When people were in Qin, they captured Zhao and questioned Qin.

Chapter 40 Knowledge and Action

Hearing Master Xu's rather blunt words, Madam Han felt a little embarrassed, and then became worried about Zhao Heng. She hesitated to speak to Madam Fu beside her.

However, in this situation, there was naturally no room for Madam Fu to interject.

The latter could only gently shake his head at Madam Han, signaling her to remain calm and observe the situation.

Standing in the hall, Zhao Heng remained calm, not at all surprised. In his memory, Master Xu was a man of upright character, who acted according to his own principles and could not be swayed by human sentiment.

Moreover, these words were less of a challenge and more of a test, to see if Zhao Heng was worthy of Lord Xinling, or perhaps the Mohist master who might be hiding behind the scenes, to treat him with such generosity and gifts of books; and whether he was worthy of Master Xu himself staying in his residence and receiving the care and instruction of a mere child.

It should be noted that these days, even if you want to cultivate talent and recruit capable individuals, you still need to see if the other party is willing to give you the opportunity.

Have you not seen how even a powerful figure like Lord Xinling, Wei Wuji, went so far as to personally drive the chariot through the city to recruit Hou Ying, a seventy-year-old gatekeeper of Daliang?

Even when Hou Ying got off the carriage midway to visit his friend Zhu Hai and talked for a long time without leaving, leaving the famous Lord Xinling standing in the bustling city, Lord Xinling waited for a long time like an ordinary coachman, without changing his expression, thus earning the reputation of "treating scholars with courtesy".

Compared to Lord Xinling, what is Master Xu's current examination?

So Zhao Heng simply stepped forward and bowed:

"Please ask, Master. I am but a junior scholar of limited knowledge, and I speak presumptuously. If there is anything inappropriate, please correct me."

His posture was respectful, but not humble.

Master Xu stroked his short beard, his gaze lingering on Zhao Heng's face for a moment. Instead of immediately asking a question, he said:

"This question is not easy. If you feel it is inconvenient to answer in front of everyone in the hall, or if you need time to think about it carefully, I can write the question on a bamboo slip, which you can take back to your quiet room to think about carefully before sending your answer to the inn. The way of learning is not something to be rushed."

Upon hearing this, Madam Han's expression relaxed slightly, realizing that Master Xu was not entirely unreasonable.

However, Zhao Heng shook his head.

"Thank you for your understanding, Master. However, the essence of academic discussion lies in on-the-spot debate. Answering in private would seem like cowardice or a shortcut. Moreover, I am young and inexperienced. If I ponder alone, I will have no one to ask for guidance when I encounter difficulties or obstacles, and I may easily go astray. It would be better if you asked me your question now, Master, and I could answer it immediately. If there are any errors or biases, you can correct me on the spot. This is the true meaning of seeking knowledge."

This little guy...

Zi Nu couldn't help but smile. This Zhao Heng was indeed the Zhao Heng she remembered, or rather, the Zhao Heng she had come to know after these few encounters.

Master Xu was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

He took a closer look at the boy in front of him, who was not even as tall as his chest. He saw that the boy was calm and had clear and determined eyes, and there was no sign of him being stubborn or flustered.

After a moment, a fleeting look of admiration flashed in Master Xu's eyes, and he nodded.

"it is good."

He said no more, turning his gaze to the several large wooden boxes filled with books that his attendants had carried in from outside the hall, before looking back at Zhao Heng.

"People seek books because they seek knowledge. Today, I am here on the orders of Lord Xinling to present you, my lord, with fifteen volumes of classic texts, comprising seventy-one chapters, all the fruits of the wisdom of the ancients. So, what do you think, my lord?"

He paused briefly and asked:

What is "knowledge"?

For a moment, the expressions of the people in the hall varied.

Madam Han frowned. Although she was born into the royal family of Korea and had received an education, she was not proficient in such classical texts and principles. She felt that the question sounded simple, but it was probably full of hidden meanings. She couldn't help but worry about her son.

Madam Fu stood by, her worry barely concealed.

Lord Xue stroked his beard and smiled, his eyes revealing obvious interest and anticipation. He even leaned forward slightly, clearly paying close attention to this impromptu test.

As for Zi Nu, she also frowned and pondered.

Even based on her own education, she was momentarily at a loss when faced with this question. Master Xu's question seemed simple, but the word "knowledge" is fundamental to learning; how could it be answered so easily?

However, a strong sense of anticipation inexplicably rose in her heart.

For some reason, Zi Nu always felt that this young master, who repeatedly surprised her, could always approach things that were difficult for ordinary people to understand from an unexpected yet reasonable angle, and offer refreshing insights.

Under everyone's attention, Zhao Heng lowered his eyes, as if deep in thought.

What is "knowledge"?

If he were to understand this question using the fragmented and disparate modern knowledge he had gained in his previous life, the scope would be far too broad.

It can be interpreted as "knowledge", "understanding", "wisdom", or "cognition".

Which one was Master Xu asking about?

But at that moment, some words and thoughts that he had never deliberately studied, and that he had never even encountered in his past or present life, suddenly surfaced in his mind like pearls and jade that had been submerged at the bottom of the water, after being gently stirred by this question.

The opening of the Book of Master Guigu states: "Observe the opening and closing of Yin and Yang to determine the nature of things, know the gateway to existence and extinction, plan the beginning and end of all things, understand the principles of human nature, see the signs of change, and guard the gateway."

Subsequently, the Tao Te Ching also recorded: "He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened."

In the Analects, Book 2, Chapter 2, Zigong asked about the gentleman, and Confucius replied, "He acts before he speaks, and then speaks according to his words." Confucius also said, "To know what you know, and to know what you don't know, that is true knowledge."

"..."

Countless classic texts flowed through my mind, and countless words of sages came to mind, corroborating and complementing each other.

This natural feeling was as if Zhao Heng's soul had long been well-versed in the books of various schools of thought and had a thorough understanding of the essential meanings of the various philosophers.

Zhao Heng was no longer surprised by his own "talent," and with such erudition, if he followed the conventional path of quoting classics and explaining the various meanings of "knowledge," it might not be outstanding, but it would be a safe course of action.

But what Master Xu wants to hear is probably not these things.

To be honest, Zhao Heng really wanted to keep this master swordsmith in his sight.

Not only did Master Xu personally forge the "Water Cold Sword," a divine weapon that later ranked seventh in the sword manual commented on by Feng Huzi, the sword appraiser of the Chu Kingdom; but his father and mother were also legendary figures who forged the demonic sword "Shark Tooth" and the divine weapon "Broken Rainbow," respectively.

Regardless of the profound heritage of his family of swordsmiths, from Zhao Heng's current perspective, if he could win Master Xu's trust and assistance, the textile technology could be developed as soon as possible.

Even if Master Xu insisted on staying at the inn, he might be able to gradually make contact and seek help by relying on Lord Xinling's favor and his own sincerity, but that process would inevitably take a long time and be subject to unpredictable changes.

A moment later, Zhao Heng raised his head.

"Master, there are two possible answers to this question."

Master Xu's eyebrows twitched slightly: "I would like to hear the details."

"Firstly," Zhao Heng pondered, "'Knowledge' means to understand and discern. It means to know the principles of the operation of heaven and earth, to know the reasons for the rise and fall of humankind, and to know the distinction between good and evil, right and wrong. This 'knowledge' is found in learning, in thinking, and in observation."

Mrs. Han felt somewhat relieved. Although she didn't quite understand the meaning behind it, what her son said was clearly very reasonable.

Zhao Heng paused slightly, then spoke more slowly:

"Secondly, 'knowledge' means knowing oneself and knowing others. It means knowing one's own abilities and limitations, and knowing what others desire and fear. This 'knowledge' lies in sincerity, forgiveness, and moderation."

Upon hearing this, Lord Xue nodded slightly, gently stroking his beard with his fingers, his eyes showing approval.

Even among the many talented young people he had met, and even some scholars studying at the Jixia Academy in Qi, the thoughts and insights they could muster in a short time when faced with such a sudden question were probably only at this level.

However, Master Xu remained silent upon hearing this, his face showing little emotion.

But Zhao Heng pondered for a moment and then said, "However, in my opinion, neither of these two interpretations fully captures the complete picture of 'knowledge'."

"Oh?"

A strange look flashed across Master Xu's face.

"Knowledge and discernment are certainly important, but if one merely remains at the level of knowledge without putting it into action to verify it, is this knowledge genuine? Is it reliable? Knowing oneself and others is indeed valuable, but if one merely remains at the level of insight without verifying and adjusting through interaction, is this knowledge accurate? Is it dependable?"

Zhao Heng closed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly opened them again: "Therefore, I believe that the most important 'knowledge' is the knowledge of 'unity of knowledge and action'."

Upon hearing this, Xue Gong's fingers, which were stroking his beard, suddenly paused. Zi Nu's delicate eyebrows, which had been slightly furrowed, suddenly relaxed, and a look of bewilderment appeared on her face before she stared intently at Zhao Heng again.

Master Xu was slightly startled, and his usually serious and calm eyes suddenly flashed with an astonishing light as he stared intently at Zhao Heng's face.

"To know but not to act is to not know."

Zhao Heng did not pause, but continued:

"For example, if one knows the art of farming but refuses to work in the fields, what benefit is there in agriculture? For example, if one knows the way to govern the people but refuses to understand their plight, what use is there in national affairs? For example..."

He glanced at the boxes of books outside the hall, then looked at Master Xu again:

"For example, if Lord Xinling were to gift me with classical texts, but I only know how to bury myself in them and memorize their principles, yet do not know how to apply them to the world or how to benefit the common people, then what is the meaning of this 'knowledge'?"

After he finished speaking, the hall fell silent for a moment.

Mrs. Han was already feeling dizzy from listening to the explanations of "knowing" and "not knowing," "doing" and "not doing," which left her feeling lost and confused, finding the explanations profound and difficult to understand.

But seeing that even the usually cold and stern Master Xu seemed to be shaken, and that even the usually gentle and composed Master Xue was serious and deep in thought, she didn't understand why, but she knew that what her son said must be of great importance. She gripped the hem of her dress even tighter, knelt there, and was so nervous that she almost held her breath.

But then, Xue Gong was taken aback for a moment, and then clapped his hands and praised, "Wonderful, wonderful! Unity of knowledge and action... Concise and to the point! Hearing these words today, I feel enlightened. I am ashamed that my daily reading has only grasped the verses and has not reached this level."

Zi Nu's usually calm and smiling purple eyes were now surprisingly bright.

She stared intently at the young man standing tall in the hall, her eyes sparkling with a strange light, her gaze seemingly trying to penetrate his indigo robe and see him clearly from the inside out.

Seeing Xue Gongju's reaction, Madam Han and Madam Fu finally felt relieved, but then they both turned their anxious gaze to Master Xu, who was deciding whether to stay or leave.

Master Xu remained silent for a long time.

He stared at Zhao Heng, his sharp eyes seeming to pierce through the young man. After a long while, he slowly spoke, his voice lower than before: "Young master...where did you get this idea?"

Zhao Heng pondered for a moment, but ultimately just shook his head, and then answered frankly:

"As for where it came from, I really can't say. I only know that the classics that Lord Xinling presented to me today contain the 'wisdom' of the ancients; and how to use this 'wisdom' to benefit people today is perhaps what Your Majesty and Master expect of me."

Master Xu remained silent for a long time after hearing this.

Suddenly, he stood up and took a step back, raising his hands to straighten his coarse linen short brown clothes and brush off non-existent dust from his cuffs.

Then, he faced Zhao Heng, cupped his hands and bowed, performing an extremely proper, even respectful, bow.

"Master Xu, I apologize for my rudeness. Your theory of 'unity of knowledge and action' is simple yet profoundly reflects the essence of our Mohist school's principle of 'valuing action and substance.' I have studied the classics for decades and consider myself well-versed in their meaning, but I have never seen 'knowledge' and 'action' as clearly as you have. I have learned a great deal."

As he spoke, he straightened up, his expression still serious, but his tone resolute:

"If you, young master, do not find me unworthy, I am willing to take up residence in your mansion immediately. From now on, if you have any questions, I will do my utmost to answer them; if you have any plans regarding your travels, I am also willing to lend you a hand. I only hope that when we discuss our studies, you will not hold back and will offer your guidance."

Zhao Heng quickly returned the greeting:

"Master, you flatter me. I am young and inexperienced, and I am just about to ask you for guidance."

Seeing this, Madam Han finally smiled with relief. She hurriedly got up and instructed Madam Fu, "Quickly make arrangements to prepare that quiet room in the east wing for Master Xu to stay in. All the necessary furnishings should be provided according to the etiquette for an honored guest."

With a relieved and joyful expression, Madam Fu left as instructed.

Lord Xue clapped his hands and laughed again: "Excellent! Excellent! It's truly a perfect match, complementing each other perfectly. If His Majesty knew how well Master Xu and the young master get along, and heard the young master's words today, he would surely be greatly pleased and overjoyed!"

Zi Nu also stood up at the right time and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Master, on finding such a talented person. Young Master, your learning and skills will surely reach new heights."

Master Xu nodded in return, but his gaze remained fixed on Zhao Heng.

The magnate truly had foresight.

This child is fit to join my Mohist school.