Chapter 19: How Dare You Do Such a Thing to an Octogenarian!

The classical Confucians hidden in the court sharpened their knives and directly jumped out.

Like chicks finally finding their mother hen.

“Mr. Quan!!!” They cried with tears in their eyes, “You’re finally willing to serve!”

Quan Yingzhang was stunned and didn’t think to first refute “I did not intend to serve”; he subconsciously asked, “You are…”

“We are the classical Confucians!!!”

We——are——classical——Confucians——!

The echoes did not cease, resounding for three days.

Even the old emperor was shocked, his eyes wide and his expression peculiar—

[You classical Confucians are still alive?!]

The “mouthpiece” appeared again, filled with shock in its inner voice.

Others nodded vigorously: Yes, yes!

This is… who would have thought?!

Usually, they would drink together, handle affairs, and occasionally discuss modern Confucian classics, but they turned around and defected!

Several people broke down on the spot.

“My friend! You!”

“Teacher! I studied modern Confucianism with you for half my life, and now you’re telling me you’re a classical Confucian?!”

“Confidant! You! I! You’re a classical Confucian, so what were we debating and discussing in our usual discussions? It’s hard to find someone who understands me. I helped you rise in the officialdom, fearing you would be moved out of the center to the provinces where we couldn’t enjoy our wine and discuss texts together! And you’re a classical Confucian?! What happened to the high mountains and flowing water! What happened to Boya and Ziqi! I was wrong all along! What will my teacher, my contemporaries, my friends and family think of me and our relationship!”

“Actually…” the confidant said hesitantly, “the content we usually discussed were some obscure ancient texts I found…”

His friend was struck by lightning, taking three steps back.

The confidant rushed up and took his hand: “Confidant! You have a natural talent for understanding classical Confucianism. Trust me! Come learn classical texts! You’ll definitely soar!”

“Huh? This… isn’t… I…”

The friend, hesitantly being pulled away, was completely at a loss. When he stood with the classical Confucians, his hesitation gradually turned into determination: “Alright! Confidant! Let’s continue to be confidants!”

He actually defected on the spot.

The modern Confucians were enraged and cursed him as a traitor, a lackey of the classical Confucians!

Quan Yingzhang’s mind roared, and when he came to his senses, he laughed heartily: “Good! Good! I thought classical Confucians had disappeared from the court! Turns out you were lying low, enduring hardships and burdens!”

Xu Yanmiao: [Fight, fight!]

He planted his cane firmly, looking proudly at the modern Confucians on the opposite side: “My way is not alone! What erroneous theories do you still have? Bring them out!”

Xu Yanmiao: [Fight, fight!]

The modern Confucians and classical Confucians suddenly shouted in unison: “Shut up!!!”

Xu Yanmiao’s eyes lit up.

[Wow! It’s breaking out!]

The Ministry of War official’s eyes twitched slightly.

This debate can’t do without every single comment from you! If you were absent for a moment, they wouldn’t start fighting.

—

The old emperor also enjoyed the chaos and had the Royal Guards bring ten or so tables and cushions for both sides to sit and debate.

—Primarily because Quan Yingzhang was old. Generally, debates don’t last more than a few hours; if he had to stand there for too long, today would be his funeral.

The modern Confucians were the first to attack: “When the ‘Ancient Text Shangshu’ was first published, it explicitly stated that it had sixteen more chapters than the previous ‘Modern Text Shangshu.’ For four hundred years, the number has not changed. After four hundred years of war and peace, how did it suddenly increase by twenty-five chapters? The discrepancy in the number of chapters proves it is a forgery!”

The classical Confucians’ expressions grew serious.

Even Quan Yingzhang, the leader of the literary circle, frowned.

They were debating properly, not fighting on the streets. If it were the latter, they could argue that “official documents not changing does not mean they don’t exist in the folk. The folk is vast, with books scattered everywhere; finding more after four hundred years is quite normal.”

But debates must be conducted this way.

In a debate, you must find relevant content from classical texts to refute the opponent.

Even if everyone in the world knows Confucius was a man, if you need to prove it in a debate, you must find specific texts to substantiate it—for example, after Confucius shared a room with Duke Ling of Wei’s wife, even his disciples suspected his purity. This can be used to argue that Confucius was indeed a man.

If you can’t clarify this, once the official discourse power is in the opponent’s hands, Confucius’s legendary life might end up with an additional note: “Confucius, a woman not inferior to anyone.”

If this official discourse power is held for a bit longer, and if the examination questions are set by this school of thought, answers must align with their interpretation of the classics. For a generation or two, people might internally criticize this school for audaciously altering Confucius’s image. They know Confucius was a man, but for the exams or to make a name for themselves, they must outwardly support this viewpoint.

But after the Five Dynasties, the idea of Confucius disguising as a woman will undoubtedly become one of the mainstream views.

—This is why schools of thought must fight for orthodoxy. Gaining orthodoxy equates to monopolizing the discourse for a certain period. You can then instill any viewpoint you want in scholars across the world, no matter how outrageous.

The classical Confucians could hardly wait to refute their opponents.

So why did the number of chapters in the Ancient Text Shangshu suddenly increase?

One of them glanced at his confidant and said loudly, “De Ming·Xulu records that during the reign of Emperor Xuan, a woman from He Nei found three additional chapters of the ancient text Tai Shi. These are beyond the sixteen chapters of the Ancient Text Shangshu. Therefore, your claim that ‘the number has not changed in four hundred years’ is false! Furthermore…”

They also cited three or four other similar instances from various texts.

Now it was the modern Confucians’ turn to frown.

They had seen some of these texts, and others they had only vaguely heard of. They were surprised that the other side had such extensive knowledge.

But that’s alright, they had other evidence!

Another person stood up: “Xunzi says: ‘The human heart is precarious, the way is subtle.’ This phrase is drawn from the Taoist scriptures. Yet the Ancient Text Shangshu has a similar sentence: ‘The human heart is indeed precarious, the way is indeed subtle.’ If the Ancient Text Shangshu came first, why doesn’t Xunzi mention that it is quoted from the Shangshu? Ancient Text Shangshu! It’s a forgery! Xunzi couldn’t quote it because it wasn’t known before it was written.”

The classical Confucians were speechless.

How dare they say that! Quoting from any source is up to the individual. Xunzi may have preferred to quote the Taoist scriptures over the Shangshu!

However…

The classical Confucians wiped their faces.

Debate it!

That’s how debates work; no matter how absurd the question, you must use textual evidence to answer it.

—

This was a particularly tricky question.

The classical Confucians either clung to the edges of the table or furrowed their brows, struggling to respond.

Xu Yanmiao had a sudden inspiration and nudged the Ministry of War official: “Can I find a way to prove that Xunzi did not quote the Ancient Text Shangshu because he had never heard of it?”

The Ministry of War official thought for a moment: “Then I can prove that the Ancient Text Shangshu was well-known. If Xunzi hadn’t heard of it, it’s because he was ignorant. By doing so, we can argue that your school’s core view is that Xunzi was ignorant.”

Xu Yanmiao’s eyes widened.

The Ministry of War official got excited: “If you are tagged with this viewpoint, you won’t be able to use any of Xunzi’s ideas in future debates.”

He was ignorant, and his arguments based on his views would certainly have flaws. Although I haven’t found them yet, I don’t need to look further because you have admitted that Xunzi was ignorant!

—Using your own spear to pierce your own shield.

Xu Yanmiao’s eyes grew even wider.

[Isn’t this just being a nitpicker!]

He suddenly understood.

[So debates are just a showdown between nitpickers!]

—And then continued to rant internally, as the whole court understood what “nitpicker” meant.

Classical Confucians: Exactly! The modern Confucians are nitpickers!

Modern Confucians: What, can’t you debate us so you call us nitpickers?

The modern Confucians taunted: “So, have you thought of a way to prove it? Don’t struggle, the Ancient Text Shangshu is a forgery.”

The classical Confucians’ corners of their mouths twitched, and they were so anxious in the winter cold that sweat appeared on their noses.

Quan Yingzhang pondered for a moment, as if a hall of books were turning in his mind, one text after another, searching for that one phrase to refute.

“Xunzi says, ‘The Book is a record of politics; the Poetry stops at the middle voice; the Ritual is the major part of the law and the guide of categories.’”

He actually found the answer.

“‘Poetry’ refers to the Book of Songs; ‘Ritual’ refers to the Book of Rites. Therefore, ‘Book’ refers to the Shangshu. Xunzi uses the Shangshu to record political affairs, while ‘the human heart is precarious, the way is subtle’ is an interpretation of ‘the human heart should always be cautious, the way should be refined,’ related to nature and not to political affairs. Thus, Xunzi naturally quotes the Tao Te Ching, which specializes in nature, rather than the Shangshu which records political affairs…”

Quan Yingzhang spoke eloquently.

This time, it was the modern Confucians who were refuted.

And the classical Confucians cheered for their leader: “Excellent, excellent! That’s it! Mr. Quan is truly knowledgeable! Mr. Quan’s scholarship is profound! Mr. Quan illuminates the ancient texts!”

Modern Confucians: “I have one more question. The Ancient Text Shangshu describes the Yellow River floating on piled stones. The person who excavated the Ancient Text Shangshu annotated that the Piled Stone Mountain was southwest of Jincheng, which the river passed through. However, Jincheng County was established after this person’s death. How could he know the name of the county established after his death?”

The classical Confucians broke out in sweat on their foreheads.

Quan Yingzhang: “The person who excavated the Ancient Text Shangshu was a descendant of Confucius. The Confucian Commentary says, ‘The teachings of the Sage were passed down, and the ancient text was preserved by my family through generations.’ Some even call the Shangshu the Confucian tradition. Since it has been preserved through generations, the name Jincheng County was naturally recorded by later scholars!”

Modern Confucians: “I have another question…”

Quan Yingzhang: “This question is absurd. I have one word as evidence…”

Modern Confucians: “I have another question…”

Quan Yingzhang: “I also have an answer…”

Modern Confucians: “I have…”

Quan Yingzhang: “I also have…”

The classical Confucians could not interject.

Besides the truly brilliant and quick-witted Quan Yingzhang, the others, though they were in modern Confucianism, were used to debating with modern texts and theories. They couldn’t think of suitable evidence to refute using classical texts.

But it didn’t matter. They had learned something suitable for them from Xu Yanmiao.

Boss Quan: “To claim that King Wen did not change his era title to king in order to disprove the Ancient Text Shangshu is to fabricate something out of nothing. Listen to the historical records…”

Xu Yanmiao: [Exactly!]

Classical Confucians: “Exactly!”

Boss Quan: “What about the claim that the Ancient Text Shangshu was lost in the Yongjia Rebellion? The Chronicles of the Emperors says Taibao Gong passed the ancient text to Fufeng’s Su Yu… Also, The Confucian Forest mentions its transmission… and The Book of Documents says… and historical records… After four hundred years, finally… Are you trying to distort facts? Do you think my memory is poor?”

Xu Yanmiao: [Wow, impressive! Amazing! A battle of wits with all the scholars!]

Classical Confucians: “Exactly!”

Boss Quan: “You are really nitpicking…”

Xu Yanmiao: [Wow, Quan is incredible!]

Classical Confucians: “Exactly!”

[But what does it mean for the classical Confucians to turn against? Looking at how easily Quan is dealing with the modern Confucians, did they previously lag behind?]

Classical Confucians: “Exactly…”

…Hmm? Were they being scolded?

Boss Quan: “Modern Confucians, don’t be too excessive…”

Xu Yanmiao: [Tsk, tsk, isn’t it embarrassing for the modern Confucians? A whole group couldn’t beat a single eighty-six-year-old elder!]

“…” Never mind! Let them scold! At least Xu Yanmiao is on their side!

Classical Confucians continued to cheer: “Exactly!”

The modern Confucians were left disarmed and struggling to keep up.

They were both angry and aggrieved seeing that the classical Confucians only had to blindly follow their great leader, while they had to fend off attacks.

—They also had their own great leaders! But their great leader was probably still on the way back to the capital! And even if he arrived, he’d probably first have to visit his unfortunate nephew who had just been imprisoned. There was no chance of catching up.

They were furious!

“You all keep saying ‘exactly!’” The modern Confucians, enraged, couldn’t argue with Xu Yanmiao and now couldn’t argue with you either!

“A bunch of parrots, it’s really shameful to be in the same court as you!”

The classical Confucians were momentarily at a loss for words, unable to echo the statements.

And Xu Yanmiao…

The voice of the spectator was very loud: [Exactly!]

Classical Confucians: “Exactly…”

No, what do you mean ‘exactly!’ Xu Yanmiao, whose side are you on!!!