After leaving Linzi and walking northwest for more than ten miles, there is a small city called Zhi.
The city of Juyi is not large in scale, with a depth of about a hundred feet from east to west, but there are many guesthouses inside, giving the appearance of prosperous trade.
Perhaps because Zhouyi was built close to the capitals of neighboring countries, this place became a gathering point for travelers from all over the world, doing business, and envoys going to the capital.
The morning light is dim and it’s the hour of the unitary hour.
In a guest house on the west side of Zhouyi, three or five young scholars were sitting around an old man in his sixties who was taking a nap with his eyes closed.
All the scholars were silent or in deep thought.
The time for tea came in a flash, and the scholar near the door and window was the first to lose his composure. He stood up and bowed his hands to the sleeping old man and said, "Sir, do you really want to go out and return?"
There was a bit of confusion in Shizi's tone. Maybe I don’t understand why my husband made such a sudden decision, without even a hint of warning in advance.
After a tiring journey during the day, the old man was still sleeping with his head down and did not answer.
The scholar wanted to speak again, but the senior brother on the side stretched out his hand to stop him.
Gongsun Chou was a little helpless. He was not someone who was greedy for wealth. But as a native of Qi, he naturally hopes that his talents, learning and ambitions can be realized in his mother country.
He could actually guess a little bit, but it was nothing more than a discrepancy with the political views of King Qi.
But in this period, both the great countries of Qin, Qi, Wei, etc., as well as the countries of Zhongshan, Song, Yue, etc., are all adopting Legalist ideas, plotting reforms, enriching the army and strengthening the country. However, Confucianism's benevolence and righteousness have long lost popularity in this context of the collapse of rituals and music, or they have become a moral mask for the conspiracy of power.
The old man may have sensed his disciple's mood, so he raised his head and sighed softly.
The Qi State has strong soldiers and horses, but the King of Qi can be courteous to the virtuous and corporal soldiers, which is very valuable. This was also the main reason why he originally intended to accept the position of guest minister of Qi State and lecture at Jixia Academy at the same time.
But the path Qi took ultimately ran counter to the political ideas it pursued.
Hearing Master's sigh, senior brother Chong Yu suddenly asked: "Master seems to be a little unhappy in his heart. But a few days ago, Yu once heard Master say: 'A gentleman does not complain about heaven, nor blame others.'"
Hearing this, the teacher smiled and shook his head: "This moment is the same as that moment. In five hundred years, there must be a king, and among them there must be a famous assistant. From the Zhou Dynasty, he is more than 700 years old. Judging from the number of years, , then it is too much; judging from the current situation, it is okay. Maybe God does not intend to make the world peaceful. If you want to make the world peaceful, in this world today, who else but me? Why am I unhappy?"
After saying that, he turned to look at Gongsun Chou: "In the past, Shen Tong, the senior official of the King of Qi, asked me: 'Can Yan conquer it?' I replied: 'Yes.' They thought this statement was correct and went to conquer Yan. However, the people of Qi occupied Yan, but they stopped benevolent and righteous, and they suffered the consequences today. Qi followed it, but had a heart to disobey it. They have different ways, so they don't plan for each other."
After saying that, the old man shook his head again. Disciples have more or less their own ideas, which is normal. Even he himself stayed in Zhouyi out of repeated thoughts.
But since the disciples chose to follow him and leave Qi, they must still adhere to the political proposition of "people are the most important".
Perhaps the old man still hoped in his heart that King Qi would send someone to invite him back.
Qi is a big country, and the king of Qi has performed virtuous acts. He opened the Jixia Academy for scholars to spread the opinions of hundreds of schools of thought.
If we leave the state of Qi, which country can still realize its political ambitions?
At this moment, a knock on the door suddenly came from outside the house: "Sir, Doctor Chen Jia wants to see you."
Gongsun Chou, who was still a little depressed, his eyes suddenly brightened.
The other disciples also looked at Mr.
The old man nodded without joy.
After a while, Chen Jia, the official of Qi State, entered the house. Gongsun Chou and others stood up one after another and bowed and saluted.
Only the old man still leaned on the bed and fell asleep.
Chen Jia was a little unhappy, but thinking of what the king had said before leaving, he still had the patience to bow to the old man and said, "I heard that sir was about to leave, and I was confused, so I came here to ask for advice."
The old man opened his eyes and returned the salute: "Doctor, please speak."
Chen Jiadao: "May I ask, sir, who is Duke Zhou?"
The old man replied: "An ancient sage."
Chen Jia asked again: "Zhou Gong once sent Uncle Guan to supervise the descendants of the Yin people, but Uncle Guan led the Yin people to rebel. Is this true?"
The old man nodded and said nothing.
Chen Jia's eyes narrowed slightly: "If Duke Zhou knew that asking Guan Shu to govern Yin would lead to rebellion, would he still send Guan Shu there?"
The old man replied: "The Duke of Zhou doesn't know."
Chen Jia smiled and said, "Then sages can also make mistakes?"
The old man shook his head: "The Duke of Zhou is his younger brother, and he is the uncle of Guan. Isn't it very reasonable for Duke Zhou's faults? The gentlemen of ancient times would correct their mistakes; the gentlemen of today would let them develop if they had their faults. The gentlemen of ancient times, he Just like an eclipse of the sun or moon, all people can see his faults, and when he corrects his mistakes, all people will look up to him. Today's gentleman not only lets his faults develop naturally, but also makes up a set of words to explain them. Justify yourself.”
The specious answer not only made Chen Jia stunned, but also all the scholars who were listening were in a state of contemplation.
Meng Ke himself also suddenly woke up. Perhaps what he was waiting for was never King Qi's retention, but waiting for someone who could truly convince him.
Obviously, the King of Qi is not, and the State of Qi is not his final destination.
Chen Jia originally wanted to compare the King of Qi to the Duke of Zhou, and compare Guanshu's rebellion to the rebellion of Yan. But now it seems that Mencius has made up his mind to leave, and he has no ability to say that he will return, so he can only leave in anger.
When Chen Jia came out of the house, his disciple Wan Zhang bowed to him and said, "Master said goodbye to Qi Qing. Where do you want to return?"
Meng Ke lowered his head and thought. He led his disciples to lobby various countries for more than 20 years, but no country could implement his political ideas.
Today, there are very few people who can follow it, and even fewer who can follow it. Nowadays, the vassal states are united vertically and horizontally, and wars and killings are constant. Only a strong country and a wise king can implement benevolent government. However, most of those who practice benevolent government are weak countries who have too much time to take care of themselves.
Now he is in his sixties.
Perhaps, he has no chance in this life to realize what he admires: "The people are the most important, the country is the second, and the king is the least." '
With the thought together, Meng Ke had the heart to return to Zoudi.
However, Wan Zhang said at this time: "Zhang once heard that King Zhao changed the legal system, annexed the Rong and Di, taught the Rong and Di to practice Chinese etiquette, and accepted the leaders of hundreds of schools. Taoism, Dharma, and Mohism all followed King Zhao's rule. Subordinate. Master, why don’t you follow Zhao and his party?”
As soon as Meng Ke finished speaking, a disciple retorted: "The king of Zhao followed the policy of wearing Hu clothes, and the Zhao people wore Rong and Di clothes. How could they restore the Chinese etiquette?"
Wan Zhang turned to refute: "The change of Hu's clothes is the king's way. If Zhao State cannot follow the king's way, why should the Hu land be merged into Zhao land? Zhao's change of Hu's clothes will also make the Hu people practice Zhou rituals."
After saying that, he bowed to Meng Ke and said: "Zhang once heard that King Zhao said 'Great Harmony'. According to Zhang's rough interpretation, the meaning of Great Harmony may be: no difference, no conquest. Isn't this the way of benevolence and righteousness that the Master pursues?"
