Happy Little Scholar

The old man from Qi looked at the young man who came out of the crowd, and his calm face finally showed a trace of expression.

He frowned slightly, raised his head and looked at Emperor Jing above and asked: "Your Majesty, are you sure that you want this person to represent Jing to debate the classics with me?"

The envoys from Qi also showed dissatisfaction on their faces. How noble is Mr. Meng's status? In Qi, even His Majesty treats the old man with courtesy. In their opinion, even the great Confucian scholars of Jing are far inferior to Mr. Meng. In such a crucial competition, Jing actually sent such a junior. Isn't this damaging to Mr. Meng's status?

"Your Majesty, don't joke. Since I said that Li Xianzi will play, I will naturally not regret it." Emperor Jing waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, old man, whether this game is a win or a loss, my Jing country will recognize it."

The envoys from Qi heard this and pooh-poohed in their hearts. It's still a win or a loss..., do you have a chance of winning?

"Your Majesty, please think twice!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, this is absolutely not allowed..."

"Li Xianzi is too young after all, let Zhou Daxueshi go."

All the officials did not care that the Qi envoy was still present, and they all spoke out to persuade him. Even though Li Xianzi defeated Qi's genius in poetry yesterday, what we are competing for today is the classics, which are real talents and knowledge, and we must not play any tricks!

"You don't need to say more, my mind is made up." As soon as Emperor Jing opened his mouth, he broke all the fantasies of the courtiers.

The old generals leaned lazily against the pillars, watching the anxious civil servants curl their lips. When has your Majesty ever disappointed the courtiers? Since he thinks that Li Xiaozi can do it, how can he not win?

It was hard to describe the expression on the face of Li Mingze, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Personnel. From the beginning to the end, he didn't know how capable his nephew was...

On the contrary, Prime Minister Qin remained silent and looked at Li Yi with a meaningful look. No one knew the horror of the old man of Qi better than him. Why did His Majesty think that Li Yi could win?

The envoy of Qi was still in the palace, and the competition had already begun. Even if the court officials were unwilling, they could only shut their mouths at this time.

They looked at the two people in the palace with slightly desperate eyes. One was young and very handsome, and the other had a face like a dry pine and was very old. How nice it would be if the competition today was about who was more handsome?

Forget it, at least I won a literary test, so it was not too embarrassing. If I won the martial arts test beautifully, the lost face could still be saved.

After Emperor Jing spoke, the old man surnamed Meng stopped talking and turned to look at Li Yi, asking: "Be virtuous and close to the nine clans. When the nine clans are harmonious, the people will be governed equally. When the people are enlightened, the nations will be in harmony... Why?"

The faces of the court officials began to become solemn, and from now on, the competition officially began.

The great Emperor Wenzong did not make things difficult for Li Xianzi at first. He asked a famous sentence in the first chapter of the Book of Documents, The Canon of Yao. Anyone who has read some books would know this sentence.

If Li Xianzi could not even answer this sentence, there would be no need to continue the competition.

"From the Book of Documents, The Canon of Yao." Li Yi thought that the old man was quite honest. He liked this kind of question the most. He just read it directly according to the Thirteen Classics.

"Be able to show outstanding virtue and be close to the nine clans. Appoint those who are able to show outstanding virtue and be close to the great-great-grandson of the great-great-grandson. When the nine clans are harmonious, the people will be governed by justice. "有" means "finished". "People" means all officials. It means to transform the nine clans and make them peaceful and bright. When the people are bright and clear, the nations will be in harmony . The people will be peaceful in times of change. "赵" also means "明". "xie" means "合". "里" means "中". ". It means that all the people in the world are changing and becoming better, so the customs are in harmony."

No one was surprised that Li Yi could answer this sentence, but his choice of words made several university scholars' eyes light up, because this was almost a standard answer. It was not surprising that a well-read scholar could give such an answer, but it had a very different meaning when it was said by a young man.

At least let them know that Li Xianzi's attainments in the classics were much better than they imagined.

The old man surnamed Meng nodded, with a hint of admiration on his face, and did not speak again.

The young man's answer was really impeccable. He couldn't find any fault with the interpretation or the sentence.

Li Yi was naturally familiar with the rules of the competition. If the old man opposite him didn't ask questions, it would be his turn. Since he was so kind to him just now, he would not make things difficult for him. He asked: "The Duke of Qi Yu Huan, his wife Jiang came from Qi..."

"Gongyang Zhuan, the third year of Duke Huan, September." Before Li Yi finished speaking, the old man surnamed Meng said calmly.

Most of the officials in the court were still thinking hard about where this sentence came from. When they heard it, they looked up at the old man of Qi in astonishment, and were shocked.

To what extent was this great scholar familiar with the Thirteen Classics?

Zhou Daxueshi shook his head. The Thirteen Classics were extremely important classics. The scholar of Qi was probably familiar with every sentence in them, and it was not difficult for him at all.

"The Duke of Qi Yu Huan, his wife Jiang came from Qi..., from which page, which paragraph, which line of Gongyang Zhuan?"

Li Yi looked at the old man surnamed Meng and thought to himself: "Let you show off!"

The old man surnamed Meng's expression froze. He had already thought about how to ask the next question, but the words he wanted to say were stuck in his throat.

Grand Scholar Zhou opened his mouth wide, and the officials stared with their eyes wide open, some of them didn't believe their ears.

Debate------Can you ask this question?

Emperor Jing shrank back slightly behind the dragon throne, stretched out a hand to rub his eyebrows---and covered his face by the way.

Before the third prince of Qi had lost his expression of disbelief, an envoy of Qi had already reacted, stepped forward, and said loudly: "How can this be absurd? What kind of question is this?"

"No?" Li Yi ignored the envoy of Qi, turned his head and looked at the eunuch who had just read out the rules, and asked: "Is there a rule that prohibits asking this question?"

The eunuch was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and said: "No..., no. As long as the question is included in the meaning of the classics, it's fine."

The officials looked at each other. Of course, there is no such rule, but everyone is a scholar and has to save face. Who would really ask this question?

This kind of question is meaningless at all!

But according to the rules of the debate, Li Xianzi's questioning method------seems not impossible.

After all, his question did not exceed the scope of the classics. If he really knew the Thirteen Classics very well, he might be able to answer this question.

However, looking at the appearance of the great literary master of Qi, he seemed..., not familiar with it to this extent.

The Qi envoy's face flushed. After the old man surnamed Meng waved his hand, he glared at Li Yi fiercely and retreated helplessly.

The old man surnamed Meng looked at Li Yi and said, "I really don't know your question, but can you answer this question?"

The officials looked strange. This great Emperor Wenzong might have been really confused by the question asked by Li Xianzi just now. Since Li Xianzi could ask such a question, how could he not be prepared at all?

It seems that the reason why His Majesty let Li Xianzi play this time was that he had already expected this scene. It was difficult to win head-on, so he used a surprise tactic. His Majesty is indeed His Majesty!

"Is this the second question, old sir?" Li Yi asked the old man surnamed Meng.

The old man said calmly: "If you can't even answer your question, then according to the rules, I can't be considered a loser."

Li Yi nodded and said: "When the Duke of Qi Yu Huan came, his wife Jiang came from Qi..., it comes from the eighth page, sixth paragraph, third line of Gongyang Zhuan."

In the era of plate printing, it is undoubtedly difficult to write a book. Some great Confucian scholars can't publish a book in their lifetime. Although these Confucian classics have been circulated for hundreds and thousands of years, they are not like the later generations where there are dozens or hundreds of versions of a book. The people of Jing and Qi actually read the same Gongyang Zhuan, so there is only one answer to Li Yi's question.

Eunuchs had already brought the Gongyang Zhuan, and Zhou Daxueshi personally confirmed that Li Xianzi's answer was exactly the same.

The old man had already thought that since Li Yi could ask such a question, he would definitely be able to answer it. He felt that a great Wenzong was humiliated by a junior, and he was slightly angry. He looked at him and asked, "If that's the case, tell me that the relationship between father and son is the greatest human relationship. Father and son are about grace, and monarch and minister are about respect... Which book is this from, which page, which line?"

All the officials sighed in their hearts. Although Li Xianzi's trick was wonderful, it could only be used once. If the other party asked the same question, he would definitely not be able to answer it.

The Qi envoy's face showed a smug look. What if the army came up with a surprise move? In the end, it was just shooting itself in the foot...

Li Yi thought for a while, then smiled and said, "Mencius, Gongsun Chouxia, page 12, paragraph 5, line 13."

The old man surnamed Meng had no expression on his face. All the officials sighed in their hearts. Even if Li Xianzi made up an answer casually, it would be denied in a while, and it would be useless.

Fortunately, Hongwenguan was not far from Lizheng Hall. After a while, an eunuch brought the book "Mencius" and handed it to Zhou Daxueshi. Zhou Daxueshi shook his head, turned a few pages, and said: "Mencius Gongsun Chouxia, page 12, paragraph 5, line 13, it says..., father and son at home, monarch and minister outside, it is the great relationship of man. Father and son are the master of grace, monarch and minister, monarch and minister..." Finally realizing something, Zhou Daxueshi raised his head suddenly, staring at Li Yi, breathing rapidly, and didn't know that the book "Mencius" in his hand fell to the ground. "How is this possible?" The old man surnamed Meng finally raised his head, with a deep disbelief in his turbid old eyes. He strode over, picked up the book "Mencius", and turned it quickly. After a while, he slowly closed the book, took a deep breath, and when he looked at Li Yi again, the expression on his face was completely different. [ps: It’s a bit late. This one has 3,000 words, which is not short. I will go back to the dormitory to rest and continue to return it tomorrow. ]