Before she finished speaking, Cui Ling had already lifted her skirt and walked quickly toward the gate of the mansion.
The guests behind them looked at each other in bewilderment, and then quickly followed, their hearts filled with turmoil.
Right Chancellor?
Which right prime minister?
Liang Shu, the current female prime minister?
With trepidation, the group arrived at the gate of the mansion and saw a woman being respectfully invited in.
The newcomer was very young, looking no more than twenty years old.
She wore a simple, elegant turquoise official robe, with subtle auspicious cloud patterns embroidered on the hem. Her long hair was tied back with only a white jade hairpin, without any other ornaments.
With a cool and aloof expression and calm eyes, he exudes an air of profound composure as he walks.
Some officials who had initially looked down on her felt a pang of unease the moment they saw her, and unconsciously lowered their heads.
Cui Ling quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"This humble official was unaware of the arrival of the Right Chancellor and has failed to greet you properly. I hope you will forgive me!"
These words immediately caused an uproar among the crowd behind him.
Several older officials nearly lost their balance as their legs buckled.
Even worse, some people dropped their wine glasses on the ground with a crash, shattering them into pieces.
But he was completely oblivious, staring intently at the young Right Chancellor, his mouth agape enough to fit an egg.
Liang Shu's gaze swept over the crowd indifferently, her voice calm and even.
"Get up, everyone."
"I have only heard that the gatherings at the magistrate's residence are interesting, so I have come uninvited and apologize for disturbing you."
The moment she opened her mouth, the invisible pressure emanating from her made everyone hold their breath a fraction of a second.
…
As Liang Shu followed Cui Ling into the garden, she immediately spotted the group of young people gathered by the waterside pavilion.
I also clearly heard the debate about policy arguments.
A slight smile curved her lips; she had become interested.
He walked over there and spoke softly.
"It seems quite lively."
Can I listen to it?
The group of young people turned around at the sound and their eyes fell on her.
The arrogant young master of the Fu family looked Liang Shu up and down. Seeing that although she had an extraordinary temperament, she was still a young woman after all, he immediately curled his lips.
Who are you?
"Is the competition between our Fu family and the Wang family something that just anyone can watch?"
As soon as he finished speaking, his father, the Second Young Master Fu, who was not far away, suddenly felt dizzy and almost fainted on the spot.
He clutched his chest with both hands, wishing he could rush up and stuff this unfilial son back into his mother's womb to be reborn!
He opened his mouth wide, silently mouthing the words.
"Right...Prime...Lord..."
However, the young master of the Fu family didn't even glance at his father. Instead, he smugly looked at Yu Luo and continued to show off.
At the crucial moment, Yu Luo stepped forward, nodded slightly to Liang Shu, and remained calm.
"It is an honor for you, sir, to have the opportunity to listen in on my case."
"Then we'll trouble this gentleman to be our witness."
Upon hearing this, the young master of the Fu family scoffed.
"Ha! A young and beautiful woman, dares to call herself an adult? Cui Lingyi, I thought you were knowledgeable, but it turns out you're nothing special!"
The smile on Liang Shu's face faded.
She looked at the young master of the Fu family with the same gaze she gave him, as if he were a clown.
"Since you're so confident..."
"Then I shall set the question myself, shall I?"
Young Master Fu was about to act arrogantly when he felt a murderous gaze shooting from behind him—it was his father, who was on the verge of going crazy.
He shrank back, but finally nodded reluctantly, muttering under his breath.
"What do you know about strategy and tactics, you mere woman..."
Liang Shu's face darkened completely.
The temperature in the air seemed to drop a few degrees.
She spoke slowly, each word distinct and deliberate.
The title is: "A gentleman of noble character, born no different from others."
The young master of the Fu family was taken aback for a moment, then began to speak eloquently, quoting classical texts and saying things like "a gentleman should have the demeanor of a sage" and "the bloodline of the imperial family is noble." His speech was full of empty words and clichés, making the listener drowsy.
After he finished speaking, everyone's eyes fell on Yu Luo.
Yu Luo's expression remained unchanged; she simply raised her eyes, her clear gaze fixed directly on Liang Shu.
Her voice was calm and unhurried, like a clear spring flowing over rocks.
As the Book of Poetry says, “A gentleman of noble character is like jade cut and polished, like stone carved and refined.”
"This is the process of cultivating virtue."
As the book "Exhortation to Learning" says, "The gentleman is not born different, but he is good at making use of things."
"This is the philosophy of practice."
Therefore, Lingyi's argument is: A gentleman is not born with extraordinary talents, but rather achieves them through learning, critical thinking, and diligent practice.
In just a few words, the difference in quality is immediately apparent.
The young master of the Fu family's face had turned a deep purplish-red.
Yu Luo continued without pausing.
"The cultivation of a virtuous person has four levels."
"First, investigate things to acquire knowledge, thoroughly explore the principles of all things, and do not be misled by appearances."
"Secondly, we should learn from each other, associate with good teachers and helpful friends, encourage each other, and make progress every day."
"Thirdly, we should transform our nature and cultivate our character through etiquette and law, and use acquired knowledge to forge a noble character."
Fourth, apply the knowledge to practical use, bringing the classics to life and using them to govern the world, benefit the people, and relieve the world's worries.
She paused, her gaze sweeping over all the scions of prominent families present.
"The so-called birth is not different, but precisely to dispel the fallacy that birth is precious!"
"If we select officials based solely on family background and ignore talent and learning, judging people by their birth, how is this any different from the evils of the previous dynasty's powerful clan system? This is not the way to a strong nation, but a sign of a weak one!"
"Governing a country is like carving jade. A piece of raw jade, if not carved, is no different from a stubborn rock. An ordinary person, if diligent in learning, can also become a person of extraordinary talent!"
After he finished speaking, the garden fell silent.
Only the wind, blowing across everyone's cheeks, brought a refreshing coolness.
Finally, Yu Luo concluded: "Therefore, the qualities of a virtuous person do not lie in extraordinary talent or exceptional ability, but in continuous learning and refinement; the Holy Dynasty selects officials not for those with extraordinary talents, but for those with established learning..."
"This is Lingyi's strategy."
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