Zhou Yuanhao gritted his teeth and suddenly let out a cold laugh.
“Fine! Since you think you have a bit of reason on your side.
Tomorrow afternoon, there will be a session at the academy’s Debate Hall.
If you have the courage, come and listen, and let yourself see what true scholarship looks like.”
“A debate?” Chen Zui frowned.
Seeing this expression, Zhou Yuanhao assumed he was afraid and became even more smug.
“What, you don’t dare to come?”
“I’ll come, why wouldn’t I?” Chen Zui smiled.
“Will there be tea and snacks?”
Zhou Yuanhao was momentarily stunned.
“What?”
“Without tea and snacks, won’t our throats get dry and parched during the debate?” Chen Zui laughed.
Zhou Yuanhao’s face completely collapsed, and he flicked his sleeve aggressively.
“Utterly incorrigible!”
Having said that, he led the two scholars away without looking back.
As he reached the courtyard gate, he even tripped over the threshold and nearly fell.
Chen Zui leaned against the doorframe, watching the pathetic retreating figures of the three, and muttered to himself.
“This academy is quite lively.”
...
The next day.
Chen Zui didn’t wake up until the sun was high in the sky.
He scrounged two steamed buns and a bowl of porridge from the academy kitchen and spent nearly an hour chatting with Old Man Wang, the stoker.
By the time he leisurely strolled to the Debate Hall, no fewer than fifty or sixty people were already seated inside.
The layout of the Debate Hall was similar to the tiered lecture halls Chen Zui had seen in his past life. In the center was a circular debating platform, surrounded by rows of seats extending upward.
In the most prominent position of the hall hung a plaque with four large characters: “Truth Brightens Through Debate.”
Lu Qinghe had reserved a seat for him early on, in a corner by the window. It wasn't very conspicuous, but it provided a clear view of the entire room.
“Brother Chen, over here.”
Lu Qinghe stood up and waved.
Chen Zui squeezed through and sat down, leaning his long spear against the wall.
He pulled a handful of roasted soybeans from his robe—snitched from the kitchen—and began crunching on them.
“Brother Chen, you can’t eat in the Debate Hall...” Lu Qinghe reminded him in a low voice.
“I’m not a student of the academy.”
Chen Zui chewed with righteous confidence.
Lu Qinghe sighed helplessly and said no more.
In the center of the lecture hall stood a twelve-chi long red sandalwood desk.
A bronze incense burner sat on the desk, with a stick of sandalwood incense burning, its blue smoke curling upward.
Five Grandmaster chairs were placed on each side of the wooden desk for the two debating parties.
In the central seat of honor sat a white-haired old scholar named Cheng, the most senior Erudite of Classics in the academy.
He was responsible for presiding over today’s debate, managing the process, and judging the winner.
Beside him sat three elderly instructors, all with white hair and beards, their expressions solemn.
The debate had not yet begun.
Zhou Yuanhao was already seated upright in the first Grandmaster chair on the left, his back straight and his chin still tilted up.
Beside him sat four classmates, all academy students who were on good terms with him.
The seats opposite them were empty, presumably reserved for other students coming to challenge them.
Zhou Yuanhao’s gaze swept through the crowd, finally landing on Chen Zui in the corner. A mocking curve touched the corner of his mouth.
He cleared his throat and spoke loudly.
“Oh, you actually dared to come. What, after bringing up the Great Sage’s Six Arts yesterday to lecture me, have you come today to hear this young master’s true scholarship and teachings?”
As soon as these words were spoken, all eyes in the hall turned toward Chen Zui in the corner.
Some whispered, others covered their mouths and snickered, all waiting to see the joke of this crude martial artist.
Chen Zui tossed a roasted soybean into his mouth, chewing with a loud crunch, and replied indistinctly.
“Young Master Zhou, I don’t know about your scholarship, but your voice is certainly loud enough.”
An uproar broke out in the hall.
Such a flippant tone was practically unheard of in the Debate Hall.
Zhou Yuanhao let out a cold snort and ignored Chen Zui, turning to discuss the debate topic in low tones with his classmates.
“Today’s topic,” Old Master Cheng announced with a full, resonant voice.
“The Debate on Righteousness and Profit.”
As soon as the words fell, a low murmur of discussion rose among the students.
The Debate on Righteousness and Profit.
This was one of the most classic and difficult topics in Confucianism.
An old instructor struck the bronze bell before him. The clear chime echoed through the hall, and the noisy Debate Hall gradually fell silent.
“Today’s topic: The Debate on Righteousness and Profit.
The Affirmative side argues that ‘a gentleman values righteousness over profit,’ while the Opposition argues that ‘righteousness and profit should go hand in hand; neither should be neglected.’
Each side will provide five speakers to speak in turn.”
“I’ll go first.”
Zhou Yuanhao was the first to stand, bowing to the instructors.
“Student Zhou Yuanhao wishes to establish the argument for the Affirmative.”
He cleared his throat and looked around, his gaze lingering on Chen Zui for a moment before moving away.
“The Sage said, ‘The gentleman is conversant with righteousness; the small man is conversant with profit.’
He also said, ‘Wealth and honor obtained through unrighteousness are to me as floating clouds.’
A gentleman cultivates himself, regulates his family, governs the state, and brings peace to the world; that which he values is righteousness.
If everyone prioritizes profit, then the whole world will hustle and bustle only for profit. Righteousness will cease to exist, and all sense of shame will be lost.
Therefore, a gentleman must value righteousness and despise profit, making this his foundation for standing in the world.”
At this point, his gaze swept across the hall and stopped on Chen Zui, his tone becoming increasingly impassioned.
“However, in today’s world, the hearts of men are no longer what they were, and the social atmosphere is deteriorating.
Merchants chase profit without regard for righteousness, and martial artists of the world love to fight and struggle without knowing propriety or law. They are all small men conversant with profit.
We scholars should uphold the way of the sages, distinguish between righteousness and profit, and rectify the hearts of all under heaven!”
His words quoted the classics and were delivered with great force.
The students throughout the hall nodded in agreement, and some even couldn't help but applaud.
Even the old masters nodded slightly, their faces showing signs of approval.
Chen Zui leaned against the back of his chair, chewing roasted soybeans with a faint, knowing smile on his face, saying nothing.
At this moment, someone from the Opposition stood up.
“Brother Zhou’s words quote the classics and are filled with righteous indignation; I am impressed.
However, I have a few differing views. I ask Brother Zhou and the masters to correct me.”
“First, Brother Zhou categorizes all ‘martial artists of the world’ as ‘small men conversant with profit.’ This statement is perhaps a bit biased.
The principle of the 《Spring and Autumn Annals》 is that one should judge people by their actions rather than their origins.
There are men of heroic spirit and righteousness in the martial world, just as there are corrupt officials in the imperial court.
If we judge character based on origin, isn't that like giving up eating for fear of choking?”
A low murmur of discussion rose from the hall. Some nodded, while others frowned.
“Second, the Sage also said, ‘Wealth and honor are what men desire; if they cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be held.’
It can be seen that the Sage did not entirely despise profit and desire, but emphasized governing them with righteousness.”
When these words were finished, the hall was in an uproar.
Then another person from the Affirmative stood up to refute, bringing up another classical anecdote for the debate.
They went back and forth, making it quite a lively scene.
However, these obscure and convoluted anecdotes made Chen Zui feel drowsy.
He leaned against the wall, his eyelids fighting to stay open.
He thought to himself that these scholars were indeed using the most complicated way to discuss the simplest problem.
Just as Chen Zui was about to fall completely asleep, he suddenly heard someone call his name.
“Young Hero Chen.”
Zhou Yuanhao stood on the debating platform, looking at him with a smile, his voice carrying an undisguised hint of provocation.
“Yesterday, Young Hero Chen told me in front of Xiao Langgan that the Sage taught the Six Arts and that archery and charioteering are both martial, thus martial artists are not crude.
Since that is the case, why doesn’t Young Hero Chen come down and give it a try in today’s debate?”
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