The whole article of "Chajin" tells a very simple truth, that is, people should not be too imitative of ancient laws, because the laws of ancient kings are constantly changing. The famous story of "carving a boat to find a sword" is in this article, which makes people know that things are constantly changing, and the perspective and standards of looking at things should also change, and we should not be too rigid in the old laws.
The core idea of this article is "follow the current king" and imitate the current laws. In other words, different laws should be formulated according to different periods. It clearly supports the Legalist view and opposes the Confucian view of "following the previous kings" to imitate the ancient laws.
Xunzi also proposed "following the laws of later kings". Since Xunzi did not make any annotations himself, there has always been a lot of controversy about "later kings". However, most people believe that it means that Xunzi advocated following the laws of more recent times rather than pursuing older laws, which is between Confucianism and Legalism.
Fang Yun realized that Zong Sheng used this as a test, but it had a deeper meaning.
This is because all the changes Fang Yun has made in recent years are actually "following the current king", and even his conversations with Kong Changxun involve "observing the present and understanding the past".
The deeper meaning of Zongsheng is that Fang Yun’s so-called political way and the reforms he carried out did not escape the eclectic sage way of "Lüshi Chunqiu". What Fang Yun followed was nothing but the eclectic sage way!
If Fang Yun could overturn this article "Cha Jin", it would be equivalent to Fang Yun overturning his own holy way.
This article "Cha Jin" was established to break the ways of the previous kings. It is extremely difficult to break through this test.
While Fang Yun was thinking, many jailers came forward, each holding a thick file, and placed them on the table in front of Fang Yun one after another.
Fang Yun took a casual look and realized that he would be involved in a long period of trial. The intensive cases would be the second test he faced.
Fang Yun quickly flipped through the case files and soon discovered that all the cases were stored in the strange book world and had occurred in Jingguo. Some of them were even cases that he had personally tried in Ning'an, and all of them were judged using the new law.
Fang Yun shook his head slightly.
If you judge everything in the same way as before, then you are following the holy way of various schools. It is okay to do it once or twice, after all, the holy ways of various schools have something in common. But if you follow the holy way of various schools many times, it will shake your foundation.
If the verdict is changed, it will go against one's own holy path and cause greater harm.
No matter which result it is, it is not good. Even if you make slight changes, it will be classified as "adapting to the times" and you will still follow the holy way of the eclectic school.
Fang Yun flipped through the files, his brows furrowed more and more.
Fang Yun sat for a whole day without trying any case, so the officials in the yamen pleaded with him to stop, but Fang Yun remained unmoved.
This sitting lasted for three months.
For three months, Fang Yun did not try a single case.
One day three months later, Fang Yun suddenly burst into laughter and wrote eight words on the white paper in front of him.
People with the same ideals should be considered friends!
Next, Fang Yun began to judge the case quickly, following Jing Guo’s results exactly, word for word.
As a result, after Fang Yun tried the tenth case, Zong Sheng sped up the time and confirmed that Fang Yun passed.
Fang Yun smiled slightly.
This was the first time I participated in the Holy Thoughts Discussion, so I was too competitive and treated it as a battlefield where the outcome had to be decided!
However, after many days of thinking, Fang Yun looked at this test from various different angles, and finally decided to give up the desire to win, look at it from a more friendly perspective, and find a better solution.
Although there are many traps in the discussion of the Holy Way, it is not essentially a life-and-death battlefield. It is fine even if you agree with the other party's Holy Way.
It’s just that you can’t agree with it all the time, because that will cause your own holy path to become blurred, and you may even want to switch to the holy path of a eclectic school.
After thinking it through, Fang Yun realized that this influence was mutual, and Zongsheng himself would also be affected!
"Then let's hurt each other!"
Anyway, the result of the Holy Thought Discussion is a competition of time, not a competition of right or wrong. As long as you hold on a little longer and find a way to make the Holy Master hold on for a little longer, you will win.
Next, the tests of the Zongsheng were almost all very similar to Fang Yun’s holy way, which fully demonstrated the inclusiveness and diversity of the Miscellaneous School.
Fang Yun was not afraid at all. If it was the same holy path, he would simply admit it and do what he was supposed to do. If it was not the same holy path, he would find another way and pass it successfully.
After spending a full one hundred and fifty-six years in the holy thoughts of the Saint, Fang Yun finally felt a little tired.
My power in the Holy Mind World is limited, and as time goes by, my power will become weaker and weaker.
Moreover, Zongsheng is extremely cunning, and Shengnian has rich experience in discussing the Dao. If he persists, it will do him no harm.
What's more, this time is enough!
Fang Yun thought about it and took the initiative to leave Zongsheng’s holy world.
The great scholars kept staring ahead.
After one hundred and fifty-six breaths, Fang Yun's light spot flew back to his forehead, and Zong Sheng also took back his holy world of thoughts.
Wang Jinglong said: "Saint Fang persisted for 156 breaths. Among all the saints I have seen discussing the Dao, this duration ranks third."
The other semi-saint incarnations nodded slightly, their eyes full of praise.
The outcome of a Saint's discussion would usually be decided in about fifty breaths, and a discussion of the Saint's thoughts that lasted more than a hundred breaths might not occur once in decades.
When those great scholars heard Wang Jinglong’s ranking, they immediately realized that Fang Yun was indeed different from an ordinary semi-saint!
After all, Fang Yun had only been canonized as a saint for a few short years, and this was his first time discussing the Dao with the Saint, yet he had been in a stalemate for such a long time.
"Please come in, Saint Fang." Zong Sheng looked at Fang Yun politely.
The great scholars and saints all looked towards the Saint.
Those great scholars could not see it, but the saints could find that the loss of the Saint's holy thoughts was obviously quite large. Although it did not affect his discussion of the Dao, it was still a long way from his peak period.
"Saint, don't you want to take a rest for a while?" Fang Yun asked with a smile.
"There is no need to do so." Zong Sheng said.
"good."
Fang Yun didn't waste any words. After he finished speaking, he blinked his eyes and a ball of holy light similar to the one that Zong Sheng had used before flew out.
When the saints saw the ball of light, their expressions changed slightly.
Before, Fang Yun only released a trace of holy thoughts, which could not be observed carefully. Now, it can be seen that Fang Yun’s holy thoughts are even stronger than those of Zong Sheng at his peak!
Moreover, Fang Yun’s holy thoughts have a peculiar beauty.
Wang Jinglong couldn't help but ask, "Fang Sheng, what level of literary talent have you reached?"
Fang Yun thought about it, knowing that he couldn't hide it, and said, "The peak of the fourth realm."
All the great scholars in the audience took a deep breath.
Even several semi-saints were stunned.
There was actually a bitter smile on Zongsheng's face.
"Really?" Wang Jinglong didn't believe it at all.
"real."
Even Confucius might not have reached this level back then!
Wang Jinglong glanced at Zongsheng and said, "Fortunately, there is no contest of literary courage in the Saint Path Contest."
The great scholars laughed secretly, and Zongsheng regained his composure and stopped looking at Wang Jinglong.
"Please come in, Your Majesty!" Fang Yun said politely.
The ancestor nodded and sent his divine thoughts into Fang Yun’s holy world of thoughts.
Everyone stared at Fang Yun’s holy world of thoughts, and suddenly, their pupils dilated violently.
In Fang Yun’s holy thought world.
Zongsheng looked around blankly.