In the eighth year of Yuanfeng, on February 25th, he became ugly.
Zhao Xu got up early in the morning and had just finished washing.
Lao Zongyuan, a minister next to Empress Dowager Gao, was ordered to send the "Spring and Autumn Annals" written by Empress Dowager Gao herself.
Zhao Xu took it, followed the etiquette, and thanked Empress Dowager Gao. He also wrote a simple letter of thanks in his own handwriting, handed it to Lao Zongyuan, and ordered it to be presented to Empress Dowager Gao.
After seeing off Lao Zongyuan, Zhao Xu opened the book "Spring and Autumn Gu Liang Biography" and its answers that Empress Dowager Gao had sent back. After a few glances, a smile appeared on Zhao Xu's lips.
"As expected, my mother-in-law invited off-site support!"
How much Confucian attainments did Empress Dowager Gao have? Zhao Xu still didn’t know?
Even in the late Yuanyou period, the level of Queen Mother Gao in Confucianism was roughly equivalent to that of a student from the lower school in Taixue or a special Jinshi - similar to a modern high school dropout. It is amazing. He is a scumbag with three academics and knows a little bit about scientific knowledge. , but not much.
No matter what Fan Chunren, Su Che, or Lu Dafang said, as long as no one was around to remind her, she would usually say: yes, yes, yes.
Except for the fact that he has matured compared to the beginning in terms of power and tactics.
Almost everything else depends on the minister.
Therefore, with just a glance, Zhao Xu knew that Empress Dowager Gao was not at this level.
Even if these words are indeed the handwriting of Empress Dowager Gao.
But the content and ideological core of the text are not at the level that Queen Mother Gao should have.
Moreover, Zhao Xu could tell whose handiwork this was!
"Zeng Zixuan!" Zhao Xu was too familiar with Zeng Bu.
Realizing that if Zeng Bu twisted his butt, Zhao Xu could guess what he was going to say!
but……
Zhao Xu held up his pen and thought of all the things he had seen in modern times.
This Zengzi Xuan Zengbu was not a loyal minister!
At least, to Zhao Xu, this guy is not trustworthy.
reason?
Zeng Bu is spreading rumors!
The rumor spread that Zhao Xu died immediately!
Not only that, this guy also said that Zhao Xu’s sheep tail is smooth!
In modern times, when Zhao Xu saw the contents of Zeng Bu's personal notes, he suddenly felt like a hundred thousand grass and mud horses running past.
Is this something a loyal minister can do?
Even if you take ten thousand steps back, Zhao Xu will definitely die immediately, but you are a minister and you don’t understand the taboos of a king?
He also wrote it openly in his own notes and publicized it widely.
Is this true?
For this reason alone, Zeng Bu was almost relegated to another book when he was with Zhao Xu.
Maybe he can use it, but if he wants Zhao Xu to trust him, it will be impossible.
Spreading out the text in the book sent by Empress Dowager Gao, Zhao Xu began to examine what Empress Dowager Gao had answered.
Previously, Zhao Xu wanted to maintain contact with Empress Dowager Gao, and at the same time, he also wanted to create an opportunity for Empress Dowager Gao to 'teach' him personally.
Therefore, Zhao Xu basically only included the texts from Gu Liang Chun Qiu Li, Yin AD 1 and 2.
Most of the questions were asked about the first and second years of Yin AD.
The rest were just marked randomly, indicating that they had not yet understood them.
In the first year of Yin AD, in the history books of the Spring and Autumn Period, the famous Duan Yu of Zheng Bo happened in Yan.
Gu Liang Chunqiu commented on this: Uncle Duan was a fool for causing rebellion and should be killed, but Uncle Zheng was wrong to kill him because Uncle Zheng deliberately allowed Uncle Duan to cause rebellion. The correct approach should be to ignore Uncle Duan and govern the country with peace of mind.
Academically, Gu Liang derived from this the principle of concealment between relatives.
Regarding this section, Zhao Xu deliberately asked: If Uncle Zheng captures him but does not kill him, and teaches Uncle Duan with benevolence, justice, etiquette, and law, what will Uncle Duan do to Uncle Zheng?
It seems to be full of kindness and forgiveness, but in fact it is full of malice.
It is a metaphor for how Zhao Xu dealt with his second uncle, now King Yong, and later King Xu, Zhao Hao, in his previous life - disgusting him! Torturing him with the reason 'I am doing this for Uncle Wang's good'!
So, within three years, King Xu Zhao Hao died in pain, despair and endless nausea.
Zhao Xu did not kill anyone and did not harm his reputation at all, but he let a prince die in pain, humiliation and despair, and he could not complain to anyone!
At the same time, this is also Zhao Xu’s attitude towards Confucianism.
A tool!
Use it if it fits, discard it if it doesn't.
As long as necessary, Zhao Xu can use Confucius' spear to attack Mencius' shield without any psychological barriers.
This is Zhao Xu’s biggest achievement in studying abroad in modern times.
Ten years of studying abroad allowed him to complete the disenchantment of Confucianism!
The flood of information on the Internet has also destroyed all the sacred Confucian halo that Confucian scholar-bureaucrats once bestowed upon him.
Duke Zhou, Confucius, and Mencius are all just symbols.
The most important thing is that Zhao Xu is using these words to gradually and subtly implant his attitude into the mind of Empress Dowager Gao.
It will facilitate his various operations in the future.
Empress Dowager Gao's answer, or Zeng Bu's answer, was exactly what Zhao Xu meant.
"If Uncle Zheng captures Uncle Duan but does not kill him, but instead teaches Uncle Duan with benevolence and righteousness and teaches him rituals, this is the way for saints to stay close to each other! If this is the case, then there will be a good story above "Spring and Autumn", and the emperor will get it. A loyal minister will give the world a virtuous king!"
Zhao Xu looked at the answer and smiled sarcastically.
Of course people today don’t know the story and context behind Zheng Bo Duan Yu Yan.
But Zhao Xu studied abroad in modern times and completed this period of history that was forgotten by Confucius and Tai Shigong.
The entire Eastern Zhou Dynasty, from the very beginning, the country was not upright!
King Ping of Zhou killed his father and brother, his king and his uncle!
The upper beam is not straight and the lower beam is crooked. Uncle Zheng killed Uncle Duan, just imitating King Ping.
But, it doesn’t matter!
Because Confucianism is not a historian in the first place, no Confucian scholar has ever really thought about going back to the third generation - those who really think so will not be able to reach high positions.
Everyone is telling their own stories under the banner of Confucius and Mencius.
This is also a characteristic of Song Dynasty literature.
Look at Sansu, look at Ercheng, look at two pieces, look at Shao Yong, look at Wang Anshi...
Everyone is like this.
The only person these guys are hiding from is the emperor in the palace.
As for Zhao Xu, he had no choice but to believe these people's stories.
Otherwise, what else can be done? Going to debate the Bible?
I don’t have the effort, the time, and the energy.
Instead of debating scripture, it is better to make use of it.
Didn’t you talk about hiding from each other?
Aren't you saying that the beauty of a gentleman is the beauty of being a gentleman, and the evil of being a gentleman?
Don’t you like a filial son to praise his father’s beauty but not his father’s evil?
good!
Pen for you! Come and write.
Before his father's bones were cold, his hard work was wasted and he was demoted to a general.
Is this hiding from each other? Is this the beauty of adulthood? Is this the beauty of Yang’s father?
The Queen Mother!
If you think about it carefully, what path will the Song Dynasty take?
Therefore, this is actually the test question that Zhao Xu gave to Empress Dowager Gao and Sima Guang, who was about to enter the capital.
Please answer the emperor’s question!
Although I am young, I still admire the way of saints, I still fulfill the responsibilities of a filial son, and I still remain loyal to father and son.
This is an invisible pressure.
It is also a silent message.
Borrowing the power of Empress Dowager Gao, Zhao Xu's voice was subtly released.
Zhao Xu knows that there are many smart people in this world.
The most important thing is that the old party has never been monolithic.
If you don’t believe it, go and interview Sima Guang, Fan Zhen, Cheng Yi, Shao Bowen, Su Shi, Su Che, and Fan Chunren.
In Zhao Xu's previous life, during the Yuanyou period, these people and their disciples accused each other of being villains of the evil party, traitors and sycophants, and they beat everyone inside and outside the court.
At that time, Zhao Xu had to eat melon for nine years!
"Liu Lang, I..." Zhao Xu said with a smile while writing, "I am just an eight-year-old child, with childish words... Where are you gentlemen?"
After returning to his youth, Zhao Xu quickly found his advantage - just like when he woke up in the new century - his youth!
This was his biggest disadvantage!
Now, it has become one of Zhao Xu's advantages.
I'm still just a child!