Qin Official

Shusun Tong praised him for a while, and when he heard the two old scholars from Lu, Le Le and Qi Diaoran, looked at each other in confusion, they thought to themselves: "What nonsense are you talking about? How could Confucius praise Duke Mu of Qin so much?"

It is clearly recorded in "Zuo Zhuan of the Spring and Autumn Period" that when Duke Mu of Qin Ren Hao died, he buried Ziche's three sons, Yanxi, Zhongxing, and Zhenhu, all of whom were outstanding figures in the Qin State. The people of Qin mourned for them and wrote the poem "Yellow Bird" for them.

After this record, another paragraph "Junzi said" was added, which is actually the words of the author of Zuo Zhuan: "Qin Mugong did not become the leader of the alliance throughout his life, and he deserved it! Why? Because he died and abandoned the people, not only did he not stay It is not what a wise ruler calls a wise ruler to govern the people, assist future generations, and then bury them. When a wise ruler sees this, he will know that it will be impossible for the Qin State to conquer the east or seek hegemony in the future!"

Although these are Zuo Qiuming's words, "Zuo Zhuan" is the earliest one of the three Chun Qiu biographies written. Zuo Qiuming also met Confucius and listened to his words and observed his actions. This should also contain Confucius's original intention.

As for whether Duke Mu of Qin can be crowned king? Confucius respected Zhou, which is even more impossible! This statement was obviously made up by Shusun Tong, and it is full of flaws.

Le Zhengli was so angry that he was trembling. He was about to interrupt Shusun Tong and scold him for making up nonsense and slandering Confucius. Qi Diaoran on the side quickly pulled his wide sleeves and shook his head.

Because King Qin, who was not very happy at first, laughed after hearing what Shusun Tong said.

This story is exactly the same as the prediction made by Zhou Taishi five hundred years ago: "Zhou and Qin will reunite in five hundred years, and an overlord will emerge after seventeen years."

Although the King of Qin still relies on prophecies and prophecies, Shusun Tong is too young, so his words are not credible, because the King of Qin often listens to people's opinions, and Confucius and Confucian scholars mostly criticize Qin. I am afraid that it was Shusun Tong who pretended to be Confucius. Just flattery.

So he was not happy about this passage, but he was laughing at Shusun Tong's knowledge of current affairs and his cleverness. The doctor he needs is the kind of person who knows how to decorate the lintel of the Qin Dynasty, not the rotten Confucian who does not know how to adapt to the past!

Then the King of Qin said: "I raised an army to kill the riots with my own body, relying on the spirit of the ancestral temple. The five kings have betrayed me, and the world will be settled. The victory of the sixth generation of Qin is orthodox, and the help of heaven alone is orthodox. What does it have to do with Confucius’ words?”

Shusun Tong hurriedly bowed his head: "What the king said is absolutely true! Qin conquered the world first, Confucius just saw it earlier than other people!"

Even so, King Qin's anger because Kong Kun was not summoned also subsided. Instead, when he left the Shun Temple, he glanced at Shusun Tong who was lying on the ground and said, "Since Kong Kun wants to mourn his mother, I won’t force you to do anything, if you are his disciple, just go to Xianyang to become a doctor for him!"

After saying that, regardless of whether Shusun Tongle was happy or not, the King of Qin left with his entourage.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Shusun Tong's voice came from far behind.

Hei Fu also followed behind, but when Li You saw that the three Confucian scholars did not follow, he asked Hei Fu to urge a few people to come over, because the king might ask them something later.

So, when Hei Fu returned to the temple gate, he found that the three Lu Ru were gone, and the temple of Yu Shun was empty. Only the doors and windows of the side courtyard were closed, and there was a sound from inside.

After he walked over and put his ear against the door, he heard three Confucian scholars tearing themselves into pieces inside...

…

After the King of Qin left, Le Zhengli immediately pulled Shusun Tong into a nearby room, came over, pointed at the tip of his nose and cursed: "You brat, in order to flatter the King of Qin, you made up what Confucius didn't say. It's really treasonous. Did your master teach you this?"

"What are you making up? I can't understand what Le Zhengzi is talking about." Shusuntong started to pretend to be stupid.

"You said that the Confucius family received a letter from Confucius, why didn't we know about this?" Qi Diaoran also asked.

Shusun Tong still looked confused and said with a smile: "This is a secret matter of our sect. There is no need to tell it to Lezheng and Qidiao."

Le Zheng was very polite: "How come Confucian scholars have a disciple like you?"

It turns out that Confucianism at this time was divided into eight major factions: Confucianism of Zizhang; Confucianism of Zisi; Confucianism of the Yan family; Confucianism of the Meng family; Erwansan Confucianism of the Meng family; Confucianism of the Qidiao family; Confucianism of the Zhongliang family; Confucianism of the Sun family; Confucianism of the Lezheng family Confucianism of the clan.

Among them, Yan was a Confucian who preached poetry as Taoism and satirized and admonished.

Mencius passed down books as Taoism and was a Confucian scholar who could guide people far and wide.

The Qidiao family taught etiquette as the Tao and were a respectful, frugal and respectful Confucian.

Zhongliang taught music as Tao and was a Confucian who changed customs.

Yue Zhengshi preached that the Spring and Autumn Period was the Tao, and he was a Confucian who was a scholar of rhetoric and comparison of things.

Gongsun taught Yi as Tao and was a pure and refined Confucian.

In addition, there is the Confucianism of the Zisi family (original Xian) who likes to act like a poor scholar and claims to be a virtuous person; on the contrary, the Confucianism of the Zizhang family is only superficial and is the most formal.

In addition to these eight schools, as well as Xun Confucianism, which is regarded as a heretic by Confucian scholars, there are also the "Confucian Confucians" who are direct descendants of Confucius. They practiced poetry, calligraphy, etiquette and music in the Spring and Autumn Period, among which Confucius was the most famous, and Shusun Tong was his disciple.

As a descendant of the "Le Zheng Confucianism" passed down from generation to generation in the Spring and Autumn Period, Le Zhengli wanted to refute the fallacy that Shusun Tong just said, so he started to quote scriptures and make a long argument, but Shusun Tong smiled and said: "Le Zhengzi, stop it. Since you think that I made up the story about Confucius praising Duke Mu of Qin, let me ask you first, is the other thing true or false?"

"I heard that Confucius traveled around the country and was besieged between the states of Chen and Cai. He had no food for ten days. Sometimes he couldn't even drink the soup and soup. He was so hungry. At this time, Zilu didn't know where to get it. A cooked piglet came to him. Confucius picked it up and ate it, without asking where the meat came from. Zilu then took someone else's clothes and exchanged them for wine. Confucius didn't ask where the wine came from, he just picked it up and drank it."

"However, when Duke Ai of Lu greeted him, Confucius showed the demeanor of a gentleman. He would not sit on the table properly and cut food improperly. Zilu then asked: 'Why is Master different now from when he was trapped in Chen and Cai?' ’ Confucius replied: ‘I did it in the past to earn a living, but today I do it to teach justice!’”

"May I ask Le Zhengzi, is this true or false?"

Yue Zhengli was even more angry: "This is what Mohists said to slander the sages. It is to slander us Confucians. When they are hungry, they will take whatever they want to survive, and when they are full, they will pretend to be themselves. How could you not know that you learned from Kong Kun?" ?”

"Although this matter is also false, it is so similar to our current situation."

Shusuntong changed his smile when he was flattering the King of Qin, and suddenly said seriously: "Qin has always disliked Confucian scholars. Shang Yang once burned poems and books, saying that if one person is rewarded for studying poems and books, thousands of people will follow suit, and the country will be weak." The Confucians praised rituals and music, poetry and calligraphy, filial piety, kindness, honesty, integrity, benevolence and righteousness, non-soldiers, shame and war as the six lice, and believed that the country must get rid of these six lice in order to be strong!"

"Although the King of Qin has appointed you as a doctor today, it is just as a decoration on a vase. In fact, it is still a country based on Shang Yang's laws. Have you seen the eyes of the officials and generals around you looking at the Confucian scholars? They all look down upon you!"

Yue Zhengli and Qi Diaoran didn't feel this way, so they stopped scolding and listened to Shusun Tong's thoughts first.

"Confucius said that when the Southern Barbarians and the Northern Di invaded, China was inexhaustible. Now, it is also the time when the Confucians are inexhaustible! Life and death depend on the King of Qin's thoughts. If the King of Qin is happy, the Confucian scholars will be good at poetry and calligraphy. If the King of Qin is evil, then Confucius will do it. Dao Jue!"

"My master does not want to surrender to Qin, but has already angered the king of Qin! What happened today is that Confucius is trapped between Chen and Cai! In order to dispel the anger of the king of Qin, and to save the Confucian scholars and even the scholars of Lu and the world, I I have no choice but to flatter Qin. If I remember correctly, when the Chu and Wei states were still around, you often scolded Qin for being the country that abandoned rituals and music to become the first country to make great achievements. You also said that the king of Qin was cruel and that it was really Jie and Zhou who were reincarnated. But now "I follow the King of Qin step by step, sing for him the music of Shao, compare him with the ancient sage kings Yao and Shun, what's the difference between him and me?"

Le Zhengli blew his beard and stared: "You brat, you actually compare us with you!"

Shu Suntong laughed: "What's the difference? You and I were born secretly for a while, but we were forced by the situation, in order to rise to the top of the Qin Dynasty. Subtly, let Qin abandon its prejudices, reuse Confucian doctors, and prepare for the development of Confucianism."

"I heard that Mo in the south didn't know how to adapt, and insisted on not attacking but loving at the same time, so he died. On the contrary, Qin Mo helped Qin destroy Chu, and it will be of great use. Therefore, in today's world, those who can change will live, and those who stick to death will die. This is what is called changing with the times! Isn’t it true, Mr. Two?”

Although these words sounded a bit unpleasant, the two of them had to admit that what Shusun Tong said was reasonable. However, after all, they still could not tolerate Shusun Tong's behavior. They sighed: "No matter what we do, we will not fabricate or tamper with it." As Confucius said, your actions are not in line with the ancient meaning. Although you will not be attacked by people beating drums, your ways are different and you should not conspire against each other!"

After saying that, the two opened the door and walked away.

Shusun Tong stood there and shook his head: "You are really a despicable Confucian. You can live a secret life, but you are ignorant of the changes of the times. Such a sect will sooner or later be disgusted by the King of Qin. Most Confucian scholars are from the same generation, and they belong to many sects." If we can't fight together, I'm afraid we will really be reduced to a sideline in the Qin government and the public in the future. We, the people of our generation, really coincide with the end of the world, and the night is long..."

He looked up to the sky and sighed, but unexpectedly, there was a burst of applause outside the door.

Heifu walked in while applauding, and smiled at Shusun Tong: "Sir, he seems to be flattering the king, but it turns out that he has such a deep intention. He wants Confucians to live in the court and inherit Confucius' unique teachings so that they can be carried forward in the future. You are so young. Having this ambition really makes me look at you in a new light!”

…

On the way back to his residence at night, Shusun Tong felt a little uneasy.

Because he knew the temperament of Yue Zhengli and the others, he dared to say those words to them, but he never thought that a Qin official would actually listen to them...

If these things were spread, it would not lead to death, but it would make it difficult for his uncle and grandson to pretend to be confused after arriving in Xianyang.

And my state of mind is known to others, but I feel uncomfortable after all.

The Qin official did not threaten Shusun Tong, but asked him to quickly follow the King of Qin's chariot.

Shusuntong asked his name anxiously.

"Anlu County, Nan County, Mr. Hei."

"So he is the black husband!" Shusun Tong thought to himself. When he looked up, he had already arrived at the wine shop where he was staying temporarily.

Although Huaiyang had been occupied by the Qin army, it was still used as the administrative seat of Chen County and heavy troops were sent to garrison it. However, the reign was still short, and neither the examination system nor the guesthouse and postal system were established in time. Therefore, the city life in the city was still the same as in the past, except that the city gate inspections were stricter and there was a night curfew. However, the fish and dragons were mixed together, and the undercurrents were surging, which the people of Qin could not figure out.

For example, his uncle Sun Tong seemed to be a weak Confucian scholar who went to flatter the King of Qin, but how could the people of Qin know clearly his secret social relationship with his master and his intricate friendship with the common people of the Six Kingdoms?

Besides, there might even be a fugitive from Qin hiding in this seemingly ordinary wine shop!

After Shusun Tong entered the door, he closed the door, and a short sword was pressed against his lower back silently!

"What a great uncle, Sun Tong, who claimed that we were going to investigate the reality of the King of Qin's defenses, and now he has become a doctor of the State of Qin! What a deceiver!"

Shusun Tong guessed who he was from his voice, but he didn't panic and said with a smile: "Chen Jun, please listen to my explanation..."

The people behind him were not polite and pushed him to the ground. The dagger was placed across Shusun Tong's neck. Through the dim moonlight outside the window, the appearance of the visitor was clearly visible.

Like Shusun Tong, he was dressed in Confucian clothes and a Confucian crown. He had a thick knight-like beard on his face, and he held the sword very skillfully, which showed that this was not the first time he had killed someone. He was looking at Shu Sun Tong with anger in his eyes!

It was Chen Yu, a famous scholar from Wei who escaped from the pursuit of Hei Fu in Waihuang two years ago!