Tang Dynasty: Taking the Empress Dowager to a brothel, Father Emperor, what a coincidence!

Three days later.

Taiji Hall Square.

Emperor Taizong of Tang (Li Shimin) granted special permission for the people of Chang'an to listen to the proceedings outside the imperial city.

The gates of the Vermilion Bird Gate are all wide open.

This is the first time in history.

At this moment, the area outside the imperial city was packed with people.

A debate platform three zhang high was erected in the very center of the square.

Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty sat in the main seat on the platform, his face dark as he glared at Li Chengqian below.

Because a grand master's chair was forcibly added next to him.

Li Yuan sat next to him, looking at him with a smile.

"Father, what brings you here?"

Li Shimin looked at Li Yuan and asked.

Li Yuan replied irritably:

"What? My grandson wants to make a bet, and I can't even come and take a look? I conquered the Tang Dynasty, so why can't I sit in this Taiji Hall?"

Li Shimin was speechless and could only vent his anger on Wang De.

"Go see why that unfilial son hasn't started yet."

offstage.

Lu Deming, dressed in a plain white Confucian robe, knelt on the seat on the left.

Behind him sat hundreds of aristocratic officials and imperial students.

Cui Mingan laughed at the person next to him:

"It's even better that the Emperor Emeritus has arrived. Today, in front of both His Majesties, the Crown Prince has been humiliated. Let's see how he will promote his so-called 'investigation of things' in the future."

"Old Lu, let's begin."

Li Chengqian then looked at Lu Deming and smiled.

Lu Deming snorted coldly:

"Your Highness, now that everything is ready, let's begin."

Lu Deming walked to the center of the debate stage, cleared his throat, and said:

"Since ancient times, the interaction between heaven and man, yin and yang and the five elements are the great principles of heaven and earth."

The teachings established by sages emphasize benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness. Governing the country and ensuring its stability relies on the Four Books and Five Classics.

Lu Deming pointed at Li Chengqian.

"The Crown Prince taught the so-called study of things in the Eastern Palace, talking nonsense about the earth being a sphere and universal gravitation."

Such strange and ingenious skills are not only absurd and ridiculous, but also disrupt the foundation of our Great Tang Dynasty and desecrate the way of the sages.

This old minister will today seek justice for all scholars in the land.

As soon as he finished speaking, hundreds of officials from prominent families and students below the stage shouted in unison.

"We demand justice! We must abolish the new schools!"

Li Shimin frowned as he listened; these pedantic scholars were indeed adept at stirring up people's emotions.

He turned to look at Li Chengqian, wanting to see how this rebellious son would respond.

As a result, Li Chengqian was still leisurely eating melon seeds.

"Your Highness, it is your turn to defend yourself."

Lu Deming looked down at Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian clapped the sunflower seed crumbs off his hands, stood up, and said:

"Old Lu, you've been talking for so long, but you're just repeating the same old, tired nonsense."

"Do I really need to personally intervene to deal with you?"

Li Chengqian waved to someone behind him.

"Grand Tutor, it's time for you to stretch your muscles."

The crowd was separated.

Li Gang, dressed in a brand-new Confucian robe, came out.

The entire venue fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

Lu Deming was even more terrified, pointing at Li Gang and trembling for a long time:

"Li Wenji! You...you've gone mad? You, the tutor of two emperors, are actually acting as a lackey for this brat?"

Li Gang strode onto the debate stage and spat directly at Lu Deming's feet.

"Bullshit!"

The moment that curse was uttered, the scholars in the audience were all dumbfounded.

Is this still the same gentle and refined scholar Li?

Why does he act like Cheng Yaojin?

Li Gang pointed at Lu Deming's nose and started cursing:

"Lu Deming, you've studied all your life, but it's all gone to waste."

You keep accusing Your Highness of blaspheming the way of the sages. I ask you, what is the meaning of the passage in the Analects, "The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits"?

Lu Deming replied subconsciously:

"The sage does not discuss strange phenomena, strength, rebellion, or matters of spirits and deities. This is to teach us to revere Heaven and Earth..."

"Wrong! Utterly wrong."

Li Gang waved his hand, his voice even louder than Lu Deming's.

"Sages do not talk about strange phenomena, supernatural forces, or chaotic spirits because everything in the universe has its own laws, and there is no such thing as gods or ghosts."

We must use the investigation of things to gain knowledge, to explain nature, and to dispel superstition.

"His Highness's teachings on the study of things, exploring the origins of all things, are the true way to honor a sage."

Cui Mingan, sitting in the audience, shouted loudly:

"Li Gang! You're forgetting your roots and spouting nonsense."

Li Gang suddenly turned his head and stared intently at Cui Min, roaring:

"I've forgotten my roots? You aristocratic families are the ones with ulterior motives."

Li Gang pulled a star chart from his sleeve and slapped it on the table.

"Lu Deming, what did you just say about the interaction between heaven and man? I ask you, what do you consider a celestial dog eclipsing the moon?"

Lu Deming raised his head and said:

"A celestial dog eclipsing the moon is a warning from Heaven. It indicates that the government has made mistakes, and the emperor must issue an edict of self-reproach to appease Heaven's wrath!"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin's face instantly darkened.

When the solar eclipse occurred, the powerful families used this same argument to force him to issue a self-reproach edict, causing him to lose face completely.

Li Gang suddenly burst into laughter:

"A warning from heaven? Hahaha! That's utterly ridiculous."

Li Gang picked up two teacups from the table and placed them one in front of Lu Deming.

"Today I'll teach you a lesson, you frog in a well."

The earth is a sphere, and the moon is also a sphere. The moon revolves around the earth, and the earth revolves around the sun.

The so-called "celestial dog eating the moon" is simply that the moon moved between the earth and the sun, blocking the light.

This is called optics. It's called celestial motion.

Li Gang turned around and faced all the people and officials present, shouting sternly.

"Such natural laws can be calculated precisely by mastering mathematics, even the exact date of a solar or lunar eclipse hundreds of years from now."

Your aristocratic family uses this natural phenomenon to play tricks and manipulate imperial power.

You are not honoring Heaven and Earth; you are fooling the people and deceiving the emperor!

boom!

The audience below the stage was stunned.

So, the celestial dog eating the moon wasn't God being angry; it was just blocking out the light?

The officials from the powerful families were all deathly pale, as if they had lost their parents.

Li Gang's words were too harsh.

Li Shimin, who was sitting in the main seat, had a dark face that was now flushed red.

He desperately wanted to go over and hug Li Gang and give him a kiss.

Well said! Well said!

If there are any more solar or lunar eclipses in the future, let's see which censor dares to jump out and ask me to issue an edict of self-reproach.

I simply released him out like a star.

Li Yuan shouted excitedly:

"Good! That's satisfying. That old bastard Li Wenji has finally said something sensible today."

Lu Deming was caught off guard by Li Gang's "physical terminology".

He pointed at Li Gang and roared:

"You...you're spouting nonsense. The Book of Changes says..."

"Cloud my foot!"

Li Gang gave him no chance to breathe and went all out.

From free fall to the lever principle, from optical refraction to the law of buoyancy.

Li Gang could forcibly link every physical law to Confucian classics, forming a perfect logical loop.

Lu Deming tried to refute the argument with complex classical texts, but found that he could not find any flaws at all.

As long as he dares to mention gods, ghosts, or celestial phenomena, Li Gang will refute him with the laws of physics.

In less than half an hour, Lu Deming had been forced to the edge of the debate stage.

The greatest Confucian scholar in the world was completely powerless to resist at this moment.

The students in the audience had their faith shattered, and some even covered their ears, unable to listen any longer.

Seeing that he was losing ground theoretically, Lu Deming became furious.

He slammed his hand on the table, pointed at Li Gang and Li Chengqian, and began to hurl insults:

Enough!

Even if what you say about celestial phenomena is true, so what?

Can this so-called study of things govern a country? Can it bring peace to the nation? Can it ensure that the people of the Tang Dynasty have enough to eat, or that the soldiers on the border can win battles?

All of what you're saying is just empty talk.

Governing a country still relies on the way of the sages, on propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame.

Your strange and ingenious skills are of absolutely no use to the national economy or the people's livelihood.

Lu Deming attempted to steer the battle back to the domain of governance, where aristocratic families excelled.

He won't have lost today if he can prove that investigating things is useless.