novelhk Page 600
Page 600
"Your Excellency, my master has been living in seclusion in the back mountains for the past thirty years, and has never seen anyone outside. I hope you will understand!"
Not seeing outsiders? But you met with Zhang Xiaoshan before?
However, Fusu did not say it explicitly, after all, there was no need to offend Zhang Xiaoshan or Xun Qing unless there was a conflict of interest.
The main gate is wide open, and the Six-Row Dance is performed. Passing through the main gate, one enters the winding corridor.
The myriad aspects of Confucianism are on full display. The manor, after being cleaned up, is like a landscape after the rain, exceptionally refreshing.
"What a flourishing state of Confucianism!"
Chapter 699 No Righteous Wars in the Nine Provinces? The Three Swordsmen Discuss Swords
Inside the main hall, everyone took their seats.
On the left were Li Si, Zhao Gao, Xinghun, Chu Nangong, Gongsun Linglong, and so on. On the right were Fu Nian, Yan Lu, Zhang Liang, and the instructors, followed by a group of Confucian disciples led by Zian.
Although Zian was not the first student to enroll, he was undoubtedly the best student, excelling in almost every one of the Six Arts of a Gentleman.
Moreover, for the past few months, Zi'an has been inseparable from his books, and in everyone's eyes, he is undoubtedly the pinnacle of academic excellence.
The two boys next to them were in similar situations.
She ranks in the top three in every subject, but her playfulness is far greater than Zi'an's; she is as still as a virgin and as swift as a rabbit.
Fu Nianyanlu didn't say anything about this.
After all, a ten-year-old boy is at the age where he is playful, and besides, he is exceptionally talented and has a powerful background, so there is no need for them to worry about him.
Once you've taught them what they need to know, there's no need to deliberately interfere at other times.
"I have heard that everyone at Xiaoshengxianzhuang is a highly learned and virtuous person."
The empire is now advancing on three fronts, launching a surprise attack on the Later Jin. Its troops have already reached the gates of Shangdu. The Later Jin is doomed and will be destroyed in the next day or two, or at most a month or so.
"What are your thoughts, wise men, on this imperial conquest beyond the Great Wall?"
The topic raised by Prince Fusu left everyone looking at each other in bewilderment.
They naturally knew that the empire was attacking the Later Jin, but apart from the Zhang family, the Yin-Yang School, the Luo Net, and other high-ranking members of the empire, even Zhang Liang himself did not know the specifics of the war at that time.
Unexpectedly, the empire's army had already besieged the capital, and the fall of the city was imminent, which would also mark the end of the Jin dynasty.
Confucianism advocates benevolent rule and opposes war, but dares Fu Nian speak out?
As for Zhang Liang, he didn't dare to make any outrageous remarks on the topic, but he had no reservations about other issues.
But this is not a simple matter of argumentation; it is extremely sensitive, and it will not be easy to take on the task.
At this moment, Zian 'Zhang Sheng' in the crowd had a sudden thought and stepped forward, saying:
"Your Excellency, Master, your student Zi'an has his own opinion:"
Confucian sages advocated the "benevolent and righteous way of governing the country," emphasizing the idea that "the people are more important than the ruler," and believed that there were no righteous wars in the Nine Provinces. However, the Empire's current campaign against the Later Jin was different; it was a righteous war!
A just war?
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately looked at Zian who had come out, and even Prince Fusu's gaze was filled with interest.
It should be noted that Confucianism considers Emperor Qin Shi Huang to be a tyrant, but unexpectedly, an anomaly has emerged within the Confucian school.
Fu Nian, Yan Lu, and the others looked at Zi An. Although they were anxious, they understood Zi An and did not disturb him, waiting for his explanation.
“When Zian was young, he traveled all over the world with his grandfather, visiting the vast snowfields, traversing the rainforests of Southeast Asia, and even crossing the Penglai in the east and the Kunlun Mountains in the west.”
Hiss...
Upon hearing this, everyone looked at the boy in surprise.
Fu Nian and the others didn't feel anything. Zi An was a boy adopted by the Old Man of Heavenly Secrets, so there was nothing wrong with him going to these places.
The Celestial Mystery Elder is the one who travels among mortals.
But the others were different. They were thought to be just a bookish Confucian disciple, but they turned out to be a young prodigy who had traveled all over the country.
Therefore, Zian had some knowledge of the Later Jin.
The Later Jin Empire had Jurchens as its nobility, and the ratio of Jurchens to Han Chinese was approximately one to ten.
Even ordinary Jurchen people held a superior status compared to Han people.
In particular, the Jurchen nobles had the power of life and death over the Han people, and could enslave them. Each Jurchen noble had at least a dozen or so Han slaves under their command, and some even had thousands. As for land that belonged to the Han people, taking it was basically just a matter of a word.
Of course, Han Chinese could also hold official positions in the Jin Dynasty, but their status was extremely low.
The Jin army, especially those composed of Han Chinese, was not only poorly equipped, but also had at least half of their pay embezzled by the Jin nobles, making it extremely difficult for them to get promoted.
Therefore, Zi'an believed this was a righteous war!
Hiss...
Zian's words shocked everyone; in comparison, the empire was at least peaceful at this time.
"Oh, this Confucian scholar does have a reasonable argument."
However, the empire's conquest of the Later Jin would inevitably cause widespread displacement, especially among the low-status Han Chinese troops who would suffer heavy casualties. What then constitutes a just war?
The rebuttal was not to Confucianism, but to Chu Nan Gong of the Yin-Yang School.
However, Chu Nan Gong was not truly opposed; rather, it was a test. Even Fu Su looked at Zi An.
"When the world prospers or perishes, the people suffer; when it prospers, the people suffer."
But for the Han people within the Later Jin territory, it was like the darkness before dawn, and rebirth from destruction.
The empire's conquests of the Later Jin dynasty, taking Japan and Goguryeo as examples.
Zi'an had previously traveled east to Penglai, where he witnessed the prosperous era following the empire's conquests: the killing of nobles, the redistribution of land, the implementation of work relief programs, and the construction of highways and workshops...
If this was the case for the people of Japan and Korea, how much more so for the Han Chinese within the territory of the Later Jin?
A few acres of meager land, a private school in the village, and wealth gained through road construction... For them, this was the simplest form of prosperity!
Upon hearing this, even Prince Fusu felt a stirring in his heart.
He knew that these things were not done by the empire, but by the Zhang family.
After all, when an empire conquers a city, it wouldn't be so meticulous, and the spoils wouldn't be distributed.
What the Zhang family did was distribute grain and land to the people, collect the wealth of the nobles, and divide it in two with the empire.
The Zhang family also has such qualifications.
After all, the Zhang family had contributed greatly to the wars against Japan, Korea, and even the Jin dynasty.
Moreover, the Zhang family's logistical support is extremely thorough; at least the Dragon Emperor couldn't find a more suitable candidate than the Zhang family.
"Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles."
What a fine young Confucian scholar!
Seeing the undisguised admiration in Chu Nan Gong's eyes, Fu Nian and the others nodded in agreement. They hadn't expected that the one who had shone so brightly today would be a mere Confucian student.
As for Confucian disciples?
Zian is not yet one; at least he has not yet become a disciple of the three great masters or any instructor.
Even though some people had already hinted at their intentions during this period, Zi'an seemed not to have noticed them. His indifferent attitude made everyone understand Zi'an's meaning.
After all, he was just there to read books, and he had already made plans—
After two years of laying a solid foundation, and in the final year reading through all the books on the top floor of the Confucian library, he should basically be ready to leave.
Moreover, during this time, he can also focus on cultivating the Nine Cauldrons Divine Skill and the Pure Yang Divine Skill, striving to reach the Eight Cauldrons level and the Pure Yang realm. At that time, he will be considered a top master in the martial arts world.
Next comes the part about "a white horse is not a horse".
To Zhang Liang and Zi'an, Gongsun Linglong was utterly idiotic.
They really think they can get by with just one trick.
Zi'an used only one move, "Ugly Person, Not Human," with Gongsun Linglong as the target, and directly attacked her in a fit of rage, causing her to break down without a fight.
Next came the sword debate proposed by Li Si and Zhao Gao, without the later tense confrontation.
After all, that was when Fusu was almost assassinated and lost his life, while now they are just discussing the Dao, so there is no need for a tense atmosphere.
·········Requesting flowers·· 0
Therefore, upon hearing Li Si and Zhao Gao's proposal of a sword duel that could lead to a life-or-death struggle, Prince Fusu couldn't help but say:
"Today, let's have a sword duel between the disciples, stopping when the point is reached, so as not to hurt our harmony."
'Alright!'
Disciples Discussing Swordsmanship?
In a flash, Fu Nian glanced at the three people behind him.
Zi'an is a disciple of the Heavenly Mystery Elder, while the other two are disciples of the Zhang family; all are masters at the pinnacle of their skill.
Moreover, there's no need to worry about safety; who would dare to lay a hand on the Zhang family?
"Zi'an, are you proficient in swordsmanship?"
As Fu Nian pointed out the generals, the group of Confucian disciples immediately looked at Zi An with envy.
After all, Zian had already made a name for himself in the literary battle, but he never expected that this knowledgeable junior brother would also be proficient in martial arts, and not a weak one at that.
Otherwise, Fu Nian wouldn't have let Zi An take action.
"Don't worry, Master. Zi'an has studied swordsmanship for a period of time."
As for the sword? Junior Brother Ziju, could you please go to the Three Provinces Study and retrieve the Heavenly Mystery Staff that I keep by my bedside? Besides, you should also be among the disciples going into battle next.”
"Senior Brother Zian, please wait a moment, Zijun will go and fetch it right away!"
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Upon hearing that Zi'an had his own sword, even Fu Nian, Zhang Liang, and the others looked surprised.
The Heavenly Secret Staff? Who knew it contained a hidden sword!
As for why Ziju was asked to fetch it?
That was an unparalleled divine weapon. Even a grandmaster, let alone someone of the Zhang family bloodline, would find it difficult to pull out the divine sword stuck in his bedside.
Moreover, at this moment, Zizhong and Zijun are undoubtedly the best choices for Fu Nian in a sword duel.
In the entire academy, only their swords can rival the famous swords of the three masters—Tai'a, Hanguang, and Lingxu!
Meanwhile, those in the Imperial camp, seeing Zi'an emerge, exchanged bewildered glances.
After all, they had guessed that Zian was no ordinary person. A young man who could travel all over the country since childhood could not be a simple character.
"It seems that Brother Zian's martial arts skills are not weak."
"In that case, General Zhang Han, you will instruct young Brother Zi'an on martial arts this round, but stop when you've reached a point of understanding, and don't let this damage the harmony!"
"Yes, son!"
Zhang Han was an imperial man and trusted by Fusu, so he naturally understood Fusu's intentions.
"Senior brother, the sword is here."
Holding the Heavenly Secret Staff, Ziju ran along, her face filled with excitement.
Behind Ziju, there were two swords, one long and one short. The long sword was about three feet long, and the short sword was about two and a half feet long, which was just right for the two of them.
"Thank you very much, Junior Brother Zijun!"
Upon seeing the weapon, which resembled a fire poker, everyone frowned.
I never expected that Zian's weapon would be so crude, and yet it was called a sword.
"This is the Heavenly Secret Staff, forged from Xuan Iron, containing a peerless divine sword—Pure Yang."
Because of the Heavenly Secret Staff's unique properties, this divine sword can freely switch between its two blades, allowing for complete control at will.
choke!
Suddenly, a chilling dragon's roar resounded, and a simple, unsharpened three-foot-long sword was swung out from one end of the fire poker.
The reason the divine sword is concealed at this moment is because of its scabbard; it has not yet fully transformed into a divine sword.
A divine sword is concealed; a wise man hides his talents!