Volume 4 Chapter 15: Desire
"Bang……!!!"
One day in late February , the day after Mr. Guishan Yang Shi brought the other two direct disciples of Cheng Men to Beijing, at noon, in front of the Xuande Tower, there was a dull loud noise, like a rolling spring thunder, followed by exclamations and shouts like a storm.
The twenty strong horses that suddenly broke free were startled by the shouting and galloped non-stop. Two teams of ten horses each pulled a hollow copper bowl and kept clanging and clattering on the Imperial Street. They ran several hundred steps away before being stopped by the obstacles set up by the imperial guards.
At the same time, on the Xuande Tower, the two imperial concubines, dozens of important ministers and great scholars, and more than a hundred low-ranking civil and military attendants, including the armored and armed imperial guards, who were sitting together with Emperor Zhao, all lost their composure and looked around in amazement from the railings.
That's right, the 'air pressure experiment' that had been delayed again and again was finally completed, and in a way that was so intuitive that it surprised everyone... It was a classic hemisphere experiment, with two hemispherical copper bowls, the air inside was drained, and the inside became a vacuum state, and the power of atmospheric pressure was undoubtedly demonstrated under the power of the horse.
By the way, this experiment did have some twists and turns in preparation.
For example, Emperor Zhao initially thought that the biggest technical challenge he would face was the sealing of the contact surface between the two hemispheres, and even prepared a fish bladder. But later he found that as long as he was careful in casting and made the contact surface smooth, there was actually nothing wrong with it...
The real trouble is how to extract the air from the hemisphere.
This problem was what Zhao Jiu and Chen Gui spent a lot of time and effort on, but you know what, Emperor Zhao actually regained his pride as an engineering student and finally solved it.
After encountering this problem, Zhao Guanjia's first reaction was the water pressure well he used when he was a child, so he thought of making a hole directly on the ball and installing a simple piston pump like the one used in the water pressure well. However, the piston pump is not so easy to make... First, he found that the leather and iron castings in his memory were not airtight, so he went back to basics and changed to filling water into the ball first, and then using the natural gas tightness of water to pump the water out to create a vacuum; but just filling water was not enough, because no one had the strength to pump out all the water, so he added a lever; later he found that when it came to the last and most critical point, the joint between the pump body and the copper ball was always disconnected, so he had no choice but to go back to the casting process and cast the pump on the ball from the beginning; finally he found that the water was pumped out and the airtightness was insufficient, so he had no choice but to add an iron ball under the cowhide to act as a piston.
All in all, it was equivalent to Zhao Guanjia reviewing high school physics again, and also equivalent to "inventing" a water pressure well from scratch...it was indeed a water pressure well...but no matter what, with the excellent physical design of this young engineering expert and Chen Gui's excellent technical practice, this thing was finally made.
The time spent on inventing the water pressure well and preparing for the experiment was about ten days, and the finished product experiment in the Yuetai camp in the suburbs took another ten days... However, the time point of this plan was basically before the New Year!
In other words, the official had made preparations long before the bet was made, and he was fully confident shortly after the bet was made.
However, in order to create momentum, he took the initiative to delay the time, and kept delaying it until now. Fortunately, the effect was significant.
Moreover, scholars and Confucian scholars who knew a little about Taoism and Yuanxue actually knew that the loud noise only verified the description of Yuanxue by Lu Gongxiang that Qi is like water, but it did not prove that Yuanxue had grasped the truth on the fundamental issue of "Qi"; from another perspective, it could not prove that the theories of other Taoists were wrong, and it could only be said that it proved that Hu Anguo, the main opponent of Yuanxue in the capital, had made a slight mistake on the issue of "Qi".
As for other schools, such as the orthodox Cheng school of Taoism, Yang Shi and two direct disciples of Cheng school arrived in the capital, they just made a couplet and then hurriedly faced the experiment.
However, thanks to Emperor Zhao's constant hype and procrastination, this loud noise gave all those who did not study, and even many who did study, an illusion - that is, Yuanxue won over Taoism!
Back to the present, Lv Benzhong, who had seen the demonstration in Yuetai Camp before, regardless of his status, stood directly on the side of the Imperial Street under the Xuande Building and showed the re-assembled copper ball to the people on the roadside again. He also pulled it apart at will to show it, and explained the reason behind it tirelessly... It turns out that when there is air inside the ball, there is no air pressure outside. Now that there is no air inside, it has become a vacuum, and the air outside presses down on the copper ball from the outside. The twenty horses are competing to see who has more strength against the invisible and intangible but actual air pressing on the outside of the copper ball.
Seeing this scene, Zhao Ding, who was also surprised, stood up from the upstairs, turned around and bowed to the prime minister Lu Haowen beside him to congratulate him, congratulating the prime minister on his great progress in knowledge, and also congratulating Prime Minister Lu for being able to make such a big fuss when he was very old and almost faded out of politics.
And it’s some kind of big move with unlimited potential.
After all, one should establish virtue, make achievements, and make statements... Prime Minister Lu Gong has already made achievements, and now he wants to make statements. When the time comes, he will brag about his virtues. Who knows, one day while he is still alive, he may have achieved all three, and become a true saint of the time.
Therefore, to put it bluntly, anyone in the Xuande Tower today has reason to envy Prime Minister Lu's luck and achievements.
However, he didn't know if it was an illusion, but Zhao Ding always felt that Lu Gongxiang, who was about to become a saint, was a little dazed, as if he was shocked by the result of this "practice" like everyone else.
Not only that, when Zhao Yuanzhen walked around Prime Minister Lu again and ignored Concubine Pan who was holding the railing and looking at the Imperial Street below in a daze, and then faced Emperor Zhao, he found that the emperor was a little too calm... The emperor in a red robe was actually coaxing Princess Yiyou who was crying in fear in his arms, and he didn't seem to care about the scene below at all.
"Your Majesty..." Zhao Yuanzhen bowed. "The princess is still young, it's not good for her to be exposed to the wind too much, let alone be frightened like this?"
"It's okay. If you get scared a few times when you are young, you will live longer." Zhao Jiu said indifferently. "What do you think of today's incident, Mr. Zhao?"
Zhao Ding looked back at Yang Shi, Hu Anguo and others who were speechless and shocked upstairs, and then glanced downstairs and said carefully: "I think Prime Minister Lu Gong has profound knowledge, proper preparation, and clear calculations. After this, the original school has shocked the world both academically and from the people. But next, how the government arranges politics is the key."
"I made arrangements?" Zhao Jiu handed her daughter, who had gradually stopped crying, to Concubine Wu beside him, and then laughed. "Didn't the provincial government and the central government make any arrangements?"
Zhao Ding was silent for a moment, then said seriously: "I have been trying to ask the provincial government to make arrangements these days, but the emperor has not made any. I don't know how the emperor wants to arrange it, but it is not easy to arrange it..."
"That's a tongue twister." Zhao Jiu glanced at Zhang Jun and Liu Ji who had followed him earlier and laughed. "But, has Lord Zhao been wanting to tell me this tongue twister for a long time?"
Zhao Ding hesitated to speak.
"That's fine." Zhao Jiu sighed slightly, then nodded: "I am still too slow. Since you all want me to make some arrangements, I will make them today... Zhao Qing."
"I am here."
"Starting tomorrow, we will arrange a Marathon half-ball parade at noon every day on the Imperial Street in front of Xuande Tower. We will arrange it for a whole month. Lu Benzhong should have prepared the spare half-ball. Please cooperate with the provincial government."
"I save that."
"I... Mr. Lu, based on the principle of air pressure, has applied what he learned to make a water pressure well. It is very useful. You should prepare it and try to arrange for its promotion."
"yes."
"As for the rest of the arrangements, there is no need to prepare a banquet. Let's go to the fish pond in the harem and have a cup of tea. I will explain everything to you right then and there." Zhao Jiu continued. "Several gentlemen, several gentlemen, the six ministries, the nine officials, and the Imperial Censorate... Let's go together."
Zhao Ding immediately bowed, and everyone including Zhang Jun also bowed. Just as several great scholars reacted and were about to bow, Emperor Zhao had already turned around and went downstairs.
Just like that, two quarters of an hour later, except for the two imperial concubines and several little princesses who avoided this place, all the important officials who had been on the Xuande Tower before came to the old garden of the former harem.
To be honest, some great scholars who came here for the first time were shocked when they saw the scene in the royal back garden. Mr. Guishan Yang Shi, who returned here after several years, was even more speechless, stroking his beard... It turned out that the royal back garden, which was once full of magnificent scenery, within an area of more than ten acres, now has eight fish ponds and eight mulberry hills distributed in a square shape.
The fish pond was filled with newly sown fish fry, and on the ridges of mud in the gaps between the fish ponds were newly transplanted mulberry trees. At the moment, there was only a group of small chicks that had grown to a certain size, but they were frightened away by the noise here.
Zhao Jiu, the official Zhao who contracted eight fish ponds, spread a futon and set up a few tables on the grass beside the fish ponds to invite today's guests to have tea.
"His Majesty……"
After everyone sat down, before anyone could say anything, Mr. Guishan Yang Shi stood up tremblingly and bowed.
Although this old gentleman is old, his mind is very clear. Before he arrived in the capital, he knew that Emperor Zhao was secretly helping Lu Haowen through official reports; yesterday, this emperor appeared in the Wuyue Temple with Lu Benzhong, and even forced himself to take advantage of the situation, and left in anger halfway; today there was another loud noise in front of Xuande Tower, how could he not know that this emperor had already been biased in his heart?
I dare not be negligent in the slightest and am ready to say whatever I can.
"What are you talking about, Mr. Yang?" Zhao Jiu picked up the spring tea and smelled its fragrance first, but he was not in a hurry, as if he really knew the person.
"It has been many years since I last saw you, and I haven't had the opportunity to congratulate you..." Yang Shi said calmly.
"What is there to celebrate?" Zhao Jiu just sipped his spring tea and casually placed the cup on the table in front of him. "I received condolences for the battle at Yaoshan, but not congratulations. It was natural for me to have a child. I am a little relieved that the rebellion at Dongting Lake was quelled, but Yang Qing shouldn't have known about it so quickly... What do you want to congratulate?"
"I congratulate you for obtaining the three treasures of the saint!" Yang Shi, who was almost eighty years old, was not in a hurry and faced forward proudly.
Zhao Jiu smiled but said nothing.
"First, congratulations to the emperor for his understanding of the doctrine of the mean. After four years of hard work, he won a victory. He did not take action, but was able to accept advice and take good positions. Second, congratulations to the emperor for his understanding of the true meaning of learning, studying things to gain knowledge, practicing learning, and even practicing it to prove the way of a sage. Third, congratulations to the emperor for his simple behavior, abandoning desires and preserving righteousness, sleeping on straw and tasting gall, and never forgetting the humiliation of Jingkang." Seeing that the emperor did not respond, Yang Shi continued directly. "As the saying goes, simplicity is for self-cultivation, practice is for knowledge, and the doctrine of the mean is for concealing one's edge... The emperor is only in his twenties, but he has such a saintly appearance. When I saw this, I felt excited. It can be seen that the country's revival is also hopeful."
Zhao Jiu laughed again: "This is only what Yang Qing said. If it were someone else, Li Xiantai would probably get angry and scold the villain on the spot."
Everyone went to look at the Chief Censor Li Guang, who was inexplicably burned by fire and was speechless for a moment.
"However, Li Xiantai has nothing to say, but I think Yang Qing's evaluation of me is a bit exaggerated..." Zhao Jiu sighed slightly. "I am not simple, nor can I be called diligent and studious, let alone the doctrine of the mean, or the way of holding back."
All the officials, including Zhao Ding, looked over.
"For example, speaking of simplicity, to be fair, I am still very indulgent in the 'human desires' mentioned in your Taoism, and I have always been pursuing them." Zhao Jiu sat cross-legged on the couch, shaking his head. "As for the desire of the mouth and tongue, if it's about drinking, I drink the best Lanqiao Fengyue in the world these days, and I can drink as much as I want; and if it's about eating, what else can I eat? There is no shortage of chicken, duck, fish and meat, and there is no shortage of fresh vegetables. Even if it's about fruits, I have eaten more than you have ever seen. Do you want to build another road for a few lychees? Do you really think I don't know what it tastes like? Besides, women... I have two concubines with different tastes, what else do you want? And clothes, the best cotton cloth and Shu brocade, don't I wear them? As for the palace residence, it's even more ridiculous. Not to mention that people can only sleep on one bed after all, even if it's a bit vulgar, is there anyone in the world who has a larger territory than me? More real estate than me? Didn't I just go to the most majestic Xuande Tower in the world? Isn't that also my real estate? When it comes to indulging human desires and enjoying life, who in the world can compare to me?"
The ministers looked at each other, and several Taoist scholars twirled their beards, but none of them knew what to say. Even Yang Shi lowered his head, as if thinking about something.
"As for learning... To be honest, I'm not very diligent." Zhao Jiu continued to sigh. "I'm just a man in his twenties, with a strong body and a natural instinct. I can't just lie here drinking tea and basking in the sun all day, right? So when I'm free, I go to the Yuetai camp to ride a horse, go to the Genyue wasteland to shoot arrows, practice calligraphy and write articles at night, and when I'm especially free, I dig some fish ponds and plant trees here... Isn't this reasonable?"
Yang Shi finally wanted to speak, apparently wanting to take the opportunity to insert today's topic, but Emperor Zhao continued to chatter, forcing the old man to continue standing still with his hands:
"Of course, I also have some vanity that goes beyond the limit, and I also seek an indescribable desire for power... There is nothing to hide. However, after all, I am a marshal who led the army to fight in Yanling, and an emperor who raised his hand to shoot an eagle at Yaoshan. I have personally tasted the most wonderful and exciting tastes in the world. Why would I care about those low-level vanity and power? A real man wants to be powerful and strong. What I can think of next is nothing more than learning from Wei Wu to conquer Liaodong in the north and then whip the East China Sea, or to carve the names of meritorious officials and patriots on a high monument after the nine provinces are unified, or to see the world become prosperous in my lifetime and burn a memorial in Mingdao Palace."
The ministers below Zhao Ding were already in awe. If Zhao Jiu had not been making a long speech, Zhang Jun and others would have almost jumped out and sworn to fulfill the emperor's wish.
At this point, Zhao Jiu finally came back to the point: "Yang Qing, do you think I am simple, studious and moderate? It is nothing more than the fun I seek. The low-level ones are endless, and the high-level ones cannot be achieved overnight."
Yang Shi sighed slightly and bowed his head: "This makes me seem hypocritical. But Your Majesty, I think Your Majesty can still pursue a higher and farther interest, rather than being confined to the mere hegemony and achievements..."
"I've said before, I'm not that noble. I'm content with these great achievements in this life." Zhao Jiu waved his hand to interrupt him. "Yesterday, I left Wuyue Temple without saying goodbye because of this. Yang Qing may have some knowledge, but the so-called governance of three dynasties is too illusory and cannot be achieved..."
Yang Shiqing knew that the situation was urgent, so he simply gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty, Taoism has become a prominent discipline. Since the government wants to establish official studies, it cannot abandon Taoism."
After these words were spoken, Hu Anguo, Luo Congyan, Li Dong, and several other great scholars who had already been in the capital, such as Yin Dun, came out together and bowed their heads in salute on the grass beside the fish pond.
Hearing this, Zhao Jiu unexpectedly nodded: "You are right... Taoism has become a prominent discipline and cannot be ignored. However, I am full of literature. I followed Zhou and Taoism. I entered the pass."
Yang Shi and the others all looked up, and were unable to react for a moment. However, soon, when Minister of State Lu Haowen, who had been silent almost the entire day, stood up to express his gratitude, they immediately realized what Emperor Zhao meant.
Speaking of Taoism, if we trace its origins back to the past, it can be found in two schools of thought. One is the Luo School founded by the two Cheng brothers, and the other is naturally the Guan School founded by Zhang Zai.
These two schools have always been mentioned together, and nowadays any Taoist scholar will inevitably be influenced by these two schools. However, it is worth mentioning that the Guanluo schools, which were once mentioned together, were actually the two schools where Taoism and Neo-Confucianism originated. The situation now is no longer comparable to the past.
Just to talk about the present, Yang Shi, Hu Anguo, Luo Congyan, Li Dong, Yin Dun, and even Xu Jingheng who resigned from his position as prime minister, and Ma Shen, the governor-general who is far away in Hubei, all of these people's main inheritance is undoubtedly Luoxue. From this list, we can see that the momentum of Luoxue is unstoppable; and the other school, that is, Zhang Zai's Guanxue, has long been swallowed up by Luoxue, but there is no doubt that the Lu family school passed down by Lu Gongzhu, who facilitated Zhang Zai's coming to Beijing, contains obvious parts of Guanxue.
In other words, Emperor Zhao wanted Lu Haowen to be a patchwork monster while recognizing the Guanxue orthodoxy, so as to divide and disintegrate the Taoist force that should not be underestimated.
"Your Majesty !" Yang Shi realized in his heart, and without hesitation, he hurriedly replied, "The Guan and Luo schools have long been one! And how can the Guan school of thought be related to the misleading teachings of Wang Anshi, who is a scourge to the country? Wang Anshi is a man of extraordinary talent and virtue, but his teachings are heretical and must not be involved!"
"How can I not be involved?" Zhao Jiu said proudly. "I want to take Guan Xue's 'Four Sentences' and then take Shu Wang's Four Sentences, and make them the orthodoxy..."
"May I ask your Majesty, which four sentences are they?" Yang Shi was completely anxious, as if he was ready to debate with the Emperor Zhao face to face. "I would like to hear it."
"The first four sentences are to establish a mind for heaven and earth, to establish a destiny for the people, to inherit the lost knowledge of the past sages, and to create peace for all generations! The last four sentences are that the destiny of heaven is not to be feared, the ancestors are not to be followed, and the words of others are not to be worried about! The people are not taxed and the country has enough money!" Zhao Jiu sat still and blurted out. " Take Guan Xue's four sentences and Shu Wang's four sentences, and combine them with the principles obtained by Lu Gongxiang from studying things and looking at the world. That is, the original learning that Lu Xianggong has realized at home these days, which is the learning that I am impressed by after watching the "practice" in Xuande Tower today!"
These words were finally spoken, and upon hearing these words, Yang Shi, who had a lot of knowledge to debate with Emperor Zhao, looked up in surprise, but did not open his mouth at all... Because only then did he understand the state of mind of Emperor Zhao when he left Wuyue Temple yesterday - people with different beliefs cannot work together!
Not to mention that there is no need to worry about what people say, and the country has enough money without increasing taxes on the people... these two are technical issues that can be discussed.
But the first two sentences are horrible.
Don’t fear fate!
This statement could be easily accepted by Hu Anguo, and it could be discussed by Luo Congyan and Li Dong, but it was a fatal thing for Yang Shi... Although later generations have always believed that Song Dynasty Confucianism, including Taoism, was essentially a reaction against Han Confucianism, and was an act of self-rescue and reconstruction of Confucianism after realizing that Han Confucianism's ideas of the correspondence between heaven and man and the cycle of the five virtues were nonsense, but what is interesting is that in Yang Shi, he was rare in still adhering to the theory of the correspondence between heaven and man.
And the ancestors are not worthy of being followed... This sentence not only cost Yang Shi his life, but was also a fatal statement that all other Taoist scholars could not tolerate. More importantly, it was also an important and obvious political statement.
This means that the Shu Wang New Learning trend that had lasted for many generations, which respected new learning and advocated utilitarianism, has returned.
Not only that, Zhao Jiu's announcement made several great scholars completely speechless, and not a single minister took the initiative to refute... What to refute? To refute a leader of the Restoration who spent all day digging fish ponds and found Yang Shi, who had to flatter him when he came?
Emperor Zhao has not demonstrated his authority much in the past few months, but not demonstrating it does not mean that it does not exist. Everyone knows that this emperor's authority was gained through the restoration of the old capital and the battle of Yaoshan, and it is almost unshakable.
Zhao Ding dared not make any arrangements, Zhang Jun guessed the emperor's mind all day, Ma Shen could only impeach Yang Yizhong, Chen Gongfu thought Zhao Jiu was making a fuss, and Lu Hao asked how a remnant of the old party could become the leader of the original school? It was because they all knew that the official's political authority was unshakable.
If he wants to sew something together, or do anything else, there is no room for political resistance at this time. As for the popular tendency and academic discussion, the loud noise in front of Xuande Building just now has already given this sewed-up monster a minimum place to stand.
In other words, after the loud noise, the academic debate that lasted for many days, basically reached the point where Emperor Zhao said what was meant by what he said... This is called saying what you mean and the law follows what you say. The so-called true people in the Yuanshen period are simply not good enough.
"I have made up my mind." Seeing that no one responded, Zhao Jiu simply ordered, "From now on, this school will be the official school. When I hold imperial lectures, teach at the Imperial College, and recruit scholars, all of them will be based on the school."
Lu Haowen remained silent for a while before he clasped his hands and replied, "I thank the emperor for his grace."
Zhao Ding and other ministers and important officials also stepped out and bowed their heads in response.
"Taoism and other schools of thought are not prohibited. For example, famous Taoist scholars such as Hu Anguo and Yin Dun who have official positions in the capital can all become professors and enter the Imperial College to teach."
After hesitating for a while, Hu Anguo and Yin Dun stepped forward and nodded in agreement... Let's put things one way and there is no need to oppose this matter.
"In the second year of Jianyan in Nanyang, I have already pardoned the Yuanyou Party members once. Today, I will publicly pardon them again. No matter whether they are new or old party members, they will all be pardoned. They can enter the government and take exams as usual."
At this moment, everyone including Lu Haowen, including Yang Shi, bowed their heads to express their gratitude.
"Shu Wang (Wang Anshi) is back in the rank of a sacrificial ancestor." Zhao Jiu paused for a moment before adding softly to the oldest person in front of him, "Mr. Guishan is old and virtuous, so he was given gold to return home."
Yang Shi opened his mouth to speak, but in the end nothing came out… Who made the other party his subject?
