When Han Zhongyan and Wu Haowen visited, Cheng Yi was still ill. Dressed in a thick cotton robe made of kapo, he stood on the doorstep to meet him, and let out a series of extremely violent coughs.

Wu Haowen saluted, and then carefully looked at the old man in front of him for a while, the old man may be seventy years old, with a sparse white beard, looking a little fat, and his face was as pale as paper, revealing a sickly ruddy.

After meeting the visiting Han Zhongyan, he turned around and returned to the room, Han Zhongyan and Wu Haowen also followed, both of them felt a warm wind rushing in their faces and a strong smell of Chinese medicine.

It turned out that there was still a stove in this room, and the flames were running around.

There was also a jar of medicine hanging on the iron stove, and the potion had boiled and boiled, and the vapor and unpleasant smell of medicine were pouring out.

A middle-aged man who was very tall and majestic, with a beard, as if he was a martial artist, came to Cheng Yi with a bowl of black medicinal soup, "Teacher, it's time to take medicine." ”

This man is Hou Zhongliang, a great Confucian known as "Hou Zi" in later generations. He is a native of Taiyuan, Hedong, and his ancestors are famous generals of the Northern Han Dynasty, known as brave. However, in the generation of Hou Zhongliang's grandfather, he abandoned martial arts and followed Confucianism and embarked on the route of the imperial examination. And the reason why this "Hou Zi" is called "Zi", he naturally did not take the road of entering the imperial examination - the imperial examination is the route of being an official, but Confucianism, as a school, of course, cannot only be an official, someone must do learning.

Hou Zhongliang and his teachers Cheng Yi and Cheng Hao belong to Confucian scholars who do learning.

In the Northern Song Dynasty, the atmosphere of Confucianism research was actually very prosperous, with many masters and schools. The more famous ones are Luoxue headed by Ercheng, Guan Xue founded by Shen Yan, Hou Ke and Zhang Zai, Xinxue (Wang Xue) led by Wang Anshi, Su Shuxue led by Su family father and son, Lian Xue founded by the great Confucian Zhou Dunyi and so on.

And what are these Confucian masters studying? Of course, it is not the study of writing essays, Confucianism is not literature, let alone examination studies, of course essays must be written, but this is not the main research direction.

The research direction of Confucianism is explained in terms that later generations can understand better, which is roughly the outlook on life, values, and world view! Well, the three views must be correct!

The first two of the three views, outlook on life and values, in the words of Confucianism, are "ethical guidelines, four dimensions and eight virtues", that is, how to construct a Confucian ideal social order - the Northern Song Dynasty Confucian outlook on life and values are generally quite correct, but there is no other means than writing articles on the issue of realizing the Confucian ideal society...... In Confucian parlance, this is a typical example of what is easier to know than to do!

And the worldview in the Three Views, in Confucian terms, is the "Tao", which is the Analects. In Liren", the court heard the "Tao" that could die at night!

In other words, the Confucian "Tao" is not an answer, but a question. This is the biggest difference between Confucianism and religion.

Confucianism does not have an omnipotent God or Allah or Buddha who can create everything and give an unfalsifiable and ultimate answer – for example, the death of a person whose soul goes to heaven is an unfalsifiable answer.

This is a flaw of Confucianism, but it is also an advantage of Confucianism.

The flaw lies in the lack of a worldview, without an omnipotent God, without an ultimate answer that cannot be falsified, so it is not easy to unite and exploit the foolish people.

The advantage is that it is conducive to the Confucian scholars to explore the "Tao" and absorb the essence of his family...... Well, Confucianism resting on its laurels was a later thing. At least in the Song Dynasty, various Confucian schools were still very active in seeking and seeking the Tao, and even did not hesitate to absorb nourishment from other schools and sects. The general route is that Confucianism is the sect, integrating the three religions, and adopting all the sons.

In other words, it is necessary to find a simple answer from the theological system of Buddhism, but it does not exclude other methods – such a line is certainly backward from the perspective of the 21st century.

But at the beginning of the 12th century, everyone was like that. Scientific reason is just a branch of theology, a tool used to prove rather than question God.

In contrast, Confucianism in China is still the most enlightened. If the rationalist scholars of the Celestial Sect in Baghdad dare to question Allah, they will most likely be stoned to death. Not to mention the Christian side, where the stake is served! On the side of the Great Song Dynasty, the Buddha Laojun casually questioned that there was no need to go to Yalong Bay. Ji Yi believes in Mingzun, if he can open a barbecue directly in Rome, who cares about the Great Song Dynasty?

Therefore, the belief that Confucianism and science must be offended by later generations is pure nonsense. At least in the Northern Song Dynasty, there were no problems in this regard at all. The Northern Song Dynasty is just that some scholars and doctors think that technological innovation is "strange and ingenious" and a "small way" that "art becomes a success".

But "Xiaodao" is also "Tao", many Confucians of the Song Dynasty themselves like to engage in "strange tricks and tricks", and I haven't heard of any Confucians who were sent to Yalong Bay because of this - oh, Su Dongpo is a "strange trick and tricky" Confucian, but his trip to Danzhou has nothing to do with "strange tricks and tricks".

The reason why Chinese Confucianism later embarked on the line of conservatism was actually the same as the rationalist school of Tianfang, which could not stop the butcher's knife of the Mongols...... And under the butcher's knife of the barbarians, the vitality of theology must surpass that of science!

……

Cheng Yi had already finished drinking the bitter medicine and sat down on a chair while coughing, Han Zhongyan also sat on the chair, and Hou Zhongliang and Wu Haowen stood behind Cheng Yi and Han Zhongyan.

"Xianggong, Ling's son-in-law is the sixth Jinshi, do you really want to follow the teacher and cultivate Confucianism?"

Listening to Han Zhongyan's request, Cheng Yi coughed a few times and asked rhetorically.

Oh, yes! It's already the sixth Jinshi! Wu Hao Wenxin said, what else do you want to learn? And Confucianism, I have already cultivated it, how can I get into the sixth Jinshi if I can't get it?

"Yes," Han Zhongyan touched his beard and said with a smile, "The old man's son-in-law is very talented, he was only 18 years old when he was admitted to the Jinshi, and now he is doing orthography in the secretary province, and he will probably follow the path of Confucianism in the future, so he has to learn more while he is young." ”

Han Daxianggong is actually really thinking about his son-in-law...... The secretary province is a very promising Qingshui Yamen, and there is a saying of "ten years of school books" in the officialdom of the Song Dynasty, which means that the secretary province has worked hard for ten years, from the orthography to the school secretary, which is a very beautiful resume for the young officials.

After ten years of school books, the fourth level of selection must have passed, the age is about thirty, and there is some officialdom experience, you can go to the local area to be the magistrate of a big county, as long as there is no bad deeds in the county, the future promotion will be very smooth. If you are a little famous in Confucianism, publish a few books, and then find someone to "stir up", before the age of forty, you will enter Beijing as a courtier and serve as a Confucian minister again. At that time, I will not go to the secretary province, but to the Hanlin Academy (the Hanlin Academy is not the Hanlin Academy), and it will be a matter of a few years to be the ruler.

During the "ten-year school book", it is also very helpful for the future career.

"Okay, the old man will ask a question first." Of course, Cheng Yi couldn't help but give face to the prime minister of the dynasty, and asked Wu Haowen with a smile, "Wangdao (Wu Haowen's character), what is the purpose of your penance to practice Confucianism?" ”

Han Zhongyan interjected a sentence on the side: "You have to answer truthfully." ”

Wu Haowen thought for a while and replied, "For the sake of being an official." ”

This is the truth, but Wu Haowen is not afraid that he will not be able to enter Chengmen, and it is better if he can't enter......

Cheng Yi laughed, nodded and said, "The son can be taught." ”

Can this still be taught? Wu Haowen was a little disappointed.

"Shisheng," Cheng Yi said to his students with a smile, "From now on, you will teach Wangdao how to be an official." ”

Yes? Wu Haowen was a little stunned, how to be an official has to learn from his eldest brother Wu Haogu! How many people know how to be officials? has only been in the company for two years, and he has already climbed to the horizontal class.

Wu Haowen's surprised expression was fully seen by his father-in-law Han Zhongyan, Han Zhongyan smiled and said: "Wangdao, although you are a jinshi, you only regard Confucianism as a stepping stone to becoming an official, and you don't really understand the principles of Confucianism." If you don't learn the truth, you won't be able to do much...... Understandable? ”

"Son-in-law understood."

Wu Haowen doesn't understand it now, that's why he wants to learn!

……

"Come on, come on, you taste, this is the specialty wine of our Jiehe Shang City. Brother Yizhi, let's get drunk and rest! ”

"Good wine, good wine...... By the way, Brother Chongdao, tell me about the Jiehe Academy again, why do you want to worship under the Dongpo Gate for this? ”

"Yes, Brother Yizhi, the younger brother came to you for this matter, this great academy should take an all-encompassing path, and it is best to absorb the knowledge of the whole world. It is necessary not only to have the way of Confucius and Mencius and the hundred schools of thought, but also to have Western learning...... Your family is a maritime merchant and believes in Manichaeism, so there should be many ways in the West, right? ”

Wu Haogu had already arrived in Qingchi County, in the backyard of a simple and dilapidated yamen, drinking and talking with his "old friend" Ji Yi.

Drinking is a "fairy in wine", talking about the major events of Confucianism.

Although Ji Yi is a villain, he is a villain who is proficient in Confucianism, and his real talent is much stronger than martial arts and good literature...... is not on the same level at all, he is actually a big Confucian!

Because he also wants to make up for the "Tao" of Confucianism, but not with the way of Buddhism, but with the way of Manichae - the right path of light against the evil demons, the gentleman of light against the villain, and the saints from heaven spread the righteousness of Confucianism to establish a royal paradise.

The idea is good, but the means are very lacking. The delay in the legalization of Manichaeism made it impossible for the Manichaean worldview to be integrated with Confucianism, and there was no way to establish a school of "Ming-Confucianism".

And Wu Haogu's idea of establishing a big academy in Jiehe Shang City made Ji Yi see the possibility of establishing a Ming Confucian school.