Pawn Crossing the River

Zhang Yuelu had already understood: "There are no two days in the sky."

Qi Xuansu hesitated and said, "Uncle, are you talking about the imperial court?"

Zhang Kuqi smiled calmly: "During the previous Wei Dynasty, Confucianism hid behind the scenes and controlled the court. If something didn't suit their liking, they would change the emperor. The so-called emperor was just a puppet in the hands of the Confucianism."

"Confucianism penetrated deeply into the Wei court. Confucianism did not come forward directly. Instead, it restricted the royal family through civil servants and many secret means. The previous dynasties of Taizu and Taizong were fine, and they relied on the royal family. Starting from Renzong and Xuanzong, civilian officials gradually suppressed military officials. By the time of Xianzong, Xiaozong, and Wuzong, the power of civilian officials reached its peak. Except for Xianzong, the deaths of Xiaozong and Wuzong were all related to Confucianism. The relationship is inseparable. For example, the imperial court judge at that time was an expert placed in the royal family by the Confucian sect. Under his hands, two generations of emperors were cured and killed, but he was able to escape unscathed. Instead, the Minister of Civil Affairs, who was known as the Heavenly Official, lost his official position."

"Emperor Sejong is the successor to the great dynasty from a foreign vassal. He was not born in a deep palace. He is better than a woman. He is the brother of Xu Wugui, the local master. His intelligence is not inferior to that of Xu Wugui. But even Emperor Sejong has to be controlled. In the hands of Confucianism."

"Sejong's mentor and his mastermind made great contributions to Sejong's ascension to the throne. Sejong promoted him from the royal palace chief to the cabinet minister and the minister of rites. However, he died of a sudden illness within four months."

"Sejong ascended the throne at the age of fourteen and had no children for more than ten years. He had to seek help from Taoists and took Taoist elixirs. He had his first son at the age of twenty-six. If Sejong had not sought help from Taoists, wouldn't he have followed the example of Wuzong? The emperor had no sons to succeed him? But even so, the eldest son and the second son died successively. When Sejong died in his sixties, only one son and one daughter were left, and all the other eleven were dead. . Even in ordinary people’s homes, there are not so many children dying.”

"In addition, Sejong was also assassinated by a palace coup and almost died. When Sejong was dying, everyone excused themselves because they were afraid of crime and wanted to sit back and watch Sejong die. Fortunately, a few Daoist men risked their lives to save him. A few months later, the Taoist master died suddenly, and the cause of death was fright."

"As for things like palaces catching fire and falling into the water, there are countless more."

"There are all these things, once is a coincidence, twice is a coincidence, if it happens again and again, is it still a coincidence?"

"It can be seen from this that the Confucian sect has a deep control over the imperial court. However, the emperors also fought back many times. From the governor's office of Qingluan Guard to the eunuchs of the inner court, and then to the Yindao sect as foreign aid, they and the Confucian sect had a mutual victory or defeat, to a certain extent. The Confucian sect was suppressed, and the Taoist sects were able to participate in the government, which laid the foundation for the Taoist sect to later replace the Confucian sect.”

Zhang Yuelu obviously knew this a long time ago and was not surprised. He just drank tea boredly.

But this was the first time Qi Xuansu heard it. While shocked, he vaguely guessed what Zhang Kuqi was going to say.

The Confucian sect controlled the Wei court behind the scenes, so how did the Dao sect get along with the Daxuan court? How did the Daxuan emperors of the past dynasties view Taoism?

Qi Xuansu couldn't help but repeat Zhang Yuelu's words: "There is no double sun in the sky."

Zhang Kuqi stopped smiling: "There is only one sun in the sky, and there will never be a second sun. But in addition to the sun, there is also a moon in the sky. There is only one moon in the sky, and it shines everywhere on the ground."

Qi Xuansu learned a lot of things at Wanxiang Academy, but he emphasized martial arts and despised literature. He didn't have too much ink in his stomach, but he still understood this sentence because the Xuan Sheng tablet contained this: "Uncle is talking about Confucianism. What is the truth behind the sage’s ‘moon seals the myriad rivers’?”

Zhang Kuqi glanced at Qi Xuansu with admiration: "The moon is reflected in thousands of rivers, and one moon hangs high in the night sky, but countless moons can be seen in the rivers and lakes of the world, and countless moons eventually return to one moon. Everything has a Tai Chi, and everyone has a Tai Chi. There is a Tai Chi, there is a Tai Chi for everything, and there is a Tai Chi at all times, like the moon reflecting on all the rivers, appearing in all water in one month, all the water captured in one month, spreading in the rivers and lakes, everywhere.”

Qi Xuansu hesitated and said: "Uncle is saying that the Taoist Gate is the moon. Although it is hidden under the light of the sun, as long as there is a basin of water, another moon can be printed."

Zhang Kuqi said meaningfully: "I don't dare to make a judgment about what the Taoist sect is like. I'm afraid the deputy head masters and great masters don't dare to make a judgment. But in the eyes of the imperial court, the Taoist sect is probably like this." Can the shining mountains and rivers accommodate so many moons?"

Qi Xuansu remembered what Zhang Yuelu once said and directly borrowed it: "The imperial court is the sun and the yang, and the Taoist sect is the moon and the yin. Yin and yang form Tai Chi. Only when you have me and I have you can you achieve harmony and perfection. Isn't this exactly what Xuan Su said?" Is this the original intention of Emperor Shenghe Gaozu?”

Zhang Yuelu, who was drinking tea, sounded familiar and couldn't help but glance at Qi Xuansu.

Qi Xuansu just pretended not to see it.

"But what if some people don't think so?" Zhang Kuqi asked, "In other words, what if some people don't recognize the original intentions of Xuansheng and Emperor Gaozu?"

Qi Xuansu was speechless.

Zhang Yuelu said: "The practice of truth must ultimately be through force. If we can't win on the battlefield, no matter how much we debate the scriptures, it will be useless."

Zhang Juqi glanced at his daughter helplessly: "We can't continue talking now."

Zhang Yuelu changed the topic and took out the piece of "Qianqiu Guangmo" he had prepared.

Although Zhang Yuelu paid for both gifts, that one was given in the name of Qi Xuansu after all. Zhang Juqi could not open it directly due to etiquette, but there is no need to be more particular about his daughter's gift. Zhang Juqi He opened it directly and his eyes lit up: "I heard from your cousin that you gave your brother-in-law a piece and you haven't prepared a gift for her yet. She is very sad. I am also worried that you have forgotten me as a father."

Zhang Yuelu said: "Husband and wife are one and the same, so why should they be so clearly separated? What's more, my sister is rich and lacks nothing, so forget it."

"How can there be such a reason?" Zhang Juqi shook his head helplessly, "You are not good at this, you must change it."

Zhang Yuelu was noncommittal, but did not resist.

Obviously, the relationship between father and daughter does not follow the Confucian tradition of father and son.

Zhang Kuqi said apologetically: "Tianyuan, please wait here while I go to the study."

"Uncle, please help yourself." Qi Xuansu stood up and said.

"Just in time, I'll take the gift over." Zhang Yuelu took the gift aside and followed his father.

Zhang Kuqi didn't refuse. Their family was really not the kind of family that thrived on food. It was true that they had servants, but they were only responsible for ordinary housework. They did many small things that they could do by themselves.

Qi Xuansu sat alone in the living room.

Not long after, Zhang Yuelu and his daughter did not come back, but two women came in from outside.

One of them, Qi Xuansu, recognized him as Zhang Yuyue. The other woman was much older, and she was about five points similar to Zhang Yuelu, but her aura was far colder than Zhang Yuelu's. This was not because of the cold beauty's rejection of others, but because she lacked the warmth and warmth. On the other hand, Zhang Yuelu, whether he is scholarly or naive, always has an ideal romantic color, less indifference and more enthusiasm.

This is the famous Tantai Lady Tantai Qiong. Not only are he and Zhang Yuelu at two extremes in terms of temperament, but his attitude towards Qi Xuansu and Zhang Kuqi are also at two extremes.

Qi Xuansu never expected that he would come face-to-face with this powerful enemy in such a narrow encounter.

Tantai Qiong waved her hand to Zhang Yuyue.

Zhang Yuyue understood, looked at Qi Xuansu with a gloating look, then turned around and left. Only Qi Xuansu and Tantai Qiong were left in the living room.

Qi Xuansu had already stood up and saluted respectfully.

Tantai Qiong was not so arrogant and went straight to the point: "Qi Xuansu, Qi Tianyuan, right? If I remember correctly, you are twenty-four years old this year. You were born in the Department of Aesthetics in Bingzi, Wanxiang Taoist Palace, and are currently the deacon of the Yaoguang Department of Tiangang Hall. The seventh-grade Taoist priest will soon be promoted to the sixth-grade Taoist priest and enjoy the treatment of the fifth-grade Taoist priest. , the master is Qi Haoran, a fourth-grade wine priest, who has passed away, suspected to have been killed by the assassin of the "Inn".

Qi Xuansu nodded: "Auntie knows it well and has worked hard."

Tantai Qiong's tone was calm, and there was no hint of emotion or anger: "For an orphan who was born in Wanxiang Taoist Palace, it is not easy to go from being a seventh-grade Taoist priest to being qualified to be promoted to a fifth-grade Taoist priest in just four months."

Qi Xuansu had an untimely realization that the psychology of fear is far more terrifying than the fear itself. The fear before the knife fell was even worse than after the knife fell. Before he saw Tantai Qiong, he was always full of anxiety, but when he actually saw Dantai Qiong After Tai Qiong, I felt somewhat relieved.

Qi Xuansu said: "It's really not easy. I almost lost my auntie's ability to see me. It would save me a lot of worry."

Tantai Qiong said with a smile but not a smile: "Risks and opportunities always coexist. Not only do you stand in front of me alive, but you also reach a higher level. If you come again a few times, I will have to look up to you. How can I dare to talk like this." "

Qi Xuansu leaned forward and said, "Auntie's words are serious."

Tantai Qiong was noncommittal: "Whether it's serious or not, I won't say for now, but in this regard, you are indeed very similar to Qingxiao. When I say something to her, she will repay me and never suffers. No wonder she likes you. After all, birds of a feather flock together.”

Qi Xuansu couldn't tell whether Tantai Qiong's words were praise or criticism for a while, so he had to remain silent.

However, Qi Xuansu still felt that there was more of a derogatory element. Rather than mother and daughter, they were clearly enemies.

Tantai Qiong added: "Zhinu Mo Ruomu, I thought Qingxiao would find someone to bring to the house to fool me and try to get away with it. She never wants to spend more time on such things, even if she fools I also feel perfunctory.”

"But there is no way, the child is no longer allowed to grow up. She has fallen into the eyes of the earth master, and is now the deputy hall master with real power. She is on the same level as me. Even if she fails to pass the test, as long as she can delay it until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, she will continue to return to Tiangang Hall to do the work. Her deputy hall leader, I am not the real person in charge of the hall, so I have no control over her. "

"But I didn't expect that she seemed to be serious. It really gave me a big surprise."