Inside and outside the Luoyang City, Xijing, the Song Dynasty, compared with the crowded and prosperous Kaifeng Prefecture, it tasted completely different.

If Kaifeng Prefecture is a beautiful beauty who is in his charming years, with unparalleled beauty and has attracted thousands of beloved. Then, as the capital of the Han and Tang Dynasties, Luoyang, surrounded by magnificent mountains and rivers, is a beauty with old age and charm. Although it does not have the glory and noisy of the past, it has a kind of tranquility and elegance, and a kind of demeanor to jump out of the world and smile at the wind and clouds.

And this magnificent beauty of the mountains and rivers and profound heritage is not something that merchants like Wu Haogu can appreciate. The fire cooking oil in Kaifeng Prefecture seems outdated to Wu Haogu. What he loves is that his half foot has stepped into the abyss of capitalism, rather than Luoyang City, where the gardens of ministers are everywhere inside and outside the city, and the atmosphere of peace and happiness is everywhere.

Therefore, as a native of Luoyang (Wu Haogu’s ancestor lived in Luoyang), Wu Haogu never went to Luoyang even after he became famous, let alone bought a garden in Luoyang and lived there for a long time.

However, his second brother Wu Haowen loved the prosperous Luoyang City very much. Although he grew up with Kaifeng merchants, he did not get involved in the business of many merchants. He was always a scholar-official who was untainted by the mud.

In his opinion, Kaifeng Prefecture is the political stage, Jiehe Shangshi and Haizhou are shopping malls full of money, and Luoyang is the noble and peaceful hometown of scholars and officials. This is also the base camp of the old party and Guan and Luozhixue. It has a garden in Luoyang, and after retirement in the future, it can live with ordinary gentlemen of the old party and Guan Luo's great scholars. It is probably his greatest dream in personal enjoyment after entering the officialdom.

Such a dream seems to be a matter of opening up for the richest brother. However, he is not willing to spend more money on his brother. After all, this dynasty was a prosperous official. He was successful in his youth and became a county magistrate at the age of 22. Moreover, because of the successful pilot of the government army, he reduced his investigation for one year and was promoted to the higher level. He skipped Wen Linlang and directly promoted to the 9th Dingshilang. Although he was still a ninth-rank sesame official, he was already the third level of the fourth level of the candidate and was promoted to another level. As long as he did another "super-investment" (civil officials with Jinshi can be promoted to the higher level, which is called over-investment), he can enter the sequence of Beijing officials.

With his prime minister's son-in-law, the emperor favored him, and the sixth place in the imperial examination, he should be ranked as a Beijing official before he was 25 years old. With such a bright future, do you still need to buy a garden in Luoyang and receive gifts from a merchant brother?

Although he had not purchased a mansion in Luoyang, Wu Haowen still regarded Luoyang as his hometown. On the last time he went to Lantian to take office, he lived in Baibo's ancestral home in Luoyang. This time he was ordered to go to Beijing and also stayed in Luoyang. He wanted to stay in Yigao Academy in Yigao Town, south of Luoyang City for a few days.

Because he learned that his teacher Hou Zhongliang and his master Cheng Yi returned to Yigao Academy in Luoyang a few days ago.

This academy was originally an old garden given to Cheng Yi by Wen Yanbo. It has thousands of acres of fertile land around it, and it also belongs to the academy.

He was led by a wise man from the academy and Wu Haowen was transferred through the corridor. He looked at the clothes he wore in front of him, which was no worse than his brother, the richest man and prime minister. At the same time, he found that the old academy was full of building materials of good quality, and there were also some pictures that Dumei and master craftsmen who were worth a little were drawing.

Turning left and right on the corridor, Wu Haowen, led by Zhike, finally walked into a small hall with three big words "Tianliyi" written on it. Inside the door of the hall was a vertical screen with a single screen hanging on it, with a painting of a white-scribing figure with a Confucian scholar talking about "swordsmen". Seeing this picture, Wu Haowen was stunned and stood there.

Because he recognized that this painting was written by Li Gonglin!

"Looking at the Tao, this is the "Sitting and Discussing Tao" sent by Li Longmian from Longmian Mountain. It is painted as a scene of "The Imperial College Advisor on the Tao."

Hou Zhongliang's voice came through the screen. Wu Haowen hurriedly walked around the screen and saw Hou Zhongliang and Cheng Yi sitting opposite him, playing chess.

Wu Haowen hurriedly stepped forward and bowed to the two of them, "Disciple, pay homage to the teacher, master."

Cheng Yi pointed to a rose chair next to him and said, "Sit!"

Wu Haogu looked over and found a table next to the chair, with two brand new thread-bound books on it.

He sat on the chair as he said, picked up the thread-bound book and looked at it. The cover read "Theory of Heaven and the Theory" and "Theory of Empiricality" respectively.

"Look first." Cheng Yi said again.

Wu Haowen started to read the words, first reading "Theory of Heaven and theory" and then reading "Theory of Empiricality". Just as he was reading the book, a servant from the academy brought the cloud and mist tea he had just ordered. A fragrance suddenly floated in the not-so-large hall.

However, Wu Haowen did not pay attention to the tea fragrance. He was completely attracted by the two thread-bound books in his hand. Although he had long known Cheng Yi's "nature law" and Wu Haogu's "empirical evidence". But he never expected that the two could be integrated so harmoniously, very perfect, and seemed to have no flaws. At least he could not see where the flaws were?

I don’t know how much time has passed, when Wu Haowen put down the "Personal Theory" in his hand, he found that the chess between Cheng Yi and Hou Zhongliang had ended. Two great scholars were holding tea bowls and smiling at Wu Haogu.

"How about it?"

Cheng Yi spoke and said a little more: "... The saint's question was finally answered perfectly in our hands." He paused and added, "From now on, Guan and Luo Zhixue will become extrinsic learning."

I'm afraid it's not that easy? Wu Haowen thought to himself: "Theory of Heaven and the Theory of Empirical Studies" only solves the problems of "Tao" and "seeking Tao". In fact, it is Confucianism's counterattack against the theory of gods and ghosts such as Buddhism and Tao. However, it does not involve the most core thing of Confucianism, that is, the theory of ethical principles and governance of the country.

The current situation is just "Theory of Heaven", "Theory of Empirical Ethics" and the Five Classics annotated by Wang Anshi. The latter may still account for the majority...

Wu Haowen thought about it and asked again: "Are the "Story of Heaven and the "Personal Theory" going to enter the imperial examination?"

"That's right," said Hou Zhongliang, "the official family has approved the memorial from Mr. Dongpo a few days ago, and the officials and schools in various places will start teaching "Theory of Heaven and the Theory" from next year, and will be tested in the next imperial examination... The Confucian school will be troublesome from now on!"

"It's so troublesome?" Wu Haowen frowned, "Is it because Xinxue still has to fight with us?"

"It's not just a new learning?" Cheng Yi said.

"Who else can't get along with us except for new studies?" Wu Haowen was a little confused. Although "Theory of Heaven and the "Personal Theory" were suspected of infringing on Buddhism and Taoism, Taoism itself likes to conduct empirical evidence! Who can't verify it by refining alchemy and seeking immortality, and fortune-telling and ascending fortune-telling? So Taoism and the "Personal Theory" are compatible. The remaining Buddhism is not even the state religion, and they still want to challenge the Confucian Taoist tradition?

"The empirical theory can prove the theory of heaven and the Five Classics!" Cheng Yi said word by word.

Wu Haowen shook his head in surprise. How can the Five Classics be tested with empirical theories? How can this be?

Cheng Yi leaned forward slightly and looked at Wu Haowen and said, "Can the Confucian classics such as "Poetry", "Book", "Rites", "Book", "The Book of Changes", "Spring and Autumn Annals", as well as "The Book of Rites", "The Analects of Confucius" and "Mencius" that the sages governed can be tested by "Personal Theory"?"

"No!" Wu Haowen answered firmly.

Cheng Yi nodded, "I hope you will definitely meet the officials when you go to Beijing this time. Remember to remind the officials of the mistakes in the "Empirical Theory"."

"...Students understand!" Wu Haowen thought for a moment and nodded and said yes. Cheng Yi was right. The biggest mistake in "Theory of Empirical" is that everything can be verified, including Confucian classics!

Cheng Yi smiled on his face, "You have successfully piloted the military soldiers in Lantian. After entering Beijing, there will inevitably be new officials. If possible, you must strive to become a storyteller in Chongzheng Hall."

Chongzheng Palace Storytelling was an official established during the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song. He was responsible for telling books and history for the emperor, explaining the classics, and preparing consultants. It is a very important and almost heavenly position! According to convention, this position should be a seventh-rank magistrate. However, there were many "power dispatches" in the Song Dynasty, which allowed low-level officials to hold senior positions.

For a favorite minister like Wu Haowen, it is nothing wrong to be a storyteller than above the level. Moreover, he is also a disciple of Cheng's sect and Wu Haogu's younger brother. His understanding of "Theory of Heaven and the Theory of Empirical" should be very well-established, right?

"But my disciples lack knowledge, I'm afraid it's difficult to take responsibility!" Wu Haowen was still a little upset.

"I just let the Master of the Sage follow you." Cheng Yi smiled, "Mr. Dongpo has recommended him to be a professor in the Imperial College. If you don't understand, you can ask him directly for advice."

"Disciple understand!" Wu Haowen breathed a sigh of relief. With the teacher Hou Zhongliang following him, what else can I worry about?

In addition, when you arrive at Kaifeng Prefecture, you must first talk about this with your brother Wu Haogu...

Cheng Yi and Hou Zhongliang looked at each other, and both of them could see a little fighting spirit from each other's eyes. How could the battle between Taoism end so easily? This has just begun!

It has been over before Cheng Yi agreed to join forces with Su Dongpo to cheat the new learning, and Chengmen Neo-Confucianism has already achieved the status of obvious learning, but this is not enough! The "Personal Theory" must be squeezed out from the position of obvious learning... The "Personal Theory" is too harmful. It is a dialectical method! Everything can prove it! This is a evil saying of the bad hearts! Although it can be used to combat Buddhism, it can also be used to test Confucian classics!
Chapter completed!