Confucian and Taoist scholar

Chapter 755 Confucianism in the State of Qi

After giving Qingwan some instructions, Lu Zheng found a place in Yongding City to go into seclusion.

During this period, some powerful forces also sent experts to negotiate certain specific matters, all of which were discussed and decided by Qingwan.

No force underestimated this young woman.

According to the intelligence they had gathered, besides Lu Zheng, Qing Wan was the most influential person in Taiping Domain. She could be considered Lu Zheng's right-hand woman, and she had full authority over the affairs of Taiping Domain.

When discussing various planning projects with Qingwan, these powerful individuals all felt that they were facing another Lu Zheng, and they had an extremely assertive attitude.

Time slipped away quietly, and when the news of many powerful forces cooperating and achieving mutual benefit with the Taiping Domain spread throughout the Northern Domain, it immediately caused quite a stir.

Especially the demon forces near the Taiping Domain, upon learning that even the major demon kingdoms held this attitude, and further hearing that Lu Zheng had requested the saint to kill many powerful demons, which led those major forces to compromise...

The demon races in these areas, lacking sufficient strength and background, dared not unite to resist anything. Some even wanted to offer their land to join the Taiping Domain in hopes of receiving lenient treatment.

Some demon clans, already struggling to survive in the Northern Region, even migrated en masse, seeking refuge in the Taiping Region.

The entire northern region is undergoing a transformation unprecedented in a thousand years.

"It's really hard to manage such a large place..."

Qingwan was busy dealing with a backlog of tasks, unable to stop for a moment.

The focus is now on Yongding City and the surrounding areas, which are in dire need of rebuilding and have a lot of work to do.

Qingwan was also not comfortable leaving everything to others.

Suddenly, Qingwan raised her eyes and noticed Lu Zheng approaching.

After a period of seclusion, Qingwan discovered that Lu Zheng did indeed seem somewhat different from before.

Qingwan couldn't help but ask, "Are you leaving?"

Lu Zhengdao said, "Well, here's another item for you. Make good use of it."

Lu Zheng raised his hand and took out a long sword. The blade was dazzling and exuded a sharp aura.

It was the sword that Lu Zheng obtained from the Phoenix Clan's ancestral land, which he had now refined.

The overall quality of the sword has been reduced, but the power it contains has been restored to its original state, and it has even gained a certain imposing aura.

Qingwan's eyes widened slightly. "This sword... it feels very murderous."

It felt like facing Lu Zheng, who exuded an imposing aura, giving off an aura of righteous ruthlessness.

Lu Zheng explained simply: "This sword is a weapon of the Legalist school. It was used to punish evil and uphold justice. Over time, it became very powerful. However, it was later reforged and transformed into a great weapon of mass destruction. I nurtured it with the righteous energy of heaven and earth to restore it to its original state."

"Now, this sword's effect is similar to that of the Codex of Peace. If mortals encounter injustice, they can also wield this sword to slay demons and gods..."

Qingwan's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and she said, "Is that so?"

Qingwan curiously took the longsword. At first, the sword resisted a bit, but Qingwan quickly released her aura, calming the sword down.

A treasure chooses its master, and this sword is no exception.

Although the sword has no true intelligence, it can sense the wielder through the righteous power it contains.

Qingwan's cultivation path can now be said to be of the same origin as Lu Zheng's. Even though her cultivation level is slightly lower, she can use all the treasures that Lu Zheng can use.

Qingwan gripped the longsword, feeling that with this sword, she could slay even the most wicked demons and ghosts at the Tongxuan Realm.

It would be simpler than using any powerful artifacts like sacred scriptures.

After all, swords are weapons primarily used for killing and warfare, and this sword was once a Saint-level weapon.

Qingwan brandished the sword and couldn't help but say, "I feel like it could be used by Qingyi and the others. They enforce the law every day, and using this sword to enforce the law can also improve the quality of the sword."

Qingyi is no longer the only one patrolling and enforcing the law in the entire Taiping Domain. There are also some individuals who have gained the approval of Lu Zheng and Qing Wan and are carrying out surveillance and patrol missions.

Lu Zhengdao said, "Alright. This sword is indeed best used when it's in use. If there's nothing else, I'll leave it to you."

Qingwan nodded and said, "Go ahead, go ahead. Leave things here to me, I'll be waiting for your good news!"

Lu Zheng said no more and left Yongding City quietly without saying goodbye to anyone else.

Qingwan, sword in hand, watched Lu Zheng disappear, muttering, "It feels like the Qi Kingdom is about to undergo a major upheaval, but it's their own doing. Hmph, the Taiping Domain has developed to this state, and those scholars still can't distinguish right from wrong, don't know how to correct their mistakes, and still have the leisure to write articles to slander it..."

Qingwan huffed and puffed as she complained. If she hadn't been so busy that she insisted on going to Qi with Lu Zheng to talk to some teachers and students, she would have been fine.

……

Lu Zheng traveled south, passing through Taiping Region, where he met the talented woman from the Kong family in another area.

After only a short time apart, Lu Zheng noticed that Kong Lingyu's appearance, attire, and temperament had changed a lot.

At least on the surface, one couldn't tell that this young lady was a noble and talented woman from the Confucius family, which made her seem more approachable.

When Kong Lingyu saw Lu Zheng again, she greeted him with a smile, her demeanor generous and decisive, unlike her previous reserved nature.

It is said that the environment shapes the people, and Lu Zheng felt that people who came to the Taiping Domain for training would undergo significant changes.

Lu Zheng smiled and returned the greeting, then asked, "Miss Kong, are you settling in well here?"

Kong Lingyu nodded and said, "It's great. I have things to do every day, and I feel very fulfilled. It's even better than when I was at home. Before, I had too much free time at home, mostly studying articles and poems... Looking back now, that was actually a waste of time. I should have done more practical things, which is what the sages would have liked to see..."

Seeing the light in Kong Lingyu's eyes as she spoke, Lu Zheng couldn't help but say, "It seems you're planning to stay for a long time."

Upon hearing this, Kong Lingyu held up a sign and smiled radiantly, saying, "Mr. Lu, don't you know? I've passed the test! I'm already a member here!"

"congratulations."

Lu Zheng smiled and asked, "Have you informed your family?"

Kong Lingyu's smile faltered for a moment, then she said in a low voice, "I've been too busy lately and haven't been able to find a suitable person to send the letter back. I've almost forgotten about it."

Lu Zheng said, "I happen to be going to the State of Qi, so I can deliver a letter to you while I'm at it."

Kong Lingyu asked with slight surprise, "You're going to the State of Qi?"

Lu Zheng nodded and said, "I've never been to Qi before. I've heard that the Jixia Academy in Qi is a sacred place of Confucianism and Taoism. I happen to have some free time these days, so I'd like to go and visit it, and pay my respects to the sages and worthies enshrined there..."

Upon hearing this, Kong Lingyu frowned slightly.

From what she had inquired about before coming to Taiping Domain, the opinions of Lu Zheng in Qi Kingdom were mixed.

Once the journal of thought was published, the news coming from other places was not positive.

Lu Zheng is going to the Jixia Academy in Qi, where he will face pressure from many Confucian and Taoist scholars.

Kong Lingyu couldn't help but say, "If you go over there, I'm afraid some people won't like you..." Lu Zheng smiled and said, "There are plenty of people in this world who don't like me or don't understand me. If they want to do anything to me, they'll probably have to wait in line! There's no need for you to worry about me, Miss. They can't possibly kill me at the Jixia Academy, can they? Since that's the case, there's nothing to worry about."

"Uh……"

Kong Lingyu's expression froze. Lu Zheng was now famous and known throughout the world.

Even if there were any grudges, the important figures at Jixia Academy wouldn't have gone so far as to kill Lu Zheng within the academy.

That would likely ruin the reputation of the Jixia Academy.

Kong Lingyu thought about it and realized that Lu Zheng didn't care about fame or fortune and didn't care about other people's slander. It seemed that she really didn't need to worry about such things.

Kong Lingyu then said, "Then wait for me a moment, I'll go write a letter..."

Kong Lingyu left in a hurry, and a moment later returned with several letters.

In addition to letters to his family, there were also letters to the Jixia Academy, as well as several letters of introduction so that Lu Zheng could find some connections in Qi and be of assistance when necessary.

Kong Lingyu handed the letter to Lu Zheng and gave a brief explanation.

"If you encounter any problems, you can seek their help. These are all very upright scholars, elders I used to associate with..."

Lu Zheng felt he didn't need a letter of introduction, but since Kong Lingyu was being kind, he accepted it anyway.

If those people are as reliable as Kong Lingyu said, we could visit them if we have the chance and see if we can invite them to Taiping Domain.

Lu Zheng listened patiently to Kong Lingyu's words, then took his leave.

Seeing Lu Zheng walk away, Kong Lingyu returned to her work with a heavy heart.

Besides being somewhat worried about Lu Zheng's trip, another reason was that she was afraid her family would receive the letter and send someone to take her back.

Kong Lingyu felt that serving the people here was what she wanted to do. Once she returned to Qi, would she still have a place to display her talents? Probably not.

According to the family rules, how could a young lady of such a prominent family like her casually show her face in public and mingle with ordinary people?

If the elders of her clan knew that she spent her days dealing with many demons, personally participating in labor and construction, and educating the common people of various ethnicities... I wonder how they would criticize her.

Kong Lingyu rubbed her temples, her bright eyes hardening with determination.

"They are wrong, our path is the right one!"

Xiao Yan, who happened to be passing by, heard Kong Lingyu's whisper and couldn't help but step forward and ask with a smile, "Lingyu, what are you saying?"

Upon hearing this, Kong Lingyu replied, "Ah, it's nothing..."

Xiao Yan looked at Kong Lingyu and said, "I think I saw Lu Zheng just now. Has he been here before?"

She had just vaguely seen a familiar figure flash by outside the city.

Kong Lingyu said, "He said he was going to the State of Qi, to the Jixia Academy, and he's already left. If you need anything, you can still catch up with him now..."

Xiao Yan said, "I'm fine. Qi? Jixia Academy?"

Xiao Yan stroked her chin and muttered softly, "He must have a lot going on here, right? How could he still find time to go to such a far place...?"

Xiao Yan's beautiful eyes widened instantly, and she couldn't help but think of many things.

Lu Zheng left for the State of Wei, and then a lot of things happened in Wei.

This sudden trip to the Jixia Academy in Qi State is hard not to make Xiao Yan think of some things.

"what happened?"

Seeing that Xiao Yan's expression was not quite right, Kong Lingyu asked curiously.

Xiao Yan said quietly, "It seems he's off to do something big again. I wonder what kind of trouble he'll cause this time."

Kong Lingyu's expression froze for a moment, then she asked in surprise, "What big thing? Or is it something else?"

Xiao Yan said, "Oh dear, he's always elusive, how would I know what he's up to... I was just saying."

Kong Lingyu pressed further, "I have a feeling you know something. You said you knew again! What else has he done before?"

Xiao Yan chuckled and said, "He's done so many great things, how can I possibly explain them all? You know, he doesn't seem to like the Confucian scholars of today, maybe he went to the Jixia Academy to argue with those Confucianists. Who knows? Just ask him when he gets back, okay? I have other things to do, I'm off to work..."

Xiao Yan smiled and walked away in a flash.

Kong Lingyu stood there in a daze for a long time, then suddenly remembered something Lu Zheng had once said to her.

Down with the Confucian establishment, rescue Confucius!

In the Taiping Domain, many sages, gods, and Buddhas are not enshrined in temples, but rather in memorial squares that commemorate legendary figures.

"He wouldn't really be planning to go to the State of Qi for something, would he...?"

Kong Lingyu's eyes flickered uncertainly, but she really couldn't figure out what Lu Zheng was going to do.

She didn't think Lu Zheng could defeat anyone at all.

Should we demolish the Jixia Academy to rescue Confucius?

This was simply unimaginable. Kong Lingyu shook her head, feeling that if she thought about it any further, it was a problem with her own brain.

"I hope I'm just overthinking it..."

Kong Lingyu felt that she still didn't know Lu Zheng well enough and couldn't figure out what Lu Zheng was going to do in Qi. But it was definitely not just a simple visit to the Jixia Academy.

If it were to argue with others about Confucianism and Taoism, how could Lu Zheng possibly win against the great Confucian scholars and near-sages of the Jixia Academy if he went alone?

Kong Lingyu had also attended the debate held at the Jixia Academy, where outstanding Confucian disciples from various states participated, as well as renowned scholars who were particularly skilled in debate.

A woman of such talent as her could not even win a debate with her peers, let alone those Confucian scholars.

Speaking of which, Confucianism and Taoism were most flourishing in the State of Qi, with the most branches of Confucian and Taoist schools. Even within the Jixia Academy, there were numerous academic factions.

But to put it more positively, it's about academic freedom and the flourishing of diverse ideas.

To put it bluntly, it's a lack of internal unity, with each person adhering to their own version of sage advice to seek personal gain and form cliques...

Back in the State of Qi, Kong Lingyu didn't think there was anything wrong with this. She even believed that this was how Confucianism flourished in Qi, and that the Jixia Academy was a model for Confucianism throughout the world.

But when she arrived in the Taiping Domain, she saw a world like a new heaven and earth, and came into contact with many new ideas and concepts, and gained a clearer understanding of the doctrines of various sages.

Furthermore, the opinions expressed in intellectual journals led to some articles in various dynasties that were far from objective in their criticisms.

All these events made Kong Lingyu deeply realize that those Confucian schools probably could not be called true Confucianism, but were just a group of hypocrites wearing the skin of Confucianism, not much different from demons and ghosts in painted skin.

It's estimated that the harm caused to ordinary people by those harmful demons and monsters is less than the harm caused by those false people. (End of Chapter)