The Sage of Confucianism and Taoism

Chapter 916 Fang Yun solves the problem

Generally speaking, the imperial examinations seldom involve the disputes among the saints, and most of the examinations only test some common sense.

However, this year's childbirth examination happened to have a question involving the dispute between saints. I don't know what the saints have in mind.

Fang Yun didn't think much when he answered the question, but now he had extra energy and fell into thinking.

The content of the imperial examination is the same as that of "Holy Way" and "Wenbao". It can reveal some things that are difficult for ordinary people to detect.

Shen Ming continued to read and compare the questions. When he reached the third page, he was stunned for a moment and said: "This question seems to be about the content of "Zuo Zhuan". It asks about Qufu, the capital of Lu State, and the border with Qi State during the period of Duke Zhuang of Lu. The approximate distance. This question... is probably one of the difficult questions in this Tongsheng test. Fang Xusheng gave a lot of answers. There are three sections. It seems that during the period of Lu Zhuanggong, the adjacent territories of the two countries at least changed. Three times. I wonder if you have any answers?”

Deng Xuezheng shook his head and said: "If you give me enough time, I might be able to answer this question. However, this question is very tricky. Border changes are one of them. The most difficult one is the distance between Qufu and the border of Qi. After I finished answering the question I’m still thinking about it. So far, I haven’t found any books that describe the distance between the two places.”

The head catcher Lu Hong nodded and said: "When I saw this question, I was at a loss as to what to do. I don't know which book recorded the distance. As for the changes in the border, if there is enough time, I might be able to sort it out slowly, but that's all. One question may take an hour. I am afraid that no one will be able to answer this question this year. Fang Xusheng said that the territory of the two countries has changed three times. Can you explain it? "

"Please ask Magistrate Fang to clarify your doubts!" ​​Shen Ming, Tao Dingnian and others asked loudly together.

Fang Yun glanced at everyone. Lu Hong was a military strategist and he really wanted to ask for advice, but Shen Ming and others were obviously making noises, hoping that he would be wrong. After all, knowing the answer and explaining the problem-solving ideas in detail are two different things. One is knowing it yourself, One is to teach others.

Fang Yun was not afraid of the stage, and said: "If you want to know the territorial changes, you naturally need to know the number of battles between Lu and Qi during the period of Lu Zhuanggong, which will be determined by the number of battles, positions and final negotiations. "Zuo Zhuan" records. In the ninth year of Duke Zhuang of Lu, the State of Lu was defeated by the State of Qi. In the tenth year of Duke Zhuang of Lu, the State of Lu defeated the State of Qi with Cao GUI as its general, which was also known as the Battle of Changshao, forming the popular theory of Cao GUI. The war made "one effort, then another, and three times exhaustion" become a good story. Please note this and will mention it again later. In the 19th year of Lu Zhuanggong, Qi State attacked Lu State Xibi. However, Qi State is in the north of Lu State. This time Qi State attacks the west. No matter how much territory it loses, it will not cause a change in the distance to the north, so it does not count in the thirteenth year of Duke Zhuang of Lu..."

Through "Zuo Zhuan", "Gongyang Zhuan", "Gu Liang Zhuan" and other records of Spring and Autumn history, Fang Yun determined that during the period of Lu Zhuanggong, there were three changes in the border between Lu and the northern part of Qi. These three changes changed the Lu state. The distance from Qufu, the capital of the country, to Qi.

After Fang Yun finished speaking, Shen Ming and other officials were speechless, and some officials praised him.

"As expected of Fang Xusheng, his quick thinking is beyond our reach!"

"Except for Fang Xusheng, no one in the world can sort out the wars between the two countries that took place for decades in such a short period of time. During the Spring and Autumn Period, wars were frequent, and it is impossible to sort them out without careful sorting."

Lu Hong thought for a while and asked: "Fang Xusheng, you just mentioned the Cao GUI controversy and the Changshao battle that took place in the tenth year of Duke Zhuang of Lu. You said you would mention it later, but why didn't you mention it later?"

"Eh?" Everyone then realized that Shen Ming immediately became energetic. This might be Fang Yun's oversight or a breakthrough.

Fang Yun smiled and said: "It's a good thing that you are a military strategist. Others don't know how to calculate the approximate distance from Qufu to the border of Qi. How can you not calculate it! You study hard, study hard!"

When Fang Yun finished speaking, he put away his smile, and his voice made the ears of those around him ring.

Fang Yun was dressed in white, standing in the pavilion, with a serious expression, not angry but confident.

Everyone present instinctively felt chills running through their bodies. Even Shen Ming couldn't help but lower his head. Fang Yun was a county magistrate, but he was also a virtual saint!

During the palace examination, Fang Yun could not use Xusheng's privileges, but everyone could not ignore his status.

If Fang Yun used his position as county magistrate to accuse Lu Hong of government affairs, the officials present could directly refute him. But Fang Yun is discussing knowledge now, and everyone must listen first. Only after Fang Yun has expressed all his opinions can everyone object.

Lu Hong looked at Fang Yun and felt that the person standing in front of him was not a young man, but a strict teacher. He did not dare to be angry at all. He bent down and said humbly: "Please give me some advice from Saint Fang Xu."

Fang Yun said: "Recite "Cao GUI's Chen" once!"

Lu Hong was still a little puzzled, so he thought for a while and recited it in public: "The shape of the big bell for Duke Zhuang of Lu was completed. Cao GUI came in to see it and said: 'In the past, the Zhou Dynasty's imperial conferment on Lu was seven hundred from the east and west, and five hundred from the north and south... …'"

Lu Hong continued to recite.

"Cao GUI's Chen", also known as "Cao Mo's Chen", is a book that records the discussion between Cao GUI and Duke Zhuang of Lu about political affairs and military affairs. It is a military book. However, due to its long history, it was even written more than a hundred years before Confucius was born, so most of it has been lost.

For scholars, the history before the birth of Confucius is relatively vague, which is also the difficulty of this question.

Lu Hong recited the entire "Cao GUI's Story", but he was still a little confused. The other officials were also thinking hard, wondering what secrets were hidden in it.

Seeing that no one had expected it, Fang Yun sighed and said, "Lu Hong, let me ask you, what is the terrain like between Qufu and the border of Qi?"

"It's a plain terrain." Lu Hong replied.

"How did Lu fight against Qi at that time?"

Lu Hong answered without hesitation: "The chariots were in front and the soldiers were in the back. The terrain there is simple, so the tactics are naturally simple."

"Let me ask you again, how many days will it take for Lu to fight against the Qi army as discussed in "Cao Gui's Chen"?"

"It will be over in two or three days at most."

"Can you estimate the speed of the chariots and soldiers?"

Lu Hong was stunned, and all the officials were stunned.

Almost in an instant, everyone suddenly realized and showed joy, as if they had gained something from reading.

Lu Hong immediately replied: "So that's it. In the tenth year of Duke Zhuang of Lu, Qufu was about 110 miles away from the border of Qi."

"Good." Fang Yun nodded slightly.

Some officials restrained their joy and looked at each other, and saw helplessness in each other's eyes.

It was almost unrelated, but Fang Yun could actually find a connection between them. He calculated the distance between the two places through details such as armament dispatch, battle time and chariot speed in the military book. It was incredible. The most important thing is that everything was completed in just a few breaths.

Deng Xuezhen threw away the test paper in his hand and said, "On this question alone, I am far inferior to Fang Xusheng. I admit defeat first."

Lu Hong also threw away the test paper in his hand and said, "The student also admits defeat. The genius's wisdom is far beyond my reach."

The other eleven people who participated in the competition looked embarrassed, but they did not give up. It was just that their momentum was completely crushed by Fang Yun. Each of them was like a student being criticized by a teacher, with a sad face.

Yuan Jun Wen Gu said in a deep voice: "Next question."

Next, Shen Ming continued to answer and check questions one by one.