Jiaozhou, Gui County.

A Confucian scholar with frost on his temples came to the archway on the street of Guijun. The wooden torii is written with the word "Bunji".

Confucian Zhao Hui, who is not only the school teacher of Gui County, but also the only great Confucian student in Gui County, looked up at the word "Wenzhi" written by Cheng Yuan when he came to Jiaozhou, and muttered to himself.

"Ruling the world with literature, but this world is not benevolent, and literature can govern the country but cannot save the country."

It just so happened that a young man in a green shirt wearing a hat walked past Zhao Hui, and after hearing these words, the young man stopped and said in a deep voice, "Cultural governance is a means to educate the people, and if the people's wisdom is open, the country can prosper." ”

Zhao Hui looked back at the young man beside him, he was handsome in appearance, extraordinary in appearance, restrained in temperament, but still felt that his edge was exposed, and he was not a layman.

Zhao Hui laughed lightly and continued, "The word Wenzhi first came from the Confucian classic "Sacrifice Law". The state has civil rule but no martial arts, which is very harmful.

The meaning of cultural rule is to govern the people with culture, education, etiquette and music, Jiaozhou is located in the border, the people base the Central Plains culture is not much, the people are fierce, if not to rule by culture, I am afraid of variables.

However, the great dedication to the military to establish the country, deliberately pursue the rule of culture and neglect the martial arts, once the situation is turbulent, without the military to control the country, the country will be chaotic. ”

When the young man listened, he didn't feel that his face was serious, and after a long time, he said, "The people are the people, the country is not the country, the people can support the king, and if there is a king, it is the country, but if there is no people, what is the use of having a king?" ”

"Huh?"

Zhao Hui looked back at the young man, and felt more and more that the young man's heart was very human, "The people are important to the king, young man, what did you see from that book?" ”

The young man laughed and smiled at Zhao Hui, "You can't necessarily learn this from books. ”

Zhao Hui was also amused, and patted the young man on the shoulder, "Teachable, Jiaozhou Zhao Hui, I don't know the name of Xiaoyou?" ”

The young man smiled lightly and arched his hand, "Xiangzhou Ning Xiaochuan, I've seen Mr." ”

Zhao Hui nodded, looked up at the plaque above his head, and his expression stretched, "In Jiaozhou, the most difficult thing is to preach and teach, as a Confucian student, although he is respected and respected by the officials and people in the Central Plains, but in Jiaozhou, people here do not buy the accounts of the Central Plains."

A few years ago, a local official proposed to close the Confucian private school, saying that Confucian thought was not taught in Jiaozhou, and the local people and their rejection were not conducive to the stability of Jiaozhou in the long run.

Compared with the private schools of Confucianism, these people prefer the small view of Taoism or the statue of Buddhism. ”

"Actually, I don't know much about Confucianism, but listening to Mr., it seems that the people of Jiaozhou don't like Confucianism now." Ning Xiaochuan turned around and said.

Zhao Hui smiled and nodded, "Thoughts will not be so easy to change, the way of education is applicable to the peace of the world, but although the current Dafeng looks peaceful, in fact, there is indeed an undercurrent, the political situation is unstable, and the rule of culture will inevitably fail." ”

"With the ability of the Duke of Renguo, he can't stabilize Jiaozhou?" Ning Xiaochuan asked puzzled.

Mr. Zhao sighed, his tone was a little helpless and tired, "Renguo Gong is okay, but the people of Gui County haven't seen Renguo Gong for a long time, and now it's the newly arrived state pastor who is in charge of Jiaozhou." ”

"How's it going?"

"From the perspective of ordinary people, they are capable, but they are too fast, and they will be planted sooner or later." Zhao Hui shook his head and smacked his tongue.

"Sir, taught."

Zhao Hui shook his head with a smile, and continued to take care of himself, "The cycle of cause and effect, the world goes back and forth, the cycle repeats, and sooner or later Jiaozhou will return to peace......"

Zhao Hui, who finished saying this, did not hear the young man's response, and when he turned around, the young man had already disappeared.

Zhao Hui was not annoyed, put his hands behind his back, and walked through the archway.

……

When I arrived at Cheng's house, it was already afternoon, and I could have arrived early, but I didn't expect to meet a private school gentleman on the street, so I delayed for a while.

But not counting the delay, at least Ning Yan saw a real reader's opinion of Jiaozhou.

Hearing that Ning Xiaochuan was coming, the old housekeeper Cheng De hurriedly greeted him, and at the door of Cheng's mansion, a young man in a green shirt wearing a hat stood at the door, and a hundred birds were crying behind him.

"Ning Wugongzi." Cheng De stepped forward excitedly and grabbed Ning Xiaochuan's hand, unwilling to let go for a long time.

Ning Xiaochuan did not break free of the old butler's calloused hands, but laughed softly, "Grandpa Cheng, I haven't seen you for a long time." ”

"It's been too long, it's been too long." The old housekeeper's excitement was beyond words, and he pulled Ning Xiaochuan and walked towards the mansion.

When crossing the border, Ning Xiaochuan also subconsciously turned his head and swept behind him, for some reason he always felt that someone was following him along the way.

Entering the Cheng Mansion, Su Su wore an elegant peony skirt and stood in the corridor, watching the old housekeeper and Ning Xiaochuan appear on the other side of the corridor, and her eyes instantly turned red.

When I saw Ning Xiaochuan again, I felt a little strange.

The stranger is not Ning Xiaochuan, but the inexplicable extra heroism on Ning Xiaochuan's body, I haven't seen it for many years, there is a lot less ruffian on his body, and there is more youthful heroism on the rivers and lakes, in layman's terms, Ning Xiaochuan has grown up,

Is the girl in front of you Susu?

Ning Xiaochuan walked forward quickly, Su Su looked at Ning Xiaochuan, and Ning Xiaochuan looked at Su Su.

I haven't seen each other for many years, and when I say goodbye, familiar words come but I just can't say it, and I always feel that no matter what the words are, it will make people feel strange.

People who have known each other for a long time should not be restrained when they meet.

Ning Xiaochuan suddenly smiled, and when he took off his hat, he went up and gave Su Su a hug, which was worth a thousand words, "Su Su, I'm here,"

Su Su closed his eyes gently, nodded in a wooden voice, and hummed in his mouth, "Childe, we haven't seen each other for a long time." ”

The old housekeeper smiled with relief, and Ning Xiaochuan pulled Su Su to Cheng Yuan's bedroom.

On the way, Ning Xiaochuan told Su Su a lot, saying the story after he left Jiaozhou, talking about Shuzhou, saying that he was a waiter of the Ministry of Rites of Dafeng, saying that he went north to Beiban in the name of the Son of Heaven, and saying that he is staying in Xiangzhou now.

However, what Su Su wanted to hear was not these, what she wanted to hear was the story of Ning Xiaochuan after the old lady and the general left.

But Ning Xiaochuan didn't say a word about it, and Ning Xiaochuan, who seemed to be sharing things around him, hid his most vulnerable side in his heart.

Looking at Ning Xiaochuan, Su Su's eyes were a little more distressed, Ning Xiaochuan was still the same as he was back then, but he was not the same person he was back then.

Su Su unconsciously tightened the palm of the young man next to him.

After Old Man Cheng learned that Ning Xiaochuan was coming, the whole person was in a lot of spirits, the old man's face was still pale, but he was in good spirits, Cheng Yuan lit incense in the room to cover the smell of medicine.

After Ning Xiaochuan entered the door, he came directly to Cheng Yuan and bowed, "Ning Xiaochuan has seen Renguo Gong." ”

"Hahaha." Cheng Yuan smiled knowingly, "You kid is here, I'm worried that I can't wait for you to come." ”

Ning Xiaochuan stepped forward and shook his head with a smile, "The old general said with a smile, you are in such good health, how can you not wait for the junior." ”

Old Man Cheng shook his head and said with an open-minded expression, "This person, the older you get, the more you understand yourself, and I also know what is going on with this body, so you don't have to make me happy here." ”

Cheng Yuan waved his hand, Su Su and the old housekeeper understood, and gently closed the door, Ning Xiaochuan looked back, his face was slightly serious, "Old general, what is this?" ”

"I have something to say to you, but if I don't say it now, I won't have a chance." Cheng Yuan leaned against the head of the bed and chuckled.

Ning Xiaochuan stood beside Cheng Yuan, arching his hands solemnly, like a student listening to his husband's preaching.

Cheng Yuan said with a smile, "It's not easy for you to come all the way, the people around you have walked and walked, scattered and scattered, and after more experience, people have grown up, I thought I could still survive in this world for a while, but now it seems that it is not good."

I was thinking about seeing my daughter and son-in-law before leaving, and I heard that both of them were pregnant, hahaha, it's so good, I've been waiting for so long to finally be a grandfather, not bad. ”

The old gentleman said something innocuous and innocuous words, but Ning Xiaochuan didn't interrupt, because his surname was Ning, so the old man would say this, if he changed his surname, he wouldn't be able to hear it.

"What about the things in this world, it doesn't have to be what you see, coming from Xiangzhou, you should have found some clues, right?" The old general said in a deep voice.

Ning Xiaochuan nodded, "This trip to the south is a little different from back then, and it is not nice to say, these are very likely to be related to today's son, and even affect national politics." ”

Cheng Yuan nodded with satisfaction, "You observed very carefully. ”

"On the way to Chengfu in the morning, I passed by the Wenzhi archway where you inscribed the inscription, and met a private school gentleman named Zhao Hui, even a gentleman can say that if the political situation is chaotic today, the undercurrent is surging, and Wenzhi alone will not work, dare to ask the old general, what is the solution to this situation?" Ning Xiaochuan frowned and said.

Cheng Yuan's eyes were deep, "Dafeng establishes the country with martial arts, if the rule of culture is not clear, then the rule of the military is needed, this Zhao Hui is a Confucian student in Qingzhou, but he has some skills, but in the end he is a scholar, the book business is too heavy, you must know that governing government is not reading, and the outline and painting on the book cannot replace the complicated human heart, but there is one thing he said is right, the undercurrent of the world is surging, and there is another son of heaven behind the Son of Heaven." ”

"Huh?"

Ning Xiaochuan's face instantly became gloomy, "After the Son of Heaven, there is another Son of Heaven?" ”

"You have also seen that new state pastors have appeared in various places, and they are called by the order of the Son of Heaven, but if it is really the order of the Son of Heaven, why can't they get the official letter of the Son of Heaven and the Ministry of Officials?

If not, why didn't the imperial court come forward to oppose it?

All this can only show that there is a Son of Heaven behind the Son of Heaven, and we don't know who this Son of Heaven is, but the old man thinks that it is definitely not a thing in the pool. Cheng Yuan said slowly.

Ning Xiaochuan was silent, he seemed to think of someone, but he didn't dare to jump to conclusions.

Cheng Yuan coughed violently twice and said, "Ning Xiaochuan, when you came to Jiaozhou, you wanted to escape the world and protect yourself; And now? Or is it the same? ”

"Under the nest, there are no eggs." Ning Xiaochuan said helplessly, "Old general, if Dafeng really needs someone to stand up and use force to strive for peace, do you think I can do it?" ”

There was a sound of yellow birds chirping outside the window, which just covered out Cheng Yuan's answer.

After hearing the old general's words, Ning Xiaochuan's expression was solemn, while the old general's face was warm and he couldn't see anything unusual.

"I see, old general, I'm taught." Ning Xiaochuan said respectfully.

"Do what you ought to do, do what you do, right or wrong, leave it to posterity." The old general's words gave Ning Xiaochuan the last reassurance.

Ning Xiaochuan went south this time, and the biggest harvest was these words.