"If you're not good at chess, you won't show off your shame."
An ordinary person would probably be a little flattered by Xunzi's invitation.
Although Xunzi was notorious in Confucianism for criticizing the sky, the earth, and the air, Xunzi's knowledge and ability even those Confucian schools who were scolded as cheap Confucians by Xunzi's "Not the Twelve Sons" had to admire him.
However, Zhang Ji is self-aware.
With his chess skills, it was okay to bully an outsider in the entertainment bureau, but facing an expert...especially a chess master like Xunzi who was able to control each other, it was tantamount to humiliating himself.
Faced with Zhang Ji's rejection, Xunzi was somewhat dissatisfied.
"You are young and you should move forward bravely even though you know you are losing. Why shrink back?"
After saying that, regardless of Zhang Ji's opinion, he put the chess pieces on the chessboard back into the chess basket one by one, signaling Zhang Ji to take the lead.
Zhang Ji smiled bitterly, Xunzi was already like this, it would be disrespectful for him to refuse, so he had to give up.
Gold horns, silver edges and grass belly, a very ordinary child.
"Please give me more advice, Master Xun."
Xunzi didn't say anything, just dropped a piece, then gently stroked his beard and looked at Zhang Ji.
Zhang Ji at this moment is also a little different from before. He is wearing a black robe. Although he is still wearing black clothes, the edges of the black robe are dotted with gold lace, exuding an aura of nobility.
The appearance is dignified and the bearing is extraordinary.
This was Xunzi's first impression after seeing Zhang Ji.
Xunzi's handsome appearance naturally made Xunzi more fond of Zhang Ji.
"However, although I am not good at playing chess and cannot accompany Master Xun to relieve his boredom, my ancestor Zhang Zi collected a lot of chess records back then. If Master Xun is interested..."
Zhang Ji's eyes were fixed on Xunzi's face, observing his expression.
However, Xunzi's face did not seem to have any change in expression. After all, he was a Confucian master. How could he be excited about a few so-called lost chess records that he had never seen before?
Zhang Ji's eyes moved slightly, as if he had just remembered something, and added: "Oh, by the way, these chess records seem to be lost chess records."
Hearing this, Xunzi's hand holding a black piece trembled, and he almost dropped the chess piece on the chessboard.
Seeing this, Zhang Ji's mouth curved slightly.
Xunzi is a chess fanatic, there is no doubt about this.
After losing the battle over the nature of nature, Xunzi withdrew from Jixia Academy in Qi State and went to the small town of Songhai to establish a small sage village. He taught and educated people, and accepted many disciples one after another. In his spare time, he devoted himself to Obsessed with chess.
This was something I heard Han Fei mention when I was chatting with him.
For chess enthusiasts, the most attractive thing, apart from a well-matched opponent, is the chess records.
However, as a Confucian master, Xunzi naturally had a large number of chess records in his hands, but even Xunzi could not guarantee that he could collect all the chess records.
Furthermore, the world is vast, and it is inevitable that some sages who are good at chess will choose to live in seclusion in the mountains and forests and not care about worldly affairs. They may spread profound but unknown chess records.
But no matter what the situation is, the lost chess records collected by Zhang Yi, who was also fond of chess at that time, are absolutely extraordinary. Therefore, even with Xun Fuzi's calm mind, he couldn't help but stir up some excitement because of the lost chess records mentioned by Zhang Ji. waves.
"Then I will be disrespectful."
Xunzi stroked his long beard gently, no longer covering it up, and there was a hint of joy between his brows and eyes.
"However, my friend actually gave me such a generous gift. I must be asking for something, right?"
Xunzi looked at Zhang Ji with a smile, as if to say, "Don't think that I fell into your kid's trick, it was just as if I took the initiative to fall into the urn."
Zhang Ji, who was exposed by Xunzi, did not show any embarrassment. He sighed and praised: "Master Xunzi is indeed a contemporary master of Confucianism. He is really wise."
"I would like to ask Master Xun to praise the King of Qin."
Xunzi was startled. His hand that reached into the chess basket paused. He frowned and looked at Zhang Ji. Seeing that Zhang Ji didn't seem to be joking, he hesitated and said, "You want me to be the crown prince of the King of Qin?"
Zhang Ji nodded: "With Master Xun's identity and status, why not?"
"Little slippery man."
Xunzi was a little dumbfounded. This was not a matter of whether his identity and status were worthy of serving as the crown prince of Yingzheng, but Zhang Ji confused the concept here.
Those who praise the crown, Zuobin is the one who crowns the work.
During the crowning ceremony, the master of ceremonies sings the praises.
The title of praise has always been held by respected elders. With Xunzi's reputation and status, he can definitely bear the word "high reputation".
However, if Xunzi praises Ying Zheng, he will be bound to Ying Zheng. No matter how he explains or acts, the world will associate his actions with the interests of Qin.
Xunzi pointed at Zhang Ji, but he was not really angry, but asked: "Are you trying to ruin my good reputation over the past few decades?"
Let’s talk!
Seeing that Xunzi did not refuse directly, Zhang Ji knew that Xunzi was not very against Qin.
During the reign of King Zhaoxiang, Xunzi once entered the Qin Dynasty. Although he did not agree with the Qin State's strategy of attaching great importance to criminal laws and officials and despising benevolent and virtuous gentlemen. He said that "if the county has the reputation of being a king, then it is not as good as far." The political affairs of Qin State affirmed, saying, "The four generations of Qin have won many victories, and it is not a matter of luck." He admired the prosperous development of Qin State.
"Master Xun thinks, is the world too chaotic? Just like the current chess game."
Zhang Ji looked at the chess game that had unknowingly reached its final stage. His white pieces were surrounded by Xunzi's black pieces. Although the killer has not yet been killed, winning the chess game is already the general trend, and all that is left is to make a move.
"Today's Qin State is like the black piece in Master Xun's hand, and the other countries are like the white piece. Although they are struggling to support it, it is in vain."
"What do you think?" Xunzi narrowed his eyes and looked at the young man in front of him.
"The world has been in chaos for too long. It's time to let the war calm down."
"The king once told me his dream."
"To establish a vast country stretching from the sea to North Korea in the east, to Lintao Qiangzhong in the west, to Xianghu in the south, with the river as a barrier in the north, and from the Yinshan Mountains to Liaodong, to make the four sides surrender, to open up the world, and to make all the people have a court. There is something to be gained from eating the twilight."
"To establish eternal peace!"
Xunzi was silent. Even with his perspective, he could not help but be shocked by Ying Zheng's dream.
The world has been in chaos for hundreds of years, and no one has thought about unifying the world.
The Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period thought of dominating among the princes, and thought of respecting the king and fighting off the barbarians, but even now, no one has ever thought of unifying the world.
Xunzi admitted that even he himself had never thought of unifying the world as a solution to the war.
But this is not Xunzi's pedantry, but the limitations of the times.
In this era, there was no unified thought proposed by the Gongyang School of Confucianism in later generations, and the concept of Huaxia had not entered the hearts of the people. Even before the decline of the Zhou royal family, people were more willing to call themselves Zhao people, Qin people, Chu people, Qi people, not Zhou people or other names.
The characteristics of the times constrained the thoughts of these great talents, so even Xunzi never thought of these.
"Unification?" Xunzi murmured, but he was not a young man like Gai Nie. He would be fooled by Ying Zheng's few words into violating Zongheng's distribution and working for Ying Zheng. He asked, "What can Qin do?" Are you there?"
"Qin can do it. In less than twenty years, Master Xun will be able to witness Qin's unification of the world."
Zhang Ji's words were full of confidence, but Xunzi didn't understand why Zhang Ji was so confident. Was he confident in his own abilities? Or confidence in Ying Zheng?
Moreover, although the alliance of the various countries in Shandong has not yet been formally formed and they are still in the process of dispatching troops and generals, it is a foregone conclusion that the alliance will attack Qin.
Today, the survival of the Qin State is still a matter of debate, but Ying Zheng and Zhang Ji don't seem to worry at all about whether the Qin State can successfully survive this disaster.
In a trance, Xunzi suddenly saw a shadow on Zhang Ji's body, a person who was obviously "dead" but had chatted with him in his prime. That person was also full of confidence in the state of Qin.
(2401 words)
(End of chapter)
