My Way Is Not Alone!

Is there any profit to be made?

Hu Yong and Luo Zhongjie's hearts skipped a beat when they saw those four words. The former's face tightened, and he said, "A gentleman understands righteousness, while a petty person understands profit. This is something even the Supreme Sage Confucius acknowledged. How can we speak of profit so easily?"

As soon as he finished speaking, noticing Luo Zhongjie's slightly surprised expression, Hu Yong was startled. Thinking of the core of the strategy, his voice immediately became much softer, but he was unwilling to leave just like that.

He glanced at Wang Fu, and seeing that the latter did not show any displeasure, he continued, "When the sage king dismissed Hundred Schools of thought, he also said, 'A benevolent person upholds righteousness without seeking personal gain, and understands the Way without calculating merit.' This shows that righteousness is the right path."

After saying this, Hu Yong looked at Wang Fu again and was surprised to see a smile on Wang Fu's lips!

"This..."

Hu Yong Dharma Form his eyes. In his memory, this Black-faced Chancellor who presided over the reform was almost synonymous with being unsmiling and always exuded an aloofness, making him unapproachable to strangers.

But right now, this very same Black-faced Chancellor was smiling as he looked at the essay on the exam paper.

"What exactly does this article say?" With this thought in mind, Hu Yong disregarded his continued suppression and lowered his head to carefully examine the article.

Beside him, Luo Zhongjie was also taken aback by Wang Fu's reaction. He had the same thought as Hu Yong, suppressed his disgust, and hurriedly went to read the article.

Since ancient times, no matter what Confucianism does, it has always been somewhat taboo about the word "profit." It avoids discussing it and avoids mentioning it if possible. However, Qiu Yan's policy essay points out this issue right from the beginning. It's like a sharp knife, its cold gleam flashing as it pierces the heart. There is no roundabout way of speaking, and it creates a sharp conflict with the Confucian understanding.

Upon seeing this, Luo Zhongjie's expression changed drastically in no time, while Hu Yong exclaimed in shock, "Heretical! Absolutely heretical!"

Their eyes were both fixed on a sentence in the text—

I have never refused to teach those who have offered them tuition fees.

This is a quote, Supreme Sage Confucius, meaning that regardless of one's status, as long as one presents sincere gifts to the Supreme Sage Confucius, he will teach one.

This phrase has often been used in the past to illustrate Supreme Sage's teaching philosophy of "education for all," but Qiu Yan quoted it in his policy essay to emphasize the theme—profit!

In his article, he explicitly stated that Supreme Sage's acceptance of gifts was also a form of exchange of benefits. However, he did not shy away from this, but rather spoke about it openly and honestly.

"This is a misinterpretation of the sage's intentions! It harbors malicious intent!"

Such an explanation was naturally unacceptable to ordinary Confucian scholars. Although Hu Yong and Luo Zhongjie were officials, they were both trained in Sage literature, so their reaction was naturally strong. Moreover, Hu Yong had just used the Supreme Sage classic "righteousness versus profit" to criticize them. The words were still ringing in their ears when the exam paper immediately used a quote from the Supreme Sage classic to support its own point of view. This back-and-forth made Hu Yong feel as if his thoughts had been seen through. Losing face in front of Wang Fu felt like a slap in the face; how could he tolerate it?

The author of the exam paper was immediately accused of misinterpreting the emperor's meaning.

"Don't be so quick to dismiss them, keep reading." At this moment, Wang Fu finally glanced at the two of them. With a smile on his face, he pointed to the chapter on policy essays, "We are officials appointed by the court, not scholarly pedants. The key is to know what we should do and how to do it!"

Since the time of the Confucian classics, Confucianism has become increasingly complex, with various schools of thought emerging one after another. Their academic views are quite diametrically opposed, yet each is considered authentic and uses phrases from classical texts to prove their own points. Sometimes, the same phrase from a classic text can be interpreted and expressed in completely different ways from different perspectives.

People have a saying, "I interpret the Six Classics, and the Six Classics interpret me." Although this is an exaggeration, it describes the current academic phenomenon. After all, the Human Path Order constructed by the sages is a concept or a guiding ideology, not related to specific things or matters. How it is presented and understood depends on the actions of those who implement the Order.

Upon hearing Wang Fu's words, Luo Zhongjie, who had intended to speak, immediately swallowed his words. Hu Yong's thoughts grew increasingly heavy. He had come to realize that the candidate who wrote this exam paper possessed extraordinary knowledge and insight, and might become a major threat.

However, given the current situation, all we can do is continue reading the essay. After expressing shock, the essay openly explored its "profits," even explicitly stating, "People cannot live without profit, so why can't we talk about it?"

Upon seeing this sentence, Hu Yong and Luo Zhongjie were shaken and almost lost their composure. Their thoughts were subtly drawn to it, and in a daze, they saw a beast named "Li" being released, roaring and howling!

However, before they could react, the reins of Order fell, tethering the beast and bringing it under control!

"To speak without propriety is to commit the sins of greed and lust!"

The two were jolted awake, and recalling what had just happened, their backs were covered in cold sweat.

"We were so captivated by this article that we almost became engrossed in it!"

As the two men were still shaken, Wang Fu turned to look at them and asked, "This article says that the pursuit of profit is human nature and should be guided. We cannot hide the problem from the outside world. Even if we close our eyes, people's pursuit of profit will not disappear. Do you think this is true?"

Hu Yong and Luo Zhongjie were still unsettled and unable to control their thoughts, but upon hearing these words, they still sensed a hint of danger, and Leng Yueyue felt even more agitated.

"These words seem to have a hidden meaning. Could they be referring to the merchants of Prosperity Capital?"

On the surface, it seems that the merchants of Prosperity Capital are resisting the New Law, but the deeper reason is still a struggle for interests. Many people know this, but there are unspoken rules in officialdom. Many times, even if you know something, you can pretend not to see or hear it. But now, Wang Fu's question has put Hu and Luo in a dilemma!

Fortunately, Wang Fu did not press the matter further, and instead changed the subject, bringing up the policy essay again.

The first half of the policy essay describes the pursuit of profit by ordinary people, just like the miscellaneous essays. The two echo each other, giving people a sense of continuity.

The article repeatedly emphasizes that some people criticize the pursuit of profit by ordinary people as foolish, but in reality, even without formal education, ordinary people can still accumulate wisdom in their daily lives, and in some aspects, they may even surpass those who are educated!

This statement displeased Hu Yong and Luo Zhongjie, but Qiu Yan's policy essay was written with True Intention and True Intention feeling, clearly expressing his true thoughts. Many parts of it stemmed from real-life details, areas that the two officials were unfamiliar with. They wanted to refute it, but found themselves at a loss for words.

In fact, the views expressed in the article are also Qiu Yan's biggest feelings after gaining insights into Human Path.

In his previous life, he was also influenced by some people who believed that advanced technology meant standing at the pinnacle of evolution throughout history. Now, with his gradual exploration of Human Path, he realizes that this is a shallow view of evolution.

People in ancient times may not have had access to many technological means or the vast sea of information, but that does not mean they were ignorant. People in any era can think and act, and they have advanced aspects that are appropriate to their own time.

Based on this, when his policy essay mentions "profit," he constantly emphasizes the Human Path wisdom found in the ordinary. Because the paper is almost like that of Sage, it has a tendency to influence people's thoughts. If it weren't for the suppression by the Examination Hall, it would be hard to predict what kind of impact it would have had.

"This is bad! This man's talent far exceeds our expectations. What will happen if he gets an official position? It will likely affect the power distribution within the New Party. If Zhang Hou finds out that I protected his exam paper, there might be hidden dangers! We need to curb his momentum!"

A thought flashed through his mind, and Luo Zhongjie quickly organized his thoughts, saying, "I have a sharp eye and can see the truth in the smallest details. But ultimately, I lack experience; I can point things out but not explain them. I still need to ponder..."

After discovering that the exam paper was not written by Wen Zhizhen, Luo Zhongjie's thoughts changed, and he disliked the views expressed in the policy essay. He gradually began to agree with Hu Yong, but he stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence and then suddenly widened his eyes.

The same look appeared on Hu Yong's face.

Their eyes were simultaneously fixed on one sentence—

"Managing finances for the nation is not for personal gain, but for the great benefit of the country!"

The five words at the beginning were familiar to both of them. The reason they were at odds was precisely these five words. At the time, they both thought they were New Party ideology, but now, after reading the whole thing, their views have changed dramatically.

"To speak of profiting the nation and then claim to be managing finances for the world—isn't this person afraid of offending Aristocratic Clan families and being punished for their words? Even if it's Metropolitan Examination the imperial examination, once it gets out, I'm afraid..."

In fact, even if the author of this article were to obtain the title of Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), he would only be a newly promoted official in terms of seniority. Normally, this would not cause any ripples in the court. However, for Knowing Action, the two of them had a feeling that once this candidate entered officialdom, the consequences would be unimaginable!

In their perception, it was as if a ferocious beast, completely unrestrained by the rules of officialdom, was sharpening its fangs, eager to pounce!

This feeling did not arise out of thin air; it stemmed from the guidance of the Examination Hall Will and the unrestrained words the two saw on the examination papers. Although they were disguised by simple words and the Sage Spirit, one could still see an elusive figure behind the articles.

"One Black-faced Chancellor is already enough of a headache for the Aristocratic Clan families. If we were to add a strategist to Wang Fu's household, wouldn't that cause a complete upheaval?"

Even Luo Zhongjie, who sought refuge with Dingdang, had reservations.

But Wang Fu, whom the Human Thoughts, was currently engrossed in reviewing the papers. Having reached the latter half of the policy essay, a strong emotion welled up within him—

Confidant!

Wang Fu felt a sense of kinship, and his smile deepened.

"Investing in wealth without accumulating it..."

As he looked around, Wang Fu couldn't help but exclaim, "I am not alone in my path!"

These five words sent chills down the spines of Hu Yong and Luo Zhongjie. They exchanged a glance and both gave a wry smile, their unspoken understanding unspoken.

"I initially thought this candidate was aware of his shortcomings but had no solution, but now I realize he had a plan in mind all along. His essays are profound and thought-provoking, and his policy arguments are clear, well-organized, and coherent, giving the impression that clarifying the state of affairs is of utmost urgency. Judging from the Prime Minister's expression, he's definitely going to be a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination). I wonder if there's any way to salvage the situation. We must think of a way to appropriately lower his ranking!"

P. S.: Thanks to "timespace", "Adventurer* Tian Yun", "Wind One Mosquito", "Underpants Are Expensive and Naked Is Innocent", "Buying Vegetables Queue", "Dragon★Emperor", and "A Cigarette Travels the World" for their monthly votes!

Thank you to "Dragon★Emperor", "Yuanxin Xiaorenwu", "Daoist Master One-Nine", "Taihaobawu001", and "Beiguangzhilei + Doomsday Judgment" for their generous donations!

Please forgive any omissions in the list.