Chapter 546
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Chapter 546: The Argument
Chu Kingdom, School of Fighting
Lin Jiang didn’t seek revenge against those nobles. Revenge is a lowly tactic and also a trap. If Lin Jiang were to retaliate, he would either have to kill all the noble families in Chu Kingdom or risk escalating the conflict, forcing King Chu to take a side.
No doubt, King Chu will definitely side with the nobles. Currently, Lin Jiang doesn’t have that much to gain or lose.
Lin Jiang only went to find Zhang Baolin and told him that he was willing to secretly train three Martial Saints for the Zhang family in exchange for their support. He also promised to help the Zhang family in times of trouble, standing by their side.
The Zhang family responded quickly, agreeing to all of Lin Jiang’s requests. Whether other noble families live or die is not their concern – as long as the Zhang family remains strong for eternity. Three Martial Saints are enough to ensure the Zhang family faces no threats for the next hundred years.
As time passed, Lin Jiang started receiving many letters from different places. Some scolded him, some supported him, and some discussed strategies and corrected Lin Jiang’s theories.
Lin Jiang carefully read all the letters, even the rude ones, and replied to each one. In terms of arguing, Lin Jiang believed he was no less skilled than those people.
The printing workshop was rebuilt, and the technology recovered quickly. This time, the Zhang family provided protection, and many small booklets started to spread far and wide.
In fact, Lin Jiang’s theoretical influence was even greater than he had imagined. There were many talented but unrecognized people in that era, truly struggling with dissatisfaction and unable to find a direction to strive for.
Lin Jiang’s theories acted as a guiding light for them, showing them what to do and how to fight. It gave them the courage to stand up to reality and say no.
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Qiu Zhong arrived in Chu Kingdom, coming for Lin Jiang or perhaps for Mr. Guigu.
Years ago, Qiu Zhong followed Lin Jiang’s guidance and set out from a mountain village in Qin Kingdom. He traveled far and wide, studying and lecturing along the way, also visiting renowned scholars from all over.
It was initially very difficult, especially with those scholars who had no idea who Qiu Zhong was and wouldn’t even let him in, let alone talk to him.
Therefore, Qiu Zhong turned his attention towards the common people and even the slave class. Everywhere he went, he would teach in the crowds, promoting literacy and spreading his ideas.
As more and more people followed him, Qiu Zhong’s fame grew. With his increased reputation, some scholars started to meet with him, creating a positive cycle.
During several years of traveling and learning, Qiu Zhong gradually developed his theories. He proposed many ideas, such as kindness, advocating for monarchs, nobles showing kindness, kindness towards all people, and parents showing kindness to their children.
He also emphasized the importance of etiquette, not just as ceremonial music, but as a form of order. He believed that everyone has a unique role in the world and should fulfill their responsibilities accordingly.
For example, noble ministers should be loyal to their monarch and kind to the people, warriors should train diligently and defend their country, craftsmen should refine their skills. Each person should follow their own role.
He also suggested that everyone should improve their inner character, cultivate their family, and treat others as they would want to be treated.
These ideas gained a lot of support from the common people, attracting a large following. Some even traveled to spread Qiu Zhong’s ideas. He always had dozens of followers around him, including some minor nobles.
As Qiu Zhong’s influence grew, he heard about a talented individual in the Chu Kingdom, named Lin Jiang, who had similar theories. Intrigued, he traveled there to meet him.
When Lin Jiang learned of Qiu Zhong’s arrival, he sent an invitation to meet at the Martial Arts Academy. The meeting attracted a crowd of onlookers.
The disciples of the Martial Arts Academy were passionate and ambitious, and supported Lin Jiang. It was a place where many in the Chu Kingdom admired.
Lin Jiang and Qiu Zhong sat face to face in front of the spectators, discussing their respective ideas. Lin Jiang leaned more towards Legalist philosophy.
The magic spells explained by Lin Jiang were similar to his views in Qin Kingdom, while Qiu Zhong had his own ideas.
Lin Jiang agreed with some of Qiu Zhong’s ideas and wanted to help him improve some Confucian theories. The culture of Xia Kingdom was created by Lin Jiang, and he was influenced by Confucian culture. Almost all young people in Blue Star Huaxia have been influenced by Confucianism.
For example, Lin Jiang strongly agreed with the ritual part of Qiu Zhong’s ideas, but he thought theories were not solid enough and not flexible. He believed everyone should be loyal to their identity but also promoted the idea that identities can change – a slave should not always be a slave, and a craftsman should not always be a craftsman.
Qiu Zhong disagreed with Lin Jiang’s theory of unification, as he believed unification would lead to war, destruction, and chaos. Qiu Zhong thought conflicts could be resolved in other ways, such as restoring the authority of the Xia Emperor to the situation several hundred years ago.
Qiu Zhong had already formed his own values, and neither side could convince the other. However, the focus was not on them, but on the thousands of bystanders. They needed to feel the charm of the ideas, be inspired to be dissatisfied with reality, and start developing independent thinking habits. This was the most significant outcome.
The debate between Lin Jiang and Qiu Zhong lasted for over half a month. After it ended, Chu Tiange was convinced by Lin Jiang to let Qiu Zhong teach at Chu State’s Martial Arts Academy.
The Martial Arts Academy was not just about physical training from the beginning. Lin Jiang believed that talents should excel in both scholarly and martial arts. Therefore, the academy offered some cultural courses, although these were not highly valued. As a result, Qiu Zhong became a teacher at Chu State’s Martial Arts Academy.
Qiu Zhong’s teaching level was higher than Lin Jiang’s, and within a few days, he gained the love of the disciples at the Martial Arts Academy. Many people attended his classes, and Lin Jiang also taught Qiu Zhong some martial arts.
Qiu Zhong’s ancestors were nobles and passed down martial arts skills. However, his martial arts skills were not high. Lin Jiang hoped he would have some self-defense skills, as he would inevitably need to win people over with virtue in the future.
After organizing and compiling their debate, Lin Jiang and Qiu Zhong’s writings were printed and spread quickly. People in the Chu city were eager to read them.
As the news spread further, it attracted people from other countries to come to the Martial Arts Academy for discussions. There were heated debates among different schools of thought, finally gaining some attention.
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"I incorporate teachings from Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, taking the essence from each while disregarding what I dislike. How should Taoism be promoted then?"
During his free time, Lin Jiang contemplated once again. He was determined to promote Confucianism vigorously, considering it the most advanced ideology before it was altered. For a long time, it was the ultimate goal of many aspiring individuals to govern and bring peace according to Confucian principles as they possess great effectiveness.
The Daoist ideology also plays a significant role and deeply influences the culture of Huaxia Language. However, due to Lin Jiang’s personal preference, he isn’t particularly fond of certain teachings, though he acknowledges their value.
"I will have the Tao Te Ching printed and circulated under Li Boyang’s pen name, then release Sun Tzu’s The Art of War as well. By doing so, the mission of this awakening will be accomplished. After that, I will make a trip to Qing State and then can return to a state of rest."
After much contemplation, Lin Jiang felt he had intervened enough. A civilization cannot become strong by taking shortcuts. The essence of civilization cannot be represented by mere words; it must undergo a genuine process. For instance, speaking of loyalty to the ruler and love for the country is not enough; people must act upon these values, even at great cost, to truly embody such admirable spirits.
The same applies to historical anecdotes. Without actual events occurring, how can these anecdotes be perceived as rare and authentic, and inject substance into a civilization?
After adjusting his mindset, Lin Jiang immediately made changes and started focusing on teaching his disciples martial arts.
As time went by, one of Lin Jiang’s disciples at the Chu State’s Martial Arts Academy also achieved the rank of Martial Saint, making Lin Jiang even more famous.
Lin Jiang also supported the Zhang family seriously because he had a connection with Zhang Ran’s descendants and wanted to take care of them.
After spending five years in the Chu Kingdom, Lin Jiang left suddenly one morning. However, he left behind his wealth for Qiu Zhong to recruit more disciples. He also left copies of the Dao De Jing and Sun Tzu’s Art of War at the Martial Arts Academy, printing hundreds of copies.
Leaving the Chu Kingdom, Lin Jiang traveled to various countries, spreading copies of the Dao De Jing and the Art of War. He headed north and arrived at the south bank of the Qing River, where a fierce battle was taking place.
