Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 479 Eloquent Debate Shocks the Entire Audience

Yue Ling's sudden appearance immediately attracted the attention of everyone present.

He is now at the center of the turmoil in the capital.

For many days, Yue Ling has remained reclusive and has never responded to the students' protests, seemingly indifferent to the matter.

Now that he's on stage and facing the situation head-on, thousands of students around him immediately cast hateful glances his way.

The civil officials looked on with mockery, while the military officials were more regretful, bowing their heads and sighing inwardly.

Chai Pu stared intently at everything, and out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that the Prince of Beijing was silently nodding to him, so he nodded in response.

Inside the Wenhua Hall, the young ladies of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion were filled with anticipation, their eyes fixed on Yue Ling, unable to look away, and secretly cheering him on.

Lin Daiyu felt that Brother Yue, who was now standing on the stage with great presence, seemed to be shining brightly.

"Since the Duke of Dingguo agrees with what I said, why bother coming to this 'Great Debate at the Imperial Lectures'?"

Mei Hanlin turned around and responded to Yue Ling without any politeness.

Yue Ling smiled calmly, took another step forward, stood in front of Mei Hanlin, and faced the surrounding students, saying, "It is not that I seek power or fame, or that I must stand on this stage to compete with you esteemed scholars. Rather, it is that this era is pushing me, and I must stand here on this stage."

A single, nonsensical statement that leaves everyone bewildered can make one feel that it's just bluffing.

Yue Ling's face remained calm and composed. He turned and bowed to Emperor Longyou in the Wenhua Hall, offering a distant greeting. Then he turned back and said in a deep voice, "The words of the sages lie in the 'Dao,' but what I wish to discuss today is the 'Qi' (instrument/vessel). The Book of Changes says, 'That which is above form is called the Dao, and that which is below form is called the Qi.' The Dao and the Qi are inherently like Yin and Yang, mutually generating each other! The new learning I advocate today is not a betrayal of the sages' Dao, but rather 'using the Qi to carry the Dao, and using the Dao to govern the Qi!'"

These words set the tone for Yue Ling's debate today.

The once noisy and chaotic scene, filled with all sorts of filthy words directed at Yue Ling, fell silent at this moment.

Yue Ling's use of classical allusions was quite sophisticated, proving that it had been carefully crafted and was not just for show; there was some truth to it as well.

Today's issue is a debate about the orthodoxy of traditions; the main theme is debate, and whoever is right will win. It's not about engaging in a war of words.

Even though contemporary Confucian scholars may have many flaws, they still have a bottom line.

Even in the presence of the Confucian sage and second sage, he would not utter a lie.

Emperor Longyou's tense nerves relaxed a little upon seeing this scene.

The audience had very low expectations of Yue Ling, which left them somewhat bewildered by his opening remarks. They were surprised to learn that Yue Ling possessed such knowledge, and they were completely taken aback.

This is also the effect Yue Ling has always wanted by presenting herself as weak.

Emperor Longyou deeply agreed, for this was the essence of military strategy: "An arrogant army is bound to be defeated."

Relieved, Emperor Longyou picked up his teacup, skimmed off the foam, and took a small sip.

Chai Pu, standing outside the hall, felt a twitch in his eyelids, and his unease grew even stronger.

Underestimating Yue Ling and paying the price—there have been too many precedents of this, such as the Kang King, Tuji Khan, and Zhao Deyong. How could he not be warned by these bloody examples?
Without thinking, he suddenly stood up, wanting to go to the center of the room to maintain order and announce the official start of the debate. But before he could take a step, he heard Mei Hanlin chuckle three times, stroke his beard, and say to Yue Ling, "Since the Duke of Dingguo has such a thorough understanding of the new learning you mentioned, why don't you give a proper talk about this 'instrument' in front of His Majesty, the ministers, and the students today, and explain how it can be done without deviating from the orthodox teachings?"

Yue Ling readily agreed, "That's exactly what I was thinking."

Chai Pu's eyes widened, and he took another step back and sat back down in his original seat.

"Fool ruined my life!"

He cursed silently in his heart, then sighed in regret and glanced sideways in the direction of Prince Bei Jing.

In Chai Pu's eyes, this was voluntarily handing over the opportunity to Yue Ling to display his talents.

Mei Hanlin, however, had a different perspective.

Of course, the great Confucian scholar was not a fool. He simply predicted that Yue Ling, at such a young age, would not be able to master a perfect new doctrine.

The more he talks, the more his own shortcomings will be exposed, and then the so-called new learning will naturally burst without being exposed.

Little did he know that the theories Yue Ling was now proposing were the culmination of his past life's perspective, his insights gained since entering the world, and the combined results of over half a year of study by the entire Duke of Dingguo's household.

Yue Ling turned around and took out the wooden mallet from the brocade tray. As he walked forward, with each step he uttered a phrase in a powerful voice: "The heavens move in measure, and without the sundial, their truth cannot be revealed!"

The poetic line made the students think it was a newly completed commentary from a prestigious academy, and they all listened intently, holding their breath.

"The earth bears virtue, and its impartiality cannot be measured without a ruler and a square!"

With another step, Yue Ling's crane cloak fluttered in the breeze, exuding an imposing aura. Each step he took seemed to possess the power to swallow mountains and rivers.

The teachers and students of Qingfeng Academy waved and joined hands directly opposite Yue Ling to boost his morale.

"Humanity possesses benevolence, and its enduring legacy cannot be forged without the right means and principles!"

"Today I will speak frankly and openly about why new learning is not heresy..."

Then, the mallet struck the giant cauldron in the center of the arena, and the ancient bell tolled once again in front of the hall.

Inside the Wenhua Hall,

The Empress Dowager asked leisurely, "Is this Yue Ling? He is quite quick-witted."

Emperor Longyou did not answer, but the Empress nodded and smiled, "He is mature beyond his years. Those who underestimated him have all suffered a great loss."

In response, the three princes arrived and greeted the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. They then sat down behind the Empress and listened attentively.

However, when the Empress Dowager saw these half-grown children, and then looked up at Emperor Longyou, she sighed deeply.

Yue Ling's speech lasted for fifteen minutes. It began with the introduction of the scriptures and discussed the views of the ancient sages on "tools" and where "tools" are today.

This was to provide ample theoretical support for his own reform of the imperial examination system.

Those below listened intently, and after Yue Ling fell silent, there was a few breaths of silence in the room, with no one reacting.

Coming to his senses, he simply began to re-examine Yue Ling.

After the performance, I realized that Yue Ling was not an ordinary martial artist, but a scholar-general who was proficient in both martial arts and literature.

His eloquent recitation of scriptures, without any pauses, seemed entirely natural, and in terms of sheer presence, he was no less impressive than Grand Secretary Mei Hanlin, which secretly amazed many. However, Yue Ling's words certainly had their merits.

However, this does not mean that they will change their minds or that today's matter will be resolved. The key lies in the struggle over the orthodox tradition, and we still need to see how Yue Ling and the other eminent scholars debate.

Finally, after a few moments of silence, just like the students outside the hall, Mei Hanlin spoke up and retorted, "A gentleman focuses on the fundamentals; when the fundamentals are established, the Way will naturally arise."

Gu Yanting, the head of the Gu family, also ascended the stage at Chai Pu's prompting. He then elaborated on Mei Hanlin's words in a more colloquial way: "The foundation of governing a country lies in educating people's hearts and minds. The foundation of education lies in understanding the classics, distinguishing right from wrong, and cultivating virtue. The imperial examination selects gentlemen who 'govern with virtue and talent,' not craftsmen skilled in 'extraordinary skills.' Practical learning, which emphasizes tools over principles, tempts people to pursue profit, corrupts people's hearts, and shakes the foundation of the nation. This is putting the cart before the horse, bringing disaster to the country and its people!"

Gu Yanting and Mei Hanlin worked together seamlessly, and the two learned scholars now took to the stage to compete against Yue Ling.

Mei Hanlin was confident that he could get Yue Ling to speak and find his loopholes. Gu Yanting, who was standing below, also played this role well, pointing out Yue Ling's key problem as soon as he appeared.

The balance, which had just begun to recover, has now taken a sharp turn for the worse.

This already unfair debate took an even more unfair turn. Before Yue Ling could speak, Mei Hanlin added, "May I ask, Duke Dingguo, can the mathematics you mentioned earlier teach people loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness? Can engineering teach people manners and a sense of shame? If the imperial examination system is reformed, and the whole country becomes a bunch of people who pursue profit and forget morality, even with strong ships and powerful cannons, can the country survive? Where will the people's hearts be?"

The students, who had been influenced by Yue Ling, were now awakened by the words of the two learned scholars and returned to their true selves.

Behind today's debate over the orthodox tradition lies a debate over the reform of the imperial examination system, which is in their own vital interests. We cannot easily be swayed by biased opinions.

Only when two influential scholars in the literary world are defeated will it be time for them to surrender.

Yue Ling did not respond, but pondered. Some students around him began to jeer, shouting, "If you don't understand the material, go back and study it carefully."

Jia Baoyu, who had been taken aback by Yue Ling's initial performance, now came to his senses and patted his chest, saying, "So that's how it is. He actually managed to intimidate us all. Such frivolous words are like a rootless duckweed, full of loopholes. How could he possibly be a match for two great scholars?"

Xia Jingui bit her nails and glanced sideways at Yue Ling's calm and composed attitude, "This Duke of Dingguo is truly remarkable, requiring two great Confucian scholars to join forces to keep him in check."

Looking at the useless people around him, he understood why none of the Jia family's daughters could stay with him.

If it weren't for Yue Ling, things would be fine. After seeing the moon, who would notice the faint light of fireflies?

After pondering for only the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, Yue Ling smiled easily, bowed politely, and then said, "You two keep talking about righteousness and profit, but you've both fallen into the trap of self-interest and self-righteousness. Such a narrow-minded view. Let me ask you two, if the prefectural officials are ineffective in their governance, and a year of disaster has occurred, leaving the people without grain to eat and corpses of the starving everywhere, where is the righteousness?"

"The barbarian army marched south, their iron hooves trampling mountains and rivers, rivers of blood flowing, and the people suffering. Where is the benefit then?"

Yue Ling's resistance against the barbarians in the north and his relief efforts for disaster victims in the south are both based on facts, and no one can argue with him on these two points.

As soon as Yue Ling opened his mouth, he firmly grasped the initiative and continued to bombard the two great Confucian scholars.

"Those who are well-versed in mathematics can survey land, equalize taxes, enrich the national treasury, and reduce the burden on the people. This is to seek great benefit for the country and the people, and it is called great benevolence and righteousness!"

"Those who are knowledgeable in engineering and construction can build water conservancy projects, ensuring a bountiful harvest on thousands of acres of fertile land. They can also improve machinery, strengthening our army to defend our land and people. This is to save the lives of the people and protect our nation, which is the ultimate good and righteousness! You talk about benevolence and righteousness but sit idly by while the people suffer and the country grows weak. Don't you feel ashamed?!"

"Aren't the local officials all from the civil service examination system?"

The boos stopped abruptly. The two learned scholars, who had been casually stroking their beards and listening to Yue Ling's words with narrowed eyes, couldn't help but slowly widen their eyes, their faces showing slight astonishment.

Chai Pu secretly realized something was wrong.

Emperor Longyou poured himself another cup of tea with great relish.

Lin Daiyu's beautiful eyes gleamed with a strange light. She secretly slapped the table and threw her wet handkerchief aside.

Suddenly, a student stepped forward from Qingfeng Academy, cupped his hands to his mouth, and shouted loudly: "Two literary giants, when discussing the 'distinction between righteousness and profit,' only care about personal gain and have no regard for the greater good or righteousness. What are you talking about when you talk about the nation and the world? How are you any different from that bald monk who sees the suffering of the people as an excuse to 'save people from their suffering' while collecting incense money from others?"

Gu Yanting, after all, did not come from an official background, unlike Mei Hanlin, who would swallow his anger even when scolded. His expression had already turned somewhat unpleasant.

Yue Ling's argument really exploited a loophole.

The two men targeted his weakness, pointing out that "ingenious skills and tricks" were driven by self-interest. Instead of distinguishing right from wrong, he offered a "greater good and greater righteousness" perspective, refuting their narrow-mindedness, their lack of knowledge matching their virtue, and their empty talk that would harm the country.

These are completely different things, yet they've been linked together.

After suffering a defeat on stage, Mei Hanlin and Gu Yanting naturally didn't look good.

However, Yue Ling's words also reminded the two that Yue Ling was just a martial artist who had only recently become a martial artist. If the two great scholars were to get bogged down in the details, even if they won, it would be an unfair victory.

We must not fall into this trap and get entangled in it. We can only swallow this mistake on the first issue.

The two exchanged a glance and both nodded.

The fact that they didn't rush to refute each other proves that they are still on the same page.

This way, the two can calm down and continue their criticism.

Just now, a student from Qingfeng Academy spoke up for justice and almost cursed at the two of them, which made Gu Yanting feel a little resentful.

With a large audience present, the civil and military officials would not easily step forward to express their opinions and take sides, especially since Emperor Longyou was still in the Wenhua Hall at the moment.

Only these students can break free from these constraints and achieve the same unexpected effect as Yue Ling just now, leaving the opponent at a loss for what to do.

Accompanying Gu Yanting to the capital were, of course, scholars from Jiangnan. Their eyes darted around, and Gu Yanting's voice rose again as he asked, "Lord Duke! Do you know how much silver it costs to hire a renowned scholar of classical studies in Jiangnan? And how many renowned scholars of mathematics and engineering are needed now? These 'new learning' resources are likely all in the hands of the newly rich in the capital and the powerful families of the north! This change is not for the sake of seeking talent, but rather to create new barriers, block the poor, and crush Jiangnan!"

"Although the ancestral system has its shortcomings, it still retains a sliver of fairness! If this change is implemented, what future will there be for the poor scholars of the world and the students of Jiangnan?!"

The great Confucian scholar did not come from an official background, so the implication is quite obvious.

All the officials could tell that this was an implication that Yue Ling was profiting from it. After all, most of the teachers for these new subjects probably came from the "Qingfeng Academy" that had just spoken up for Yue Ling. Wouldn't that make them all Yue Ling's team?

If this continues, the political landscape of the court may be completely overturned.

If this were discussed in the context of officialdom, it might seem somewhat simplistic, but for students, it is something that is closely related to their lives.

The imperial examinations tested not only diligence in studying, but also resources.

These words were highly inflammatory, not only stirring up outrage among scholars in Jiangnan, but also deeply affecting many students from ordinary backgrounds who were not from Jiangnan.

The audience was in an uproar, and questions arose from all sides.

Finally, Emperor Longyou's expression gradually darkened...

(End of this chapter)