The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 186: Twenty-one Debates on Form and Name, by Master Yingzi of Jixia (5000 words)
In the classroom, we who were listening to the lecture bowed our heads and called him "sir".

On the stage, the hypocrite giving the lecture nodded in return with a smile on his face.

Laugh, you won’t be able to laugh in a moment!

The hypocrite sat down.

Those who had straw mats also sat down, including me.

The hypocrite still had that fake smile on his childish face. Was he going to start giving a lecture?

How can that be possible!

"Sir!" I shouted.

My shout startled Wei Mouzi, who was sitting next to me and was prepared.

what!
Will those who don’t have seats and have to stand to attend the class be scared to fall down?

It’s your own fault!

Why are there so many people attending a hypocrite's class?

The school I'm in is the largest one in the academy, with five hundred seats!
I thought this hypocrite would be embarrassed and not have so many people come.

Unexpectedly, not only were the straw mats full, but the classroom was also packed with people and there were people standing outside the classroom!

It's daytime now, and there are sixteen lamps lit in the school!

The people standing outside blocked the light!

hateful!

hateful!

These people are so enthusiastic about listening to a hypocrite lecture on form and name, why don’t they come when the teacher is giving the lecture!
The smile on the hypocrite's face never faded, maybe because there were so many people around?
Humph! Laugh!

The more people there are, the more embarrassed you will be! And the less chance you will have of staying in the Jixia Academy!
I prepared twenty-one debates in which my teacher summarized the theories of debaters of all generations.

The teacher said that Zhuangzi wrote the chapter "Debate Without Victory" after discussing the twenty-one debates with the teacher.

The teacher also said that if anyone among us could fully understand the twenty-one arguments, he would be able to surpass Zhuangzi, and the teacher would have nothing more to teach us.

I just don't believe that an eight-year-old child can understand all twenty-one arguments and can surpass Zhuangzi!

He didn't seem to be scared, and asked me with a smile:

"what happened?"

I am a little disappointed. Kids are just stupid and bold!

I held my head high with pride.

The Jixia Academy encouraged students to ask questions in class, and now I have no scruples.

I shouted loudly:
"Sir, are you going to talk about the study of form and name?"

He nodded and replied with a smile:
"Of course."

He doesn't yet know the severity of the problem.

I stared at his face, waiting for his expression to change, and asked again:
"I have twenty-one debates on the study of form and name. Please answer them, sir!"

I didn't see his face change color.

His expression didn't change at all, he was still smiling.

He smiled and nodded, and said naturally:

"can."

What a hypocrite!

He is really good at pretending!

I can hear the discussion and noise behind me! Can't he hear it?
"What is the Twenty-One Debate?"

"The three legs of a chicken are one of the twenty-one arguments. If one can fully understand the twenty-one arguments, then he can be called a scholar of the study of form and name."

"Answering twenty-one questions will make you a son. Is the study of xingming so simple? Then I want to focus on xingming!"

"A frog in the well! Zhuangzi is also good at debate! Even Zhuangzi can't fully understand it! There is only one person in the world who has fully understood the twenty-one debates, and that is Gongsun Longzi!"

"Hiss! Isn't this embarrassing? The young master is only eight years old!"

"It's to embarrass people. The one who spoke is called Hu, who is good at shouting. He is a disciple of Gongsun Longzi, and he is clearly here to embarrass people."

"Alas, Gongsun Longzi died, and I, your disciple, have done all the hard work for him..."

"I'm already embarrassed in my first class... Really, oh! Why didn't the chief priest do anything about it?"

"..."

Even if he didn't know what the Twenty-One Debates were originally, he should be clear about it now!

He can still laugh!

What a good disguise!

I held my breath and concentrated. My teacher said that during a debate, one should not let the other party disturb one's mind.

The same goes for questioning!
Because I was good at shouting, I was nominated by my fellow disciples as the person to be questioned.

I must not let down the trust of my fellow disciples!
We must fulfill our teacher’s last wish!

"First debater, the egg has hair. How can an egg have hair?" I asked quickly.

Humph, eggs have hair, maybe he has never heard of it?

As soon as I thought about it, he smiled and replied:
"Bird eggs will turn into little birds. Bird eggs are a period of the bird. Birds are hairy, so the eggs are also hairy."

He actually answered it! And very quickly! It was as if he already knew the answer to the question!
coincide! It must be a coincidence!

"The second debater is the chicken with three legs. My teacher has already answered it in public, so I won't bother you again." I mentioned my teacher to let the audience know that he is the best, and then continued to ask: "The third debater is Ying has the world.

"Ying is only the capital of Chu, how can it rule the world?"

He thought for a moment and actually stretched out two fingers!

"I can only think of two solutions at the moment, and I will tell you first.

“First, what happened in Ying is happening everywhere in the world. By looking at Ying, we can know what the world is like.

"Second, the current capital of Chu, Ying, was originally called Shouchun. Every time Chu moved its capital to a new city, it would call that city Ying. It moved its capital seven times in total. Any place in the world can be called Ying.

"You said Ying ruled the world, not Cheng, so I prefer the second answer. Which one is correct?"

He looked at me with such sharp eyes that I was stunned.

How do I know which one is correct? My teacher didn't teach me!

"Ahem." Wei Mouzi beside me coughed twice, and helped me out. He said in a gentle voice: "Sir, you are so talented. Please listen to the fourth debate. A dog can be a sheep. How can a dog be a sheep?"

Seeing that Wei Mouzi changed the topic of the debate, I always thought that one of the two interpretations of this hypocrite was correct.

Later after class, Wei Mouzi told me that the two interpretations of this hypocrite were different from the answer given by the teacher.

I angrily questioned Wei Mouzi why he did not point out the hypocrite's mistake.

I can remember Wei Mouzi's complicated expression for ten years. It was the most complicated emotion I had ever seen.

Marvel, emotion, doubt, admiration, hatred... How can a person have so many emotions in an instant?
Wei Mouzi said:

"If I point out his mistakes and tell him Gongsun Longzi's answer, maybe Gongsun Longzi is wrong...

"Gongsun Longzi's answer is: If you only know Ying, Ying is the world."

I don't want to admit it, but I have to admit it.

This hypocrite's second answer to Ying You Tianxia seems more reasonable than the teacher's answer...

"A dog can be a sheep. Do you still need to ask this question?" The hypocrite finally stopped laughing and frowned.

But I would rather he continued to laugh.

Judging from his appearance, he frowned not because he was embarrassed by the difficult problem, but because he was embarrassed by Wei Mouzi who asked the question. He thought Wei Mouzi was stupid!
This is the expression on the teacher's face when I asked the question more than five times!

"Sir, please give me an answer." Wei Mouzi said calmly and modestly.

This is the style of a famous person!

"Okay." The hypocrite said reluctantly, "We give the dog shape to a noun and call it dog. But if we had originally called the noun given the dog shape sheep, then the dog would now be a sheep."

After he finished answering, he reminded Wei Mouzi very seriously:

“Study, and apply what you learn.

"You can't learn that one plus two equals three without knowing what two plus one equals."

This is Wei Mouzi! This is Wei Mouzi! One of the most learned philosophers in the world!
Why do I need you to teach me?

I was very unhappy with his attitude, but he was right.

So I could only sulk and not get angry.

"Thank you for your advice." Wei Mouzi nodded and thanked him.

He lectured Wei Mouzi, and Wei Mouzi thanked him... I was just feeling sorry for Wei Mouzi when I heard Wei Mouzi's fifth argument:

"The fifth debate: Yellow horse and black ox three.

"The yellow horse and the black ox, shouldn't that make two? How can it be three?"

How wonderful!

I was secretly overjoyed!
The Yellow Horse and the Black Ox should have been the eighteenth debate, but Wei Mouzi said it in advance and it’s just right here!
This hypocrite just said that one plus two equals three. Let's see how he solves it!
This hypocrite frowned again, with the same expression as before! Damn it!

He asked Wei Mouzi seriously:

"Have you really learned? I hope you can really learn the knowledge instead of just giving me a perfunctory answer."

What does he mean?

If you can’t answer, just say you can’t answer!

Then get out of the Jixia Academy as soon as possible!

I was furious and was about to speak when he looked at Wei Mouzi and said:

“Yellow Horse is a name.

"Li Niu is a name.

"Putting the yellow horse and the black ox together gives us a new name.

“That’s what’s called three.

“It may not be intuitive enough to call it a name, I prefer to call it a concept.

“I actually mentioned this question before when I said that a white horse is not a horse.

“White is a concept, horse is a concept, and white horse is a new concept.

"Yellow Horse, Black Cow Three, or White Horse Three, do you understand?
“When studying, you can’t just memorize it blindly. You have to put it into practice.” His words left me speechless. This is how Huang Ma Li Niu San explained it. It seems that what he said is not wrong.

It's so well said, I understood it in one go...

bah bah bah!
I was furious at the thought that just popped into my head!
How could I think that this hypocrite was speaking well!

I am Gongsun Longzi's disciple!
Suddenly I heard a few laughs behind me. I turned around and saw that the people who were laughing were Xiangfu Xizi and Peng Guzi.

Xiangfu Xizi smiled and said:
"Wei Mou, you can't just learn by rote, you have to put it into practice!"

Xiangfu Xizi revealed Wei Mouzi's identity, and the hypocrite finally showed a hint of surprise.

I thought he was going to use Wei Mouzi's identity to attack Wei Mouzi, and I even guessed what he was going to say - Wei Mouzi, a scholar from Jixia who was on good terms with Gongsun Longzi, didn't even know this?
He spoke, but not what I thought he would say.

He actually breathed a sigh of relief, and said sincerely:

"It turned out to be Wei Mouzi, please don't take it to heart.

“If I had known it was the gentleman in person, I would not have said such a thing.

"I know that the master wants to discuss knowledge with the boy, not that he doesn't know how to learn."

He is quite good at talking. We are clearly questioning him!

Wei Mouzi said honestly:
"I want to challenge you."

Wei Mouzi was still brave enough to speak the truth under the observation of so many people! This is the style of a famous official!
The hypocrite smiled and nodded, as if he was very happy:
“Through questioning, it is easier to remember knowledge, which is also a way of learning.

"I hope that by questioning me, I can help you, no, help Wei Mouzi gain a deeper understanding of knowledge."

When he said the word "you guys", he looked at me.

He must have spotted us.

But why didn't he speak out and expel us, instead of covering for us?

I am a little confused.

Is Prince Chengjiao really a hypocrite?

I began to doubt the teacher's judgement... I knew it wasn't right, but I couldn't help it.

I was a little dazed and couldn't feel anything around me.

In my world, I can only faintly hear the sounds of questions and answers.

"Sixth argument: Horses have eggs. Horses are born as horses, so how can they be eggs?"

"This question may not belong to the study of form and name, so let me answer it first. Although a horse is born a horse, it is transformed from a fertilized egg. The egg cell and sperm combine to form a fertilized egg... Forget it, I can't explain it clearly at the moment. Who raised this question? How was it originally intended to be answered?"

"It is unknown who proposed this idea, but the original meaning is very similar to what you said. When a horse is in the mare's belly, it is also surrounded by water, just like an egg."

"I see. I thought someone had traveled through time. How could they study cells so early? I didn't answer this question correctly. Let the next debater do it."

"The seventh debate: Dingzi has a tail. Dingzi is the name for toads in the Chu State. How can a Dingzi have a tail?"

"Toads evolved from tadpoles. Tadpoles are the juvenile stage of toads. Tadpoles have tails... Isn't this the same reason why eggs have hair?"

"The eighth argument is that fire is not hot. How can fire not be hot?"

"…Who proposed this topic? Could it be the same person who proposed the topic that horses have eggs?"

"Neither of them can be verified, but it is very likely that there are not many debaters who can raise such a topic and answer it."

"Maybe he's not a debater at all... There's a substance called white phosphorus that can burn in water... Well, I know you don't believe it, so I'll use the theory of form and name to explain it. Fire is fire, and heat is a human feeling. If a person doesn't put his hand on the fire and feel the heat, he can't say that the fire is hot. Is this explanation correct?"

"Right... Ninth debater, the mountain has a mouth, how can a mountain have a mouth?"

"It's hard to tell who proposed this, right? He might be talking about a volcano. That's amazing... You can enter any mountain. This is the entrance to the mountain."

"The tenth argument is that the wheels do not touch the ground. How can the wheels not touch the ground?"

"…Are these all simple debate topics?"

The word "simple" woke me up.

The twenty-one arguments about the shape and name that can be fully answered to earn the title of "Zi" are simple, right?

I looked at the hypocrite with a relaxed expression and a little speechless, and listened to his quick answer.

It only took him a moment to go from the tenth to the twentieth debate.

This……

I'm not sure he's a hypocrite.

But I know that before him, there was no one with the surname Ying and the clan Ying who was called Zi.

That he is Yingzi.

"The twenty-first argument." Wei Mouzi's voice was a little hoarse, his forehead was sweaty, and his expression was not as natural as before: "A one-foot-long stick, if you cut it in half every day, it will never run out for ten thousand years."

The hypocrite's somewhat numb expression became lively, as if he was happy for finally answering all twenty-one debates.

I was able to observe his expression up close and I was sure of it.

He didn't think the topic was difficult, he was just glad that he answered all of them.

But I felt that the topic was too simple and the answer was really boring.

Is this really an eight-year-old child?
Can the gap between people be so big?
I heard him say:
“This problem is simpler.

“Half of a foot is half a foot, half of half a foot is… and so on and so forth. Can anyone find an end to it?

"No, it's inexhaustible."

I was stunned.

At this moment, I thought I was dreaming.

Twenty-one arguments on form and name, hypocrite, have you answered all of them?
I couldn't hear any sound anymore, all I saw was the smiling hypocrite.

When I woke up, I heard the sound of "Cheers" and applause that could have broken the roof of the classroom.

I know that there will soon be one more Yingzi in the Jixia Academy.

Although the Jixia Academy is a holy place for students all over the world, there are still not many students.

Not every Jixia scholar can be called a Zi.

Each of them was the most noble person in the Jixia Academy.

The Queen Mother of Qi would summon Zi and appoint him as Shang Qing, giving him the highest salary in Qi.

Once he becomes a son, if we shout to expel him from the Jixia Academy, then we will be the ones to be expelled...

I acknowledge his knowledge and I admire him very much.

He is the youngest child I have ever seen.

But sorry.

My name is Hu. My name was given to me by my master. I want to avenge my master.

"Ying Chengjiao!" I jumped onto the stage and stood in front of him and shouted.

It was extremely rude of me to behave like this and to call him by his name when I was not familiar with him.

I know that I have violated the rules of the Jixia Academy and I will be expelled from the Jixia Academy.

I can't care less, this is my last chance.

My fellow students only thought that I prepared for the 21st debate, but in fact I prepared for the 22nd debate.

Final argument:
"You said the white horse is a horse?" I shouted.

I am good at shouting.

At this time, only my voice could break through the noisy barriers and echo in the school.

I didn't look back.

I dare not look back.

I knew there were angry looks behind me, and I knew I was about to be cursed by at least five hundred people!
But before that, I want to ask the twenty-second debater.

Hypocrite... Yingzi stood up, raised his hand and pressed down.

He is providing the context for my speech.

I was so rude to him, and he treated me like this...

Teacher, you must have seen it wrong, he seems to be a real gentleman!

"A white horse is both a horse and not a horse. It depends on whether you are talking about its shape or its name." He smiled and answered me seriously.

What a warm smile...I don't deserve it!

I took a deep breath and shouted:
"I just want to ask you, do you agree or not that a white horse is not a horse?"

My voice made my eardrums ring and my head buzz.

His expression looked somewhat painful, and he must have been shocked.

But he didn't raise his hands to cover his ears, he still gave me face... I really don't deserve it!
His face turned pale, he tried to keep smiling and nodded:

"Recognition."

I opened my mouth, looked at his sincere eyes, and lowered my voice:

"A white horse is not a horse, and Ying Chengjiao is not a man, right?"

I really couldn't bear to shout anymore. I said this with all my might.

I turned my head away and didn't look at Yingzi's expression.

If he admits that he is not human, then he is not human.

If you are not a human being, what qualifications do you have to be a teacher in the Jixia Academy, what qualifications do you have to be a son?
If he does not admit it, then he is violating the theory that a white horse is not a horse, and that would be breaking his promise. He just said that he agrees with the theory that a white horse is not a horse.

He who breaks his promise is not a gentleman.

He only has two choices.

Or abandon his people.

Or abandon his name.

No matter what choice he makes, from this moment on, I am no longer a human being.

Alas, this is not a human being.

This is what I deserve.

This is the world I choose.

　I broke my promise.

　　In the previous chapter, the brothers were very tolerant, so I still used Hu's perspective. I really think that using Hu's perspective would be more effective at this moment of questioning Ying Chengjiao!

　　Brothers, if you are not satisfied, you must speak up, don’t indulge me!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)