The sound of lilac seems to reach everyone's ears like the wind, and is as clear and cool as a spring on a snowy mountain.

The whole place was extremely quiet.

Just like the last time Dingxiang appeared, all the sounds seemed to disappear without a trace at this moment. Even the sound of her own heartbeat could not be heard. Only Dingxiang's voice was left in her ears.

"However, disaster and fortune are interdependent. The Immortal King is in charge of rewarding the good and punishing the evil. In this world, there will be disasters without sin, and there will also be blessings without merit. Today, I follow the order of the Immortal King and teach you the way, but how much you can gain depends on you."

These words made everyone suddenly realize something.

The last time, Li Shimin was surprised that the fairy appeared after they had only kneeled for one day and left questions. As long as they answered them, she would teach them some truths of the world.

This seems a little too easy.

After all, this is the truth of the world.

Now that's explained.

The den of demons opened wide, and catastrophes occurred in the world, but it was not because they were sinful, so the current preaching can be regarded as compensation.

And Dingxiang continued to speak.

"I have asked before, if the people of the world no longer need to ask for food and clothing, what should they ask for? If you have an answer, please raise your hand."

This was considered getting straight to the point. As soon as he finished speaking, dozens of people raised their hands.

After all, everyone has been thinking about this issue during this period of time.

Now we are naturally fully prepared.

Finally, Dingxiang's gaze shifted to Kong Yingda.

"You can answer it." He said directly.

"Thank you, fairy." Kong Yingda also found that he could make a sound. He said slowly with a serious face, "In recent days, Yingda has lived in the fields, eating and sleeping with the people in the fields, observing their words and deeds, and asking them what they think. From the poor, the rich, to the gentry, they all have differences, and I have gained something."

After hearing these words, many people turned their heads in surprise.

As the leader of Confucianism at that time, Kong Yingda actually had a very noble status. In addition, he was old and needed someone to take care of his daily life.

But he actually went to the countryside and ate and slept with the farmers? This was a lot of effort.

At this moment, even someone like Mo Hui, who was confident in his answer, felt a little uneasy.

I don’t know what answer Kong Yingda will give.

Kong Yingda paused for a moment and continued: "The poor people think about nothing but a full meal. Most of them have no land and are slaves of the rich peasants and gentry. All they want is a little food to survive.

But it is different with rich peasants. They own land, and the income from their work is enough to feed their family. All they think about is having more land and more food so that they can eat meat and wear more clothes.

Those who have reached the level of country gentry no longer need to work, nor do they need to worry about food, clothing and other expenses. All they want is for their family members' children to be able to attend private schools, receive education, and seek official positions.

Therefore, Yingda believed that the people of the world first seek to survive, then to have enough food and clothing, and then to have a high position. If the people of the world no longer need to have enough food and clothing one day, they will all become gentry. They can learn etiquette and morality, use etiquette to regulate their behavior, and use morality to touch their hearts. If there are outstanding people, they can be invited to serve as officials in the court and be lured with high positions. From then on, the world will have an endless supply of talents. "

This is Kong Yingda’s answer.

It does not cite any classics, but it is still in line with Confucianism.

Because what he described was actually extending the changes of ordinary people from poverty to wealth in today's era to the people of the world. He believed that if all the people in the world became gentry, all the people could receive teachings on etiquette and morality, use this to regulate their actions, influence their hearts, and use becoming an official to entice the people to study hard.

It still emphasizes the Confucian doctrine of "rule by ritual and rule by virtue".

After listening to this, Shen Yi nodded secretly.

To some extent, this is in line with the modern model. Since everyone can have enough food to eat, let everyone study, and then use this education to regulate people's words, deeds and inner thoughts, and allow the best among them to obtain a higher social status.

Although the actual situation is not that simple, the general direction is indeed like this.

Shen Yi was a little curious about how Ding Xiang would answer.

"You said that those with good manners and morals can serve as officials in the court. However, these people may not be able to serve as officials." Ding Xiang spoke slowly.

"This," Kong Yingda thought for a moment and said carefully, "If you know etiquette and have virtue, you can definitely educate the people and you have the ability to be an official."

"So, your answer is that what the people want is to be an official, and what the officials want is to educate the area. In other words, what the people want is to be educated?" Ding Xiang asked again.

Kong Yingda's expression was a little dazed and confused.

According to what he observed.

Those wealthy gentry and the like do seek to become officials.

Being an official does require educating the people around you.

From this perspective, it can be inferred that there seems to be nothing wrong with the people's desire to be educated.

If it was the emperor who asked him the question at this moment, he would definitely nod.

However, in front of the immortal, he really couldn't nod.

How many people have the will and desire to educate others like this! Sweat was already appearing on Kong Yingda's forehead, and he had realized what the question he had answered was.

After people have enough food and clothing, they will demand status, which is fine. But what happens after they have achieved status? If they want to demand a higher status, that is easier to say.

But if that is all, or if we cannot see further development and lose our further goals, the motivation to learn and even the restraint of etiquette and morality will decline to a certain extent.

There are also many corrupt officials who have read the books of sages and learned etiquette and morality.

"It is human nature for people to seek high positions and great power." Ding Xiang said slowly, "But if everyone seeks this, then it will inevitably lead to filthiness. This is also human nature, and it cannot be changed by propriety and morality. Moreover, how many officials can there be in the world? How can the system of selecting officials ensure fairness and justice? If it is not occupied by the powerful and wealthy, in the long run, those who cannot get what they want will accumulate resentment, and contradictions will be difficult to resolve, and conflicts will arise."

Kong Yingda lowered his head, sweating profusely, and was almost unable to speak.

The answer he gave was actually to expand the current model.

However, as the model expanded, its drawbacks also expanded.

People all over the world study Confucianism, most of them just do it because it can help them gain status, but there are very few who truly follow Confucianism from the inside out.

Take the court for example, everyone talks about benevolence, righteousness, and morality, but all they think about and do are their own interests.

Seeing that Kong Yingda was unable to answer.

Those people around who had raised their hands before were also silent.

(End of this chapter)