Confucian and Taoist scholar

Chapter 715 The Way of the Masters

Is Confucianism and Taoism no longer flourishing?

Lu Zheng simply smiled indifferently upon hearing what the old man said.

"People's love of reading and learning does not mean they have the talent to study Confucianism. The lack of Confucianism and Taoism here is not something that is hard to understand."

Upon hearing this, the old man said, "Why not build a Confucian temple? With your talent in Confucianism and Taoism, it wouldn't be difficult for you to cultivate some outstanding Confucian disciples."

Lu Zheng calmly looked at the old man and said softly, "Old sir, you seem to be very attached to Confucianism and Taoism?"

The old man smiled and said, "I'm just a little curious and puzzled."

In the Taiping Domain, he did not see a single Confucian temple in any region, nor did he see any Confucian sages being worshipped.

Lu Zheng, as the main person who built this peaceful land, came from the Confucian and Taoist lineage, yet he did not take any measures to promote Confucianism and Taoism, which is truly intriguing.

Lu Zheng slowly said, "Even without studying Confucianism, one can still learn the thoughts and qualities of Confucian sages. Becoming a Confucian scholar does not necessarily mean one has truly mastered the principles of the sages. The Confucian Temple should reside in people's hearts, not be displayed for worship..."

"Is it really that important whether or not a Confucian temple is built? If Confucianism and Taoism are not flourishing here, can't we develop?"

Lu Zheng looked at the old man and smiled, "I have never been to the State of Qi, but I have heard that the Jixia Academy is the world's top Confucian and Taoist academy, where Confucianism and Taoism have flourished for a long time. The millions of people around it must be living very well under the protection of the sages and the care of the Confucian and Taoist students."

The old man narrowed his eyes but did not answer.

After all, the people around the Jixia Academy were governed by the Qi government, and the lives of ordinary people could not be very good.

As for the protection of sages? Even the ancient sages could not bring lasting peace to the world while they were alive, so what can the incense offerings and prayers that people make today achieve?

As for the sages and scholars who are still alive today, it is difficult to say exactly what they have accomplished in a short time.

The lives of the people of Qi are incomparable to those here.

Seeing the old man remain silent, Lu Zheng continued, "I once heard something that said: There has never been a savior, nor do we rely on gods or emperors. To create human happiness, we must rely entirely on ourselves..."

The old man's eyes flickered slightly, and he said softly, "In the eyes of the people here, you are their savior."

Lu Zheng smiled slightly and said, "I am just an initiator, creating a pure land with my own hands, just like them. I never think I am much better than them. Perhaps I have learned more skills, so naturally I should do more. Everyone is just doing their own job."

Upon hearing this, the old man said, "You are quite modest."

Lu Zheng smiled and said, "I think you must be someone who has deeply studied Confucianism. In my opinion, all the doctrines in the world, whether Confucianism or Buddhism, should be methods to benefit the people, not tools for some people to enslave others and maintain their own privileges. That would not be in line with the original intention of the sages and philosophers. What do you think, sir?"

The old man nodded and said, "That makes sense, but there are too many selfish people in this world. The knowledge of sages will inevitably become a tool for some people. What do you think we should do?"

Without hesitation, Lu Zheng said, "We should teach others with benevolence, propriety, and morality, and at the same time establish rules to punish those who disobey, maintain absolute fairness and justice, so as to ensure the stable development of society."

The old man chuckled and said, "Is this why you practice Legalist teachings?"

Lu Zheng's expression remained unchanged upon hearing this, and he nodded, saying, "I suppose so."

The old man's eyes flickered, and he said in a low voice, "I've come here to observe, and I can see that your way of doing things is deeply rooted in the Legalist school of thought..."

"Back then, the Jixia Academy produced some sages who abandoned Confucianism to pursue Legalism, attempting to change the world. However, the laws they established ultimately became tools for some people to exploit the people. Do you really think your current path is viable?"

Lu Zheng slowly said, "I will learn from the experiences and lessons of my predecessors and make up for the shortcomings of the sages and worthies of the past. It is easy to sit and discuss the Way, but it is difficult to find a way out. It may take a lifetime or even several generations to work hard... But I must try, so as not to be worthy of the teachings of the sages."

The old man said, "It seems you really intend to follow the path of Legalism?"

Lu Zheng smiled and said, "Some roads are wide enough and clear enough that there is no need to try to determine right or wrong."

The old man was silent for a moment, then spoke softly, "If you are determined to cultivate Confucianism, I might be able to help you a little. As for Legalism, I'm afraid you'll have to explore it yourself; I can't give you any advice..."

The old man paused, then said, "Not long ago, a classic of Legalism was published, which has become known throughout the world... If this matter has anything to do with you, be very careful in your future actions, because no one in this world is happy to see the establishment of the Legalist school."

After talking with Lu Zheng for a while, the old man also developed a fondness for talent and thought of giving him some advice and reminders.

Lu Zheng replied, "Thank you for the reminder, sir."

The old man smiled kindly and said, "I forgot to mention, my surname is Yan and my given name is Jue."

Lu Zheng calmly asked, "The Chancellor of the Jixia Academy?"

He had never seen the headmaster of the Jixia Academy, but he had heard of his great reputation.

Yan Jue smiled and said, "It is indeed I, but you don't seem surprised at all."

Yan Jue noticed that Lu Zheng's reaction was very calm, and it wasn't feigned indifference.

Lu Zheng smiled and said, "I have met many people, whether they are mortals or saints."

Lu Zheng wouldn't be surprised if it were a true sage, let alone the headmaster of the Jixia Academy.

Yan Jue's eyes flickered slightly, and he asked curiously, "Oh, which sage is it?"

Lu Zheng said unhurriedly, "For example, Meng Sheng."

Yan Jue's eyes flashed with a strange light, and his tone carried a hint of respect, "Sage Meng... since you have met Sage Meng, why did you choose the path you are on now?"

Lu Zhengdao said, "It was precisely after seeing it that I became more certain of my ideas."

Yan Jue frowned, unable to sort out her thoughts for a moment.

Lu Zhengdao: "The Confucianism of today is no longer the Confucianism that the sages hoped for."

Yan Jue felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing this, and a series of thoughts immediately came to mind.

As the head of the Jixia Academy, how could he not be aware of the current state of Confucianism?

Lu Zheng then asked, "Does the Chief Priest know that the Buddha's true intention has descended to earth in Wei?"

Yan Jue was still pondering when she heard Lu Zheng's words, and her expression changed slightly. "Is that so?"

He had recently traveled from Qi to the northern regions without passing through Wei, and had not yet received such news.

Lu Zheng smiled and said, "At the Unobstructed Assembly, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas manifested their divine power to establish the orthodoxy of Buddhism and exterminated many eminent monks who had gone astray. Hundreds of thousands of believers and guests from all over the world witnessed this, and it is estimated that it will not be long before the whole world knows about this matter."

A flicker of astonishment crossed Yan Jue's eyes. Even as a near-sage of Confucianism, it was difficult for him to remain calm upon hearing such a thing. This was no small matter; it was a major event that could influence the course of the world.

Lu Zheng said calmly, "This is a chaotic world, a time of great strife, and everyone in this world is caught up in it and cannot escape it. The Chief Priest should also pay more attention..."

Yan Jue felt that Lu Zheng's words had a deeper meaning, but she couldn't figure out why for the time being.

Lu Zheng added, "If the Chief Priest comes to see Master Gongyang, he is not currently in the Taiping Domain and will not be back for a while. If you have any messages, I can pass them on to you."

Yan Jue shook his head slightly and said, "Since he is not here, there is nothing to say. His choice to stay and work with you is his, and I naturally cannot stop him."

Lu Zheng nodded and said, "If there's nothing else, I have to go now."

Upon hearing this, Yan Jue quickly asked, "Could you tell me what Meng Sheng said to you?"

Lu Zheng thought for a moment and said, "There is a saying in it: 'The righteous path is never lonely.'"

Yan Jue's heart stirred with emotion, which meant that Meng Sheng and Lu Zheng had talked more than just a few words.

This single sentence is enough for the ancient sage Mencius to praise someone as a follower of the righteous path, which is an extremely high compliment.

Yan Jue naturally had no doubt that Lu Zheng would lie to him about such a matter, nor could he possibly lie to him.

"The righteous path is never lonely..." Yan Jue's expression shifted, and there were many layers of meaning to these words.

For example, there are very few righteous people in the world, which is why Mencius used the term "not alone".

Lu Zheng said softly, "Please make yourself at home, sir. I'll take my leave now."

Lu Zheng bowed and then drifted away.

Yan Jue sat in the pavilion, recalling Lu Zheng's words, and fell into deep thought.

Suddenly, Yan Jue murmured, "This boy is extraordinary. The fortune and destiny he carries are beyond even my comprehension... He has earned such high regard from Sage Meng, and it's likely that Sage Meng is even more important than him..."

Before meeting Lu Zheng, Yan Jue felt that this young man was very mysterious, and it was truly amazing that he could create such a peaceful place.

Everything here is very different from other places; it's like a completely new world.

After meeting Lu Zheng, Yan Jue found that she still couldn't fully see through and understand him.

Not only that, but it also made him feel uneasy, uneasy about the unpredictable future.

……

While Yan Jue was still pondering the matter, Lu Zheng went to meet some patriots from other places and got to know each other better.

Among these people were demons from the great demon kingdom further north, and they genuinely wanted to join this place.

Several of them were recommended by senior Yunhe.

Lu Zheng couldn't help but admire Yun He's extensive network of connections and his reliability.

After meeting some new faces, Lu Zheng went to find Xiao Yan.

At this moment, Xiao Yan and Qing Wan were discussing and planning some regional matters, preparing to make arrangements for next spring.

Lu Zheng said, "I have met with those newcomers. As for the two people from Jixia Academy, I met with one of them. He is Yan Jue, the Chancellor of Jixia Academy."

Xiao Yan, who was taking notes, trembled upon hearing this, and her expression changed slightly as she said, "That person really came!"

When Gongyang Ming joined here, they wondered if the Jixia Academy would send some high-ranking figures. It turned out that someone had come so quickly, and he was the chief of the Jixia Academy.

Qingwan's eyes lit up, and she asked curiously, "So, I heard from Master Gongyang that this chief priest is quite extraordinary and has close ties with the Qi royal family... He didn't do anything to you, did he?"

Lu Zheng smiled and said, "A great Confucian scholar who is close to being a sage is always more reasonable than many people. He didn't make things difficult for me, and it seems he didn't come to question Mr. Gongyang. For the time being, he shouldn't be our enemy."

Lu Zheng just brought up Meng Shengdu, so even if that Chancellor had ulterior motives, he shouldn't have directly attacked him, treating him as someone who defied Confucianism...

Xiao Yan looked at Lu Zheng with a strange expression. What did he mean by "for the time being, it shouldn't be"?

So, even before they arrived, you already considered that high priest as a potential enemy?

And does this imply that they might become enemies in the future?

That was a great Confucian scholar who was almost a saint. If they really started fighting, the entire Bai Ze City could be destroyed in the blink of an eye, and no one would know who did it.

Xiao Yan couldn't help but ask, "He's gone?"

Lu Zheng thought for a moment and said, "No. I reckon he'll stay here a while longer. Don't worry, we're not without people here, we still have Daoist Yunxiao and the others."

Qingwan, standing nearby, said, "Daoist Yunxiao, I sent him with those Daoists to help rescue people outside. I don't know where they went. The Shu royal family members are still here, but they're probably all just empty shells... Speaking of which, we don't have any Dao-seeking experts here anymore. It seems you're the strongest among them."

They originally only had one Dao Seeking Realm cultivator here, but Gongyang Ming went to the Snow Plains, and now their strongest combat power has fallen to Lu Zheng.

As for the Tongxuan Realm guards stationed in various regions, Qingwan felt that all of them combined were no match for Lu Zheng alone, and they would be of no use against someone even more powerful.

Qing Wan said leisurely, "Shouldn't we think of a way to recruit some experts? When we went to the Unobstructed Gathering, there were so many people at the seventh level of the Dao Inquiry Realm that we couldn't count them on two hands. The powerful figures in the world are not to be underestimated..."

Lu Zhengdao said, "It's normal for some powerful figures to attend Wei's biggest event."

"Actually, we don't need any powerful figures to oversee things. As long as some well-known figures from all over the world come here, even if they are just visiting, sightseeing, or learning, it can serve as a guarantee."

Qingwan thought about it and realized it made sense. Not only were there people from the Jixia Academy of the Great Qi Kingdom here, but also members of the royal family of Wei and Shu, as well as figures from other large and small forces...

If anyone were to attack Taiping Domain now, they would likely offend quite a few powerful forces.

Qingwan nodded and said, "That makes sense. Actually, the most important thing is to protect you. You are the backbone of our group."

Everyone knows that if Lu Zheng is gone from Taiping Domain, the prosperity and stability of this region will be difficult to maintain and may collapse with his disappearance.

Of course, Lu Zheng and Qing Wan had considered this situation privately, and even made the worst-case scenario plan.

This is why Qingwan has the authority to make decisions on many important matters.

Qingwan also spends her free time training Xiao Qingyi...

Lu Zheng smiled and said, "I'll take good care of myself." (End of Chapter)