Demoness, where are you Fleeing to?
Chapter 288 - 245 Protector of Neo-Confucianism_2

Chapter 288: 245 Protector of Neo-Confucianism_2

Yet the two Siyes of the Guozi Bureau were disputing their points.

At this moment, Siye Tong who was on the rostrum, happened to say: "Mr. Ikawa once had a newly widowed niece, her father helped her to remarry, Mr. Ikawa personally wrote her character reference for her cousin, and widely publicized this matter, praising his cousin’s actions.

Master Yu also praised ’taking a niece to return her to marriage’ and said ’a woman should follow one and the end does not have to be rigid’ and ’While remarriage after husband’s death is indeed unchaste, there are also unavoidable circumstances, that the Saints cannot prohibit.’ It can be seen that the statement ’starving to death is a small matter, losing chastity is a large matter’, is actually taking the meaning out of context."

"Sophistry!" A scholar named Fang Ming sneered: "These are the words of Master Yu recorded in the Records of Ideal Ethics and Chen’s Legacy. You two are gutsy enough to distort the teachings of Master Yu and Mr. Ikawa?"

Another Siye with the last name Lin frowned slightly: "You need to consider the context. What Mr. Ikawa was speaking about was the integrity and conduct of us literati, how can it be related to women?"

"You two are still making unfounded arguments."

Another scholar named Kong Xiu said with a cold face: "Master Yu once wrote in a letter to persuade Chen Shizhong not to remarry his sister, saying ’Mr. Ikawa once debated this matter and said that starving to death is a small matter, losing chastity is a large matter. It may seem absurd in the eyes of the world, but from the perspective of gentlemen who understand the classics and principles, they should know that it cannot be changed easily’."

Siye Tong immediately sneered in response: "This was driven by Master Yu’s personal desires, not by heavenly principles. The deceased husband of Chen Shizhong’s sister, Chen, was a close friend of Master Yu. The original intention of his letter was to worry about his friend’s family being unattended, and he was unwilling for Chen to remarry. What? Is it virtuous for Mr. Ikawa’s niece to remarry? And is it unchaste for Chen Shizhong’s sister to remarry? There’s no such reason.

We respect Master Yu’s scholarship, inherit his teachings, and strive to promote and improve his teachings. Or should we also inherit the shortcomings in his character and doctrine?"

Li Xuan thought to himself that this person made a lot of sense, Master Yu’s behavior was simply hypocritical.

Just as he was enjoying the debate, he heard Quan Dingtian said: "There is no need to argue about this matter. Master Yu himself has also expressed his views on this matter. He believes that in terms of integrity and moral conduct, widows should not remarry, but in terms of human relations, it’s not feasible."

At this time, he flicked his robe dramatically and stopped the others’ conversation: "Master Yu’s teachings often contradict each other, we cannot debate them clearly. This matter needs an authoritative judgment."

Then he turned to look at Li Xuan: "Sir Duyu, what do you think is the true intention of Master Yu and Mr. Ikawa?"

The people present suddenly made exclamations and turned their eyes to Li Xuan. They all wondered why would this Jijiu ask him? A Fumo Duyu from the Liudao Division?

Li Xuan raised his eyebrows and replied without hesitation: "I won’t talk about Master Yu’s true intentions. I only ask you, when Meng Wu took over China, all the people of the Central Plains were disheveled and mourning, how many people in Confucianism kept their integrity of ’starving to death matters less, losing chastity matters more’? For hundreds of years, Great Zhao has been supporting the scholars, how many Zhonglie Duke Wen with impeccable integrity have been brought up?

Ten years ago during the Tumu Fort incident, the Mongolian Iron Cavalry marched straight to the city. There were cries for peace and surrender from the court. Is this the integrity of the scholars? How can women be expected to follow the morality that even you as scholars can’t maintain?"

When his voice fell, the faces of Fang Ming and Kong Xiu were very unsightly.

Li Xuan didn’t know why, but Long Rui snickered.

During the Tumu Fort incident, these two people were the ones who advocated for peace talks and did not resist the Mongolian Iron Cavalry.

Of course, their original intention was not necessarily cowardice, but was for the safety of Zhengtong Emperor. However, looking at the results afterwards, the approach of Shaobao Yu to firmly protect north Zhili was the correct one.

Not long after the incident, these two scholars were dismissed by the combined efforts of Shaobao Yu and Jingtai Emperor.

Li Xuan then asked: "I’ll ask again. Since a woman can only marry once, should a husband only marry once? If a wife should not remarry after her husband’s death; then should a husband not remarry after his wife’s death? You will definitely argue against me that the male needs to bear the responsibility of supporting the family and performing the rituals, then why can’t the female remarry for livelihood and offspring?"

He wanted to ask, if a woman remarries, what does it matter to you? These Confucian scholars are the enemy of Li Shimin, Cao Cao and the next-door neighbor, and must be defeated!

However, in this era, it is still a patriarchal society, so his ideas cannot be accepted by the mundane world. So he still has to argue within this framework.

"Ridiculous! How can men and women be seen as equals?" Master Yade, Fang Ming, immediately furrowed his brows: "And who are you? A Liudao Division warrior, daring to blaspheme the teachings of Master Yu?"

Another person, Master Jingyuan Kong Xiu, also sneered: "This is extremely interesting. Is the authority that Jijiu Quan talks about this warrior from the Liudao Division?"

Li Xuan gave the two of them a cold look: "The Book of Changes states ’The progress of heaven is healthy, the gentleman should strive ceaselessly for self-improvement’, ’The movement of earth is easy, the gentleman must carry his virtues with all things’. If men and women cannot be seen as equals, how can there be heavens and earth, Yin and Yang, duality and Tai Chi? If the Yin and Yang are out of balance, then the world is in chaos. Moreover, you Confucianists all say that propriety is reason. Since it is reason, it should make people wholeheartedly convinced, and only what all people agree with is considered reason."

The result of his ’Tao-protecting Eyes’ observation is that these two people are not pseudo-Confucianists like Xi Shu, but there are obvious deviations in their academic aspects.

Apparently, they want to lead Neo-Confucianism into the gutter. If it is not stopped, the saying ’retain the principles of nature, eliminate human desires’ will increasingly restrain people’s hearts.

At this moment, Quan Dingtian smiled slightly, and a look of appreciation appeared in his eyes: "Since Sir Duyu has made a judgment, I think the dispute about the widow getting remarried today can be put to rest."

"What is this all about?" Master Jingyuan Kong Xiu was even more displeased: "A word from a military brat would leave the two of us speechless, would it?"

Quan Dingtian shook his head, intending to have Li Xuan take out the Wenshan Seal. But at this time, a thunderous gong sound reverberated through the entire Guozi Bureau, making everyone’s ears buzz.

And including Quan Dingtian. the five scholars in the hall had a huge change in face and revealed surprise and anger.

"Who dares to forcefully intrude on the Wenxin House?"

"It’s the Knife Demon! The Knife Demon, Li Zhetian!"

Just as Siye Tong yelled, a student rushed to the front of the hall with a panicked look: "I saw him go to the Wenxin House."

At this moment, the thousands of students in the hall were abuzz, and all their faces were as pale as paper.

"Li Zhetian?"

"Again at the Wenxin House, is it him?"

"Our Guozi Bureau cannot tolerate such recklessness!"

"This is not good, there is no one with a heavenly level in our Confucianism at south Zhili."

In the past, this first-ranked person in the Blacklist, the Knife Demon who was invincible in the world, forcefully intruded into the Guozi Bureau, damaged the Heart Asking Bell, seriously injured several scholars and then left abruptly. He was regarded as a great disgrace by all the Confucianists in Jiangnan.

And the current Demon, the blade method has been even better than in the past, and it is unknown to what extent it has reached.

Among the current world, it is said that only Shaobao, and two or three others, could still surpass him.