Another debate with a sage?!

Chapter 86 Another debate with a sage?!

Du Ziteng lowered his head and remained silent for a few moments. He slowly stood up, straightened his clothes, and bowed to Xu Xian. "I have studied for twenty years, but I only know how to seek knowledge externally and not how to understand my own mind. Today, after listening to your words, I realize that investigating things is the purpose of understanding the mind, not the other way around. Thank you for your guidance, Master."

His tone was calm, and a smile appeared on his face. "The ancients said, 'If one hears the Way in the morning, one can die content in the evening.' Although Ziteng has failed today, it is as if he has heard the Great Way. This bow is to pay homage to the Way of the Young Master, and also to the sincerity of the Young Master!"

Below the stage, Master Meng smiled, as if relieved, while Jun Jingyan's eyebrows curved and her smile was bright.

"Ha ha..."

Wei Qingwen blushed and laughed heartily, his face full of admiration. "I knew the Young Master would win! No wonder he can discuss the Dao with a sage... When will I ever be able to even look up to him!"

Luo Shenglin stood up, straightened his clothes, and the thousands of Confucian scholars below the stage were still whispering and discussing the lingering effects of the debate.

Du Ziteng's saying, "If I hear the Way in the morning, I can die content in the evening," spread so quickly that people are already copying it down.

He cleared his throat, raised his hand to signal silence, and was about to announce the winner of the debate.

Just then, a person suddenly walked towards the direction of the sage's shrine.

The man had white hair and beard, kind eyes and a kind face. He wore an old scholar's robe and walked at a leisurely pace, like an old neighbor strolling out of his backyard to bask in the sun.

Luo Shenglin's gaze swept across the man's face, and he suddenly froze on the spot, his heart pounding.

While Master Meng was still basking in the joy of Xu Xianying's handwritten notes, he followed Dean Luo's gaze and suddenly his pupils contracted, his fingers trembled, and the bamboo slip in his hand fell to the ground with a thud.

Some Confucian scholars noticed the unusual situation on the judging panel and followed the gazes of the two great scholars to the stage. They also saw the old man, but no one recognized him. The old man walked over slowly, like an ordinary old man.

Xu Xian won the debate and breathed a sigh of relief, finally having repaid the Confucianists a small debt of gratitude.

He took the eight-sided sword off his lap, feeling his mouth dry and wanting to get downstairs for a cup of cool tea.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a figure walking from the direction of the offering hall. The moment he turned his head, the person was already on the platform, sitting cross-legged, facing him, with less than three feet between them.

Xu Xian was startled and raised an eyebrow to look.

"Young friend..."

The old man smiled, his voice clear and melodious. "I am a few years older than you, a graduate of Zhengxin Academy, and returned to my roots at Liuzhai. I am also a Confucian scholar... Today's gathering is a rare opportunity, and I would like to sit with you, young friend. I hope you won't mind?"

Looking at the wrinkled face in front of him, Xu Xian felt that it looked somewhat familiar.

He didn't really want to have another debate, so he looked at Master Meng, only to find that Master Meng was staring straight at the old man and hadn't noticed his distress signal at all.

He rolled his eyes inwardly, released his hand from the sword hilt, and sat cross-legged again. "Sir, you're too kind. I'm not from the academy, yet I'm sitting on this platform. What right do I have to look down on you? Please!"

The students of Yuelu Academy in the audience were the first to break out in a flurry of discussion.

A young martial artist had just defeated a top student from Bailu Academy in a debate, and now an old man who appeared out of nowhere was coming up on stage to debate with him. What did he take the Confucian Academy for?!

Several young Confucian scholars stood up, ready to question him.

Jia Xiuxiang fell silent, a rare occurrence for him. He felt as if he had seen the old man on the stage somewhere before... as if he were in an ancient painting in the academy's library, or perhaps in a mural in the Hall of Sages.

His right arm started to ache again.

Jun Jingyan was hailed as a Confucian woman of enlightened mind, possessing exceptional talent and extensive knowledge of both ancient and modern times, and immediately recognized the person.

She stared blankly at the old man, her round eyes wide, then looked at Master Meng, "Master, isn't this... deceased?"

Mencius, regaining his composure, explained, "All things of the second rank and above possess a spirit. Sacrifices are offered without ceasing, and the spirit never perishes; this is the spirit of the sage!"

Luo Shenglin on the stage finally came to his senses, turned around to face the audience, and his righteous aura of the third rank formed an invisible barrier pressing down on the square. "Silence."

The square fell silent instantly.

Everyone was simultaneously silenced by the power of words, unable to speak.

Luo Shenglin and Master Meng exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

The two men turned to the old man on the stage at the same time, straightened their clothes, clasped their hands, and bowed.

The two elderly scholars, whose combined age was several hundred years, now spoke respectfully like two children just entering the academy, "Master Cheng, please."

The thousands of Confucian scholars below the stage stared wide-eyed, their mouths moving but no sound coming out.

The disciples of Zhengxin Academy all had the same thought, but they dared not say it aloud.

Wei Qingwen trembled and silently glanced in Jun Jingyan's direction.

Jun Jingyan's eyes were wide open and her mouth was agape, making her look very cute.

Yang Xu was so overwhelmed by the power of words that he couldn't open his mouth, so he could only use his elbow to stab Zhang Hu.

Zhang Hu was so stabbed by him that he almost rolled down the steps. He turned around, glared at him, and mouthed three words: "Damn it."

Zhao Bao stood on tiptoe behind the two men, peering at the stage.

The old man smiled slightly. "Young friend, may I ask, what is the essence of Confucian scholarship?"

These words shocked Mencius, Luo Shenglin, and other great Confucian scholars, for the question was too great and too profound, as it touched upon the ultimate goal of Confucianism!

Since the founding of Confucianism by the sage Confucius, the tradition has been passed down for nearly ten thousand years, and no one dares to say they can answer this question.

This question delves into the past and present, penetrates the essence and the end, and answers the questions that have puzzled Confucian scholars for thousands of years in this world.

Everyone in the room held their breath, their eyes fixed on Xu Xian.

Countless Confucian scholars have devoted their lives to studying, upholding etiquette, reading, textual research, meditation, and assisting the ruler, yet no one has ever been able to answer the question: what exactly is the purpose of Confucianism?

Xu Xian sat cross-legged opposite the old man, pondering this question in his mind.

The Confucianism of the two eras was largely the same, serving as the learning of all people and having a profound influence. It is not an exaggeration to say that all people who knew things and understood principles, and who were learned, were Confucian scholars.

There are already established conclusions on scholarship and education; the so-called self-cultivation, family management, governance of the state, and bringing peace to the world are nothing more than this.

However, these slogans were focused on the upper classes, and few people thought of applying them to the common people.

The Crown Prince has killed countless people for his own selfish reasons, yet he only received a sentence of confinement. Even those who worked under him were not held accountable. Mo Feichang said that the most severe sentence he received was only exile.

Since the instigator was the crown prince, and the others were merely acting on his orders, the emperor did not punish his own son but instead beheaded his subordinates. Who would dare to do anything in the future?

This is a political consideration, but it leaves countless wronged souls with nowhere to appeal.

The Qingzhou mine was located near Zhengxin Academy, only about twenty li away. The workers and children there lived like pigs and dogs, and the Confucian scholars turned a blind eye to it.

This is generally how the world works. The difficulties of ordinary people are never considered suffering. Confucian scholars are used to it and do not find it inappropriate.

He was born in a rural area in his previous life, and in this life he is a poor orphan who has witnessed the hardships of people at the bottom of society.

Having lived two lives, Xu Xian had witnessed five thousand years of history in his previous life and understood the ten-thousand-year historical perspective of this world. After careful consideration, he realized that perhaps only one person truly put the people first and practiced the four sentences of Zhang Zai!

He looked up at the old man and spoke in a deep voice...

...