Chapter 205: An Emperor Must Walk the Kingly Way, Walk the Hegemonic Way

Zhu Youxiao looked at Song Yingxing and asked with confusion, "Brother Song seems to hold both the School of Principle and the School of Mind in contempt. What is the reason for this? I am very curious, for you know they are the dominant schools of thought at present."

Although this era no longer has a hundred schools contending, there are still many factions within Confucianism, and their doctrines are numerous as well. Song Yingxing did not appear to be a man of the School of Mind, nor a man of the School of Principle, because he did not hold either school in high regard, and seemed even to disdain them somewhat.

"Because they have strayed from the correct path." Song Yingxing picked up his teacup, took a gentle sip, and said.

This was the first time Zhu Youxiao had heard such a claim, and it immediately piqued his interest, so he asked again, "Then what do you think is the correct path?"

This was what interested Zhu Youxiao the most, for he himself was also searching for a path for the Great Ming.

At present, the School of Mind and the School of Principle were the two doctrines laid out in the open.

The School of Principle would certainly never be championed by Zhu Youxiao; as for the School of Mind, Zhu Youxiao would also have to consider it.

He supported Xu Guangqi and Shen Tingyun because of their scientific vision; and as for Li Zhi's doctrines, what he valued was mainly his discourse on capitalism, as well as his understanding of human nature and aggression.

Zhu Youxiao now wanted to know what Song Yingxing thought.

"I am a disciple of the Guan School." Song Yingxing smiled and looked at Zhu Youxiao, yet he saw some confusion on Zhu Youxiao's face.

He stopped smiling with some embarrassment, realizing one thing: the worthy younger brother before him had no idea what the Guan School was.

Zhu Youxiao was also somewhat embarrassed. He truly did not know what the Guan School was. Was there such a discipline within Confucianism?

Zhu Youxiao clasped his fists toward Song Yingxing and said with some apology, "I have made a fool of myself before you, elder brother. It is I who am ignorant and ill-informed."

Seeing Zhu Youxiao like this, Song Yingxing smiled and waved his hand, saying with slight helplessness, "This is not to be blamed on you, worthy brother. There have always been disputes between schools. The mainstream schools suppressing other schools has also always been the way of things. People like us naturally cannot gain the recognition of the mainstream. It is not strange that you have never heard of the Guan School."

Song Yingxing looked at Zhu Youxiao and said with a smile, "That is why I want to do something for our Guan School, to let more people know of it, and to let His Majesty know that besides the School of Mind and the School of Principle, the Great Ming also has a Guan School."

"How do you know His Majesty would be interested in the Guan School?" Zhu Youxiao asked.

In fact, this was a question Zhu Youxiao was truly very curious about. Because he could see hope in Song Yingxing's eyes, especially when he mentioned His Majesty.

This meant that Song Yingxing was full of hope for His Majesty.

So where did this hope come from? This made Zhu Youxiao very curious.

"Because His Majesty said that practice is the sole criterion for testing truth." Song Yingxing spoke up: "If His Majesty knew that the Guan School also exists, then His Majesty would certainly support it. The only difficulty is how to break through the blockade before His Majesty."

Having said this, Song Yingxing smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying with some helplessness, "In the past, the School of Principle would not allow us to speak; now perhaps the School of Mind will not allow us to speak either. But in the end, we must still try. If it succeeds, it succeeds; if not, then so be it."

"Why would you do this? Just to promote the Guan School?" Zhu Youxiao looked at Song Yingxing and asked once more.

"I know what you mean by saying that, worthy brother. In one's life, one must ultimately accomplish something. Having read the books of the sages, one naturally wishes to display what one has learned, to bring one's lord to the level of Yao and Shun. This is the ideal of all scholars, and I am naturally no exception."

After saying this, Song Yingxing stared fixedly at Zhu Youxiao and asked, "What does worthy brother think of the present state of the Great Ming?"

"Internal troubles and external threats, perilously close to collapse." Zhu Youxiao said without any politeness: "It appears prosperous and flourishing, but in truth it is like oil boiling over a raging fire. With the slightest misstep, it will fall into the abyss."

"The Great Ming has already lasted more than two hundred years. Looking across all the dynasties, it has reached the end-times of a ruling house." Zhu Youxiao did not hesitate in the slightest.

After saying this, he laughed himself, then continued, "I am probably not the only one who can see this. The insightful men at court, and those pure-stream scholars in the wilderness, they can see it too, which is why they have proposed all sorts of strategies. Starting from Zhang Juzheng's reforms, everyone has been searching for a path that can revive the Great Ming."

"But there are few who dare to speak as boldly as you do, worthy brother." Song Yingxing said with a smile: "People all have selfish motives, and in the end they are entangled by these things. If everything is like this — you think you're capable, I think I'm capable — then fighting back and forth can only end in factional strife."

"That is why I greatly admire what His Majesty said: practice is the sole criterion for testing truth. You say you're capable — that doesn't count; I say I'm capable — that doesn't count either. So let's just try it and see who is truly capable. It is precisely because of this statement that I feel His Majesty would like our Guan School. Since the School of Mind and the School of Principle are both inadequate, why not let our Guan School have a try?" Song Yingxing said these words very softly, but they carried great weight.

"Does elder brother know that stepping onto the court to lead reforms could very well result in bloodshed and death? What happened to Zhang Juzheng in the end, elder brother surely knows as well." Zhu Youxiao looked at Song Yingxing and asked with an expressionless face.

"When a true man acts, why should he begrudge this body? What I seek is for this world, for the Great Ming. What fear is there in death? If Zhang Juzheng were still alive, what he would grieve over would certainly not be his own fate, but the destruction of his new policies." Song Yingxing looked at Zhu Youxiao and said with a smile: "I do not know if I am capable, but I want to try."

After a long silence, Zhu Youxiao nodded and said with a grave expression, "Then go ahead and speak. Tell me about the Guan School. Being able to cultivate a great talent like elder brother, I am even more curious about the Guan School."

"Worthy brother is truly interested?" Song Yingxing asked with a smile in return.

Zhu Youxiao nodded and said with a gentle smile, "I am naturally very interested. Seeing elder brother like this, I want to learn it as well. If it is suitable, then I will study the Guan School together with elder brother."

"If you are not afraid of delaying your future prospects, then there is no problem. I will tell you about it."

"The Guan School was first pioneered by the great Confucians Shen Yan and Hou Ke during the Qingli era of the Northern Song, and was formally established by the great Confucian Zhang Zai. Because its actual founder, Master Zhang Zai, was a man of Guanzhong, it is called the 'Guan School'; and because Master Zhang Zai was known to the world as 'Master Hengqu,' it is also called the 'Hengqu School.'"

"'The Guan School' takes the Book of Changes as its foundation, the Doctrine of the Mean as its substance, the Book of Rites as its application, and Confucius and Mencius as its models. Master Zhang Zai once said: To establish the heart of Heaven and Earth, to establish destiny for the living, to continue the lost learning of past sages, and to open peace for ten thousand generations. This is the thought that the Master always upheld, and we are all his followers."

Upon hearing these words, Zhu Youxiao's expression changed.

So this Zhang Zai of the Guan School was that Zhang Zai. He truly did not understand his Guan School, but these lines Zhu Youxiao had heard before — they were simply too famous.

In later generations, no one did not know these words. They were practically a manifesto.

In the time that followed, Song Yingxing explained in great detail to Zhu Youxiao what the Guan School was.

After listening to Song Yingxing's account, Zhu Youxiao roughly understood what it was all about.

This so-called Guan School was in fact a kind of naive materialism, but it was far less thorough than Xunzi's thought.

To put it plainly, the Guan School was still a school of the School of Principle, just one that was unwelcome in many places. It advocated the theory of qi as the foundation. Its ideas of "unity of Heaven and man" and "all people are my siblings, all things are my companions" not only emphasized human subjective initiative but also reflected the principle of equality in treating the people as one's own kin.

It also advocated restoring the well-field system, believing that it could make the people equal in wealth and ensure they were well-fed and well-clothed; it advocated cherishing all people and things under Heaven, not being greedy, and not allowing usurpation.

In Zhu Youxiao's view, the only thing worth taking from all this was its naive materialist values; everything else was completely worthless.

However, there was also something that shocked Zhu Youxiao, and that was that the Guan School had put forward a doctrine he had never expected: that the Earth is the center of the universe, that it rotates on its own axis, and that the seven luminaries — composed of the sun, the moon, and the other five stars — revolve leftward together with the Earth, but because of their different rotational speeds, they appear from the ground to rotate left or right.

This was in fact a kind of geocentric theory, and in this era it was absolutely a tremendously remarkable achievement.

But the Guan School would not do. Its policies and its thought could not save the Great Ming.

Zhu Youxiao looked at Song Yingxing and asked with a smile, "Why do I feel that Xunzi's doctrine is better? Xunzi opens his work by saying: It does not exist for Yao, nor does it perish for Jie."

"On the question of human nature, Xunzi advocated the theory of evil human nature, holding that human goodness is the result of education and transformation; on the view of the Way of Heaven, he put forward the thought of 'mastering the Mandate of Heaven and using it' — that man can conquer Heaven. Xunzi placed great importance on ritual, propagating the Confucian kingly way, believing that 'water can carry a boat, and it can also capsize it.' Xunzi once said: Heaven and man are separate; master the Mandate of Heaven and use it."

Glancing at Zhu Youxiao, Song Yingxing's eyes widened greatly.

He had not expected that this worthy brother he knew would be so bold as to say that he championed Xunzi's doctrine.

One had to know that at this time, Xunzi had nearly become a heretic.

What everyone championed was Confucius and Mencius; on human nature they believed that human nature was originally good; they championed the School of Principle, they championed Zhu Xi, they championed the Cheng brothers; even if they championed Wang Yangming, no one would champion Xunzi, because Xunzi's doctrine had no market.

Since the Way of Heaven has constancy, and does not exist for Yao nor perish for Jie, then what was Dong Zhongshu's theory of Heaven's response to human affairs?

Natural disasters were warnings of the emperor's moral failings. If Heaven and man are separate, and one masters the Mandate of Heaven and uses it, then what is the emperor? What do the hundred officials use to restrain the emperor?

If human nature is originally evil, then what should be used to restrain this evil?

Through education and transformation and through law. In Xunzi's doctrine, he elevated ritual and emphasized law.

In Xunzi's view, the natural nature of man is the pursuit of profit and desire, while the function of ritual is to place limits on man's unlimited pursuit of profit and desire; between the two, conflict is unavoidable.

To ensure the normal functioning of public order, the observance of rites inevitably had to resort to a form of coercion. Thus, rites transformed into law.

Therefore, Xunzi often used phrases like "the crux of rites and law" and "the great distinctions of rites and law," pairing rites with law together.

This ran completely counter to the principle that "punishments do not reach the nobility, and rites do not extend to the common people."

Although no one would openly shout "punishments do not reach the nobility, and rites do not extend to the common people," everyone wanted special treatment, everyone wanted to be different from the rest, everyone wanted to avoid punishment when they committed crimes—and officials even more so.

Under such circumstances, no one would like the Legalist school—that was the most important thing.

Originally, emperors should have firmly supported the Legalists, but they did not.

After Confucianism grew strong and completely occupied the mainstream, it locked Legalist thought in a cage. Law needed to rely on the strength of the emperor to be maintained. Once the emperor lost power, or his power was weakened, the empire's laws would vanish without a trace.

At the founding of the Great Ming, the severity of the laws and the thoroughness of their enforcement could not be compared with the present day.

In recent years, the consequences for civil officials committing crimes had grown increasingly lighter, so naturally more people would take that path.

On such a foundation of selfishness, Xunzi's thought naturally became unsuitable.

So they began to suppress Xunzi's thought, began to denounce Xunzi as a heretic, and even expelled Xunzi from the Confucian temple. These were all things they did.

In the final analysis, it was about striking down those who differed from them—there was no other reason.

The discourse Zhu Youxiao had just delivered was absolutely bound to be rejected in this era.

No one wanted the emperor to promote Xunzi's theories, because once the emperor promoted Xunzi's theories, many of their privileges would be weakened, and many of their arguments would no longer hold. So they would not allow the emperor to do so.

This was the collective interest of the literati, and they would oppose it instinctively. The reasons each person found might differ, but they would oppose it all the same, because it was the interest of their entire class—there was no other reason.

Even Song Yingxing's gaze toward Zhu Youxiao changed.

"Worthy brother actually wants to study Xunzi?" Song Yingxing asked in astonishment.

"Is that not allowed?" Zhu Youxiao countered, a smile appearing on his face.

"But Xunzi..." Song Yingxing hesitated slightly.

He had originally wanted to say something more, but after seeing the smile on Zhu Youxiao's face, the words he had intended to speak were swallowed back down, and an awkward expression appeared on his face.

"I said I want to study Xunzi, and this is Brother Song's reaction?" Zhu Youxiao said with a serious expression. "Is Brother Song trying to make me reform my ways? If I remain stubbornly obstinate, do I need to be struck down? But isn't such conduct no different from the School of Principle and the School of Mind?"

"You said you felt His Majesty's words made sense, but is Xunzi's thought useless? You said we could try the Guanzhong School—so why can't we try Xunzi's thought?"

"Do you know what I call this? I call it double standards—meaning it's acceptable when applied to myself, but not when applied to you."

Song Yingxing looked at Zhu Youxiao with some shame, and only after a long while spoke: "Worthy brother's words are like having ghee poured over my head, opening my mind completely. Before, I could never figure it out; now I understand."

"Thank you, worthy brother." With that, Song Yingxing clasped his fists toward Zhu Youxiao.

"We should not decide who is right or who is wrong, nor should we decide whose doctrine is correct or whose doctrine is incorrect. Colluding with each other will form factional strife—so let us simply go and practice it and see. Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth."

"If it is correct, then naturally there will be a good result; if there is no good result, that proves it is wrong."

"We must allow others to have different ideas, and we must tolerate different schools of thought. Even if we must argue, we should prove things with facts, not by destroying others or preventing them from speaking."

Song Yingxing looked at Zhu Youxiao with admiration in his eyes and said with a smile: "Worthy brother has great talent."

"I disagree with your viewpoint, but I will defend to the death your right to speak." Zhu Youxiao looked at Song Yingxing and said with a smile: "Perhaps this is what you want. No barriers of school or sect, speaking with facts rather than with the mouth."

"Exactly that!" Song Yingxing clapped his hands and said: "Worthy brother truly has great talent!"

"Go to the academy—that is the place for you to display your abilities." Zhu Youxiao said with a smile: "Perhaps once you go there, you will have different ideas and see some different things. By then you may have new thoughts."

As for the words he had just spoken, Zhu Youxiao did not believe them himself.

Although they appeared to contain much philosophical thought, the reality was not so—reality was always cruel. Things that seemed very reasonable would inevitably fail when applied to reality.

"Meeting Brother Song today has opened my mind and made me think of many things. I imagine that when we next meet, we will both be different. The green mountains remain unchanged, and the green waters flow on—let us meet again another day."

After Zhu Youxiao finished speaking, he clasped his fists toward Song Yingxing, then turned and walked out.

Watching Zhu Youxiao's retreating figure, Song Yingxiao's face showed a thoughtful expression.

If he still could not see the extraordinariness of this person who called him elder brother, then he did not deserve to keep making his way in the capital.

It was just that the other's name did not seem to be real, and he had not left any means of contact with him either.

Shaking his head, Song Yingxing smiled bitterly. It had been a long time since he had been like this.

He did not know when the next meeting would be, but the other party seemed very confident in being able to find him.

Unable to guess what was going on, Song Yingxing had no choice but to put the thought aside in his mind.

After leaving the small tavern, Zhu Youxiao strode forward with large steps.

This outing had not been in vain—he had met Song Yingxing and watched a literary gathering, which was in reality just a quarrel.

At the same time, he had come to understand what the factional strife of the Great Ming was all about—struggles over interests, struggles over opinions, interweaving and crisscrossing in intricate complexity.

Even before entering the court, people were already different from one another, representing regions, representing ideologies, representing their own interests, endlessly arguing among themselves.

After entering the court, this evolved into political struggle—there was no other possibility.

It was just that the Donglin Faction had escalated this situation; they began to eliminate those who differed from them and began to attack and retaliate.

What followed in response was retaliation—whoever stood on the opposite side was labeled Donglin or the eunuch faction.

The court was filled with foul air, either one or the other. No one could remain uninvolved, and the arguments never ceased.

Previously, Zhu Youxiao had felt this was a tangled mess. In the Grand Secretariat he had used Xu Guangqi, used Han Kuang, and also used Sun Chengzong. The court was also a crisscross of checks and balances, appearing relatively stable.

But in reality, that was not the case at all.

Zhu Youxiao had always been thinking of finding a path—something ideological, a governing philosophy suited to this era.

The Great Ming lacked many things, but Zhu Youxiao had always felt that the chaos of thought was the most deadly.

First of all, he himself did not know what to do, and neither did the ministers below nor anyone else.

Zhu Youxiao believed many people had already realized that the Great Ming had problems, and they wanted to save it from peril. For example, Xu Guangqi, for example, Shen Tingyun, and many, many more others.

Even within the Donglin Faction, there would be people who thought this way. They firmly believed that what they did was righteous, and they firmly believed that what they did could save the Great Ming. But others could not.

Under such circumstances, the two sides could only fight to the death. This was a struggle over paths, a struggle over ideologies, and at the same time a struggle over certain interests.

Unless one side was completely strangled to death, it would absolutely never stop.

Zhu Youxiao had once thought of playing at balance, using their struggles to exploit both sides.

He knew well that political maneuvering was a low-level tool for an emperor, but he had no better options. Because he hadn't thought of a better way, he could only do this.

Walking the kingly way, walking the hegemonic way—that was what an emperor ought to do.

An emperor had to possess grand vision and grand boldness. Political maneuvering was far too petty and small-minded.

This time, stepping out of the palace, seeing Song Yingxing, and learning about the current mood of the times, Zhu Youxiao had formed an idea in his heart, and also a direction. He knew what he needed to do.

This road might be dangerous, this road might be fraught with hardships ahead, but he was willing to give it a try.

Chen Hong, following behind Zhu Youxiao, was at this moment watching his master.

There was a hint of confusion on Chen Hong's face, because today he felt that his master's back seemed different—it seemed more powerful and upright, seemed broader, and at the same time more imposing.

Chen Hong didn't know where this change had come from. How could his master have become different after just one trip out of the palace?

But that was indeed what had happened.

Zhu Youxiao had truly changed; his state of mind had changed. As they say, the face reflects the heart—under different states of mind, a person's bearing is different.

A confident person is always full of vitality; an unconfident person takes on a dejected and dispirited appearance.

At this moment, Zhu Youxiao's will was firm. He had found a direction, and so he wanted to strive toward it.

After returning to the palace, Zhu Youxiao glanced at Chen Hong and said in a clear voice: "Go to the Capital Camps and bring Qi Jin to me. Also, prepare a venue at the Western Park—a spacious one. Have the palace there tidied up. I intend to move there."

Chen Hong hadn't expected that the first thing his master would do upon returning was this.

Wanting to see Qi Jin wasn't strange—his master had always shown him great favor and trust, so wanting to meet him was perfectly normal.

But moving to the Western Park to reside—that didn't seem quite normal.

Which emperor of the Great Ming had taken up permanent residence at the Western Park?

The Jiajing Emperor.

Back then, when the Jiajing Emperor lived at the Western Park, he had drawn much criticism from the officials. Now his master actually wanted to move there as well—this would likely provoke discontent or even an uproar from some people.

But thinking of the things his master had done, Chen Hong felt at ease.

After all, there was still a Daoist priest being kept in the palace right now; moving to the Western Park hardly counted as a major matter. Clearly, his master had been influenced by this trip outside.

But what had influenced his master?

Chen Hong couldn't figure it out. He had followed his master the whole way and still hadn't learned anything.

"What's the matter?" Zhu Youxiao glanced at Chen Hong and asked with a frown.

"Your Majesty, tidying up that place may take some days. This servant wonders whether we should summon more hands?" Startled by his master's question, Chen Hong hurriedly replied.