The younger brother of the First Emperor

Chapter 197: Become Your Own Boy, Losing Business
Everyone looked at each other.

Of course they knew the importance of learning, otherwise why would they come to the Jixia Academy?
Ying Chengjiao faced everyone's questioning eyes:
“Rather than knowing the importance of learning, you know more about the joy and pleasure of having fun in the present moment.

“Because of the delayed feedback from learning, you don’t really realize the importance of learning.

“Playing is instant feedback, you feel joy and pleasure right away when you’re playing.

"If I take out a book and tell you that anyone who cannot memorize it today will be beheaded, can you memorize it?"

The books at this time were all bamboo slips and contained fewer words.

For most Jixia students, memorizing a book by rote is not an impossible task, it is just difficult.

The students of Jixia nodded silently and understood what Yingzi said.

The Jixia scholars looked relaxed.

After knowing that Ying Chengjiao was arguing seriously and not just making excuses to save face, everyone felt relieved.

Li Si's face looked unhappy, but he said nothing.

He understood much faster than the students at Jixia University, and he understood the moment Ying Chengjiao said the first sentence.

He admitted that he underestimated the boy in front of him...

A student raised his hand eagerly, and after Ying Chengjiao agreed, he asked eagerly:

"Sir, how can I forget the knowledge of having fun and deepen the knowledge of learning?"

Ying Chengjiao applauded again and praised:
"If you can ask this question, you are already deepening your knowledge."

While the questioner looked confused, Ying Chengjiao continued:

“Sincerity and the study of things.

“I can answer this gentleman’s question.

"Is there any Confucian student today who can explain to us the meaning of these two words?"

Chunyu Yue, Kong Chuan, Kong Bin and other Confucian scholars all raised their lips and looked at a Confucian scholar who straightened his back and opened his mouth to explain:

"The two words 'investigating things' and 'sincerity' both come from The Book of Rites - The Great Learning.

“Gewu means to explore the truth of things.

“Sincerity means being sincere in your intentions, being true to your own heart, and not deceiving yourself.”

Ying Chengjiao nodded in agreement:
"Yes, that's right.

“Knowledge will guide your actions.

"But you will also gain new knowledge in the process."

The boy touched his heart:

“In the dead of night, ask your own heart.

"What exactly do you want?

“This is sincerity.

“After listening to your inner voice, stop thinking about it and do what your heart tells you to do.

“This is the study of things.

“Be sincere first, then study things.

“Knowledge leads to action, and action leads to knowledge.

“This is the way of the sage.”

Ying Chengjiao took a breath and remained silent for a while, giving everyone time to digest and react.

After most of the students regained their resolve and lost their confusion, he continued:

"The above is about the Tao, and the below is about the technique. (Note 1)

“Confucius once said that the moment you put what you have learned into practice, you will feel joy and happiness. I agree with this statement.

“The reason why lazy learning exists is that learning cannot provide timely feedback.

“If you read a book in the morning and use the principles in the book to solve problems in the afternoon, wouldn’t learning be fun?
“Of course, it’s hard to do that.”

Ying Chengjiao pointed at Zou Yan, who seemed like a hermit:
"After all, not everyone can be like the chief priest.

"Knowing the will of heaven, understanding yin and yang, having the ability of foresight."

Zou Yan stroked his beard and smiled.

Ying Chengjiao helplessly spread his hands:
"I know that most of you are just like me, an ordinary person, right?"

The students in the audience had a lot of questions in their heads, their eyes widened, and countless people raised their hands.

At the age of eight, he became a world-renowned gentleman, known as Yingzi for his knowledge.

Are you still normal?
What's so ordinary about you?

Ying Chengjiao coughed twice and pressed his hands down:

"I am asking a rhetorical question, not a question, so please put your hands down first.

"For ordinary people like us, if we want to do what extraordinary people do, we have to use some ordinary methods.

“For example, timely rewards.

“Learning feedback is lagging, can we set feedback for ourselves?

"Read a book in three days, and reward yourself by playing a game of football or watching a horse race...

“If you think one volume is too much and gives you a headache, we can split it up.

“If a book has 500 characters, we can study it 50 characters at a time.

“In this way, every time we finish learning fifty words, we know that we are one step closer to completing the book.

“It’s a very daunting feeling to look at a whole book and not know where to start.

"It will become a sense of satisfaction after learning fifty words..."

Inside the school, there was light in the eyes of the Jixia students, making the school unusually bright.

There has never been a teacher in the Jixia Academy who taught the art of learning, and no sage in ancient books has ever taught it.

Now it was the turn of the Jixia scholars to look at each other in bewilderment.

The scholars looked at each other, and finally looked at the young man on the stage who was still talking about how to study.

In their minds, learning should be an active thing rather than a passive thing.

If a person does not know the importance of learning, then he should not be taught or answered questions.

In this age when almost all ordinary people are illiterate, learning is a luxury.

If the philosophers studied it, they would find the learning method that Ying Chengjiao talked about.

But the philosophers did not study it because there was no need.

If you want to learn, you will learn.

If you don't want to learn, you can't teach.

The teacher is sacred.

Education is not an obligation today, but a gift.

No one ever rushes to education.

Even the great sage Confucius only taught students according to their aptitude.

Ying Chengjiao is in a rush to educate:

“…Whether you are a student of the School of Mind, Confucianism, or Mohism…you can try these methods.

“If it’s useful, use it.

“When you share it with others, remember to say that I taught you.

"If it doesn't work..."

The boy looked innocent:
"Today I only talked about the unity of knowledge and action, right?"

The Jixia students burst into laughter, and a cheerful atmosphere flowed inside and outside the teaching hall.

They really liked the eight-year-old young scholar from Jixia School in front of them from the bottom of their hearts.

At this time, the teacher can be compared with heaven, earth, the emperor and parents.

Compared with Ying Chengjiao, Mr. Jixia, who was not arrogant, was full of airs.

As the atmosphere of joy became more and more intense, Ying Chengjiao clapped his hands and said loudly:
"get out of class is over!"

The students of Jixia Academy all bowed their heads and said goodbye, with a look of reluctance on their faces.

Before taking Yingzi's class, they never thought that the class could be so easy and interesting.

Li Si looked at his junior fellow apprentice. On his fat face, he showed the same reluctance as the other Jixia students.

"What a strong appeal..." Li Si murmured: "Master, I understand why you insist that I come to meet the Second Young Master."

The students of Jixia Academy walked out of the school one by one, and every student who left would walk up to Yingzi and nod again.

Some would say thank you, some would ask when the next class starts...all of them would just say and leave.

In most cases, Yingzi would just smile and say nothing, and the students were not surprised.

Mr. Young had said this in a previous class:

“Don’t say hello to me when you’re done with get out of class, and I won’t respond even if you say hello to me.

“There are five hundred people sitting in this room alone!
"I just say one sentence to each person, that's 500 sentences! Do you want to tire me to death?

"Everyone is tired enough in class, let's let each other go after class, okay?

“To ensure smooth traffic flow and no congestion.

"Please leave immediately after class and don't hang around in front of me."

The number of people gradually decreased, and in the end only a group of Jixia scholars and Li Si were left.

Zhang Cang stood at the entrance of the teaching hall, quietly waiting for his senior brother.

His knowledge was not enough to support him staying in the school.

"Cheng Jiao, your teaching this time was not appropriate." Huan Juan, a Jixia scholar from the Laozi school, said sternly, "Laozi said: 'If one has the Way but no technique, one can still seek the technique. If one has the technique but no Way, one will only stop at the technique.' You taught these students the technique of learning, but they don't know why they are learning. If this continues, they will only stay at the stage of learning and will never be able to glimpse the Great Way."

Ying Chengjiao shook his head:

“The kid doesn’t think so.

"I teach them the art of learning, and as they use the art, they will gradually clarify their own path.

“It is OK to have the Dao first and then the technique, or it is OK to have the technique first and then the Dao.”

Huan Juan said in a deep voice:
“This is not the right way!

“One should know before acting, not act before knowing.”

Ying Chengjiao smiled:
"Huan Juanzi used the principles of Xinxue to explain, so I will use Laozi's principles to explain.

"Lao Tzu said: 'The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.'

“Even Lao Tzu, who created the concept of ‘Tao’, believed that Tao cannot be described through language.

"Why did Huan Juanzi dare to draw such a firm conclusion and determine what is the right path?
“Know and act, act and know.

"Different paths lead to the same destination, and everyone can get there!"

The two argued endlessly, and neither could convince the other.

This was the first time that Ying Chengjiao showed such strong aggressiveness in front of the other philosophers after his debate with Gongsun Long.

A young man who always accommodates the views of every philosopher.

He gained a firm foothold in the Jixia Academy with his philosophy of mind, and was confident that his lecture halls were packed with students. He argued for his true inner thoughts, revealing his hidden wit and sharp tongue.

The scholars were very surprised.

I was amazed at the change in the boy's attitude, and also at his profound insights into Lao Tzu's teachings.

Only the chief priest Zou Yan was not surprised at all.

This was the Ying Chengjiao he knew.

The first time I met him, I dared to talk to him using the language he was best at.

Zou Yan stroked his beard and sighed.

[Zi Bing is unparalleled in debate, using a sophistry of truth and falsehood that only he understands.]
[This guy is debating by using the knowledge that his opponent is proficient in.]
[I am still young and too full of energy...]
"When a person is born, his nature is evil." Li Si, who had been listening for a long time, joined the battle and slowly approached Ying Chengjiao: "When a person is just born, his nature is evil. It takes education to distinguish right from wrong and know the truth. It can be seen that knowledge should come before action."

Ying Chengjiao, who had come out of his lecturing state, narrowed his eyes.

[Who is Xunzi's theory of human nature? Li Si? Mao Heng? Fu Qiubo?]
From the indifferent reactions of the other scholars, the young man immediately realized that Li Si's identity was unusual, and wondered which disciple of Xunzi he was.

Before he could think carefully, Li Si had already introduced himself:
"Li Si." Li Si bowed.

Ying Chengjiao's eyes showed understanding and he bowed in return.

Before the young man had finished returning the gift, he heard Chunyu Yue's voice:
"This statement of Tonggu is absurd!

"At the beginning of human life, nature is good!"

So, Li Si and Chunyu Yue began to debate whether human nature is good or evil.

Soon, the scholars started arguing with each other, and the hall became a mess.

Ying Chengjiao felt helpless.

At first, the young man felt that the Qin court was very noisy, like a makeshift troupe.

Later, when he traveled around the countries, he found that the courts of various countries were very noisy.

Now, even the most prestigious Jixia Academy is so noisy...

The boy's ears twitched.

I heard Kong Bin and Shen Zhi arguing heatedly about the issue of rule by man or rule by law. This is the topic at the moment.

The boy was a little speechless.

[We were originally discussing the art of learning, why did the topic turn to politics?]
[No matter what the discussion starts with, it always turns to politics in the end. I am convinced...]
An hour and a half later.

The lobby of Ying Chengjiao's residence.

Li Si stood in front of the young man, bowed slightly, clasped his hands, and saluted with a very respectful look:

"I've met the young master."

Ying Chengjiao raised his eyebrows:
"I heard that when Xunzi was alive, there were two students at the Jixia Academy who were the most outstanding.

“They are all disciples of Xunzi, and all of them can be called disciples because of their knowledge.

"The first is Han Fei, and the second is you, Li Si.

“My mother took me to see Han Fei when I was in Korea.

"After meeting you today and listening to your explanation, I realized that the rumors are indeed true."

Li Si said modestly:
"The only one who called himself "son" was Han Fei, and Li Si was not called "son"."

"Li Tonggu, the son of a childless man." Ying Chengqi laughed and said, "Your title is more famous than Han Fei's. I heard that you decided not to call yourself a son because Han Fei called himself a son first. Is this true?"

"No." Li Si lowered his head and said, "I am not as knowledgeable as Brother Han Fei, so I should not be called your son."

The young man looked at Li Si quietly for a moment.

Li Si's expression remained unchanged, as if he was unaware of the boy's gaze.

"Did the commander ask you to come find me?" the young man suddenly asked.

"Yes." Li Si seemed to have been waiting for the young man to ask a question, and immediately responded: "My lord wants me to meet you and tell you something."

"What's the matter?"

"The Lu's Chamber of Commerce will all move to Qin."

These eight short words shocked Ying Chengjiao's heart again and again.

"How long?" The young man closed his eyes and asked with a frown.

Li Si was surprised that the boy grasped the key points so quickly, and answered a little late:

"I am in charge of Qi State, and the Lord only gave me two months."

Ying Chengjiao’s brows furrowed even deeper.

It takes a month to travel from Qin to Qi.

Add to that the communication time and trading time in various cities in Qi State...two months is really too tight.

If he did so, the losses of the Lu's Chamber of Commerce would be far greater than he had just expected.

His teacher, Lu Buwei, made a completely losing business this time!

"I will tell you the reason, sir." Li Si took the initiative to say.

"No need." Ying Chengjiao rubbed his brows: "I already know."

Li Si: "..."

Li Tonggu, who was known as the son without a child, did not believe the boy's words.

If his master hadn't told him, even he wouldn't have guessed the reason.

The young man was in Qi State, the farthest country from Qin State, thousands of miles away. How could he guess it as soon as he heard the news?
impossible!
…………

【Note 1: In this chapter, Tao is a concept, and Shu is a method or means. The author believes that Tao and Shu are not in opposition, but complement each other. Tao is not mysterious, nor is it higher than Shu. Tao is to find the path of life, and Shu is how to move forward on the path. If a person thinks killing people is fun, then killing people is his Tao, and how to kill people is his Shu. Tao is divided into righteous and evil ways, and the same is true for Shu. Everyone can obtain Tao, and everyone can become a saint. This is just my opinion.】

(End of this chapter)