Chapter 129 Fang Xiaoru’s Countermeasures
Fang Xiaoru was also sitting in the middle of the upper hand at this moment, which was just to the side of the prince's position.
Qi De sat next to Fang Xiaoru and said, "Bachelor, do you understand the steam engine?"
Fang Xiaoru said: "Of course I understand. It can be said to be the sacred object of the new learning. It can replace the power of humans and animals. It is a clear proof of He Xi's productivity theory. Your majesty allows the ministers to observe it in such a big way. Isn't it just to show the power of the new learning to the world? We and others Isn’t it possible to use old learning?”
Qi De said worriedly: "Doesn't that bachelor have a way to deal with it?"
For many people, the new law and the old law are still entangled in many superficial things, such as patriarchal laws, relatives, destiny, etiquette, etc. But great scholars like Fang Xiaoru have long understood what He Xi is thinking, just like He Xi also understands what Fang Xiaoru and others are thinking.
At this level, there is no strategic misjudgment at all.
Does everyone know what the other person is going to do? The only thing I don't understand is probably what the opponent is going to do.
Fang Xiaoru's understanding of He Xi's theory even surpassed that of many of He Xi's students. That's why he summed it up well. He Xi's actions are always consistent with his origins. It is to develop productivity. Everything else is there for this purpose.
And Zied understands this very well.
In the past, steam engines were machines that could replace people's work. In the eyes of many people, it is just a fantasy. But now Hexi has actually created it, and the shock it brings to people's minds is indescribable.
Chinese people are very realistic at heart.
One thing, no matter how you talk about it, it's so exciting. They are all false. But once it becomes useful. Many people will actively participate in it.
Nowadays, anyone who is not a fool can understand the usefulness brought by the steam engine.
Even before the steam engine demonstration, many people judged that there was no problem with this demonstration and there could be no problem. The problem is later. Even Zide is worried that after today, many scholar-bureaucrats will defect.
Fang Xiaoru said: "It doesn't matter. If he beats his, I'll beat mine. But brother Qi, do you think we need to revise the sacred science?"
Qi De calmed down when he saw Fang Xiaoru acting like this. After all, Fang Xiaoru has assisted the prince for ten years and has become the backbone of the prince's faction. Even among the prince faction, it can be said that the tail is strong and cannot be lost.
He naturally has some authority over his subordinates.
Fang Xiaoru said there was no problem, so there should be no problem. Qi De thought about Fang Xiaoru's question, pondered for a moment, and said: "Articles are written according to the time, and songs and poems are written according to the matter. The Tao of Confucius and Mencius, which entered the Han Dynasty, was divided into ancient and modern texts. In the Tang and Song Dynasties, there was a theory of Taoism , and now, after the catastrophe of the former Song Dynasty, there are no articles in Mongolia. We should collect the articles of the sages and establish new ones to reflect future generations."
Fang Xiaoru said: "Yes, we should carry on the past and open up the future, continue to inherit the saints, be the lineage of Taoism, and make a voice for the world. I cannot do this alone. Brother Qi, I also need a lot of help."
Qitai smiled bitterly and said, "I have little knowledge, so I'm afraid I won't be able to help."
Fang Xiaoru said: "It doesn't matter, if we gather like-minded people, we will eventually achieve something."
This is the impact He Xi has brought.
Generally speaking, the academic trend of thought at the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty was the revival of Neo-Confucianism. Practical learning was also upheld by many scholar-bureaucrats, the most typical of whom was Liu Bowen. Liu Ji, Yao Guangxiao, counselors who assisted various princes in their struggle for world supremacy, and even Luo Guanzhong. That one is a Neo-Confucian scholar.
But after the late Ming Dynasty, this trend of thought became silent.
Among them, it is said that the last influential work was a note written by Yao Guangxiao in Yongle, which was not about Neo-Confucianism. But it has become a lonely story. Even Emperor Yongle, for the sake of his orthodox status, vigorously developed and promoted Confucianism and compiled many books, such as the Complete Collection of Four Books and Five Classics, etc. The Neo-Confucianism was truly identified as an official school and the doctrines were unified. Even for a long time, learning was conducted in the official government. Sanyang was an assistant minister of the imperial court, and he also became a master of learning in the world.
However, under He Xi's stimulation, Fang Xiaoru clearly discovered a problem, that is, the old Neo-Confucianism could no longer adapt to He Xi's new offensive.
Any theory must explain reality.
The theory before He Xi was not yet reality. Fang Xiaoru can be ignored. But things are different now. The steam engine had become a reality. The many things He Xi did in Beijing were dazzling. But what is it essentially?
Essentially, He Xi took Chaotian's seven to eight million taels of silver and accomplished something that would have taken only one to twenty million taels.
Fang Xiaoru could no longer ignore this.
Fang Xiaoru must explain the problem raised by He Xi within the framework of Confucianism.
If Fang Xiaoru was an ordinary corrupt scholar, he would naturally be conservative and unwilling to make any changes. But the problem is that Song Lian valued Fang Xiaoru for a reason. Fang Xiaoru did not agree with many of Song Lian's theories academically. There is a lot of innovation. 33
It is not without reason that Fang Xiaoru is called the seed of reading by people all over the world.
Fang Xiaoru must create a Confucian framework that can accommodate He Xi's productivity theory and scientific theory. This is actually the New Confucianism that many people in later generations want to create. It can even be said that what He Xi has been doing has the same goal.
After all, He Xi's Confucian attainments were not even worthy of carrying Fang Xiaoru's shoes. Therefore, in Fang Xiaoru's view, what He Xi created was just a mechanical copycat and a mess. It couldn't be described as full of loopholes.
Of course, Fang Xiaoru's purpose of doing this was completely different from He Xi's.
This is a competition for the highest power of interpretation, so as to take the initiative in reform. If reform must be carried out, it cannot be carried out under the auspices of He Xi.
This is also what Fang Xiaoru did as a last resort in the face of He Xi's pressing pressure. The reason why he told Qi De was because there were the most corrupt scholars in the world. There are only a few people who can understand Fang Xiaoru's thoughts.
Fang Xiaoru had to choose the people he liked one by one, form a small group, and then tell others.
As the leader of a faction, He Xi has to win over nobles who are trying to take advantage of him and want to blame him. Fang Xiaoru also had the same problem. The idea of most scholar-bureaucrats is actually very simple, that is, to return to the past.
Before this, it was not just the Hongwu period, but earlier, that is, the Yuan Dynasty.
After all, the Yuan Dynasty's connivance with local forces can be said to be unprecedented. Zhu Yuanzhang said that Yuan Yikuan died. But for many scholar-bureaucrats and local scholars, this is what they long for most. But Fang Xiaoru has discovered it keenly. Whether he wants it or not, the wheels of history have turned, and it is no longer possible to go back to the past.
As a politician, you have to win people's hearts, but you cannot let yourself be intimidated by those below. This is a test of everyone's ability. Prince, Fang Xiaoru, He Xi and many others are facing this problem.
Of course, this problem did not exist at all when Zhu Yuanzhang was here.
When a person is strong enough, these things can be ignored.
Then, there were several quiet whip sounds. The entire venue fell silent instantly.
Zhu Yuanzhang and the prince, surrounded by many talents, slowly entered the venue. Everyone stood together and saluted: "Greetings to your majesty, paying homage to your highness the prince."
Zhu Yuanzhang didn't see anything else except a few more white hairs. But the prince was obviously weak and lost some weight. It's just that his eyes are bright and energetic, and he seems to be in good spirits, but if you look closely, he looks a bit strong on the outside but dry on the inside.
I don’t know if his current mental state is a false fire.
Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and asked the people below to get up. He sat directly on his dragon chair, while the prince was right behind Zhu Yuanzhang, one position behind. Also take a seat.
Zhu Yuanzhang and the prince hadn't spoken to each other for a long time.
There is not much communication between father and son.
At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the prince's body and felt a little distressed, and said: "You are not in good health, so you won't come today. Taking good care of your body is the most important thing."
The prince coughed twice and said: "Such a big event will definitely go down in history. How can I be absent?"
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Well, after seeing this steam engine, you and I, father and son, also want to talk."
Some people died, but not completely...
