As Han Fei was busy with work, he could no longer continue to teach Zhao Zheng.
Zhao Zheng was very happy about this. He thought that without Han Fei, he could play as before. However, Zhao Kuo had no intention of letting him go. Zhao Kuo originally wanted to take him to his school.
However, he was too young and worried that he would not understand the knowledge, so he sent him to Xunzi to teach him. Xunzi was very happy to teach him. He liked this smart child.
Zhao Zheng came to Xunzi's house reluctantly.
Xunzi did not hold any official position. He spent his days debating with Gongsun Long, studying knowledge, and improving his academic system. Many people came here because of his fame and wanted to learn from him. The difference between Xunzi and others is that
Probably Xunzi was a little strict in recruiting disciples. He was not like Confucius who was educated without distinction. He would only select some good people to let them inherit a certain aspect of his teachings.
Faced with those disciples who were mediocre, Xunzi just shook his head and asked them to leave. The reason was that they could not learn anything by his side and following him was just a waste of time. It was better to find something to do that he was good at.
Xunzi was a person who strongly advocated learning. He felt that anyone could become a saint through learning. However, he did not advocate useless learning. He hated those behaviors that wasted time.
What Xunzi said about learning is a big concept. It is not just about reading to acquire knowledge, but also about imitating sages and sages to improve one's own moral deficiencies, even if it is to learn carpentry specifically and become a skilled carpenter.
, this is all within the scope of learning mentioned by Xunzi. So Xunzi’s idea is very simple, I can teach poetry, morality, governance, and law, but if you are not suitable to learn these, then go and learn something else, even if it is
It is much better to be an excellent carpenter than to be an incompetent Confucian scholar.
Therefore, Xunzi's disciples were much fewer than others, but among the scholars of the era, each of his disciples was more outstanding than the last.
Xunzi looked at Zhao Zheng in front of him with a smile. Zhao Zheng had a straight face and finally looked like a Qin man. He respectfully held a pen and bamboo slips and waited for the teacher to teach. Xunzi stroked his beard and asked seriously
: "What do you want to learn?"
Zhao Zheng was stunned. Neither Zhao Kuo nor Han Fei ever asked him what he wanted to learn when teaching him. They just told him what they wanted to teach him. Xunzi suddenly asked, Zhao Zheng
But he couldn't answer. He said blankly: "I don't know what my father said."
"Well, the first thing I want to teach you is to think for yourself and not be influenced by others." Xunzi said very seriously: "Everyone should respect and honor his father. On this point,
What you did is right, but you cannot be your father. Your father is Wu Chengjun and you are Zhao Zheng. This will never change. You have to decide for yourself what kind of person you want to be."
"Only when you are interested can you learn well. If you are forced to learn by others, you will not learn any truth."
"As a person, you must have your own opinions, and you can't just follow what others say. My disciples, when they think the same as me, I will feel worried, because I feel that they are just learning my knowledge but not having their own opinions.
, when my disciples start to refute me, I will feel happy, because I know that they have carefully understood my thoughts and extended their own opinions. When my disciples can defeat me in the debate,
, I will let him go because I have nothing left to teach him.”
Zhao Zheng frowned, seeming to understand something, and then said: "I want to be a person who can surpass my father, please teach me."
Xunzi then laughed, nodded, and said: "I understand "Poems". It contains ballads from various places, formal music, and songs for sacrifices in royal courts and noble ancestral temples. Do you want to learn it?"
"What's the use of learning it?"
"Confucius said: You can read "Poetry" to establish your words, and the standard poems to establish your actions can be used as a textbook for learning music and poetry recitation. You can use it to perform rituals and songs during banquets and sacrifices, and use this expression to express your ideas when talking about testimony."
"Can I surpass my father in learning poetry?"
"Studying poetry can serve as a teacher, but the official responsible for etiquette probably cannot surpass your father."
"If you don't want to learn, if you don't want to learn, just change it."
"I understand the "Book". It records important historical facts of the Yu, Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, the strategies of the monarchs and ministers, the words of ministers to enlighten the monarch, the proclamations of encouragement, the oaths of the monarch to instruct the scholars, the monarch's orders and other documents. You
Do you want to learn?"
"What's the use of learning it?"
"You can know how the wise kings of ancient times governed the country, you can persuade the king to govern the country with benevolence and righteousness, and you can persuade the ministers to treat the king with benevolence and righteousness."
"Can I surpass my father in studying?"
""
Then, Xunzi talked about etiquette, music, spring and autumn, but Zhao Zheng just shook his head and said he would not learn, because Xunzi told him that there was no way to surpass his father in learning these. Xunzi did not look angry.
He said with a smile: "In that case, let's learn all these. If you can learn them all, maybe you can surpass Wu Chengjun."
Ever since, poor Zhao Zheng began to study day and night. Xunzi's education methods were very advanced. He would not yell like someone else, nor would he beat his disciples like someone else.
Xunzi teaches through a negotiation method. The usual process is "what the books say, this is what I think, what are your thoughts?"
Xunzi was constantly cultivating Zhao Zheng's thinking ability. He let Zhao Zheng think on his own, put forward his own ideas, and make his own suggestions. Xunzi also did not object to him learning the doctrines of other sects. For example, Zhao Zheng occasionally used Ma Fu to write books.
Xunzi was not angry even when Zhao Zheng used the ideas that Han Fei told him to criticize Confucianism.
.
Zhao Kuo's mother complained to Zhao Kuo that Zheng was becoming more and more ignorant, and he would refute everything he said. Zhao Kuo also felt a little strange about this. Zheng was only seven years old, so why had he entered the rebellious stage? He was in the rebellious stage at night.
While teaching in person, I noticed changes in Zhao Zheng.
"Going out to sea from Liaodong, you can see an island. That is Japan Island."
"How did you know there were islands there?"
“How are islands formed?”
"Why is it called Japan?"
When Zhao Kuo said a word, Zhao Zheng could ask him ten questions without repeating them. As long as Zhao Kuo explained one of them, he could ask ten more questions. This made Zhao Kuo feel that there was no way to continue teaching.
, However, he was not angry either. He felt that this was a good thing. Xunzi only taught for a little time, which made Zhao Zheng have a strong desire for knowledge, and made him start to really think about the knowledge he had learned without thinking about it.
Just memorize it mechanically.
Zhao Kuo understood. No wonder Xunzi's disciples didn't look like they were taught by the same teacher. They could even teach sages from Legalism.
Zhao Kuo also explained it to Zhao Zheng very carefully, which lengthened the teaching time, but Zhao Zheng looked very happy.
Occasionally when Han Fei came here, Zhao Zheng would pester him, wanting to refute the knowledge he had learned from him. Han Fei was a little annoyed by what he said, so he threw a lot of bamboo slips to him, and then
Tell Zhao Zheng: Don’t bother yourself again until you finish reading it!
Time passed very quickly. Zhao Kuo spent most of his time teaching in the classroom, and his disciples were increasing. Zhao Kuo spent a lot of time thinking about how to be a good official, how to implement the law, how to enforce the law, and how to be a good official.
At other times, he would also mix in some personal knowledge, such as the formulation of laws and principles, and talk about benevolent politics. At other times, he would just stay at home with his family.
Most of Zhao Kuo's retainers had also received titles at this time and were arranged in different positions by the King of Qin.
Because of Han Fei's ban, nobles cannot keep retainers, so these people must have their own jobs. If they are unwilling to work, they can become Zhao Kuo's disciples. Anyway, they cannot stay in Zhao Kuo's house as retainers.
The older Ge was pardoned by the King of Qin, and he could stay with Zhao Kuo as an elder. Fortunately, he was appointed as the chief of the pavilion. This former thief has now transformed into an official who arrests thieves.
He did quite well, because he was very familiar with the thieves. He could even guess the escape route they would choose, and he could basically catch them accurately.
Di had the highest status, and he was directly assigned to Prime Minister Lu Buwei to serve as his subordinate, and his job was to promote new policies in the temple. Li Yu became the local county magistrate, and he did a lot of work.
The rest of the people had their own arrangements. Only Zhao Fu was unwilling to serve as an official and was unwilling to leave Zhao Kuo. Finally, the King of Qin asked him to serve as Wu Chengjun's family magistrate, whose duty was to protect Zhao Kuo.
Mother Zhao continued to take care of her two grandsons as usual, and Yi was able to stand up. She also began to be busy in the house. Unfortunately, in the Qin State, she had no way to help others because it was illegal.
Zhao Kuo was sitting in the courtyard reading, and he saw Yi squatting in front of the stove fire, dazed. Zhao Kuo put down the bamboo slips in his hand, walked to her side in a few steps, and squatted down too.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing." Yi smiled and shook his head, but his eyes were red.
Zhao Kuo sighed and asked, "Do you miss them again?" They were referring to Yi's parents. Xu Li was too stubborn. Zhao Kuo invited him several times, but Xu Li refused. Even if he died, he would die in Zhao Kuo.
The country was unwilling to leave. After Yi came to Qin, she often thought of her parents and was always in a bad mood. Zhao Kuo said to Yi with some distress: "Don't worry, you will definitely meet."
"We will take Zheng Hekang with us to meet them."
Yi sobbed and stood up. Zhao Kuo also stood up, hugged her into his arms, and stretched out his hand to wipe away her tears.
Xu Li's wife's hand passed across Xu Li's face and wiped away the tears on his face. She sat on the bed and looked at her decadent husband, her eyes full of heartache. Xu Li sat on the bed blankly.
, no longer as hot as before, he whispered: "What if she is bullied in Qin? She is pregnant and travels a long way to Qin. What if something happens to her?"
"Hey, then why were you so stubborn in the first place? Kuo wanted to take you away, but you refused to go and even scolded him in person."
"I'm from Zhao! I'm not going anywhere! I'll stay here!" Xu Li said stubbornly. He suddenly became silent again and lowered his head. His wife sighed and comforted: "Don't worry.
, Didn’t Kuo say that? Yi Wuzhen also gave birth to a child, named Kang, and we have a grandson."
Xu Li still didn't say anything, and his wife couldn't persuade him. Xu Li resigned from the official position. King Zhao sent people to invite him several times, but he refused to serve as an official anymore. Although he didn't want to be an official, he still refused to be an official.
He also refused to leave here. He planned to farm here, but Xu Li was no longer young, and no longer as strong as before. After working in the farmland for a long time, he was out of breath and had backache.
They hired a few people to farm for them.
On weekdays, Xu Li wandered aimlessly in Handan City.
The biggest gratification was probably that Zhao Kuo's former friends and disciples who planned to stay in Zhao would often visit him. They all regarded Xu Li as their elders, and the one who came the most was Li Mu.
Li Mu often comes to Xu Li to talk about recent events in Zhao. Xu Li also likes this child very much, but he is a little worried about this child.
Because Li Mu is a bit too straight, like Lian Po, he easily offends others. He also taught Li Mu not to offend too many people. His wife laughed at him. How dare you warn others like this? In Handan City, offending
You are the one who stands out the most to others!
Sometimes, old people like Lian Po would come to visit Xu Li. After all, they had worked together before and had some friendship with each other. Every time Lian Po came, he would complain to him that Zhao Kuo's departure would destroy Zhao's military morale.
After being taken away, the soldiers were languishing. Even if they were given rewards, they could no longer arouse their fighting spirit. In several cities on the frontier that were close to the Yan State, some officials even took the cities directly to join the Yan State.
It is said that the State of Yan sent people to encourage the people and officials here.
The excuse was of course Zhao Kuo, and there was also a craftsman named Du.
Lian Po also didn't understand why the people living there respected a craftsman so much. Through such means, Yan State obtained some of Zhao's cities in an instant. This made King Zhao very angry and wrote to King Yan,
King Yan was asked to return these cities, but King Yan refused the proposal. King Zhao ordered Lian Po to train his army and prepare to send troops to Yan. Lian Po told Xu Li that Zhao and Yan might go to war again.
Already.
ps: I never thought about writing about a saint, I just wanted to write about a good person. He is selfish, impulsive, makes mistakes, and a little irritable, but he really wants the people to live a good life. So those who teach me how to
Friends who want to create saints, I don’t need to say anything more. I never thought about creating saints.