Chapter 108: The Son of Heaven Must Establish Merit Before the Realm

The moment these words were spoken, everyone below the stage was shaken into an uproar again.

Everyone stared at Chen Kedao in shock. No one had expected him to say such a thing—how dare he be so bold?

Standing to one side, Luo Sigong, the Regional Military Commissioner of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, also wore a look of shock on his face.

It was simply that Chen Kedao's words were far too heretical.

With Chen Kedao making such statements, where did that leave those who sat high above?

The scholars certainly wouldn't accept it. They were clearly noble gentlemen sitting high above, and he had directly reduced them to the same treatment as ordinary commoners, making them the same as merchants, farmers, and craftsmen. How could the scholars possibly tolerate that?

Besides the literati, the hereditary nobles and imperial relatives couldn't stand such talk either.

What do you mean, we're all the same?

We are not the same!

We are clearly not the same—we are all people who sit high above. How can we be mentioned in the same breath as others? This is an insult to us! Fine, Chen Kedao, how dare you utter such words!

That was exactly how Luo Sigong felt. Was this Chen Kedao not afraid of death?

In fact, Luo Sigong knew that people unafraid of death like this were not just one or two.

The so-called defenders of the Way were people like Chen Kedao. These people feared not death, even regarding martyrdom for their cause as the most glorious thing. Things like "life and death are trivial matters" were all ideas they had come up with.

But the key issue wasn't that—didn't Chen Kedao know how His Majesty would view this?

Because there was a contradiction here.

If everyone is the same, then where do you place His Majesty?

His Majesty is the Son of Heaven. The Emperor is appointed by Heaven—it is the mandate of Heaven.

If everyone is the same, then where do you place the Emperor?

Why did those who proposed this so-called equality before die so miserably?

Wasn't it because the Emperor didn't like that kind of talk?

Never mind such talk—even Mencius's idea that the people are more important than the ruler couldn't be promoted.

"When the Son of Heaven breaks the law, he is punished like a commoner" was just an empty slogan, and even that slogan the scholars often dared not shout.

Under such circumstances, how could you explain and promote such a doctrine? How was that any different from courting death?

But there was one thing Luo Sigong didn't understand: this Chen Kedao had been into the palace to lecture His Majesty before.

And the reason he himself was here helping him was entirely because His Majesty had ordered him to help this Chen Kedao. Could it be that he had never told His Majesty any of this?

Or perhaps Chen Kedao had already told him, and His Majesty simply didn't care.

There was something going on here! Luo Sigong's intuition told him so.

If Chen Kedao hadn't told His Majesty, that was the crime of deceiving the sovereign. How miserably he would end up needed no imagination.

The key problem was that it would implicate him as well. At this critical moment of contention between the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot, if something this big really blew up, he would definitely be stuck holding the blame. By then, he too would surely die a miserable death.

If Chen Kedao had already told His Majesty before, then did His Majesty approve of his ideas? That was even more unthinkable for Luo Sigong.

Sure enough, someone below the stage had already stepped forward.

The man who stepped forward was also dressed as a scholar. He walked straight up onto the stage, clasped his hands in salute to those around him, then saluted Chen Kedao before speaking: "Student Li Ruyu greets you all, and greets you, Master Chen."

This Li Ruyu spoke very politely, but even a fool could see that this man had come to make trouble.

Glancing at Chen Kedao, Li Ruyu spoke directly: "Master Chen, this student has a question he does not understand. I beg you to enlighten me."

Chen Kedao nodded and said with a smile: "Please, speak."

Li Ruyu didn't stand on ceremony either, and said directly: "Since you, Master, believe that all people are born equal, then this student dares to ask: where do you place the Son of Heaven?"

At these words, everyone below the stage was stunned once again.

Why were there so many bold people everywhere today? Was this a question one could just ask casually?

This was bringing up His Majesty—were you truly not afraid of His Majesty pursuing the matter?

Cold sweat broke out on Luo Sigong's face. He was extremely frightened right now.

One bold Chen Kedao was already enough, and now a Li Ruyu had suddenly appeared as well.

Was His Majesty someone you could casually discuss? Especially in a place like this?

If you want to court death, don't drag me along with you!

Chen Kedao, however, was unhurried. He had already discussed this question with the Emperor in the palace long ago, and at this moment he could be said to be fully confident.

Glancing at Li Ruyu, Chen Kedao said with a smile: "All under heaven is the king's land; all within the shores are the king's subjects. Why is this so? Naturally, it is because His Majesty holds the mandate of Heaven and the hearts of the people. Heaven gave birth to the myriad people and placed the Son of Heaven to govern them. The Son of Heaven is the ruler of all the people of this nation."

Li Ruyu looked at Chen Kedao and said unhurriedly: "Then if Heaven gave birth to the Son of Heaven, how can one speak of equality among all people?"

At these words, everyone had just barely recovered from their previous shock when they immediately burst into an uproar again.

This Li Ruyu was far too bold—he was criticizing His Majesty. Was he tired of living?

Everyone instinctively took two steps back.

Those who had originally wanted to find fault with Chen Kedao—the timid ones among them now wanted nothing more than to withdraw from the battlefield early.

Were these two men both mad? How could such words be spoken recklessly?

At the side of the stage, Luo Sigong, the Regional Military Commissioner of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, had a face as black as the bottom of a pot. He truly wanted to lead his men charging up there, grab both of these fellows, and throw them into the prison of the Northern Provost's Office for a good... sorting out.

Are you two trying to get me killed?

But Luo Sigong dared not move. Because if he forcefully suppressed this now, things would only get more troublesome later.

For now, he could only place his hopes on Chen Kedao.

As long as Chen Kedao could refute this Li Ruyu, there was still a chance to turn things around; if he couldn't, then this time he himself was probably done for as well.

Chen Kedao remained unhurried, taking a step forward. He spoke: "The Grand Ancestor Emperor drove out the barbarian Tartars, restored the glory of Huaxia, swept across the eight wilds, and conquered the six directions—only then did our Great Ming gain its present territory. The mandate of Heaven lies with His Majesty. The mandate of Heaven lies with Great Ming. The Son of Heaven possesses the realm because the Son of Heaven established the dynasty in Huaxia and restored the rivers and mountains—such merit that Heaven rewarded him for it. Thus the Son of Heaven is appointed by Heaven above to govern the myriad people."

At these words, the expressions of many people did ease somewhat. The way Chen Kedao put it didn't seem wrong—at least it could be made to make sense.

Only, some things had been turned upside down.

Previously, it was because the mandate of Heaven lay with the Son of Heaven that the Son of Heaven was able to unify the realm.

But in Chen Kedao's account, it was because the Son of Heaven first rendered great service, secured the realm, and pacified the troubled world, that Heaven above then rewarded him with this Mandate.

This argument was indeed rather difficult to refute.

Because the Mandate of Heaven lies with you, you are able to secure the realm. Hence many people used this as a pretext to rebel — "the Mandate is with me" and so forth, spreading rumors throughout the world, and those who raised banners in revolt could be found in droves.

But under Chen Kedao's theory that the Son of Heaven first rendered great service to the world, the path of "the Mandate is with you" for rebels no longer held water.

For you needed to have rendered great service to the world before the Mandate of Heaven could rest with you.

There was also a problem within this, namely that for a minister, if your merit was too great, did that not mean you were coveting the Mandate?

But no one paid much attention to such trifling details. The matter of merit overshadowing the sovereign had existed since antiquity. Were there few who had been killed for having merit that overshadowed their lord?

This topic could not be brought up in the open.

At this moment, Li Ruyu's face had turned somewhat dark. He stared at Chen Kedao, looking as though he were gnashing his teeth.

He had not expected that despite his own audacious claim, the other party had actually prepared a rebuttal in advance.