The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 357: Xunzi knocks on the door, Yingzi is the god
Hu drove the four-horse carriage and stopped in front of Zhangtai Academy, with a look of satisfaction on his face.

He was fascinated by Xunzi and his lord's discussion on the future of Qin and the future trend of the world, and he really hoped to listen for three days and three nights.

The curtain of the carriage was half lifted from the inside. The hand that lifted the curtain was small but powerful, and the sunlight revealed an old man and a young boy inside.

"I won't take Xunzi in." Ying Chengjiao lifted the curtain made of blue Shu brocade and said apologetically, "It's inconvenient for me to show up in public recently."

The conflicts between the old Qin nobles and the Chu clique are getting more and more serious. Li Si and the ministers who are hiding underwater are watching covetously. His brother, King Zheng of Qin, is about to reap the fruits of his efforts after nearly a month.

The last time the young man took Mi Huang to pay a visit to the old court judge Huayang Bufei, they went at midnight after curfew, which was already very unusual.

Xunzi's expression was complicated. He had never met anyone like this young man.

He didn't know how to evaluate the boy. All the words known in the world could not fully describe him.

He is said to be a gentleman, but his methods are insidious.

Although he is said to be a villain, his true heart is bright.

"Yingzi doesn't seem to be born of heaven and earth." Xunzi said slowly: "This world should not be able to give birth to someone like Yingzi."

Ying Chengjiao talked with Xunzi all the way and had great respect for Xunzi's insights and knowledge. This was the Zi whose arguments were closest to the future that he had encountered since his time travel.

The future in the boy’s mind is two thousand years later, and he feels like Xunzi has also traveled through time.

Even though he had read "Xunzi" in both lives, the young man was still surprised when he heard Xunzi's thoughts expressed in person.

The boy was frightened all the way, but this time was the most frightening.

He lost all his cunning and his face was filled with horror.

"Xunzi, you are too kind." Ying Chengjiao, who lost his composure for a moment, forced a smile, suppressed his inner emotions, and said, "I have received many compliments in my life, but Xunzi's praise is the one I cannot bear the most."

After finishing his polite words, Ying Chengjiao, who was so excited that he couldn't help but suddenly said:
"Odd changes to even."

Xunzi's eyes were filled with doubt.

"Palace Jade Liquor." The young man who refused to give up said again.

Xunzi's doubts deepened:
"Yingzi wants to drink?"

"I was pleasantly surprised to see Xunzi, and I really wanted to make it clear." Ying Chengjiao lied, unable to hide his disappointment. Holding on to the last bit of luck, he said, "May I ask Xunzi why you said I was a visitor from outer space?"

Xunzi lowered his head and raised his arms. His shirt was blue:
“Blue is derived from indigo, but is bluer than indigo.

"Blue can give birth to green, but it cannot give birth to white.

“Yingzi is Bai.

“Born in the royal family, God has the people’s heart, which is something Kuang cannot understand.

“I have always believed that human nature is evil at the beginning.

“It is through my own experience and learning, and the guidance of the Confucianism of the sage Confucius, that I have the thoughts I have today.

"The eldest disciple, Fuqiu Bo, was born with a heart with seven orifices, and he could see his true nature. He said that Yingzi was kind by nature.

"Fuqiu Bo never lies, but what he said this time contradicts Kuang's knowledge. Kuang really wants to know whether Fuqiu Bo is lying or Kuang has been wrong all along.

“After meeting Ying Zi, Kuang knew that the eldest disciple did not lie…but Kuang still did not think that what he thought was wrong. This was not Kuang being stubborn.

"Mencius's words as a false Confucian should be attributed to Ying Zi alone.

"What Kuang said should be applied to everyone in the world except She Yingzi.

"If Yingzi was not born in this world, then everything would be explained."

Ying Chengjiao smiled bitterly and shook his head:
“Xunzi thinks too highly of me.

"What kind of alien is this? When I brag about myself in private, I only dare to compare myself to a lotus.

"It comes out of the mud but is not stained, and when it washes away the clear ripples it is not evil."

Xunzi also shook his head:
“A lotus can grow in mud, but the sun cannot grow in mud.

"Besides, I have been to Qin, but there are no people in Qin."

Ying Chengjiao looked helpless:
“Why is it getting higher and higher?
"My teacher is Lü Zi, the name of Yi Shang. Hasn't Xunzi heard of it?"

The old man passed by Ying Chengjiao and said in an old voice:
“Over the years, Kuang has been keeping an eye on Yingzi.

"Except Yingzi himself, no one knows Yingzi better than Kuang.

“Confucius said that we should respect heaven but keep a distance from it.

“Because we don’t know what Heaven wants, what Heaven is aiming at, and whether Heaven loves us.

"Confucius has never seen the sky, but I never thought that Kuang would see it."

After saying this, the old man got off the carriage, holding onto the armrest, and no longer listened to the humble words behind him.

He climbed the stairs slowly, step by step, and when he heard the sound of wheels turning behind him, he stopped and said to himself:

“Of course I have heard of the name of Yishang.

"But the emphasis of these two words is not on 'righteousness' but on 'business'.

"Lü Buwei, who wrote Lüshi Chunqiu, had people in his heart and righteousness on his head, so he can be called Lü Zi. Lü Buwei, who was good at keeping rare goods, was a businessman. He was a businessman who acted for fame and fortune, and he was also a businessman with a sense of justice.

"It was not Shang who changed the king's heart into the people's heart, it was Heaven who changed Shang into a human being.

"When God makes a son, the world should change."

"Commander." Mao Heng caught up with him and held Xunzi's arm.

He got off another carriage and did not ride with Yingzi and the commander.

The master walked into the Zhangtai Academy on foot without attracting anyone's attention.

The person who served Xunzi should have been Fuqiubo.

But too many people in Xianyang knew Fuqiubo's face, and Fuqiubo was the only prime minister's chief secretary who could suppress the two prime ministers.

Ying Chengjiao did not want to cause any changes at this critical moment, so he kept Fuqiu Bo from showing up and chose Mao Heng, who had never been to Qin, to follow Xunzi.

In the garden of Zhangtai Academy, the newly planted sycamore trees have just sprouted tender leaves, swaying gently in the breeze.

Li Si was wearing a black official uniform, and the jade belt around his waist shone with a warm luster in the sun. He stood at the end of the stone path, looking at the white-haired old man walking slowly towards him in the distance.

The reason why he did not wait in front of the gate of Zhangtai Academy in advance was because of the order of Chang'an Jun, who did not want to meet Li Si at this time.

"Master." Li Si walked forward quickly, bowed deeply, and said excitedly: "I have been waiting for you for a long time."

The last time he met his teacher was six years ago.

"Hello, senior brother." Mao Heng bowed and greeted politely.

"We are brothers from the same sect, but we are so distant from each other." Li Si complained with a smile.

Mao Heng curled his lips and made way for Li Si.

This is naturally not necessary when facing other fellow disciples.

But when facing Senior Brother Li, I still have to do it.

Li Si and Xunzi took a stroll together.

Xunzi tilted his head, his eyes sparkling as he looked at the proud disciple who once studied under him.

I heard from Yingzi that although Li Si is now the Chief Justice of Qin, he is actually more powerful than the Chief Justice and has firmly controlled the judicial power of Qin.

"Li Si." Xunzi nodded slightly: "It has been many years since we last met. You are no longer the wandering scholar from Chu who worked tirelessly to pursue knowledge."

Li Si bent his waist slightly, with a complicated look in his eyes:

"The teacher's teachings, the students will never forget. No matter when, I am the teacher's disciple."

The two of them strolled along the bluestone path.

The buildings of the academy stood majestically in the distance, and the black eaves looked solemn and majestic in the sunlight.

Xunzi noticed that the architectural style here was completely different from that of other Eastern countries.

There are no complicated carvings, and practicality is the main focus.

"The Qin State's academy is quite unique," Xunzi said, stroking his beard.

A hint of pride flashed in Li Si's eyes:
"Master, please understand.

"Qin State does not value extravagance, and the Zhangtai Academy is not as luxurious as the Jixia Academy. But in terms of cultivating practical talents, it is not inferior to the Jixia Academy."

Xunzi stopped and looked at the scholars who were practicing martial arts in the distance:
"As I traveled along the way, I saw that the laws of Qin were strict, the people feared the law like a tiger, and the officials enforced the law like a mountain. As the Chief Justice, you must have a deep understanding of this."

Li Si knew that his teacher had something else in mind. He hesitated for a moment before saying:

“Commander.

"Since the reforms of Shang Yang, the Qin State has been governed by law, with clear rewards and punishments, so it has become rich and powerful.

"I believe that this is the foundation for Qin to sweep across the six kingdoms and unify the world."

Xunzi lowered his eyebrows.

He had just heard similar words from Yingzi. But Yingzi was trying to get the point across, it was a temporary measure, while his favorite student was sincere in his thoughts.

The old man shook his head gently:

“Laws are the beginning of governing a country.

“Gentlemen are the source of law.

"Laws alone cannot run their own business, and good intentions alone cannot govern a country.

"Qin attaches great importance to laws but disregards etiquette. I'm afraid this is not a long-term solution."

A breeze blew by, bringing the sound of scholars' training slogans in the distance. The shouts of "Even if you say I have no clothes, I will share my robe with you" made Xunzi's eyebrows tremble.

What a strong utilitarianism!
Li Si looked at his teacher's graying temples and recalled the time when he was studying in Lanling and his teacher taught him to "pay equal attention to rituals and laws."

At that time, he had complete faith in his teacher's teachings.

However, during the years he served as an official in the Qin State, he witnessed with his own eyes the powerful national strength brought about by the laws, and witnessed the demise of the Bai family, one of the old Qin clans that attached the most importance to rituals.

Li Si chose his words carefully, wanting to make the teacher realize the reality, but also not wanting to make the teacher too angry. After a long while, he said:

“I believe that in today’s chaotic world, it is impossible to stop evil and violence without severe punishment.

“Although the laws of Qin were harsh, they ensured that there were no thieves in the country, no one would pick up other people’s lost items on the road, and no bandits in the mountains.

"Isn't this what the teacher meant by 'changing people's nature through education'?"

Xunzi raised his eyes, his gaze deep:

“Back then, you became my disciple, saying that you wanted to assist a wise ruler and accomplish the kingdom’s cause.

"Now it seems that you have completely abandoned your original words, disregarding the kingly way and only thinking about tyranny."

The two walked to a pavilion and Li Si invited the teacher to take a seat.

Li Si had already instructed the servants waiting here to serve tea and then leave.

Li Si poured tea for Xunzi, and his actions were as respectful as when he was in Lanling.

First pay respect to the teacher, then to the junior fellow student, and then say:

“The disciple does not completely depart from the teacher’s teachings.

"I have witnessed with my own eyes that since King Xiao, the kings of Qin have worked hard to govern the country, and Shang Yang's reforms have made Qin stronger.

"The King of Qin is a man of great talent and ambition, and has the ambition to unify the world.

"Students believe that this is the best time to realize the teacher's ideal of unifying the world."

Xunzi picked up the teacup. Amid the aroma of tea, his expression was unclear:

"To use force to make people submit is bullying, not true submission.

"If the Qin State only relied on military force to conquer, without practicing benevolence and justice, how long could it last even if it unified the world?"

A sharp light flashed in Li Si's eyes, but soon disappeared. He decided to change his words and said with his head down:
“My understanding is wrong, Master is right.

"The Zhou royal family has lost its power, and for hundreds of years the princes have been fighting each other, and the people are living in poverty.

"Now is the time to use force to end the chaos and restore order.

"When the world is unified, we will gradually promote education."

"You are not sincere!" Xunzi put down his teacup and suddenly became stern in his voice: "If you are used to solving problems with violence, you will only be bitten back by violence in the end. If Qin continues to rule the country with harsh laws and punishments, it will soon perish even if it unifies the world!"

Li Si's expression changed, but he quickly regained his composure:
“The teacher is worrying too much.

“Although the laws of Qin are harsh, they are fair and impartial.

“Those who have made contributions will be rewarded even if they are enemies, and those who have made mistakes will be punished even if they are close.

"Isn't this what the teacher calls fairness?"

Xunzi felt somewhat sad that his disciples had been blinded by the short-term prosperity:

“You only see the surface.

“When I was in Qi, I once saw an envoy from Qin coming to Qi. His words and deeds revealed his contempt for Eastern culture.

"If a country only values ​​military force and laws, but neglects rituals and music, it will eventually be doomed to rise with great fanfare and fall suddenly."

A bell rang in the distance, it was noon.

Li Si winked at his junior fellow apprentice Mao Heng, stood up and said respectfully to his master:

"I have asked someone to prepare a simple banquet. Why don't we talk while we eat?"

Li Tingwei was just trying to ease the tense atmosphere by creating a relaxing environment during the meal.

Mao Heng lowered his head slightly and pretended not to see it.

"No need." Xunzi refused.

A trace of sadness flashed across Li Si's eyes, and he spoke with a pleading tone:
"Teacher..."

Xunzi stood up, leaning against the table. The sunlight shone through the leaves of the sycamore tree, casting mottled shadows on his face:
"Li Si, do you remember how I answered you in Lanling when you asked me whether human nature is good or evil?"

Li Si took a breath:

"The teacher said: 'The nature of man is evil, and those who are good are false.'"

"That's right." Xunzi nodded: "Do you know why I said that anyone can become King Yu?"

Li Si was silent for a moment:

"Because although human nature is evil, it can be turned into good through propriety and righteousness."

Xunzi's eyes suddenly became sharp:

"And what you are promoting in Qin now is to suppress the evil of human nature with harsh laws and punishments, rather than educating and guiding people. This runs counter to my teachings!"

Li Si took a deep breath:

“Master, I believe that severe punishments are necessary in troubled times.

"Once the world is unified, we can naturally promote education.

"The most important thing right now is to end these hundreds of years of war."

"Excuse!" Xunzi raised his voice: "You have been blinded by power! If Qin continues like this, even if it unifies the world, it will only create more hatred and resistance!"

There was silence.

The shouts of scholars in the distance could be faintly heard, making the silence at the moment seem even more suffocating.

Finally, Li Si bowed deeply:
“That’s what the teacher taught me.

“But since I have chosen to assist the King of Qin, I will stick to my own path.

"Perhaps one day, Master will understand the disciple's choice."

Xunzi looked at his favorite disciple for a long while, with deep disappointment in his eyes.

I am disappointed with Li Si's choice and his stupidity.

He opened his mouth, wanting to ask his disciples if they knew about Shang Yang's fate, wanted to ask his disciples if they knew why the current King of Qin, at the peak of his power, chose Ying Zi, who was two years younger, as his crown prince, wanted to ask his disciples why he couldn't wait if he wanted to become a big rat so quickly?

"That's all." In the end, the old man didn't ask anything: "Everyone has their own aspirations. Mao Heng, let's go."

(End of this chapter)