The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 414 The battle for orthodoxy
Nanjing Guozijian got the inscription of the prince somehow.

Even if Zhang Zhou didn't see Liu Zhen's expression on the Nanjing Guozijian offering wine, he knew that this old boy must be in a daze... I was stubborn not to participate in this so-called Nanjing literary event, but in the end the event still inevitably went to me Smash in the face?You actually gave me the prince's royal handwriting?

Because of the prince's appearance, the lively atmosphere around Mochou Lake instantly rose to another level.

Yingtianfu, Nanjing Bingmasi, Jinyiwei, and officials who could be mobilized were all mobilized. Even so, they couldn’t hold back the enthusiasm of the scholars who came to Nanjing. I also want to watch the excitement from a distance.

After all, Nanjing City is different from the capital, and it is almost impossible to see the demeanor of the emperor and his son here.

And the prince still appeared in front of people directly as a marketer like today, and even used the pseudonym "Zhu Shou" before, participated in many literary discussions, and gained a certain reputation in the literary world at the age of ten. This is like "a prince out of the folks", the yearning of ordinary scholars for Zhu Houzhao is indescribable.

As such.

The representatives of the Lingnan School, such as Zhan Ruoshui, who were waiting to discuss with Zhang Zhou and prepare to establish an orthodox name in the study of mind, were all embarrassed.

Originally, they were eager to try and decided on a specific strategy for theory theory, but with the status of a prince, they were unable to resist, not because they felt that their theory was not complete... It’s just that there is a prince on the other side to support the table, no matter how extravagant you say It's useless, the world will still tend to believe Zhang Zhoufang.

This is tantamount to defeat without fighting.

Zhu Houzhao said: "The prince of Japan came to Nanjing today to discuss studies on behalf of Mr. Zhang. Mr. Zhang, I wonder if the student has the qualifications?"

Zhang Zhoudao: "The crown prince is serious. I am just a poor scholar, and I dare not call myself a teacher."

Zhu Houzhao said excitedly: "When the students were in the palace, they were often taught the scriptures by the master, and now they also get some teachings on the study of mind, and they feel admiration in their hearts. The students want to worship under the master's school. In order to pursue the benefits of Confucianism, I also hope that Mr. Wang will allow students to have this opportunity."

"what!"

Whoever the crown prince calls a gentleman cannot be said to be his disciple.

No one dares to claim to be the teacher of the prince.

Mr. is more of an honorific title. After all, only "Prince Taifu" is the nominal teacher of the Eastern Palace, and although there are many lecturers in the Eastern Palace, they have only taught the Prince. Who dares to say that he can be a teacher?
But now that Zhu Houzhao is pretending to worship Zhang Zhou as a disciple of Xinxue, the meaning is different...Zhu Houzhao will become Zhang Zhou's "chief disciple" in an instant, and Zhang Zhou will start classes again in the future As an apprentice, everyone else is directly the "junior brother" of the prince, and he and the prince of Ming Dynasty can be called brothers in the future... Even if there is a difference in age, so what?
This kind of good thing is simply rare.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Prince, don't talk and laugh. I am not qualified to accept the prince as a teacher. If it is purely to discuss academic matters, I would like to sit and discuss with the prince."

Zhu Houzhao seemed to have known the rhetoric for a long time, and said: "After the students return to the capital, they must ask the father for permission, so that the students can worship such a famous teacher as the master. A teacher for one day will be a teacher for life, and students are willing to learn from him cure."

Zhang Zhou didn't answer this time.

But the onlookers around the viewing platform understood that the emperor was the only one who had the right to decide who the prince would worship as his teacher.

Unless Zhu Youtang is dead and the crown prince ascends the throne, then this kid can play however he wants.

In terms of Zhang Zhou and Zhu Youtang's peers, as well as the emperor's admiration for Zhang Zhou, and Zhang Zhou's current reputation in the literary world, the emperor seems to have no reason to refuse to let the prince become Zhang Zhou's chief disciple. Learn from Zhang Zhou... Otherwise, how could the prince appear in Nanjing?

Most people don't know that the prince escaped secretly, and they thought that the prince had been following Zhang Zhou to the south, but he didn't follow up. Before the prince went to various cultural meetings, it can be said that the prince was warming up to learn from his teacher.

Thinking about it this way... everything seems to make sense.

Zhu Houzhao said: "Today, the students know that Mr. Zhang wants to discuss learning with others. The students are bold and want to have a discussion with him for Mr. Zhang. I also ask Mr. Zhang to give the students this opportunity."

Zhang Zhou glanced over to Zhan Ruoshui, and found that the person opposite was already ashamed.

Now it is not only Zhang Zhou who wants to use the power of the prince to discuss with them, but the prince directly represents Zhang Zhou... No matter how awesome you Lingnan School are, you have the ability to discuss with the prince!
Zhang Zhoudao: "Prince, please go ahead. I also want to hear the high opinion of the prince."

"Okay!" Zhu Houzhao was not polite, and seemed to be full of ambition, "Student Zhu Houzhao is a disciple of Mr. Zhang. Today, I have the honor to discuss Taoism with you on the basis of Confucianism. I don't want to win or lose, but I just want to improve my knowledge. Please also teach me!"

After Zhu Houzhao finished speaking, he entered the academic circle of Lunxue as Zhang Zhou's eldest disciple, as if he was going to compete with others.

Zhang Zhou immediately retreated to the viewing platform.

Cheng Minzheng came over and said in a low voice, "Duke Lai, is this okay?"

Zhang Zhoudao: "It's okay. The prince has studied with me for a long time, and he has his own understanding of the study of the mind. Let him go."

Cheng Minzheng frowned.

You let a ten-year-old brat go to discuss learning with a group of people who have spent half their lives studying knowledge?Are you not afraid that he will lose his adulthood?
Only Tang Yin, who followed from the side, looked embarrassed and turned his head to the side. As Zhang Zhou's "junior brother", Tang Yin knew some "inside information".

Tang Yinxin said, who really dares to challenge the prince?Besides, my senior brother has already prepared a cheat sheet for my master nephew who has not entered the door. It is probably the essence of mind learning. I really do anything to make the prince famous.

……

……

The study has begun.

Zhang Zhou sent a "Chief Disciple" here, and the opposite is the Lingnan School. Naturally, he can't bully the few with more, and the person who represents the Lingnan School is naturally the "Chief Disciple" of the late leader Chen Xianzhang. The Zhan Ruoshui of the leader.

Zhan Ruoshui is not even a Jinshi.

In terms of social status, he is very respected, mainly because of his academic attainments, Chen Xianzhang’s admiration for him, and the fact that he has visited many famous Confucians, who also endorsed him and made him famous .

But in terms of his official status, which is mainly reflected in the name of fame, he is just an ordinary gentry class, and he is not qualified to challenge Zhang Zhou at all. They are willing to come, even at all costs, because they have something in their hearts. Feeling righteous indignation, feeling that Zhang Zhou has robbed them of the reputation that should belong to them.

They came for Chen Xianzhang, and they had to bite the bullet.

But now Zhang Zhou is directly dispatching the prince to discuss studies, which seems to be...the identities are not equal in the first place, and now they are even more unequal.

Academics are not just about reputation, status is also very important, just like if Wang Shouren had always been just an ordinary Jinshi, his "Yangming Xinxue" would not become the classic Confucianism respected by the general public, let alone Will become a generation of academic masters.

This time, Zhang Zhou's mind theory can be promoted so quickly, suppressing the Lingnan School, also because Zhang Zhou's identity is there, the scholars in the world are noble in name, but they still have a mentality of admiration .

"My servant, Zhu Houzhao, please." Zhu Houzhao spoke for himself.

Zhan Ruoshui said: "My minister is Zhan Ruoshui."

Confessing a minister in front of an opponent is no longer a few layers of weakness in terms of momentum, but bowing one's head and obeying one's ears.

If Zhu Houzhao insisted on saying that my husband and I are orthodox, then Zhan Ruoshui wouldn't even dare to say anything today, otherwise he would have to fight with the prince to blush?Even if you fight, the people below will think that you have disobedience, and they will lose in terms of morality and etiquette.

No matter how you look at it, today is a game with no chance of winning.

Zhu Houzhao said with a smile: "My husband and I have learned the science of mind, and we don't know much. What we can tell you is just some shallow opinions that we have learned. I hope you will not forgive me."

"Yes." Zhan Ruoshui saluted respectfully.

no way.

The identity of the prince is too bluffing, there is no room for parrying at all.

Zhu Houzhao said: "If you don't say it, then I will say it first. From what I know and see, the way of Confucianism lies in cultivating the mind and attaining conscience. What we seek is the principle of virtue."

Zhan Ruoshui said cautiously: "The former master once said, 'Recognize the principles of heaven everywhere in daily use, and with this whip, why not suffer from the good things of the ancients'. This is also the principle of virtue."

This is where the two sides express their respective positions.

The essence of Yangming's philosophy of mind lies in "reaching conscience", while Zhan Ruoshui's Oasis School pursues "understanding the principles of heaven everywhere". This point of view was not put forward by Chen Xianzhang, but by Zhan Ruoshui himself when he was studying with Chen Xianzhang , And because of this unique insight, Chen Xianzhang found that Zhan Ruoshui's knowledge was beyond ordinary people's ability. While speaking highly of his disciples, he also passed on the mantle of Lingnan School to Zhan Ruoshui.

Zhan Ruoshui treated Chen Xianzhang with more respect than he treated his father.

Zhu Houzhao smiled.

He was very proud. This cheat sheet was typed, as if he knew exactly what you were going to say, and he also knew what I was going to say next. Is this talking about learning?It's like reciting the text according to the script.

How else can I say that Mr. Zhang is awesome?

Zhu Houzhao said with a smile: "I think that what you said, 'recognize the principles of heaven everywhere', although there is a principle of virtue, it is to pursue the principles of nature with the principles of virtue, which is the principle of nature, which is essentially different from the concept in Neo Confucianism. Coincidence is just a different way of pursuing Neo-Confucianism, whether it is intention or meaning, it is not beyond the scope of Neo-Confucianism."

It was unexpected that Zhan Ruoshui was directly pushed back by Zhu Houzhao.

In the beginning, he only thought of the prince as relying on his identity to suppress himself, but now he realized that, in fact, this kid can compete with himself, and things other than his identity are scary.

The concept of "recognizing the principles of heaven everywhere" is actually not difficult to understand. Chen Xianzhang is not a master of psychology. "It's just a kind of contradictory concept. It probably has a Zen meaning of "the wind blows the leaves and the wind doesn't move the leaves, but the heart is moving". If the heart doesn't move, neither the wind nor the leaves will move.

It can be deduced that if a person's mind cannot understand the laws of everything in the world, then even if there are laws in the world, they are not laws.

The so-called reason for everything has become a false concept.

Zhan Ruoshui's "recognition of the laws of nature everywhere" is also an effort in cognition, but it is still about exploring the laws of the laws of heaven, and it does not lead people to pursue virtue.

But Zhan Ruoshui is not a vegetarian, he said: ""Zhuangzi" says: "The most joyful husband should first respond to human affairs, obey the laws of heaven, use the five virtues, and respond to nature, and then adjust the four seasons. Taihe Wanwu'. Without the response to nature, without the adjustment of the four seasons, there will be no everything."

It means that the laws of heaven still exist universally. Only by feeling them with your heart can you feel the existence of laws of heaven and use them to educate the world.

The so-called Taihe Wanwu is probably based on this to include everything in the world...

Zhu Houzhao still calmly said: "A gentleman behaves according to his position. If he is rich, he will behave in the rich; if he is poor, he will behave in the poor; .The mind is clear about everything, and the mind is calm about everything. To the conscience, it doesn't care about reason."

After Zhu Houzhao finished speaking, there was another uproar at the scene.

If Zhan Ruoshui is still arguing for the principles of nature, it means that the study of mind must add the principles of nature in addition to virtue.

But Zhu Houzhao made it clear here, what is reasonable and unreasonable, as long as a gentleman can keep the bottom line, even if he doesn’t know your so-called natural principles, he can still stand in the world. On the contrary, he ignores conscience for the sake of natural principles, and it is not in line with the teachings of saints .

As Zhu Houzhao said, "A gentleman acts according to his position", which is one of the main viewpoints in "The Doctrine of the Mean" in the Four Books.

You, Zhan Ruoshui, want to quote the scriptures, but what about "Zhuangzi", I will directly bring out the sage Confucius for you, so I ask you whether you accept it or not?
……

……

The debate at the scene became heated.

With regard to a matter of mental learning, the two sides were arguing with each other, and everyone present seemed to have forgotten that this was actually the prince of Daming, just a ten-year-old child... what he saw and knew seemed to be better than those who blindly admired Zhang Zhou's mental learning. How many.

The audience present also seemed to finally understand why the young prince was qualified to worship Zhang Zhou's teacher, because the prince seemed to have really grasped the advanced level of the study of mind.

Otherwise... why is Zhan Ruoshui, the eldest disciple of the Lingnan School who inherited the mantle, sweating all over his head?
Is he afraid of the identity of the prince?

If it is because of fear, then you will be afraid when you go on stage, and you will become more poised as the debate progresses.

But now it's obviously the opposite, the more beads of sweat on Yue Bian's head, which also shows that in this confrontation, Zhan Ruoshui is obviously at a disadvantage.

At this time, the three of Sun Che who were watching the battle under the stairs were dumbfounded.

I followed Zhu Houzhao all the way, although Zhu Houzhao has participated in many seminars, but every time Zhu Houzhao's theory is so few, I thought Zhu Houzhao was the kind of ignorant child who "eats all the world with one trick". Now Only then did they know that this prince was really stronger than Yuqiang.

Why didn't he tell those people about this theory on the way?
Who would dare to underestimate him if he could say such in-depth words?

Or is it that the prince feels that there is no need to show his true level to learn fighting skills with those shrimp soldiers and crab generals?
Standing on the podium, Zhu Houzhao still talked eloquently: "Mr. Zhang taught me, 'There is no kindness and no disgusting body, there is goodness and maliciousness, knowing the good and knowing the evil is the conscience, and doing the good and eliminating the evil is the investigation of things'. Reason, there is no distinction between good and evil, and there is no difference between right and wrong. It lies in the concept of the human heart. Life and death are impermanent, good and evil are inseparable. I’m just some shallow opinions, and I hope you can understand them.”

Having said that, Zhu Houzhao turned around and returned to the viewing platform, bowing his hands to Zhang Zhou.

Zhang Zhou and the others also stood up. Except for Zhang Zhou, everyone around hurriedly returned their salutes.

At this moment, Zhan Ruoshui was standing there, but he didn't know what to say...

It's not that he doesn't have the theory to play with Zhu Houzhao, but because...he also thinks that what the kid said makes sense, and the opponent is still the prince, if he is not sure that he can defeat the opponent, he dare not speak up casually.

Take a step back.

Even if he can argue against the prince, does he have the guts to say it?
As a Juren, he will suffer in such large-scale debates, because he knows that in the "reasons" of this world, there is a "difference between superiority and inferiority". In terms of morality, the ruler of heaven and earth is a relative and teacher, and the prince is equivalent to the "jun". If you argue with the monarch for your husband, this in itself violates the big taboo in Confucianism.

Want to maintain Confucianism orthodoxy, but destroy it at the same time?

Then how can people accept his theory?

So Zhan Ruoshui is in a dilemma... If you don't care about it, you will lose; if you don't know how to respect the prince, you will also lose.

Lose-lose.

The beads of sweat on Zhan Ruoshui's forehead also showed that he could not abide by his heart, and would still be disturbed by foreign objects.

……

……

Wait until Zhu Hou shines on his seat.

Zhang Zhou came out and said with a smile: "My lord, Chen Baisha's theory is highly respected by me. In the process of perfecting my mind, I was also guided by Chen Baisha's academics. Such a great Confucianist, I have no chance to meet you. Pity!"

"what!?"

The people present were in an uproar again.

Zhang Zhou actually took the initiative to praise Chen Xianzhang?

You also said that your own psychology has been inspired by Chen Xianzhang's theory?
This is your chief disciple trying to save face and let the world know that Zhang Zhou's mind-learning is orthodox, but you yourself seem to want to demean yourself.

Zhan Ruoshui said: "I admire Xueshi Zhang's understanding of Confucianism."

Even Zhan Ruoshui didn't dare to say now that Chen Xianzhang's theory of mind had a link with Zhang Zhou's mind.

But after what Zhang Zhou said, at least the Lingnan School's face was saved... If Zhang Zhou's words hadn't been there, the school would have disbanded before he had to return to Lingnan.

If you lose on theory of learning, and you have the support of the crown prince on the other side, everyone in the world knows that your learning of the mind is just a variant of Neo-Confucianism, a hybrid, so what qualifications do you have to promote the sect?
Zhang Zhoudao: "There is no right or wrong in academic views, and there is no distinction between good and evil. It is a model pursued by the study of the mind. As the saying goes, there are no factions in the world of academics, and they are all for the study of Confucianism... Your Excellency's advice, I have also been taught before!"

(End of this chapter)