Cyber ​​Daming

Chapter 548: I am among you, and you are among me

"You have a taste for food and I have a taste for food. You can't be so overbearing and insist on making me eat the same taste as you, right?"

Liu Jinxun joked, picked up the chopsticks, took a bite and put it into his mouth.

Pei Xingjian, on the other hand, behaved wildly, with a pair of chopsticks flying up and down, and his beard was covered with red oil as he ate.

After a plate of oiled potatoes fell into the pot, suppressing the boiling soup, Liu Jinxun put down his chopsticks and asked.

"Since we left New Donglin Academy, we haven't had dinner together like this for many years, right?"

Pei Xingjian grabbed a handkerchief soaked in cold water and wiped his face, then said in a teasing tone: "What, recalling the glorious past?"

Liu Jinxun smiled and said: "You were a popular figure in the academy at that time. The 'Fifty-Year Development Plan of the Ming Empire' you proposed is still a must-read classic in the academy."

"If a plan has not even been implemented, what's the point of reading it? Those people in the academy are afraid that they are reading about my official position, Pei Xingjian."

Pei Xingjian curled his lips disdainfully, changed the topic, and said with a smile: "But speaking of this, I remember that you had great opinions on the plan I proposed back then. Not only did you openly oppose it in the college, but you also raised it in the Huangliang Forum. I was so scolded that I almost had the words 'disastrous to the country and people' written all over my head."

"As expected of you, you can still remember things so long ago so clearly."

"That was the graduation thesis I wrote with great effort. Of course I remembered it after being criticized for being worthless."

Pei Xingjian raised his eyebrows: "You, Senior Liu, wrote a eloquent comment of ten thousand words at that time, refuting my arguments one by one. Now it seems that we were all wrong."

"Yes."

Liu Jinxun sighed: "In the end, the development of the empire took a route that none of us expected. Looking back now, it is really embarrassing. Do you still remember the article 'The Preface to the Ming Dynasty - On the Twelve Sequences' The influence of the historical process of the Ming Empire?"

"You are talking about the policy paper written by Zhang Fengyue, the former head of the academy and now the Prime Minister of the Empire?"

Pei Xingjian nodded: "I remember it vividly and haven't forgotten a word."

"That policy article caused an uproar in the entire academy and even the entire Confucian Preface. The thoughts of the Confucian Preface make people's blood boil."

"Are you boiling? Anyway, I'm not."

Pei Xingjian snorted coldly: "I only saw an old man who was about to die but still didn't change his willful and arbitrary nature."

Liu Jinxun joked: "He is living well now, maybe he will live longer than you and me."

"What's the point of living a long life? The harm will only last a thousand years!"

"What a mouthful you are." Liu Jinxun shook his head helplessly: "I really don't understand why the chief assistant can still tolerate such a thorn in your side."

"Because I can help him do things that his subordinates can't do, so I can still eat hot pot with you here."

Pei Xingjian said seriously: "One more thing, that is, people like me are beneficial to the empire."

"Then what you mean by this is that I am doing harm rather than good to the empire?"

Liu Jinxun smiled: "Without the support of the family, Ruxu would not be in the position of ruling the world now."

"Are you planning to argue with me again? You are already old, and I have no interest in having these meaningless arguments with you anymore."

Pei Xingjian waved his hand, grabbed his chopsticks and fished it into the pot, picked out a piece of potato, looked at Liu Jinxun and asked, "Do you want soft or hard?"

"You eat first, I'll eat the soft ones."

Pei Xingjian twitched the corner of his mouth and started eating by himself.

"I heard that you accepted a closed student named Yang Baize?"

Pei Xingjian said 'hmm' and said without raising his head: "Now he works in Songjiang Mansion."

"It is rumored that he has a close relationship with Li Jun? Is there a life-long friendship?"

"Whether the friendship is deep or not, that is a matter for the younger generation. I have no control over it."

Pei Xingjian paused in stirring the dipping dish, looked up at Liu Jinxun who was smiling, and said slowly: "But the matter in Jinling City has nothing to do with Yang Baize."

"Don't worry, if I had the intention to anger your students, I wouldn't stop in Chongqing Mansion."

Liu Jinxun raised his hand to signal the other party to calm down, and said with a wry smile: "I'm telling you this just because I feel that today's young people are not simple. Whether he does it intentionally or not, anyway, this time I fell into his hands." It can be regarded as a big backache.”

"Is it that serious?"

Pei Xingjian frowned, was silent for a moment, and then said with emotion: "There are talented people in every generation. Maybe the 'division of military power in the world' back then was a complete mistake."

"I don't think it's wrong."

Liu Jinxun retorted: "Even if there is a mistake, it is because the ending was not clean and decisive enough."

Pei Xingjian had no intention of arguing. He looked solemn and asked in a deep voice, "Are you really going to be his pawn?"

"Winner or loser, I lost a step and now I have no choice."

Liu Jinxun seemed to be very open-minded and said in a relaxed tone.

"If I had known that there would be such a big risk, why would I still bet on both ends? Isn't it better to be the head of your family with peace of mind?" Pei Xingjian asked in confusion.

"Sail against the current. If you don't advance, you will retreat. This was the slogan carved in front of the academy back then. I have always remembered it very clearly."

Liu Jinxun said calmly: "The current trend of the empire is already rolling. If the Liu family does not want to be dragged down, they can only swim against the current and fight for a chance to take the initiative."

Pei Xingjian said coldly: "Why don't you take the initiative? Don't put so many high-sounding righteousnesses on yourself. It's just that you are greedy and want to make further progress!"

"Even if you are right, can you say that what I did was wrong?"

Pei Xingjian was suddenly speechless and didn't know how to answer.

"Different positions lead to different views."

Pei Xingjian was silent for a long time and said sadly: "From your standpoint, you are right."

"Others may not understand that when birds are gone, good bows are hidden, but I can see that there is no place for a powerful family in the conception of the Great Confucian Preface."

Liu Jinxun smiled and said, "But now I have figured it out, maybe this is not bad, at least it is possible to earn a share of the merit of serving the dragon. Maybe many years later, there will still be a Liu family in Aurous Hill."

"Is he worthy of being called a dragon?" Pei Xingjian said in a dissatisfied tone.

"I'm not talking about the true dragon emperor, but a dragon in which everyone is like a dragon."

Liu Jinxun said softly: "If he wins, he deserves it."

The red soup in the pot gurgled, but the two people sitting across from each other at the square table were in a daze.

"It's already cooked. It's your turn to eat."

Pei Xingjian raised his hand to signal.

Liu Jinxun picked up the chopsticks and said while picking up the cooked food until it was soft and tender: "Actually, I took a detour to Chongqing this time. In addition to having a meal with you, Pei Xingjian, there are two things I want to hear your opinion on. "

"What two things?"

"First thing, what do you think about Fandi's actions at this moment?"

"I'm just a prefect of Chongqing who can't protect myself. Does it matter what I think?" Pei Xingjian said with some waning interest.

"Important, at least to me."

There was a hint of request in Liu Jinxun's words: "Although there is only one former classmate between us and no other personal relationship. But this time I am not asking you for personal gain, just because this matter may matter." to the future of the empire." "It will happen sooner or later."

Pei Xingjian's voice was very low, "If Zhang Fengyue wants to continue to implement the New Deal, he must climb over the two mountains of Buddhism and Taoism. Once he moves, Buddhism and Taoism will naturally follow. If the three religions move, the entire empire will naturally follow. The two old capitals The Thirteen Provinces are our base. No one is willing to start a fight on their own doorstep until the last moment, so we can only use outsiders from the area to test the other party's reaction. So I would say that it is only a matter of time before Zhang Fengyue takes action against the area. things.”

"The people formed by the imperial court have not yet left the south, and the Chengdu Prefecture next door has already begun to respond. You should also know this news. In the Taoist country, this is a move that will really shake the country!"

Liu Jinxun carefully considered Pei Xingjian's words and asked, "So you think the chief minister did something wrong?"

"No, I think it's right."

To Liu Jinxun's surprise, Pei Xingjian decisively expressed his agreement.

"why?"

"Yizong once said something when he set the twelve sequences. The sequences are no different from people. They are flowing, not static. This sentence is not only about genes, but also the instinct of those who follow the sequence. People go up. If you go, the water will flow downwards. If you want to be strong, it will inevitably lead to fights. If Ruxu doesn't take the initiative, he will be beaten passively."

Pei Xingjian said solemnly: "Although I don't like the current Confucian order, and even hate what the New Donglin Party has done in recent years, I don't believe that Buddhism and Taoism have the ability to govern this empire. Therefore, it is necessary to suppress Buddhism and Taoism. Do it!”

"In these years in the southwest of the empire, I have learned more about Fandi than you do, and I know it more clearly. Fandi is only the land of bliss for Buddhist followers, but for ordinary people, it is an endless hell that cannot be reincarnated for eternity. In Fanzhuan Buddhism In the teachings of the preface, those in the lower order are the walking Buddha, and the ones above the fourth order are directly the incarnations of the Buddha in the world. As for those mortals who cannot break the preface, they are sinners who have committed unforgivable sins."

"In Fandi, the mountains and forests are the Buddha's forests, and the rivers are the Buddha's rivers. The duty of mortals is to make offerings, but they have no right to enjoy anything. They are just prisoners bound to the Buddha's land, and their genes are the shackles they are born with. Even if he dies, his consciousness will be taken away and reduced to the power of causal calculation, and he will continue to atone for his sins in the Huangliang Buddhist Kingdom. "

There was uncontrollable anger in Pei Xingjian's voice: "These people are all subjects of the Ming Empire, but they are slaves and servants under the feet of a group of despicable people who are pretending to be gods and playing with their beliefs. This is the shame of the empire! So it is a shame to spread Buddhism Xu should be killed, and even the entire branch should be uprooted!"

Liu Jinxun said thoughtfully: "So your current attitude is supportive?"

"Isn't this the great thing about our chief assistant?"

Pei Xingjian smiled bitterly and said: "But I just support Ruxu's action against Fandi, which does not mean that I will support his new deal."

"I understand."

Liu Jinxun nodded: "Then how do you think Fandi will react?"

"If I were them, I would never let you step into the land, let alone accept any so-called investigation." Pei Xingjian sneered.

Liu Jinxun frowned and said, "But the current situation is not like this."

"That's why you have to be more careful. We are not the only ones who understand the principle of the loss of lips and teeth. There are three Buddhist mountains in Fanchuan, Dazhao, Sangyan, and Baima. I don't think the other two will be so obedient. Their current obedience must be just temporary forbearance. When they think the time is ripe, they will definitely launch a fatal attack on you!"

"Then how should I deal with it?"

"kill!"

Pei Xingjian said categorically: "The Holy Master is very sensible, but he is also good at both bow and horse. The reason is that he can find another way to achieve his goals when he talks to people unreasonably."

"Where did you read all this nonsense?"

Liu Jinxun laughed dumbly, but his face gradually became serious: "But this time, after all, we are on someone else's territory. If we act too tough, I'm worried."

"Someone is behind you, what are you afraid of?"

Pei Xingjian raised his hand and pointed to the north, and said loudly: "If I were you, I wouldn't worry so much. I would just open the way with swords, use guns to suppress the formation, cut down mountains and destroy temples along the way, kill one or two living Buddhas first, and then ask them Do you admit your mistake or not?”

"What if they deny it?"

Pei Xingjian said without hesitation: "Keep fighting!"

"What if you admit it?"

"Since it's all wrong, what else can you say? Of course, I should be beaten hard!"

Pei Xingjian sneered: "After you finish the beating, you will naturally be able to see what evil intentions they are hiding."

"It seems you are better suited to do this than me."

Liu Jinxun nodded with emotion on his face.

"I can't do it for you. I'm just talking on paper. Who doesn't know how to talk? If you really ask me to go, I won't dare."

Pei Xingjian tapped his temples and said with a smile: "I don't want to be humiliated by being arrested as a young novice in a Buddhist country and serving tea and water."

"you."

Liu Jinxun's expression was stifled and he shook his head helplessly.

"There is a second thing, Spring and Autumn"

Boom!
The wine bowl fell heavily on the table, and the muffled sound interrupted Liu Jinxun's words.

Pei Xingjian wiped his mouth with his sleeve, squinted his eyes and said, "I'm not interested in this incident, and there's nothing I can do about it. If you insist on telling me, then I'll have to see you off."

"If you don't listen, can you escape?"

Liu Jinxun knocked on the table: "They are among us, following us like a shadow."

"You have me, and I have you. This is where everything goes wrong in the world!"

The words were loud and clear. Pei Xingjian had lost his appetite and threw away the chopsticks in his hand.

"Master Liu, it's time for you to set off."

Pei Xingjian raised his hand to see the guest off: "The last words I give you are not worth the meager lives of all living beings. Looking back, what will happen if you look back at the mixed feelings? Don't limit yourself to a limited body, and you will always be filled with endless sorrow."

Liu Jinxun gently placed his chopsticks horizontally on the dishes, stood up and clasped his hands in his hands: "Tomorrow is the first day of August. I hope you and I can meet again today next year."

"Let's wait until we all live to see that."

"yes."

Liu Jinxun sighed, turned around and walked out of the door without hesitation.

Outside the Chongqing government office, a "Delu" produced by the Ministry of Household Affairs, with better specifications and performance than the "Wuzui", was already waiting here.

Liu Jinxun sat in the back row, raised his head and closed his eyes in deep thought.

It was already dark now, and the car slowly swam in the brilliant neon lights and gradually drove away from Chongqing Mansion.

"Mr. Liu."

A soft call came from the front seat of the car.

"He's fine for now."

Liu Jinxun opened his eyes, filled with deep tiredness, and said softly: "There is no harm in keeping him."

"Siyuan understands, thank you for your hard work."

In the government office, the boiling hot pot has cooled and solidified.

Pei Xingjian rolled up his sleeves and personally collected the leftovers on the table.

When he put away the pair of chopsticks lying across the dishes, Pei Xingjian's eyes suddenly shot out a cold light.

"You can't bite Zhang Fengyue, so you turn around and bite me, Pei Xingjian? Liu Jinxun, you are such a good dog!"

(End of this chapter)