Wu Haogu finally met Fan Chunren, the second son of the famous Fan Zhongyan. The old man is 74 years old and has suffered from cataracts for several years. Now he is completely blind and the rest of his body is not very enlightened. He sits there sickly, wearing a faded blue cloth robe with a gentle smile on his face, as if he is an old man next door.

In Wu Haogu's impression, this old man has a very good reputation. Everyone says he is noble, generous, and strict with himself. He is also very honest and simple. Even if he becomes the prime minister, he has not earned much evil money. He is incomparable to the dirty official Wu Haogu.

In addition to being honest, Fan Chunren is also famous for his "loyalty and forgiveness". This has a common language with Wu Haogu, and Wu Haogu also emphasizes conquering people with virtue.

In addition, Fan Chunren is also a pacifist. He was once worried that Fan Chuncui (Fan Chunren's younger brother) who was the governor of Yanzhou had the intention of making contributions to fight against Xixia. He wrote a letter saying: "The big cart competed with the wood cart, the pearl collided with the rubble, the gentleman and the villain fought, and the big Central Plains and the small foreign states competed with each other. It was not only invincible, but also not enough to win. It was not only not enough to win, but it didn't matter even if it won."

However, this worry is completely redundant. His younger brother is a pacifist like him. He advocated giving up the "Xia Land" he obtained while serving in Yanzhou. He said: "If the land is not abandoned, the border gaps will be eliminated at any time. For example, Jialu, Wubao, Mizhi, Xihe, Futu, Anjiang, and Anjiang, deep in Xia, and in the Han Dynasty, there is no benefit in the geographical and advantageous situation of the Han Dynasty. However, Lan, the land where the meeting is particularly consuming and trampling, must be abandoned."

In short, Fan Zhongyan's son is a noble gentleman... but it's useless.

"The lower official Wu is very happy to be accustomed to you. I will pay homage to Mr. Han and Mr. Fan."

Wu Haogu respectfully saluted Fan Chunren and Han Zhongyan, then stood in front of him, waiting for them to ask questions.

"Sit down." Fan Chunren said with a smile.

"Bachelor Xie."

Wu Haogu sat down on a stool and looked straight at Fan Chunren.

"Do you want to join Sumen?" Fan Chunren asked.

"Yes."

"Why aren't you under Yichuan?" Fan Chunren asked again, "Mr. Yichuan still admires you very much."

Wu Haogu paused, "I have a word below, I don't know whether to say it."

"What should I not say?" Fan Chunren smiled and said, "Do you want to say bad things about Yichuan?"

Wu Hao Gu’s ancient road: “The Xiaguan fully understands Mr. Yichuan’s way, so he will not worship Mr. Yichuan’s subordinates again. Mr. Dongpo’s way is what the Xiaguan wants to pursue.”

"Do you understand Mr. Yichuan's way?"

Fan Chunren smiled.

Han Zhongyan also laughed.

Fan Chunren's youngest son Fan Zhengsi was shaking his head.

Although Cheng Yi is pedantic and old-fashioned, he has his own set of principles. His Neo-Confucianism is very profound, and beginners often hear it. How old is this martial arts master? How dare you say that you fully understand it?

"Then tell me how profound Yichuan's way is?" Fan Chunren asked with interest.

Wu Hao Ancient Word: "The passing is like this, never leaving the day and night! The water of the Yellow River rushes endlessly, the years of people pass by, the river water does not know where to go, and where to return in life?"

"oh?"

Fan Chunren and Han Zhongyan were surprised at the same time: Wu Haogu really seems to understand Cheng Yi’s way!?

"This is what Confucius asked me about." Han Zhongyan said, "Chongdao, what do you think of my answer?"

"I did not give an answer," said Wu Haogu, "but gave a question... The way of nature is not an answer, but a question that requires the pursuit of answers. The way of nature is the infinite way, and the infinite question. The sage himself cannot hear about the great way and the way of nature. Therefore, this is the problem of our later generations of Confucianism, and it is a question that requires generations of wise and great Confucianism to pursue tirelessly."

ah!?

Fan Chunren and Han Zhongyan were both stunned, and they no longer had the intention of despising Wu Haogu.

Because Wu Haogu is a great scholar!

What is a great Confucian scholar? Is a Confucian scholar who can become a Jinshi with good writing? No... The imperial examination is to select scholars for the country and to be an official. A great Confucian scholar is not a great Confucian scholar. A great Confucian scholar is a scholar, a philosopher, and a scholar who understands or pursues the way of heaven, earth and all things.

To understand and pursue the way of everything, you must first understand what the problem is? Only then can you get started and pursue it.

Most of the scholars who do writing articles don’t know what the problem is? They just parrot!

Of course, what those Jinshi and Confucian scholars don’t know is only the problem of “the great way”, that is, the world view, or the way of nature. They are still very clear about the ethical principles and political ambitions of Confucianism, otherwise how can they become officials?

However, just being familiar with ethical principles and Confucian political thought is not enough to be called a great Confucian. Unless it can be called a great Confucian, it can be called a great Confucian unless it can improve in ethical principles and Confucian politics.

And the Confucian who can see the great way is undoubtedly a great Confucian!

"But Mr. Yichuan gave the answer, everything comes from the law of nature!" Fan Chunren asked, "What do you think?"

"Although Mr. Yichuan gave the answer," Wu Haogu said, "it is not the way the saints and Lao Tzu have discussed and sought, but a way that cannot be falsely proved. It is a bit similar to Buddhism, Nestorians and Tianfang Buddhism. If Mr. Yichuan's laws are replaced by Buddha, Alaha's great Heavenly Lord and Allah will probably be the same? So Mr. Yichuan's way is to turn Confucianism into Confucianism. This is not the way I want to pursue, so I will not enter Yichuan."

Cheng Yi wanted to change "learning" to "teaching" and use a simple answer to create all things in heaven. This is no different from God's creation of all things and Allah's creation of all things. Anyway, God and Allah are invisible to the living.

Han Zhongyan frowned and asked, "Do you think Uncle Cheng Zheng's way is wrong?"

"No." Wu Haogu shook his head, "The lower official does not think that Mr. Yichuan's way is wrong, it is just a different way from Mr. Yichuan."

"Different?" Han Zhongyan asked, "How is it different?"

Wu Haogu said: "Mr. Yichuan gave a simple answer, but the officials wanted to pursue the way of inseparable from hearing."

"How can I pursue the Tao that cannot be heard?" Fan Chunren asked curiously.

"The great way that cannot be heard is hidden among countless small ways that can be touched." Wu Haogu replied, "For example, Confucius asked Lao Tzu, 'Where is the small way that can be sought. The officials thought that we Confucians cannot give up because the great way is difficult to find. They should start the small way and persevere. To pursue it from generation to generation, one day we can get from small to large to obtain the great way that the saints want to pursue."

Fan Chunren was silent for a while and asked again: "Then why do you want to join the door of Dongpo?"

Wu Haogu Yixiao: "Because Dongpo pork."

ah?

The few people sitting there didn't expect Wu Haogu to answer like this. Could it be that Wu Haogu wanted to take Su Dongpo as his teacher because Dongpo's pork is delicious? Does he want to learn to make Dongpo's pork?

"Dongpo pork is also a path!" Wu Haogu explained with a smile, "Although the Sumen people also want to find a simple answer from the Buddhist path, Mr. Dongpo still seeks a path in the Dongpo pork, Dongpo loaf, Dongpo towel, Dongpo toothpaste, Anlefang clinic and Guangzhou water diversion canal. I should obviously worship him and pass on this spirit of seeking natural paths."

"Haha," Fan Chunren smiled, "I understand. You should indeed join Dongpo's disciple... It seems that the Suma learning like Dongpo Rou will be carried forward in your hands."

Under the door of Dongpo, it is already stable!

However, Wu Haogu still has something to invite, which is to spread the great way across the world!

"The ban on Confucian classics?" Han Zhongyan frowned when he heard Wu Haoguxin's request. "This is the old rule left by the Tang Dynasty..."

"But it is not a good rule." Wu Haogu said, "The original intention of the Tang Dynasty to establish this law was to prevent the Four Barbarians from following the rules and regulations of the Central Plains and establishing a confrontation between the Central Plains. However, such rules have no meaning to our dynasty. The Khitans established the court earlier than our dynasty. Goryeo, Dali, Annan, and Xixia also had courts, and the teachings of Confucius and Mencius had long been passed on to those countries. We are now nervous that the Confucian Scriptures are meaningless, not only meaningless, but also harmful and unprofitable."

"Why is it harmful but not profitable?"

Wu Haogu said: "Because there are not only Confucianism and famous religions in the world, but also Buddhism, Tianfang Buddhism, Western Cross Buddhism and other sects, their institutional rules can also form a country and court. And there are not only the Song Dynasty, Dalia, Dali, Goryeo, Xixia and other countries... We should follow the example of the sages going out to preach and spread the teachings of Confucius and Mencius to all directions, and at the same time let people from all directions learn Chinese rules, ethics, and writings, yearn for Chinese civilization, so as to become admirers of the Song Dynasty, friendly countries and even vassal states.

If we don’t do much, Buddhism, Tianfang Buddhism and Western Cross Buddhism will take advantage of the situation and spread their principles, and eventually turn all nations in the world into a place that excludes the ways of Confucius and Mencius. My vassal friendly countries of the Song Dynasty will become fewer and fewer, and there may be more and more enemies."

This... doesn't sound reasonable.

Neither Han Zhongyan nor Fan Chunren showed much interest. In fact, Confucianism has been less interested in missionary since the Han Dynasty. Even without the ban from the Tang Dynasty, during the Han, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties and Sui Dynasty, there were no major scholars going out to preach.

Seeing the expressions of Han Zhongyan and Fan Chunren, Wu Haogu knew that he had to use some useful information to fool him!
Chapter completed!