Chapter 8, Ambitions and Dreams, Dangers Approaching (Part 1)
Once Mozi passes away, the position of the leader will undoubtedly be passed on to Qin Huali. This is inevitable, whether in terms of seniority or prestige.
Now that I think about it, Meng Sheng should be about the same age as me, or perhaps just a little over ten years older at most, so there is still a chance
Since it is at home, there is no need for so many formalities; one simply picks up a spoon and eats, using the spoon to scoop up the okra boiled in salted water to accompany the meal
After a while, Ji said: "That's good. Know what you want to do, and don't change halfway through. By the way, your sister-in-law made you a new outfit; wear that when you go to the lecture. Go try it on in a bit to see if it fits."
A moment of hesitation, the spoon paused at the edge of the mouth, not understanding why the elder brother was unhappy
Really
For example, when eating corn rice, one must use a spoon and not chopsticks; when eating soup, the use of chopsticks depends on the situation: if there are vegetable leaves, one must use chopsticks to pick them up; conversely, if there are no vegetable leaves in the soup, one must not use chopsticks.
The deer nodded slightly and only uttered a phrase identical to that of his wife
Having been busy all afternoon, I am also hungry. The corn rice lacks flavor, the salted fish has a somewhat unpleasant smell, and the vegetable leaves are juicy, yet I still eat ravenously
The sister-in-law passed a mulberry to him from behind his neck, skillfully and accurately locating the position of his mouth. The deer did not raise its head, obediently opening its mouth to swallow the mulberry.
In orthodox Confucianism, matters of agriculture are considered "petty"
Sister-in-law snorted and said: "Forget it, I am afraid of burning my skin while wearing it"
Eat
Although wheat straw is soft, it ultimately pricks the skin
To go to the State of Qin is to become a loyal dog; outsiders without power are the most favored loyal dogs of the Qin monarch. When needed, they are bled to appease the nobles, and the monarch uses them to balance the seesaw of domestic nobility
The elder brother named Ji held a piece of tanned animal hide in his hand, seemingly contemplating whether to use it for the upper part of a shoe or to patch the sole.
Looking at the world, who among the straw is contemplating the grand trends of the world, perhaps only myself
It is also not feasible to seek the revised Confucianism of the Xihe School, as the power of the Wei royal family is too great. Although the State of Wei produces talented individuals, it seldom utilizes them.
Carefully store that small packet of seeds, nestling it among the wheat straw. Rubbing my shoulders, although tired, it is ultimately too early, and I cannot fall asleep no matter what.
Nobles must have forks, spoons, chopsticks, knives, and other utensils when dining, as each type of cutlery serves its own purpose, reflecting a form of noble etiquette
The reputation of the Jixia Academy is built upon the study of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, as well as the nature of good and evil in humanity. The knowledge that one possesses will not be valued by the Jixia Academy in the future.
He could only smile bitterly and shake his head in dismay
First, don the short brown robe for ten years, partake in the porridge of broomcorn millet, and become a fervent advocate for the benefit of the world.
The remaining states, the State of Yan is too poor, the State of Yue is too barbaric, the State of Chu has too many feudal lords from the small Western Zhou, and the State of Lu is too conservative
It is said that when there are vegetables in the soup, one should use a ladle; if there are no vegetables, do not use one; do not use chopsticks for millet rice
After finishing, he put away various shoe-making tools and wiped his hands
Once Mozi and Qin Huali passed away, I gained Mozi's trust and obtained the authority to compile the "Mo Jing"
A piece of leather, what kind of shoes to make, must be determined before cutting the leather. If halfway through, one wishes to change, then what use is that piece of leather?
Courage or wisdom is not about lamenting what cannot be changed; it is what it is, and that is all there is to it
After chewing a few bites, I tossed the softened leather aside and looked up to ask Shi Dao: "Did you go to gather firewood and grass this afternoon?"
After much contemplation, that bag of seeds remains the key to breaking the deadlock. In order to protect that bag of seeds and ensure it becomes a bargaining chip rather than being forcibly taken by others, one must rely on the power of the Mo family and must also become a formal member of the Mo school
Upon reflection, it is indeed the case. I do not understand the elder brother's intentions, and he does not respond, merely nodding.
Halfway through the meal, the deer suddenly said: "Brother, you go gather firewood, I am not happy."
Returning to the house, I finally saw my elder brother with my own eyes. His stature is similar to mine, but his back has already begun to bend slightly, a mark left by years of shoemaking.
Even if the State of Qi establishes the Jixia Academy in the future, it will merely serve to boast and validate the legitimacy of the Tian family's rule over Qi, representing a genuine form of imperialism that is only high in prestige but average in strength
On top lies a small piece of salted fish, naturally devoid of oil. Beside it is a bowl of soup made from green leafy vegetables and brine, containing the currently popular vegetable, okra.
He found it hard to believe, what kind of person was Mozi? Even if his younger brother was intelligent, it was still impossible to receive an evaluation of being a raw gem ready for carving in such a short time
At this time, there are many deep mountains and old forests, with places rarely visited by humans scattered everywhere, but they are all too far away. These seeds are of utmost importance; if relying solely on oneself, it would take at least three to five years of doing nothing but watching this bag of seeds turn into several baskets of seeds, and one must also worry about them being stolen.
After having eaten, with no light to turn on, I took advantage of the remaining dim light to return to my room
The mulberries were handed to the sister-in-law, who pinched a few. It was unclear whether she found the mulberries sweet or if she simply felt that her younger brother-in-law had finally done something, as she no longer wore a cold expression and said, "Let's eat"
Brother, I have not changed my mind; it is just that Mozi did not give a lecture again this afternoon, so I went to gather some firewood. Moreover, this morning, Mozi even said that I am a piece of jade that can be carved; this is indeed true, and if you do not believe it, you can ask those people.
Relying solely on oneself is absolutely insufficient. Not to mention whether one can steal or not, even if one were to run deep into the mountains and forests, what would one eat for the next two or three years
Shiran recounted the story from the morning, but omitted its source. This joke about buying shoes, which Shiran did not find particularly funny, elicited bursts of laughter from his brother and sister-in-law
Reflecting on the conversations with those farmers in the afternoon, I feel that despite having countless ingenious ideas and thoughts, given the current level of agriculture, many things, even if they were to be developed, would not have the opportunity for implementation
On the wooden board lies a pile of soft wheat straw, which serves as my bed. Next to it is a piece of linen clothing, perfectly fitting.
While at home, my brother and sister-in-law can support a layabout, but if they go out, the expenses are not something they can bear
Then there are Meng Sheng and Tian Xiangzi. Meng Sheng sacrificed great righteousness for small righteousness and died in the trap set by Wu Qi before his death. This is the crux; under no circumstances should Meng Sheng be allowed to become the leader of the Mo family
Well, I am thinking of helping with some tasks at home
Jiang also chuckled a few times, but did not take it seriously, and the remaining matters were not mentioned again
However, Qinhuali and Mozi share a relationship that is both teacher and friend; their age difference is significant, merely serving as a transitional phase
Although the thoughts of the Mohist school have significant historical limitations and many unreliable aspects, compared to those carnivorous aristocrats, I am still more inclined to believe in the Mohists.
Currently, Mozi is lecturing in the city, yet you do not cherish this opportunity. At this moment, you may be thinking of home; is it not akin to a piece of leather that has only been half-made into a shoe? Whatever you intend to do, pursue it to completion; otherwise, would not all that you have done previously be rendered useless?
In the future, regardless of where one goes, these issues must be faced and resolved. It is essential to ensure that one possesses a source of power independent of the monarch and feudal lords; otherwise, any path taken will lead to a dead end or be discarded after use. The Mozi organization happens to be a perfect force that can be utilized.
The aroma of the rice wafted over, and without further thought, I began to eat the first meal I had in this world
He quietly raised his head to glance at his sister-in-law, thinking she would say something like "It is only natural for him to do these things". However, upon looking up, he found that his sister-in-law was merely eating, without any words or changes in her expression. She simply pushed a piece of salted fish into her husband's pot.
As for the State of Song, it is fundamentally a dead end, sandwiched between great powers, forced to play the role of a subordinate. Any slight rise in strength will result in being crushed by the combined forces of the other states
The corn rice cooked in a three-legged clay pot, approximately without careful washing, retains the fragrant aroma of the corn
Considering the circumstances, Mozi is already advanced in age and may live for at most another ten years; there are still twenty to thirty years until Wu Qi is shot dead and Meng Sheng is deceived by the nobleman Xiao Yi into sacrificing himself for the city.
The Mo family is filled with talented individuals, and the pressing concern is how to stand out among them. The immediate priority is to accomplish a few tasks that will lead Mozi to accept oneself as a direct disciple, thereby becoming an official practitioner of the Mo school
One could certainly become a Bernstein of the Mohist school, to the extent of revising the teachings of Mozi to the point where Mozi himself would want to eliminate them, then great achievements could be realized
Indeed, being a person is much like making shoes
In a commoner's household, corn serves as the staple food, and bean leaves are used for soup
In times of chaos, one cannot simply take each step as it comes; it is essential to plan where one should go in the future.
This also determines that even if one manages to acquire a surname in the future, it would be impossible to ascend to the upper echelons of society, as the etiquette of dining would lead to ridicule, becoming a laughingstock of the elite.
The atmosphere feels somewhat off; in my memory, this elder brother rarely speaks, yet today he seems to be hesitating to say something. It is like the water droplets on the leaves in the morning, no matter how you look at them, they seem ready to fall, but no matter how long you wait, they do not drop, until the sun rises high and evaporates them completely
Compared to them, the Moists are more akin to Leviathan, as they understand that only centralized power can achieve success in this chaotic world, provided that a few of the dross and loopholes are eliminated
I study the art of ink, not Confucianism, so I do not need to wear new clothes. Mozi wore a short robe. However, thank you, sister-in-law. When I have money in the future, I will definitely make you a silk garment first
With a helpless smile, I covered my ears and lay in the straw, struggling to attempt the act of sleeping, which is usually so easy.
Your parents left early; if you had learned to make shoes or helped with other tasks from a young age, I would certainly be pleased. You should remember that you said you were unwilling to make shoes, wanting to accomplish great things. I only advised you once, and after that, I did not urge you again
Korea is a follower of the Wei state, and at this time, the Zhao state is also struggling. The only way for these two states to break the deadlock is to confront Wei state head-on. Even if Wu Qi leaves in the future, the remaining Wei soldiers will be enough for Wei state to waste some time.
Before going to sleep, he thought: "After soaking in hemp tomorrow, I will look for an opportunity to go to Mozi and listen to his lectures, to hear a few astonishing words, and to blend into the Mohist school as soon as possible. In the future, when Mozi passes away, I can approach him however I wish"
There is too much to do, and he does not have the time to spend several years learning etiquette
Once again, I pushed open the creaking wooden door and arranged the firewood neatly.
A series of faint rustling sounds came from next door, accompanied by muffled murmurs that were barely discernible.
Thus, I had a wonderful dream
In addition to these transnational political forces, there are also the various vassal states, but upon closer reflection, they cannot be relied upon either
However, he was unaware that Mozi had already left Shangqiu, nor did he know that a significant event had occurred in the State of Qi, which would influence the trajectory of the entire early to mid-Warring States period.
Yang Zhu and his group are liberals and will not accomplish anything
Straining to recall the history I know, I am unaware of how much time has passed, as the room is shrouded in darkness
Next to the ceramic pot are several beautifully crafted spoons. Commoners rarely use chopsticks, and even when they do, there are many considerations involved.
With both hands resting behind my head and legs crossed, I ponder the events of the day. The thought of accepting what comes my way had already been settled during my morning musings.
On the way back, amidst the paths and the ditches by the side of the channels, the children either searched for the sweet blackberries or competed with the turtledoves for the sweet mulberries. One by one, their mouths were either black or purple.
The smoke from the cooking fires between the city walls dares to linger before the sun sets; at this time, most people cannot afford candles and can only have dinner while there is still a faint light.