Chapter 44

If you don't know what you can do and what you cannot do, then your actions have no basis and your behavior has no proof; you might fall into a trap at any time, and in the end, you might not even know how you died.

The foundation of the Southern Qi laws is the "Taishi Code." The so-called "Taishi Code" is the law promulgated in the fourth year of Taishi of the Western Jin dynasty (267 AD), which has been followed by later generations ever since. Starting from last year, the imperial court has been revising the legal articles, but Wang Yang does not know this yet.

What Wang Yang does not know even more is that while he was burying his head in the laws, a conversation was taking place in a nearby room, and this conversation would soon affect Wang Yang...

"What!" Liu Zhao was both shocked and angry. "Scholarship is a matter of a thousand years; how can it be decided by debate? This is not pure conversation! I am going to see the Prince!"

Xie Xinghan said dejectedly, "It's useless. The Prince's mind is made up. It is said that the official document has already been written and will be issued this afternoon. Besides, Confucian debates have long had precedents. During the time of Emperor Zhang of Han, various Confucians met at the Bai Hu Hall to discuss the similarities and differences of the 'Five Classics.' The Prince setting the debate venue at the Bai Hu Dojo clearly has the intention of emulating the sages of the past."

Liu Zhao said indignantly, "At the Bai Hu Assembly back then, Emperor Zhang of Han personally judged the outcome, and everyone was convinced. That was because Emperor Zhang himself was not biased! So the discussion of scholarship was also enjoyable! But now, the Prince is obviously biased toward the Prince's Academy; isn't the outcome just a matter of his word?"

Xie Xinghan knitted her brows: "Even if he is biased, he must convince the public. Since it is a public debate, many people will come. As long as one can truly refute Liu Tan in academic theory, I think the Prince will not openly cheat."

"The two factions of modern and ancient texts have been fighting for a long time; wanting to refute him in academic theory is almost impossible! If one can suppress Liu Tan in terms of scholarly knowledge, there might be a glimmer of hope. It's just that with Liu Tan's talent for debate and the depth of his scholarship, even the late Duke Wenxian, Wang Jian, praised him endlessly, saying, 'The two dragons of the Liu clan can be said to cover a thousand miles in a day.' I really have no confidence in defeating him. Actually, if it were a test of scholarly foundation, I would not be afraid. But to engage in a battle of tongues in front of everyone, and under the circumstances of unfair adjudication..."

Liu Zhao sighed: "Unless one achieves an overwhelming advantage and refutes him until he is speechless, but with Liu Tan's talent, this is almost impossible..." He was halfway through when his eyes lit up, and he blurted out, "How is it impossible?!".

"Does the elder have a way?" Xie Xinghan asked pleasantly surprised.

Liu Zhao's eyes shone: "I have a candidate, who is currently in the Commandery Academy. As long as he is willing to step out, the chances of winning are not small!"

Xie Xinghan hurriedly asked, "Who is it?"

"Wang Yang. You have met him; it was the afternoon before last..."

As soon as Xie Xinghan heard the two words "Wang Yang," she was like a little white cat with its fur standing on end, almost bouncing out of her seat: "He hasn't left yet?! Where is he!"

Liu Zhao saw Xie Xinghan, who was usually as calm as water, suddenly become agitated, and he did not understand why: "Niece, you are..."

Xie Xinghan realized she had lost her composure, smoothed her shoulder blades, straightened her willow waist, and returned to her usual most standard elegant sitting posture, saying in a firm tone, "This person cannot be used!"

"Why?" Liu Zhao was stunned.

"He... he is frivolous and unlearned!" Xie Xinghan said bitterly.

"How does this come about? If one says he is frivolous and unlearned, then how many people in the whole world can be considered to have true talent and learning? Niece, do you have some misunderstanding about him?"

Xie Xinghan's teeth itched with hatred whenever she thought of Wang Yang.

When she read that poem, she felt something was wrong. The first four lines, "Roaming the rivers and lakes carrying wine, the Chu waist is slender and light in the palm. Dongshan always rises for the sake of the common people, winning the name of a romantic chancellor," seemed to be talking about how Xie An gave up his leisurely life of keeping courtesans at Dongshan and resolutely came out of the mountains to save the common people. There was no problem with that.

But if this were a poem about the past that he wrote himself, that would be fine, but this poem was given to Xie Xinghan! He started by talking about a woman's slender waist, his words were frivolous, and there seemed to be a hint of insinuation.

At that time, Xie Xinghan was a little angry, feeling that this person's choice of words was lewd. She originally wanted to catch him and teach him a lesson, but he used a trick to escape.

Later, when they met at the Commandery Academy, she didn't flare up for the time being out of respect for Liu Zhao. But who would have thought that in just a day or two, this poem would inexplicably spread, and even a singing girl would compose music for it!

And those lecherous youths and frivolous boys were competing to recite it. They didn't care about the original theme of the poem praising Xie An at all, connecting and understanding it wildly, and even saying with certainty that the second line of the poem was written specifically about her, Xie Xinghan!

Someone even gave her the nickname "Xie Chuyao"!

What's more, there were those who forced an interpretation, saying that these two lines were about the lingering love between Xie Xinghan and the person who wrote the poem! There were even detailed explanations!

The first line, "Roaming the rivers and lakes," was written about the poet's uninhibited nature.

The second line wrote about Xie Xinghan's slender Chu waist and light figure. The so-called "light in the palm" was ostensibly using an allusion, but in fact, it was realistic writing, meaning he had touched it with his own hands. If it weren't for "personal experience," how could he have such a profound perception!

Xie Xinghan was almost exploded with anger the first time she heard it. She was both ashamed and angry in her heart, hating Wang Yang to the core, but this kind of thing was hard to tell Liu Zhao clearly, so she could only speak vaguely, saying that she felt Wang Yang was exaggerating and was too young; how could his knowledge and vision compare to Liu Tan's?

Liu Zhao took out the manuscript and handed it to Xie Xinghan: "This is what he dictated and I recorded. It hasn't been finished yet."

Xie Xinghan read the words on the paper, her black, bright eyes opening wider and wider.

Liu Zhao said: "Not to mention anything else, just in terms of the 'Book of Documents,' this person can open a school and establish a sect!

Sometimes I think that in the present world, Xuanism and Buddhism are in power, and Confucianism is not flourishing.

Last year, the two great masters Wang Jian and Liu Huan both passed away at the same time; is it really that Heaven is destroying this culture, and the times are difficult?

But now that I have seen him, I feel that there is hope for the revival of Confucianism. This child may become a generation's grandmaster in the future, leaving his name through the ages!

And as for Liu Tan and me, I fear that after a hundred years, no one will remember us."

Liu Zhao sighed, his expression dim, but suddenly he became happy again:

"I participated in the compilation of 'Pointing Out Flaws in the Modern and Ancient Texts of the Book of Documents.' As long as 'Pointing Out Flaws' exists, my name will be there! Besides, I have become friends with Zhiyan, and we discuss things together day and night, so my knowledge naturally improves day by day. Therefore, the one who will be obliterated by history is Liu Tan, not me, hahahahaha!"

Xie Xinghan was greatly shocked.

She never expected that Uncle Liu's evaluation of that lecher would reach such a high level!

If this person truly had such knowledge, then using him to defeat Liu Tan wouldn't that just solve the Commandery Academy crisis?

Thinking of this, Xie Xinghan immediately cast aside her personal prejudices and began to consider the feasibility of sending Wang Yang to battle.

"Uncle, if he can truly win, that would be good. But the problem is, in what capacity would he fight?"

Liu Zhao's smile stopped instantly, and he muttered to himself: "Yes, in what capacity would he fight?"

Wang Yang was reading the Qi laws with great concentration when suddenly an attendant came to report that Liu Zhao invited him for a talk.

Wang Yang thought it must be about the manuscript, but who would have thought that as soon as he entered the room, he would meet the scrutinizing gaze of a serene young girl, and he couldn't help but be startled.

Starry eyes shining, waist slender and beautiful, clothes elegant, face as delicate as jade—who else could it be but Xie Xie Niangzi Xie Si?

Why is she here?

She isn't here to find fault, is she!

Liu Zhao said: "Zhiyan, you have met before, but I didn't introduce you in detail at the time. This is the daughter of the Chen Jun Xie clan, the daughter of Secretariat Director Xie. She is the fourth in her family, so people call her Xie Xie Niangzi Xie Si."

Wang Yang remained calm and composed, bowing in greeting: "Xie Xie Niangzi Xie Si."

Xie Xinghan stood up and bowed in a flawless return gesture: "Young Master Wang."

"Both of you are young talents; communicate more in the future. Please sit."

After the two were seated, Liu Zhao asked Wang Yang: "Zhiyan, where is your household registration?"

Xie Xinghan's pair of starry eyes stared at Wang Yang, as if they had a penetrating power.

Here it comes, here it comes,

In Wang Yang's heart, a warning signal immediately went off!