This was a dilemma. Although he didn't know who was harming him, Xu Guangqi knew that he couldn't escape this time.
Although Xu Guangqi knew that the court was in chaos and factional disputes, and everyone was engaged in various struggles, it was impossible for him to avoid being involved.
However, Xu Guangqi also knew that if he was involved, his fate would not be good. How did Li Zhi die?
The Taizhou School itself was not well-received. Whether it was the predecessor He Xinyin or the later Li Zhi, who had a good ending?
We are all the same!
The struggle for Taoist orthodoxy has always been cruel and bloody, and there is not even a distinction between right and wrong. Xu Guangqi did not think he would be any different.
If I say it, what will be my fate?
Xu Guangqi never imagined that his trip to Beijing would be a life-threatening one.
He raised his head and looked at the young Ming emperor, trying to see something from his face, but he could see nothing. Xu Guangqi made up his mind and thought, since it has come to this, he might as well speak frankly!
"Your Majesty, my teacher is from the Taizhou School of Mind, and his ideas are similar to those respected by Mr. Li Zhi," Xu Guangqi said frankly.
"Oh, is that so?" Zhu Youxiao asked in doubt: "Then tell me about it, my dear minister!"
Xu Guangqi was stunned. He was still being asked to speak? Was he trying to get evidence of his guilt?
Xu Guangqi decided to pick something explosive to say. As for when he might anger His Majesty, that was beyond his control.
At the same time, Xu Guangqi had a glimmer of hope in his heart, that is, what if he could convince His Majesty?
"Mr. Li Zhi and my teacher denounced Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism as pseudo-Taoism, believing that one should not 'take Confucius's right and wrong as the basis for right and wrong.' Their poems and essays often criticized the retrogressive ideas of the Seven Masters and the Seven Masters, believing that 'Romance of the Western Chamber' and 'Water Margin' were the 'greatest works of literature, both ancient and modern.' They believed that the 'Six Classics,' 'The Analects,' and 'Mencius' were not the words of sages, but rather were elevated by later generations."
"They cannot be regarded as eternal truths. These works are the random notes of ignorant disciples and pedantic followers at the time. Most of them are not the words of sages. Even if they are the words of sages, they are only temporary solutions and cannot be considered as 'the final word on everything'."
Zhu Youxiao looked at Xu Guangqi who was talking eloquently, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart that Li Zhi was indeed amazing. He was definitely a great thinker of his generation. It was really amazing that he could make such a voice in this era.
At the same time, Zhu Youxiao also felt that this was the ideology that existed for a place that dared to reform. Even the teachings of Confucius and Mencius were not eternal, let alone the ancestral system?
Once this theory is accepted, all ancestral systems can be bypassed and various reforms can be carried out directly.
All these messy remarks have no basis at all. There is no such thing as the ancestral system cannot be changed or abolished.
"Mr. Li Zhi and my teacher also believe that Confucius is not a saint. Everyone can be a saint, and there is no need to learn from Confucius," Xu Guangqi continued.
But having said this, Xu Guangqi stopped talking.
In his opinion, this was the most unorthodox point between Mr. Li Zhi and his teacher, which directly knocked Confucius to the ground.
Zhu Youxiao had no expression on his face. He didn't think it was a big deal. Confucius had already been beaten once before.
However, Zhu Youxiao also knew that people still need to have faith. If the old is overthrown, the new must be replaced, otherwise there will be big trouble.
Li Zhi's belief that everyone is equal and that everyone can become a saint is the best successor doctrine. Zhu Youxiao also knew the inflammatory nature of this statement, which has been proven by later generations.
"Why don't you say anything, my dear?" Zhu Youxiao looked at Xu Guangqi and asked with a little doubt. He was listening attentively!
In fact, Zhu Youxiu was applying Li Zhi's ideas to himself, wanting to see where modifications and changes needed to be made to make these ideas more suitable for himself.
Xu Guangqi was a bit bewildered. What else? His Majesty wasn't angry. He made up his mind. If he wasn't angry, then he would tell him something more shocking.
"Your Majesty, Mr. Li Zhi and my teacher believe that most of the Neo-Confucian students of today are moralists and hypocrites who talk about benevolence, righteousness and morality. They are called hermits, but their hearts are like merchants. They talk about morality, but their ambitions are to steal. They originally want wealth and honor, but they pretend to be unwilling to do so. In fact, they want to use this as a ladder to honor themselves, and they also use morality and righteousness to cover themselves up." When Xu Guangqi said this, he looked at Zhu Youxiao cautiously.
When Zhu Youxiao heard this, he suddenly burst into laughter and couldn't stop laughing.
He found that Li Zhi was really a talent. Li Zhi died too early, otherwise this person would be the best candidate.
The meaning of this passage is very simple, that is, these people like the Donglin Party and other Neo-Confucianists are all hypocrites.
They claim to be noble, but they are doing the business of businessmen and have businessmen's thoughts in their hearts. The benevolence, righteousness and morality they talk about are just excuses to cover up themselves.
As a person of later generations, think about what the Donglin Party did. Isn't this referring to them? No wonder these people wanted to kill Li Zhi.
This was because he was exposed and became angry and humiliated. If he wanted to eliminate Li Zhi's ideas, he had to eliminate them from the root and kill Li Zhi directly.
Xu Guangqi looked at the emperor laughing wildly, his expression a little tangled, and his heart was full of questions. What happened? Was he laughing because of anger?
This is what I thought. I really can't escape today's disaster. Thinking of this, Xu Guangqi's mentality calmed down. Since he couldn't escape it anyway, there was no need to hide anymore.
After a while, Zhu Youxiao finally stopped laughing, coughed a few times, and said, "My dear, please continue!"
"More to say?" Xu Guangqi asked himself in his heart. He thought he would be dragged away soon, but he didn't expect that he would still say something?
Okay, then say it.
"Mr. Li Zhi and my teacher believed that Neo-Confucian scholars, when discussing their studies, would say, 'You are for yourself, I am for others; you are selfish, I want to benefit others.' In reality, they all 'study to achieve high grades, hold official positions to seek honor and prominence,' all for their own benefit, 'not a cent for others.' Such hypocrites, whose words and deeds are inconsistent, are actually worse than the common man or the farmer, who speaks his mind and says what he does."
This time, Xu Guangqi didn't pause and continued, "These people are full of talk about benevolence, righteousness, and morality, but in fact they are using Taoism as a stepping stone to deceive the world and profit, seeking high official positions and wealth for themselves. They 'talk about morality with their mouths, but their hearts are set on high official positions and great wealth.'"
Zhu Youxiao felt even more regretful. What Li Zhi said made so much sense. Isn't it the truth?
Especially the sentence "Study hard to get a high degree, and hold an official position to seek honor and distinction" really hits the heart!
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