Top Scholar

Chapter 426 Su Jieyuan Has Gone Mad! (Please vote with monthly tickets!)
In Nanjing, Su Lu's lecture series has reached its tenth session.

At first, everyone tried to keep quiet, not questioning or asking any questions, so as not to embarrass the beloved Su Jieyuan.

But they soon discovered that their concerns were completely unnecessary; Su Lu didn't need them to go easy on him at all. The system of the Sog school was too powerful, and Su Jieyuan, as one of the founders of Sog school, had fully grasped the essence of the school's doctrines and applied them with unparalleled skill, unafraid of any challenge.

Gradually, scholars from all walks of life came up to debate with him, and without exception, they all lost.

Even more terrifying is that a considerable number of scholars were persuaded by him on the spot and willingly became his disciples.

Among them were many scholars who were quite famous in Nanjing, such as Mr. Yu You of the Ben Shi Xue (a school of thought emphasizing practical learning) and Mr. Mei E of the Fu Shan Xue (a school of thought emphasizing Han learning), who both became loyal followers of the Tong Xue school.

As the debate deepened, they discovered that their theories were actually compatible with the Daoist school! This supreme experience of 'all things returning to one, almost like the Dao' completely won over these humble scholars...

This made Su Lu increasingly famous in the academic circles of Nanjing, which naturally attracted even more formidable rivals.

For example, the debate opponent in this tenth lecture was Mr. Luo Qinshun, the Director of Studies at the Nanjing Imperial Academy!

Of course, official status was of little use on the lecture platform, but Luo Qinshun was also a contemporary master of Qi studies, and together with Wang Tingxiang, one of the Seven Masters, he supported the study of Qi in the Ming Dynasty.

The Qi theory founded by Master Hengqu and the Xin theory founded by Lu Jiuyuan held similar positions in the Ming Dynasty, both being major schools of thought outside of Neo-Confucianism. In the Ming Dynasty, they were considered among the top three, if not the second, most influential schools…

~~
The lecture was held at the Imperial College in Nanjing, hence it was also known as the "Debate at the Nanjing Imperial College".

The students below the steps were packed with people, including Yang Yiqing and high-ranking officials from Nanjing. The audience was huge, including scholars who had come from Suzhou and Yangzhou to hear his lectures.

On the platform, Luo Qinshun was not wearing official robes, but rather a scholar's robe, his long beard flowing, and he looked at Su Lu with a warm gaze, and took the lead in asking the question:

"Mr. Su, I would like to ask you, my lineage of Qi studies has always advocated that 'Qi is the root of the universe, and all things are born from Qi.' There is no principle in the world that is separate from Qi, nor is there anything without Qi. I would like to ask you, what are the similarities and differences between the scope of 'things' in the 'integration of mind and matter' advocated by the Sog school and the 'Qi' in my Qi studies?"

Su Lu had already done his homework last night with the help of his master, so he answered loudly:

"What Master Zheng'an said is precisely where the core of the two schools of thought aligns. The 'things' in the Sog school are not just visible objects, but all things that truly exist in the world. The 'qi' in the Qi school, though seemingly intangible, is the very foundation of all things—it is the core of the Sog school's 'theoretical principle of things.' Therefore, 'qi' and 'things' are essentially the same thing, just expressed differently. This precisely demonstrates that both schools of thought are rooted in reality and are naturally compatible!"

A burst of good-natured laughter rippled through the audience. Su Jieyuan was here again. Looks like he's planning to devour Qi Xue again today…

"Su Jieyuan's appetite is too big." Several ministers chuckled. "Master Hengqu's philosophy of Qi has been passed down for five hundred years. Luo Zheng'an is also a great Confucian scholar. How could he possibly hand over his city so easily?"

"Let's see how it goes," Yang Yiqing said with a smile. "I think they're a perfect match."

~~
On the stage.

Luo Qinshun smiled faintly, offering no comment on Su Lu's words, but instead pressed on, "Since we are both grounded in reality, my Qi theory believes that 'principle resides within Qi,' and the circulation of Qi has its own rules. This principle does not come from outside. I wonder if your Zongxue's 'integration of mind and matter,' your path to understanding principles, aligns with my Qi theory's 'investigation of things to understand principles'?"

“Completely in agreement.” Su Lu nodded firmly and said, “Both schools of thought agree that the perception of the mind must be based on reality; without reality, there is no perception. Therefore, replacing the ‘thing’ in my school with ‘qi’ makes the same sense.”

"I would like to hear the details," Luo Qinshun nodded solemnly.

“Very well, I will now replace it for you, sir—the integration of mind and matter in learning is based on ‘qi’ as its real foundation. The mind does not generate knowledge out of thin air; it must be based on the actual existence of ‘qi’. And action is the pivot connecting the mind and ‘qi’. The mind explores the laws governing the transformation of ‘qi’ through action. The inherent principles of ‘qi’ then nourish the mind’s cognition through action.” Su Lu finished speaking and looked at Luo Qinshun with a smile, saying:

"Isn't this precisely the 'investigation of things and thorough understanding of principles' principle of Qi theory, where 'knowledge originates from reality and is proven through practice'?"

"Excellent! Excellent!" Cheers erupted from the audience. Su Jieyuan's method of verification was always so forceful and straightforward that it was hard to refute!
"Wonderful." Luo Qinshun nodded in agreement, "Looking at it this way, our two fields of study really do have a lot in common."

~~
Su Lu then spent another half hour explaining to Luo Qinshun the convergence of the two schools of thought, namely, the study of the universe and the study of qi, from the perspectives of worldview and methodology. He concluded with a serious expression:

"Because they are fundamentally connected, both disciplines oppose empty talk and advocate practicality! The study of Qi explores the laws of Qi as the foundation of knowledge, which is inherently practical; it is the same as the study of Zhōng, which integrates knowledge and action, seeking knowledge through action and guiding action with knowledge."

He paused for a moment, then continued, “'Integration of power and responsibility' extends the path of pragmatism further—scholars who understand principles educate the people, and officials who understand laws govern smoothly. The essence is to transform the knowledge and principles in one's heart into tangible benefits, which is in complete agreement with the Qi philosophy’s principle of ‘practical application to the world’!”

The audience, a sea of ​​faces, fell silent, all staring at Mr. Zheng'an. They had never seen his doctrines so completely surrounded; they wondered from which angle he could possibly resist. Luo Qinshun paused for a moment, then a relieved smile appeared on his face. He bowed deeply to Su Lu and said:
“Sir, you are right! By discussing it layer by layer, it is evident that Qi Studies and Sog Studies come from the same source, share the same principles, and have the same direction in doing things! Qi Studies establishes the foundation that ‘Qi is the real and fundamental,’ while Sog Studies uses ‘three major unifications’ to turn it into a system that is easy to practice, making practical knowledge more complete. In fact, it is a sublimation and expansion of Qi Studies.”

As he spoke, he stood up and said with heartfelt admiration, "In this way, it is pointless for me to hold onto sectarian views, as it would also violate the principle of 'seeking truth and being pragmatic' in Qi studies—therefore, I personally acknowledge that the study of the Sang school can unify the study of Qi studies! From now on, I will switch to studying the Sang school!"

"Welcome, Mr. Zheng'an, to the Zongxue family! Let's work together to promote this field of knowledge and let more people understand it!" Su Lu happily returned the greeting to Luo Qinshun.

"Amazing! With the addition of Qi Xue, the school has grown even stronger!" As Su Jieyuan once again persuaded people with reason and brought Luo Qinshun into his harem... oh no, the school, the audience below cheered with delight.

"So 'sou-gaku' means 'the sum of all knowledge under heaven'!" Many people exclaimed in surprise.
"Who knows, one day they might actually be able to unify the world."

"Then we need to integrate Neo-Confucianism first..."

"Hahaha, how could that be!" The audience was amused by their own statement. Neo-Confucianism was the only official school of thought in the country and the foundation of the Ming Dynasty. How could it be unified or replaced?
The ministers, however, could not bring themselves to smile...

Huang Butang said softly to Yang Yiqing, "Mr. Shizong, shall we stop here? We can't let Su Jieyuan continue."

"What's wrong?" Yang Yiqing asked, still wanting more. "I want to see him take over a few more companies."

“Sōkyō is too wicked. Every sentence is self-evident, as if it were the natural order of things. It’s too bewitching…” Minister He frowned and said, “Especially young people who are inexperienced in the ways of the world, they can easily believe it without a doubt. Look how happy the whole temple is when they joined. They’ve already taken Sōkyō as their faith.”

He paused for a moment, then emphasized, "This is the highest institution of Neo-Confucianism! How can they so easily switch allegiance?"

“If we let it grow unchecked, it may threaten the status of Neo-Confucianism…” Hong Butang also agreed.

"It's not that serious." Yang Yiqing looked at the three old fogies, smiled and shook his head, "If Neo-Confucianism were so easily shaken, it wouldn't be where it is today."

"Well, better safe than sorry," the three officials shook their heads and said. "Besides, he's already given ten lectures, which is enough to give Scholar Su face."

"Look at you guys, how cowardly you look!" Yang Yiqing teased.

“This is not cowardice, but caution,” Minister Huang said in a low voice. “If it weren’t for the fact that the School of Learning was created by Mr. Yangming and Su Jieyuan, I would have banned it.”

"Are you sore losers?" Yang Yiqing's smile widened. "No school of thought has ever disappeared because it was banned by the authorities. Your statement will only further enhance the reputation of the Sogaku school."

"Alright, alright, stop worrying unnecessarily." He then stopped teasing the anxious ministers. "To tell you the truth, Su Jieyuan will be leaving Nanjing soon, and once he gets to Beijing, he'll naturally shut up."

"What?" The ministers were all taken aback: "The power struggle in the capital has come to a conclusion?"

"..." Yang Yiqing's smile gradually disappeared as he said, "You might not believe it, but the things that the Prince of Shu and the Grand Secretary couldn't accomplish, they accomplished themselves."

"Where did they get such great abilities?" the ministers exclaimed in disbelief.

“They sent a panda to the Emperor through Zhang Yong,” Yang Yiqing sighed. “The effect was comparable to sending Xi Shi to the King of Wu.”

The smile on Yang Yiqing's face finally vanished completely. His meticulously planned scheme, which he thought was an unsolvable open conspiracy, was unexpectedly cracked by the Su family.

How can we fight back against Su Lu now? How can we rescue him and make him owe us an insurmountable debt of gratitude?
What's even more absurd is that the Su family owes no favors to anyone this time, not even Zhang Yong, because it was just mutual help...

However, Yang Yiqing had experienced too many storms, and a smile quickly appeared on his face. He said to everyone, "What's gratifying is that Zhang Yong beat up Eunuch Liu in front of the Emperor. I think Liu Jin will restrain himself for a while."

"This is truly good news!" Upon hearing this, the ministers all smiled.

"Actually, there's another advantage—that is, Su Jieyuan no longer has to be afraid of Liu Jin." Yang Yiqing's smile brightened again.

"I'm not losing out either way."

P.S. This is a post I'll edit later. Please vote with your monthly tickets!
(End of this chapter)