"The people can be made to follow a path, but they cannot be made to understand it. The reasoning behind this is more than just words."

On the hillside that day, Zuo Duanyou, who had been silent all along, finally spoke. At his age, he had seen too many people and things, and even Ning Yi's cry of "survival of the fittest" had not moved him. Only in his last few mocking mutterings could one sense a strange aura.

Ning Yi, who was sitting there, looked up at the old man, his eyes as calm as a deep pool. Although there were hundreds of people facing off around them, at this moment, it was still a scene of tranquility. Ning Yi's voice rang out calmly.

"My wife's family is in the cloth business. Since ancient times, people have learned to weave cloth, initially by simply twisting the thread by hand. This process lasted for hundreds or even thousands of years, and then the spinning wheel and spindle appeared. Later, there was the spinning machine. From the early Wu Dynasty, the imperial court emphasized commerce, and small workshops began to appear, improving the looms. Over the past two hundred years, the development of looms has led to an efficiency increase of more than five times compared to the early Wu Dynasty. During this time, the craftsmanship of each household was different. My wife improved the loom, increasing its efficiency by about 20% compared to ordinary weaving households and cloth merchants. Later, in the capital, I had people improve the loom, which took about a year and a half. Now, the efficiency of the loom is about ten times that of the early Wu Dynasty. Of course, we are in the mountains, and we are not selling cloth for the time being."

Zuo Duanyou and Li Pin frowned, watching Ning Yi clasp his hands together and continue speaking.

"Observe the operation of all things, exhaustively investigate the principles of heaven and earth. There is a water-powered workshop by the river at the foot of the mountain, which can be connected to the loom. If the manpower is fast enough, the efficiency can be doubled again. Of course, water-powered workshops have always existed, but the cost is not low, and maintenance and repair are a problem. I made several blast furnaces in the mountains to study steel. Under high temperatures, the steel becomes more flexible. Using such steel in the workshop can reduce the wear and tear of the workshop. We are looking for better lubrication methods, but at the extreme, with the same manpower and the same time, the production of cloth can be increased to thirty to fifty times that of the early Wu Dynasty."

"We researched hot air balloons, which is the big Kongming lantern in the sky, which can provide a bird's-eye view of the entire field. The way of fighting will change. I am best at using gunpowder. You have already seen what is buried underground. In the past few years, the improvement of my gunpowder usage has surpassed the accumulation of the previous two hundred years of the Wu Dynasty. Muskets cannot yet replace bows and arrows, but there may be breakthroughs in three to five years."

"Therefore, human power is limited, but material power is unlimited. Li Heng is indeed a member of the Mohist school?" Zuo Duanyou said.

Ning Yi shook his head: "No, I'm just talking about these things first. Lord Zuo, you say that the people can be made to follow a path, but they cannot be made to understand it. This reasoning is not just talk. Let me tell you this." He said: "I very much agree with it."

"This is the reasoning left by our ancestors, and it is even more in line with the principles of heaven and earth." Ning Yi said, "Some people interpret it as, 'The people can be made to do things, and if they cannot be made to do things, they cannot be made to know things.' These are all the delusions of poor scholars, who really take themselves seriously. The world has no reason for fools to speak. If the world allows all people to speak, the world will collapse even faster. Lord Zuo, wouldn't you agree?"

Zuo Duanyou did not speak. But this was, in fact, the supreme principle of heaven and earth.

"Clever people rule foolish people. There is no sentimentality here, only the principles of heaven. When things happen, clever people know how to analyze them, how to find patterns, and how to find a way out. Foolish people are at a loss. How can they be allowed to intervene in major matters?"

"In ancient times, there were a hundred schools of thought contending, and naturally there were people who pitied the masses, including the Confucian school, which educated the world, hoping that one day all people could understand reason and everyone could be a gentleman. We call ourselves literati. What is a literati?"

"Since Cangjie created writing, writing has recorded the insights and wisdom of each generation and lifetime, passed down to future generations. Therefore, human children do not need to explore from scratch. The wisdom of the ancestors can be passed down and accumulated from generation to generation, so that mankind can stand in the forest of all things. Literati are those who transmit wisdom, but can wisdom be spread throughout the world? For thousands of years, there has been no possibility."

"There are not enough books, and children have different aptitudes. Moreover, transmitting wisdom is far more complicated than transmitting words. Therefore, wise men hold power and assist the emperor in governing. Those who cannot inherit wisdom till the land, work, and serve others, which is the orderly manifestation of heaven and earth. They only need to be led. If they cannot be led, kill them! If they truly need to know, how much trouble will it take in this world! As for Taiyuan City, whether to defend it, whether to fight it, how to defend it, and how to fight it, the officials of the court have looked at it for a lifetime and still cannot see it clearly. How can the common people know it? This rule is in harmony with the way of heaven!"

Ning Yi's words were as cold as stone. He fell silent here, and when he spoke again, his words became gentler.

"For thousands of years, people have found many ways, and this is the only way that can work. For thousands of years, the Confucian school and many power holders have set down rules. Within these rules, ordinary common people, whether they know it or not, whether they do it or not, cannot go against the overall situation. Once the rules are set, it is decided that when Bianliang City is broken, they will die whether they are innocent or not. Innocence is just a saying, it has no meaning. Lord Zuo, Brother Li, this is the rule set by that thing you approve of. If it's messed up, you are the ones who pity them, saying how innocent they are, how cold-blooded I am, and how cruel the enemy is. If I die with them, will I no longer be cold-blooded?"

"I am not here to accuse you two, and I never want to accuse the Confucian school. Accusations are meaningless. We often say that there must be a price to pay for doing wrong. Zhou Zhe can use his life as a price. The Confucian school is just a concept, there is only the distinction between useful and useless. But the Confucian school... is a circle..."

His words trailed off here, his voice gradually lowering. Li Pin thought he was a little helpless, but he saw Ning Yi pick up a branch and slowly draw a circle on the ground.

"The Confucian school is a circle." he said. "Our learning emphasizes the holistic unity of heaven and earth. Within this circle, scholars of Confucianism have been searching for the principles of order in all things. From the pre-Qin period, the people still had a martial spirit. By the Han Dynasty, it perished due to strength alone. Any state in the Han Dynasty could wipe out the surrounding nomadic peoples ten times over. The martial spirit gradually diminished by the Tang Dynasty. When Confucianism developed to the Wu Dynasty, it was found that the more obedient the people were, the less likely this circle was to have problems, and the court could be ensured lasting peace. Lord Zuo, Brother Li, the books of Prime Minister Qin contain the supreme principles of Confucianism."

He looked at the two of them: "The principles in his books can determine the order of all things, heaven, earth, ruler, parents, teacher, ruler, minister, son. It can be clear and understandable. If you read this book thoroughly, you will know what position you should be in in this life. Leading people to desire and to follow the principles of heaven. Within the framework of this circle, this is your treasure."

"Prime Minister Qin is truly a genius." The books were still on the table. Ning Yi pushed the two books forward, "Then there is only one problem left."

"If there were only internal problems forever, and everyone lived a happy life, without thinking or asking, it would actually be quite good." The mountain breeze paused slightly. Ning Yi shook his head: "But this circle cannot solve the problem of external aggression. The more orderly everything is, the more castrated the people are, and the more devoid of heroism they become. Of course, it will cope in another way. When foreign tribes invade and occupy the Central Plains, they will discover that only Confucianism can govern this country most stably. They will begin to learn Confucianism and begin to castrate their own heroism. To a certain extent, the Han people will revolt, recapture the country, and after regaining the country, they will begin to castrate themselves again, waiting for the next foreign invasion to arrive. Thus, the rulers will be replaced, but the orthodox lineage will endure. This is a foreseeable future."

"...What are you trying to say?" Li Pin looked at the circle, his voice low, and asked a question.

"Where did your original intention to pass on wisdom go?" Ning Yi asked, "Everyone to be a gentleman, cannot be achieved for a time, but what about the possibility? The Confucianism in your hands is exquisite, but in order to seek order in heaven and earth, it has begun to castrate the people's heroism. Returning to the beginning... Is the path of Confucianism wrong?"

This was just a simple question, simply echoing on the hillside. The surrounding area was silent for a moment. Zuo Duanyou said, "You are talking about something that has no solution."

Ning Yi picked up the branch and pointed to the inside of the circle, drawing a long line extending out: "This morning, news came back from outside the mountain that the nine thousand troops of Xiaocang River left the mountain yesterday, successively defeating several thousand Xixia troops. Outside Yanzhou City, they faced the nineteen thousand Xixia soldiers led by Jila Sele and defeated them head-on, killing four thousand enemies. According to the original plan, at this time, the army has gathered under Yanzhou City and begun to attack the city!"

"What?" Zuo Duanyou and Li Pin were shocked.

……

A huge and bizarre balloon floated in the sky. The bright weather made the atmosphere in the city filled with a palpable murderous aura that hinted at the coming thunder of war.

On the north side of Yanzhou City, a hunched man with tattered clothes carried his burden and walked on the restricted streets. As he approached the corner of the opposite road, a small team of Xixia soldiers patrolled towards him, drawing their swords and saying something.

The hunchback had already stepped forward. Dull sword light emerged from both sides of his body and plunged into the crowd. More figures leaped out from nearby.

Outside the city, two thousand light cavalry were rapidly circling towards the north gate...

……

"I didn't tell them much..." On the small hillside, Ning Yi was speaking, "They have pressure, the threat of life and death, and most importantly, they are fighting for their own survival. When they can fight for themselves, their lives are so magnificent. Don't you two feel moved? It is not only gentlemen who read books that can live like this in the world."

"Brother Li, you say that you pity the innocent people, but your pity has no meaning in the face of the world. Your pity is empty. The world cannot get anything from your pity. What I am worried about is that the people are suffering. I am worried that they cannot fight for themselves. I am worried that they cannot awaken and live. I am worried that they are ignorant. I am worried that when they are slaughtered, they are like pigs and dogs but cannot die heroically. I am worried that their souls are pale when they die."

His expression was serious, and he paused for a moment. Li Pin did not speak, and Zuo Duanyou did not speak either. After a while, Ning Yi's voice rang out again.

"The Wang family's paper making and printing workshops, under my improvement, are more than five times more efficient than they were two years ago. As long as we explore the principles of heaven and earth, there is still a lot of room for improvement in their efficiency. What I said earlier, these improvements in efficiency are because merchants pursue profit. Pursuing profit leads to greed, and because of greed and wanting to be lazy, people will look at these principles and think of many ways. In Confucianism, they think it is ingenious and licentious, and they think that being lazy is not good. But in fact, material power is endless. It has far more potential than you imagine. And the most basic point of educating all people is that you must first let all people have books to read."

Li Pin widened his eyes: "You want to encourage greed!?"

"Greed is good. If **Gewu** [investigation of things] is to develop, it cannot be promoted by three or two Confucian scholars thinking randomly in their spare time. We must mobilize the wisdom of everyone. To let everyone in the world be able to read, there is still a long way to go, but it is not without hope."

Ning Yi didn't even blink. He stretched out the branch and modified the line he had drawn on the ground to make a circle, "But the Confucian school is a circle, and the Wu Dynasty is a circle. If the commerce of the Wu Dynasty continues to develop, merchants will seek status. Similarly, if we want artisans to seek breakthroughs in skills, artisans must also have status. But this circle must be orderly and will not allow major changes. If the Wu Dynasty and Confucianism continue to develop, they will block this path in order to maintain order. But I want to let this path go out."

"When Fang La rebelled, he said that the law is equal, without high or low. Simply put, I will give everyone in the world the same status. **Huaxia** [China] belongs to the people of **Huaxia**, and everyone has the responsibility to defend their territory and the right to defend it. From now on, scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants will no longer be different."

"In this way, the circle is no longer orderly... I will smash this Confucian school."

Ning Yi's expression was calm, and the words he spoke were always plain, but as the wind blew, the abyss had already begun to appear.

"You..." The old man's voice was like thunder.

"Utterly rebellious—"

……

Yanzhou City.

The sound of war had begun to shake the city walls. At the north gate, a shocking battle was expanding.

An elite team of more than a hundred people emerged from the city and began to attack the city gate's defenses. A large number of Xixia soldiers surrounded them from nearby. Outside the city, two thousand light cavalry dismounted at the same time, dragging springs, hooks, and modular ladders, and attached them to the city walls. The intense fighting lasted for a moment, and warriors covered in blood opened a gap in the city gate from the inside and pushed it open with all their might.

In the alleys inside the city gate, countless Xixia soldiers surged in. Outside the city, wooden boxes were briefly erected to form a pontoon bridge, and Black Flag Army soldiers holding shields and spears rushed in one after another. Amidst the hysterical shouts, some people pushed the door, some rushed over, expanding the vortex of fighting!

Near the east gate, in the silent military formation, Qu Qing pulled out his steel saber, wrapped the red scarf behind the handle around his wrist, bit one end with his teeth, and tightened it. Behind him, many people were doing the same action as him.

"Get ready—"

People shouted.

In the north of the city, soldiers surged into the city gate...

……

Zuo Duanyou's voice was still echoing on the hillside. Ning Yi calmly stood up, his eyes had become cold.

"Smashing the Confucian school is only the first step. But only by smashing it can we promote **Gewu**, and only by promoting **Gewu** can we make resources no longer scarce. Only then can people understand reason and know heroism, so that all the people in the world, like these soldiers of Xiaocang River, are no longer innocent. I have no prejudice against the Confucian school. I will go my way and let you know. Old Qin's mantle has already been given to you. You can go your own way, repair it, change it, pass it on. All are possible, as long as you can solve the problems in front of you."

"If you can solve the Jurchens, solve me, maybe you have already allowed the Confucian school to accommodate heroism, and people can live like human beings. I will be very gratified. If you can't do it, I will build the new era on the ruins of the Confucian school and offer sacrifices to you forever. If none of us can do it, then let the Jurchens step over this world once."

On the small hillside, an oppressive and cold atmosphere was spreading. This complicated matter did not make people feel passionate, especially for the two Confucian scholars. The old man originally wanted to be angry, but at this time, he was no longer angry. Li Pin's eyes were doubtful, with a sense of bewilderment, "How did you become so extreme?" However, many years ago, he had never understood Ning Yi either.

At that time, the sky was bright, the wind was gentle, and the Xiaocang River situation had not been resolved, and new good news had not arrived. In this small place, a madman spoke mad words. In a short period of time, there were too many things in his words, and they were even straightforward, making them difficult to digest. At the same time, in Yanzhou City in the northwest, warriors bearing the black flag with the Chen Star were already rushing into the city, holding weapons and fighting hard. For this world, their battle was so lonely, and they were hated by everyone in the world.

And if we look forward from the long river of history, at this moment, they are also declaring war on everyone in the world.

As Ning Yi walked out, Zuo Duanyou said from behind: "If you really intend to do this, you will soon be the enemy of all Confucian scholars in the world."

"Do you know what's interesting?" Ning Yi turned around, "To defeat me, you must at least become like me."

He looked at the hundred or so people gathered nearby, "Those who can run out of Xiaocang River will not be hunted down." These hundred or so people already had the determination to die, but at this time, some of them were slightly stunned. Li Pin reacted and shouted from behind: "Don't fall for his trick—"

Ning Yi walked out of the crowd and waved his hand:

"—Kill!"

Ants carry mud, butterflies dance; deer drink water, wolves chase; tigers roar in the mountains, people walk in the world. On this vast land for thousands of years, some lives will shine...