For more than a year, Apocalypse has to talk a lot of things first, which makes a group of old ministers very unhappy. Every adult has his own values and views on right and wrong, and these views become more mature as he gets older, and of course he or she becomes more stubborn. The latest free chapters of the book can be found here. Many people are uncomfortable with the truth of the apocalypse, and they all think about what you want to do, just do it directly, anyway, you are the emperor and don't need excuses, everyone is not a child, there is no need to listen to so much nonsense.

Among these people who don't like to be reasonable, Liu Zongzhou is a dead brain who can't pretend to be confused, and after thinking about it for a few months, he actually proposes to have an equal dialogue, Gao Panlong feels very speechless about this, and he wants to find a time to tell him that the affairs of the DPRK and China are not said but done. Now when they heard that Tianqi and Liu Zongzhou were going to discuss the golden mean, Gao Panlong and Xu Guangqi were very happy, thinking that this would at least make one of them more restrained in the future, which was good news for everyone who didn't like to spend time on reasoning.

Gao Panlong said: "Lord Liu began to say that he wanted to have a dialogue on an equal footing, but the minister didn't dare to say that he would preside over it, so he was a bystander with Lord Xu to record, is it okay for the emperor to see it?" ”

Apocalypse nodded and said, "Yes." ”

Liu Zongzhou saw that Tianqi was confident, and he suddenly became suspicious in his heart, but after thinking about it carefully, he thought that unless Tianqi was crooked, he would definitely not stump himself. However, it can't be careless, according to the experience of the past half a year, Tianqi also has a set of reasoning, and after thinking about it, Liu Zongzhou said: "The emperor also has an experience of the golden mean?" ”

Apocalypse said: "I've read half of "The Mean", and I probably understand a little bit of meaning. ”

Liu Zong was more relieved when he heard this, so he nodded and said: "The emperor is wise and wise, and he is better than many people when he reads half of the book, I don't know what the emperor sees in it?" ”

Tianqi said: "I once heard someone say that half of the Analects can govern the world, and I was happy to read the Analects, but after reading it, I found that reading the Analects can only govern things but not the country, and even if it does, we must introduce the strict laws of the Legalists, otherwise there will be a result that the situation is greater than the law." Later, I accidentally read half of "The Mean" and felt that the golden mean was the way to govern the country, but then I thought about it and felt that I had read half of the book, and I thought that as long as I understood the word "The Mean", it was enough. ”

Liu Zongzhou saw that Tianqi began to say that the golden mean is the way to govern the country, and he felt very happy to be a confidant, and later heard Tianqi say that as long as he understands the word "mean", it is enough, which means that the content in it is about equal to nonsense, and his heart is slightly uncomfortable. However, Liu Zongzhou did not show his discomfort, but asked lightly: "I don't know what governing ideas the emperor understands from the word moderation?" ”

Tianqi saw Liu Zongzhou's emotions in his eyes, and asked quietly: "My knowledge may be very superficial, I heard that Lord Liu has studied the golden mean, especially the idea of 'Shen Du' in it, and once said that "University" and "The Mean" can be summarized by 'Shen Du', can you please talk about the explanation of the word "Mean" first?" ”

Seeing that Tianqi said modestly, Liu Zongzhou nodded slightly and said: "There have been many interpretations of the word mean throughout the ages, but the meaning is much the same. Neutrality is to keep the middle and be impartial; Mediocrity is mediocrity, emphasizing harmony with the surrounding things. The reason why the minister said that "Shen Du" is the essence of "University" and "The Mean" is because the minister believes that the only heart, or according to Mr. Yang Ming, is conscience, if people keep their conscience, from the knowledge of things and sincerity, from sincerity to achieve righteousness, self-cultivation, family, governance, and peace in the world. ”

As soon as Liu Zongzhou's words came out, even Gao Panlong and Xu Guangqi nodded again and again, Tianqi was very unhappy, and decided to hit his proud mood, so he said: "Lord Liu's explanation of the word mean makes me very satisfied, but I think this explanation is not specific, and it is easy for people to misunderstand the golden mean as eclecticism. Moreover, I also think that Lord Liu's 'cautious independence' idea is not in line with the golden mean! ”

Liu Zongzhou Zheng was a little proud, and was so suspicious and denied by the apocalypse, he couldn't help asking: "What is the specific explanation of the emperor's intentions?" Where does the minister's 'cautious independence' idea not conform to the golden mean? ”

Apocalypse said: "I think the golden mean should be explained in eight words, that is, 'not to go to extremes, to keep pace with the times'. The beginning of the book "The Mean" is clear, saying that "what is not biased is the middle, and what is not easy is the mean." In the final analysis, it is not to go to ♀ extremes and not to be biased refers to the behavior of individuals, which can be called eclecticism is very easy to understand, and ordinary people can say that "the front is really hard, the middle is the most comfortable, and the back is the ass", which shows that the idea of compromise is deeply popular. What is difficult to understand and easy to be overlooked is the word 'not easy', and many people interpret it wrongly. ”

Liu Zongzhou thought for a while and asked: "According to the emperor's meaning, how to explain the word 'not easy'?" ”

Tianqi said: "I have already said before, impartiality refers to the individual's code of conduct, then it should refer to the position and role of the individual in the whole, the ancients did not like to talk nonsense, it is impossible to say one thing in two sentences. It is not easy to change, not to change because of the external conditions, the surrounding environment, and the changes in the internal conditions, but we know that the society is constantly advancing, and if we want to make our position and role in the whole not change, we must change with the changes of the whole, not too much, and all of them, which is called advancing with the times. ”

Liu Zongzhou thought for a while and said: "The emperor's words seem to have some truth, if this is the case, it can be regarded as a specific explanation of the golden mean, but the minister has to go back and think about it, and then discuss it with others before he can approve it." ”

Apocalypse waved his hands and said, "It's okay, Lord Liu has already said that the dialogue on an equal footing can be held many times on the same topic." ”

Liu Zongzhou nodded and asked: "Then how can the emperor explain that the 'cautious independence' idea that the minister talked about does not conform to the golden mean?" ”

Tianqi said: "Not only Lord Liu, but also many ideas in the past dynasties, including Cheng, Zhu Lixue and Yangming Xinxue, do not conform to the golden mean∞ I have already said at the beginning, the middle is a compromise, that is, the meaning of holding on to the two parts of the middle, and in the dissemination of ideas, you must find a middle point among all people, so that most people agree with your point of view." However, whether it is Cheng Yi, Cheng Hao, Zhu Xi or Wang Yangming, including you, Liu Zongzhou, and Lord Liu, which of your ideas are not only aimed at readers? Among the thousands of people in the Ming Dynasty, scholars are a very small part, so I say that your thinking does not belong to the golden mean, because you have gone to extremes. ”

Tianqi also knew that his words were a bit crooked, and seeing that Liu Zongzhou didn't speak, Tianqi explained: "Actually, you can't blame you, if you want to blame, blame Sage Kong, he once said, 'I am young and cheap', and it can be seen from his words that he regards low-level farmers and craftsmen as lowly people, what kind of teacher there is, what kind of student, Lord Liu does not have to be angry." However, I want to make it clear that there is no lowly occupation in the current Ming Dynasty, and you must remember that you cannot formulate a discriminatory policy when formulating policies. Everyone has only two eyes and one head, and everyone is equal, including me. ”

Liu Zongzhou asked: "The emperor said that it is eclecticism not to go to extremes, and it is necessary to consider everyone's opinions before insisting on both ends of it, which the ministers dare not agree." The scholars of the world have mastered the principles of governing the country, and it is good for ordinary people to obey the education. Even if you want to compromise, you should compromise in the opinion of the reader, and should not include ordinary people, the sage said that those who work hard govern people, and those who work hard govern people, which is what they mean. ”

Liu Zongzhou's words represent the meaning of most people, the principle of governing the country of the Ming Dynasty is the principle of ruling the world together with the scholars and doctors, and no one will look at the ordinary people in their eyes. After listening to Liu Zongzhou's words, even Xu Guangqi and Gao Panlong, who have always had the image of being close to the people and loving the people, nodded slightly, which shows that this Ming scholar class looks down on ordinary people from the bottom of their hearts, and their inner thoughts are that they can give charity and sympathy to the people, but if anyone wants to sit in a generally high position with them, then there is no discussion.

Tianqi thought for a while and said: "I said something last year, that is, there are two kinds of people that are needed most now, one is capable people, and the other is obedient people] Doctors are not necessarily capable people, and some capable people are not necessarily scholars. When Xingao retired from the Qin division, he was just a cattle dealer in Zheng State, and before Cao Di helped Lu Zhuanggong defeat the powerful Qi army, he was just a recluse in Lu State, which shows that the rule of people by those who work hard is only a general situation, and there are still special cases. ”

Liu Zongzhou was about to refute it, but he only listened to the apocalypse and said: "What we are mainly talking about is whether the middle of the mean is eclecticism, and how about the discussion after the scope of the compromise?" ”

Seeing that the apocalypse gave in, Liu Zongzhou said: "Since the emperor said so, the ministers agree with the eclecticism of the mean, but how to explain what the emperor said about keeping pace with the times?" The main thing is where to look? ”

Apocalypse said: "It's still the same sentence, whoever is advanced is useful to listen to whom, just like the knowledge of the Taixi people is more advanced and useful than that of the Ming Dynasty, we must not be ashamed to ask them to keep up with them and move forward with them." That is to say, whether there is a change in external conditions, the surrounding environment, or the internal will, as long as this change is more advanced, more suitable and more useful than the existing system, we must put down the shelf and learn to improve. The monarchs of many dynasties did not understand this truth, so they died in the country. ”

Seeing that everyone didn't speak, Tianqi smiled and said: "But then again, if Qin Shi Huang understands this truth to keep his descendants in step with the times, there is nothing to do now, and it is estimated that it is Qin Hundred who is talking to you now." ”