The word "First Emperor" made Ying Zheng feel something unusual.
It was a kind of excitement, or a father's recognition of himself. Ying Zheng was speechless for a long time. He looked at Fusu silently, and then said: "Second Emperor." Fusu didn't quite understand.
During the conversation between the eldest father and his father, he heard his father pronounce a strange name to him. He was stunned for a moment, and then he touched his ears with uncertainty and asked: "Ear Ya?"
At this moment, the person who couldn't help laughing became Zhao Kuo. Zhao Kuo stroked his abdomen and couldn't help laughing.
Ying Zheng was originally very angry, but when he heard Zhao Kuo's laughter, he couldn't help but laugh. Zhang Cang, who walked out of the inner room with a book in his hands, looked at the laughing father and son in front of him.
, was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head and prepared to leave quietly. Zhao Kuo didn't like him taking the books back to read, because Zhao Kuo cherished books very much, so he asked Zhang Cang to read them here.
If you want to steal books from Zhao Kuo, you can only wait for such an opportunity.
Unfortunately, Zhang Cang's sneaky behavior was still seen by Zhao Kuo. Zhao Kuo stopped him and called him to his side. Zhao Kuo looked at Ying Zheng, pointed at Zhang Cang beside him, and said: "You want to
This person can make it happen." Zhang Cang was startled. He widened his eyes and looked at Ying Zheng in front of him. Ying Zheng was also looking at him. Ying Zheng understood what Zhao Kuo meant. After the unification, he wanted to
Unifying weights and measures and many other things, apart from Li Si, Zhang Cang's ability to do things is considered to be the best.
Zhang Cang bowed down and said, "You praise me too much. My talents are not as good as those of ordinary people. How can I achieve anything?"
Ying Zheng stroked his beard and said: "That's a pity. I originally wanted to find a talented person to revise the world's books...to translate books from various countries and preserve them. Since you have no talent..."
"Huh? Repair books? Books in the world??" Zhang Cang suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing, and he said hurriedly: "Although my talents are not as good as those of ordinary people, I am still very willing to assist you in accomplishing great things!
Ying Zheng looked at Zhao Kuo and asked with a smile: "How could Xunzi teach such a disciple? I think Xunzi's previous disciples were either a solemn gentleman like Li Si, or a steady person like Xiao..."
"Only this Cang is a good eater of meat. He is young and already has many wives and concubines at home. He is an out-of-touch person... He doesn't look like a disciple of Xunzi."
Zhao Kuo squinted his eyes and said: "Because when Xunzi was teaching him, he had already reached the age where he could do whatever he wanted. He didn't find a way for Cang, he just pushed Cang forward."
Speaking of this, Ying Zheng couldn't help but think of that serious old man. If he were still here, if he could see this day, what kind of mood would he be in? Would he be excited or angry?
Ying Zheng couldn't help but ask: "Cang, what would your teacher do if he saw this scene?"
"He will jump up and dance the Zhao dance with Wu Chenghou."
...
Zhao Kuo told Ying Zheng that unification is just the beginning, and the real unification will come next. Ying Zheng deeply believed that, in the future, war will not break out easily again, and what needs to be done is to use the new system to fight the war.
To replace the past system and change today's Qin State, the first thing is of course new titles and complicated etiquette issues. When it comes to etiquette, there is a school of thought that can't help it.
Etiquette and law naturally cannot avoid the Confucian school. The relationship between Qin and Confucianism is not as rigid as the original historical line. To sum up, it is still inseparable from Zhao Kuo. Xunzi lived in Qin for a period of time in his later years and wrote
Xunzi wrote many articles about the Qin system. Xunzi's status in Confucianism was extremely high. After his death, he immediately became the new sage of Confucianism. He became the third great sage of Confucianism after Confucius and Mencius.
The weight of this great sage is still very important. Even those schools of thought in Confucianism that he scolded as despising Confucianism would not dare to disrespect him. This is probably also an advantage of Confucianism. Contemporary Confucianism pays great attention to etiquette and law. Such behavior makes
When they face those hostile sages, they will not act rudely easily. Of course, Mencius and Xunzi are the exception. They can scold them if they want. However, if the others want to scold, they must first reach this level.
Then speak again, or shut up.
In contemporary times, Zhao Kuo is probably the only one who can comment on Xunzi.
Xunzi's huge influence changed some of the Confucian prejudices against the Qin State, and the moral governance that Zhao Kuo subsequently implemented in the local area made Confucians cheer for joy. Confucian disciples entered the Qin State one after another and served as officials. They were the best in implementing the filial piety system.
A good candidate, and Ying Zheng did not have any hostility towards Confucianism. This was also due to Xunzi. Xunzi taught him a lot, which made Ying Zheng understand that he should not underestimate any school of thought.
The relationship between Confucianism and the Qin State gradually became closer. Many hidden Confucian scholars came out to help the Qin State and appease the local area. They were competing with the Legalists for power in the Qin State. Now that a new system was to be formulated, the Confucianists were of course a little uneasy.
Well, the etiquette system is what they are best at. Can the Legalist system be regarded as etiquette? Can the people of the Legalist family be regarded as human beings?
There has been no great Confucian figure in Confucianism recently. Xunzi left, and the person who took his place has not yet appeared. This has led to many old Confucian scholars who Xunzi once criticized to want to seize this opportunity to change some things. These old Confucians
Most of the Confucian scholars were remnants of the Confucius era and could not keep up with the new era. They were obsessed with restoring Zhou rituals. Xunzi hated them very much and reprimanded them in person many times without giving them any face.
Xunzi was gone, and they poked their heads out again.
These old Confucians drove to Xianyang. They talked loudly and showed a sense of superiority all the way. Facing the system of Qin, they made comments. The system praised by Xunzi became worthless in their mouths. They took it with them.
This natural sense of superiority, with the mentality that the whole world is drunk and I am alone, kept discussing how to reform Qin's etiquette system along the way. In the eyes of these people, Qin's etiquette construction was inseparable from themselves.
When they came to the outskirts of Xianyang with such a sense of superiority, they saw a few old farmers from a long way away. These old farmers were sitting on the edge of the cultivated land with smiles, chatting loudly about this year's autumn harvest.
They felt very happy. An old Confucian scholar pointed at them and said: "This is what needs improvement. I heard that when the wise man was king, the country people saw the wise man wearing a high crown and sitting on a carriage.
I will stand on the roadside and pray to see you."
"Qin's military merit system rewards titles not based on morality but on bravery. This can probably be changed."
Hearing them talking loudly, the old farmers raised their heads and looked at them. One of them asked: "Where do the guests come from?"
The old Confucian asked the driver to stop. Although these people have pedantic ideas, they still strictly abide by etiquette. Since a host comes to inquire about the guest, they have to stop and return the greeting. This is probably also a kind of complexity. They are very arrogant.
They looked down on the common people, but they strictly abided by etiquette and would not attack or bully others at will... A few people got off the carriage and paid homage to the old farmers.
After greeting each other, the old Confucian scholar said with a smile: "I didn't mean to offend you. If you heard what I just said, please don't blame me."
The old farmer sitting in the middle shook his head and said, "No wonder," and invited them to sit down and asked the people next to them to give them water. These old Confucian scholars refused to sit on the dirt, so they spread out seats and sat down solemnly.
Then, they also wanted to know something about the situation in Qin from these farmers. After drinking the water from their master, they said politely: "We are here to persuade the King of Qin to restore the previous system and perform Zhou rites."
"Zhou Li? Zhou Li has its merits and shortcomings. I think it is still very good." One of the old farmers with gray hair and beard said with a smile.
"Oh?? You also know etiquette?"
"A country fool doesn't know much, just a little bit."
"Why do you say Zhou Li has shortcomings?"
"Since you are a Confucian scholar, please let me use Confucius to tell you. Confucius emphasized benevolence and etiquette... The second and third disciples are here for etiquette. What is the purpose of Confucius talking about etiquette? I think it is for stability...
He wants to use a set of etiquette to bind the people of the world, so that they stop killing each other and stop violating etiquette and law. He calls any behavior that is not moral, inconsistent with stability, and detrimental to the world as rude."
"Where is the Zhou Rites he talks about, the great road is running smoothly, the world is fair, the talented and capable are selected, trust is maintained and harmony is maintained. Is this the scene that can be seen in the Zhou Dynasty? This is just the world that Confucius wanted to see.
, he proposed rites, and Legalists proposed laws, which are essentially the same, both restricting people's behavior... The legalists' continuous progress over the years is to modify their own laws, and formulate more specific laws on the basis of development.
It is conducive to stability and the laws of the world, so why do the second and third sons indulge in the past rituals without improving them?"
"Use laws and etiquette to tell the world what to do and what not to do. One restrains the body, the other restrains the heart..."
The old farmer talked eloquently, starting with Confucius, Mencius, and Xunzi. When it came to Xunzi, he talked a little too much. He said: "Xunzi is the most thorough, so if you look at the disciples he taught,
But they all started to study the law... If the second and third sons came this time to persuade the King of Qin to use the enfeoffment system, let him ascend the altar to seal the mountain, and let him imitate the Emperor of Zhou and restore the well-field system, ritual and music system... then he should go back
.”
"I predict that King Qin will not listen to this. King Qin has completed the unification. The old era and the old system have passed..."
"Of course, it would be a good thing if you come to persuade the King of Qin to implement the benevolence and courtesy of the Zhou Dynasty, comfort the orphans and widows, and relieve the poor." In the Zhou Dynasty, there was the simplest national welfare system. From the emperor of Zhou to the princes, they would provide relief every year.
For orphans and widows under the rule, welfare homes similar to those of later generations were sometimes set up... However, the Qin State abandoned these, and the Spartan society did not need mercy and relief.
Those old Confucian scholars listened to the old farmer talking about Xunzi, from etiquette to law, talking about Dharma scholars, talking about Mohism, criticizing Taoism, even farmers, doctors, soldiers, yin and yang and many other schools of thought. They gradually became a little confused.
They looked at the old farmer in front of them, their lips were a little dry, and they hurriedly asked someone to pour them some water. Is the cultural level of Qin so high? An old farmer farming outside Xianyang said that these people were speechless.
Speechless??
Then if you enter Xianyang, you will have to suffer such humiliation.
They looked at each other and looked at each other. Although they didn't say it clearly, they were probably a little scared in their hearts. Should we go back?
When the old farmer finished speaking all his thoughts, the eyes of the old scholars looked at him a little differently. One of them asked cautiously: "I never thought that there would be a lost talent like you on the road. I don't know."
How do the talented people in Xianyang compare with you?"
"I am just a farmer, how can I compare with those talented people?"
Several Confucian scholars understood. They stood up and bowed to the old farmer, and then said: "Thank you for your teaching. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid we would have gone to Xianyang and been humiliated." They thanked the old farmer and then sat down.
They got into the car and were about to leave, but the old farmer stopped them and said, "Xianyang is over there."
"After you said this, we no longer want to go to Xianyang."
"What are you talking about? I heard that ambitious people can die for their ambitions. Don't the second and third sons even have the courage to try? If you don't know your own mistakes, how can you improve them?" The old farmer suddenly frowned.
The temperament of the old Confucian scholars suddenly changed, and the faces of the old Confucian scholars changed greatly. They hurriedly got off the car, paid homage to the old farmer again, and called the old farmer their teacher. They did not dare to get in the car again, and walked towards Xianyang.
After seeing them off, Zhao Kuo sat down angrily and said to Zhan next to him: "After Xunzi leaves, the person who can succeed him will have to wait for how many years!"
Ying Zheng had known for a long time that great scholars from various schools of Confucianism came to Xianyang. Han Fei said to Ying Zheng: "Confucians are all worms. They don't know the changes of the times. They only remember false legends that don't exist, and they ask for the current
People live like that, and what they bring is not development but regression. If such people come to you, please ask the warriors to beat them out with sticks!"
Even Li Si, who was born in Confucianism, said bluntly: "Confucian etiquette is cumbersome and useless."
Therefore, when these great Confucians came to the palace, the King of Qin called Han Fei. He could not just go out and attack a school. After all, he still needed Confucian officials, but Han Fei could fight them. And imagine.
The difference is that these great Confucians looked very cautious. Well, they were very scared. When they learned that the person next to them was the world-famous Han Feizi, they were even more so. Their faces were pale and their whole bodies were shaking.
An old farmer outside Xianyang said that he would hide his face and run away, so how scary must this Han Feizi be?
They put forward their own ideas very restrainedly and carefully, asking the King of Qin to provide relief to orphans and widows on time, save the dead and wounded, establish welfare homes, take care of the vulnerable groups in the country, and hope to exempt the disabled from taxes...
Ying Zheng's eyes widened, and he looked at Han Fei beside him in confusion. Han Fei was also surprised at this moment.
