Chapter 316: Debate on Ink
The tea on the table had grown a little cold. Ying Chengjiao raised his eyes and glanced at County Magistrate Qiang who was standing quietly.
The scientists thought that the emperor had already made a decision, and they all concentrated their attention, ready to listen to the instructions that would affect the people's livelihood and politics in South Korea.
Ying Chengjiao raised his arm and pointed at a wooden chair in the hall, and the other two followed his gaze.
"What are you standing for? Aren't you tired? Sit and wait."
Qiang opened his mouth and lowered his head slightly.
"……only."
He went straight to sit on the chair.
"Your Majesty."
The scientist couldn't help but speak.
"At this moment, you can still think of such a small thing?"
Ying Chengjiao tilted his head.
"If you think this is a small matter, why are you standing there waiting?"
The scientist stood up without hesitation, calming his face and standing with his hands behind his back.
There is one thing about Mohism that is different from all the other schools of thought: it is a completely idealistic doctrine that completely goes against human nature.
Zhuangzi said: "He was diligent in life, and was light in death. His path was great. He made people worried and sad. His behavior was difficult to follow. I am afraid that he could not follow the path of a sage. He went against the will of the world, and the world could not bear it. Although Mozi was the only one who could take charge, what could he do to the world? He was separated from the world, and he was far from being a king."
What it means is that the Mohist doctrine is too unorthodox and cannot be accepted by the world.
All the theories of various schools of thought were either for the ruling class or for the aristocracy. Only the Mohist school stood with the people.
Mozi, who had seen the sufferings of the people, advocated the promotion of talents. In the late Eastern Zhou Dynasty when the official system was in place, he proposed that the most capable people should be given the positions.
It is also because the people are suffering and hungry that frugality is advocated. Everyone should not enjoy anything other than the most basic living security. The king and the people should eat and drink the same, and there should be no difference in their lives except for the division of labor.
The scientist was the richest retainer in the Chang'an Jun Mansion, but he only wore a set of close-fitting shorts. Apart from the pistol given to him by Ying Chengjiao for self-defense, he had no other valuables on him.
The fact that he was able to integrate the three Mohists and become a leader of the Mohist school was half due to Ying Chengjiao's help. The other half was that he set an example and firmly implemented Mohist ideas.
Mohism is not a doctrine that is strict with others and lenient with oneself. Rather, it is a doctrine that is strict with others and even stricter with oneself. In such an organization, only selfless scientists can win the support of the people.
"I have always thought that my thoughts tend to be more in line with Mohism. After all, it is really cool that they could shout out the word equality in a slave society 2,000 years earlier and put it into action to achieve it. I also like the idea of respecting the virtuous. It is really annoying to see that there are always a bunch of good-for-nothings sitting in high positions."
The scientist looked delighted. He was willing to be a pure craftsman because he felt that he was good at tools but not good at words. In his heart, he actually wanted to carry forward the Mohist doctrine.
But this is not for fame, wealth and power. Rather, if the Mohist doctrine is implemented, then the world will love each other, benefit each other, and everyone will be able to live a good life and have enough food to eat and good clothes to wear.
Seeing the scientist's happy expression, Ying Chengjiao sighed secretly and shouted loudly outside the hall:
"My Lord, eavesdropping on others is not what a gentleman does."
"I, an old man who sends his disciples into the mouths of tigers and wolves because I am afraid of death, cannot be called a gentleman."
Wang Chan, who had four fleshy moles on his forehead and a face that looked like a ghost, walked in from outside the hall, glanced at the scientist standing in the hall, and smiled and praised:
“Scientists are truly the best thing in the world.”
The scientist did not respond to Wang Chan with a friendly face, but said coldly with undisguised murderous intent in his eyes:
"You are the source of all the trouble in the world."
Guiguzi Wang Chan's nickname in Chang'an Junfu is the source of trouble.
Wang Chan didn't take it seriously. He found an empty chair and sat down, bending the slender fingers of a man who looked like he was in his twenties or thirties.
"Lu Buwei, the eclecticist, Xunzi, the Confucianist, Han Fei, the legalist, Li Mu, the military strategist, and the Mohist scientist. Your Majesty, what are you going to do..."
Ying Chengjiao smiled and said:
"Why did the prince leave me out? In the past, the strategists were very powerful. When they acted, the princes were afraid. When they were at peace, the world was at peace."
Guiguzi didn't care.
"My knowledge throughout my life is so diverse that it is difficult to classify it into any one school. Although I am the founder of Zongheng, Zongheng cannot describe all my knowledge. This is not important. What is important is which school Your Majesty chooses to govern the country. Apart from me, the only one in the world who has a deep understanding of all the great schools of thought is Your Majesty."
The scientist still stood in the hall without moving or taking a seat, and said disdainfully:
"You are so arrogant. I have never seen anyone as arrogant as you... Haven't you heard that Your Majesty agrees with Mozi?"
[If Your Majesty really agreed with Mozi's views, he would not have allowed Zen to enter the palace.]
Wang Chan bowed to the scientist, looking three times more respectful than he was to Ying Chengjiao.
"What the scientists said is that I am old and my hearing is not good enough."
The scientist snorted coldly and looked at Ying Chengjiao, with a glimmer of hope in his lonely eyes.
Ying Chengjiao glanced sideways slightly, avoiding the scientist's gaze.
"We came to Han from Xianyang. My brother did not place any officials in Han. He wanted to leave Han to me to govern. My brother wanted to see how I could govern Han by myself. If there were any accidents, the Guanzhong army nearby could quell the unrest in Han within ten days.
As early as when Uncle Lü's report on the officials in Han was not approved, I knew that this day would come sooner or later. I never took it seriously. I had prepared for the future development of Qin twenty years ago. I changed the laws, established schools, enlightened the people, held imperial examinations, and recruited talented people..."
If Ying Chengjiao said this to others, no matter how knowledgeable one , he would not be able to fully understand what he meant.
But Qiang who was present was one of the earliest secret guards, Guiguzi and the scientist were the most powerful guests in the mansion, and the three of them could understand what Ying Chengjiao said.
The Xinzheng County Magistrate looked respectful and didn't think much about it. No matter what the king said, he would do it.
Guiguzi had a smile on his face, and his fingers hidden in his sleeves kept opening and closing. No one knew what he was thinking.
The scientist forced a smile and said:
"May I ask, Your Majesty, can you give me 100,000 gold?"
He didn't want to listen anymore. Even if he listened further, he wouldn't hear what he wanted to hear.
To become a leader of the Mohist school, one cannot rely on the nepotism with Ying Chengjiao, overwhelming military force, or excellent hands-on ability. These factors are necessary to be a good Qin Mo.
Mohism is an idealistic school of thought, and most of its followers are idealists who are willing to die for their ideals, who only know how to dedicate themselves and do not ask for anything in return. All Mohists take it as their responsibility to "promote the benefits of the world and eliminate the harm of the world."
It is the only organization among all the schools of thought that has its own armed forces, a leader, and discipline. As a leader in such an organization, scientists may have a slightly weaker ability to think than to do.
But if one still doesn't know that Ying Chengjiao will not use Mohist doctrine to govern the country, then the Mohists will never recognize him as a great master.
"Can."
Ying Chengjiao nodded.
When the scientist thanked him and began to move backward, he said:
"If you are not in a hurry, you can sit down and listen to me."
The scientist said nothing, nodded and took a seat.
"As the prince said, many of the various schools of thought have gathered around me. With the generous teachings of the various schools of thought, I have a basic understanding of each school of thought. But because of this, I overlooked one thing. Our group of people have too lofty thoughts and ideas, and we are not down-to-earth. This includes scientists, and you are the same."
If it were anything else, scientists would probably just let it go. But Mohism was rooted in the poor and spoke for the people. Ying Chengjiao said he was not down-to-earth, which involved a problem of philosophy.
Just as they sat down, the scientists, who were usually well aware of the word "flexibility", could not make any adjustments this time.
"I have nothing of my own. All the gold that Your Majesty has given me was used for research, and I never kept any for myself. My pursuit as a Mohist is to speak for the people, and I have never been away from the people in my life. I often work with craftsmen and farmers, making tools and tilling the fields. Your Majesty, I absolutely do not agree with what you said."
Ying Chengjiao nodded and confirmed what the scientist said. These were all true. In the Chang'an Junfu, the scientist was the poorest person. His monthly expenditure was less than two stone of grain, and less than twenty-four stone of grain a year.
"That's the problem. Do you know what the people are looking for?"
Scientists didn't think twice.
"equality."
"I don't think so."
Ying Chengjiao shook his head, causing the scientist to frown.
"Do you think that if you don't drink and eat, dress, and live like ordinary people, that's what ordinary people want?"
The scientists refused to give in.
"Isn't it? If everyone in the world is like this, the king and the people are the same, and the world is equal, then it is a prosperous world."
Guiguzi, who stopped counting with his fingers, smiled and said:
"People can judge the right and wrong of Mohism, but no one can judge the right and wrong of the Mohist masters. The first master, Mozi, was the best in the world, and there was no one better than him. The last master, Fu Huangxiang, had a son who killed someone, and King Huiwen of Qin wanted to pardon his son because of his old age.
"Huang Xiang refused to listen to the advice of King Huiwen of Qin and killed his own son. He strictly followed the Mohist law that those who kill should be put to death and those who injure should be punished. Those who can be great masters of the Mohist school are great people. Your Majesty should be more careful in what you say."
The world has mixed opinions about Mohism, but few people criticize its great figures.
In terms of morality, the Mohists, who do not advocate rites and laws and do not need to observe mourning for parents who have passed away, are more moral than the Confucians, who advocate rites and laws to govern the country and require mourning for three years when parents have passed away. The great Mohist master is the most virtuous of the Mohists.
“Heaven and earth are not benevolent, and treat all things as straw dogs. This is a Taoist saying. But I think the one who practices this saying the most is not the Taoists, but the Mohists.”
Ying Chengjiao pointed at the scientist.
"The equality you pursue is that everyone in the world eats the same food and wears the same clothes. The king and the nobles do not have delicacies from the mountains and the sea, fine wine and delicious food. They eat the same food as the common people to fill their stomachs. It is not bad to eat, but it is just food to sustain life. The king and the nobles do not have silk and satin, Shu brocade and Su shirts, but wear the same coarse linen clothes as the common people, just like the linen shorts you are wearing."
He pointed at himself again.
"And what I mean by equality is opportunity. I will give them a chance to succeed. Eating food that can barely sustain life and wearing uncomfortable linen clothes. This is not what the people want, but what the Mohists think the people want."
Anger flashed across the scientist's face.
"Your Majesty, what you said today is too absurd. Mozi was popular among the people, and his pursuits were all expressed by farmers and craftsmen themselves, not subjective conjectures. Among all the schools of thought, only our Mohist school has won the hearts of the people. It is our Mohist school that personally asked the people what they want!"
Ying Chengjiao pressed down with both hands, using concrete actions to suppress the scientist's Xu Sheng's anger.
"I know you're in a hurry, but don't be in a hurry."
The scientist had a gloomy face. He was a good-natured man who usually never lost his temper. He was a leader of the Mohist school who had a flexible bottom line, but today he was really angry.
[It would have been better to just let the scientists go, why bother making things awkward. It’s okay to refute the Mohist doctrine in front of the Mohist master, but to say that the Mohist school doesn’t put the people first in front of the Mohist master, this…]
Guiguzi, who had already reminded Ying Chengjiao, shook his head secretly in his heart and was very dissatisfied with Ying Chengjiao's performance.
"Mozi lived in a chaotic world. The people he asked about were refugees who were hungry and poorly clothed. They were poor people who could lose their lives at any time and could only eat grass roots and tree bark, struggling on the line between life and death. For people who have trouble even staying alive, their needs are of course simple.
"But this does not mean that when these people have enough food to eat and clothes to wear, they are still willing to live like this. After the Qin Dynasty unified the world, the wars in the Central Plains stopped. Living in this era is no longer a problem. There are almost no such people. Mohist thought should change."
The scientist said solemnly:
"Your Majesty's eyes only focus on Xianyang, not the countryside. In that place where no one can see, there are still many families with three children who have only one piece of tattered clothing, and only have water but no rice to eat. The money that Your Majesty spends on delicious food for one day can feed these people with millet for a month. The luxurious clothes you wear are enough for their three children to wear their own clothes for a year. Your Majesty cuts down on food and clothes to feed the people of the world, what's wrong with this?"
Ying Chengjiao rubbed his cheeks twice.
"But why?"
The scientist's eyes immediately became filled with anger. He originally thought that Ying Chengjiao cared about the people's livelihood and that the things he invented and created were of great help to the people, so he became his disciple. He did not expect Ying Chengjiao to say such words.
[Isn't this going to force the scientists to leave? Even if you really think so in your heart, you can't say it. ]
Qiang, who had been silent all this time, was worried about his master and quickly signaled to Ying Chengjiao.
Ying Chengjiao acted as if he didn't notice the scientist's expression or Qiangda's eyes, and continued talking to himself.
"I was born in a royal family, but the Ying family is not a royal family that does nothing. Royal children without ability cannot enjoy fine clothes, delicious food, and fine wines and delicacies. The Ying family does not support idle people. Everything I have, I can't say that it is all earned by my hard work, but at least most of it is, right?"
The scientist retorted angrily.
"No one works for you, Your Majesty. Can you do everything by yourself?"
Ying Chengjiao said seriously:
"But didn't I pay the people who worked for me what they deserved? Oh, you are an exception, but you want to be poor, not because I exploit you."
The scientist opened his mouth, but knowing that he was not good at speaking, he didn't know how to refute Ying Chengjiao.
"How many people in the world want to live a poor life if they have the ability? Not many, that's human nature. On the way back, I kept thinking about Marx and Lenin. His depravity is also human nature. But is it wrong for him to pursue a better life? No, it's the method that's wrong. It's okay to be greedy for money and lustful, but why not use legitimate means? Everything has two sides. If used well, human nature can also promote progress. The one who doesn't have much humanity, don't you think so?"
Guiguzi smiled stiffly and said nothing.
Ying Chengjiao turned to look at the scientist who was so angry that he couldn't speak, and said seriously:
"Common people don't care whether the emperor eats the same food as they do, which is rice. What they care about is whether they can have four dishes and a soup for a meal."
