It is said that Qin Shihuang was controlled by a daughter

Xunzi's legs and feet were already very inconvenient, and he climbed the stacked steps of Zhangtai with great effort. Although Sikong Ma was there to support him, he was already trembling.

This is the highest place in the world. During the period when Qin conquered the six kingdoms, all the princes faced west and paid homage to the emperor at the foot of Zhangtai.

It was about forty years ago that Xunzi last came to Xianyang.

Now he clearly felt that his body was on the edge of an extreme, just one breath away from life and death.

What on earth guided him to work so hard to live for two more months?

Ten years ago, he sighed when he heard that Han Fei died in Qin prison.

The incident caused a huge uproar. Not only was the entire Qin state aware of it, the intelligence networks of the six states also learned about it at the first time, and even the entire Chu state knew about it.

"Does Xunzi want to write a letter to Qin?" Zhaoyang went to Lanling to ask. It was ten years before King You of Chu died, and Mi You still had three years to take the throne. It was only three months before Zhaoyang became the prime minister of Chu.

Upon hearing the news, Xunzi frowned slightly, closed his eyes and waved his hands.

After Zhaoyang left, he started coughing violently.

The faces of Han Fei and Li Si flashed before his eyes, as if the inseparable relationship and concentrated conversation they had in Lanling were all an illusion.

When Xunzi was young, he was also puzzled as to why there were such things as Pang Juan and Sun Bin, Zhang Yi and Su Qin, who were among their fellow students and killed each other.

It turned out that his own students could not escape this fate.

Han Fei and Li Si's arguments were always sharp, and they never concealed their extraordinary talents.

Looking at them, Xunzi wrote 'The blue is derived from the indigo, but is better than the indigo'.

Xunzi had a deep understanding of human nature. As early as when he saw Li Si pestering Han Fei to bring him to him to learn, Xunzi knew that they were destined to be the closest of friends and also deadly enemies.

As expected, one year after Han Fei's death, the State of Han was the first to be destroyed by the State of Qin.

The wind blew across the vast and empty space, bringing with it the coolness of spring.

When Xunzi entered the palace, elegant music was played, all of which showed the solemnity of the Qin State.

All four pillars are decorated with black bird patterns, with large areas of black interspersed with deep red.

In the center of the hall there is a pool of clear water, and above the pool hangs a zither, six feet long, with thirteen strings and twenty-six frets, all decorated with the seven treasures.

The court meeting did not involve any extra civil officials, only the doctoral officials.

Ying Zheng's gaze passed through the people in the hall, and no one knew who this gaze finally fell on.

Xunzi first listened to Zhang Han's report on the King of Qi's surrender in Xi'an, and finally actually participated in the court meeting in Zhangtai Palace.

He knew that this was probably the Qin State's usual thinking habit - first give people enough deterrence, and then try to tame them.

Xunzi wanted to stand up, but he was too old. The Qin Palace was spacious and everyone had to take off their shoes before entering. He felt it would be very troublesome for him to walk to the middle hall and then sit in the middle seat to talk with the king.

Unexpectedly, Ying Zheng did not sit on the high platform like his grandfather, motionless.

He stopped the action of the ceremonial officer, was the first to show courtesy, and then stood up to show his respect.

Then, he actually walked down from the platform.

Xu Zhi was also slightly shocked.

She knew that her father had always been courteous to talented people. Before Qin conquered the six kingdoms, Ying Zheng had created such an image. Now that the great cause of unification was about to be completed, anyone would be happy and complacent about it.

But now, Ying Zheng knew that Xunzi would most likely not say anything flattering, but he still maintained a good attitude.

She only heard Ying Zheng say to Xunzi:

"I know that it was not easy for Xunzi to enter Qin, and I am also puzzled. Today, I set up a banquet to help you solve your doubts. The people who taught me in the past are also in the palace. In the palace today, you should speak freely, and there is no need to consider your words. You will be blameless."

When Li Si heard Ying Zheng mention the word "guidance", he immediately nodded.

Sikong Ma, who was also at the banquet and accompanying Xunzi, also expressed his confusion.

There was also the doctoral tutor Chunyu Yue sitting on the same side. Although he was an official in Qin, he was also a doctor in Qi State and also came from a Confucian background.

Ying Zheng's attitude was beyond their expectations, but now that the king had spoken, the debate was calmer than they had imagined.

It could even be said that people on both sides were so abnormally calm that it couldn't really be considered a debate.

In the midst of calm, one can see the killing and the deep flow of still water.

Xu Zhi didn't know that what Xunzi and Li Si said in the palace was just a retelling of the conversation they had had in Lanling.

The difference is that the person who conveyed Xunzi's words this time was Sikong Ma.

When all the old-fashioned words were brought out, the situation was about to become white-hot.

Xu Zhi watched them. Although there were only the Legalists and Confucianists, he could also feel the powerful debate style.

His ability in rebuttal is hard to be matched by later generations.

Chunyu Yue, who was sitting beside him, had beads of sweat on his forehead.

Chunyu Yue had been in Qin for quite a long time since he came from Qi, but he could be rendered speechless after talking to Li Si, who came from Chu, for less than half a day.

A stubborn person will not change his mind because of a relationship with someone.

Li Si was also aggressive when speaking to his teacher.

At the table, all the doctors including Zhou Qingchen looked embarrassed.

But he saw that some people were listening with great interest, as if they were concentrating on learning.

No wonder Ying Hehua was so sharp-tongued. She often pissed him off in the doctoral office in her early years! She usually interacted with officials like Li Si, and happened to be quite interested in Li Si's son, who was considered sharp-tongued by his colleagues.

If Chunyu Yue had not found Zhang Liang from Han State and brought him back to Qin State, he would have felt saved.

The last person who could make Li Si speechless was the stuttering Han Fei. Although he stuttered, his words were very sharp and could make Li Si choke with just a few words.

Now it is Sikong Ma.

"The purpose is to discuss the teachings of various philosophers. Why does the Minister of Justice slander the elders and insist on deciding who is better?" said Sikong Ma.

"You and I have not seen each other for many years. We were both palace attendants in the past, and now we are fellow students. How can I not feel sad?" Li Si kept staring at Sikong Ma while speaking, as if he was really recalling the past.

Those eyes were originally slanted upwards, and there was a sharp knife in them. Sikong Ma knew Li Si was a pretentious person in his early years, but he didn't expect that he hadn't changed at all, including Li Xian, and the father and son were equally matched.

Sikong Ma ignored Li Si. "The teacher said that Shen Dao, Tian Pian, Deng Xi and others are not suitable for governing the country and cannot be used as guidelines for governance."

Ying Zheng, who had remained silent for a long time, finally sighed.

The first thing mentioned in Xunzi's words is Shen Dao, who represents the trend of the Legalists.

Xunzi did not mention Shang Yang and Shen Buhai. One of them was a legalist in Qin State, and the other was a legalist in Han State. Han State was the first to be destroyed and the first to be purged.

Xunzi was aware of these changes that were taking place.

He saw his tablets being burned to charcoal.

It was Ying Hehua who ran up to him and said, "I have sent someone to save your book on a silk book, and will present it to my father that night. The appearance of the bamboo slips is just to deceive people. It's a pity that the book you have carved with your own hands for many years cannot be completed by Yong'an, so you must do something else to make up for it."

——"The thoughts of the people should be taken seriously."

——"Princess, what do you mean?"

She just smiled to herself and did not deny her identity. When Li Xian, the son of Li Si, was about to approach them, she said, "If people are not made to feel the fear of power, they will never understand it."

Xunzi was shocked at how she could say such a thing. From what he knew, Princess Yong'an of Qin State had always put the rule of Qin first, and she was definitely a proud student of the Legalists.

Now, she stood in front of Zhangtai Palace.

No more words were needed, he looked at her deeply.

There is an uncanny resemblance between her and Ying Zheng.

Perhaps it is the same as the doctrine he firmly believes in.

Beneath the tender smile, there is an absolutely powerful and iron-blooded wrist.

This is what is called - Confucian skin and legalistic bones.

Xunzi's words pointed out Shen Dao and rejected Shen Dao's method of governing the country, which clearly expressed his attitude.

"What is the way to govern a country?" Ying Zheng asked Xunzi in a deep voice.

Xunzi was different from previous Confucian scholars in that he did not reject the role of law.

"Establish the authority of the ruler to control them, clarify the propriety and righteousness to transform them, establish the law to govern them, and impose heavy penalties to prohibit them."

Li Si smiled, and the teacher continued to guide the students patiently.

"In terms of law, tactics and power, Han Fei should be the one. He said: Confucius and Mozi are both knowledgeable and wise, but they don't till the fields, so how can the country benefit? Zengzi is filial and has few desires, but Zengzi doesn't attack and fight, so how can the country benefit?" Obviously, he was not comfortable with this gradually harmonious atmosphere. "He thought that Qin's prosperity and strength were not due to benevolence and righteousness, but just to facilitate its work."

The purpose of doing business is to make decisions. Confucianism is based on benevolence and righteousness, so it is inevitable that it will not think this is reasonable.

However, the Qin State is now indeed relying on offensive strategies to destroy the six states and is about to take control of the world.

Xu Zhi took over the conversation and said, "Han Fei also said that Confucians use literature to disrupt the law. Confucians, citing the ancient kings as a reference to benevolence and righteousness, dress up in fancy clothes and embellish their arguments, in order to cast doubt on the laws of the time and discredit the ruler. But Mr. Han Fei could not have guessed that people's hearts are fickle. Aren't you, Lord Tingwei, missing the point?"

She looked at Xunzi instantly.

She felt a little nervous. If Xunzi did not cooperate with her, her words would seem to be praising Li Si, but in fact she was bringing up the saying that Li Si killed Han Fei again.

If someone else said this, Li Si would not react too much.

But Ying Hehua clearly knew that Han Fei was still alive.

Her remarks have already revealed her irreconcilable attitude from now on!

Outsiders think that she has a close relationship with the Li family.

It was no secret among the court officials that the Li family found Han Chen annoying. Without saying a word, Ying Hehua expelled Master Zhang, who had taught her for many years, from Xianyang.

In fact, only they themselves know how bad the real situation is.

Xu Zhi knew that Ying Zheng was her greatest support. But power was useless to someone like Xunzi.

Because of Ying Hehua's words, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly changed.