The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 181: Chickens have three legs, people have three ears, Chu Mo Juzi kills Gongsun Longzi
Kong Chuan was completely at a disadvantage and remained silent for a long time.

It seemed that he was completely unable to compete with Gongsun Long and was at an absolute disadvantage.

Ying Chengjiao was getting a little restless sitting on the straw mat.

Kong Chuan could lose, but he shouldn't lose like this.

The theory that a white horse is not a horse is Gongsun Long's most famous theory. Ying Chengjiao and Kong Bin discussed it many times along the way, and their rebuttal was definitely not just what Kong Chuan said.

"Zi Shun." The young man said anxiously, "Brother, don't you know what we said when we discussed whether a white horse is not a horse?"

Kong Bin also had a confused look on his face, and he couldn't figure out what his brother was doing.

"My brother knows everything I said to you."

Since the purpose was to force Gongsun Long to perform, why not also include the arguments between him and Gongzi Chengjiao?
The two were confused when they heard a sigh from the high platform:
"There's no point in wearing it anymore."

Gongsun Long nodded very calmly, without any joy on his face.

He has experienced this kind of situation too many times in his life.

He never lost a debate, no matter who he was fighting against.

Under the high platform.

The philosophers and students of Jixia Academy were buzzing with joy.

They were not surprised by the result, they were just discussing how yet another philosopher had been defeated by Gongsun Longzi.

Kong Chuan, who admitted that he had nothing to say, did not stand up and leave the stage. He still sat upright on the podium. The hustle and bustle of the crowd could not shake his posture.

Gongsun Long frowned, wondering why Kong Chuan still couldn't go down.

Kong Chuan looked solemn, bowed for the third time, clasped his hands and said:
"Chuan also wants to ask Gongsun Longzi about the theory of the three legs of a chicken and the three ears of a human." (Note 1)

"Zigao! You!" Anger flashed in Gongsun Long's eyes and his words were filled with anger.

Kong Chuan pretended not to notice and said seriously:
“Chickens have only two feet, and humans have only two ears.

"Where does a chicken get its third foot, and where does a human get his third ear?"

The noise in the square gradually faded away, and everyone perked up again.

Although the theory that a chicken has three legs and the theory that a human has three ears are not as famous as the theory that a white horse is not a horse, they are also the things that made Gongsun Long famous.

Many Jixia students heard of this school of thought, but did not know what it was all about.

I can’t figure out how a chicken has three legs, or how a person has three ears.

Gongsun Long's anger surged, and he glared fiercely at Ying Chengjiao in the audience:
"Want to see more of my abilities? Fine! Why not let me show you?"

He turned back to face Kong Chuan and said sternly:

“After I taught you that a white horse is not a horse, you asked about the three legs of a chicken and the three ears of a human.

"After I teach you how a chicken has three legs and a human has three ears, are you going to ask Li Jianbai again?
“There’s no end to the questions and answers!”

Kong Chuan looked as if his thoughts had been seen through, and said with a somewhat embarrassed expression:

"This is the only question I'll ask. I won't ask again."

"That's better!" Gongsun Long glared at Kong Chuan angrily, "You said that chickens have two legs and humans have two ears. Which two legs does a chicken have, and which two ears does a human have?"

Kong Chuan answered honestly:

"A chicken has a left foot and a right foot, and a human has a left ear and a right ear."

Many people in the audience nodded slightly, agreeing with Kong Chuan's statement.

Everyone pricked up their ears, wanting to hear how Gongsun Longzi would refute this common sense that chickens have two legs and people have two ears.

Gongsun Long suppressed his anger:

“Okay, you’ve already talked about two feet and two ears.

"I'll ask you again.

"Does a chicken have feet? Do humans have ears?"

Kong Chuan nodded and answered truthfully:
"Both."

The people in the audience were a little confused and didn't know what Gongsun Longzi meant by the question he asked.

Didn’t Kong Chuanzi just say that chickens have two legs and humans have two ears?
Their confusion only lasted for a moment, and Gongsun Longzi's voice resounded throughout the square:
"very good.

“I didn’t ask whether the chicken had a left foot or a right foot, I asked whether the chicken had feet.

"You answered yes, and this is the chicken's third leg.

“I did not ask whether people have left ears or right ears, but whether people have ears.

"You answered yes, this is the third ear of human beings."

The people below the stage and Kong Chuan on the stage looked at each other in bewilderment.

What's the point?
A chicken's feet are the left foot and the right foot, and a person's ears are the left ear and the right ear, right?

The audience was unable to respond, so Kong Chuan on stage spoke his mind:
“You asked me if chickens have feet, and I said yes.

“I’m talking about left foot, right foot.

“You asked me if humans have ears, and I said yes.

"I mean left ear, right ear."

"Oh?" Gongsun Long raised his eyelids slightly: "According to what you said, the feet of a chicken are the left and right feet of a chicken, and the ears of a person are the left and right ears of a person, right?"

"That's it." Kong Chuan nodded.

The people in the audience and Kong Chuan nodded together, and this time there were more people who agreed.

Gongsun Long made a chopping gesture with his hands:

"I cut off the left foot of a chicken. Does the chicken still have a foot?"

Kong Chuan responded:

"Yes."

Gongsun Long laughed loudly:
"You just said that a chicken has two feet: left and right.

“Now I cut off the chicken’s left foot, and the chicken only has the right foot, but you still say the chicken has feet.

"Aren't you contradicting yourself again?
"I'll give you one more chance. Please tell me clearly what you are going to say about the chicken's foot. Is it the chicken's left foot, the chicken's right foot, or both?

“If you can’t explain it clearly, then the chicken’s foot is not the chicken’s left foot, nor is it the chicken’s right foot, and certainly not both the left and right feet of a chicken.

"The chicken's foot is the chicken's third foot."

Kong Chuan looked embarrassed, and so did everyone in the audience, including the scholars.

Left foot and right foot, both are wrong. A chicken's feet are clearly left and right.

But to answer in this way would be to repeat the self-contradictory cycle of chopping off the chicken's feet once again.

Everyone thought that Gongsun Long was making excuses.

But if you can't make sense in a debate and just say you are quibbling, you have lost.

Just like Gongsun Long said before - coercion is the behavior of a thief.

The Jixia Academy was a place where reason was taught.

If you want to defeat Gongsun Long, you have to prove that Gongsun Long’s ideas are wrong.

Kong Chuan fell into a long silence.

The silence on stage lasted as long as the audience.

Everyone was thinking about how to refute Gongsun Long, but no one had an idea.

Time passed, I don’t know how long it was.

"Zigao." Gongsun Long's voice came: "Have you thought about the chicken's feet?"

Kong Chuan laughed.

The people in the audience couldn't see Kong Chuan's face clearly, but they all assumed it was a bitter smile.

He knew that Gongsun Long was wrong, but he could only smile bitterly without being able to refute it.

Gongsun Long, who was sitting opposite Kong Chuan and was the only one who could see Kong Chuan's face clearly, saw not a bitter smile, but a smile from the heart.

Gongsun Long felt uneasy. Could it be that Kong Chuan had any response?
Even if there are, Gongsun Long can deal with them one by one!

Suppressing the uneasiness in his heart, Gongsun Long asked in a deep voice:

"Looking at Zigao's expression, I think he has the answer in his mind.

"Please speak frankly and don't keep you waiting for too long."

Many people in the audience raised their heads, as there were so many students in Jixia Academy.

These students had hopes and surprise on their faces, hoping that the famous Kong Chuanzi could refute Gongsun Longzi on their behalf.

As soon as the hope arose, it quickly fell and turned into disappointment.

Kong Chuan on the stage smiled faintly and shook his head:

"I can't answer your question." If I can't answer it, you're just laughing... Gongsun Long muttered inwardly:

"Then let's talk about the three ears of man."

"No need." Kong Chuan waved his hand and refused: "You have already cut off the chicken's feet, so don't cut off the human ears. I can't argue with you."

Admit defeat on stage.

There was a burst of sadness in the audience at first, because the true truth could not be confirmed.

Soon, his expression changed to one of excitement.

The sound of calling "Cai" came one after another and continued uninterrupted for a long time.

This debate allowed them to witness the eloquence of Gongsun Long, the greatest debater since the beginning of time.

It was obvious that what Gongsun Long said was wrong, but Kong Chuan, who was also a member of the philosophers, was unable to refute it, and could not even hold out for long.

When the sound of "color" floating in the sky above the square gradually disappeared, Kong Chuan stood up, shook his head and said:

"Zi Bing is really amazing, he can almost make a chicken grow a third leg and a human grow a third ear.

“However, I still cannot agree with Zibing’s remarks.

"It is so difficult to explain that a chicken has three legs and a human has three ears.

"Because a chicken does not have three legs, and a man does not have three ears.

"It is very easy to prove that chickens have two legs. Just find a chicken whose legs have not been chopped off.

"It is simpler to argue that people have two ears."

Kong Chuan grabbed his ears with both hands:

"I am a human being, and I have two ears."

He bowed his head slightly and looked at Gongsun Long:
"If Zibing doesn't cut off his ear, he will still have two ears."

Then he turned sideways and glanced at the audience below, his eyes meeting the eyes of the scholars and students at Jixia Academy one by one:
"Everyone in the audience has the same number of pages, and they all have two ears."

Seeing the expressions of recognition, pity, and inequality in the eyes of the people below the stage, Kong Chuan suppressed his smile and turned to leave the stage:

“It is very difficult to explain the three legs of a chicken and the three ears of a human being, because they are false.

“But it is easy to talk about a chicken having two legs and a human having two ears, because that is the truth.

"I still want to choose the easy and real thing over the difficult and fake one."

It took a long time after Kong Chuan finished speaking for the audience to come back to their senses.

They went to the stage to look for Kong Chuan, but found that Kong Chuan was no longer on the stage, but was standing below the stage.

They looked at Kong Chuan's tall figure and felt sorry for him.

They agreed with Kong Chuan's words.

But the winner of this debate was Gongsun Long.

"Young Master, do you understand?" Kong Chuan squatted beside Young Master Cheng Jiao and asked with a smile.

Ying Chengjiao nodded, stood up, and thanked Kong Chuan very sincerely:
"Thank you for your guidance, sir. I will never forget this lesson."

"It seems that you have already figured out how to lose to Zi Bing." Kong Chuan looked behind him with a smile on his face: "Sir, hurry up and get on the platform. If you are any slower, someone else will get there first."

Ying Chengjiao was stunned.

[Hmm? Is there anyone else trying to grab it?]
He turned his head suddenly and followed Kong Chuan's gaze, and saw a man walking quickly towards the platform.

The figure was dressed as a carpenter, but he had a long sword on his waist that was only used by nobles.

There were two people dressed like this in the field.

The great Mohist of Chu studied under Deng Ling, and the great Mohist of Qi studied under Xiangfu.

The swift runner is Deng Lingxue, a master of Mohism in Chu.

"Master! What are you doing?" Ying Chengjiao exclaimed and ran towards the platform.

The boy is closer to the platform than Deng Lingxue.

Deng Lingxue did not use any special force to speed up, he just ran as fast as he could.

Because of his short calves, Ying Chengjiao, who was struggling frantically, managed to stand on the steps of the platform before Deng Lingxue.

The boy clung to the handrail, panting and gasping for breath, and even the BGM sounded in his head.

[Have you ever risked your life for anyone in your life?]
"Master." The young man stopped Deng Ling from going up to the school, smiled bitterly and whispered, "What are you going to do?"

Deng Lingxue looked determined, and gently touched the sword at his waist with his hand, saying without hesitation:
"Kill Gongsun Long."

The boy took a deep breath.

[I said that these Mohists are the most damn dangerous!]
"Master, keep your voice down." Ying Chengjiao tightly grasped Deng Lingxue's hand, as if he was afraid that Deng Lingxue would learn the skill of flying sword: "Killing people, this is not moral!"

Deng Lingxue's voice did not lower:

“It’s moral.

“You can’t win the argument with Gongsun Long.

“If you lose, you will lose your reputation as a gentleman and lose the trust of the world.

"In this way, the future you promised, where everyone can have enough food and clothing, is gone.

"I killed Gongsun Long so that people in the world can have enough food and warm clothes in the future. This is the moral right."

Realizing that the "morality" he was talking about was inconsistent with the "morality" explained by Mozi, Chu Mo Juzi added:
“This is the path I have chosen, and this is my morality.”

Ying Chengjiao swallowed his saliva and thought Deng Lingxue was a lunatic.

Among all Mohisms, Mohism is the most dangerous, and Chu Mohism is the most dangerous.

There are three factions of Mohism: Qin, Qi and Chu.

Qin Mo and Ying Chengjiao had come into contact with them very early on, and they found that those people were much more interested in machines and things than in people.

Although Ying Chengjiao had never met Qi Mo, he knew from the fact that Qi Mo's activities were in Qi State and most of them were in the Jixia Academy that they were a group of scholars who liked to study.

Only Chu Mo knows how to fight and kill.

Last time he wanted to kill Ying Chengjiao, this time he wanted to kill Gongsun Long.

"Zi Shun! Zi Gao! Quickly pull the students from Deng Ling down!" The young man shouted loudly, calling for help.

If Deng Lingxue insisted on going on stage to kill people, he couldn't stop him.

Kong Chuan, who had been prepared for a long time, and Kong Bin, who was reminded by his brother, arrived almost as the boy finished speaking.

Both of them were extremely tall, and they half-carried Deng Lingxue away.

Deng Lingxue did not struggle, but just kept looking at the boy, and reminded him seriously when he was being carried away:
“Don’t forget your original intention, your commitment, and the path you chose.”

Ying Chengjiao wiped the sweat off his face, not sure whether it was from running or being scared.

Others say that killing is boastful.

When Chu Mo said he was killing someone, he really meant it.

The young man calmed himself down and climbed up the stairs, feeling a little mixed.

What he thought was an extremely difficult matter was, in Deng Lingxue's eyes, a very simple matter: just kill him and be done with it.

The most important thing is that if Gongsun Long really died at the hands of Deng Lingxue, no one would suspect that it was the young man who instigated Deng Lingxue.

Deng Lingxue, a great scholar of Chu Mo, behaved in a moral way, and everyone in the world knew it.

"Brother, why did you do this?" Kong Bin asked his brother who was sitting next to him on the right. He paid attention to Deng Lingxue who was sitting on his brother's right out of the corner of his eye: "If you lose, you lose your reputation and damage the reputation of the Kong family. Will Master Chengjiao be able to win?"

Kong Chuan sighed:

"You care too much about material things, how can you understand the actions of a half-worldly person like me?

"The winner may not necessarily win, and the loser may not necessarily lose."

…………

[Note: Ren San'er, in history it was Zang San'er, the meaning is similar, you can look it up if you are interested.]

　Let me explain to my brothers that a debate is not about scolding each other or quarreling, but about both sides explaining facts and reasons to each other.

　　Once you start a debate, if you want to win you have to convince the other party with reason and find the loopholes in their words instead of just swearing or cursing. If you do that you will lose.

　　The Jixia Academy is a place for teaching, a holy place for scholars all over the world, and a place for studying and discussing national affairs.

　　If you want to gain a foothold here, you need knowledge.

　　Everyone in the world knows that what Gongsun Long said is wrong, but no one can explain why Gongsun Long is wrong. This is the power of Gongsun Long.

　　If you think that the Gongsun Long I created is far-fetched and childish, or that the author's level limits Gongsun Long's level, then... you can check.

　　This is what is written in history books and classics.

　　I dare not say that the Gongsun Long in these two chapters is the Gongsun Long in history.

　　But I dare say that he is 97% similar to the Gongsun Long in history books and classics (leaving the remaining 3% for myself).

　　
　
(End of this chapter)