"The younger generation came with the teacher this time to ask Mr. Liu for the study of governing the world, and I hope that Mr. Liu can give him advice."

As soon as Liu Xingzhai heard that he was talking about the study of governing the world, his face immediately became ugly.

"Ding Gong, you and I have been fighting for this theory of governing the world for decades, what else is there to argue about now? Did you bring this young man today to challenge me? Or do you feel that you can't convince me to find such a young man to argue with me and humiliate me? ”

Bai Dinggong also seemed to guess that Liu Xingzhai would have a misunderstanding, so he waved his hand and said calmly: "There is only a dispute of ideas between you and me, not to mention in private that you and I have a friendship with classmates, even if we don't know each other, we are also exploring the way of peace for the common people in this world, and there will be no challenge, let alone the word humiliation, you think too much about fasting." ”

Liu Xingzhai's attitude was expected by Shao Xi, so he said unhurriedly: "Mr. Liu is indeed misunderstood, the younger generation did not come this time to argue with Mr. Liu about right and wrong, a long and short, but there is something I want to ask Mr. Liu to solve the doubts for the juniors, I don't know if Mr. Liu is willing to give advice?" ”

Liu Xingzhai frowned, and said with a slight disgust: "You don't study with your own husband, what do you ask me for?" Do you think your own husband is teaching you wrong? ”

"That's why I want to ask Mr. Liu for advice."

Shao Xi's answer made Liu Xingzhai stunned on the spot, turned his head to look at Bai Dinggong, but saw that his expression was calm, which made Liu Xingzhai feel puzzled, and said in his heart that the teacher and student came to sing which one today?

"Oh? Then let's talk about it first, what do you think is wrong with your husband's teaching? ”

"The younger generation feels that there is nothing wrong with the ambition and goal of the teacher, and hopes that one day the world will be virtuous, everyone can be well taught, and everyone will understand benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and faith, which is not a bad thing, and that harmonious coexistence between people is the ultimate pursuit in this world."

"What's wrong with that?"

"This requires a long and difficult process, in this process there is no virtue and morality, ignorance and demention of people must be the majority, if someone makes a mistake and there are ignorant people around him, there is no one to correct the mistake in time, then there must be a means to make the person who made the mistake know that he has to pay the price after making a mistake, and only by correcting the mistake can he not be punished."

"I have long said that most of the people in this world are ignorant people, and good words and persuasion have little effect, and the most effective way is to formulate rules and laws to restrain them, and only those who have rules will be able to keep to themselves. People in the world are selfish, let them restrain themselves, how is this possible? Only by formulating clear rules of reward and punishment can people be compelled to do the right thing in accordance with the principle of seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages. ”

Shao Xi saw that Liu Wenzhai had already talked about his topic, so he continued Liu Wenzhai's words and said: "Mr. said very well, there are no rules, there should be a standard for everything, otherwise the world will be in chaos." ”

Liu Xingzhai saw that Shao Xi agreed with his point of view, and his face softened a lot.

"That's why I've long said that the idea of virtue in the world is a pedantic thought. How many people in this world are full of benevolence and morality, but full of male thieves and prostitutes? Therefore, this kind of thinking of ruling the world by virtue seems to us to be simply misleading people's children and harming the world like maggots. ”

"So Sir thinks that people can be immoral, but they can't be lawless, right?"

"It is precisely like this, as long as there are rules and laws, whether there is virtue or not, they must act within the norms, if they can follow the law, what is the difference between those who are virtuous and unvirtuous?"

Shao Xi smiled, "Since Mr. said this, then the junior wants to ask Mr., can the cow, sheep, pigs and dogs be virtuous?" ”

Liu Xingzhai was asked inexplicably by Shao Xi, and replied: "That cow, sheep, pigs and dogs are all animals, how can there be virtue?" Is this still to be asked? ”

"So the gentleman thinks he is a virtuous man?"

"Those of us who read are naturally virtuous, but how many people in the world have read books?"

"That's good, according to what Mr. said before, as long as there is a law, there is no difference between virtue and non-virtue, and there is no difference, the younger generation would like to ask Mr., have you already compared yourself with the cattle, sheep, pigs, and dogs?"

Liu Xingzhai was asked like this, his face became ugly again, and he was insulting himself by comparing himself with a beast?

"How can humans and animals be compared? What does that beast know about virtue or immorality? ”

"But beasts are also ignorant and immoral! Since the gentleman has put both virtuous and immoral under the law, what is the difference between man and beast? Or does the gentleman treat everyone else like a brute? I don't think so, right? ”

Liu Xingzhai was a little confused by Shao Xi's questions at these two ends.

"The old man just said that there are very few people who have read books in this world, so there must be many ignorant and immoral people, so they need to be governed by the law, and virtuous people will naturally restrain themselves, even if they are placed under the law, it is not contradictory."

"Oh? Mr. just mentioned that people who have read books know how to self-restraint, and they are virtuous people, I don't think it is necessarily, those chaotic ministers and thieves, Sven scum have also read books, how can there be virtue? Those honest and simple peasant people who abide by their duties, although they have not read, are they simple and kind, are they not virtuous? ”

"This ......"

"And what Mr. just said said that those who have read books are virtuous, so the younger generation wants to ask, where does the virtue of these scholars come from? Isn't it the result of the influence and spread of enlightenment and virtue to each other? So, how can it be pedantic for the younger generation of teachers to spread morality to the world, and persuade the common people to be good? How can it harm the world like maggots? ”

Liu Xingzhai was really a little stupid to be asked, although Shao Xi was suspected of quibbling, he had to admit that he did have some truth. But for so many years, has he been advocating the rule of law to rule the world, is it wrong? If we can't survive, won't the world be in chaos?

"But you can't deny the inevitable truth of the existence of the law, if you can't save the world, there will be chaos, only the existence of the law can make the world stable, and the so-called morality in your mouth can't do this, don't you deny it?"

Shao Xi smiled slyly and said, "No, I deny it. ”

This answer almost choked Liu Xingzhai, which was too straightforward, and he didn't save himself any face.

"Look at the place in the world today that does not require the existence of a law? If according to your words, they all rely on moral self-restraint, will bandits run rampant and the people will have no livelihood? ”

"Younger generation, I would like to ask you again, sir, who is the ruler of the law that you said you said governs the world? Which one is performing? ”

"Of course, it is jointly controlled by the current saints and hundreds of officials in the court, plus people of insight in this world, and then implemented by officials at all levels in the court and the localities, what's wrong with this?"

"Then hypothetical, juniors are just hypothetical. The people who make and enforce the laws are all unvirtuous, and the laws are formulated and enforced out for their own selfish purposes, only for personal gain, so what will be the consequences of the laws formulated and the laws enforced? ”

Liu Xingzhai seemed to understand something at once, and muttered in his mouth......

"Harsh government, tyranny, fake public welfare, corruption and bribery, forming parties for personal gain, favoritism and irregularities, ......"

"Not bad! The law can restrain the unvirtuous, but the law itself must be moral; To formulate and enforce laws, those who have power in their hands must be moral, otherwise the laws will become a tool for some people to do evil, and that is the real maggot, harming the world. ”

Liu Xingzhai couldn't help but sigh deeply and said: "You are right, if the person who makes the rules has impure motives, then there is a problem with the rules themselves, so no matter what kind of law is formulated, in the final analysis, it is inseparable from the word morality. It seems that my original idea of 'not being close to each other, not being noble and cheap, and breaking off the law' is still too empty and ideal! ”

Shao Xi saw that his words had an effect, and it was the time to strike while the iron was hot.

"The younger generation thinks that there is no perfect way to govern the world, and everything in the world is changing from time to time, how can it be determined by one law? No matter what they say, there must be a reason, and there will be their biases and shortcomings. For example, the teacher has always advocated that the rule of virtue in the world, although the ideas and aspirations are good, but it is very difficult to achieve, if you want to educate the people in the world, and to pass it on from generation to generation, how can it be achieved overnight? So in this process, the existence of the testimonies is needed. In the same way, although the ideals of the predecessors to rule the world by the law can be quickly effective in a short period of time, without the guidance of morality, one day the law will become deviated, and eventually it will go against the original intention of the master and go to perdition. ”

After Liu Xingzhai heard this, he felt something in his heart and couldn't help asking: "Young man, if you follow your words, wouldn't there be no effective way to govern the world in this world?" If there is no one kind of thought that can guide the behavior of the people of the world, will not there be great chaos in this world? Without rules and regulations, wouldn't this world really be like animals? ”

At this time, Bai Dinggong, who had been listening to the conversation between the two on the side, finally spoke.

"Xingzhai, when I first heard Shao Xi's words, I was as shocked as you, and even hesitated, but the young man's ideas are beyond your understanding, he compares the world's thoughts to human fingers, only all the fingers are held together to complete our ideal of governing the world, in order to truly realize the great harmony of the world."

Liu Xingzhai was shocked by Bai Dinggong's words again, and couldn't help asking: "Dinggong, do you mean that we should all give up the ideas we originally adhered to, integrate with each other, cooperate with each other, and rule the world with the law of the world, but is this?" ”

"Yes, now think about it carefully, although you and I are concerned about the people of the world, but it is inevitable that our ideas are biased and even a little stubborn, we have always thought that our theories are effective, but we have never thought that there are actually many biases and shortcomings, and what we lack is what we have always opposed, so I came here this time to explore and discuss effective theories with you, in order to create a real way to govern the world."

Liu Xingzhai finally nodded and said: "That's right, we should abandon our obsessions, we should no longer stick to our own positions, but really explore an idea that can benefit the world from the perspective of the common people in the world." ”