People in the Qin Dynasty, entertained during the Warring States period

Chapter 109 Time Management Master

Five days passed in a row.

Lecture Room of One Hundred Schools.

Cao Ze finished explaining the philosophy of mind again.

Fu Nian rose and cupped his hands, saying, "Sir, your talent and learning have greatly benefited me. I am very grateful."

Cao Ze smiled and said, "Brother Fu Nian, the knowledge gained from the Hundred Schools Forum is not to be kept secret. There is no need to be grateful for what you have learned. It is all for the purpose of putting what you have learned into practice."

After finishing his story, Cao Ze continued his Journey to the West.

If he dares to stand up this group of disciples from all schools of thought now, it will probably cause a great uproar.

After noon, Cao Ze went to Chunqing Palace.

After sending Zhao Qian to copy books inside the house, he went next door to do his daily work for his mother.

This is the most time-saving method he has come up with recently.

The main idea was to do both things at the same time. After Zhao Qian finished copying the book, he had also almost finished copying the empress's book.

Cao Ze walked out of the Zhao Palace at the perfect time, looking at the clear autumn sky, and couldn't help but feel pleased with himself.

Another step closer to becoming a time management master.

The Goddess Peak of Wushan in the State of Chu.

The back mountain of the Yin-Yang School's residence.

Donghuang Taiyi wore a black mask and a black robe, making him appear extremely mysterious.

Yan Ri wore a bronze mask and the iron armor uniform unique to the Qin state.

He asked in a hoarse voice, "What has Your Majesty's decision been?"

Donghuang Taiyi's voice was ethereal and uncertain.

"The leader of the Sun-Covering Clan's proposal is quite interesting."

Yan Ri sneered, "It's not just interesting, it's deadly, isn't it?"

Donghuang Taiyi's hand, hidden in his sleeve, was constantly making divinations with his fingers, but he couldn't figure anything out.

"Both the Nameless Sword Saint and the Three-Handed Sword Demon are top-tier swordsmen of their time. I wonder why Leader Yan Ri is so fixated on the Nameless Sword Saint. Is there some secret behind it...?"

Yan Ri said, "That's not what His Majesty the Eastern Emperor cares about."

"And according to the intelligence from Luo Wang, Your Majesty the Eastern Emperor once fought with the Three-Handed Sword Demon and formed a feud, is that right?"

Donghuang Taiyi said calmly, "The Luo Wang's information network is as well-informed as ever. However, the Yin Yang School and the Mo School are enemies, so why should the leader of the Yan Ri School bring this up?"

Yan Ri said, "Now that the Net has discovered that Wuming fled to Niushou Village in Zhao State, coincidentally, the Three-Handed Sword Demon is also there."

"If Your Majesty the Eastern Emperor joins forces with me, I will help the Yin-Yang School enter Qin, regardless of success or failure. Does Your Majesty the Eastern Emperor still need to consider this?"

Donghuang Taiyi slowly said, "Is the leader of the Yanri tribe truly from the royal family of Qin?"

Yan Ri said, "Is Your Majesty the Eastern Emperor worried that I am a fraud?"

"Alright, then I, the cult leader, will help Leader Yan Ri this once."

He left, satisfied with the sun's rays.

He had always intended to help the Yin-Yang School completely enter Qin. After this cooperation, coupled with the previous cooperation between Luo Wang and the Yin-Yang School, he would have one more ally once the Yin-Yang School entered Qin.

Donghuang Taiyi stood alone on the mountain peak for a while.

After the five states' failed attack on Qin, celestial signs indicated that the Purple Star of Qin was shining brightly.

His time is running out.

Even if he had taken the elixir of immortality, it would only extend his life by forty or fifty years at most.

Will the Azure Dragon's Seven Mansions truly emerge with the unification of the Qin Dynasty?

Qin State, Xianyang, Zhangtai Palace.

Ying Zheng and Lü Buwei sat facing each other.

"Uncle, the theory of righteous war has been widely spread. It is said that Zhao Yan wants to gather the best scholars from all schools of thought to establish the Hundred Schools Society at the Hundred Schools Forum to refute the theory of righteous war."

A mocking smile appeared on Ying Zheng's face.

Lu Buwei smiled and said, "Righteousness is the right path, and it does not change because of people or events. Even if the Hundred Schools Society gathers everyone from the seven kingdoms, it will only add to the excitement and make righteousness known to the public."

Ying Zheng nodded slightly, "Uncle Zhong's strategy is excellent."

"By the way, may I ask what brings you here today, Uncle Zhong?"

Lu Buwei pondered for a moment and said, "His Majesty's coming of age and coming-of-age ceremony are not far off. This old minister also needs to teach His Majesty the way of governing the country."

"Oh? Didn't my uncle already teach me?"

"Hehe, the way to govern a country is never static."

Lü Buwei laughed and said, "What I taught you before was how to govern the Qin state. Now, what I need to teach you is how to govern the seven states."

Ying Zheng solemnly cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Please, Uncle, impart your teachings!"

Lü Buwei gradually began to teach Ying Zheng his philosophy of governance.

After listening, Ying Zheng asked, "Uncle, didn't you say that we need the active approach of Confucianism and Mohism? Why do you also say that we need the inaction of Taoism?"

Lü Buwei asked, "Has Your Majesty read the 'Simultaneous Obedience' chapter of the Analects?"

Ying Zheng nodded, then shook his head. The Lüshi Chunqiu includes twelve annals, eight sections, and six treatises, totaling more than 200,000 words.

He only read it once; how could he remember it completely?

Lü Buwei patiently explained: "The theory of apparent order mentions that many things seem to be reversed but are actually in order, and many things seem to be in order but are actually reversed. If one knows that what is in order is actually reversed and what is reversed is actually in order, then one can talk to him about transformation. The longest becomes the shortest, and the shortest becomes the longest; this is the way of Heaven."

"This means that the benevolence and righteousness of Confucianism and Mohism are beyond the reach of ordinary people. They seem to be active, but in reality, they are inactive. On the other hand, the inaction of Taoism is something that ordinary people can do."

"Therefore, the Confucian rule of virtue should be practiced in accordance with the Daoist principle of non-action."

Ying Zheng seemed to understand something. "So that's how it is. Then, how does one govern a country through the non-action that you mentioned, Uncle?"

Lü Buwei said, "Before that, allow me to quote Mencius."

"The people are the most important, the state is next, and the ruler is the least important. What does Your Majesty think?"

Ying Zheng replied, "That's common sense."

Lü Buwei continued, “Therefore, as I said in the ‘Noble Lord’ chapter of my book, the world does not belong to one person, but to all the world. The harmony of Yin and Yang does not favor one kind; sweet dew and timely rain do not benefit any one thing; the ruler of all people does not flatter any one person.”

"Does Your Majesty know why?"

Ying Zheng frowned and said, "Non-action?"

Lü Buwei laughed and said, "That's right."

Lao Tzu said, "Do nothing, and yet nothing is left undone."

"A ruler is one who dwells in simplicity and plain clothes, and is without wisdom, yet he can command the wisdom of the masses; wisdom, in turn, leads to incompetence, yet he can command the competence of the masses; he can uphold non-action, yet he can command the competence of the masses. Incompetence, incompetence, and non-action—these are the principles that a ruler upholds."

Ying Zheng said, "Shen Ziyan said that the downfall of a country is not the fault of one person, and the governance of a country is not the result of the efforts of one person."

"Is what Zhongfu meant by the Legalist principle of prudent conduct?"

He believed in the Legalist school of thought and was naturally familiar with Shenzi's words.

Lü Buwei nodded slightly and said, “Shenzi said, I do all the work while you, my lord, have nothing to do; you enjoy yourself while I toil. I do my best to accomplish my tasks, while you, my lord, have no say in the matter and can only rely on me to succeed.”

"Therefore, I say that the emperor does not dwell on perfection, nor on the extreme, nor on fullness. Perfection inevitably leads to deficiency, the extreme inevitably leads to reversal, and fullness inevitably leads to loss."

“A good ruler should be busy discussing people but at ease managing affairs.”

Ying Zheng astutely discovered the loopholes in the matter.

He had already noticed this when he read Shinko.

"If the king were to rule by doing nothing, wouldn't he be idle and powerless?"

Lü Buwei sighed inwardly, "The King of Qin is so young, yet he can see right through people; he has the makings of a brilliant talent."

According to his idea, the King of Qin would be made into a mascot to symbolize the Son of Heaven, but he would no longer participate in the management of the country, and power would be delegated to capable ministers like him.

"Your Majesty, when Qin unifies the seven kingdoms, it will need time to recuperate. The most suitable approach would be for Your Majesty to adopt the teachings of Huang-Lao."

Ying Zheng shook his head and said, "I still think that inaction is not feasible. Shen Zi's approach has obvious drawbacks. I favor Han Fei's legalist approach. If we use this approach to govern the country, unify the seven kingdoms, and then we will surely become even stronger."

Lü Buwei's mouth was slightly open.

Do you not know that the moon wanes after it is full, and water overflows when it is full?

After unifying the seven kingdoms, the Qin state needed to stop as soon as possible.

Therefore, it is almost impossible for it to become stronger.

At that moment, it seemed as if he truly recognized this former student.

This is a monarch who wants all power to be concentrated in his own hands.

They could make a powerful nation, but it would be difficult to govern it after unifying the seven kingdoms.

If Ying Zheng himself gets into trouble, he will drag the entire Qin state down with him.

That's too unstable!

"Your Majesty..."

Ying Zheng raised his hand and said, "Uncle, there's no need for further words. The teachings of Huang-Lao advocate governing through non-action, but I... do not wish to use them!"

He has bigger ambitions.

He not only hoped to unify the seven kingdoms.

We would prefer to follow the principles outlined in Kong Ji's "The Doctrine of the Mean": carts should have the same width, writing should be the same, and conduct should be the same.

Afterwards, they attacked the wolf tribe in the north, conquered the Baiyue in the south, opened up the northern frontier, and expanded into the southwest...

How can one bear to stop?

If he could, he would like to travel to the Southern Ocean mentioned by Zhuangzi and set foot on the Arctic glacier mentioned by Cao Ze before he dies.

I ask you this: "Are there immortals, and is it possible to achieve immortality?"