From the beginning of the game of power, I became the protagonist

"The orphan of the Shushan Sect?" Pao Ding glanced at Xiao Yu, whose eyes were now filled with tears, and asked with a puzzled look on his face, "Let's not talk about whether it's true or not. How did you know this, Mr. Yi?"

"Please give me an explanation. Otherwise, you will attack our staff without authorization. This will be unacceptable to me, Lao Pao, and the Mo family."

Chen Hui took a few more bites of the delicious food, glanced at Xiao Yu, whose eyes lit up when he heard the word "Mohist", and said calmly, "Commander Duanmu, close the door."

Hearing Chen Hui address her position, Duanmu Rong knew that this was an order from a great master and did not dare to neglect it. She immediately turned around and closed the door tightly.

After making sure no one was eavesdropping, Chen Hui put down his chopsticks, reached behind him out of sight, and retrieved the Momei sword from his space, placing it on the table. He said calmly, "Perhaps because I am the new leader of the Mohist School—Ghost Face."

"Do you have any further questions, Commander Pao Ding?"

"Master? Mr. Yi?" He looked at the 'Momei' sword on the table, which was very familiar to the Mo family, and glanced at Duanmu Rong who kept silent and agreed.

After a moment of distraction, Pao Ding's face lit up with ecstasy. He turned over and prostrated himself, clasping his fists and saying, "I am Pao Ding, the leader of the Mohist sect's Sanghai branch. Greetings to the Master of Ghost Face! I didn't know you were coming, and I'm sorry for not welcoming you."

"Old man?" Chen Hui curled his lips in silence. He waved his hand and released a gust of wind, lifting the kneeling Cook Ding up. He pointed at his own face and said dissatisfiedly, "Commander Cook Ding, I remember that I am only in my twenties this year. I don't deserve to be called an old man. Please take back that title."

"Hahahaha." Marveling at the master's profound cultivation, and seeing the deity he had always admired from the bottom of his heart now right before his eyes, Pao Ding, a little excited, realized that his address was a bit inappropriate. He laughed awkwardly and said, "Master, please don't blame me. I just said it casually. Please forgive me if it offends you."

Chapter 41: Miss Xiao Yu, reality is cruel

Chen Hui shook his head speechlessly, waved his hand and put 'Mo Mei' back into the space behind him. The two women had seen his amazing operation many times along the way and were no longer surprised.

As for Pao Ding and Xiao Yu, although they were full of surprise, as long as they thought of the various legends about the "Ghost Face" giant, they felt that there was nothing to be surprised about.

After all, only such a legendary figure with great magical powers could force the greatest emperor in history like Qin Shi Huang to bow his head and admit defeat.

"When I'm not wearing the ghost mask, I'm just Mr. Yi from the Wudang Sect. Please remember this, Commander Pao Ding and Miss Yu from the Shushan Sect."

Chen Hui unsealed Xiao Yu's sealed acupuncture points as he spoke. Seeing her eager expression, he could only slowly shake his head and say, "Miss Xiao Yu, there's no need to say anything more. I know what your Shushan purpose is."

"But I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do for now."

"Why!" Seeing the only savior right before his eyes, Xiao Yu immediately asked anxiously: "You are the 'Ghost Face' master of the Mohist School! Even Ying Zheng was defeated by you! Why can't you help our Shushan Sect!"

"Because the Fusang sacred tree of your Shushan Sect is too big, I don't have the ability to move it." Chen Hui shrugged helplessly and said, "You have to understand, Miss Yu, I can make even Ying Zheng helpless. I rely on my elusiveness, coming and going without a trace. Even if he mobilized the entire country, he would gain nothing."

"If I take a giant tree like that, I'll become a sitting duck, and there's no way I'll be able to escape the Qin army."

"You...can't you make the sacred tree disappear suddenly like the sword just now?" Xiao Yu asked expectantly.

". You thought of that."

Chen Hui glanced at Xiao Yu helplessly, then reached behind his back and pulled out the Momei sword. He presented it to Xiao Yu and said, "Please take a closer look at the difference between the two. How can a Momei sword, barely four feet long, be compared to a sacred Fusang tree that's several hundred feet tall?"

"Do you really think I'm a god? I'm just an ordinary person with some special skills, okay?"

As he spoke, Chen Hui shook the 'Momei' sword in his hand, put it behind him again and retracted it into the space.

Seeing Xiao Yu suddenly become depressed after hearing this, Chen Hui shook his head and said calmly, "As far as I know, the Fusang sacred tree of your Shushan Sect has been placed on the Mirage Ship by Ying Zheng as an important weight in his quest for immortality."

"In other words, as long as Ying Zheng is still alive, he will never give up the sacred Fusang tree."

"You, the Shushan sect, want to take it back, unless Ying Zheng dies and the Qin Dynasty is destroyed."

"The Fusang sacred tree has no way of making people immortal!" Xiao Yu roared in grief and anger.

"I know, otherwise, immortals would have appeared in your Shushan long ago, and you wouldn't have been annihilated by the Qin army this time." Chen Hui shrugged nonchalantly, "But my knowledge is useless. Ying Zheng needs to know it too."

"Or let's put it this way. Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, given that person's personality, there's no way he'd give up the Fusang Sacred Tree."

"After all, immortality is possible, but besides unifying the world, Qin Shi Huang's greatest wish is to achieve immortality."

"Just because of his selfish wish, our Shushan Sect is going to be wiped out!" Xiao Yu cried out in tears, "This is unfair!"

"Yeah, it's unfair, but that's reality."

Looking at the people around him, their moods suddenly became depressed as they thought of their own ruined countries.

Chen Hui picked up his chopsticks and scooped up a few more dishes, chewing as he said calmly, "The six kingdoms were destroyed, millions died, and countless people lived worse than pigs and dogs under the tyranny of the Qin State, all for the great achievements of the First Emperor Qin Shi Huang."

"It's also very unfair, but it's very realistic. Very, very realistic."

"After all, one general's success is built on the sacrifices of thousands of men; reality is so cold and cruel."

"One general's success is built on the sacrifice of thousands of soldiers." Chewing on this timeless quote, which only appeared in the Tang Dynasty, Xiao Yu, completely defeated, couldn't help but step forward and grab Chen Hui's arm, begging, "What should I do? What should the Shushan Sect do? Please teach me, please! Master Ghost-Faced Master!"

"I've told you, Miss Xiao Yu." Raising his hand, he wiped away the tears that kept falling from Xiao Yu's eyes. Chen Hui slowly shook his head and said, "As long as Ying Zheng is still alive, as long as the Qin Dynasty still exists, the treasures within your sect will never return, and neither will the sacred Fusang tree."

"So your only viable option is to overthrow the Qin Dynasty and kill Ying Zheng."

"You can go back and think carefully about what I said today, and then make a decision. The door of the Mohist School will always be open to the Shushan School."

"Now, you can go."

As he said that, Chen Hui pulled away Xiao Yu's hands that were tightly grasping his arms, turned his head and ignored her.

Turning around and looking at the people with different expressions, Xiao Yu took a few deep breaths, then slowly calmed down his excited emotions, stood up, saluted Chen Hui, then pushed open the door and left.

"Master, if she leaves like this, will it reveal your identity?" Seeing Xiao Yu's figure completely disappear, Pao Ding asked with some concern.

"The Shushan Sect and Ying Zheng are sworn enemies. The chances of them betraying me are slim, so it's worth a gamble." Chen Hui replied calmly, "Besides, even if my identity is revealed, what's the big deal? I'm just being too hassle-free to keep it that way. If Ying Zheng dares to do anything, I'll burn all the food and fodder he just collected and see how he can feed the Qin people in Guanzhong."

"Hehe, Master, you have great powers. What can a mere Ying Zheng do to you?" Cooking Ding, who had always admired Chen Hui for what he had done before, nodded repeatedly, saying, "It would be best if he doesn't come and provoke us! Otherwise, let all the Qin people in Guanzhong starve to death!"

"Commander Pao Ding, let me emphasize again, when I'm not wearing my mask, I'm just Mr. Yi from the Wudang Sect." Chen Hui shook his head and said, "And don't be so optimistic. Making an enemy of a terrifying figure like Ying Zheng is like dancing on the edge of a knife. Even I would be defeated if I'm not careful."

"Don't let your temporary victory make you complacent. That person is a true genius."

"Yes! Old Bo understands, Ju... Ah no, Mr. Yi." Pao Ding was able to lurk in Sanghai for such a long time without being discovered, so he was naturally not a reckless person. Therefore, he immediately woke up, nodded heavily and asked: "Then, Mr. Yi, what should we do next? Should we intervene in the affairs of the Shushan Sect?"

"Let the Shushan Sect make their own choice. We shouldn't interfere."

Chen Hui said calmly, "My main purpose for coming to Sanghai this time is to meet with Xunzi, the Confucian master of Xiaoshengxianzhuang."

"We just arrived today and are exhausted. Don't rush over."

"It would be best if I could rest here for a night first. Once I'm fully rested, I can formally submit the letter of invitation tomorrow and then come visit."

"After all, Confucianism places the greatest emphasis on etiquette. We are guests here, so we cannot do anything disrespectful."

Chapter 42: Dialogue with Xunzi: Confucianism on the outside and Legalism on the inside

Silent all night.

The next morning, after formally submitting the visiting card, Chen Hui appeared at the door of the Confucian "Xiaoshengxianzhuang" with the two girls.

Well, in the name of Yi Xiaochuan of the Wudang Sect, he has nothing to do with the Mohist School.

Although everyone knows the actual situation, we still have to put on a show.

Isn’t this the reason why we say “see through but don’t speak out”?

Therefore, when Chen Hui and the other two got off the car, they saw the three heads of Xiaoshengxianzhuang standing at the door to greet them. The current head of the Confucian School, Fu Nian, took the lead and took two steps forward, clasping his fists and saying, "Fu Nian of the Confucian School, along with my two junior brothers, greet Mr. Yi of the Wudang Sect and the two female knights. Welcome to your presence."

"Master Fu Nian, you are so polite." Chen Hui and the two women returned the greeting, then nodded to Zhang Liang, their old acquaintance, and said with a faint smile, "I apologize for the inconvenience of coming here. I hope you gentlemen of Confucianism will forgive me."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Chen Hui and the other three, led by the Three Heroes of Qi and Lu, entered the Xiaoshengxianzhuang, a Confucian holy land.

Confucianism advocates etiquette and believes that all things should follow certain laws. Therefore, this small sage village is exceptionally gorgeous and beautiful. The pavilions and towers are all in order, giving people a relaxed and comfortable feeling.

Watching Chen Hui strolling around, admiring the scenery with considerable interest, Zhang Liang, who was his closest friend, smiled and said, "Sir, what do you think of this little Confucian estate?"

"A mountain is not famous for its height, but for the presence of immortals; a river is not famous for its depth, but for the presence of dragons." Chen Hui smiled faintly and said, "The key to a place's success lies not in its scenery, but in the heroes who live there."

"Sir, you are a man of great talent!" Upon hearing this famous saying that has been passed down through the ages, the three heroes of Qi and Lu were all deeply moved and immediately bowed respectfully to Chen Hui again.

After politely returning the greeting, Chen Hui and the other three, led by the Three Heroes of Qi and Lu, walked around the front hall and came to a spacious living room in the back, where they met the Confucian master Xunzi who had been waiting there for a long time.

Looking at the cloth cushion in front of Xunzi, Chen Hui smiled indifferently, then knelt down on it without hesitation, and made eye contact with the Confucian master who was famous throughout the ages.

By the way, kneeling is really uncomfortable and I’m not used to it.

It’s a pity that what Zheng Chen is facing now is the Confucianists who attach the most importance to etiquette and law.

If you sit cross-legged, it would be impolite.

Knowing that they were not qualified to participate in this meeting, Duanmu Rong and Yu Shu naturally walked to the side and knelt on the left and right sides of the Three Heroes of Qi and Lu in silence.

Next, there was a moment of silent silence.

Chen Hui was a guest from afar, and a junior in age, so it was natural for him not to speak first. So, after a moment of silent staring at each other, Grandmaster Xunzi took the lead and said, "I heard that Mr. Yi is from the Taoist Wudang sect. I wonder if he belongs to the 'Heaven Sect' or the 'Ren Sect'?"

"Taoism follows nature and encompasses everything." Chen Hui responded calmly, "How can Taoism only have the principles of 'Heaven' and 'Man'?"

"So, sir, your Wudang Sect is unique." Xunzi smiled slightly and said, "Is it different from the 'Heaven' and 'Man' sects?"

"There were no roads in this world originally. When more people walked on them, they became roads." Chen Hui shook his head and said, "Roads are created by people. If the Heavenly and Human Sects can build roads, then of course my Wudang Sect can too."

"Well said." Xunzi nodded approvingly. "I have read your insightful views on Qin's 'farming and warfare,' but I still have some questions I would like to ask you to answer."

"Master, may I ask?" Chen Hui bowed respectfully.

"Sir, you assert that the 'farming and warfare' method is a wartime principle, which is only suitable for war, not for governing a country." Xunzi stared into Chen Hui's eyes and asked word by word, "Then I wonder, sir, which doctrine do you think can be used to govern a country?"

Here comes the key.

Knowing that Xunzi had gone to such great lengths to learn his opinion of Confucianism, Chen Hui closed his eyes in thought for a moment, then opened them and said calmly, "Four words—Confucianism on the outside, Legalism on the inside."

"Oh?" Xunzi's eyes lit up when he heard that. He exchanged a glance with the equally invigorated Three Heroes of Qi and Lu, leaning forward slightly and asking, "I'd like to hear more about that."

"Qin laws were harsh because they governed the country with military rule." Facing the expectant gazes of the Confucian elite, Chen Hui spoke word by word, "In times of great contention, wars between nations were frequent, and ordinary people struggled just to survive. Therefore, even if the laws were harsh, they could be tolerated for the sake of survival."

"But when the war ended and peace came, it was a completely different situation."

Chen Hui slowly shook his head and said, "Without the huge external pressure, the extremely strict laws have become the people's biggest nightmare."

"After all, humans are not animals. We not only need to live, but we also need to live with dignity."

“No one wants to live like an animal, with their every move strictly restricted and without any freedom.”

"So, when peace came, the harsh Qin laws were no longer appropriate."

"After all, harsh laws can only intimidate people, but they can't truly convince them."

"Only a neutral principle that combines both firmness and flexibility, tension and relaxation in moderation, and is impartial can truly adapt to a peaceful and prosperous era and truly allow millions of people to willingly accept it."

"And this kind of decree is a combination of Confucianism and Legalism—Confucianism on the outside, Legalism on the inside."

Seeing the increasingly bright eyes of the Confucian leaders, Chen Hui continued to explain: "The so-called Confucianism on the outside and the law on the inside means that when governing the country and handling affairs, we should first deal with all matters according to the 'ritual' advocated by Confucianism."

"As long as things can be resolved with reason, we should do so. Unless we encounter extremists who are completely unwilling to reason and will break the rules despite repeated admonitions, then we should use harsh punishments and eliminate them physically."

"To put it simply, it's about using courtesy first, then force. Talk to those who are willing to talk, but if they insist on not talking, then..."

Chen Hui patted the Zhenwu sword at his waist and said with a calm smile, "Then we'll see whether his neck is harder or my sword is sharper."

"Hahahahahaha..." As soon as these words were spoken, both Xunzi and the Three Heroes of Qi and Lu could not help laughing and kept nodding their heads in approval.

"That's not all." Chen Hui struck while the iron was hot, "Although Ying Zheng ruled the country harshly and with cruel methods, he did one thing very well, a thing that can be said to be unprecedented and lasted for a thousand years. That was: he unified the writing system, standardized weights and measures, and established a unified national system."

"However, if we want true unification, it's not enough to just standardize the writing system and the weights and measures; we also need to unify people's hearts and minds."

"And this is something the Legalists cannot do."

"After all, as I've said before, harsh laws can only instill fear in people, but they can't make them accept them from the bottom of their hearts."

"Therefore, if we want to truly unify people's hearts, we must establish a benign order from which the vast majority of people can benefit. And in this regard, among all the schools of thought, only Confucianism can achieve it."

Chapter 43: Confucianism as the core and science and technology as the backbone, and hundreds of schools of thought as the wings

Hearing this, Xunzi let out a long sigh, calming his turbulent mood for a moment before slowly speaking, "Sir, you think so highly of Confucianism. Do you think this can unify the hearts of the people?"

"Yes." Chen Hui nodded without hesitation, "I firmly believe it."

That’s right, this is a golden rule that has been verified for more than two thousand years in another world.

"Isn't it possible for the Mohist school?" Xunzi asked with some hopelessness.

"No." Ignoring Duanmu Rong's disappointed look after hearing this, Chen Hui said calmly, "Mohist doctrine is the most perfect and beautiful, but it is too idealistic and cannot adapt to the vast majority of people in the world."

"For example, 'universal love' and 'non-aggression', to be fair, not only can most people in the world not do it, but even I can't do it."

"I can't love everyone equally like I love my closest friends and family. I can't do it. I am selfish too. I'm not that great."

"I admit that Mozi, the founder of Mohism, was a peerless genius, but he was so great and so lofty that it is difficult for people of later generations to keep up with him. Even just catching a glimpse of his achievements is as difficult as climbing to the sky."

"Such a lofty and transcendental doctrine is only suitable for a very small number of elite geniuses, but absolutely not for the millions of ordinary people. Governing a country with it will lead to great chaos and even the destruction of the nation and the race."

Seeing the Confucian leaders nodding in agreement, Chen Hui changed the subject and said, "What I like most about Confucianism is its 'moderation' attribute that appeals to both the elite and the masses."

"I remember a story in Lüshi Chunqiu about a law in the ancient state of Lu: if a Lu citizen saw a fellow citizen in a foreign country suffering misfortune and being enslaved, and was able to redeem them and help them regain their freedom, they would receive compensation and rewards from the state."