Cyber ​​Daming

Chapter 684: Truth Fantasy
"Teacher, according to your previous instructions, most of the forces of the New Donglin Party in Nanzhili have now been concentrated in the coastal prefectures to assist Li Bufeng in preventing Honghu from rebelling."

Liu Jinxun respectfully reported: "Except for Northern Zhili, the clans in other provinces have also followed your orders and sent people to maintain the stability of their respective territories. They will not act rashly without your orders."

"Yeah, well done."

Zhang Fengyue nodded gently, but suddenly saw Liu Jinxun's face showing an expression of wanting to say something but stopping. He smiled as if he had expected it, and asked, "Do you feel that you can't understand?"

"Yes."

Liu Jinxun speaks frankly.

Zhang Fengyue seemed unable to bear the summer night breeze and pulled up the cloak covering his legs.

"Then tell me what you think."

"If you really think that Honghu is our real threat, then I think you should not have given up Northern Zhili in the first place. We all know who is the master behind Honghu. Even if you don't want to change the dynasty, we can do our utmost to clear the court again, so that we can eliminate the hidden dangers from the root."

"Even a hawk will do its best to catch a rabbit. We are now surrounded by powerful enemies, so we should concentrate our efforts to defeat them one by one, instead of tearing our faces with Longhu Mountain and Donghuang Palace while distracting our attention to guard against Honghu. We should not order the clans in other regions not to participate in the war and only maintain law and order in their territories."

Liu Jinxun weighed his words carefully and said in a deep voice: "From the students' point of view, we seem to have taken care of everything, but in fact we are tying ourselves up in knots and wasting our own advantages in this turmoil."

Zhang Fengyue listened to Liu Jinxun's words quietly, but did not make a direct statement. Instead, he asked softly, like a teacher and student playing a dialogue: "Then what do you think is our advantage?"

"people!"

Liu Jinxun said without hesitation: "Since the division of the world into martial arts, the number of followers in the Confucian Order has always been the highest among all the three religions and nine schools. Even though the official positions are now constrained by the imperial power and the school of scholarship is gradually declining, we still maintain an absolute numerical advantage. If we can unite as one, even if the Taoist Order and the Yin-Yang School join forces, they will not be our opponents."

"Have you considered how many people will die?"

The old man asked again in a low voice, which immediately made Liu Jinxun, who had just spoken each word powerfully, fall into silence.

"Jinxun, you are right. Ruxu's advantage is indeed in people."

Zhang Fengyue said: "But after so many years of extravagance and enjoyment, how many people in Ruxu today still have the courage to risk their lives? Is it still possible to unite their hearts and minds? There are only a few of you who have experienced the hardships of starting a business in Ruxu."

"Courage can be born from hatred and tempered from blood!"

Liu Jinxun said in a muffled voice: "This generation of descendants is greedy for pleasure, cowardly and fearful, so we can all die and use our lives to awaken their blood and courage. As long as there is Confucianism and a basic population base, new Confucianism will continue to emerge, and the death of a few of us old guys will not affect the overall situation."

"you are wrong."

Zhang Fengyue shook his head and said, "Times are constantly changing and developing, just like when we joined hands with Faxu to establish the rule of 'the laws of our ancestors cannot be changed' in the hearts of the people of the world, it was to protect ourselves. But now with the existence of Huangliang, all the previous rules are no longer stable. Just a dream of indulgence is enough to destroy ten years of hard study."

"It is as difficult to obtain a golden house in a book as to ascend to heaven. But it is as easy as pie to obtain a golden house in a dream. Whether human nature is good or evil has been debated for thousands of years, but it is an indisputable fact that most people are short-sighted and can only see the gains and losses in front of them."

Zhang Fengyue sighed: "The assimilation capacity of Confucianism has never weakened. We have built more and more Confucius Temples, but the advantages we can gain through "education" have long disappeared. Who can be sure that Confucianism will last forever in the turmoil, rather than being uprooted by others?"

Liu Jinxun was speechless and unable to refute.

Indeed, the appearance of Huangliang brought many conveniences to Ruxu. Traveling in the mountains with ancient sages in a dream one night might even be enough to offset a lifetime of studying classics.

The same is true of Taoism, one of the three religions.

With the support and blessing of the cave, the Taoist fanaticism established in Longhu Mountain is far beyond what it could have achieved in the past thousands of years.

But when Huangliang falls into the hands of a certain party, or when he himself has consciousness, then all the inherited teachings and principles in this world can also be covered up by a dream of sensual pleasures.

"But teacher"

Liu Jinxun pulled the corner of his mouth, and a stubborn expression appeared on his loose face.

"It is precisely because the existence of Huangliang poses a huge threat to us that we should destroy it in one go. Instead of being timid and hesitant like we are now, and taking too many things into consideration, we will probably lose more in the end!"

"I say the same thing again, Jinxun, do you know how many innocent people will die tragically if you do that?"

Zhang Fengyue did not get angry because of the other party's stubbornness, and his tone remained calm and gentle.

"The Dao and Yin and Yang parted ways because of 'non-action' and 'action', and Zongheng and we also parted ways because of 'angering the people' and 'pacifying the people'. If we want to win at all costs, we will certainly not be able to stop the powerful families from dragging the people into the war, forming a human sea to reduce their own casualties and fight for greater benefits."

"Then the order of the entire Ming Empire will fall apart in an instant. Not only those who follow the order like you and me, but also ordinary people, Huangliang ghosts, Honghu puppets and Taoist fanatics will be caught in endless fighting."

"So your purpose in making this arrangement is to control the unrest among those who follow the order."

Liu Jinxun finally realized at this moment: "It is also a warning to the East Palace and Longhu Mountain through action."

"Don't think too highly of me, kid. Zhan Shun and Zhang Xiji are not good men and women. How could they be intimidated by me?"

Zhang Fengyue laughed and waved his hand to interrupt Liu Jinxun.

"The reason why they didn't incite their followers and didn't transform ordinary people who were connected to Huangliang into Huangliang ghosts was because they were afraid that the person in Beizhili would gain the advantage. After all, if the world is really in chaos, a Zongheng Xu Er might jump out at any time. Wouldn't that be asking for trouble?"

Liu Jinxun frowned and said, "But will Zhu Yiyan really do as you wish?"

"I don't have an answer to this question either. But I have already done what I promised the late emperor. I can only hope that he can understand his father's painstaking efforts."

Zhang Fengyue seemed to be troubled by the three words "Zhu Yiyan".

The old man remained silent for a long time, his slightly cloudy eyes filled with extremely complicated emotions.

Liu Jinxun also fell into deep thought, his brows furrowed and relaxed, but his ten fingers were clenched into fists, unwilling to relax at all.

"During the thousand years of the Ming Dynasty, the former 'scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans' were smashed to pieces by the sequence, making the distinction between superiors and subordinates even more difficult to cross. Those above the sequence pursue eternal life and standing shoulder to shoulder with the gods. But what about the people below the sequence? What do you think they care about?"

Zhang Fengyue asked himself and answered: "I used to think that they might still struggle with the new gap like they did when facing the imperial examinations in the previous dynasty, sacrificing their brains to be the superior one."

"But during the years I accompanied Siyuan on his travels, I found that most of them were still only concerned about whether today's meal was delicious, when they would be paid for their hard work for a month, and how their long-ill family members would recover." "They didn't care too much about who would become an immortal or Buddha, or who would rule the world. Even if someone wanted to take away what they had, they wouldn't resist too much. At most, they would rub their tearful eyes, curse softly, and then comfort themselves that as long as they were still alive, it was fine."

Zhang Fengyue raised his hand and rubbed his brows, and said softly: "So don't bother them anymore."

"Teacher, in fact, not only has this empire changed, but you have also changed." Liu Jinxun suddenly spoke.

"Really? Is it because I'm getting older?"

Liu Jinxun ignored the old man's deliberate teasing and his expression remained solemn.

"When you were the principal of New Donglin Academy, you wrote an essay on 'The Great Confucian Preface'. Every word was a pearl, and it was exciting and exciting to read. Although there have been mixed opinions about this essay within the Confucian Preface, even your most valued student Pei Xingjian sneered at it and even parted ways with you because of it."

Zhang Fengyue's eyes were still as gentle as water: "It's just an occasional crazy thought of an old horse, it doesn't count."

"No, I don't think this is an unrealistic fantasy. On the contrary, I always believe that this is the most correct future for Ruxu!"

Liu Jinxun suddenly took a step back, clasped his hands together, and bowed deeply to the old man.

"That essay is based on the development of the Six Arts, with the core of educating and educating, and covers the four aspects of Confucian education: body, mind, reason, and will. The full text is 3,472 words, and I still remember it clearly and dare not forget it."

Liu Jinxun buried his head deeply in Zhili's arms, but his voice was excited and high-pitched.

"Such a masterpiece, unprecedented in history, is destined to become the platform of the new Donglin Party as soon as it appears in the world, and it is also the foundation for you to become the new Confucian saint in the future. I have spent most of my life unswervingly practicing the essence of it, whether in the court or in the mountains and fields, and I have never slacked off."

"But I don't know when you suddenly changed."

Liu Jinxun raised his body, looking directly into those eyes that no longer contained a captivating edge, but only a bleak and desolate look of autumn and winter.

"I don't understand why you, teacher, would discard this precious treasure and a follower like me."

Liu Jinxun's tone became sad: "I once suspected that it was because of Pei Xingjian, because I know very well that in your eyes, only Pei Xingjian is the only one who is qualified to inherit your mantle."

"To be honest, I was very jealous, and I was dissatisfied because of this, and even had a little delusion of comparison. So after returning to Jinling, I secretly interacted with the Zhu family and the Chunqiu Society. I was waiting for the day when you learned the news and came to the Liu family in person to rebuke me, the traitor, and ask me why I betrayed you."

Liu Jinxun said in a trembling voice: "This way, I will have the opportunity to ask you in person where the future of Ruxu will go. If I can change your mind in exchange for my death, Liu Jinxun will die without regrets."

Zhang Fengyue pursed his lips, and his half-lying body now sat up straight, and the cloak covering his body had slipped to the ground at some point.

The rain dripping from the eaves wet the edge of the cloak, but no one cared.

"But I still didn't get to see you in the end. I only waited for the merchant's order, which gave me two choices. One is to go to the barbarian land to make meritorious contributions, and the other is to be executed on the spot if I refuse to repent."

In the shadows at the corner of the corridor, Shang Sigu folded his arms, leaned against the cold wall, and looked indifferently at the master and disciple who both looked old.

Liu Jinxun smiled bitterly: "I told myself that I was too naive and too extreme, and made such an unforgivable mistake, so you didn't bother to talk to me anymore. I was unwilling to die, so I chose to go to the foreign land and implement the new policy wholeheartedly.

"But what I saw in Fandi was your determination to completely sever the connection between heaven and earth. There was no trace of 'the order of the great scholar' at all."

"teacher"

Liu Jinxun bent his knees and slammed them heavily on the floor tiles covered with moisture.

"Are you really going to give up on 'The Great Scholar's Preface'? Are the ideals that students have been pursuing all their lives really only worthy of a wild thought?"

Liu Jinxun's eyes were filled with reluctance, hope, and a bit of hidden fear, blending together in an indescribably complex way.

He hoped to get the real answer from Zhang Fengyue, but was worried that his fantasy would be completely shattered.

"The ground is cold, get up first before talking."

Zhang Fengyue frowned, but his voice was still very gentle.

But Liu Jinxun still shook his head stubbornly and asked repeatedly: "Teacher, do you really want to give up on us followers and your dream back then?"

Although Shang Sigu, who was standing far away, maintained an indifferent and nonchalant look on the surface, a hint of anxiety could not be concealed in his eyes, and he stared at this side intently.

“That’s not my dream.”

Zhang Fengyue was silent for a moment, then his voice turned cold: "I'll say it again, it was just a wild fantasy that I had when I was bored, an unrealistic talk!"

Boom!

As soon as the words were spoken under the eaves, thunder roared in the distant sky.

Amid the violent storm, there was an unsettling atmosphere, as if a gigantic monster was approaching.

"No, how could the philosophy I have practiced all my life be unrealistic and empty talk? I cannot accept it. You must have been bewitched by someone, so you made such a wrong choice to break the connection between heaven and earth."

A murmuring sound came from the dejected kneeling figure, which was like a sharp sword piercing into the old man's eye sockets, causing his gaze to tremble.

Zhang Fengyue shouted angrily: "Nonsense!"

When Liu Jinxun raised his head again, his face was already in tears.

"Teacher, Zhang Xiji is almost here. I was the one who leaked your location to Zhan Shun."

Although he had expected this, when Zhang Fengyue actually heard the other party say this, he still closed his eyes in pain.

"I knew Zhang Xiji would come, but why did it have to be you?"

The old man sighed and said, "Jinxun, you are confused."

(End of this chapter)