Chapter 005: The Debate on State Learning (Part One)

Yang Yi found it quite interesting as Zhu Guangting did his utmost to belittle the reforms of Xining, labeling Wang Anshi as a great traitor to the nation, misleading the emperor, and causing chaos with his wicked laws. He also mentioned that Wang Anshi had ceded a large expanse of territory north of Daizhou to the Liao state, thus bestowing upon Wang Anshi the grand title of a national traitor.

The people of China, for the most part, are engaged in agricultural labor. Even if they are provided with weapons and trained in combat techniques, when they are in the training grounds, their movements may appear disciplined. However, when faced with an enemy, the moment the drums sound and the arrows are loosed, their retreat to the north will be predictable, and there is no doubt about it.

After spending two hours, the dagger was finally completed. Yang Yi had the blacksmith Hong make a leather sheath for him, which he then tied to his small foot with a rope. Just as he exited the blacksmith's shop, he collided head-on with someone.

Yang Yi hammered for about twenty times and then felt tired; it seems that this body needs more exercise

As the young lady wiped away her sweat, she suddenly noticed a handsome scholar by the blacksmith's shop who had been watching her intently. She couldn't help but feel embarrassed, and in her moment of distraction, the floral handkerchief slipped from her grasp and fell onto the deck.

Zhu Guangting became increasingly animated in his speech, ultimately criticizing the Xi Ning reforms point by point. When he reached the topic of the Baojia system, he stated: "The Baojia system teaches the people to recognize weapons, to be brave and aggressive, which corrupts the moral character of the populace, bringing countless harms to the nation with no benefits. Sima Wenzhenggong once said, 'The people of distant lands engage in horseback riding and archery as their profession, and warfare is their custom. From childhood to adulthood, they have no other pursuits.'"

Yang Yi continued, "Even if we follow your suggestion of relying on city defenses, what about the areas outside the city? Should all the common people move into the city, leaving the outside to the Xiongnu? Offense is the best defense! Indeed, the campaigns against the Xiongnu during Emperor Wu's reign exhausted the national strength accumulated during the rule of Emperors Wen and Jing, leading to hardships for the people. But was there such decay during the time of Emperor Gaozu when he established the dynasty? Emperor Wu drove the Xiongnu thousands of miles away, laying the foundation for a peaceful era without external threats for future rulers. Yes, the campaigns against the Xiongnu did deplete the national strength accumulated during the rule of Emperors Wen and Jing, causing difficulties for the people, but was there such decay during the time of Emperor Gaozu? Emperor Wu drove the Xiongnu thousands of miles away, establishing a peaceful era without external threats for future rulers. The way to govern a country requires both tension and relaxation; future generations cannot blame Emperor Wu for the difficulties left by the governance of Emperors Wen and Jing, nor can they fail to utilize the peaceful era established by Emperor Wu to restore the country. How can this be blamed on Emperor Wu? According to your reasoning, shouldn't the two Emperors Wen and Jing also blame Emperor Gaozu for having made the world so chaotic? Don't you find this reasoning absurd?"

Yang Yilun raised the hammer, and with a resounding clang, he struck down hard, saying as he worked, "Master Hong, you may not know this, but Ji Kang, one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove during the Wei and Jin dynasties, made a living by forging iron. If such a great sage could forge iron, what does it matter for a mere scholar like me to do the same?"

Zhu Guangting immediately rebuked, stating that it was not the same. The Four Cities of Mizhi originally belonged to the territory of the Western Xia. Sima Wenzhenggong returned the Four Cities to the Western Xia, winning their allegiance once again, which helped both sides avoid further conflict and relieved the people from their dire situation

Yang Yi was initially indifferent to the so-called Neo-Confucianism, but since he had nothing to do and was being pulled along by Qin Zigui, he decided to go along and take a look.

"Who are you?" Zhu Guangting asked sternly, his watery eyes narrowing.

On the riverbank stand two osmanthus trees. Yang Yi discovered that there are two types of trees most commonly found in Hangzhou: one is the willow, and the other is the osmanthus tree, which can be seen everywhere. Coupled with the ancient and quaint streets, the bustling crowds, and the soft Wu dialect that lingers in the air, it is easy to recall that poem describing Hangzhou:

Zhu Guangting noticed that he had shifted the topic and was no longer entangled in the previous deadlock, which was exactly what he wanted! He immediately interjected, "This is recorded in the historical texts; does this scholar never read history?"

The state academy is situated in a very elegant environment. A few years ago, when Su Shi served as the governor of Hangzhou, he allocated a nearby area of residential houses to the state academy. Today, the houses have been demolished, and in their place, we find willows and osmanthus trees planted throughout, along with a pavilion, winding waters, and the sound of flowing springs.

Then the blacksmith Hong hurriedly said: "Young Master Li, this is not appropriate. As a scholar, how can you engage in such a lowly trade as blacksmithing?"

Zhu Guangting and Yang Yi do not know which hole the vest came out of, but Mr. Yichuan and Mr. Anding are both well-known figures. The former is the master of Neo-Confucianism, Cheng Yi, while the latter is Hu Yuan, also an extremely famous scholar, who is renowned alongside Shi Jie and Sun Fu, and they are collectively referred to as the "Three Masters of the Early Song Dynasty"

This single sentence left Zhu Guangting gasping for breath, his raised sleeves frozen in mid-air

This individual is exceptionally eloquent, and from this, he elaborated extensively on the principle that those who are warlike are destined to perish, vigorously criticizing the militaristic actions of Emperor Qin and Emperor Wu of Han.

"Have you been discovered in your treachery? Hurry to the state academy! I heard that today, the Right Counsellor Zhu Guangting from the capital has been invited to give a lecture at the state academy. Doctor Zhu is a distinguished disciple of Master Yichuan and has also studied under Master Anding. This is a rare opportunity, so hurry up!" Qin Zigui tugged at his sleeve, urging him to rush to the state academy.

Hong the blacksmith was unaware of what the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove referred to. His concern was that Yang Yilun would not swing the hammer properly and might hit himself. To his surprise, not only did Yang Yilun manage to swing it, but he also did so quite skillfully, leaving him at a loss for words

The shade of the trees along the riverbank obscures half of the waterway. The Yanqiao River is a canal in the city of Hangzhou, where boats frequently come and go. At this moment, a young boatwoman has moored her vessel under the shade of the trees to rest. She possesses a delicate appearance, likely due to her frequent time spent on the boat; her skin has a slight wheat tone, yet is exceptionally fine. She is currently taking out a floral handkerchief to wipe her sweat.

Qin Zigui, what are you doing? Could it be that your affair has been discovered by someone?

Ah! So it's you, Brother Li. Why is it that every time I run into you lately, I end up having bad luck? Don't mention it, I fear my eyes might go blind!" Qin Zigui covered his eyes and groaned, but suddenly seemed to remember something, disregarding the pain in his eyes, and pulled Yang Yi away.

Zhu Guangting's citation of Sima Guang conveys the general idea that the Hu people, having been engaged in horseback riding and archery from a young age, are naturally born warriors; whereas we Han people are merely foolish farmers, akin to pigs. No matter how much we train, when faced with the Hu people, we will inevitably collapse, all falling to the ground without exception

Watching her graceful figure gradually fade away, Yang Yi sat in the cool pavilion, smiling faintly. After observing the young girl, Yang Yi turned back to chat with the blacksmith Hong. This blacksmith, in his thirties, was bare-chested, his muscular physique flexing with the rhythm of the hammer as he worked. Bored and restless, Yang Yi snatched the hammer from his hands, intending to practice a bit himself

Zhu Guangting retorted loudly: "If the enemy attacks, we can certainly rely on the city defenses; this way, the nation's resources will be less depleted"

Yang Yi and Qin Zigui entered the school in Jinzhou, where several hundred students were already gathered under the shade of the willows outside the pavilion. Inside the pavilion sat a man in his forties, dressed in ordinary attire, with a long face and puffy eyelids that made his eyes appear somewhat vacant. This was likely the Zhu Guangting mentioned by Qin Zigui. He was sipping tea with the educational official Qian Dan while imparting knowledge to the students around him.

Continuing to discuss how he and Sima Wenzheng worked to restore order and rectify the situation, completely abolishing the new laws and rescuing the people from perilous circumstances, Sima Guang was extolled as a divine being descended from the heavens, ranking third (with Confucius and Mencius undoubtedly occupying the first and second positions; prior to the Song Dynasty, Mencius's status had not yet risen to the level of 'sage', which can be attributed to Ouyang Xiu and others elevating Mencius's status to that of 'sage'). Of course, this also includes the boundless glory that followed in his wake.

Suddenly, a formidable figure appeared, casting a disdainful glance at the court's admonishing officials. The hundreds of teachers and students present fell silent, exchanging glances with one another.

Zhu Guangting was momentarily at a loss for words. In front of hundreds of teachers and students, he had to maintain his composure and could not express his anger openly. His face alternated between shades of blue and white, which was quite interesting

A student asked him, saying that Sima Wenzhenggong also ceded the four cities of Mizhi and Futuo to the Western Xia, did he not

Absurd! Yang Yi interrupted him directly, saying: "Did you not say that the people of China would collapse at the slightest touch? How can we defend ourselves?"

"Young lady, quickly! Your handkerchief has fallen!" Yang Yi reminded with a smile.

The clear and beautiful layers of the lake and hills, with osmanthus flowers in the autumn and lotus blossoms for ten miles. The Qiang flute plays in the clear weather, and the songs of the water chestnut echo at night, while the joyful fisherman and the lotus girl enjoy their time. A thousand riders gather at the high peak, intoxicated, listening to the harmonious sound of the flute - the painting and the drum of the book, savoring the mist and clouds. In the future, I will depict this beautiful scenery and return to boast about the Phoenix Pool.

Although Yang Yi's tone was quite rude, Zhu Guangting appeared very composed, even casting a glance of pity at Yang Yi before saying: "It seems this student still needs to read more books to avoid asking such out-of-context questions. When Sima Wenzhenggong mentioned 'immediate collapse,' he was referring to those farmers trained under the Baojia system, not the imperial guards. Do you understand?"

What of the doctor? Is he not just a pig? Yang Yi said calmly, "I am a person who speaks human language; the pig doctor has yet to answer my question. May I ask if you are unable to respond?"

Yang Yi stood up and brushed off the grass clippings from his pants, casting a glance at Zhu Guangting and said: "Pig... husband! You say, how can the people of China train, when they encounter foreign tribes and are immediately defeated? Then may I ask how Han Wei Qing and Huo Qubing annihilated the Xiongnu? How did Li Jing of the Tang dynasty pacify the Turks? How did Zhou Shizong recover 3 provinces, 3 passes, and 17 counties, achieving the greatest victory against Liao since the Five Dynasties? Please answer!"

Oh! The student understands that what Doctor Zhu means is that the source of the troops of our Song Dynasty's imperial army does not come from farmers, but rather from the sons of Doctor Zhu and Sima Wenzheng, those kinds of young nobles, correct? May I ask how many sons of Doctor Zhu are serving in the imperial army?

With nothing to do, Yang Yi squatted in the blacksmith's shop watching others forge daggers. The shop was located by the Yanqiao River, with one side along the riverbank constructed of bamboo strips and thatch to form a barrier. During the day, a few wooden sticks propped it up, resembling a cool shelter. The cool breeze from the river flowed in, making the weather in June quite refreshing.

Yang Yi said unceremoniously: "To fully trust books is worse than having no books at all! Let us consider the campaign of Emperor Wu of Han against the Xiongnu from a different perspective. At that time, the Xiongnu were powerful, having encroached upon the vicinity of the capital, Chang'an. Was it wrong for Emperor Wu to mobilize troops to strike back? Have you considered that if Emperor Wu had not retaliated and allowed the Xiongnu to continue their expansion, the Han Dynasty might have been destroyed by the Xiongnu at that time, rather than gradually declining later on?"

It can be seen that the Baijia Law imitates foreign practices, and in attempting to draw a tiger, it instead resembles a dog

Hearing this, Yang Yi became extremely displeased. Does this not label all Chinese people as inferior beings? If Sima Guang truly said such a thing, then he is a fool

The Hangzhou Prefectural Academy is located just outside Tongyue Gate, featuring twelve halls dedicated to the Six Classics, with nearly three hundred students enrolled. Li Yi also studied at the academy, and after passing the provincial examination, he went to the capital the following year to participate in the Ministry of Rites examination, but did not succeed. Upon returning, he devoted himself to self-study at home

Since he had taken action, Yang Yi would not let him off easily. Therefore, he refuted his previous statements one by one: "Doctor Zhu claims that Emperor Wu of Han was excessively militaristic, which led to the depletion of the national strength of the Former Han, causing the people to suffer and ultimately resulting in its downfall. Where did Mr. Zhu learn such brilliant theories?"

The beauty of the southeast, the capital of the three Wu regions, has been prosperous since ancient times. Misty willows and painted bridges, breezy curtains and emerald drapes, a myriad of households. Clouds and trees surround the sandy banks, raging waves roll in with frost and snow, an endless chasm. The market is filled with jewels, households are adorned with brocade, competing in luxury.

"Who the hell..." Yang Yi was hit on the nose, and just as he was about to curse, he realized it was an old acquaintance. Of course, it was an old acquaintance of Li Yi, and the two were the best partners in indulgence and vice, named Qin Zigui. They were about the same age, and Qin's residence was in Liangqingfang in the city. Yang Yi quickly changed his tone and said: "I thought it was someone else; turns out it's you, you reckless fool, Qin Zigui! Speak honestly, are you in a hurry to meet some young lady?"

Yang Yi and Qin Zigui also sat down in the shade of the trees to listen, but they found that Zhu Guangting was not discussing any principles of learning; rather, he was talking about the gains and losses of the Xining reforms. To be precise, what he referred to as the Xining reforms had only losses and no gains.

Yang Yi, adhering to the principle of being unconcerned and detached, treated the situation as a spectator, plucking a blade of grass to chew on, leisurely observing the white clouds at the horizon.

The young lady came to her senses, her face turning even redder. She hurriedly picked up the handkerchief and tucked it into her bosom, quickly adjusting the oar to prepare to leave. Perhaps feeling that it would be impolite to leave without acknowledging the reminder from others, she turned back, her face full of embarrassment, and offered a slight bow to Yang Yifu before gently rowing away in the small boat