Jinyi Town Mountains and Rivers

Chapter 362
In March of the fourth year of Longqing, Suzhou.

Jiangnan has been a land of scholars since ancient times.The emperors of the Ming Dynasty all held the mentality of using and guarding against the scholars in the south of the Yangtze River.

There is no way, the pen in the hands of a literati is worth a hundred thousand troops.Those who are emperors want to be famous in history, and they don't want to be infamous for thousands of years.Whether to be famous in history or notorious for thousands of years, the decision is not in the hands of the emperor, but in the hands of those literati and celebrities.

Famous scholars in the south of the Yangtze River will hold a literary meeting in Suzhou every six years to debate classics and discuss history.Every time Suzhou Wenhui, Jin Yiwei will send people to strictly monitor.During the Jiajing period, there were no fewer than dozens of literati who were arrested and imprisoned in Beizhen Fusi Prison for satirizing the court at the Suzhou Literary Conference.

Suzhou City, Lion Grove.

He Liu, Governor of Jinyiwei North Town, and Li Heijiu, Governor of South Town, both dressed as scholars, walked into the lion forest.

Deep in the lion forest, there is a gazebo.Around the gazebo, there are more than 200 Jiangnan celebrities.Today is the sutra debate meeting of Suzhou Literary Society.The debate will last for ten days.Ten days later, there will be a discussion on history.

More than a month ago, Emperor Longqing ordered He Liu and Li Heijiu to go south to the south of the Yangtze River to monitor the Suzhou Wenhui.He Liu was puzzled, he monitored a group of literati, why bother to have a Northern Governor and a Southern Governor come together?
Later, after Xu Wenchang's suggestion, He Liu realized that the emperor was trying to divert the tiger away from the mountain, and gave Zhu Xixiao the opportunity to strengthen his power in Jinyiwei, the governor of Zhu, by rectifying the guard affairs.

Anyway, the imperial decree has been issued, so He Liu and Li Heijiu had no choice but to follow the decree and come to Jiangnan.

At three poles in the sun, the debate will begin.

He Liu and Li Heijiu have limited ink in their bellies, so they can only listen, not speak, in order not to reveal their secrets.

A bloated famous official in his 50s spoke first.

He cupped his hands and said, "Everyone, He Xinyin belongs to the Lower Taizhou School."

He Liu's heart skipped a beat.The Taizhou school takes the promotion of Yangming's philosophy of mind as its mission.In the imperial court, there are many officials who advocate Yangming's philosophy of mind.For example, Xu Jie, the former chief assistant, and Zhao Zhenji, the current cabinet member, are both descendants of Yangming's philosophy of mind.

The Taizhou School has always been inextricably linked with the imperial court.

He Xinyin Langsheng asked: "I want to ask you, who knows what the three cardinal principles and five constant principles are?"

As soon as He Xinyin said this, all the scribes roared with laughter.

Even Li Heijiu, a rough man who was born as a bandit leader in Yandang Mountain, knows what the three cardinal guides and five constant rules are.

A thin scribe got up and said to He Xinyin in a loud voice: "Mr. He, you are not a six-year-old child who has just started studying. Don't you even know what the three cardinal guides and five constant rules are? Well, let me tell you, the three cardinal guides are the guides for the ruler and the subject , The father is the guide for the son, and the husband is the guide for the wife. The five constants are benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faith."

He Xinyin nodded and asked, "Dare to ask, what does Sangang refer to?"

The thin scholar replied: "The three cardinal principles refer to: Ministers must obey the monarch absolutely; sons must obey the father absolutely; wives must obey the husband absolutely. Set an example. Fathers set an example to their sons. Husbands set an example to their wives."

He Xinyin asked rhetorically: "If a husband can't set an example. For example, if a husband is lazy, eats, drinks, prostitutes and gambles, loses all his family property, and loses his wife to others in the casino. According to the three outlines In other words, do wives still have to obey their husbands and follow the winners at the gambling table willingly?"

The thin scribe hesitated and said, "Well, according to San Gang, it seems that the wife should be like this."

He Xinyin said again: "If a father can't set an example, for example, this father is an alcoholic, because he drank too much alcohol and went crazy and wanted to castrate his son. According to San Gang, should a son also obey his father? , can't resist, and can only let the drunken father cut off his own life?"

"Oh..." The thin scribe was momentarily at a loss for words.

He Xinyin said that the two passages about the gambling husband and the drunken mother were just throwing bricks to attract jade, and then he showed his knife!
He Xinyin said loudly: "If the monarch cannot set an example, for example, the monarch is a fool. He regards the wealth of the world as his own wealth, and the lives of the people of the world as nothing. Unmarried beauties are all brought into the palace. According to the three cardinal guides and five constant rules, should a courtier be absolutely obedient and send his wife and daughter into the palace for the fun of the innocent emperor?"

The thin scribe was speechless.

He Liu and Li Heijiu looked at each other.He Liu signaled Li Heijiu not to act rashly, and continued to listen.

After a long time, the thin scholar said loudly: "Mr. He, you have misinterpreted San Gang!"

He Xinyin said: "I would like to hear the details."

The thin scholar talked eloquently: "The essence of the three cardinal principles proposed by Zhu Zi lies in teaching. There is no distinction between teaching and teaching. It is to encourage the world to follow the original meaning of the three cardinal principles. There is no meaning of coercion. In addition, the teachings of the three cardinal principles include two aspects. Meaning. On the one hand, it is educating the courtiers, educating the son, and educating the wife. On the other hand, it is also educating the king, educating the father, and educating the husband.”

He Xinyin retorted: "Sir, you are very wrong! The original meaning of San Gang may be the same as what you said. However, the current situation is just the opposite! San Gang only has binding power on courtiers, sons, and wives! He has become a monarch, husband, and father. A tool to maintain authority!"

The thin scribe said: "Mr. He's words are wrong."

He Xinyin asked: "Where is the difference in this statement? A minister is not loyal and unfilial if he does not obey the immoral father, a son is unfaithful and unfilial if he does not obey the immoral father, and a wife is unfaithful and unfilial if he does not follow the immoral husband. But What if a foolish ruler wrongs his ministers? What if the father wrongs the son? What if the husband wrongs the wife? Even if the ministers, sons, and wives are killed wrongly, the ruler, the father, and the husband will not receive any punishment! Sir , am I wrong?"

The thin scribe said: "This is indeed the truth...but..."

He Xinyin said: "There is nothing wrong. It doesn't matter whether it's a monarch to his subjects, a father to his son, or a husband to his wife. What is right is right, and what is wrong is wrong! A monarch, a father, and a husband are doing right, and they should have the support of their subjects, sons, and wives. If they do something wrong, they should be opposed by their courtiers, sons, and wives, and they should be punished! Therefore, the three cardinal principles are completely nonsense! It is not worthy of being used as a criterion of morality! There is only one criterion for judging secular morality!"

The thin scribe asked: "Dare to ask Mr. He, what should be the criteria for judging morality?"

He Xinyin and Langsheng replied: "The law of the Ming Dynasty! Because the law is the minimum morality! Whether it is a monarch, husband or father, as long as he violates the law of the Ming Dynasty, he should be punished as he should! A minister does not have to submit to the monarch, and a son does not have to submit to his father. A wife does not have to submit to her husband! However, everyone must obey the law of the Ming Dynasty!"

He Xinyin paused for a moment, and then said loudly: "The prince breaks the law, he is the same as the common people! Before the law, all living beings are equal! Even if the monarch breaks the law, he must be punished as he should!"

He Xinyin's words were like a boulder thrown into a quiet stagnant water.In an instant, there was a huge wave!

This is a groundbreaking statement.

The celebrities in the lion forest began to whisper.

He Liu lowered his voice and said to Li Heijiu: "The debate will be over soon, and we are going to treat Mr. He to a cup of tea."

(End of this chapter)