Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 128: Debate (Part )

Then, it was Ji Wu's turn to ask questions:
"Meng Ke, I heard that you are a Confucian. Confucius believed that rituals and music cannot be changed. The noble will always be noble, and the humble will always be humble. What do you think?"

Mencius said, "When Tang and Wu overthrew Jie and Zhou, they only removed the tyrants and traitors for the people, not the lower ones who rebelled against their superiors."

"If a monarch promotes a person who has noble virtues but a humble origin, he will only receive more praise."

"What's more, Confucius once said: 'Wealth and honor gained through unrighteousness are like floating clouds to me.' On the contrary, as long as one is promoted and rewarded by virtue of one's own benevolence, righteousness and virtue, it is what one deserves. There is no such thing as permanent nobility or permanent disgrace."

Ji Wu snorted, “You Confucian people always talk like this!”

However, although his tone was full of disgust, he still gave a pretty good score.

At least the way of benevolence and righteousness is indeed beneficial to the common people.

Xi said, "Benevolence, righteousness, and morality, this is a good thing!"

Combined with
Mencius' chess piece shook its sleeves and took six steps forward.

When Xiao Meng surpassed Xiao Shang on the chessboard, he deliberately made a face at the opponent.

The angry Xiao Shang stomped his feet in the grid, and a hissing sound of anger rose from his head.

then,

The two little men started fighting on the chessboard.

Although you can't escape the constraints of the grid, you can reach out your hands.

The two sides were fighting each other and refused to let go no matter how much pain it caused.

He Bo watched with admiration and thought: The dispute between Confucianism and Legalism is so terrifying.

Next, it was Hui Shi’s turn.

He could not have a bird's-eye view like Shang Yang and Mencius, but he also had his own views on state governance.

He said, "The original system of the world has collapsed, just like a house collapsing."

"If you want to rebuild it, you have to put the beams and bricks back in their proper places, instead of putting them randomly or letting them fall down where they are."

"So I think a country's reputation and its status should be mutually reinforcing."

"Those who have the power should rule the world, and those who don't have the power should just follow orders."

"When the world obeys one command, how can it not be unified?"

"Although people are different, they all share the same aspiration to maintain world stability. Isn't that good?"

Wei Ji said "Oh" and gave a mediocre score.

Because he felt that this statement was a bit like a combination of Shang Yang's laws and Zhou Li.

Since everything is involved, there is no outstanding argument.

The same goes for Ji-woo and Hee-woo.

Hui Shi's talents were adequate for handling practical government affairs or discussing philosophy with others, but they were somewhat lacking when it came to the fundamental ideas of governing a country.

He Bo therefore said with a smile, "The world is in such a mess because something is fundamentally wrong."

"Your argument about the difference between name and reality has little to do with governing a country. It is a matter of the laws of heaven and earth."

"I have studied the theories of Mohism. Let's talk about the affairs of heaven and earth later."

Xiaohui on the chessboard took four steps dejectedly and stood right behind Xiaoshang.

After staring at the two guys fighting in front for a while, it took out a piece of melon from its crotch and began to eat it happily while watching.

Hui Shi was furious, "Where are you taking it?"

It actually ruined his reputation!

Zhuang Zhou also laughed happily, and only after he finished laughing did he speak:
“People in this world always advocate for something the more they lack it.”

“If there is no benevolence, then call on everyone to be benevolent.”

“If there is no righteousness, then call on everyone to practice righteousness.”

"But they don't know that the more they talk about benevolence and righteousness, the more shameless the atmosphere at that time was!"

"The more people talk about dedication, the more selfish people are at that time!"

"Now that the world has lost order, everyone is beginning to pursue order."

"My pursuit for the country is that everyone can do what they want to do and enjoy their life without being constrained by external things."

"But now, I think such a thing is too far away. Maybe it can only be realized when we return to the ancient times when there were few people in a small country!" He Bo laughed and said, "Who knows, thousands of years later, the era you want will come?"

Zhuang Zhou lay on the ground with his legs crossed, and said nonchalantly, "The human heart is very complicated, and it wants more after it has been asked for."

“The more they know, the more they want.”

"A monarch will not be satisfied with his territory, an official will not be satisfied with his power, and the common people will not be satisfied with their harvest..."

"They have to keep pursuing and running, so I feel that thousands of years from now, people's lives will be even more tiring than they are now!"

“Rather than living a tiring life, I would rather go to the wild, become a turtle or a butterfly, and live a free life.”

He Bo thought: When you die, I can be so free and easy.

However, the ghosts and gods saw that he was full of vitality and had not yet died, so they did not tell him about the underworld. They planned to give Zhuang Zhou a surprise after he died.

Finally, under the scoring of the three ghosts, the chess piece Xiaozhuang moved forward three steps.

Xiaohui, who had been one square ahead of it, turned around and enthusiastically took out a piece of melon from her crotch and shared it with her friend.

Zhuang Zhou then gave Hui Shi an expression that said "you make me feel sick".

But Xiaozhuang on the chessboard happily took it and enjoyed the battle in front of him with his friends.

Hui Shi had a fellow sufferer, so he was no longer ashamed or angry, but just waited quietly for Shang Yang and Mencius to decide the winner.

Shang Yang said, "I will encourage farming and weaving, abolish the well-field system and open up the fields, so that Qin's tax revenue can be increased and the national strength can be prospered."

"Rewarding military merits allows common people to obtain titles and become officials through merits, which benefits many people."

Mencius retorted, "Using benefits to induce the people to obey your orders instead of educating them and enlightening their wisdom will lead to chaos in the future!"

"If soldiers gain military merit but are not rewarded with titles, they will not be willing to fight, because you tell them that war is for profit, not for defending the country!"

"And how could the world continue to be in chaos and war?"

"I worked hard to cultivate the fields, but the harvest is the same as before. Is it because the crops can't grow?"

"It's because meat-eaters like you, seeing that the common people have more income, have raised taxes and taken away their wealth, saying that the common people only have this little bit, and the rest should be given to the country to make it richer and stronger!"

"You have adopted such drastic measures to govern the country. Not only will you die, but the whole world will suffer as a result!"

Shang Yang just sneered, "You are right!"

"So I'm ready for the Qin conservatives to counterattack after the Qin monarch dies. I'm also ready for the next Qin monarch to unify the world and fail to change his way of governing the country in time, causing unrest in the world and being overthrown!"

"But after the pain, the world will usher in true unity and stability!"

"I carried out reforms in Qin State, causing countless people to bleed. When the reforms are completed, I will also bleed!"

"I won't be afraid!"

When the King of Qin made the "Green Mountains, Pine and Cypress" oath with him in the ancestral temple, Shang Yang realized:
The green hills are gone,

What do pine and cypress rely on for survival?

He will definitely die!

But looking at the reforms being carried out in various countries today, is there any one that is more thorough and extensive than his?
Which reform leader is willing to sacrifice himself and carry out his will to the end?

Shang Yang then said to Meng Ke, "As long as the reform is successful, I don't mind dying."

"Since you advocate benevolence and righteousness, what can you do for your benevolence and righteousness?"

"To achieve benevolence and righteousness, there are too many things that need to be prepared!"

"Guan Zi said: 'When the granaries are full, people know etiquette; when they have enough food and clothing, they know honor and disgrace.' How long do we have to wait for the granaries to be full and people to have enough food and clothing?"

"I'm afraid that even after thousands or tens of thousands of years, I won't be able to do this!"

"Are you willing to sacrifice your life? Are you willing to wait for thousands of years?"

Meng Ke was silent for a long time.

When he raised his head again, his expression became even more resolute.

He said to Shang Yang, "I stick to my inner morality and stick to my own principles. Even if everyone in the world opposes me, I will not back down!"

"Although there are thousands of people, I am going!"

　Thank you readers for the reward!
　　in addition,

　　There are no allusions in this chapter!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)