I, who disguised myself as a woman, turned out to be a queen! ?

Chapter 1281 This man insulted the Empress!
"!?"

Xun Kuang glanced over and immediately saw Su Chang'an, then looked at Li Yueyue holding Su Chang'an's arm.

My goodness, how did you end up with that troublemaker, Yueyue!
And
Just by looking at Li Yueyue linking arms with him, he knew that Yueyue definitely didn't recognize Su Chang'an. After all, if she knew, why would she still dare to link arms with him?

But the problem is
You've already disguised yourself, and there's nothing special about you anymore, so how did you end up being grouped with Li Yueyue?

Everyone looked at Li Yueyue and Su Chang'an.
Li Yueyue secretly cried out in alarm!
She glared fiercely at the person who called her name, Cen Wenqian! "When Sister Niu Niu gets back, I'll be waiting outside your house!"

Thinking this, Li Yueyue immediately stepped forward and said, "I proposed it, so I want to debate it! You stipulated it? Oh my, when did you, Cen Wenqian, become so capable? What, after dealing with Xiao Ansheng, you've set your sights on me?!"

As soon as Li Yueyue finished speaking, Li Yuanzhuo immediately said, "Li Yueyue, today is a debate, not an argument. There are also scholars from foreign countries here. Don't try to be difficult! Moreover, you proposed this debate, but you stepped back and let others argue with us on your behalf. Could it be that you did this on purpose?"

Hear this!

Li Yueyue gripped Su Chang'an's arm tightly, clearly genuinely angry.

In the past, Li Yueyue would have already taken action.

But today...
Li Yueyue secretly glanced at Liu Kan and Zhao Shi.

The debate was real, though.

But Li Yueyue never expected that her teachers and scholars would come, and that these foreign scholars would also come.

Moreover, the debate she was referring to was to seek justice for Xiao Ansheng and to make Yang Liaoyuan clarify the accusations.

Unexpectedly, this suddenly turned into a debate on academic principles.

The former is incredibly talkative.

The latter.
Well, how should I put it!
She recognized the individual characters in what Yang Liaoyuan just said, but she couldn't understand them when put together.

In the past, if we lost a debate, losing our own people was a minor matter; but if Yang Liaoyuan and her group won, that would be terrible!

That's why we retreated so far.

Yang Liaoyuan looked at Li Yueyue and said, "Yueyue, you were confined to your home before, so you may not know the truth and have been deceived by these people. I don't blame you, but we are both women. Although you are young, can't you put yourself in my shoes and think about my situation? False accusation. If this hadn't happened, why would I have falsely accused my classmate?"

Li Yueyue frowned as she looked at Yang Liaoyuan's pitiful expression: "You..."

But just as Li Yueyue was about to speak, Su Chang'an looked at Yang Liaoyuan and said, "Miss, Yueyue didn't say you framed her. It's inappropriate for you to keep saying that she framed you."

When Li Yueyue heard Su Chang'an speak, she looked up at Cui Qing.

But it was only then that he realized he was still holding onto Cui Qing.

He suddenly realized that it was probably this Sister Cui who was standing up for him.

but.
How can this work?
If you can't stand Yang Liaoyuan, then Yang Liaoyuan deserves it. She's been a scoundrel since she was little, always tattling and such, and she's gotten beaten up by Sister Niu Niu a lot! She even avoids Sister Qing Ning like the plague.

But that doesn't mean you can mess with Sister Cui.

After all, she and Ms. Cui obviously didn't have any family issues. Among this group, Li Yuanzhuo and Cen Wenqian were the most vindictive.

So he immediately went up to Sister Cui Qing and said, "Is this a case of 'protesting too much'? You, Yang Liaoyuan, have done so many bad things that you keep saying you've been wronged and framed? And so many people are listening. Did I ever say you framed anything?"

Upon hearing this, Su Chang'an smiled and looked at Yang Liaoyuan: "Miss Yang just said, 'Investigating things is to rectify the mirror of one's mind. Extending knowledge is to restore the clarity of one's nature.' That's quite right. I actually agree with what you said."

Upon hearing this, An An Fu Rong frowned. She had just seen Li Yue Yue with her and thought she was one of her own!

How is this supporting Yang Leyuan?

Even Li Yueyue looked surprised and immediately let go, looking at Cui Qing, "Whom do you support?"

He glanced at the cat, his face full of accusation, "Are you two spies?!"

Yang Liaoyuan smiled gently: "Thank you."

The people around Yang Liaoyuan looked at Li Yueyue, An'an Furong and others with mocking expressions.

Su Chang'an did not look at Li Yueyue, but looked at Yang Liaoyuan: "But you explained the first sentence, but ignored the second sentence. In this way, you have misinterpreted the Empress's words 'investigation of things to acquire knowledge'."

Upon hearing this, Li Yueyue blinked and silently took Su Chang'an's arm again. It turned out to be a misunderstanding, so it's alright now.

Then he looked at Yang Leyuan and said, "Exactly!"

Yang Liaoyuan and the others frowned as they looked at Su Chang'an.

At this moment, Yazd, a scholar from Persia, spoke up: "Lord Xun, we are also very interested in the Empress's philosophy of sainthood. Since the students have discussed this today, I wonder if this student could also come up and speak?"

Upon hearing this, Xun Kuang glanced at the Empress over there, and then at Yazd.

Would I dare to stop you?

Liu Kan, however, smiled and said, "Of course it's possible."

Having said that, he turned to Su Chang'an and said, "That student, if you have your own opinions, you are welcome to come forward and debate. There is no need to be reserved in today's debate. Anyone who has different ideas may come forward. But do not talk nonsense or say anything that is inconsistent with today's topic. But also, do not engage in verbal disputes!"

When he finished speaking, Liu Kan glanced at Li Yueyue, then looked deeply at Yang Leyuan.

Upon hearing this, Su Chang'an bowed to Liu Kan and was about to step forward.

Li Yueyue blinked, glanced at the cat, and asked in a low voice, "Is it okay?"

Cat gave Li Yueyue a thumbs up in a very serious manner!

No words were spoken.

But it expressed everything!
Su Chang'an walked across the path cleared by the people, with Li Yueyue and Maomao following beside him.

Upon reaching the bottom, Su Chang'an bowed respectfully towards Xun Kuang and the others.

boom!
But that was only one bow.

Xun Kuang fell off the stool and coughed a few times, saying, "It's nothing, I just tripped and fell."

Ji Shuying looked at Xun Kuang with some curiosity, but seeing that Xun Kuang was unharmed, she didn't say anything.

Xun Kuang's fall just happened to avoid the Empress's bow, and he was extremely relieved.

Those who don't know can be ignored, but he knows his identity. Can he accept this bow? Can he even bear to receive it?
Zhao Shi looked at Xun Kuang's comical appearance, shook his head but said nothing, and instead looked at Su Chang'an.

Su Chang'an showed no unusual expression in response to Xun Kuang's words, and simply said, "This is my younger sister, Cui Nu. I brought her to the Imperial Academy today, but I overheard what this Miss Yang just said, so I spoke up. Please forgive me, esteemed teachers."

Xun Kuang heard this name
Cui Qing?

Cui Nu?

Cui Qingnu?!

Xun Kuang glanced at Maomao; no wonder she looked so unwell.

Liu Kan laughed and said, "As I just said, there is no need to be reserved in today's debate. It seems that you have your own insights into the principles that the Empress just mentioned. You may speak boldly. It just so happens that we and these foreign scholars are also very interested in the Empress's investigation of things and extension of knowledge."

Su Chang'an bowed to Liu Kan, then looked at Yang Liaoyuan: "'Investigating things is like a mirror reflecting one's true nature. Extending knowledge is like restoring the clarity of one's true nature.' You just said that one should look inward, break free from the obscuring of selfish desires and distractions, and thus maintain a pure and innocent mind. If one reads in this way, one can have a righteous spirit residing in one's heart, is that right?"

Yang Liaoyuan looked at Su Chang'an. She had already sized him up and down. He didn't seem to be from a wealthy family, but she didn't recognize him. She didn't seem to have seen him before at the Imperial Academy.

However, with so many students at the Imperial College, it's normal that they hadn't seen it before.

Suppressing her displeasure, she looked at Su Chang'an and said, "Yes."

Su Chang'an continued, "That girl completely failed to understand the meaning behind Her Majesty's words. She didn't even grasp the core concept of investigating things to acquire knowledge, yet she used this principle to talk about the crab's six legs and two claws."

Li Yuanzhuo, who was standing next to Yang Liaoyuan, immediately spoke up: "Such a conclusion, without explaining why, is this your excuse?"

Wu Anfurong spoke up: "Li Yuanzhuo, a gentleman does not interrupt others' speech. You have interrupted others several times and even talked about how others are doing! You call yourself one of the Six Gentlemen of the Imperial Academy. Is this what you call a gentleman?"

Li Yuanzhuo looked at Wu Anfurong.

But he was just about to speak.

Yang Liaoyuan looked at the girl in front of her and said, "I don't know why you said I misunderstood."

Su Chang'an smiled and said, "Righteousness is not something you read in books, but something everyone has. Peddlers, merchants, farmers, children on the ridges, and women sewing clothes all have uprightness in them."

Upon hearing this, many students began to whisper among themselves. Meanwhile, the teachers and scholars seated above immediately became very interested, watching the female student named Cui Qing.

Even Yazd and the others, having stayed in Daxia for a long time, knew that the "righteous spirit" spoken of by Daxia scholars was actually a term for a person's moral character.

Su Chang'an continued, "The principles are all in the books, but how to be a person is outside the books. The principles in the books teach you how to be a better person, but whether you do it and how you do it are another matter. But you, young lady, are wrong to use the words of the Empress, 'Investigating things is the mirror to rectify one's heart,' to say that if one keeps a pure and innocent heart while reading, one will have a righteous spirit."

Cen Wenqian immediately questioned from the side: "If you don't read books, how can you have a noble spirit!"

Su Chang'an looked at her and asked in return, "The old farmers in the fields don't read books, but when they encounter weary and hungry travelers, they will smile and offer them food and water, saying with a smile, 'Want to rest here for a while?' May I ask this young lady, is the good deed done by these old farmers righteous?"

Cen Wenqian was about to speak, but hesitated and frowned.

Yang Liaoyuan said, "This is a matter of kindness; what does it have to do with studying?"

Su Chang'an smiled helplessly: "One should have a noble spirit and a pure heart. To cultivate one's spirit, one must cultivate one's virtue. Every act of benevolence and righteousness, every good deed and righteous act, nourishes this noble spirit. When a kind thought arises in your heart, it is proof that your noble spirit exists within you. The so-called 'the Way is not far from man' is because it is in our hearts."

"Just like that old farmer I just mentioned, may I ask you, young lady, is it because he is uneducated that he lacks integrity in his good deeds?"

Yang Liaoyuan frowned slightly.

Li Yuanzhuo and Cen Wenqian exchanged a glance, then looked at the crowd behind them.

Su Chang'an continued, "The sage spoke of the noble spirit, which was proposed to guide future generations to pursue the highest good and virtue. It is a moral philosophy and a guide for us to be good and not to become evil or wicked. That is why there is the saying of reading books to understand the Tao, because the sage wrote many principles of being a good person in his books."

“Miss Yang dares to say that reading with a pure and innocent heart will give you a noble spirit. I also said that was true, but you refused to talk about the last sentence.”

"To attain knowledge is to restore the clarity of one's nature. It means to make oneself clearer about the correctness of doing things through practice and reflection, and to make one's moral conscience clearer."

"What Her Majesty meant by 'investigating things to acquire knowledge' is that both are indispensable. Investigating things is the means, and acquiring knowledge is the principle. The former helps us to correct our thinking, while the latter helps us to put it into practice and do it. You only think about it, but you don't do it. Isn't this what I mean by misinterpreting Her Majesty's meaning? Her Majesty has always emphasized the unity of knowledge and action."

Yang Liaoyuan frowned.

Many people around lowered their heads to ponder what Su Chang'an had said.

Even the teachers looked at this girl named Cui Qing with approval.

However, the old scholar Zhao Shi was pondering Cui Qing's thoughts.
I've never heard of such a student, but if someone has such thoughts, they shouldn't be unknown.

崔青
崔女
Hmm~~
Ok? !

Zhao Shi paused, glancing at Su Chang'an and then at the cat beside him carrying a small satchel.

Cui Qingnu?!

Isn't that the real name of the cat that serves the Empress?

Zhao Shi immediately gasped and looked at Xun Kuang, recalling how Xun Kuang had gone to great lengths to avoid Cui Qing's bow, even at the risk of falling.

Zhao Shi immediately looked toward the woman named Cui Qing.

My Lady!?
Zhao Shi pursed his lips.

Su Chang'an continued, "Crabs have six legs and two claws. You said we shouldn't be looking for something while riding a donkey, but should seek the truth outside of ourselves. You said the sage deliberately wrote that crabs have six legs, but aren't you just looking for something while riding a donkey? You insist on finding enlightenment in it, but the sage who said this was recorded in history as having a poor background. What if we assume that this sage had never seen a crab? Isn't the young lady overthinking things? Or perhaps the crab the sage was referring to wasn't a crab at all, but some other kind of sea crab? I once saw a kind of sea crab that was huge, and it did indeed have six legs, plus two claws, making eight."

"The crab has six legs and two claws, and can only find refuge in the burrows of snakes and eels, because it is restless. This is the whole text, and it is the sage's advice to us, the younger generation, not to be impetuous in our work, but to be focused and not confused."

Li Yuanzhuo immediately pressed, "What you've been saying is just what Liaoyuan said: 'Reading leads to enlightenment,' and if you don't achieve enlightenment, you blame the sages? Besides, you said that sea crabs are huge and only have six legs. Who knows if you're just making that up!"

Su Chang'an smiled wryly and said, "Gentlemen, when you read books, you only want to understand the principles, but you don't want to verify them. You only want to understand the principles spoken by the sages. But many people go to great lengths to research whether the sages miswritten a word or whether later generations copied it incorrectly. They even read the sages' biographies to search for six-legged crabs. Isn't this proof that you have forgotten what the Empress said, 'Investigate things to acquire knowledge, and unite knowledge with action'?"

"Furthermore, students from coastal areas like Jiaozhou should all know about those large sea crabs; when they read this phrase, they'll definitely be thinking of those crabs. And as far as I know, a while ago, a restaurant even used these large sea crabs as a prize for poems. What kind of situation is this?"

Wu Anfurong spoke up: "Insight."

Su Chang'an looked at Li Yuanzhuo: "That's right. So, because of different perspectives, the principles we read are also different. Reading with a pure mind, but without verifying the principles in the book, is also like that. Moreover, the principle of 'reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles' also applies here. Books should not be read as dead books."

Upon hearing Su Chang'an's words, those around him immediately lowered their heads to continue their discussion, and many students showed expressions of admiration in their eyes.

Meanwhile, Yazd, the scholar from Persia, was looking at Su Chang'an while whispering something to the scholar beside him. After saying a few words, he would look at Su Chang'an with admiration and surprise.

After Su Chang'an finished speaking, he turned to Xun Kuang and the others and bowed again.

This time, he only raised his hand.

Xun Kuang cried out in pain and fell again!
But what surprised everyone was...
Master Zhao Shi also fell to the side.

The students were puzzled. What was going on?

Even Ji Shuying, Liu Kan, and the foreign scholars looked puzzled and looked down at the chairs beneath them.

Isn't this very sturdy?
Xun Kuang looked at Zhao Shi in surprise, but after a quick glance at the old man's expression, he knew that the old man had guessed it!
But instead of saying anything, he looked at Su Chang'an and said, "Well said, you can continue."

Although Su Chang'an was puzzled, he understood the situation of the two and smiled slightly.

Li Yueyue looked at this Sister Cui Qing with clear eyes!
To be honest, she didn't understand most of what that lady just said!

After all, they were students of the Imperial Academy; how could they not understand everything?

But regardless of that.
His eyes were full of admiration!
He immediately patted Su Chang'an on the shoulder, signaling her to bend down, and then whispered, "Sister, you're so good at studying!"

Su Chang'an responded in a low voice: "That's just made up to fool people. Besides, the Empress isn't necessarily right either; she's just an ordinary person."

Li Yueyue immediately looked to her left and right, and only breathed a sigh of relief when she made sure no one had heard her.

Zhao Shi and Xun Kuang watched as Li Yueyue, that auntie, whispered to the Empress and patted her shoulder and pulled her arm.

The first thing that came to mind was, Li Wenyou, you have such a wonderful daughter.

Although Liu Kan didn't know what was going on between Xun Kuang and Zhao Shi, he looked at the girl named Cui Qing, pondered for a moment, and asked, "Your name is Cui Qing?"

Su Chang'an immediately bowed in return: "Replying to Master, my name is Cui Qing."

Liu Kan pressed further, "The Cui family and you?"

Su Chang'an immediately said, "It's not just one Cui."

Liu Kan nodded.

Su Chang'an knew that if he said he was from the Cui family, like Cui Yu, the cat would definitely run into him!
However, Liu Kan immediately said, "You're quite good. Would you like to become my apprentice?"

Su Chang'an knew that Liu Kan was referring to having a teacher above one's own students, so he replied, "I have never taken a teacher."

Liu Kan immediately replied, "We can discuss this afterward."

Liu Kan doesn't have a proper student yet. He likes Li Yueyue quite a bit, but he likes Cui Qing even more!
Xun Kuang glanced at Liu Kan, but dared not say anything.

But Yang Liaoyuan looked at Su Chang'an and said, "I may have misunderstood, but how can you prove that this is what Her Majesty meant?"

Su Chang'an looked at Yang Liaoyuan: "I am not the Empress, how can I prove it?"

Yang Liaoyuan seemed to have grasped something and immediately pressed, "Then why did you say when you were whispering with Li Yueyue that Her Majesty the Empress was just an ordinary person? That might not be true!"

Yang Liaoyuan had just overheard Li Yueyue's conversation with Su Chang'an.

After all, she had been watching Su Chang'an, wondering where this woman had come from!

Especially when she saw Li Yueyue whispering to each other, she naturally listened carefully.

Su Chang'an paused for a moment, then smiled gently.

But he was just about to speak.

Li Yueyue jumped out from the side: "Yang Liaoyuan! You little rat-faced rascal, are you deliberately making things difficult for my Sister Cui because of her ordinary clothes? Just like when you framed Xiao Ansheng! You were jealous because he was favored by Xun Siye and the Grand Master of Ceremonies, and you thought he would pass the interview, so you made up that fallacy that he molested you. Now you're doing this because Master Liu has taken a liking to Sister Cui?"

After saying that, Li Yueyue shielded Cui Qing behind her and pointed at Yang Liaoyuan: "You cowardly piece of trash, go ahead and frame me if you dare! You just like bullying people with no family background, don't you? When my sister Niu Niu was around, she was such a coward. Now she's gone to war and isn't in the capital, so what! Are you forcing me to find Sister Qing Ning? What kind of eyes do you have, Cen Wenqian? What kind of eyes do you have! Yes! I said it, frame me, so what, bite me!"

After stopping Cen Wenqian, Yang Liaoyuan immediately looked at Xun Kuang: "Lord Director of Studies, I just heard this person speak disrespectfully to Her Majesty the Empress! And Li Yueyue heard it too, which is why she attacked me like that!"

Upon hearing this, Xun Kuang paused for a moment, then looked at Su Chang'an, then at Yang Liaoyuan, and finally at Master Zhao Shi, "Master, please speak."

Zhao Shi: "Huh?"

(End of this chapter)