Taiping Inn

Qin Su and Qin Qing returned to the Great Wilderness North Palace through Yaoyue Cave Heaven, so they saved a lot of time.

It was winter, and the Great Wilderness North Palace on Taibai Mountain seemed like a snow city ice palace, but there were only two seasons inside the Wanmiao Cave Heaven, one was spring and the other was autumn. Spring corresponded to the spring and summer seasons outside, and autumn corresponded to the autumn and winter seasons outside.

This cave heaven, located below the Tianchi Lake, was not big, far less than the Ghost Country Cave Heaven, let alone the Five Elements Cave Heaven and Kunlun Cave Heaven. It was not small to say that it was a joke, roughly equivalent to a smaller Great Wilderness North Palace, like a reflection of the Great Wilderness North Palace, and a retreat place for the saints of all generations and Qin Qing.

Now it was used to imprison Xie Zhi, which was also a special honor for Xie Zhi, but Xie Zhi did not want it at all.

After Xie Zhi entered the Wanmiao Cave Heaven, Qin Su did not seal the cave heaven immediately, but hosted a banquet in the cave heaven to entertain Xie Zhi.

Qin Su was dressed casually today, perhaps because she was back home, and her long hair was just tied up with a ribbon.

Compared to Qin Su, Xie Zhi saw Li Xuandu dressed in Fuwang Pavilion. He was not embarrassed, but definitely down and out.

The two sat across a long table. Apart from the two of them, there was no one else at the table.

Qin Su clapped her hands, and a maid brought a copper basin for washing hands, and another maid held a white towel to wipe her hands. After Qin Su washed her hands very familiarly, a maid brought a glass cup and put it on the table.

The maid reached out to open the lid of the glass cup, and there were two autumn female crabs inside, yellow and thick, plump and tempting. Then another maid brought a full set of eight crab dishes for the two.

Qin Su came from a noble family, and was not unfamiliar with these. As the queen mother, Qin Su was even more familiar with them.

Qin Su smiled and said, "It's a harsh winter outside, but it's autumn in the cave. The chrysanthemums are yellow and the crabs are fat. Although these crabs can't compare to the crabs in the south of the Yangtze River, they have a unique flavor in this cave." Xie Zhi glanced at them and nodded slightly. He first washed his hands and then took the complicated utensils. Xie Zhi was particular about eating crabs. He used the eight crab pieces in an orderly manner, tapping and peeling them slowly, which was pleasing to the eye. Qin Su didn't eat much, but watched the woman opposite chewing slowly. After half an hour, there was a lifelike crab on the table in front of Qin Su. The crab meat inside had been eaten up, leaving only the shell, while Qin Su only had half a crab, which was not eaten up. Qin Su signaled the maid to remove the crabs from the table and replace them with tea, saying, "I remember that the Empress Dowager is also from Liaodong."

"I left home when I was young and returned when I was old. My accent has not changed, but my hair has turned gray. Children meet each other without knowing each other, and ask where the guest is from with a smile." Xie Zhi sighed, "I have lived in the imperial capital for many years. I don't remember much about other things, but I remember the desire for food. The palace's meals are very particular about the food, and no matter what they eat, they must know the way to eat it, what season it is, or the origin of the allusion, and there are various ways to cook it. Just like these eight crab dishes, in the eyes of ordinary people, it is superfluous, but in my opinion, this is the essence of eating crabs."

Qin Su continued: " No matter how good the delicacies in this world are, how can they compare to fame and fortune? "

Xie Zhi sighed: "I ended up like this because of these two words."

Qin Su asked: "Does the Queen Mother regret it?"

Xie Zhi asked back: "The bandits were caught, and everyone regretted it. What are they regretting? Do they regret doing evil? Or do they regret accidentally falling into the hands of the government? Miss Qin asked me if I regretted it. Do I regret fighting for power and profit? Or do I regret accidentally losing and ending up like this? "

Qin Su said softly: "I would like to ask you."

Xie Zhi hesitated for a moment, but decided to tell the truth: "If I were allowed to go back to the second year of Tianbao, I would still do the same thing. At most, I would remember Cut the grass and root it out to prevent future troubles. ”

Qin Su said: “In this case, the Queen Mother is no different from those bandits.”

Xie Zhi laughed and said: “Even though they are all bandits, there are differences in quality. Nanhua Daojun once said: ‘When the river dries up, the valley becomes empty, and when the hills are flat, the abyss becomes full. If the sage is dead, the bandits will not rise, and the world will be peaceful and without cause. If the sage is not dead, the bandits will not stop. Although the sage is respected and the world is ruled, it is the profit-seeking bandit Zhi.’ Nanhua Daojun also said: ‘Those who steal a hook will be executed, and those who steal a country will be made marquises.’ From the second year of Tianbao to the eighth year of Tianbao, I held the power of a country. According to Nanhua Daojun, I can be said to be a bandit who stole the country. ”

Qin Su heard Xie Zhi says this, and he had no way to acuse him, so he could only say: “The Queen Mother is self-aware.

Xie Zhi changed the subject: "I am a thief who stole the country. Who are your father Qin Qing and your husband Li Xuandu?"

Qin Su was silent for a long time before she slowly said: "The Queen Mother wants to debate with me."

Xie Zhi laughed: "Isn't Li Xuandu going to judge me? He must stand upright first before he can judge me. If he himself is not upright, what is the point of judging? It is better to kill me with a sword earlier."

The reason why Qin Su's realm was not high before she met Li Xuandu was because she spent her energy on other things. She was considered a talented woman. As a disciple of Taoism, she naturally read the classics of Taishang Nanhua, but it was not difficult for her.

Qin Su thought for a moment and said slowly, "When rivers dry up, valleys will be empty. When hills are leveled, abysses can be filled. Similarly, if all saints disappear, thieves will not rise, and the world will be peaceful. If saints do not disappear, thieves will emerge in endlessly. In order to govern the world well, valuing saints will greatly benefit Dao Zhi."

Xie Zhigui was the empress dowager. Under the influence of Emperor Muzong, he also read the classics of Confucianism and Taoism, saying: "The sage is the ultimate of righteousness, and the thief is the ultimate of evil. The sage should be more good. As the saying goes, "The virtue of a gentleman, The virtue of villains is grass. The wind on the grass will surely silence. 'The more saints there are, the fewer big thieves will be."

Qin Su said: "In order to prevent thieves who unpack and snatch cabinets, they will tie the ropes and strengthen the iron locks. But when the thieves arrive, they will carry the boxes and carry the cabinets and slip away. They are afraid that the ropes and iron locks will not be strong enough. Everything a smart person does is to give up his hand in the end.”

"Nanhua Daojun uses boxes and cabinets to describe the country, and ropes and keys to describe the saints' benevolence and righteous laws. Those thieves who take away boxes and cabinets are the thieves who steal the country and even the benevolence and righteous laws and regulations."

"Nanhua Taoist Lord has mentioned in person that refuted the Confucian saint in person more than once. Daozhi's disciples asked him if there is a way to steal. Daozhi's answer was: 'If you can know what good things are in the house, it is the saint. The first thing that can lead the way is courage. The first thing that can retreat after stealing is righteousness. It is clear that theft plan can succeed is wisdom. When the spoils are finally divided, it is benevolence. 'Sage, benevolence, righteousness, Wisdom and courage, it makes perfect sense to put Confucianism on thieves. This is what is called "thieves have a way." Confucianism advocates benevolence, righteousness and etiquette, but failed to influence the thieves to follow the good, but the thieves robbed "benevolence and righteousness" instead. Come here as a program of theft.”

The smile on Xie Zhi's face gradually disappeared, and she reexamined Qin Su, and had to admit that she underestimated this girl Qin.

Qin Su continued, "The Supreme Taoist Ancestor has said: 'The supreme Taoist Ancestor will benefit a hundred times the people; the benevolence and righteousness will regain filial piety and kindness; the cleverness and profit will be abandoned, and there will be no thieves.' The Supreme Taoist Ancestor and the Nanhua Daojun are not opposed to it. Benevolence and righteousness and morality themselves are opposed to the promotion of saints and benevolence and righteousness. Once they proclaim, people will find profitable, and they will whitewash themselves like chasing fame and fortune, pretending to be saints, Virgins, and Sons, but in fact, what they do is The thief's activities."

Xie Zhi said in a deep voice: "Miss Qin said a lot, which makes sense, but Miss Qin has not answered me yet. I am a thief, so who are Qin Qing and Li Xuan?"

Qin Su said: "They both have flaws and shortcomings, and they also have various selfish desires. They are definitely not saints, but far from saints."

Xie Zhi pressed step by step: "If you are not a saint, then you will be a thief like me. Since you are both a thief, there is nothing to say about the outcome. Even if you kill me with one knife, there is nothing to say. Why should you judge me for sin?”

Qin Su asked back, "Are people and things in the world black and white? Is there no third choice except saints and thieves?"

Xie Zhi also asked back: "Is there a third color in Tai Chi Yin and Yang? Is there anything between heaven and earth that can be compared with these two?"

Qin Su fell into silence.

Xie Zhi smiled and said, "Li Xuan wants to kill me, I am waiting for the killing. This is like thieves fighting in internal conflicts, killing each other, and having big fists is the truth. Li Xuan wants to discuss my crimes, but I am afraid that it is not qualified enough. Let me ask a thief for it. What convicts another thief? Which royal law did he use?”

Qin Su whispered: "My father rejected the Liao king of the Confucian school, but he didn't want the difference between the king and the minister. If one day, my father can reform the past and innovate, he will have his own new laws."

"The tripod is innovating." Xie Zhi sneered, "Just be more direct and change the dynasty."

At this moment, Qin Qing walked into this place: "Junior Sister Xie hit the nail on the head."

Xie Zhi looked at Qin Qing, and was not surprised, and asked, "I wonder what Senior Brother Qin has to do?"

Qin Qing said: "The original words of the Supreme Taoist ancestor are: "Abstaining wisdom and abandoning justice, and the people will benefit a hundred times. Abstaining cleverness and abandoning profits, and the thieves will lose. Abstaining falsehoods and abandoning worries, and the people will regain Ji Zi. "Three things are eliminated and three things are abandoned, and there are no saints or benevolence and righteousness." The reason why it becomes a saint and abandons wisdom is because of the dispute between Confucianism and Taoism, which later generations have added. Since we talk about the dispute between Confucianism and Taoism, today I will not talk about the ancestor of Taishang Taoism and Nanhua Taoism, nor will I talk about the ancestor Yang Zhu. I will reply to Junior Sister Xie using the principles of Confucianism and the sub-sage saints."

Xie Zhi said, "I have to listen to Senior Brother Qin's high opinions."

Qin Qing said, "Asia Sheng said, 'The people are more important, the king is less important, and the country is second.' King Wu attacked Emperor Xin, and Ya Sheng said, 'I heard that a man has been killed, but I have never heard of killing a king.'"

Xie Zhi's face turned pale.

Qin Qing said again: "No one can convince others with goodness. Only by nourishing others with goodness can one can conquer the world. There is no one who can conquer the world without being convinced by the king."