Under the guidance of Tian Ji, Zhuangzi and Rong'er followed behind and entered the palace of Qi.

Everything was in order in the palace, and the soldiers of the guards stood on both sides of the road, their eyes bright and energetic.

When they arrived at the inner palace, there were fewer guards and more personal guards wearing swords. These guards are guarded at the gates of each palace and are free to move around. Conduct an inventory of those who should not come.

Tian Ji showed the waist card of walking inside the palace, and while explaining the situation, the guards were automatically released. In fact! If there is no Zhuangzi and Rong'er to follow behind, Tian Ji can come and go freely, no one dares to interrogate him, and there is no need to show his waist card. There is no one who does not know him, and no one who does not know his identity. Because! He is the leader of these people.

After walking through a few long walled aisles and turning a few corners, he arrived at Qi Jun's usual study where he handled official business and received ministers.

In the study, Qi Jun's think that the think tank and his princes are still waiting. Other than that! There are a few more generals in the palace guard. The generals took off their armor, put on their court clothes, and sat in the back rows on both sides below Qi Jun. In the front row were the ministers, and they sat behind them, as if they were retinues.

Sun Bin didn't leave, sitting in a special wheelchair, in the front row below Qi Jun.

Zhuangzi and Rong'er came to Qi Jun's case and bowed to Qi Jun according to the weekly rites.

Qi Jun, who was later King Qi Wei, first sat upright, looking majestic and majestic, as if he was dismounting. Seeing that although Zhuangzi was a Taoist, he still knew etiquette very well, so he put away his royal majesty, raised his hand and smiled: "Please get up!" Sit! ”

"Xie Qijun!"

"King Xie!"

In accordance with the "international practice", Zhuangzi is honored as "Qi Jun". Qi Jun was the title that King Qi Wei got from Zhou Tianzi at that time.

In fact! It was not given by Zhou Tianzi, but he generally made himself a prince or a prince or something, just to get a "law" recognition from Zhou Tianzi.

Only when it is recognized by Zhou Tianzi can it have legal effect.

In fact! Zhou Tianzi at that time, no! It has been since the Spring and Autumn Period, and the Zhou Dynasty has been weak and has been decided by the major princes themselves. If people want to seal themselves as "Jun", that is Jun, and if they want to make themselves Hou, that is Hou, Zhou Tianzi only needs to approve it and cover the jade seal.

If you don't cover the jade seal and don't admit it, the princes won't give you an offering? The Zhou Dynasty, which was weak, also counted on the princes to make offerings in order to survive. It doesn't mean that the Zhou Dynasty survives, but! The Son of Heaven and the harem and other people can survive in terms of life.

Only those small vassal states went to the emperor of the Zhou Dynasty to ask for the title in earnest, and they did not dare to proclaim themselves, let alone crown the king. Otherwise? It will be condemned by the surrounding large vassal states, and even crusaded.

Rong'er called Qi Jun the "king", and acted in accordance with domestic rules. In the country, it is customary for the people to call their own king the king.

Because! Rong'er is a citizen of Qi State, and her identity is a native of the capital of Qi State.

In front of Qi Jun's case, seats had already been arranged for Zhuangzi and Rong'er. After the two sat down, they bowed to Qi Jun to express their gratitude.

Qi Jun couldn't believe that Zhuangzi, a Taoist, was so familiar with the court's courtesy of kings, and couldn't help asking: "Zhuangzi! I heard that the Taoist advocates freedom and casualness! But you? But he is quite familiar with the court's courtiers, why is this? ”

Zhuangzi smiled: "Taoists are also human!" It also needs to be integrated into life. To integrate into life, you must learn to follow the local customs. Above the court, you must abide by the courtiers above the court. In the countryside, they live according to the customs of the locals, and they are not independent or unusual. ”

"That? How is the Taoism you are talking about different from the Taoism I have heard? According to you? There's nothing special about your Taoism? But? What if that's the case? How can we tell who is a Taoist and who is not? ”

Zhuangzi arched his hand and said: "Taoism is externalized and not internalized!" ”

"Externalize and not internalize? How? ”

"Externalize! It means following the local customs, on the surface the same as the people around you. It's called externalization! It's a form of respect for others. But! Taoists have their own outlook on life, their own principles! It doesn't matter how the family externalizes, how to follow the local customs, and imitate the lifestyle of the people around them, but they will not change their own principles of life, Taoism has a bottom line......"

"That?" Qi Jun asked: "Do you understand that you Taoist have one behind the surface?" ”

"It's not!" Zhuangzi replied, "On the surface! It seems to be like that, one set behind the surface, double standards. In fact! There's nothing wrong with that, right? On the surface, Taoism imitates others and follows local customs in order to respect others and not be different.

In fact! We all have our own principles, don't we? It's all 'one thing in front of the other and one thing behind the other', and we can't be honest with our enemies, can we? We should hide something from the enemy. Isn't it?

As long as our 'one thing in front of us and one thing behind the scenes' does not affect the lives of others, it does not affect the survival of others! Taoism advocates following the local customs, mainly to integrate into life, respect others, and have no malice. ”

"That? You said? Does it mean that your Taoists are stubborn? ”

A thinker sitting at the bottom of the table said: "You Taoists imitate others on the surface, but in fact they are stubborn. Isn't it? Do you mean stubbornness? ”

When the other thinkers heard this, they all snickered!

Zhuangzi smiled: "There is nothing wrong with being stubborn? As long as it's right, we'll stick to it! There's nothing wrong with that? For example, the sage Confucius, he insisted on his beliefs, no matter how the world changed, how the etiquette collapsed, he still adhered to it. What's so bad about this stubbornness? ”

Seeing that the think tank was about to argue with Zhuangzi, Qi Jun raised his hand to stop it. He turned to Zhuangzi and said, "You Taoists? Isn't it a criticism of Confucianism? Why do you praise Confucius as a sage and sage? ”

Zhuangzi looked at Qi Jun and nodded: "We Taoists and Confucians have differences in the starting point of theory, and the starting point is different, and the theory is naturally different. We Taoists have a different understanding of Confucian theories, and think that their starting point is wrong. The starting point is wrong, so! The theory is also wrong. But! We still respect Confucius, the founder of Confucianism. I believe! The personality of Confucius, he will become the master of all ages! ”

"Theory is theory! Confucius to Confucius! Zhuangzi means this! ”

Then! Sun Bin, who had been sitting in a wheelchair, interjected.

Zhuangzi paid attention to Sun Bin and felt that this person was a little familiar. couldn't help but look at Sun Bin more, and just happened to meet Sun Bin's gaze, and the two nodded and smiled in unison.