At this thought, an icy chill surged from Su Xu's heart, as if it were directly charging into the blade wounds of the king and that person?
At that time, don't even talk about whether to replace or not the Legalist school. As long as it doesn't get banned or suppressed is already a good result.
Unfortunately, he couldn't tell these people. He had already been gagged by Ying Zheng.
Dare to speak tonight, and your entire clan will be executed and buried alive tomorrow.
Seeing that Su Xu was sitting there without speaking, and instead looked worried, even the joyful Chun Yu also realized something was wrong. He asked, "Why doesn't Brother Su speak, but instead looks worried?"
Su Xu made a bow to the few people: "Zhou Brother, Chun Yu Brother, do you really know what the King thinks of my Confucianism? Do you really think that the King will let my Confucianism replace Legalism? Have you ever thought about the consequences of submitting a proposal to the King to replace Legalism with Confucianism?"
The scholar who Su Xu addressed as "Zhou Brother" stroked his beard and smiled, "Ah, so it's about this matter that you, Brother Su, are worried. You are too careful. In my view, the King has great benevolence towards our Confucianism; otherwise, he wouldn't have appointed us all as Academicians and allowed Brother Chun Yu to teach Prince Fusu in the palace."
Chun Yu had a look on his face that was "it's all just basic stuff, not worth mentioning," but the hidden sense of satisfaction in his modesty was evident.
After all, the prince he is teaching is the king's most favorite son, Prince Fusu, who is most likely to inherit the position of King Qin!
If Prince Fusu ascends to the throne in the future, he will be the teacher of the king, and not just any king's teacher, but the teacher of a king in an unprecedentedly new country—a glory that even the great sages Confucius and Mencius did not achieve.
The scholar surnamed Zhou turned to look at Su Xu and smiled, "I heard that you, Brother Su, have also been summoned to the palace to teach the nobility. Is that not proof of the King's trust in our Confucianism?"
You know nothing!
Su Xu wanted to make it clear to the few people, "You guys know nothing! The one the king has ordered me to teach doesn't even like Confucianism, but the king highly values that person. For Confucianism to become the governing law of the Great Qin is difficult!"
After hearing what the Zhou surnamed Confucian had said, another Confucian also became curious and asked, "Brother Su, who is the person you are teaching? Could you tell us?"
Su Xu shook his head and said seriously, "Su will not say it. Please do not ask anymore!"
Seeing that Su Xu was expressionless and serious in his tone, everyone wisely stopped asking further questions. However, the more forbidden something is, the more curious it becomes; while one can control speech and actions, one cannot control thoughts.
Although the few people no longer asked Su Xu, they kept guessing Li Nian's identity in their minds, and even linked it to Su Xu's performance tonight:
Su Xu must have received some news from the noble he teaches at the palace, which is why he looks so worried.
In other words, this time it might not be an opportunity for Confucianism, but a trap. If one doesn't understand the situation and jumps in without knowing, it will be either good or bad.
The several Confucians excluding Su Xu exchanged glances and all realized the hidden meaning. There was a moment of silence in the room.
After a long while, Chun Yu broke the silence, frowning and asking Su Xu, "I have never heard Prince Fusu mention this matter. Is this just a guess of your own, Brother Su?"
Su Xu understood that these people did not want to give up this opportunity, neither did he.
Confucianism has been around for hundreds of years since its inception, but it has never been used as the governing philosophy by a monarch. Now that they see the possibility of it being used, how could those who firmly believe in Confucian thought be willing to let go?
So, when Chun Yu asked him using the phrase "Brother Su's own guess," he was asking whether it was your own idea or an indication from the person you teach.
Su Xu said, "It is my own guess, but I believe that it is not appropriate to do so."
With Su Xu's response, Chun Yu said, "Brother Su should be able to understand that such a good opportunity cannot be missed by us. Tomorrow, we will jointly submit a proposal to the king, pointing out the flaws in the Great Qin and promoting Confucianism. Brother Su, if you do not wish to participate, you can go by yourself!"
Seeing that the minds of the few people were set, Su Xu helplessly said, "Reviving my Confucianism is also my own aspiration, and I, Su Xu, would not lag behind others!"
Although in Su Xu's opinion, this matter is unlikely to succeed and might even make the King dislike it, he still decided to join.
Because he also believes that only Confucianism can govern the world well.
At this time, the Confucianism is not like that of later times. Although their ideas may seem backward and unrealistic in hindsight, these people truly believed in Confucian thought, and were not lacking in the courage to die for their beliefs. Unlike some Confucian disciples in later times, who are too cool and have itchy scalps...
Upon hearing that Su Xu had also joined, Chun Yu smiled and said, "With the addition of Brother Su, the matter will definitely be successful!"
The few people discussed it and decided to take this opportunity to promote Confucianism and replace Legalism with it. However, how to speak reasonableness, to persuade the king, still needed consideration. They could not simply state that Legalism is not working and Confucianism is the only solution.
After much discussion, Chun Yu, who had the most outstanding scholarship and literary talent, wrote an edict. He discussed how the Qin laws were too strict in governing the people and lacked benevolence. If this continued, the hearts of the people would be lost and the country would be in danger; it was necessary to abolish the strict Qin laws. He then talked about the need to determine a crown prince early on to ensure peace in the world. Finally, he discussed restoring the Zhou rituals and all the benefits of governing with Confucianism, as evidence of the correctness of Confucian doctrine...
After a night passed, in the audience hall of Zhan Tai Palace, Ying Zheng sat on the throne, looking down at the officials in the hall and said, "Yesterday, I left two questions for you all. Do you have answers? Bring them here for me to see!"
Dozens of eunuchs holding trays walked out, approaching the officials.
Zhao Gao, Li Si, Chun Yu, and others took out the bamboo slips they had prepared in advance and placed them in the trays.
Ying Zheng did not immediately look at these bamboo slips. There were so many, he couldn't finish looking at them in a short while.
If he had to finish reading all the bamboo slips before continuing the meeting, that would delay the meeting until when?
After the meeting was over, Ying Zheng had someone bring the bamboo slips and first looked at those from his sons.
The eunuchs sorted the bamboo slips by the age of the princes, and naturally, the first one was written by Prince Fusu, who was the eldest.
When he saw that Fusu was yell in the bamboo slips that the harsh laws of the Great Qin were wrong now, and only the practice of benevolent government could cure it, a surge of anger rose from Ying Zheng's heart.
If Fusu were not in Zhan Tai Palace at this moment, Ying Zheng would have liked to grab his son by the neck and harshly question him: Benevolent government is that good, that useful? I've asked you to think about the problems existing in the Great Qin, but all you know is this? You come here to point fingers at me? Foolish and corrupt!
After calming down his anger, Ying Zheng picked up another bamboo slip.
The bamboo slips submitted by the other sons were not as good as Fusu's, but since he knew these sons were not on the same level, he wasn't as angry. However, when he saw Huo Hai's bamboo slip, he was shocked.
Seeing that Huo Hai's bamboo slip was filled with praise for him, Ying Zheng's anger flared up again. He ordered sternly, "Prince Huo Hai does not seek the right path but is always on the wrong track. Punish him by copying ten times the 'Book of Songs'!"
In reality, Ying Zheng wanted to punish Fusu, but the purpose of the punishment was to make this son repent.
How could he be punished to make Fusu understand his mistake?
The main problems with Fusu are: one, he is too foolish and filial; two, he has never realized a problem: he is the prince of the Great Qin and may one day inherit the throne of the Great Qin. How can someone who trusts benevolent governance to rule a country?
It's not that benevolent governance cannot be used, but as a king, one cannot blindly trust it!
How could such a Fusu, even if he liked this eldest son very much, dare to entrust the Great Qin to him?
