Yue Ziang took the lead and glared at Ouyang Rong.

Ouyang Rong was not angry at all. He knew that Yue Ziang might not have done it on purpose, and was deliberately trying to find trouble with him. He might have felt that he was right from beginning to end, so he was naturally passionate, fearless, and even moved by himself.

Other scholars were more or less like this. Therefore, this wave of protest and opposition was so contagious and swept through the state schools in every state in the world.

Therefore, Ouyang Rong showed surprising patience and did not debate the scriptures. He looked seriously and asked Yue Ziang directly:

"So, Yue Ziang, what do you want to do."

Yue Ziang's face flushed:

"The imperial court has withdrawn its order, prohibiting the construction of any central and four-sided Buddha statues, and at the same time welcomes Master Ji, Lord Ji and others back.

"Master Ouyang and Jiangzhou Hall must understand the righteousness, take the lead in writing a letter to refuse to build the Donglin Giant Buddha, and set an example for all states in the world. This is what a gentleman should do, and this is the true righteousness of the world!"

Ouyang Rong nodded and asked softly: "What if we can't achieve it?"

"Can't reach it?"

Yue Ziang said excitedly: "Master Ouyang, don't forget it when you become a high official. I can remind you a little here.

"Do you still remember what Emperor Taizongwen said back then? Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. Emperor Taizongwen has always been deeply fearful, and he governs the country cautiously, just like the imperial edict. But now, haha."

"I have never forgotten this sentence, and it is impossible for me to forget it."

Ouyang Rong chuckled. This unexpected expression made the crowd quiet for a while. He smiled and asked:

"Then let me ask you a question, where did this sentence originally come from? Is there anyone here who can recite it?"

All the scholars, including Yue Ziang, were stunned when they heard this. Ouyang Rong looked around and shook his head with a somewhat disappointed expression. Without waiting for their excuses, he turned his head and stared at the bowed old man with a kind face on the high platform.

Clay statue, softly:

"Gong Ai of Lu asked his son: I was born in a deep palace and am longer than a woman's hand. I don't know sorrow, I don't know worry, I don't know labor, I don't know fear, I don't know danger.

"The Master said: What the king asks is the question of the sage..."

The square of the Holy Master Temple gradually became quiet, and finally only the sound of someone's fluent chanting was left.

Yue Ziang and other scholars in the audience looked at his indifferent face in astonishment.

Xie Lingjiang, Yan Liulang and other people accompanying him also stared at his back.

There were many other people in the city who came to watch after hearing the news, and their eyes were cast on him.

All attention.

Ouyang Rong's tone is ups and downs, and he has a good grasp of the tone of his recitation:

"...Confucius said: If you go out of the four gates of Lu to look at the surrounding suburbs of Lu, if the country is destroyed, there will be countless caps. If you think about it this way, will you be afraid that the general will not come?"

"I heard that the king is like a boat; the common people are like water. The water carries the boat, and the water overturns the boat. If you use this to think about danger, will the danger never come?"

A knowledgeable scholar in the crowd suddenly remembered that this obscure ancient saying seemed to come from a certain article in "Xunzi". It was about a certain conversation between the sage teacher and Duke Ai of Lu. It was very unknown and remote.

There are no examinations in the current imperial examinations, so naturally no one cares about it. However, Taizong's remarks and deeds are broadcast more widely, and everyone is aware of them and thinks they are the source.

The whole article is very long, and Ouyang Rong read it word for word without pausing in the middle.

As if no one else was watching, he read the last word, turned to face the audience, and asked sincerely:

"Do you understand the deep meaning of the Holy Master? You only know his superficial meaning, but do you know the context in which these words were spoken?

"How does the Spring and Autumn Period of Lu during the reign of Duke Ai compare with the current Holy Week? If we use today's standards, brother Yue, the 'boat' during the reign of Duke Ai should have disappeared long ago, but the Holy Master was overthrowing this

Boat?"

The whole place was silent. Ouyang Rong pointed at the clay statue with outstretched hands and asked with a smile: "Do you know what he has been running about all his life?"

"Now you who have only a little knowledge are raising this statement in vain to threaten... I am thinking how disappointed the Holy Master would be if he knew that you were using it in this way.

"You, the state's scholars, obviously have access and hope that even the sages and teachers at that time envied, but you don't know how to cherish it, and you still risk your life and die together..."

He paused, then took the trouble to compare Zhou and Lu, and asked the question first:

"Water can carry a boat, water can overturn it. This is a good saying, but if a person only has a superficial understanding, he will never know how heavy this sentence actually is.

"I would like to ask, if the boat under your feet sinks, can you replace it with a better boat? If it works, please tell me. If it doesn't work, why are you paranoid about destroying this boat?

"And don't forget, gentlemen, that this boat under your feet was, in a sense, built by Emperor Taizong Wen of whom you are nostalgic in the wind and rain, and he devoted all his energy to maintaining it. How long has it been since then? Before that, the three boats that were like boiling water were

It took hundreds of years of struggle to carry this new boat.

“It is easy to destroy a boat, difficult to build it, and even harder to mend it.

"Yue Zi'ang, is this your principle? Just for the sake of temporary happiness, temporary glory, and temporary righteousness, you will disregard the lives of the kings. If you can only distinguish right from wrong, beat your chest and stamp your feet.

"Then your Excellency is nothing more than that."

"I..." Yue Ziang suddenly became short of breath, his face was bruised and bruised, and he was speechless.

Ouyang Rong shook his head and stopped looking at this person. Seeing that the silent crowd seemed to have no questions, he turned around and prepared to leave.

The whole place was silent.

The scholars stared blankly at the slender back of the fox-white furred young man slowly leaving...
Chapter completed!