My aunt is Queen Ma

Chapter 13 Then I ask you
That night, Ma Yu was arguing with Zhu Chong when Zhu Biao suddenly appeared and said that Song Lian had arrived and was next door.

It caught him off guard.

However, he could also understand why the other party was so cautious. This was the Yingtian Prefecture Prison and he was an imperial prisoner. How could he just come and visit like a neighbor?

I must find a time that will not attract attention and come here quietly.

Just like last time when he asked Zhu Chong to pretend to be sick.

I don’t even know how big the risk is.

Since you're here, there's nothing much to say. See you.

Afterwards, Zhu Biao went to invite Song Lian, and when he left, he took Zhu Chong with him, because he was afraid that he would disturb the communication between Song Lian and Ma Yu.

Ma Yu had no doubts either.

This kid has a rebellious personality and keeps calling Song Lian "Old Man". He definitely doesn't like Song Lian.

It makes sense to take him away.

But his mind was so focused on Song Lian that he didn't notice the panic on Zhu Chong's face.

Zhu Chong was just rebellious but not a fool. He knew very well that his mother was most likely here too.

Taking myself there means seeing my mother.

Sure enough, behind the wall at the corner a few meters away, I saw Empress Ma and Song Lian.

Although Song Lian disliked Zhu Chong, he still bowed to him according to etiquette, and then went to the prison with Zhu Biao.

Only mother and son were left.

Zhu Chong was even more at a loss.

Although he looks like the boss in prison, he actually respects Empress Ma very much in his heart.

It is because of respect that we are afraid.

Will she be angry? Will she blame herself?

He didn't care at all when others scolded him, but he cared a lot about Queen Ma's attitude.

Just when he was worried, Queen Ma looked him up and down, nodded slightly and whispered:
“It’s been going well these past few days.”

Zhu Chong felt relieved and then felt happy, so he wanted to go up and talk to him.

Empress Ma spoke first, "Shh, don't talk, just listen."

Zhu Chong knew that she was afraid of being noticed by Ma Yu, so she quickly shut her mouth.

At this time, a spy from the Guard Division came over with a chair, and Zhu Chong stepped forward to take it.

"Mom, please sit down and listen."

After Empress Ma sat down, he stood behind her in a servile manner and massaged her shoulders.

A smile finally appeared in Queen Ma's eyes. Although this boy was a scoundrel, he was indeed filial.

But the more this happens, the more we need to discipline him and prevent him from going astray.
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On the other side, Ma Yu got up early and stood at the cell door waiting.

The moral kidnapping begins. You always act like a junior and behave respectfully. Let's see if you, Song Lian, feel embarrassed to bully the weak.

After a while, an old man in his fifties or sixties appeared accompanied by Zhu Biao.

Ma Yu immediately confirmed that this was Song Lian.

Looking closely, Song Lian's image completely matched his imagination: tall, with a square face and a long beard that reached down to his chest.

His demeanor is dignified and serious, which makes people respect him.

He is indeed worthy of being a great scholar.

He thought so in his heart, but his hands did not slow down, and he bowed from a distance:
"I am a student of Ma Yu and would like to pay my respects to Mr. Qianxi."

This address is very particular. It does not call him Mr. Song, nor does it refer to his official title, but rather his elegant nickname.

Simply define this meeting as a private meeting between younger and older generations and have nothing to do with anything else.

Song Lian nodded slightly and looked Ma Yu up and down. His first impression was not good, but not bad either.

Ma Yu looked very shabby at this time, but considering his previous experience as a beggar, it was understandable.

Compared with this, Song Lian was more concerned about his expression, etiquette, etc.

Apart from being a little reserved, everything else about him can be said to be very good. He is obviously a well-educated person.

The crossed-arm salute made him feel even more favorable.

Originally, he wanted to say a few opening remarks, such as some words of encouragement, but he remembered that Queen Ma had instructed him to give the other party a warning.

He held back again, nodded slightly, and strode into the cell.

Ma Yu didn't think there was anything wrong. Song Lian came here to "raise an army and demand an explanation", so it was good enough that he could respond to him.

Then he respectfully asked Song Lian to sit down and poured him a bowl of hot water.

He said in a fearful tone, "Mr. Qianxi, please don't blame me for the poor conditions."

Song Lian would not care about these things, but would be more satisfied with Ma Yu's upbringing.

He himself didn't realize that his identity had unknowingly changed in his heart.

He was no longer the prince's teacher who came to question the emperor, but an elder who came to test the younger generation's academic performance.

However, he did not forget the purpose of this trip. In addition, he had a task assigned by Queen Ma, so he did not say much nonsense.

He said with a serious face, "Confucius and Mencius are the foundation, Guan and Xunzi are the application. Is that what you said?"

Ma Yu hadn't expected the other party to be so direct, but he had been prepared and said without changing his expression:

"It's just a superficial opinion, and it made Mr. Qianxi laugh."

His attitude was respectful, and even if Song Lian wanted to find fault, he didn't know how to start, so he could only bite the bullet and say:

"How many of the Four Books and Five Classics have you studied?"

Ma Yu said ashamedly: "The elders in my family said that I am still young and at the age of understanding the world."

"They only taught me a superficial understanding of the true meaning of the scriptures, but I didn't learn in depth."

"Originally, they wanted to wait until my mind matured a little and I found my own way before teaching me how to heal the classics, but..."

When he said this, a look of sadness appeared on his face.

Song Lian couldn't help but feel pity for the child. What a poor child.

He was also somewhat surprised by Elder Ma Yu's teaching methods.

The current mainstream education method is to memorize first.

Before you even recognize all the characters, you have to memorize the scriptures first, and then go back to learn the meaning of the scriptures after you have memorized them.

As the saying goes, read a book a hundred times and its meaning will become clear.

Ma Yu's elders first taught him to understand the world and then study the classics. This can be said to be completely contrary to the current concept.

However, Song Lian did not mean to criticize.

Every family has its own method of teaching children. Outsiders do not understand the reasons, so it is best not to express opinions casually.

but……

“Since you have not studied the classics, how can you make arbitrary judgments on the true meaning of the ancient sages?”

Ma Yu was cheered up, as he was finally going to enter the field he was good at.

He remained humble and said:
“It is precisely because I haven’t done in-depth research that I can more fairly evaluate the ideas of the ancient sages.”

Song Lian frowned slightly. This answer was beyond his expectations, but also made him very dissatisfied. It was too ignorant and arrogant.

Ma Yu could naturally see the change in his attitude, and without waiting for him to speak, he continued:

"My elders once told me a truth."

“Humans are like silkworms. They eat mulberry leaves, grow into adult worms, and then spin silk to wrap themselves in cocoons.”

"For a silkworm, the cocoon is the world."

“People grow through learning, and the knowledge they acquire is like silk, wrapping themselves up bit by bit.”

"In the end, we can only see the tiny corner of the cocoon, and cannot see the vast universe outside."

“My elders call it an information cocoon.”

"Some of these cocoons were woven by ourselves, while others were woven with the intervention of others."

“Only by breaking through the cocoon can one emerge as a butterfly and glimpse the vastness of the universe.”

"That's why my elders first let me get a general understanding of the world."

"This way, when I'm studying the scriptures in the future, I won't be easily trapped by their meaning. Even if I accidentally fall into a cocoon, I'll have a greater chance of breaking out."

"Although I haven't studied the classics yet and my knowledge is not deep, it also means that I haven't been wrapped in a cocoon yet."

“Therefore, we can view the teachings of our predecessors from a more neutral perspective.”

“I can’t say it’s correct, but it’s definitely the most intuitive.”

Song Lian showed a surprised expression again, a cocoon of knowledge and information.

What a unique understanding, what a brilliant idea.

I can't help but admire the person who proposed this theory.

Queen Ma next door was also very surprised, and she immediately thought about the issue of Zhu Biao's education.

As a monarch, the most important thing is not how outstanding your personal abilities are, but knowing what the world is like.

Know the situation in your own country and then leave the problem to professionals.

Obviously, the educational method mentioned by Ma Yu is more suitable for Zhu Biao.

She was very happy that she had gained so much from the discussion at the very beginning.

I am also looking forward to the upcoming discussions.

When Song Lian heard the information cocoon theory, he couldn't wait to discuss it with Ma Yu.

But thinking of his mission, he could only suppress his emotions and pretend to be stern:

"To make sophistry and to judge without understanding the meaning is truly arrogant."

"I know you're not convinced, so I'll test you."

"Since you say you have a general understanding of the sages' ideas, let me ask you."

"What is forgiveness?"

In his heart, Ma Yu admired Song Lian's character even more. Although the other party seemed very angry on the surface, he actually left room for maneuver in every way.

For example, in this question, if he really wants to suppress himself, he can start with specific chapters and sentences.

I definitely won't be able to answer this question since I haven't had any treatment before. Then he will severely attack me and even humiliate me.

But he didn't do that. He just asked general, conceptual questions based on his own situation. Furthermore, "forgiveness" is one of the most important and fundamental concepts in the Analects, and the answer is already there.

Anyone who has understood the Analects can answer this question.

This is what true respect and honor means.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel respect in his heart.

Treat this test more seriously:
“Do not do to others what you do not want others to do to you. This is forgiveness.”

Song Lian was not surprised and continued to ask, "What is loyalty?"

This time Ma Yu did not answer directly, but fell into deep thought.

Seeing this, Song Lian couldn't help but reveal a hint of disappointment.

'Loyalty and forgiveness' is Confucius' most important thought besides 'benevolence'.

The ancient sages had already given the answer, and Zhu Xi summarized all the answers into one sentence:

Loyalty means doing one's best, and forgiveness means putting others before oneself.

Ma Yu didn't even know this, which showed that he didn't even have a general understanding of it.

Zhu Biao was also very anxious. You can't even answer such a simple question?

Please stop doing this.

This not only affects whether I can continue to study the teachings of Guan and Xun in the future, but also affects my reputation.

I praise you in front of my mother every day. If you can't even answer this, how can I have the face to see her?

Ma Yu saw the expressions of both of them and secretly laughed in his heart.

How could he not know what "loyalty" means?

Many people believe that the "loyalty" in the Analects of Confucius means loyalty and associate it with blind loyalty.

In fact, this is not the case. The meaning of loyalty in the Analects is greater.

Being responsible for what you do is loyalty.

Be responsible for the work you are doing, the tasks at hand, and your employer, and do things well.

This is the loyalty in the Analects of Confucius.

In modern terms, loyalty means that the work you put in is worth your salary.

But if you answer like this, it would seem too conventional.

The key point is that if Song Lian keeps asking questions like this, he will be exposed soon.

He wanted to be creative and give a more eye-catching answer to divert Song Lian's attention.

Pretending to be unable to answer and deep in thought is just a way to suppress the answer first and then praise it.

Seeing that the atmosphere was almost set, he raised his head and said:
"To achieve others when one wishes to achieve oneself, and to establish others when one wishes to be established, is loyalty."

Upon hearing this answer, Song Lian and Zhu Biao both showed surprised expressions.

The difference is that Zhu Biao didn't expect that he really couldn't answer it.

Song Lian was pleasantly surprised and couldn't help but praise:
"Wonderful, wonderful."

The look he gave Ma Yu was also full of admiration.

The fact that he could give his own answer showed that he really understood the true meaning of the Analects.

The key is that this answer has a very high purpose.

If this were an imperial examination, he would be willing to give the other party an excellent grade just for this question.

From this we can see that saying that I have a general understanding is completely an understatement.

Zhu Biao was stunned at first, then he realized that this answer seemed to be more ingenious.

If you want to be successful, you have to do things well.

Doing things well is equivalent to helping others prosper.

In short, treat other people's affairs as your own and ultimately achieve common development for both parties.

This intention is higher than being serious and responsible in doing things.

It’s great that I trusted him so much.

If the occasion wasn't inappropriate, he would have wanted to jump up and applaud.

Ma Yu also breathed a sigh of relief, he was fooled and thanked the teacher in his previous life.

This solution to the problem was naturally not something he came up with himself.

In his previous life, when he was in college, a scholar was invited to give an open class at the school, and he went to attend.

The scholar was talking about the Analects of Confucius, and his interpretation of loyalty was "to achieve one's own goals and also to help others achieve their goals."

Of course, this solution to the problem was not something he had thought of.

Rather, it was the interpretation of his teacher, another great scholar who had a deeper understanding of classical literature.

When talking about this breakthrough, the scholar was proud of it and emphasized that this was his teacher's unique understanding.

Different from predecessors.

That's why Ma Yu remembers it so clearly.

However, when everyone discussed it privately at that time, most of them adopted a sarcastic attitude.

I work overtime to buy a villa for my boss, right?
Bullshit, wanting to achieve your own goals while helping others is just a slave mentality.

It’s just that everyone selectively ignores that the scholar’s ​​premise is that everyone should consider each other.

Without this premise, loyalty does not exist and does not need to be followed.

For example, if your boss pays you 3,000 yuan and still asks you to work overtime, then he is being unfaithful.

It's normal for you to be lazy and idle if he is unfaithful.

If he is like this, and you still want to be "loyal", then it is not loyalty but stupidity.

On the other hand, if you sweep the floor in a company, you will still have a salary of 7,000 to 8,000 yuan after paying five insurances and one fund.

If you still slack off, then you are being unfaithful.

This is the scholar’s ​​true explanation, everything is mutual.

In fact, Confucius and Mencius have always emphasized that etiquette and morality are mutual.

Treat others the way they treat you.

Confucius said: Repay evil with justice, and repay kindness with kindness.

Mencius said: If the ruler treats his subjects as his own hands and feet, then the subjects will treat the ruler as their own heart and soul; if the ruler treats his subjects as dirt, then the subjects will treat the ruler as their enemy.

As for the later idea of ​​blind loyalty, it was something that later followers of Confucianism came up with to please the rulers.

It’s not Confucius or Mencius’ fault.

Closer to home.

Ma Yu came up with this solution, and it really worked.

Of course, he knew very well that it was not easy to surprise Song Lian with this solution.

As a great scholar, he has seen all kinds of interpretations.

I guess as soon as I said this solution, he already had a complete interpretation in his mind.

It's impossible to stump him with such clever tricks.

You have to use your trump card.

Just as he was thinking about how to lead the topic to his trump card.

Song Lian spoke again: "I will ask you one last question. If you can answer it, I will acknowledge your qualifications to comment on the ancient sages."

Ma Yu took a deep breath and said, "I hope I won't disappoint Mr. Qianxi."

Song Lian asked seriously, "What is benevolence?"

Zhu Biao was overjoyed. Benevolence could be said to be Confucius' most core thought, and there were countless interpretations of it throughout the dynasties.

Any one of them Ma Yu said would pass.

Teacher Song actually asked such a simple question. Is he trying to let me win?

Queen Ma next door had the same idea, but she thought more deeply.

It was most likely the information cocoon theory and the solution to the question of loyalty that made Song Lian very satisfied, so he asked a simple question to end the assessment.

She herself had no objection to this.

The first two answers are enough to prove that Ma Yu is a man of real talent and knowledge, so there is no need to embarrass him further.

The key point is that these three questions were not really about discussing the Dao, but were intended to examine whether Ma Yu was qualified to discuss the Dao with Song Lian.

Only after passing the assessment, Song Lian would formally discuss the viewpoint of "Confucius and Mencius as the basis, Guan and Xunzi as the application".

That’s when the real show begins.

Ma Yu naturally understood this principle, and he had been trying his best to avoid discussing the issue of "original use" with Song Lian.

With my level, I am completely bringing shame upon myself.

So he prepared several trump cards to change the subject.

One of them happens to be about benevolence.

So when he heard Song Lian's last question, he was overjoyed.

His face remained calm, and he did not answer directly, but said:
"Chinese writing has evolved several times, and the way it's written today is very different from the original way."

"I believe Mr. Qianxi understands this."

Song Lian didn't understand why he wanted to change the subject, but he nodded and said:

"That's true, but I haven't studied it."

Ma Yu continued, "An elder in my family specializes in studying ancient characters. He once acquired several bronze vessels from the Three Dynasties period that were engraved with inscriptions."

"Oh?" Song Lian was even more confused. What do you mean by telling me this?
Zhu Biao was also secretly anxious. Why don’t you answer the main question quickly? Why are you talking about irrelevant things?
Ma Yu continued, "The word 'ren' appears many times in the inscriptions on those bronze vessels."

Song Lian was even more confused. What do you mean? Are you going to tell me how to write the word "Ren"?
Ma Yu did not beat around the bush and revealed the answer:
"During the Three Dynasties, benevolence was not '亻' plus a '二', but was composed of the upper body and the lower heart."

Zhu Biao was confused. What's the difference?

Song Lian suddenly stood up, stared at Ma Yu and asked excitedly:

"Is this true?"

(End of this chapter)