Li Yu entered the house, Gao Yizhi immediately stopped preaching, stood up to give a salute, Li Yu rushed forward to help him sit back in his place, bowed to him, and then saluted Han Lin, and the Ortai, Li Fugui and Li Huai behind him also came to greet the two guests.

"I'm a junior, I should be the one who salutes you, and that's the rule for us to salute here, look at them, my wife and brothers are all sitting, and no one pays attention to me." Li Yu smiled at Gao Yizhi and pointed to the people in the room, Wulan and Wu Langha came up with red faces and hammered him a few times, and the others laughed and got up to salute.

"I've heard for a long time that Li Hanmin is straightforward and simple, and when I see it today, I like it!" Han Lin smiled and nodded.

"Mr. Han, I neglected you, I had dinner with Boss Li in Shanxi just now, and I sent someone to invite you, why didn't you come?" Li Yu asked Han Lin.

"Lao Ma and Xinsheng arranged meals for us, we met Li Erzeng by chance in Datong, his brother Li Jiantai and I were raised in the same year, I have a close relationship with their Li family, just along the way to be a companion, we have here a letter of recommendation from Lord Jin Sheng of Tuntian Road." Han Lin replied.

"Brother Yu, you can't ask for anything if you can come to us, you don't need a recommendation, how can you think of our poor place?" Li Huai has always felt very strange about their arrival.

Han Lin smiled and didn't answer, his and Gao Yizhi's trip was not simple, and it involved some controversies over the missionary issue of Western religion in the Ming Kingdom - the dispute between Matteo Ricci's rules and Longhuamin's rules.

Matteo Ricci is known as "Western Confucianism", good at communicating Chinese and Western learning, and also teaching Western learning, such as arithmetic, geography, utensils, etc., and respecting Chinese customs, believing that worshiping Confucius and worshipping ancestors is not idolatry, and there is no conflict with worshiping God. After Matteo Ricci died of illness, the Jesus Church sent Long Huamin to replace him in charge of the Chinese diocese, this person was relatively conservative and dull, denied Matteo Ricci's rules, and required missionaries to do their best to spread the doctrine, rather than the art of Western learning - Xu Guangqi asked Priest Xiong Sanba to help translate the "Taixi Water Law", which was hindered by him, and changed Matteo Ricci's translation of God to Jehovah, prohibiting the congregation to worship ancestors and worship Confucius.

In the seventh year of the Apocalypse, missionaries and parishioners from all over the world gathered at Sun Yuanhua's home in Jiading and held the first meeting to discuss the development of the diocese in China. Ancestor worship is a Chinese custom rather than a pagan religion, allowing believers to worship Confucius and ancestors while believing in God. The Jiading Conference determined the course of the development of Western religion in China, which also caused the prestige of Longhua people to plummet, and missionaries and parishioners in various places began to seek their own development, such as Jinnige in Shaanxi and Gao Yizhi in Shanxi, which achieved initial results, and each developed hundreds of baptized members.

Sun Yuanhua, a devout believer in Western Christianity, has never forgotten his old friend Liu Xingzuo, he has developed several Catholics in the army, such as Huang Long, the chief soldier of Dongjiang Town, and Zhang Tao, the deputy chief soldier, Liu Xingzuo must have been baptized if he did not leave, he wrote to Xu Guangqi, the teacher of the Beijing Division, and Long Huamin, the bishop of the diocese, suggesting that Liu Xingzuo's influence be used to preach to Fengzhou and develop Christians. Long Huamin doesn't want to have much trouble, Guanwai is the territory of Lamaism, can the hand of Western religion reach into it? However, Xu Guangqi was very much in favor of it, Na Mu'er had been copying books in his calendar bureau, and was about to be baptized into the Church under his influence, and there was also a disciple Ding Qiming in Fengzhou - Na Mu'er didn't dare to say that Ma Guangyuan was also in Fengzhou, and this guy's sin of abandoning the Jianchang camp was too great.

After Jin Sheng, who was close to the Western Religion, was appointed as the Datong Tuntian Dao, Xu Guangqi felt that Fengzhou already had the conditions to preach, and his idea was supported by the missionary Tang Ruowang and the Shuji scholar Li Jiantai, who was close to the Western Religion, and they wrote letters to Gao Yizhi, Han Lin and others in Shanxi, suggesting that they develop in Fengzhou. After Gao Yizhi received the letter, regardless of his body over sixty years old, he immediately decided to run in person, so he went to Datong accompanied by Han Lin, and got the assistance of Jin Sheng of Tuntian Road and successfully got out of the customs, and found that the situation was much better than expected in Fengzhou, in addition to Ma Guangyuan and Ding Qiming, there were fifty or sixty craftsmen who were also believers.

After everyone talked and laughed in the house for a while, Wulan and Wu Langha knew that Li Yu was going to talk about business, so they said hello and went home, and the other parishioners also left one after another, leaving only a few high-ranking officials in Fengzhou, such as Gao Yizhi, Han Lin and Li Yu, in the room.

"Hermes-Epitek, Lord Jin Sheng told Father Gao and Mr. Han about coming in advance, and we are afraid that others will not tell you too much, you won't blame us, right?" Na Mu'er and Ma Guangyuan said with red faces.

"I'm not so petty," Li Yu waved his hand and asked Gao Yizhi and Han Lin, "Fengzhou is too bitter, I'm afraid of snubbing you, I have heard the Western scriptures in Jingshi Nantang, but as soon as I heard the lectures, I dozed off and was kicked out by a priest with a boss's face." ”

"That must be the Longhua Democratic Sect, he is always like this," Gao Yizhi also smiled, took out a few books from the package and sent them to Li Yu, "The old man took a ship from Taixi, who was tens of thousands of miles away, to the Chinese Empire of Daming, in order to let the world hear the gospel of God and get God's help, I don't care about suffering, Lord Zongbing, these are a few clumsy books of the old man, so let's give them to the adults as gifts." ”

"You are all elders, please call me Hermes-Epitek." Li Yu waved his hand and took these books, which were four books written by Gao Yizhi, "Teaching for Young Children", "Western Learning for Self-cultivation", "Western Learning for Qi Family" and "Western Learning for Peace".

"Hermes-Epitek should not underestimate these books, this is Father Gao's painstaking work to communicate the study of China and the West, but it can be greatly supplemented in the middle school, today's troubled times middle school has been powerless, Chinese and foreign people are not anxious, Father Jinnige painstakingly collected more than 7,000 copies of the book of Taixi, which has been compiled in the historical bureau, it can be seen that the imperial court also attaches great importance to Western learning, and Hermes-Epitek should read it carefully." Han Lin said.

"Brother Yu, I agree with the introduction of Confucianism, but it seems too much to say that there is nothing to be done in middle school, I have followed the way of the sage in China for thousands of years, and the people are also aware of good and evil because of education, if the way changes, the world will be chaotic, so the way of the sage can only be carefully studied and supplemented, and must not be changed lightly." Li Huai shook his head and said.

"Yushan, when will the way of the sage be able to stop the chaos of the world, which dynasty and which generation is not the first to rule and then the chaos, today the Ming Dynasty has been in chaos, whether it is Cheng Zhu's learning or Lu Wang's learning, it is useless, the world is changing, the Tao must also change, and the middle school has really developed to the end! The so-called because of education and know good and evil, no, the way of the middle school has enlightenment but no salvation, people are not afraid of the sky and only seek its benefits, although the punishment is strict and the law is not regarded, the way of the saints only teaches a group of hypocrites full of benevolence and morality, and Western learning is different, there is a difference between heaven and hell, the good and evil of people are only determined by God, those who do good go to heaven, and those who do evil go to hell, so as to teach the world to do evil and do good, this is not a good plan? Han Lin unceremoniously refuted Li Huai.

Li Huai was a little speechless for a while, looking at Li Fugui and Ortai, Li Fugui seemed to be thinking about things, absent-mindedly did not answer, Ortai said: "What Yu Gong said is indeed reasonable, the chaos in the Guannai has a lot to do with the decline of the middle school, but Buddhism is not, both teach the world to do good, there is also the saying of reincarnation, the good enjoy wealth in the next life, the evil work for cattle and horses, and the evil is full of people who go to hell to suffer and suffer forever can not be reborn, as Yu Gong said, there is inspiration and redemption, Yu Gong thinks that Buddhism and Western learning are better or worse? ”

Han Lin was about to answer, Gao Yizhi stopped him, and replied with a pleasant face: "Buddhism teaches the world to drive away evil thoughts, do more good deeds, and greatly benefit the world, and Buddhism is broad and profound, middle school, Western studies have also benefited a lot from the development of today, for example, Lamaism has a lot of subtleties, the old man is also admired, I think that Western studies and Buddhism are good, both can be used by the world to learn faith, the world has a lot of people, there are a lot of suffering, Buddhism, Western studies are promoted together, you can make up for the world, there is no superiority or inferiority." ”

Ortai nodded, opened his mouth and was about to speak again, Li Fugui suddenly pulled him, leaned into his ear and said: "Don't talk anymore, the Buddhist method of birth and cultivation is useless to us, you lamas teach the yellow and red factions to fight like a river of blood, and you haven't tossed enough!" ”

Ortai blushed a little, thought about it before saying to Gao Yizhi and Han Lin: "Middle school originates from the way of the sage, China pursues a thousand years of its own merits, middle school, Buddhism and Western learning is superior or inferior is by no means my Fengzhou can make a conclusion, Fengzhou is bitter cold, the people are poor, Nian Feng said that the people's daily use is the right way in Fengzhou, Western learning seems to be long in this way, can the two teach me?" ”

Han Lin smiled slightly, raised a book on the table and replied: "Brother Du Xing and Brother Nian Feng seem to be devoted to new learning, the algorithms, water methods and utensils of Western learning are extremely exquisite, and they are indeed good at solving the daily needs of the people, but the Tao is not in this, but in the knowledge of Western learning, such as this "Teachings for Young Children", which mentions the Sage Aristotle of Taixi, this princess Zhang Xing teaches young children to learn and enlighten young children, and teaching young children to learn to learn is also very different from middle school, everything must be debated and exhausted, and the reason must conform to the 'logic' called by Taixi people. Logic' is not the words of the sage, nor is it the reason, qi and yin and yang, but the first name and then push the reason, in order to be accurate and harmless, the Taixi people have this method of knowledge of things, how can the utensils and methods not be refined, so the root of solving the people's daily use lies in advocating Western learning, and Western learning and Western religion are one, and advocating Western learning must also be introduced into Western religion. ”

Li Yu laughed: "Brother Yu, you have gone around in such a big circle, don't you just want to preach in Fengzhou, to be honest, I haven't figured out what you said, but I can trust you, Mingguo can tolerate you, we Fengzhou people can tolerate you even more, if you like it, come here, Dajie, you have no opinion, right?" ”

"I don't have an opinion, I'll just go and say hello to the Lama of Qiuerji." Ortai waved his hand and said - the Mongolians who believe in Lamaism are the proud sons of the sky, and they have a mind as broad as the grassland, and this little thing can be pretended.

"The Lama is a well-known wise man inside and outside the border walls, please greet him on my behalf, and I hope that I will have the opportunity to seek advice from this master." Gao Yizhi was very happy in his heart, he thought that it would take some words to solve it so easily.

"I don't have an opinion, let me read these books carefully first, Brother Yu, you can stay for a few more days, I still want to ask you for advice." Li Huai nodded to Han Lin and said.

Li Yu's eyes pointed to Li Fugui, but he continued to think about things again, and casually waved his hand to agree, and the matter of allowing Western Christians to preach in Fengzhou was so determined, Gao Yizhi and Han Lin all breathed a sigh of relief, and Na Mu'er and Ma Guangyuan also showed joy on their faces.

"Brother Yu, Lao Ma and I found a craftsman to make a water mill, but you can't bring a water mill, you know how to learn the art of construction in the West, help me take a look, and I will return to Beijing in a few days." Na Mu'er remembered the thing he hadn't done for most of the month.

"I don't want to make a water mill, if I want to do it, I can make a big water wheel, that thing can strike iron, I just let Na Mu'er practice his craft." Ma Guangyuan patted Namur and said.

"The water mill is the use of water power in the south to grind the rice and flour, the north has little water and the river will be cut off during the dry season, to use the water must be dammed and stored, I will help you see, the new students do not have to be anxious, I will stay longer, if you want to go back to Beijing, go back, maybe next time you come back, you will see a water wheel." Han Lin replied with a smile.

"Thank you, Brother Yu!" Na Mu'er stood up excitedly and saluted Han Lin.

Li Yu saw that it was getting late, so he asked Gao Yizhi and Han Lin to rest early, and then took everyone to leave. Walking on the road, Li Yu was very strange that Li Fugui suddenly became dumb tonight, and asked him in a low voice what was going on.

"How did those two guys get the idea of a military ticket, and what the hell do they want to do?" Li Fugui scratched his head and said.

Li Yu immediately remembered the three noisy guys, turned a corner and went to the place where they lived, Mo Rige whistled, and Wu Xian flashed out of the shadows.

"Dashuai, it's not a big deal, the three of them made a fuss for a while, but they didn't fight, and then they seemed to be reconciled again, and they hid in that room to discuss, and they haven't come out yet." Wu Xian pointed to a room with a fire and reported to Li Yu, there were five or six bodyguards standing outside the room, Wu Xian pointed to one of the short guys and whispered, "This guy's name is Shen Taro, looking at his appearance and saber, you know that he must be a Japanese man, and Bacheng surnamed Shen also has dealings with the Japanese country." ”

"It's not a good thing, forget it, everyone go back to sleep, Brother Fugui, don't think about it anymore, they will definitely come to you tomorrow." Li Yu said with a yawn.

The pine branches in the house are still burning, the fire keeps beating, shining people on the wall like ghost shadows, Li Jianji, Sun Tingyao and Shen Shoulian are sneakily lying on the table and whispering, the three of them have long stopped making trouble, and they can't quarrel anymore after shaking off the old accounts, and they are not gangsters on the street, so they can't really start a fight, they still have to sit down and talk.

"Li Laojiu, we gave you the bottom light, don't you always say that there is no business in the world that you dare not do, anyway, we are also short of people, do you dare to join a share?" Sun Tingyao looked at Li Jianji with a cruel smile and said.

"Brother Erzeng, don't miss the opportunity! If you want to be Lu Buwei, you have to be bold, what we have is money, and what we lack is opportunities, but I can tell you, we don't admit it when we go out, and no one wants to catch anyone's handle. Shen Shoulian persuaded on the side.

Li Jianji was still looking at Songhuo in a daze, and hesitated for a while before replying: "The opportunity is good, but I'm afraid that you two bastards will trick me." ”

"Phew, you're embarrassed to say this, think about what you've done over the years, it's always been you who set up others, the worst thing in our industry is you, you can do it if you want, and if you don't dare to do it, get out of it as soon as possible." Sun Tingyao was impatient.

Li Jian stood up and rolled up his sleeves again, Shen Shoulian hurriedly pressed him, and continued to persuade with a pleasant face: "In these years, the army is in chaos, everyone's business is not good, and their own family affairs are still too busy, who still has the heart to calculate others, don't worry, the three of us are tied together, and no one can run away if something happens!" If we hadn't seen that you Li Erzeng was also a well-known hero, we wouldn't have bothered to pull you in. ”

"Of course I'm a good man, but the crime of making money privately is too great, if the court finds out, the whole family will have to lose their heads, I have to think about it." Li Jianji held his chin in his hand and hesitated.

"This guy is a coward, Yongnian, ignore him, let him get out!" Sun Tingyao shouted.

"Sun Boxi, you dare to look down on me!" Li Jianji was about to jump up again.

"The court is a fart, we don't leave a handle who dares to touch us," Shen Shoulian held down Li Jianji again, and said with a sneer, "In the sixth year of the Apocalypse, Wang Gong's powder magazine exploded, I happened to go to Beijing to do business at that time, and I saw the tragic situation with my own eyes, Rao is I am bold and scared to the point of urine, good guy, more than 20,000 people were killed and injured, the fireballs in the sky were running around, the pedestrians and houses on the ground were gone, the streets were full of ghosts and shadows, and the people on the street were still running around, and the people on the street privately said that this was God's curse, Daming did too much evil and ran out, and sure enough, soon the news of the drought in the northwest and the tide in Zhejiang came, and since then I believe that the sky is going to change. What is the most important thing for people in troubled times? It's to seize the opportunity, even the common people have figured it out, honestly staying at home only starvation, if you want to survive, you have to come out to rebel, we are the same, there is no good end to doing business in a proper manner, if you want to keep the family business and even the wealth of the generations, you have to learn from Lu Buwei, and have the opportunity to dare to gamble. In fact, we have nothing to be afraid of, there are slaves raging outside the Guan, there are homeless people rebelling in the Guan, the court is too late to protect itself, how can we take care of this little thing, even if something happens, the court will first find trouble with the people of Fengzhou, we hide in the dark to manipulate, if there is a benefit, we will work hard, the situation is not good, we will slip away immediately, we bite to death on the government side and do not admit the account, who can take us how, at most a hundred thousand, eighty thousand taels of silver, that is a drizzle for us, Brother Er Zeng, do you want to understand? ”

Li Jianji was silent for a while, then stood up with a slap on the table, and said through gritted teeth: "There are people who rob the business of killing heads, and no one does the business that loses money, Lao Tzu did it!" ”