Chapter 84: Great Question

The people under the stage all took Liu's words as true, not knowing that a fact that had long been forgotten by everyone was quietly emerging, that is, the so-called "Ancient Text Book of Documents," its version was not as ancient as everyone imagined. When Mei Ze presented the book, it was at the beginning of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, less than two hundred years from now.

And Wang Yang wanted to use this question to remind everyone that although it is called the *Ancient Text Book of Documents*, the *Ancient Text Book of Documents* circulating in the world today is not the *Ancient Text Book of Documents* of the two Han dynasties, but a person named Mei Ze jumped out and claimed that he had the *Ancient Text Book of Documents* at home.

This is the forged *Ancient Text Book of Documents*!

Seeing that his goal was achieved, Wang Yang continued:

"Lord Liu answered well. Then I will ask again. The history of recording words in ancient times does not record the four seasons. Taking the *Modern Text Book of Documents* as an example, such as *Kang Gao* says: 'In the third month, the moon begins to grow'; *Duo Fang*: 'In the fifth month, Dinghai'; *Hong Fan*: 'In the thirteenth year'; *Jin Teng*: 'Two years after defeating Shang'; all record year, month, and day, and never record the four seasons.

The *Book of Documents* records words, and the *Spring and Autumn Annals* records events. The *Book of Documents* is a book that records words, and does not pay much attention to time. Like *Mu Shi* and other chapters, they don't even record the month, let alone the four seasons. The *Spring and Autumn Annals* specializes in recording historical events, arranging them in chronological order, so every record mentions spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

This is because the historical methods of the two books are different, and the literary examples are also different.

But the *Tai Shi* chapter of the *Ancient Text Book of Documents* says at the beginning: 'In the thirteenth year of spring, we gathered at Mengjin.' This 'spring' character, how can it be an example of recording words in the *Book of Documents*?"

"This..."

Director Liu Tan Tan looked embarrassed.

Many students in the seats lowered their heads to flip through books, and the whole venue was filled with the sound of flipping pages. And the eyes of everyone looking at Wang Yang no longer had any contempt.

On the Du Jiang seat, the three old gentlemen looked at each other, all with solemn expressions.

Even those who supported the *Modern Text Book of Documents*, such as Liu Zhao, Yu Yuling, Xie Xinghan, etc., were immersed in deep thought, with no leisure to show any joy.

Liu Cheng was very anxious, only hoping that his brother could immediately think of words to refute.

The Prince of Badong looked around, his expression relaxed, as if his mind was not on this important debate.

After a while, Director Liu Tan Tan turned around, no longer putting his hands behind his back, looked at Wang Yang and said: "Literary examples are not absolute things, and breaking the rules for a moment is also possible."

The voice no longer had the confidence it had before. Even he himself was not satisfied with this answer.

Wang Yang didn't pursue it, just smiled lightly: "Oh, Lord Liu thinks about problems very thoroughly, I admire you."

Someone under the stage suddenly laughed out loud after hearing this sentence. Director Liu Tan Tan was still thinking about the previous question and had no intention of answering Wang Yang.

Wang Yang continued to ask:

"The temple systems of Shang and Zhou are different. The Shang Dynasty sacrificed to five temples, so *Rites Latitude: Investigation of Fate* says: 'Yin five temples.' *Lu's Spring and Autumn* quotes the *Book of Shang* and also says: 'The temple of seven generations can be used to observe virtue.' Wait, *Lu's Spring and Autumn* says 'The temple of five generations can be used to observe strange things.'

It was not until the Zhou Dynasty that there was the theory of seven temples. *Hou Hou Han Shu: Wei Xuancheng's Discussion* says: 'The reason why Zhou had seven temples is that Houji was the first to be enfeoffed, and King Wen and King Wu received the mandate, and the king used three temples that were not destroyed, and with the four temples of his relatives, there were seven.'

Therefore, the Zhou sacrifice had two more temples than the Shang sacrifice, namely the temples of King Wen and King Wu, thus 'five temples' became 'seven temples.' However, the *Ancient Text Book of Documents* chapter *Xian You Yi De*, which is said to have been written by the famous Shang minister Yi Yin, says 'The temple of seven generations can be used to observe virtue.' But in Yi Yin's time, where did the seven temples come from? This is the third question."

Director Liu Tan Tan was stunned and could not answer.

The scholars in the four seats were all stunned!

Xie Xinghan's cherry lips trembled, and she murmured: "Great question..."

The maid Xiao Ning on the side was secretly surprised, thinking: This Young Master Wang is truly amazing, he actually stumped the second son of the Liu family!

Why?

Why??

Why is this?!

Director Liu Tan Tan stood on the stage like a wooden block, unable to make a sound, his brain turning over and over thinking about Wang Yang's three questions. These three questions were nothing if asked alone, but if they were connected...

Director Liu Tan Tan's forehead was sweating, and he was even a bit afraid, afraid to continue thinking. But he couldn't help but think!

Time passed quietly, and seeing Director Liu Tan Tan standing there like a petrified person without saying a word, Xu Bozhen, the most impatient of the three Du Jiang, couldn't help it and answered loudly for Director Liu Tan Tan: "Errors in ancient book words are common, what's the matter?!"

After Xu Bozhen lost his wife in his early years, he did not remarry, devoting himself to learning, researching classics and history, and became a famous expert. Between the doors and windows where he lived, the trees all grew connected. The catalpa tree in front of the door grew to be embraced in one year. The locals called it "learning moves the heavens."

With such a reputation, debating with Wang Yang was truly bullying the small.

Besides, the Du Jiang interfering in the discussion was a violation of the rules. But no one at the scene felt strange, and instead felt it was a matter of course.

Because Wang Yang wanted to refute not just Director Liu Tan Tan alone, but to deny the entire Ancient Text Book of Documents school!!!

In this situation, let alone Xu Bozhen alone, even if the three Du Jiang spoke together, it would not be strange. Not to mention that Director Liu Tan Tan was clearly not Wang Yang's opponent!

"So it's an error." Wang Yang nodded, "Then I will ask another question. *Records of the Grand Historian: Zhou Annals* says: 'In the eleventh year, the twelfth month, Wuwu, the army crossed Mengjin.' *Hou Hou Han Shu: Records of Laws and Calendars* says according to the *Three Systems Calendar* that 'King Wen received the mandate, died in nine years, and in the second period, he was defeated by Zhou in the great mourning.'

The so-called 'second period' means serving mourning for two years, nine years plus two years, which is also eleven years to defeat Zhou.

Only the *Ancient Text Book of Documents: Tai Shi* chapter says 'In the thirteenth year of spring, we gathered at Mengjin.' It says thirteen years to defeat Zhou.

Then *Records of the Grand Historian* and *Hou Hou Han Shu*, why not follow the *Ancient Text Book of Documents*'s thirteen-year theory?

Is it that Sima Qian and others have never seen the *Ancient Text Book of Documents*?

People in the Han Dynasty hadn't seen it, but we have seen it, isn't this a strange thing?"

Wang Yang looked at Xu Bozhen and learned his tone: "Or, is this also 'errors in words, which are common'?"

"You..." Xu Bozhen's face quickly turned red.

Another River Crossing Master, Shen Linsi, who had lived in seclusion on Mount Wucha for forty-six years, singing and learning tirelessly, with many scholars relying on him. In the previous dynasty, he was recommended by the local governor and appointed as a court official, but he did not take it. In the sixth year of Yongming, he was summoned to be a doctor of the Imperial Academy, but he did not take it. People at the time said: "There is a virtuous scholar on Mount Wucha, opening a school to teach and forming a market."

At this time, he stroked his white beard and smiled calmly:

"Although the Grand Historian is knowledgeable, there are many mistakes in what he recorded. You use Han Dynasty books to prove ancient books are wrong, why not use ancient books to prove Han Dynasty books are wrong? *Book of Documents* and *Records of the Grand Historian* conflict, naturally the *Book of Documents* is the standard, and late-appearing books are not enough to be based on."

Xu Bozhen slapped the table excitedly: "Exactly!"

Wang Yang tapped his palm with the fan bone:

"Well explained! Since late-appearing books are not enough to be based on, let's use the *Book of Documents* to prove the *Book of Documents*. *Hou Hou Han Shu: Records of Laws and Calendars* quotes the *Book of Documents: Yi Xun* chapter saying: 'Born to the shepherd, the square is clear.' Zheng Xuan's *Dian Bao* note quotes the *Yi Xun* chapter saying: 'Zai Fu Zai Hao,' and also says: 'Zheng Shi San Zong.' This is the *Ancient Text Book of Documents* of the Eastern Han Dynasty. But the *Yi Xun* chapter of the current *Ancient Text Book of Documents* does not have these three sentences. What is the explanation for this?"

Shen Linsi's smile, which was originally like a spring breeze, seemed to be frozen in an instant! It stiffened on his face! ===== CHAPTER 85 =====