Confucian and Taoist scholar

Chapter 711 Prince and General Xiang Ning has the guts

"As for the principles of being a good person, well, that's a whole lot to say..."

Upon hearing the old man's question, the man couldn't help but chuckle.

During this period, they studied this aspect the most.

Taiping Domain places great emphasis on ideological education, especially for those who were once of high status. They often conduct unified education programs to reform their stubborn old ideas.

The man sat there talking eloquently, imitating the lecturers, going straight from the ancient sages and benevolent rulers who governed the world to the current state of the world.

Start with the big picture, and then talk about what kind of person should conduct themselves to contribute to society as a whole.

And it also warns against becoming certain kinds of people...

The man there spoke eloquently and logically.

The young man looked surprised. He hadn't expected that a farmer would know so much, and he didn't even quite understand some of the words he was using.

However, he disagreed with some of the remarks made.

The old man smiled, listening attentively to the man's words, and occasionally asked a few questions.

The man tried his best to answer the old man's questions.

After he had said enough, the man said, "Actually, I don't know much either. I'll just do my job well and make a contribution to everyone."

"If you really want to understand this place, you can go to the city and consult the teachers. Many of them come from great dynasties and are far more knowledgeable than us. However, even if they come here, they will still need to learn new things diligently..."

Upon hearing this, the young man asked, "Great Dynasty? From which dynasty did you come?"

The man said, "I've heard there are nine great nations in the world. People from all of them must have come here. They're all good people, willing to stay in places like ours..."

However, the man also heard that some people had come from afar but returned because they did not agree with some of the local rules.

Of course, the man wouldn't complain about it, after all, everyone has their own ambitions, and not everyone has such a noble spirit of dedication.

Speaking of which, many powerful figures and great demons in the Taiping Domain are now forced to make sacrifices to atone for their sins.

The man looked at the old man and said, "We don't care what your real purpose is in coming here. As long as you abide by the rules here, you are all guests from afar. We will treat you to good wine and meat..."

"If you want to find Mr. Lu, he's very busy and travels around a lot. However, he comes to our area every now and then, so you can wait for him in Jiamu City here..."

The man was used to outsiders and smoothly explained the precautions.

Outside, the faint sounds of hurried carriages and horses could be heard.

The minotaur half-demon heard the sound, twitched its ears, and curiously opened the door to go out and investigate.

"Hey, our caravan is back! Let's go see if there's anything we can do to help!"

The half-demon excitedly shouted into the house.

Upon hearing this, the man stood up and said to the old man and the young man, "It's snowing outside. You can stay here or leave... it's up to you."

The man wasn't worried that the two men would take anything, since there wasn't anything valuable in the house.

If anything goes wrong, you can go to the law enforcement team.

The man picked up a coat and went out the door.

Seeing this, the old man and the young man followed suit.

In the distance, on a wide road, carriages sped along, heading straight for the city.

Those strong horses or monsters all dragged long, enclosed cargo boxes.

At intervals along the carriage, there were also mounted guards protecting it.

The caravan was very long, stretching as far as the eye could see in the raging snowstorm.

The young man's eyes changed slightly, because he used his divine sense to discover that the carriages were not filled with cargo, but with living people or demons.

The young man couldn't help but look at the old man beside him, hesitating to speak.

Looking at the long line, the minotaur half-demon couldn't help but sigh, "We've saved so many people again. I wonder if we have enough food. I'm afraid we'll have to cultivate a lot more land next year."

The young man asked in surprise, "Save someone?"

The half-demon nodded and said, "Yes, this winter has been too cold. So Mr. Lu and the others organized caravans in various regions to transport grain to other places to sell. If anyone really couldn't survive, they would bring them back... Many of them were slaves, and we had to pay to buy them back. Our caravans aren't making any money; they're losing money..."

The man next to him couldn't help but slap the half-demon, "What are you saying? What kind of teacher did you have? When it comes to saving lives, no amount of money is a loss."

The half-demon quickly said, "Oh, right, right. Let's go to the relief area and help out..."

Now that the caravan has brought back so many people, the relief area must be busy again. They're quite free right now, so they can go and lend a hand.

Whenever there are any heavy tasks to be done in the area, everyone will lend a hand whenever they have free time, which is also a way of contributing to the collective.

The half-demon lifted the man onto his broad, sturdy back and said in a deep voice, "Hold on tight, don't fall off."

The man raised his arm and grabbed the half-demon's two horns, a gesture that was somewhat comical.

"Okay, let's go."

Upon hearing this, the half-demon took a deep breath, exhaling two streams of white air from his nostrils. Then, with a sudden burst of strength from his two thick legs, he carried the man on his back and charged forward, transforming into a whirlwind as he strode straight along the sidewalk beside the main road.

A young man rode alongside a caravan of wagons.

Suddenly, the man sensed something and turned his gaze to the direction where the old man and the young man were.

The next moment, the man's eyes narrowed, as if he had seen someone unimaginable.

He then raised his hand to signal to his fellow caravan members, before spurring his horse off the main road and heading towards where the old man was.

The man dismounted and hurried over to the old man, his expression respectful, but his body stiff as he gave a curtsy.

Having not performed prayers in this manner for some time, the men's movements had become somewhat out of standard.

"Student Cheng Li greets the Chancellor!"

The old man in front of Cheng Li was the head of the Jixia Academy in Qi State, the leading figure in Confucianism in Qi State.

Looking at the whole world, this person is also the one who is closest to becoming a saint among the living Confucian masters.

In the past, when he was at the Jixia Academy, this chief priest rarely showed his face; he was like a dragon whose head was seen but whose tail was never seen.

Cheng Li never expected to encounter the Master of Ceremonies in such a place. He guessed that the Master of Ceremonies had come because of Mr. Gongyang's departure from the academy.

As for students like him leaving the Jixia Academy, that's probably insignificant to this man. The old man looked at Cheng Li, a hint of regret on his face.

"It's Cheng Li. It's been a while since I last saw you, and you've changed so much. I almost didn't recognize you..."

In the past, Cheng Li, the student he knew, was a refined, handsome, and extraordinary scholar.

Now, Cheng Li is thin, with slightly dark and rough skin, dressed plainly, and looks like he has been through a lot.

Anyone who didn't know better would think that this scion of a wealthy family had suddenly fallen on hard times.

Cheng Li smiled upon hearing this and said softly, "Students are doing what they want here, and they don't have the energy or inclination to pay as much attention to outward appearances as they used to..."

"On the surface?"

The old man smiled, his eyes crinkling. "Do you think that some of the rules of our academy are actually a bit wrong?"

Cheng Li was taken aback, not expecting the chief priest to bring up this topic.

The old man smiled and said, "It's alright. If you have any thoughts, you can speak frankly. I am not an unreasonable person."

Cheng Li thought for a moment and said, "Times are always moving forward. Some systems and rules will eventually become outdated and be eliminated one day. The Grand Master of Ceremonies is almost a sage in his learning and certainly knows more than I do. There is no need for me to say anything more."

The old man smiled and said, "That makes sense, but changing the rules is no easy task. As the Taoist sages said, governing a country is like cooking a small fish; if one acts rashly and recklessly, the country will be in turmoil, or even in danger..."

Cheng Li replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "I have heard people say that if the people of a country live in misery, it is better for such a country to perish. A ruler and his ministers who govern the world bring disaster to the country; it is better for the people to govern themselves..."

The young man next to him changed his expression slightly upon hearing this, never expecting that a former outstanding student from the academy would dare to utter such rebellious words.

The young man couldn't help but say, "If a ruler or his minister has committed any misconduct, one should advise or assist them in correcting it. What you're saying is nothing short of insubordination and treason..."

Cheng Li said calmly, "Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny? Confucius was not born a saint. Nor were rulers and ministers born to be rulers and ministers. If one's virtue does not match one's position, why shouldn't one yield to the more virtuous?"

The young man's eyes widened in shock and anger. "You, you, you! I never imagined Cheng Li would become like this... Do you still have any respect for sage kings and virtuous rulers?"

"Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny?"... The young man simply couldn't believe that these words came from the mouth of Cheng Li, a disciple of a prominent family.

If this happened in the State of Qi, not only would Cheng Li be punished, but the entire Cheng family would likely suffer because of such a statement.

Hearing the young man's question, Cheng Li composed himself and said softly, "Of course I have sages in my eyes. In matters of the world, the people should be the priority. Everything I say and do is in accordance with the words and deeds of sages. Unlike some people who have read so many books of sages, they are full of vanity and think they are several levels above others. Have they really learned the benevolence and morality of sages?"

The young man retorted angrily, "Are you insulting me?"

Cheng Li said calmly, "A person should know their own limitations. You can think whatever you want."

"you……"

The young man felt that he was already very well-mannered, but he always felt that Cheng Li's words were hitting him where it hurt, making it difficult for him to remain calm.

Cheng Li added, “I have taken many detours before I finally found a place to put my knowledge to use and practice the truths of the sages. You can also come here to learn.”

Before coming here, Cheng Li felt that there was nothing wrong with what he had done in the past.

But after experiencing many things in Taiping Domain, he realized that he had not done well enough in the past and had made many mistakes. Now he has changed a lot.

Although his life is busy and arduous now, he feels very fulfilled, both physically and mentally. He is truly learning and progressing, striving for the ideal cause expected by the sages, and all his efforts and sacrifices are worthwhile.

Even though many people don't understand and think it's a pity that he gave up his past status and wealth.

Upon hearing Cheng Li's advice, the young man couldn't help but twitch his lips, thinking that coming to a place like this might turn him into someone like Cheng Li, harboring the heart of a traitor.

"Brother Cheng, who are you arguing with? Are you alright?"

Not far away, a loud voice pierced through the wind and snow.

Looking around, one could see a burly, dark-skinned man carrying a large ringed sword on his shoulder, riding a striped tiger, and coming straight towards the caravan with an imposing air.

The burly man's eyes were bright and piercing as he scrutinized the old man and the young man, his gaze revealing a clear sense of scrutiny.

Upon seeing this, Cheng Li said, "Brother Yan, these two are old friends of mine. We just happened to run into each other, so I'm saying a few words."

The burly man before them was named Yan San, and he came from the State of Yan.

It is said that the land of Yan and Zhao is full of righteous men. It is rumored that this man has killed many corrupt officials, evil demons and ghosts, and his name is on the bounty list throughout the entire Yan Kingdom.

Because Yan San saw Lu Zheng's call to action and realized that it would be difficult to survive in Yan State, he brought his men and family here.

When Yan San and his group first arrived, the people who received them thought they would be difficult to manage.

However, after getting to know them, everyone found that Yan San and his group were quite disciplined and accepted the new rules. They were also very thorough in their work, so Yan San and his group quickly obtained their identities.

When the regional caravan was established, Yan San and others volunteered to be guards. They made several trips back and forth, killing many villains.

Along the way, Cheng Li became very familiar with these people, and they all addressed each other as brothers, regardless of their dynasty or status.

Upon hearing Cheng Li's explanation, Yan San nodded and lowered his gaze.

"Oh? You're here to join us too?"

Cheng Li simply smiled upon hearing this.

Seeing Cheng Li smile without saying a word, Yan San narrowed his eyes. Could it be that he came here to cause trouble?

Cheng Li said, "Brother Yan, you go first, I'll be there shortly."

Yan San hesitated for a moment, worried about Cheng Li's safety, but also feeling that it would be difficult to talk to others in his presence.

He thought for a moment and then said, "Okay, let's finish this quickly so we can have some hot soup together to warm ourselves up later."

Yan San whistled, and the tiger beneath him sprang to life, galloping away in an instant.

Cheng Li turned to look at the old man and said softly, "Did you come here for Master Gongyang? I heard that Master Gongyang and Brother Lu went to Wei to attend the Wuzhe Assembly and are not here for the time being."

The old man smiled upon hearing this, "I mainly came to see this place; I've heard it's a whole new world here..."

He hadn't paid much attention to the Northern Region before, and he just laughed it off after reading the call to action. But as it turned out, even Gongyang Ming had left the academy, and judging from the information coming from various places, there might really be something going on here.

For some reason, the headmaster of the academy personally came down from the mountain to see for himself what this so-called peaceful region was all about.

As for Gongyang Ming, the other party is a great Confucian scholar. If he is determined to stay here, Gongyang Ming, as the chief priest, has no way to forcibly take him back.

Even now, seeing just a glimpse of it, it's clear that even Cheng Li, one of the most outstanding students at the Jixia Academy, seems like a completely different person.

The old man felt this place was truly special, perhaps hiding something behind it all. He didn't believe that the young man alone could have accomplished such a feat. (End of Chapter)