Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains
Chapter 943 - 943: 409, Legalist-Confucian dispute, Hexi righteousness

Arguing, that is the Confucian Scholar's true skill.

Moreover, Zou Ziqu and Yuan Zhen are both accomplished Great Confucians.

To be fair, both of their arguments make sense.

This world is not simply black and white.

The achievements of the Great Jin are substantial, but it is not without its faults.

The Emperor of Jin and his sons have done much, but they have also harmed many.

The Great Jin is governed by the Legalism of Zhuge Yuan, where the Three Northern Provinces believe in the survival of the fittest, the law of natural selection, where the fit survive. The population there is indeed less than in other states, and describing it as 'harsh government is fiercer than a tiger' is not unreasonable.

Compared to the scheming of the Hedong Alliance, the Great Jin definitely seems united, but to say it's entirely so is not true. Zou Ziqu's rhetorical question is very persuasive. If you were truly united, how did Hou Jing manage to rebel against the Great Jin?

Destroying the Great Yu and assassinating the former ruler are undeniable blemishes on the Great Jin.

...

Perhaps it is because Tuoba Zun and others understand that Zou Ziqu's rebuttals have a basis, that their reactions are so intense.

Compared to them, it is actually Yuan Zhen, who was refuted, who appears the calmest.

He looked at Tuoba Zun, gestured slightly with his eyes, then turned towards Zou Ziqu, a smile gradually appearing on his face, saying: "It's been many years, and Nephew Ziqu's sharp tongue has only gotten sharper!"

"I dare not, Ziqu!"

Despite the tension, Zou Ziqu maintained his etiquette, consistently showing deference to Yuan Zhen, performing the etiquette of a junior without any fault.

"If I remember correctly, Nephew Ziqu, you're from Yangzhou?"

Zou Ziqu nodded, then realized something, and his face suddenly fell.

"Bailu Academy may inherit from the Master, but it splits into two factions under it, Yanzhou for the people, Yangzhou loyal to the sovereign. Nephew Ziqu, since you're from Yangzhou, you must uphold the way of loyalty to the sovereign. If you seek this loyalty, why did neither Saint Meng Qu nor Nephew Ziqu appear seven years ago when my Great Jin besieged the Divine Capital? Furthermore, where were those virtuous ministers and generals in Yangzhou Academy who wore loyalty to the sovereign on their sleeves all their lives?"

After Yuan Zhen said this, he gave Zou Ziqu no chance to explain, continuing:

"Now you criticize my Great Jin for killing the former ruler. Without the Eight Great Sacred Lands' concession, how would the Great Yu have fallen? You Yangzhou claim loyalty to the sovereign all your lives, yet when Jiang Bufan was killed, you did not come out to faithfully protect him!

Yanzhou and Yangzhou enforce benevolent governance, yet the people's situation isn't much better. Nephew Ziqu, dare you say that under your rule, the people aren't oppressed by the Martial Artist, or even the Confucian Scholar?

Calling my Great Jin traitors and villains, hahaha..."

Yuan Zhen laughed heartily, pointing directly at Zou Ziqu first, then gestured around at everyone present, speaking solemnly: "Seven years ago, the fall of the Divine Capital and the concession of the Eight Great Sacred Lands saw no force in the world stay loyal to the Great Yu or dare speak against my Great Jin. Among all present today, including you, Zou Ziqu, who dares claim they are not traitors and villains?"

He paused, then, with a cold laugh, continued aloud:

"Saying my Great Jin's laws are strict, that harsh government is fiercer than a tiger, yet knowing well today's world is dominated by the Martial Artist, survival of the fittest is the norm, a fact of natural selection. So-called benevolent governance is merely reliance on human nature. Not to mention that over the years Bailu Academy hasn't even pacified the Zhengdao Seven States, let alone prevented oppression by the Martial Artists on the common folk in your own Yanzhou and Yangzhou."

Zou Ziqu, unwilling to show weakness, responded: "Even if such things exist, compared to the Three Northern Provinces, it is better by many folds. The provinces together only have a population of a billion, a testament to Jin's tyranny!"

"Hahaha, as Ziqu says, under my Great Jin, people live in misery, always on edge, compelled by tyranny to yield. If so, my Great Jin should be as precarious as a pile of eggs, weak and fragile, quickly collapsing. So why is it that today my army marches south, requiring the Academy and the Four Great Sacred Lands of the Righteous Path to swear oaths against Jin?"

Zou Ziqu wanted to speak, but Yuan Zhen gave him no chance.

"Everyone in the world speaks of Jin's harsh laws. So-called harsh governance is merely my teacher Zhuge Yuan's rule by law. Those who rely on human nature seek benevolent governance, attempting to restore the Divine Dynasty's Confucian benevolent rule, yet fail to consider the blood-stained lesson of the Great Yu Dynasty that perished over a thousand years ago. Trusting human nature alone will plunge the world into chaos for another millennia.

My teacher once said:

People of the world are born with a love for profit, hence the scramble for wealth and land;

Born with greed, hence theft, violence, and killing;

Born with ambition, hence indulgence in pleasures of sound and color.

Thus, human nature is inherently evil; only after the imposition of laws can it be righted.

To prevent evil desires with law, to channel human nature with law, only then can the world move towards goodness and order.

Ziqu, governing the world is not in idle talk, but in forceful action!

Be it benevolent or harsh governance, whichever can unite the nation and build a strong army, that is the Righteous Path. Otherwise, it is all empty talk that deceives the world, and will certainly be despised by all!"

"Hahaha, what utter nonsense!"

The crowd had yet to recover from Yuan Zhen's bold claims when Zou Ziqu, unable to endure the slander against the Confucian ideal of benevolent governance, laughed angrily, criticizing:

"When the ruler is wise and ministers respectful, when the father is kind and the son filial, the mother strong for her child, with siblings akin to limbs, the people and the masses, with hearts inclined towards goodness, that is the true way of heaven.

The fall of the Great Yu was indeed wrought by you traitors who believed in survival of the fittest, projecting your own evils onto the world, thereby excusing yourself from blame and rationalizing your wrongdoings. Harsh governance is simply harsh governance. No matter how you dress it up, it remains unchanged.