smiled slightly, waved his hand and shook his head:
"As my uncle said, Hong has been too deeply involved in the world and can't escape! I'm afraid there will never be such comfort again."
Li Er nodded helplessly and said no more.
"As a father, I always know what my son does, and I always think of ways to adapt to it. This is appropriate. And with my son's current status and knowledge, it is worthy of such a big responsibility! My son can also take advantage of this opportunity to do a good job.
Just wait and see what’s going on in the world today! As for what decision to make in the future, it’s up to you to consider it yourself!”
Li Ran asked hurriedly:
"Father! If the child is in trouble in the future and wants to come to you, how will he find him?"
"Haha, if there is a chance, I will see you again..."
At this moment, a child walked into the collection room again. He came directly to Li Er and whispered in his ear:
"Pavilion Master, Qingniu is waiting outside."
When Li Er heard this, he immediately stood up:
"The time has come, it's time to hit the road!"
Chang Hong, Li Ran, and Kong Qiu all followed Li Er, and they all left the collection room, only to see a green cow leisurely eating weeds next to it in the corridor.
You must know that this is the inner palace of the palace. Being able to get such privileges and allow animals to come in shows Li Er's influence in this Zhou Dynasty.
Li Er jumped on the green bull's back, sat sideways, and faced Li Ran and others:
"This old man is going west, and I will probably never set foot in the Central Plains again. The road ahead is bleak, so let's say goodbye!"
Li Ran took a step forward, quite reluctantly.
"Now that the Zhou Dynasty has suffered such a change, it is the time when all kinds of wastes are being revitalized. What's more, the collection room has also been completely lost. Why doesn't my father want to stay in the Zhou Dynasty to take charge of the overall situation? Even if he does nothing, at least he can compile books and classics here.
It’s all right, right?”
When Li Er heard this, he sighed again:
"The future of the world lies in the west and not in the east. No matter how chaotic the Zhou states are, it will only increase internal strife. Now in the western border of China, not long ago, another state has emerged. This state is vast, extremely powerful, and large.
There is an intention to plunder China from the east. Now, the people of Qin are converging with Rong and Di, preparing to jointly resist their invasion. And if Qin loses, all Xia will also be in danger!"
"So this time I go west for my father, that is the place I should go to for my father! Let my son decide the matters here by himself! ... The way of heaven is constant, even a wise man can do nothing..."
When Li Ran heard this, he was slightly startled and began to make calculations in his mind.
Who is the powerful foreign country that Li Er mentioned? Or Persia? Or the Yuezhi? Or maybe it's just the Qiang Rong?
But no matter who it is, there is no doubt that the Qin State will be unable to cope with it for a long time to come. Perhaps this is why the Qin State will not be able to cope with it until more than two hundred years later.
, the reason why he suddenly rose up to dominate the world, right?
"What the Qin State is doing now is to ensure that our Chinese lineage is not lost. This is the great road! And I, Daoji, was born in China, so I cannot stand by and watch. I have to go and assist Qin. As for the matter of the Eastern Road
, it was the same when it had no owner, now that it has its owner, what kind of trouble can happen?"
"Uncle! Although you and I are colleagues, I am still a few years older than you. Now I want to ask you one last question, are you willing to go with me?"
"Thank you Brother Dan for your kindness. Changhong thinks it's not necessary. After all, Changhong also has his own responsibilities!"
Li Er shook his head helplessly.
"It's just that I'm afraid... well, that's all, I'll take my leave now!"
After Li Er said this, he rode the green bull and left straight away.
Li Ran was reluctant to leave, said goodbye to Changhong, and followed Li Er all the way, and Confucius followed closely.