Zhu Xiang couldn't see Lin Zhi being scolded, and he felt very sad. He kept sighing while cooking the fish.
Traditional sauerkraut fish should be made with grass carp, but Zhu Xiang was worried that the elderly people would have difficulty spitting out the bones, and he wanted to give them some Yangtze River specialties, so he used longnose catfish.
Longnose catfish is also called river catfish, which mainly lives in the Yangtze River system. Zhu Xiang had people catch the fish and carefully keep them on the boat, changing the water every day. When he arrived in Xianyang, there were still more than a dozen river catfish alive.
The deliciousness of Jiangtuan became widely known in the Song Dynasty due to a poem "A Playful Dishes of Catfish" by Su Shi, a famous food promoter.
Su Dongpo praised it, saying: "The pink stonehead is still boneless, and the snow-white puffer fish is not used to make medicine. I send a message to the God of Heaven and the God of Rivers, and why not ask for water crystal scales." He compared the deliciousness of Jiangtuan with the top edible fish of the time, puffer fish and shad.
Zhu Xiang believed that the King of Qin would also praise the deliciousness of this fish.
After Zhu Xiang demonstrated once how to remove the gills, scrape the scales, cut open the belly and clean the internal organs, the simple task of preparing the fish meat was left to the chef of the Xianyang Palace. He began to mix the seasonings.
Heat the pan, pour in soybean oil, stir-fry ginger, garlic, pickled pepper, Sichuan pepper, etc., then add the fish tail and the fish head cut in half and stir-fry until fragrant;
Cut the pickled cabbage into small pieces, add water and fish bones to boil the soup, then put the fish meat into the boiling water and blanch it for a while, then immediately remove from the heat and put it into the pot;
Then scoop the sauerkraut and other ingredients into the basin, pour the boiling soup into the basin, and use the residual heat to cook the fish thoroughly. Zhu Xiang's sauerkraut fish is ready.
If you like strong flavors, you can add another pot of red oil to the pickled fish. But Qin Wangzhu and Xunzi were both older, and Zichu had a weak stomach, so Zhu Xiang didn't make it that spicy.
After making the most complicated pickled fish, the other dishes were easy. With the help of the chef to prepare the ingredients, Zhu Xiang only needed to use the spatula to quickly prepare the meal.
The best dish to go with pickled fish is rice. Zhu Xiang steamed a basket of rice with the new rice he brought from the south and heated up a bottle of rice wine before changing his clothes and wiping his body.
Although he would sweat while eating, Zhu Xiang still had to keep his body clean and odorless at all times when sitting at the same table with the King of Qin.
Although Zhu Xiang seemed to be very "willful" in front of the King of Qin, he actually paid attention to details. Lin Zhi often laughed at him for being too cautious.
Although the King of Qin may not care, it is better to be cautious. Zhu Xiang has lived in the Warring States period for so long, and the greatest skill he has learned is how to walk on thin ice with his hands turned outwards in a seemingly arrogant manner, but in fact he is trembling with fear.
"Your Majesty, the pickled fish is here! Have some soup to warm your body first!" Zhu Xiang diligently scooped a bowl of soup for Qin Wangzhu, and then scooped another bowl for Xunzi.
Zichu coughed dryly and said, "Shouldn't the third bowl be scooped out for me, the prince?"
Zhu Xiang showed a worried look: "Your hand is injured? Where is it injured?"
Zichu snatched the wooden spoon from Zhu Xiang and scooped for himself.
Qin Wangzhu almost choked on the fish soup.
He thought happily, wondering how long Zichu could tolerate Zhu Xiang. Before Zhu Xiang left, he wondered if he could see Zichu and Zhu Xiang fight once.
King Qin Zhu still misses the scene of Zichu and Zhu Xiang "exchanging ideas" in the past. It was very interesting, just like dancing.
Zhu Xiang watched Qin Wangzhu and Xunzi finish their fish soup and said proudly, "How is it? Isn't it very appetizing and delicious?"
Qin Wangzhu stroked his beard and said, "Zhu Xiang's cooking skills are still so superb."
Xunzi said calmly: "It's OK, but it would be better if it were lighter."
Zhu Xiang said: "Xunzi doesn't like spicy food, next time I will cook fish in a clear stew. Jiangtuan is also delicious when stewed in a clear stew."
Xunzi responded, and Zhu Xiang continued to serve food to Qin Wangzhu and Xunzi.
Qin Wangzhu said: "Leave the serving of the dishes to the palace servants, and you should eat quickly."
Only then did Zhu Xiang put down his chopsticks.
All cooks would taste the food before cooking, and Zhu Xiang had already tasted half of it. After eating for a while, he put down his chopsticks and went to the kitchen to cut a fruit plate.
Qin Wangzhu was very helpless: "To cut some fruit, he needs to go there in person?"
"He can't sit still." Xunzi said.
Qin Wangzhu laughed: "He can't stay idle. I heard that he went to Dong'ou and killed another evil dragon. I don't know what kind of evil dragon it was."
Zichu said, "Zhu Xiang said on the road that he had never killed a dragon."
Qin Wangzhu said: "I also believe that he did not kill the evil dragon, but he must have killed something, otherwise how could there be such a rumor?"
Lin Zhi asked, "Maybe it's a very big snake?"
Cai Ze frowned: "It's so dangerous? Why would Zhu Xiang do it himself?"
Zichu guessed: "Perhaps Zhu Xiang just watched and ordered the guards to take action?"
Lin Zhi nodded: "It's possible. With Zhu Xiang's skills, how could he kill the snake himself?"
Cai Ze still frowned: "It's still dangerous. He shouldn't just stand there and watch."
Zhu Xiang brought a few plates of cut fruits to the table. The fruits were stuck with small bamboo sticks for easy access. The pears were even cut into the shape of rabbits. "What's the danger?"
Qin Wangzhu said, "We are talking about you killing the evil dragon."
Zhu Xiang didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "I haven't done that before."
Qin Wangzhu said: "I know it is definitely not a dragon. How big a snake do you have to kill for people to think it is a dragon?"
Zhu Xiang shook his head vigorously: "I haven't even killed a snake, I haven't killed anything. I just led the Qin army to farm Dongou..."
Xunzi opened his half-closed eyes: "The Qin army is giving Dongou land to cultivate?!"
Zhu Xiang watched Xunzi put his hand into his sleeve, with the ruler half exposed, and immediately moved his butt a little further away: "Xunzi, listen to my explanation!"
Qin Wangzhu said with a smile: "Xun Qing, Zhu Xiang will not do anything that will harm the Qin State. Let's listen to what he has to say before punishing him."
Zhu Xiang: “…” Will you still punish me after hearing this
Zichu wanted to speak well of Zhu Xiang, but Lin Zhi pulled Zichu's sleeve and winked at him.
Lin Zhi: Don't you want to see Zhu Xiang get beaten? Shut up!
Zichu shut up immediately.
Cai Ze's brows twitched slightly.
Zhu Xiang saw his friends' little actions, first gave Lin Zhi and Zichu a glare, and then talked about his trip to Dong'ou.
Although he had written documents, he only talked about the important things. Now that he explained the matter in detail, everyone's eyelids were trembling.
Qin Wangzhu: "You, you deceived Li Mu and went directly to the Dong'ou barbarian land?!"
Xunzi took a deep breath and said, "A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall. Will you never learn this?"
Lin Zhi was very interested: "Interesting, I want to go too."
Zichu was nodding halfway when he saw his father's disapproving look, so he quickly stopped nodding and raised his head.
Cai Ze held his forehead with his hand and said nothing. He was so tired that he didn't know what to say.
What's the use of saying anything? Zhu Xiang is not under his supervision, so he can't stop him from doing anything.
Zhu Xiang quickly said: "That's just a small matter, the important thing is what happens next!"
He talked about taking the Qin army to help resist the typhoon, clear the fields, measure the land, plow the fields and sow seeds... The more Zhu Xiang talked, the weirder the faces looked.
Xunzi was the first to say: "If the Qin army sends out troops again, it should be an army of benevolence and righteousness."
He was in a very complicated mood. Zhu Xiang was sometimes the most consistent person with Confucianism, and sometimes he was contrary to Confucianism, which was really frustrating.
Qin Wangzhu's focus was different. He said in disbelief, "That barbarian who called himself the King of Dong'ou actually let the Qin army land and walk freely? Did he want to submit to Qin a long time ago?"
Zichu said: "It is possible that he was stunned by Zhu Xiang's move."
Lin Zhi smiled and said, "Most people can't do what Zhu Xiang did, so he didn't realize something was wrong right away. Don't blame him."
Cai Ze said: "Li Mu should have seized this opportunity."
Xunzi glanced at a few people.
Of course he knew that what these people said was right, but he was a little disappointed to see that they were all only concerned with their own interests and did not talk about the character demonstrated by Zhu Xiang in this matter and the magnanimity of the Qin State.
However, he had long known that Qin was a rude country, so although he was disappointed, he was used to it.
As long as the Qin State can put on a layer of respect for courtesy and benevolence, the future of this world will be much better.
"Of course!" Zhu Xiang talked about the negotiations between Lu Buwei and the King of Dong'ou, and also talked about a hateful Dong'ou noble who actually sold him cooked seeds.
Cai Ze said angrily, "The King of Yue sold the cooked seeds to Wu in order to wipe out Wu's harvest. The few seeds he sold could only wipe out one family's harvest. Did he think that Lord Changping made a living by farming and planned to starve you to death?"
Lin Zhi said with a straight face: "It is very likely! Changping Jun is extremely important to Qin. If Changping Jun starves to death, Qin will be like losing a wing! This plot is too vicious!"
Zichu: “…” One friend is being sarcastic, the other is being serious, how should he respond
Zichu thought for a moment and said, "It is indeed vicious."
Zhu Xiang gave Lin Zhi and Zichu a look that said, "Are you two serious?"
Qin Wangzhu couldn't help laughing, and tears came out of his eyes: "Yes, yes, it's too vicious. He actually wanted to starve Qin's Changping Jun to death! He deserves to be killed!"
Xunzi said: "It is really foolish and he lost his life in vain."
Zhu Xiang changed the subject: "Lü Buwei said that his negotiations were reaching a deadlock. It's like a pillow was delivered just when I was about to fall asleep. Now that the Qin army has built a port and camp in Dong'ou, it will be easier for them to go south to train troops."
Xunzi sighed slightly.
Is Li Mu going south to train his troops? Forget it. After unifying the Central Plains, with the ambitions of Crown Prince Zichu and Prince Zheng, it is only a matter of time before they take over Yue. Now, using the means of "righteous soldiers" is better than the previous way of fighting of the Qin State.
"The Yue people are aggressive, don't forget to educate them." Xunzi reminded, "If you are short of people, you can bring more people from the academy. After Lu was defeated, many Confucian disciples came to Qin."
Zhu Xiang was stunned: "Ah? Lu was destroyed? Who destroyed it?"
"Chu," Cai Ze said, "Chun Shenjun tried to alienate you. I used the fact that he alienated you to alienate him and the King of Chu. I said that everyone knows that Chun Shenjun was jealous of you after seeing you, and used the name of the King of Chu to use the people of Chu in Qin to slander you. He wanted the King of Chu to be despised by all scholars like the King of Zhao."
Zhu Xiang was even more shocked: "Did the King of Chu believe it?"
Cai Ze said: "Well, he believed it."
Zhu Xiang couldn't help but feel sympathy for Chunshen Jun.
He provoked Chunshen Jun to attack him, and lured out those in Qin who were oriented towards Chu, as well as those who were hostile to Zichu and Ying Xiaozheng in the fight for the throne and therefore pointed their spearheads at him.
As long as they can get rid of themselves, the King of Chu and Chunshen Jun will not be stingy with the lives and status of these people.
Zhu Xiang gave them enough reasons to take action, attracted their attention, and hid his trade war under the grand scheme of sowing discord.
The strategy of sowing discord was a normal tactic in the Warring States Period, but a trade war was not, even though Qi had done it before.
When someone attacked Ying Xiaozheng, Zhu Xiang's idle chess move came into play again.
The people of Chu and those who were hostile to Zichu and Ying Xiaozheng had the same interests and similar methods, which made it easy for the King of Qin to think that the two were cooperating and he made up his mind to eradicate this force.
Zhu Xiang only took the lead, and the rest was done by Lin Zhi.
Unexpectedly, Cai Ze also gave Chunshen Jun a blow, and used such a... magical reason to alienate him.
The reason why the King of Zhao alienated the people of Zhao because of him was because he was still a "subject" of Zhao at that time; wasn't it natural to alienate a great sage from another country? If he really died in the hands of the King of Qin because of the alienation plot, people all over the world would only curse the King of Qin.
It was just like how the State of Qin alienated the King of Wei and Lord Xinling.
"Has the King of Chu been dissatisfied with Chunshen Jun for a long time?" Zhu Xiang asked, "Is Chunshen Jun attacking Lu in order to reverse the unfavorable situation?"
Lin Zhi said: "When Li Mudong took Wujun, Chunshen Jun firmly advocated fighting. So after the defeat, the King of Chu was dissatisfied with Chunshen Jun."
Zhu Xiang was even more speechless: "What if Chunshen Jun didn't advocate war, and the King of Chu handed over the vast land south of the Yangtze River to Qin? Wouldn't that be even more humiliating?"
Lin Zhi spread his hands: "Someone has to take responsibility for the mistake."
Zhu Xiang sighed: "I hope Chu can preserve the classics of Lu well."
The State of Lu was not only the birthplace of Confucianism, but also the ancestral state of the Zhou Dynasty and the fiefdom of Duke Zhou. "No one is closer to Zhou than Lu, and no one is more worthy of support from Lu than Zhou."
After the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, rituals collapsed and the King of Zhou no longer had his own territory. Lu became a refugee destination for the nobles of the Zhou Dynasty and the place where Zhou rituals were best preserved in the world. “All Zhou rituals are in Lu.”
This "Zhou Li" not only refers to the talents who follow the Zhou Li, but also refers to the classics of the Zhou Dynasty for hundreds of years.
"The Chu people acted too quickly." After tasting the benefits of the Xianyang Academy, King Zhu of Qin was heartbroken when he heard the news that Chu had destroyed Lu.
Lu and Qin did not border each other, and Qin could not attack Lu across the Three Jins, so it could only watch helplessly as Chu took the lead.
"Perhaps it is precisely because of the important position of Lu in Zhou that Chunshen Jun chose to destroy Lu to please the King of Chu." Lin Zhi said, "When I was on a diplomatic mission to Chu, the King of Chu praised the Xianyang Academy. Perhaps the King of Chu also wanted to build a palace."
Xunzi scoffed at this: "Will Chu employ foreign talents?"
Zhu Xiang replied: "If the State of Chu was willing to employ foreign talents, Qu Yuan would not have committed suicide by jumping into the river."
Everyone's mouth twitched slightly.
Zhu Xiang's words were too hurtful.
"No matter if it's possible or not, let's just pretend first." Lin Zhi said, "Chun Shenjun will go to the battle personally, and he should be able to protect the classics of Lu."
Xunzi sighed: "The Confucian scholars of Lu also brought some classics to Qin, but the number only accounted for a very small part of the classics in Lu."
Zhu Xiang patted his chest and said, "Xunzi, I will soon start a cotton cloth business with the State of Chu. I will buy back the books from the State of Lu that they looted!"
Xunzi rebuked: "Why are you talking about business all the time?"
Zhu Xiang lowered his head and listened to the lecture.
Xunzi said: "After the exchange, organize it carefully and have someone make several copies before sending them to Xianyang."
Zhu Xiang said obediently, "Yes."
Lin Zhi winked at Zhu Xiang. Xunzi was just being stubborn!
"Not only was Lu destroyed, but Wei was also almost annexed by Wei." Zichu said, "In order to restore the prestige of Wei Wuji, the King of Wei killed the King of Wei and made his son-in-law the King."
Zhu Xiang was puzzled: "Killing?"
"The King of Wei ordered the King of Wei to pay him a visit. After the King of Wei went there, he killed him." Cai Ze showed a mocking sneer on his face, "He thought that by doing this, he could restore his prestige."
Qin Wangzhu touched his head and said, "This... This is even more excessive than my father."
The biggest dark history of King Zhaoxiang of Qin was that he lured King Huai of Chu into Qin and imprisoned him, causing King Huai of Chu to die in depression in Qin.
But even King Zhaoxiang of Qin only kept King Huai of Chu under house arrest, providing him with good food and drink, but not allowing him to return to his country. Ordering the monarch of another country to come to pay homage and then directly killing him is too...
Xunzi drank a sip of rice wine silently. Even the King of Qin thought that the King of Wei was going too far. King of Wei, humph.
Zhu Xiang also silently took a sip of rice wine to calm himself.
At this time, rituals and music were in disarray, and each monarch was more shameless than the other. In comparison, the barbarian monarchs of Qin and Chu, who were excluded from the Central Plains civilization, were actually slightly more moral.
The King of Wei's action was even more despicable than that of the great devil of the Warring States Period, King Zhaoxiang of Qin, who had a deep ditch of conscience.
What kind of hellish joke is this that makes people unable to laugh
Take another sip of rice wine to calm your nerves.
In the original history, the King of Wei would not execute Lord Huai of Wei until 252 BC, because Lord Xinling died of depression in 253 BC.
The King of Wei was suspicious of Wei Wu Ji and took away his military power, which led to the failure of the last coalition attack on Qin by the six countries. Wei Wu Ji, who had nothing left, was placed under house arrest in Wei State, where he drank all day to drown his sorrows. He died of illness in 253 BC.
After Wei Wuji's death, the King of Wei became panicked.
He knew that the reason why Qin did not attack the King of Wei was because of the intimidation caused by Lord Xinling.
It’s not that Qin couldn’t defeat Wei with Lord Xinling, it’s just that it was very troublesome, so it decided to bypass Wei first.
Now that Xinling Jun is dead, all the Wei nobles know that the Qin people may attack.
When the King of Wei was ostracizing and suspicious of Wei Wuji, all the officials in the court agreed with him.
Although there were people who sympathized with Wei Wuji, they could not go against the King of Wei's opinion. Most of the nobles of Wei were not only jealous of Wei Wuji, but also dissatisfied with Xinling Jun's behavior.
Xinling Jun made friends and took in retainers not based on their background, but only on their talent and his own preference. He often interacted with some common retainers on an equal footing, and even his brother-in-law Pingyuan Jun once complained about this, so the nobles of Wei, especially some of the princes of Wei who were like Xinling Jun, were even more dissatisfied with Xinling Jun.
Every time Xinling Jun gained power, he would place his retainers in important positions.
This was a common practice during the Warring States Period. A noble's retainers were subordinates to the noble when he was in power.
But the retainers of Lord Xinling were not of good origin. For example, the vanguard he led to charge into battle was actually a dog butcher. The nobles of Wei State did not approve of these people standing above them and gaining the credit that they could not have achieved.
Therefore, the nobles of Wei State both admired Wei Wu Ji and relied on Wei Wu Ji, but also "looked down on" Wei Wu Ji's way of doing things.
All this changed after Wei Wuji's death.
When Wei Wu Ji was alive, even if they treated him badly, when Qin attacked, Wei Wu Ji, as a prince of Wei, would still work for Wei, so they were unscrupulous.
Wei Wuji was dead. Even if they knelt down and kowtowed to him until their heads were broken and bleeding, Wei Wuji would not be able to lead the troops to protect the State of Wei.
As a result, the dissatisfaction with the King of Wei in the Wei court grew louder and louder, and the King of Wei's prestige plummeted.
At this time, the King of Wei was desperate and tried every possible means. He killed Lord Huai of Wei, made his son-in-law the king of Wei, and completely incorporated Wei into Wei to demonstrate his ability.
Although Wei Wuji was not dead, he went to guard the border for Zhao State and said that he would never return to Wei State. The King of Wei was desperate and tried all kinds of treatments ahead of time.
"If such behavior can increase the prestige of the King of Wei in Wei and the ministers support the King of Wei as a result, then the Wei State will surely perish," Zhu Xiang commented.
Xunzi nodded in silent agreement.
It is not only that Xunzi did not approve of the King of Wei in terms of etiquette and law. He also did not approve of King Zhaoxiang of Qin in terms of etiquette and law, but he also said that King Zhaoxiang of Qin was a capable monarch.
Xunzi has always been very pragmatic.
The King of Wei not only insulted his own reputation, but also did not gain any benefits. If such stupidity could be recognized by the scholars of Wei, then the entire Wei State would be stupid from top to bottom and there would be no need for it to exist.
Sometimes when Xunzi was dissatisfied with the King of Qin and the Qin State, he would think about the kings of the seven countries in his mind, always sigh helplessly, and then accept the current unsatisfactory reality.
There was no way. The Qin State and the King of Qin were not good, but the six states were even worse, so bad that Xunzi could not see any hope that they would win.
To put it bluntly, even if they obtained the help of ghosts and gods and defeated the Qin State, after they unified the world, they might not be as good to the world as the Qin kings that Xunzi saw now.
Xunzi said the same thing to the Confucian scholars of Lu.
If they are not satisfied with the King of Qin, they will go and seek a better monarch than the King of Qin.
The world is not static and cannot remain the same as Lu Ru wants.
If it was as Lu Confucian thought, Lu would not have perished, and Lu Confucianists would not have fled. Xunzi despised the cowardly appearance of Lu Confucianists who buried their heads in books and completely escaped from reality.
As expected of a disciple of the lowly Confucian Mr. Meng, there is nothing respectable about him.
The world will eventually be unified, and six of the seven kingdoms will soon perish. Don't take chances.
So if the Lu Confucians were dissatisfied with Qin, they could have supported the monarch they valued to fight for the world. What's the point of saying "war is inhumane" and "the vassal states are all vassal states of Zhou and should not kill each other" and other completely useless principles
Useless words and useless people are better off dead.
Xunzi asked Zhu Xiang to lead the Confucian scholars of Lu to the south in order to use the barbarians in the south to educate their brains, so that they would not bury themselves in bamboo and wooden slips and not even know what the world looks like.
Humph, the lowly scholar Meng is only slightly better at teaching, which is just right for him to educate the barbarians.
If the barbarians could learn the weakness of Meng's lowly scholars, the killing caused by the Qin army when it marched south would be much less.
After Xunzi got a little tipsy, his reserve disappeared and he started talking nonstop. He took Zhu Xiang's hand and started to curse the Meng family as cheap Confucian scholars.
Qin Wangzhu was feeling a little dizzy and was about to go back to his bedroom to sleep, but when he heard Xunzi scolding him, he perked up.
Zichu brought Qin Wangzhu a cup of water with sour plum juice to wake him up.
Qin Wangzhu held the water cup and listened attentively to Xunzi's scolding.
Lin Zhi took out a roll of paper and a brush from his sleeve, tapped the tip of his tongue with the brush a few times, and wrote down Xunzi's abusive words with great excitement.
These will become the material for his debates with colleagues in the court.
Cai Ze couldn't help but lean forward and listen to Xunzi's teachings with his ears perked up.
Zichu looked at his friend and listened attentively.
Zhu Xiang's hands were held tightly by Xunzi. He felt his ears buzzing and his saliva sprayed all over his face as he listened to Xunzi's scolding. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
This is really...
Did Xunzi hate Mencius so much? No wonder Mencius's disciples in later generations also hated Xunzi so much.
While listening to Xunzi scolding people, Zhu Xiang recalled some gossip he had heard when he was studying Confucianism.
Although Mencius' theories were very "benevolent and righteous", he himself had a bad temper. He often argued with others and used very harsh words to insult them.
Mencius was older than Xunzi and was the leader of Confucianism before Xunzi. When Mencius was in the Jixia Academy, he was invincible in scolding people and claimed to be the teacher of the king of Qi.
Xunzi should have studied under Mencius at that time.
Mencius and Xunzi had different theories, and they probably clashed at the Jixia Academy. But Mencius's trolls were very utilitarian, and they were also good at it, and they even outclassed Xunzi. In the Confucian school, which attaches great importance to seniority, Xunzi was naturally weaker than Mencius.
At that time, Xunzi must have been scolded many times by Mencius, right
Zhu Xiang really wanted to see that scene.
He liked both Mencius and Xunzi. He liked it even more if Mencius and Xunzi cursed at each other and even fought.
Mencius died so early that Xunzi could no longer argue with Mencius directly after he gained status. He could only write articles to argue with him from a distance. Xunzi must have felt very lonely.
The Confucian scholars of Lu were basically all disciples of Mencius. Now that the Confucian scholars of Lu had come to the Xianyang Academy, Xunzi's spirit would surely be much better.
Listen, Xunzi is scolding people with such vigor now, he will surely live a long life.
Zhu Xiang let Xunzi's words go in one ear and out the other, looking as if he was in a trance.
Xunzi was already drunk and didn't notice Zhu Xiang's perfunctory attitude. Otherwise, he would have given Zhu Xiang two punishments.
After Xunzi finished scolding people, he fell drunk.
Zhu Xiang carried Xunzi on his back and settled him in the palace arranged by Qin Wangzhu, where he served Xunzi until he went to bed.
Qin Wangzhu was very satisfied with the meal. Not only did he eat delicious food, but he also saw a lot of excitement.
After Zhu Xiang left, he rarely saw any excitement.
Alas, when I was the crown prince, the officials were not that afraid of me. Why are they so scared of me now that they don't even want to watch the fun
King Qin Zhu shook his head, and he looked very much like Ying Xiaozheng.
Ying Xiaozheng truly embodies all the "advantages" of previous generations of Qin kings.
When Xunzi woke up the next day, Zhu Xiang had already woken up.
Zhu Xiang fetched water and helped Xunzi wash up, just as they did when they lived together at home.
Xunzi was not uncomfortable with Zhu Xiang's change of identity.
After he calmly accepted Zhu Xiang's service, he asked Zhu Xiang about his opinion on Lu Confucianism.
Although Xunzi was drunk, he was very clear-headed (he thought) and his memory was very clear.
Zhu Xiang said: "They are immersed in Zhou Li, thinking that Zhou Li is everything, and the words of the ancient sages do not need to be changed. They cannot see the changes in the world, which is very bad."
Zhu Xiang recalled the struggle between the Confucian scholars of Lu and Qin Shihuang over the feudal system and the county system, as well as those "confrontations" in which the Confucian scholars of Lu were clearly at a disadvantage but still tried to provoke Qin Shihuang's anger.
Qin Shihuang's reputation was tarnished in this confrontation, but what did the Confucian scholars of Lu gain
They got nothing, and the world got nothing.
They just kept fighting with Qin Shi Huang, which did not benefit the country or the people at all.
If a doctrine is of no use to the country and the people, then is there any need for this doctrine to exist
"After Confucius, each generation of disciples had their own opinions on Confucius' thoughts. Regardless of whether the later generations agree with these opinions, at least each generation of wise men believes that it is the right thing to change according to the times." Zhu Xiang said, "If Mencius were still alive, he would not accept these corrupt scholars as his disciples."
Xunzi sneered: "It is precisely because Mencius is dead that they dare to call themselves his disciples."
After Xunzi sneered, he cursed again: "This group of Lu Confucian scholars are worse than the real Mengshi Confucian scholars! Mengshi Confucian scholars at least have value in living in this world!"
Zhu Xiang helplessly listened to Xunzi scolding the Lu Confucian scholars as being like bugs and rats. No, they were even worse than bugs and rats.
After Xunzi finished scolding, he felt much better.
He said, "Walk with me."
Zhu Xiang knew that Xunzi had something to say to him, so he dismissed the servants and took a walk with Xunzi in the empty palace courtyard.
In order to avoid assassination, few trees have been planted in palaces since ancient times, and only separate gardens have been built.
The king did not like bare palaces, so he would usually live in other palaces.
So Zhu Xiang always felt that this was a meaningless act. Because there was a possibility of assassination in the palace, wouldn't it be the same in other palaces
Xunzi liked such an empty palace very much, as he thought it was a symbol of the monarch's frugality.
After Xunzi and Zhu Xiang walked around the courtyard, neither of them spoke.
Xunzi didn't stop until he was covered in a thin layer of sweat.
Zhu Xiang looked at Xunzi's face and felt a little heavy in his heart.
He probably guessed what Xunzi wanted to say to him.
"Zhu Xiang, I have already decided on the matter of the imperial edict for the woman you mentioned," said Xunzi.
Zhu Xiang lowered his head.
Xunzi said, "You don't ask?"
Zhu Xiang smiled bitterly.
Xunzi asked, “Are you afraid of being disappointed in me because you are worried that it may be completely different from what you thought?”
Zhu Xiang immediately said: "I will not be disappointed in Xunzi."
Xunzi said, "Because you said that you are the one who is out of touch with the times?"
Zhu Xiang was silent for a while and nodded.
Xunzi sighed and said, "I adopted some of your suggestions, but not all of them."
Zhu Xiang still didn't dare to ask Xunzi what he adopted.
Xunzi said to himself: "I adopted a woman who could make merit and obtain an imperial decree."
Zhu Xiang raised his head suddenly, his eyes flashing with excitement: "Really?"
Xunzi snorted coldly and said, "Will I deceive you?"
Zhu Xiang shook his head vigorously.
He couldn't stop smiling and wanted to say thank you to Xunzi, but he didn't dare.
If someone said thank you to Xunzi for this matter, Xunzi would probably beat him.
"But don't be too happy." Xunzi said, "The imperial edict I made is very harsh. It is difficult for ordinary women to obtain it on their own."
Xunzi thought about it and added: "Almost impossible."
Zhu Xiang was not disappointed. He smiled and said, "It will be great as long as this hole is opened."
Xunzi snorted coldly: "Really?"
Zhu Xiang nodded vigorously.
Xunzi couldn't hold it in any longer, and he reached out and tapped Zhu Xiang's forehead a few times: "Is this kind of thing really worth your being so happy about?"
Zhu Xiang nodded vigorously again.
Xunzi was very puzzled: "Why? This has nothing to do with you. Zhu Xiang, you are a man."
Zhu Xiang said: "Of course I am a man."
Zhu Xiang did not wait for Xunzi to continue asking questions. He continued, "But I think this world should be fair. It is true that there is substantial inequality in the world. The status of kings, princes, generals, and common people and slaves is definitely different. But I believe that everyone's personality is equal."
"It has nothing to do with men or women. People who have made contributions should be rewarded, and people with abilities should have the opportunity to realize their ambitions. That's all."
"I know this is totally impossible now..."
Zhu Xiang thought of the series of talent selection mechanisms in the Xianyang Academy, and the development of the world since ancient times and from then on.
"The Shang Dynasty worshipped ghosts and gods, used human sacrifices, and even ate human flesh during sacrifices. Such barbaric behavior began to be reflected upon at the end of the Shang Dynasty, was banned in the Zhou Dynasty, was restored in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, and is now generally disliked for using human sacrifices. It has been 1,300 years."
The Shang Dynasty lasted nearly five hundred years, and the Zhou Dynasty lasted nearly eight hundred years.
It took 1,300 years just to change the system of human sacrifice.
"During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, only scholars could receive education. Promotion of officials was controlled by the aristocracy for generations. In the Chu State, only the great aristocrats could obtain official positions, and even the scholars of the country could hardly realize their ambitions. During the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, ordinary scholars began to seek official positions. Confucius was the first to open a private school, and even barbarians could come to attend. However, the Qin State did not care about family background when selecting talents, and the Xianyang Academy never thought of teaching farmers. Even now, it is generally accepted that the common people should be kept simple and not allowed to learn too much knowledge."
Now, just like in medieval Europe, common people will be punished if they receive too much education or have books in their homes.
It was not until the Han Dynasty that the common people had the right to read. Even if they did not have the means to read, at least they would not be punished for reading.
The powerful were no longer suppressed during the Eastern Han Dynasty. During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, aristocratic families emerged in large numbers. The right of common people to receive education was once again deprived, and a person's future was even judged directly by his or her birth.
Then during the Sui and Tang dynasties, the establishment of the imperial examination system completely consolidated the power of the common people to accept power.
From the time when only nobles could read to the time when common people could also read, it has been at least a thousand years since Confucius opened a private school.
Changing ideas is so difficult that it takes thousands of years.
If we count from the time when Wu Zetian became emperor, during which women's consciousness truly began to rise and people began to believe that women could become superior people, to the time when the women's consciousness awakening movement fully emerged during the Republic of China, the time span is exactly one thousand years.
Who is Zhu Xiang
He was just a professor of agronomy.
Duke Zhou, Confucius, Wu Zetian... No matter who it is, he can't even compare to their toes.
So what if he was a time traveler? How could a time traveler be more powerful than these ancient people? Even if he had a system plug-in, he would not dare to say that he could see the backs of these ancient people.
In the normal social process, it takes a thousand years to change the thinking of a group, from the budding of thought to complete awakening.
How could Zhu Xiang erase these thousand years with just a snap of his head
He can't do it for any reason.
This is true history. Even if the nobles here allowed the nobles of the six countries to share power, they would not allow the common people to read. The mainstream thought here is still the "female disaster theory".
"Women are born with defects and cannot compete with men." Xunzi said, "This is not the Confucian idea. Taoism, Legalism, and Mohism are all like this."
Zhu Xiang said, "I know. Because there is no contraceptive method now. Unless women do not get married, most women will give birth to children every few years. If they give birth to children, many women will be physically unwell and unable to serve as officials for at least half a year. Not to mention the only way to obtain real power and title in Qin State now is through military merit."
"If the woman wants to force herself to compete with the man, then she can only not get married. But the Qin State takes agriculture as the foundation of the country, and population is the top priority. It is absolutely impossible for them to agree that the woman should not get married."
Population was extremely important in the feudal era. In order to recuperate and prosper, each dynasty would use harsh laws to promote women's marriage. If a woman did not marry when she reached the age, the government would randomly match her with someone, or the whole family would be punished.
In modern society, women can fight for status without getting married or having children. But who talked about human rights and freedom in feudal society
Women in the feudal era were resources, just like the common people today. In order to enslave the common people, the state had to keep them ignorant. So in order to make women give birth to children continuously, they could never give women any other options except giving birth to children.
This is also the reason why the more conservative and stubborn the feudal system is, the lower the status of women is.
Only when productivity develops and the feudal system is broken can women be transformed from "resources" into human beings and have other choices.
Otherwise, the so-called power is only a plaything of a few aristocratic women, or even just the women of relatives by marriage who rely on filial piety, and has nothing to do with the larger group of "women".
"But Xunzi, it is not incomplete for a woman to give birth to a life. If paying a price to prolong life is called incompleteness, and women are despised for it, then it is too cruel." Zhu Xiang said.
Xunzi asked, "Are you scolding me?"
Zhu Xiang said: "Even if you are my teacher, I will scold you."
Xunzi glared at Zhu Xiang.
Zhu Xiang glared back bravely: "We all have mothers. Mothers carry babies for ten months and give birth to babies, which is very frightening. Whoever says that a woman is disabled is a motherless orphan or a beast!"
So what if you are Xunzi! It is normal for us Confucians to use foul language to call each other cheap Confucians!
Xunzi's face twitched, he took a deep breath, and then forced a smile: "You are right."
Zhu Xiang: “…”
Zhu Xiang took a few steps back and said, "Xunzi, you can scold me, but don't do anything."
"Who fought with you? You are right. Women are indeed not disabled, and I do not agree with the words of this beast." Xunzi's face became calm, "Do you know why I agree with women's disaster? Human nature is evil, and lust comes first. Even if beautiful women do not want to become the source of evil, they cannot control their own destiny. Therefore, beautiful women are born to be women's disasters and will definitely attract evil people. So I want to guide them to focus on virtue, not appearance."
Zhu Xiang said: "I understand."
Human nature is evil, so beautiful women are born to cause trouble. Therefore, Xunzi promoted the "theory of female troubles", which not only made men ashamed of being beautiful, but also taught women to pay more attention to virtue than appearance.
Xunzi's views are very pedantic. If they were brought up two thousand years later, people would block his door and scold him every day.
But he lived in the pre-Qin period 2,000 years ago, and he was already one of the most open-minded sages of that era. Others were not as good as him.
"Today, if women want to gain status, they can only rely on marriage. Their family background and appearance are their only weapons. When the imperial edict appears, the noble ladies will follow the example of Xue Ji and perhaps pay more attention to virtue." Xunzi said, "This is why I agree with your proposal."
Zhu Xiang bowed with his hands clasped together, his body almost parallel to the ground: "Thank you, Xunzi."
"Moreover, you once said that even if some things cannot be done now, we should let future generations have traces to follow when they can do them, just like we are looking for precedents in historical books now." Xunzi said lightly, "I don't agree that women are equal to men now, but I also hope that day will come in the future."
Regardless of status, gender, only the virtuous will be promoted.
(End of this chapter)