I am not Yuan Shu

Chapter 36: Can you become a saint by farming?

After that day, Yuan Shu actively participated in the action to help farmers, and practiced his oath to conscience with his own actions.

He became the core leader of the operation both in name and in fact, and further consolidated his position as the core leader of the entire organization.

Around the implementation of the farmer assistance campaign, farmer assistance organizations have also begun to take shape.

This group, which was born out of Ma's disciples, has high personnel quality and ideal pursuits, and is basically willing to truly believe that the study of conscience can bring them spiritual sublimation, free them from confusion and lead them to the path of saints.

Therefore, they are full of fighting spirit, high spirits and vigorous.

During the entire agricultural assistance campaign, Yuan Shu took advantage of the situation to build the initial framework of the school, with himself as the leader, Lu Zhi as the deputy, and the Thirteen Guardians each in charge of a small area, and the organization was established.

Yuan Shu and Lu Zhi were in command, while the Thirteen Guardians charged into battle and led their teams to the countryside to distribute farm tools to the old farmers who had been longing for them for a long time. They also distributed the oxen to each village according to the number of people and the amount of arable land, and handed them over to prestigious elders for distribution and use.

What's more, Yuan Shu personally took the lead and led the strong laborers in the organization to go to the countryside to help the old farmers turn the soil in the cold weather, preparing for spring ploughing while freezing insect eggs to death and preventing pests.

Yuan Shu also specifically stipulated that farmers had to bring their own food when doing farm work and were not allowed to eat what the farmers prepared themselves. Their rations were already limited, and they had to last until the autumn harvest, so they must not be burdened at this time.

So many self-cultivating farmers in Maoling County looked in a daze at those educated gentlemen who came to help them turn the soil in coarse cloth shorts and carrying farm tools. When it was time for dinner, they took out the water and dry food they brought with them and ate them, not wanting any of the farmers' porridge or rice.

So the old farmers couldn't hold it anymore.

People came to help out of kindness and saved me from the dire situation, which is equivalent to saving my life. Now they are coming to help me with the work and even bringing their own dry food and water. This is really unbelievable.

They tried every means to give something in return to these kind-hearted people, and gave them the best things they had, such as a bowl of porridge or a bowl of hot water.

But they rejected these things immediately and refused them resolutely.

They also told the old farmers what Yuan Shu had taught them.

"We are practicing the knowledge of conscience and doing what we believe is right. This is the only way to become a saint. It is our own practice, not just for you. So you don't have to mind it. We are just taking what we need."

The old farmers could not understand the flowery words of these scholars, but they knew that these people really did not want their food or any reward from them, and it seemed that they were just doing good deeds.

Whenever a family was short of labor or had low production efficiency, they would rush forward carrying their farm tools, and leave when the work was done. They would not take a single five-zhu coin from them, and would not eat a single grain of food.

Are there still people like this in this world?

Does it really exist?
Some old farmers thought they were hallucinating due to their old age, but the well-turned land and sturdy and durable farm tools told them that these were all real.

With Yuan Shu setting an example, more than 500 of his initial followers all went to the countryside to do farm work in their spare time. Some of those who had previously been lazy and ignorant of farming also experienced firsthand the difficulties of agricultural production through these repeated efforts.

They had a deep understanding of this, and reflected on it at the "Accusation for Good" meetings organized by Yuan Shu from time to time. They lamented their previous narrow-mindedness and stupidity, expressed regret for their previous behavior, blamed themselves, and then received everyone's comfort and Yuan Shu's praise.

This benign, positive energy cycle has brought great spiritual encouragement and comfort to people in the entire organization, making them more high-spirited, more energetic, and with more smiles on their faces every day.

They really feel that they are on the road to becoming saints, and at the end of this road, they will become saints whose names will be recorded in history.

And they will surely change this turbid world, wipe out all the treacherous people, and realize their highest ideal of a world for all.

The power brought by ideals is so pure and so powerful.

As time goes by, more and more people join this movement, and more and more people believe that calling on conscience can really bring about correct changes.

Not only Ma's students and students from other places, but even Ma's disciples and senior students, and even some young and middle-aged scholars from other places were moved and joined in.

For example, there were three disciples of Ma, Chen Lei, Wu Shang, and Xu De, who had been ambushed by Yuan Shu before but did not retaliate against Yuan Shu.

When Chen Lei and Zhao Jun were studying in the past, they had some interactions and they had some friendship, but it was not deep.

In his impression, Zhao Jun was a man of good family background, self-righteous and extraordinary. He had an okay personality, but was a little arrogant. He liked to give advice and often scolded certain treacherous officials in the court.

However, he also felt that Zhao Jun was nothing more than a big talker, relying on his good background and wealthy family to have connections with certain powerful figures in the court, and his mouth was dirty.

If Zhao Jun really had to fight against those filthy things and do something, regardless of whether he dared to do so, the family behind him would probably go crazy and hold him down to prevent him from doing anything wrong.

As someone who had seen the world clearly earlier, Chen Lei felt that people like Zhao Jun were nothing but boasters.

But when Zhao Jun became closer and closer to Yuan Shu, and finally joined Yuan Shu's team to work, he found that Zhao Jun had obviously changed a lot.

He no longer talked big, commented on the people in the court, or cared so much about what unscrupulous things the relatives and eunuchs had done.

He joined the agricultural assistance movement and, under the leadership of Yuan Shu, went deep into the wilderness and came into contact with the most humble and basic component of the Han Empire - the poor self-cultivating farmers.

As a result, the topic Zhao Jun talked about most in the dormitory was no longer the eunuchs and relatives of the emperor, but the farmers and farm work.

He began to talk about the hardships of the peasants' lives, their houses, clothing, food, their living environment, the heavy taxes and corvee labor they bore, and so on.

He felt very sad about the living environment of the farmers, regretted some of his previous thoughts and actions, and felt more and more that these farmers were pitiful and worthy of sympathy. Later, he began to get involved in farm work again and started to really work in the fields. He often had body aches, so he had to massage each other with Deng Ying, who lived with him, to relieve the pain.

Chen Lei found it funny at the time, mocking them for being educated but engaging in agricultural work. Isn't this a typical case of trying to endure hardship without any effort?
What the Han Empire lacks the least is farmers, so why does it need you to play the role of a farmer?

As a result, Chen Lei was seriously refuted by Zhao Jun.

"Brother, what you said is wrong! Once you have learned something, you must apply it. If you cannot apply it, then it is the same as not having learned it. We students have learned a lot of the teachings of the saints, but we have not applied them. So what is the difference between having learned and not having learned? It only adds to our suffering!"

What you have learned must be used, and what you have used must produce results. This is the true meaning of the unity of knowledge and action. Yuan Jun said that agriculture is the foundation of the country. Any student who wants to achieve the great cause of a sage must understand agriculture. The unity of knowledge and action must start from here. This is the foundation for becoming a sage! "

Chen Lei was stunned for a moment, and then retorted with disdain.

"You can become a sage just by farming? Our Junior Brother Yuan is too good at talking, and he underestimates sages, right?"

Zhao Jun shook his head.

"Farming cannot make one a saint, but people who do not value or understand farming will never become true saints. So, how can a person who does not even pay attention to the foundation of a country become a saint respected by the people?"

Chen Lei opened his mouth and wanted to refute, but he didn't know where to start.

Agriculture is the foundation of the country. This is a truth that many people understand and it has always been politically correct. It is definitely not acceptable to say that this is wrong.

But where is this book?
Why is agriculture the foundation of a country?

Chen Lei was confused by this question for a long time.

Later one day, when he was strolling around, he was surprised to find that his fellow student Xu De appeared next to the warehouse of the agricultural assistance organization.

He was holding a scroll of bamboo slips in his hand and was counting the amount of grain stored in the warehouse with a few people.

Seeing how meticulous and serious he was, Chen Lei almost thought that Xu De had been possessed by another person.

If Zhao Jun's transformation can be considered traceable, then what about Xu De?

He and Xu De lived in adjacent dormitories and would greet each other when they entered and left the house. Although they were not close friends, they knew each other.

Xu De has always been a person who thinks highly of himself and is proud of himself. He is quite disdainful of the theory proposed by Yuan Shu and does not believe that one can become a saint by following one's conscience.

Not long ago, the two of them were still complaining about Yuan Shu's ideals and naivety.

What happened?

Chen Lei immediately stepped forward and stopped Xu De, asking him why he was here. Xu De was stunned when he saw that it was Chen Lei, then entrusted the things at hand to the people around him to manage for a while, and walked forward himself.

"I am...working on helping farmers..."

"Mr. Xu, what are you doing?"

Chen Lei's face was full of disbelief, and he asked hurriedly: "Didn't you still not believe what Yuan Shu said before? Then why are you now..."

"Before was before, now..."

Xu De touched his head and smiled, "I can only say that what Yuan Jun said makes sense. Knowledge gained from books is shallow. You have to practice it yourself to know it. If you don't do many things, you really don't know whether they are meaningful or not. Talking big won't solve the problem."

"you……"

Chen Lei was stunned and held Xu De's hand: "He is the one who made us lose face. You won't forget it, right?"

"Of course I haven't forgotten."

Xu De shook his head: "But, one thing is one thing. We were also wrong in the previous things. Isn't that what you said? So I think that the previous things should be let go. There is no point in continuing to dwell on them.

As for now... I... I really think it is meaningful, and I think we can give it a try. Anyway, our original path seems to be blocked. Since it is blocked, why not try another path? Anyway, it is all Confucian knowledge, so it is not considered as betraying the master, right? "

Chen Lei couldn't understand Xu De's change. He just felt that sometimes the world was crazier than he had imagined.

"Mr. Xu, what kind of drug did Yuan Shu give you?"

"It's not some kind of drug that makes you ecstasy. It's just that... he took me to the fields, took me for a walk, and then he told me some of his innermost thoughts."

Xu De smiled and said slowly, "Our ancestors have indeed exhausted the path of self-discipline and restoration of propriety. We can no longer walk on it. Everyone no longer believes in it from the bottom of their hearts. What's the point of stubbornly refusing to admit it? It's better to find another way.

Mr. Chen, if we study for fame and fortune, then when will it end? Where in the teachings of the sages does it say that studying is for fame and fortune? This is not right. Besides, even if we cannot become sages, we cannot become treacherous, right? "

Chen Lei felt that he could not continue to explore the matter with Xu De. He could not suppress the doubts in his heart, so he went to find Yuan Shu and asked him what kind of love potion he had given Xu De.

(End of this chapter)