From Joy of Life, the Tian Gang is reversed

Chapter 234 The Madman Discusses the Dao

Am I destined to be a saint?

It was truly Zhang Fuyao's fault...

Come to Shiqu Pavilion in ten days to receive instruction, and I will explain the great way of the sages to you...

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The events at Shangyin Academy spread throughout the world at an incredible speed.

Zhao Sanjia has gone mad!
The heir of the Prince of Jing'an has gone mad; the Prince of Jing'an's successor is gone.

Xiangfan, Jing'an Prince's Mansion, Study

Zhao Heng sat blankly in his chair, staring at the mountain of letters piled on the table, completely bewildered.

He's been in a daze all day!

His eldest son has done something truly remarkable!
For the past month, he felt like he was on a rollercoaster, sometimes plummeting to the bottom, sometimes soaring to the clouds, and sometimes being kicked back down to the bottom.

This kind of startling is one thing, but he's startling three times over, each startling more intense and more dramatic than the last!

No, that's not true!

Is this a son? It's clearly a prodigy!
Even as a vassal king of the Liyang Dynasty, he couldn't bear the sins his son had committed!

Life is too short, why should a son make things so difficult for his elderly father?

In fact, he had been gathering his staff to submit a memorial apologizing since last night, until a letter from his son arrived.

Although the contents of the letter were simple, it still made him suppress the urge to submit a memorial to apologize and recall Zhao Xun. After all, the matter had already occurred, and waiting a few more days wouldn't be a big deal. But even during these few days, he was restless!
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Tai'an City, Imperial Palace
Emperor Zhao Dun of Liyang slammed the memorial down on the dragon desk, causing the gilded incense burner to vibrate and hum.

Han Diaosi, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs who was waiting outside the hall, twitched. He knew Zhao Dun well; he was a man of deep cunning, and it was rare for him to lose his composure like he had just done.

I was born to be a saint.
Zhang Fuyao misled Confucian scholars for eight hundred years.
Huang Longshi falsely claimed to be a follower of Confucianism; his crimes will be condemned for generations to come.

This is truly a critical moment of survival for Confucianism and Taoism...

"In all my years, I have never seen such an arrogant person. Master Qi, do you think Confucianism is truly doomed?!"

Grand Master Qi Yanglong of Shangyin Academy remained calm. As the Grand Master of Shangyin Academy, he was naturally well aware of what was happening at the academy. It was not uncommon for one or two arrogant individuals to appear, especially when some students and scholars got drunk and started pontificating and writing passionately. Everyone just laughed it off.

However, Zhao Xun's situation was somewhat different. Firstly, there was the issue of his status. Leaving aside his identity as the heir of a vassal king, which didn't add much value to his reputation at Shangyin Academy, his previous feat of defeating two top-tier opponents in a single match had already established his fame. Furthermore, his memorial on political affairs showcased his talent. Of course, these weren't the most important factors. The most important factor was his extremely sharp tongue. He directly berated the headmaster of Shangyin Academy to the point of incapacitation, and then went on to make grand pronouncements about reforming Confucianism...

This cannot be dismissed with a laugh.

Because they knew that if it was just the babbling of a twelve-year-old child, that would be one thing, but what if it was a twelve-year-old old monster?
Don't forget, reincarnation is a concept in this world.

Legend has it that there is also a Heavenly Court.

What if this is a reincarnated old monster trying to overthrow Confucianism?
This inevitably attracted the attention of those at the top.

The last time the Imperial Observatory predicted that the True Martial Emperor would be reincarnated, what a huge mess it caused.

The White-Clad Case in the capital city effectively alienated Northern Liang from the imperial court. What if another one occurred?

It’s not impossible!
This was what Zhao Dun was most worried about: if a prince's heir was a reincarnation of a celestial being, would he still be able to continue as emperor?
"Confucianism, Legalism, Mohism, Military Strategy, Yin-Yang Theory, the School of Diplomacy... Shangyin Academy has many schools of thought, which are inclusive and diverse. There are prominent schools as well as hidden lineages. In Shangyin Academy, it is unrealistic to try to suppress other schools with one school of thought. Even if he is really a reincarnation of a celestial being and wants to spread his ideas in the academy, at most he will only add another lineage to the academy. This will not have any significant impact."

"Is this why you encouraged the Shangyin Academy to be inclusive and open-minded back then?!"

"I had no choice. Every school of thought has its unique strengths, and it's not easy for one to overpower another," Qi Yanglong said with a smile. "Integrating them into one is the best outcome for the academy."

"So you think he's bluffing."

"Perhaps he truly is a genius, or perhaps he possesses innate wisdom, with his own views on Confucianism, and is confident that he can overwhelm other schools of thought." Qi Yanglong smiled. "Many people are like this, especially those great sages who have founded a school of thought. They have enough confidence in themselves. Without such confidence, how can one pave the way?"

"What if it's for another reason?!"

"Your Majesty will have to ask Nan Huaiyu about this."

“Nan Huaiyu said that the world’s fortunes have not changed, and the same is true for Confucianism.”

“Then everything is fine,” Qi Yanglong said. “Perhaps he really was just arrogant.”

Zhao Dun stared at him and said, "Regardless of whether he's arrogant or not, this time, he's gone too far. Do you know what's the worst thing he's done?!"

"Your Majesty, please clarify."

"It's been three days, and the letter of apology from the Prince of Jing'an's residence still hasn't arrived. It seems my brother has a lot of faith in his son!"

Qi Yanglong raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything more. If it were just about the vassal king, he might have said something, but this involved not only the vassal king but also his Shangyin Academy, so he chose to keep quiet.

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Wuxiang Mountain, Wuming Valley, Shiqu Pavilion
Bian Jiang looked at Zhao Xun, who was standing bare-legged by the stream fishing, with a complicated expression and a face full of confusion.

Yes, he didn't understand.

He is clearly a person of exceptional talent, excelling in painting, chess, and mathematics, and is so young. There is no need for him to act so impulsively. Even if he had followed the proper procedures and did not even have to be an adult, he could have achieved a pivotal position in the Shangyin Academy. Why did he have to act in this way?
This time, by directly confronting Master Meng, he made outrageous remarks, declaring that the disciples of Shangyin Academy should come to Shiqu Pavilion for instruction. This has offended everyone in the academy from top to bottom!
Why bother? Why suffer like this?
Do you really think you have the talent of a saint?
I can’t tell!
"Teacher, you've been here for a long time. Is something the matter?"

In the stream, Zhao Xun, holding a bamboo spear, pierced a plump fish with one stroke, and was in a very happy mood.

"Young Master Xun, tomorrow is the start of the lecture. What preparations have you made?!"

"I wasn't prepared at all, I'll just say whatever comes to mind," Zhao Xun said with a smile. "Besides, do you think anyone will even come tomorrow?!"

“There will definitely be, and there will be many.” Bian Jiang said helplessly, “You’ve caused such a big mess that even a prince shouldn’t be so calm. It’s because you used the excuse of giving a lecture in ten days to get everyone under your thumb. Now everyone is waiting for you to give your lecture tomorrow so they can pull you down from your pedestal, step into the latrine, and let you soak for eight hundred years.”

"Wow, am I that hated?!"

“Don’t you even remember what you said that day?” Bian Jiang shook his head speechlessly. “Now, I’m not well-liked in this academy either.”

"Judging from the teacher's words, it seems that he intends to leave."

“I will leave after you begin your lecture tomorrow.” He sighed and said, “I must save your life no matter what. Perhaps you don’t need me to step in, but it’s always good to have another person.”

Zhao Xun smiled and said, "Rest assured, Bian Shi, I will not let you down."

(End of this chapter)