Chapter 319 Destiny
Guiguzi's words made Ying Chengjiao feel detached. This saying, "If you believe it, it exists; if you don't believe it, it doesn't exist" is still very popular two thousand years later.
"If the heaven really exists, how can I survive today when I, the wax sacrificer, raise my voice against the heaven?"
"Your Majesty, you are a mortal, yet you can break bricks and crack stones. What is this achievement? It is martial arts. Where does martial arts come from? It is a gift from heaven. Li Er's words fully express the true meaning of heaven and earth - heaven and earth are not benevolent, and treat all things as straw dogs. Saints are not benevolent, and treat the people as straw dogs. Between heaven and earth, is it like a bellows? It is empty but not bent, and it produces more when it moves."
The bellows is a blowing device used in ancient times to make fire and forge iron.
The yue is a pipe used in ancient times to make fire and blow air.
"Your Majesty, I am getting more and more confused. This passage from Laozi is about the way of nature, using heaven and earth as metaphors and sages as metaphors, asking people to follow the laws of nature. Why does it seem like there is another meaning in your words?"
Guiguzi clicked his tongue twice, somewhat surprised that Ying Chengjiao could say such words.
"Li Er once said: 'My words are very easy to understand and very easy to practice.' He had long ago told the world that what he said was easy to understand and easy to practice. However, people in the world insisted on understanding it from a higher level, and even the emperor was no exception."
Ying Chengjiao reached into his bosom, pretending to touch a gun, and threatened:
"Your Majesty, you'd better speak nicely and don't mock me. I am a person with a heart smaller than the hole of a needle."
Guiguzi stopped when he saw that things were going well, put away his expression, and explained in a serious tone:
"Li Er and Confucius met. One of them founded Taoism and the other founded Confucianism. Both were highly educated people. However, their works were not profound. They were meant to spread their own thoughts, not to be mysterious. This can be seen from the Analects, which records Confucius' words and deeds. The whole article is easy to understand and can be understood by children who can read.
“The Tao Te Ching is just like the Analects, which is full of simple words. You should not read it in a profound way.
"Heaven and earth, and saints, all exist. They look at everything in the world without distinguishing between loyalty and wickedness, good and bad. All things in the world are gifts from heaven and earth, and people are like a bellows, blowing air to make a fire. When you are quiet and empty, the wind will not stop, but will only get smaller. When you move violently, the wind will blow faster and bigger."
This was the first time Ying Chengjiao had heard of this interpretation. None of the Taoist doctors in the Doctoral Office explained it this way.
Although there were some powerful people seeking personal gain in the Qin Dynasty's Doctoral Office at this time, there were also many people with profound knowledge among the Hundred Schools of Thought.
Later generations wanted Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, to establish the Crown Prince and establish the second emperor of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Hui of Han, Liu Ying, as the Four Elders of Shangshan - Duke of Dongyuan Tang Bing, Duke of Xiahuang Cui Guang, Duke of Qili Wu Shi, and Mr. Luli Zhou Shu, who were appointed as Doctors of Taoism.
Ying Chengjiao had heard these four great men who had left their names in history talk about this chapter of the Tao Te Ching. What they said was very similar to what he had said before, and was definitely not what Guiguzi was saying now.
Ying Chengjiao, who had always been suspicious of Guiguzi and was cautious and did not dare to trust him completely, said half-believingly:
"Your Majesty, what you are saying is that we are all working for the heaven and earth?"
Guiguzi nodded.
"That's right. No matter what we do, it's all within the expectations of heaven and earth. Your martial arts skills are a gift from heaven and earth, and you must return them to heaven and earth. No matter how the world changes, what heaven and earth give and take is the same, and there is no difference."
With a light sigh, a trace of vicissitudes appeared in the old man's eyes.
"Li Er rode a green ox to the west, ignoring worldly affairs and no longer passing on knowledge. Perhaps he had understood the matter and was disheartened. Even if he changed the world for the better, it would only last for a hundred years, a thousand years, or ten thousand years. But after a hundred thousand years, everything would start all over again.
"Humans are only chosen by heaven and earth in this great world. In the next world, heaven and earth will no longer be human beings. Can the world still be called the world? Everything in the world changes as it is directed by heaven, but everything in the world changes as it is directed by heaven."
Ying Chengjiao rubbed his temple, his head was aching a bit .
[What heaven and earth give us will eventually be returned to heaven and earth. What heaven and earth give us does not increase or decrease. Isn't this the law of conservation of energy? ]
[Humans are only chosen by heaven and earth in this great age. With this level of , how did this old man know about the Cretaceous period when dinosaurs dominated the earth? Did Laozi ride the green bull to the west to understand that life is meaningless? So Laozi is actually a philosopher?]
"Your Majesty, do you understand Zen's words?"
Guiguzi said in surprise.
[I am now 120 years old. My wife, children, relatives and friends are all gone. The world remains the same, but no one familiar to me exists. I am the only one left. I look around, feeling lost. When everything is hopeless, I finally understand Li Er's true meaning.]
[Your Majesty is in the prime of his life, full of vigor and vitality, and your relatives and friends are afraid. Although you have read hundreds of schools of thought and know the knowledge of various philosophers, it is not surprising that you can understand the Tao Te Ching after listening to my interpretation. ]
[But how can you understand my subsequent thoughts? Your Majesty has not lived for hundreds of years, and has not experienced the pain of losing a wife, sending off children, and burying friends. This does not make sense! ]
"That's about right."
Ying Chengjiao, who was rubbing his head with his eyes closed, did not see Guiguzi's expression and continued talking.
From Guiguzi's words, he felt that he finally understood Guiguzi's state of mind and why Guiguzi seemed to not care about anything.
He was willing to accept people with poor character like Marx and Lenin as his disciples, and he turned a blind eye to the quarrel between Pang Juan and Sun Bin and watched it happen.
"You think of yourself as God, don't you? In your eyes, everything in the world will be taken back by God sooner or later, so you don't care who lives and who dies, which country rises and which country falls. There is no one or anything in the world that you are attached to."
Wang Chan was stunned for a moment, and his original surprise turned into disbelief.
He met many geniuses, including Pang Juan, Sun Bin, Yue Yi, Su Qin, and Zhang Yi.
He also met people who saw through his state of mind, such as Fan Li, the Lord of Tao Zhu, who buried Xi Shi and gave all his wealth to him, and Mozi and Modi, who, like him, saw through the situation of the world but still wanted to make the world a better place.
But he had never seen someone like Ying Chengjiao, and he could understand genius. In hundreds of years in the human world, even if one genius was chosen from a hundred thousand people, that was still a lot.
But Ying Chengjiao is neither an old man like Fan Li who has experienced the vicissitudes of life and lived for a hundred years, nor is he Mozi, who is full of love and is willing to sacrifice himself to save the world.
How could one see through his state of mind? This is not something that can be explained by genius.
"I have seen many philosophers, many geniuses, and many strange people, but I still cannot understand you. If I did not know that you do not believe in God, I would have believed that you are the incarnation of God."
Ying Chengjiao didn't know what Guiguzi was thinking, nor did he know where this evaluation came from. From Guiguzi's words, he thought that he had traveled through time, and opened his eyes and said:
"Oh, maybe my coming to this world is what you call heaven's will."
He just said it casually, but Guiguzi nodded solemnly and said:
"So that's how it is. Your Majesty has been entrusted with the mission of heaven."
The corners of Ying Chengjiao's mouth twitched.
[Can you be fooled by this? Do you have any mental illness? I should have taken you to see Old Man Xia before leaving Xianyang.]
"Sometimes I don't know if you are kidding me or if you are really being stupid. It's pretty stupid anyway."
Ying Chengjiao sneered and pointed at his own face.
"I am still a man of destiny? I want to rebel against heaven! And didn't you just say that heaven and earth regard all things as straw dogs?"
Ying Chengjiao originally wanted to deceive Guiguzi by pretending to be destiny, but the idea disappeared as soon as it arose.
He believed that even a person with profound knowledge like Guiguzi would be able to react immediately after leaving the room even if he was really deceived by him.
Rather than leaving a bad impression in Guiguzi's mind, it is better to be frank.
"The heaven and earth in the Tao Te Ching are the heaven and earth that Li Er understands, not the real heaven and earth. The will of heaven is hard to predict, the heart of heaven is hard to see, and the destiny of heaven falls on the king. Perhaps it is because heaven wants to hide itself that it wants the king to be a bellows."
Seeing Guiguzi, the usually lively old man who laughed and scolded, now more serious than ever before, Ying Chengjiao chuckled twice.
"As long as you are happy."
[This is your own strategy, and has nothing to do with Naigong...]
Stretching lazily, Ying Chengjiao, who had learned about the heavens from Guiguzi, was completely relieved.
Whether it is according to Guiguzi's interpretation of the "Tao Te Ching" or his belief in destiny, the heaven that is uncertain whether it exists or not has no influence on Ying Chengjiao.
The former regarded everything as a natural law, and looked at everything like a dog tied with straw, and was too lazy to pay attention to Ying Chengjiao. If it were the latter, Ying Chengjiao would lead a thousand cavalrymen to charge against hundreds of thousands of Hu people to see if there would be a wave of meteorites falling from the sky.
"Since Naigong is the man of destiny, I will trouble you to take care of the Han land. In order for you to see the new world as soon as possible, please don't be lazy and work hard."
"Why is your Majesty in such a good mood?"
Guiguzi frowned, his eyes filled with incomprehension once again.
“Why can’t I be happy?”
"Your Majesty, since you know that everything is empty, your actions are just as expected by the heaven and earth, but they do not help the heaven and earth. At this time, you should be like Zen and look at everything in the world without emotion. Why do you still seem to be full of longing for the human world?"
Ying Chengjiao waved to Qiang and walked out with Qiang.
"Perhaps my realm is not as high as that of the prince, and I haven't understood it yet. The prince has realized his self-worth, and his needs should be considered the sixth level."
Guiguzi, who claimed to be old and frail, was like a rabbit at this moment, faster than the Qin soldiers who were known as tigers and wolves. He blocked Ying Chengjiao with desire in his eyes.
"Please enlighten me, my Lord! Zen, I have been trapped for too long and do not want to wait for death."
Ying Chengjiao expressed his thoughts in front of Guiguzi, and Guiguzi was sure that Ying Chengjiao had understood it.
Guiguzi used to be like Ying Chengjiao, full of vigor and interest in everything, but since he knew the true meaning of heaven and earth, he no longer had that kind of mood.
This is a matter of age and cognition. No matter how long an old farmer works, he will never have such thoughts as Guiguzi. The curse of knowledge can only be broken with knowledge.
Guiguzi, who knew various philosophers, understood hundreds of schools of thought, and was proficient in all doctrines, also wanted to be as interested in life as Ying Chengjiao.
Really live.
Instead of waiting to die.
[Well, because I’m not old enough, I haven’t seen, eaten, or played many things, unlike you who have experienced everything…]
Ying Chengjiao wanted to say so, but seeing Guiguzi's eyes full of hope, as if he was grasping the last straw, he swallowed the words back.
Guiguzi, who had read all the books in this era, could never have imagined that Ying Chengjiao could understand his words not because of his state of mind.
It is purely because the previous generation plants trees and the next generation enjoys the shade. I have read many philosophical books.
Scratching his head, Ying Chengjiao grabbed the old man's shoulders and said very seriously:
"Romain Rolland said: There is only one kind of heroism in the world, that is, to still love life after seeing the truth of life. A great man said: The joy of fighting with the sky is endless, the joy of fighting with the earth is endless, and the joy of fighting with people is endless. These two sentences are for you to encourage each other."
Guiguzi stood motionless like a thousand-year-old zombie.
After Ying Chengjiao forced his way away, he didn't move for a long time.
I don't know how long it took, but the old man slowly sat down on the ground, counted the time of half a cup of tea with his fingers, closed his eyes, and sat quietly until dawn.
…
"You are not allowed to go to Yingdu!"
Inside the house that looked ordinary from the outside, the bedding on the bed was woven with silk that only the nobles could afford, and the headboard was made of mahogany and embroidered with a lifelike phoenix.
The chubby Xiang Liang stood in the middle of this house that looked shabby on the outside but magnificent on the inside, with a few wood chips on the soles of his shoes, and severely reprimanded his nephew in front of him.
His nephew was eight feet tall and looked to be at least twenty years old. Looking down, he saw his handsome face full of childishness, but he was definitely no more than twenty years old.
The bare arms are full of muscles, the broken wood in front of him, and the broken wood chips on his fists show that these high bulges are not only for appearance, but also for great power.
His surname was Ji, his clan name was Xiang, his name was Ji, and his courtesy name was Yu. He was the grandson of Xiang Yan, a famous general of the State of Chu, and was only fourteen years old.
Xiang Yu had an irritable look on his face, and he swung his fists vigorously. There were loud explosions and crackling sounds in the air.
"Why! Even though Yu is young, no one can defeat him!"
"You arrogant kid!"
Xiang Liang, who looked like a rich man and was very easy to talk to, grabbed his nephew's swinging arm and didn't seem to worry about being hit at all.
He thought he could just grab his nephew's arm and hold it tight like he did a month ago to teach him that he is not invincible.
However, he did not expect that this hand grabbed his nephew's arm, but not only could he not stop his nephew from swinging his hand, he was almost swung up by his fourteen-year-old nephew.
The unimaginable force caused Xiang Liang's heels to leave the ground. If Xiang Yu had not restrained the force in time, Xiang Liang would have become a flying man.
After showing his strength to his uncle, Xiang Yu raised his head and said to his uncle:
"How about it? Can Yu go to Ying? As the grandson of Xiang Yan, how can I not go to the capital of Chu to see it!"
Xiang Liang swung his arms and used his internal energy to calm his blood, his heart filled with horror.
Xiang Liang was a martial artist himself, and he knew what it was like to be a martial artist who had reached the pinnacle of martial arts, Zhao Gao.
The reason why he was so shocked was that his nephew Xiang Yu was not very skilled in martial arts and did not have much internal strength. A 14-year-old child, facing the martial arts of Shuimo Kung Fu, could not reach the peak in one step no matter how talented he was.
The reason he was able to get him to such a state and almost throw him off was because of his brute force!
Xiang Liang's face showed only anger, not surprise, and he said in a deep voice:
“No.”
Xiang Yu was extremely angry.
"If my uncle can do it, why can't Yu? My uncle can't beat Yu, but Yu can protect himself!"
Xiang Liang shouted:
"I can die, but you cannot! You were born with double pupils, it is destiny! Restoring Chu is up to you!"
