More importantly, if we just resist and oppose, we will not be able to accomplish anything, let alone anything meaningful.
"Officials."
Under the flower trees, the pavilion was filled with fragrance. Seeing that Zhao Jiu had been silent for a long time, Lu Haowen hesitated for a moment and finally became a little uneasy. "Does the government really want to help these refugees from Hebei?"
Zhao Jiu came back to his senses and smiled slightly, but instead of answering, he asked: "Mr. Lu, my parents, sisters, brothers, and many relatives were all exiled to the north during the Jingkang Incident. You should know this, right?"
How could he not know this? Lu Haowen lowered his head and said nothing.
"Since ancient times, those who hold hostages should not care about the lives of the hostages and rush to attack... This principle should be understood by Prime Minister Lu." Zhao Jiu said slowly. "So, don't say that I am unfilial, but from a rational point of view, I should be more indifferent. So, that day in Mingdao Palace in Bozhou, after I decided to fight against the Jin, I always treated the two saints and the relatives of the Northern Hunting as dead."
Lu Haowen recalled the doubts about falling into the well that day, and was silent for a moment before he sighed: "The emperor is indeed in a difficult situation...it was us who acted too hastily."
"What are you talking about?" Zhao Jiu's expression remained unchanged. "I don't mean to blame you... Your ideas and practices are also considered mature and patriotic... It's me who is sometimes narrow-minded because of my youth."
"I am ashamed." Lu Haowen stood up and faced him to express his apology.
"Please sit down." Zhao Jiu continued to sigh. "Just now, Prime Minister Lu asked me if I really wanted to rescue these refugees. Of course I wanted to, because ever since I treated the Northern Expedition nobles as dead, I have been thinking of treating all the people in the world as my own family. I was forced by Zong Zhongwu to swear in person that I would not blame the heavens but the people. This was my intention... How could I not be worried when I saw my own relatives being pawned and sold as objects?"
"Your Majesty is very kind." Lu Haowen, who had just sat down, bowed again. "It is us, who are somewhat ignorant of the overall situation... Actually, when I asked your Majesty just now, I suddenly thought of a compromise."
"Let's not talk about this. I still have a question. I want to ask Prime Minister Lu in person today. You must know... Prime Minister Lu has been the de facto prime minister since Mingdao Palace. We have been through many ups and downs, from Bagong Mountain to Nanyang, and then to Tokyo. It's time to sit down and exchange some ideas." Zhao Jiu was silent for a moment, and then he called softly. "Prime Minister Lu."
"I'm here." Lu Haowen was standing in the pavilion. He was shocked and could hardly answer seriously.
"When Emperor Shenzong and Wen Yanbo were discussing the new law, Emperor Shenzong said, 'Reforming the legal system is indeed unpleasant to the scholars and officials, but why is it inconvenient for the people?' Wen Yanbo replied, 'It is to rule the world with the scholars and officials, not with the people.'" Zhao Jiu said lightly, talking about a past case. "What do you think of what Wen Kuanfu said?"
Lu Haowen looked serious. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped himself, obviously thinking.
"It's agreed in advance." Zhao Jiu suddenly laughed. "I know that Emperor Shenzong's use of Wang Shu to reform may not be for the sake of the people, but to some extent to increase income and make money. I also know that Wen Kuanfu's words are a bit of a stab at Emperor Shenzong. I also know that when the New Party does things, everyone from the literati to the people is 'unhappy'... But today, only our monarch and ministers are here, I just want to hear your opinion on the matter, Prime Minister Lu, and tell us what you think of Wen Kuanfu's words, that's all."
Lu Haowen became more serious, but he no longer hesitated: "Reporting to Your Majesty, speaking of the facts, I think that Duke Lu (Wen Yanbo's title) is wrong!"
"How do you mean?"
"If we don't trace back to the theory, what Duke Lu said is probably the words in Mencius, 'What the rich family admires is what the whole country admires'. However, since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, it has been 1,400 to 1,500 years since Mencius. In the past, the rich family was the main body of a country, but now, the scholars and the people are the main body of a country, not to mention that the scholars and officials have gradually come from the people?" Lu Hao asked seriously. "Therefore, I think that Mencius' words, if applied to today, originally meant that the emperor and the people share the world! As for Duke Lu, maybe he was angry and said something stupid; or he was stupid and fundamentally misunderstood Mencius's theory... But in short, this statement is wrong after all! I think that the emperor should rule the world with the people! This is the truth!"
Zhao Jiu seemed a little relieved and nodded slowly: "Come to think of it, I remember that Prime Minister Lu is a famous Taoist scholar. Why is there so little academic activity recently? Is it because he has become increasingly busy as the Prime Minister?"
Lu Haowen became more serious, but he was respectful: "Good instructor, please know that what I said in the palace that day was all sincere. I was proud of being a famous Taoist in my early years, but during the Jingkang period, I was suspected of being disloyal. If it weren't for the fact that I fell into the well and was in poor health before and after the Mingdao Palace, I would have almost wanted to escape from the world and seek death. How could I have the face to continue studying?"
Zhao Jiu shook his head and smiled: "Fortunately, Mr. Lu didn't leave, otherwise how could our king and his subjects return to the old capital and sit here to discuss Taoism today? They always talk about Taoism, Taoism... What on earth is Taoism?"
Lu Haowen was very excited and wanted to tell the emperor in detail, but this topic was too broad and he was worried that his boring talk would cause dissatisfaction with the emperor. He was speechless and it took him half a day to utter a sentence:
"Good instructor, you know that Taoism is also called rationalism, which is named because it discusses the principles of heaven, earth and all things. So far, it has already spread very widely, but it is slightly inferior to the new learning..."
"Taoism is Neo-Confucianism? Then is Zhang Zai, who once said 'establishing a mind for heaven and earth, establishing a destiny for the people, continuing the lost knowledge of the sages, and opening peace for all generations', also a Taoist?" Zhao Jiu's heart was slightly moved, but he could not ask further.
"Zhang Hengqu is naturally a Taoist sage." Lü Haowen was getting more and more excited, so he quickly answered. "The Guanxue he founded was originally a famous Taoist school. In the past, during the reign of Emperor Shenzong, the Guanxue of Zhang Hengqu, the Luoxue of the two Cheng brothers, and the Newxue of Wang Shu and Wang Xue were already three major schools."
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