Chapter 70: Heaven Constantly Changes, and the Dao Also Constantly Changes

Yang Bo did not know how to answer Zhang Juzheng's question, or rather, he could not answer the Emperor's seemingly ignorant question.

A child's truth is the most hurtful; sincerity is the greatest ultimate move.

The ten-year-old human master was moved by Yang Bo's past gentlemanly ways, and also moved by Yang Bo's various villainous acts to maintain the interests of the Jin Party at present.

By virtue, the gentleman and the villain are discussed in pairs, but the gentleman is Yang Bo, and the villain is also Yang Bo.

"Sigh." Yang Bo only let out a heavy sigh; he could not answer this question.

If he said he was a villain, he would be denying his past; if he said he was a gentleman, he would be denying his present. No matter how he answered, it was self-contradictory.

Walking the last leg of life like this made Yang Bo somewhat at a loss.

Zhang Juzheng looked at Yang Bo's appearance and knew that Yang Bo was now in a dilemma. He told the story of the lecture one by one. Now, discussing whether Yang Bo is a gentleman or a villain was just an example; it was the "Yang Bo problem," not Yang Bo himself.

"Metaphysically, it is the Dao; physically, it is the vessel. Now that we are discussing this question metaphysically, how should I answer it?" Zhang Juzheng frowned. In terms of learning, for so many years, this was the first time Zhang Juzheng had encountered such a serious doubt.

Yang Bo thought for a while and said, "This is the reason why I refused you. In terms of learning, those who have attained it come first. Your understanding of the Dao is already far above mine. For a question you cannot answer, I am even less able to answer it. Going to the Wenhua Hall lecture would just be losing my face all over again."

Teaching the young Emperor to study—if Yang Bo went, he could only keep being vague, talking about other things. If His Majesty asked about rules, he could only talk about facts; if His Majesty asked about facts, he could only talk about rules. Wouldn't that make him a great treacherous minister who points at a deer and calls it a horse?

Zhang Juzheng was very lonely, both in learning and in national affairs. In terms of learning, the only person who could sit and discuss the Dao with Zhang Juzheng now was Yang Bo.

"Let us discuss it from the word 'knowledge'." Zhang Juzheng sat up straight. He intended to discuss the Dao with Yang Bo. He had a vague answer in his heart, but he didn't know how to describe it. The more the truth is debated, the clearer it becomes.

Yang Bo could still discuss it with him. Those Confucian scholars in the Hanlin Academy could even remove the "unity of knowledge and action" from the "unity of knowledge and action and innate knowledge," leaving only "innate knowledge," and understand "innate knowledge" as: as long as there is innate knowledge, everything will be fine.

This kind of metaphysical School of Mind did not conform to the reality of practice at all. Wang Yangming emphasized the importance of action more than once. If he knew that later generations understood his School of Mind this way, he would hate that he hadn't pushed the School of Mind to a height that didn't belong to it.

On the twenty-fourth of May, the moon like a tooth rose from the East Mountain, and the stars were brilliant in the sky. The spring breeze with a hint of coolness blew the branches and leaves of the hackberry and willow trees, swaying continuously in the Yan-Hui Pond, setting off ripples, scattering the moon's shadow in the water. The sound of the two-stringed fiddle and bamboo flute from the theater drifted into the Wenchang Pavilion with the spring breeze.

Zhang Juzheng tapped his fingers on the table continuously and said, " 'Drifting like a mayfly between heaven and earth, as small as a grain of millet in the vast sea. Lamenting the brevity of our lives, envying the endless flow of the Yangtze River.' This is Su Shi's *First Rhapsody on the Red Cliff*."

"We are like mayflies in the vast heaven and earth, as small as a grain of millet in the vast sea. We lament that our lives are only a brief moment, and envy the endless flow of the Yangtze River, witnessing the changes of the world several times, witnessing how many heroes and heroines there have been."

"Knowledge—our cognition of the infinite principles of all things—in my opinion, this cognition is twofold."

"The first aspect is metaphysical: all things are isolated, one-sided, static, and unchanging from each other. It seems that the infinite principles of all things should have been like this from the beginning of their existence. For example, we are still using Qin laws to govern the nation and Confucianism to cultivate ourselves."

Yang Bo pondered again and again before saying, "Dong Zhongshu once said, 'The great origin of the Dao comes from Heaven; Heaven does not change, and the Dao does not change.' This is consistent with Bai Gui's idea."

This "knowledge" is a noun, the knowledge of cognition.

Zhang Juzheng was not talking nonsense. Using Qin laws to govern the nation for generations and using Confucianism to cultivate and educate people for generations seems to have always been the case. But just because it has always been like this, is it correct?

Zhang Juzheng continued, "The second aspect is that our cognition of the infinite principles of all things is physical, the experience gained from the reality of practice. We find that all things are connected to each other, are in motion, and are changing with each passing day. It seems that the infinite principles of all things are like the water of the Yangtze River; water has no constant shape, so principles are not constant."

"All things are connected to each other. The moon in the water is the reflection of the moon in the sky. The moon in the water is scattered by the ripples stirred up by the willow leaves, and the swaying of the willow leaves is the wind blowing, and that willow tree was planted by the water when I first entered the capital."

"Among the infinite things, one thing is connected to another, influencing each other."

Yang Bo looked at the scattered moon shadow in the Yan-Hui Pond again, which was already very different. He seemed to have a new understanding of the infinite principles of all things.

Yang Bo thought for a long time this time before saying, "Heaven constantly changes, and the Dao also constantly changes. 'One yin and one yang is called the Dao; those who follow it are good, and those who complete it are nature.' One cannot hold onto one thing as a fixed image, and one cannot define names. It is indeed so."

Zhang Juzheng continued, "Metaphysically, sage books, literary cultivation in the heart, benevolent heart and virtue, and the principles of all things are a 'sturdy shield that nothing can pierce' in the process of our understanding of the infinite principles of all things."

"Physically, the reality of practice, observing what is seen, watching what is gained, and examining what is obtained is a 'sharp spear that nothing can withstand'."

"What happens when a sharp spear pierces a sturdy shield? A sharp spear piercing a sturdy shield will produce sparks, and the collision between the reality of practice and metaphysical knowledge will produce doubts. When we solve these doubts, our understanding of the principles of all things will become clearer."

Yang Bo's eyes flickered upon hearing this, and he said with great approval, "Bai Gui is a great talent of the age who is not a vessel. Hearing these words, I am suddenly enlightened, as if doused with nectar. It is indeed so, it is really so."

Zhang Juzheng continued, "People are like this, and the nation is also like this. If people do not solve the doubts between cognition and the reality of practice, they will be lost; if the nation does not solve these doubts, it will perish. The Han replacing the Qin, the Tang succeeding the Sui, the Yuan destroying the Song, and the Ming replacing the Yuan are all great doubts stirred by contradictions, which are inevitable and cannot be adjusted, and are also inevitable for solving and reconciling."

"Contradictions exist among all things. The great doubts of contradictions are where the infinite progress of all things lies."

Because the sharp spear of experience gained from the reality of practice on the ground impacts the sturdy shield of inherent cognition, doubts will inevitably arise. Thinking about these doubts and getting definite answers will prevent one from being lost and at a loss.

Similarly, the nation also has various contradictions. If the doubts generated by these contradictions cannot be eliminated, the Han replacing the Qin, the Tang succeeding the Sui, the Yuan destroying the Song, and the Ming replacing the Yuan become inevitable. Similarly, this is also the process of solving doubts.

Yang Bo hit his right palm with his left fist forcefully and said excitedly, "Where the truth lies, where the truth lies! Bai Gui's words are better than ten years of reading. It is just like this, it is really like this."

"Then, Grand Preceptor Yang, are you a gentleman or a villain?" Zhang Juzheng brought the question back.

Clearly, Yang Bo's sturdy shield of cognition and the sharp spear of practice had collided. This was the root cause of Yang Bo's awkwardness in the court. Yang Bo had to either transform upward to become a gentleman or choose to go downward and completely become a villain.

"Therefore, I plan to retire and return home after the 'Assessment Law' is promoted in the capital. Everything is packed." Yang Bo answered this question. He chose to escape. Unable to untie the doubts in his heart, he simply chose not to untie them.

"Is Grand Preceptor satisfied?" Zhang Juzheng asked with a frown. Yang Bo was escaping and dodging. On this matter, Yang Bo chose to be a coward, which made Zhang Juzheng somewhat disappointed.

Yang Bo gave a bitter smile, shook his head somewhat dejectedly, and said, "I am old, Bai Gui. I am old."

The two sat in the Wenchang Pavilion, listening to the gurgling water and the cuckoo crying at the moon, watching the palace lanterns of the theater go out, and the human voices gradually disappear. The night slowly deepened, and the two looked at each other in silence.

"Grand Preceptor, did you come for Ma Gui, Ma Jin, and the others?" Zhang Juzheng asked about Yang Bo's purpose.

"Exactly. I beg Grand Secretary Senior Grand Secretary to raise your hand high. Ma Gui and Ma Jin are resolute, brave, and good at using troops, and have repeatedly made military achievements. Launching surprise attacks on Bansheng, guarding the capital, and defending the border—they are talents of the time. It is a pity to abandon them. Senior Grand Secretary, you intend to enrich the nation and strengthen the army, but killing meritorious border generals may hurt the hearts of the soldiers." Yang Bo admitted that he had come for the Shanxi Party's subordinates.

Zhang Juzheng shook his head and said, "I didn't intend to kill anyone. The corruption of the Xuanfu and Datong Assistant Regional Commanders and Company Commanders can be atoned for by meritorious service, but they can no longer serve in Xuanfu and Datong."

"Ice respect" and "charcoal respect" are institutional corruption. The damage caused by this institutional corruption to the administration of officials is extremely serious, but Zhang Juzheng had no better way. These are all chronic illnesses of many years. If His Majesty were young, Zhang Juzheng could manage one or two, but His Majesty was still young, so Zhang Juzheng could not act.

You, Zhang Juzheng, hold the Cabinet, are the advisor, have the power of life and death, and have great power in your hands. You not only want power, but also fame, and a good reputation. What do you want to do?

"Grand Preceptor still needs to restrain Wang Chonggu and Zhang Siwei a little. If they cause trouble again, don't blame me for not showing mercy," Zhang Juzheng said quite solemnly.

When Yang Bo mentioned this, he shook his head and said, "Yan Shifan is Yan Song's own son, and even Yan Song couldn't restrain him. I am an old man who is about to retire. Can I restrain them?"

Zhang Juzheng could only shake his head upon hearing this and said, "That is also true."

Yang Bo leaned forward slightly and said, "Bai Gui, you are planning the nation like this, but how are you planning for yourself?"

"I know, I know, you don't care, but you can't not care about your New Laws. Are you willing to let the laws die with the person?" I am not as learned as you, nor as noble in ambition, but I have thought of a way to plan for myself."

"Oh? I would like to hear the details." Zhang Juzheng looked at Yang Bo with a slight frown.

"Haha, I knew you cared. Appeasing the Jin Party is useless. If it were useful, you would have agreed to be in-laws with me long ago." Yang Bo leaned back in his chair and said with a smile, "The authorities are confused, the bystanders are clear. Bai Gui, you are in the game and don't feel anything strange."

"Actually, Bai Gui's way of planning for himself is far away and yet close at hand—it is His Majesty."

"Although His Majesty is ten years old, he already has the appearance of a human master. In our Great Ming, if His Majesty is willing to protect, Bai Gui can seek glory and get glory, and some people will inevitably seek humiliation and get humiliation! If that treacherous person knew that the assassination attempt forced His Majesty to become wise, I don't know if he would regret it."

Zhang Juzheng was slightly suspicious, then showed a smile. It was indeed so. His Majesty had great ambitions, which was a great fortune for the nation.

"There is one thing that needs Grand Preceptor Yang's cooperation." Since Zhang Juzheng had let Ma Gui, Ma Jin, and the others go and did not pursue them excessively, there were naturally conditions. ===== CHAPTER 71 =====