fake gentry

All the gentlemen on Huangshi Rock were watching Xie Kun.

Xie Kun remained silent.

Luo Shao's face slowly turned from ashen to deathly pale.

He went to great lengths to invite Xie Kun from Yuzhang, intending to use Xie Kun to expose Xie Hong's imposter identity, and then use Xie Hong to scheme against Xie Kun, thereby damaging the reputation of the Chenjun Xie clan and forcing Xie Kun to resign. However, he did not expect that not only was Xie Hong not exposed, but Xie Kun seemed to want to publicly acknowledge this mysterious young man.

"Judging from this young man's appearance, how could he be a spy for the Jie and Zhao?"

"Yes, northerners are uncouth, this boy is clearly a descendant of our Han Chinese."

"Could it be that Magistrate Luo has misunderstood something?"

Luo Shao panicked a little.

"My lord, this boy is definitely using a false surname. Everything I have said is true. There is no one named Xie Ji in the Xie family of Chen Commandery."

"If you fail to convince the people in front of all of you today, I will report this to the Prime Minister. I will not hesitate to accept your resentment."

Luo Shao's words were very venomous; he was practically implying that Xie Kun was going to take revenge on him.

As long as Xie Hong's identity remains unconvincing today, Xie Kun will have a stain on his record.

A great scholar must never have any moral flaws.

Before Xie Kun could speak, Xie Hong immediately said loudly, "Gentlemen, I have no grudges against Magistrate Luo recently, nor have I ever been enemies with him. We are not even acquaintances. However, Magistrate Luo's actions today are undoubtedly aimed at putting me to death. I will prove my worth, but before that, I have to do one thing."

Luo Shao looked at Xie Hong and sneered, asking, "What are you going to do?"

Xie Hong loudly proclaimed, "Prefect Luo has three questions about me: first, that I murdered members of the gentry; second, that I falsely claimed the surname Xie; and third, that I lack any talent or learning. Xie Hong of Chen Commandery dares to ask you gentlemen to bear witness. I am willing to ask three questions and answer them three times. I would like to ask Lord Zhai, Lord Gu, and Lord Zhu for guidance. I request that you gentlemen remain neutral and observe from the sidelines."

Everyone stared at Xie Hong in shock.

Is this kid insane?

What does it mean to ask for advice?

This is what debate is all about.

Wait a minute, the things this kid says always have a strangely apt feel to them.

Many people immediately thought of a line from the Records of the Grand Historian: "All the generals watched from the wall," but Xie Hong changed one word, giving it a fresh meaning.

But he was incredibly bold.

Even Xie Kun, a man of great talent from Jiangzuo, dared not challenge the three of them at the same time.

Xie Kun stared at Xie Hong for a moment, then slowly took two steps back and said, "In that case, I will observe."

Luo Shao was now so eager for Xie Hong to die that he naturally couldn't stop him. He thought to himself, "I'll let you struggle for now and see what you can do."

Zhai Tang, Gu He, and Zhu Faqian exchanged a glance, a strange sense of melancholy creeping into their hearts.

So this guy is using us to make a name for himself?

Could this be his way of surviving a life-or-death situation?

Zhu Faqian, born into the Langya Wang clan, had a great fondness for all things beautiful, and Xie Hong's demeanor perfectly matched his aesthetic sensibilities. Therefore, he smiled slightly at Xie Hong and said, "This humble Taoist will now ask Young Master Xie three questions."

Xie Hongchao and Zhu Faqian bowed solemnly.

Sure enough.

Being falsely accused of murdering members of the aristocratic class is nothing; it's easy to clear one's name.

But Luo Shao clearly wouldn't let him go even in death, and wanted to ruin his reputation.

The Xie family of Chenjun were naturally implicated as well.

So he has to fight back, and he has to go big.

Although he is a time traveler, apart from the history of the Wei and Jin dynasties that he is familiar with because of his interest, he is not even a half-baked expert on ancient Chinese culture.

He can only recite a few lines from the Analects of Confucius: "Friends come from afar."

Any half-baked aristocrat could easily defeat him three times over.

But he has his merits too.

To reiterate, he possessed 1,700 years more knowledge than anyone else in this era.

It's like playing the piano. There are things Xi Xuan can do that he can't, but there are also things he can do that Xi Xuan can't, which makes that competitive girl completely infatuated.

Therefore, he must take the initiative.

This is how you control the rhythm.

He posed three questions, three answers, and one challenge, which was based on the framework drawn by the three people in front of him.

Zhai Tang was the most famous, so naturally he had to be the one to back him up, making Yi Dui his only option.

Gu He came from a family steeped in Confucianism, and he was inclined to be modest.

Zhu Faqian was a recluse, so he would inevitably choose to answer without asking.

Sure enough, Zhu Faqian was the first to step forward.

Xie Hong's voice could be heard throughout the entire plateau: "May I ask, Master Zhu, is the Buddha omnipotent?"

The scholars were all taken aback.

What's the problem?

Only a three-year-old child would ask such a question; it's too common and not worth answering for Master Zhu.

Zhu Faqian pondered for a moment, then replied, "A Buddha is one whose enlightenment and practice are perfect, possessing immeasurable supernatural powers, and is naturally omnipotent."

Xie Hong nodded, then asked the second question.

"Then may I ask you, Master Zhu, is it possible for Buddha to create a stone that even he himself could not lift?"

Zhu Faqian's expression froze, as if a thunderbolt had struck from the sky.

The expressions on the faces of the others also suddenly froze.

What is this problem?

There was a low commotion on the platform at first, then it suddenly became extremely quiet.

Everyone held their breath, staring at Xie Hong as if they'd seen a ghost.

Gu He's whisk hung in mid-air, forgotten to be shaken. Zhai Tang's old eyes narrowed, Ge Hong's Adam's apple bobbed, and Xi Zhong's mouth gaped open, forgetting to close it.

Xie Hong laughed inwardly.

Answer it.

If Buddha could create it, then he could not move it.

If Buddha could not be created, then he would not be omnipotent.

No matter how you answer, it's a paradox.

Zhu Faqian sat there blankly, his black robes motionless, with fine beads of sweat seeping from his forehead.

This highly respected monk, who was virtually undefeated in the Jiankang debate forum, was now stumped by a single sentence from a sixteen-year-old boy.

He remained silent for a long time, took a deep breath, stood up, put his hands together, and bowed to Xie Hong: "This humble Taoist cannot answer."

He straightened up and looked Xie Hongping in the eye: "I have spent half my life studying Zen, but today, after being asked by you, my lord, I realize that my understanding of Buddhist principles is not profound enough. I would like to hear your third question."

Xie Hong's heart stirred slightly.

Zhu Faqian was indeed no ordinary monk; his magnanimity befitted his title as the foremost scholar outside the secular world.

Xie Hong returned the greeting and asked, "Master Zhu, in the Lotus Sutra, Ananda is described as having extensive learning and vast knowledge, and never forgetting what he remembers. Do you know if he also forgot things at times?"

Zhu Faqian couldn't help but raise his eyes.

This question even sounds a little too simple.

He no longer dared to underestimate Xie Hong and did not answer immediately. People who often engage in idle talk know that the simplest questions often hide the deepest traps.

"Ananda was foremost in learning and upheld the Dharma. I truly do not know what he has forgotten."

He forgot someone.

Zhu Faqian's brow twitched slightly, and the others were also puzzled.

None of those present, even the most learned scholars, ever considered that Ananda might have forgotten anyone.

Xie Hong said loudly, "Let me tell you a story."

Xie Hong watched a movie and there was a scene he really liked. Later, he looked it up and found that the story originated from a Buddhist story.

That is the story of Ishibashi Zen, one of the four classic Buddhist love stories.