The Nameless of the Common Clans

"Where are you going, Brother Meng De?" The team suddenly became a little quiet, which was still a bit uncomfortable for Chen Mo, who was used to the bustle. However, the people around him obviously did not dare to answer casually anymore, so Chen Mo could only talk to Cao Cao.

"Friends call me, let's go to Luoyang." Cao Cao was a familiar character, so it was not convenient for the two of them to talk, so he simply jumped into Chen Mo's car and sat side by side with him.

"It just so happens that I am also going to Luoyang to study, so I can go with Brother Cao." Chen Mo became interested after hearing this and began to ask Cao Cao for some tips on governing.

Cao Cao was the prime minister in Jinan. He was not afraid of the powerful, honest and upright. Chen Mo admired this kind of person the most. However, Cao Cao resigned and returned home a year after taking office. Chen Mo guessed that he was just like his teacher.

One of them has been in the official career for a long time, and the other is young and erudite. However, when he first entered the official career, he was able to be reserved, not exaggerated, not showy, and did not have the feeling of thinking too highly of himself. He was easy to get along with others and had unique insights. They talked with each other along the way. I am very happy, and I feel that I regret meeting each other too late.

"Master, Mr. Cao, eat some fruit." Juan'er handed the fruit plate to Chen Mo and Cao Cao.

"Juan'er doesn't call me sir anymore. I'm friends with your young master, so you can call me Mr. Cao. No one has called me Mr. Cao for many years." Cao Cao joked, looking at Juan'er's well-behaved appearance.

Chen Mo: "..."

After getting to know each other, he found that Cao Cao was not only knowledgeable but also quite thick-skinned. However, it was not difficult to understand after thinking about it. Wasn't his teacher also a humble gentleman in front of others? But in private, he is also quite witty and cheeky.

"Cao... Young Master Cao..." Juan'er bowed her hands and bowed. She didn't dare to follow the Young Master in front of outsiders, otherwise others would laugh at the Young Master's family background.

"Brother Meng De, please don't bully Juan'er. Come and eat some fruit. Brother Meng De has been away from Qingzhou for two years. It's a good time to try it." Chen Mo smiled and drew Cao Cao's attention back.

"Yes, after two years, Cao Cao's reputation in Qingzhou is not very good!" Cao Cao picked up a piece of fruit, shook his head and sighed.

He had offended Jinan's powerful people so badly that many gentry in Jinan fled to other places and only returned after he resigned.

"This favor has its advantages and disadvantages. Now it seems that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages." Chen Mo sighed after hearing this. Just as Cao Cao said, although Chen Mo admired him, in fact, even today, Cao Cao is in Qingzhou. Among the scholars, there were also many scoldings.

"Oh?" Cao Cao picked up a green fruit and threw it into his mouth. It was so sour that it hurt. He looked at Chen Mo and smiled and said, "My dear brother, which one is better, the rule of law or the rule of virtue?"

"In the final analysis, it is still governed by people." Chen Mo looked at the large river in the distance: "The advantage of the rule of law is that there are laws to follow, but everything is too much and too little, so it cannot be generalized. However, the advantage of rule by virtue is that it saves manpower, but it is too testy on individuals. Morality can change among people. To put it inappropriately, human nature is inherently selfish. What we scholars have learned is to eliminate these bad roots in human nature. However, even among virtuous people, how many people dare to say so? Are you completely unselfish?"

Chen Mo drew a Tai Chi circle on the chariot shaft with a pen, and said with a smile: "Throughout the ancient and modern times, most of the dynasties in the past have experienced wars and sufferings at the beginning of their establishment. Just like the anode in Tai Chi, the ancestors at that time Most of them wanted to make the dynasty strong. If the first few generations of emperors were wiser, they would be able to accomplish something. But just like the Tai Chi and Yang pole sounds, after the first generation, some drawbacks of the rule of virtue emerged. It relied too much on the consciousness of human nature. If human nature It is naturally good to be upward, but how can human nature remain upward without external constraints? Virtue governance actually has its own method, which is to restrain it through public opinion and morality, but this power is too weak, and there are At that time, the so-called high virtues could actually be forged. For example, although I have not left Qingzhou, my reputation has already begun to take shape. This is the public opinion. To put it in a villain's terms, it means that I am worthless, and it has spread to Brother Mengde. , roughly the same as now.”

"The descendants of highly virtuous people may not necessarily be virtuous, and people will always have some selfish motives. Even truly virtuous people hope that their descendants can live a better life. In this way, we can build momentum for them and let them enter official careers. , it is true that most of them are talented people, but there will always be deficiencies. The second generation will not be too powerful, but what about the fourth generation? In order to make their children and grandchildren prosperous, everyone joins forces to help each other. By building momentum and forming factions, there will be more and more bad people, and the new evil will become bigger and bigger!"

"So what about the rule of law?" Cao Cao's originally relaxed expression gradually turned serious.

"Like this." Chen Mo drew another circle, and then drew a line in the middle: "Good and evil are clearly distinct, but this is impossible."

"It requires a lot of manpower." Cao Cao groped his chin and nodded: "And as you said, those bad things will always appear due to human nature, and they will continue to try to destroy this line. Once destroyed, the result... "

"Yes, the sky is falling apart!" Chen Mo sighed and said: "Judging from the current situation, it is still possible to implement the rule of law in a state or even a county, but the premise is that the king must be a hero, and every generation must be ”

That's impossible.

Cao Cao sighed and said, "What the wise brother said is quite novel, but if you think about it carefully, it is still true. So, governance by virtue is better?"

"There is no better, only the worst." Chen Mo said with a smile: "From the pre-Qin Dynasty to the present, countless sages have actually been seeking the better method that my brother said. Today's Han law is actually not bad, but it is a pity that its implementation Problems can easily arise in society. For example, there are more and more unjust cases in various places. In fact, many times, it is because they are worried that these will affect political performance and they rush into things. Even if you know this, it is difficult to put an end to it. What is even more difficult to put an end to is the human heart, which blindly seeks the law. , It’s easy to break when you go too far, but it’s easy to be sanctimonious if you just stick to morality. I went to Luoyang this time, and I hope to find the best answer.”

Cao Cao looked at the Tai Chi diagram, and then looked at another pattern. After a long time, he sighed and said: "Although Cao Cao is a few years older than the wise brother, in terms of talent and learning, he is far inferior to the wise brother. I am ashamed. What I said today , be taught.”

"I don't dare, I just have a lot of free time on weekdays, so I have time to think about these things." Chen Mo said with a smile.

"Ziyuan is so unsatisfied in teaching?" Cao Cao raised his eyebrows and smiled.

"My master once said that when the predecessors wrote books, it was more about understanding their predecessors' methods rather than memorizing them by rote." Chen Mo said with a smile.

The bearded man next to Chen Mo's carriage smiled when he heard this and said: "Mr. Ziyuan is indeed a famous scholar. What he said makes sense. In fact, this kind of reading may not be useful. There are many scholars coming out, and there may not be illiterate people like us. Know more."

Chen Mo and Cao Cao just smiled when they heard this. Da Lang, who was holding a knife at the side, turned to look at him and said leisurely: "Don't misunderstand me. Most of the books I can find can be recited by heart. You can't even a single word." How can an ignorant person say this?”

The surrounding air once again fell into embarrassment, and the heroic smile on the bearded face seemed to be frozen...