books44 Chapter 561 Young China said.
Chapter 561 Young China said.
Ye Kun accepted the challenge:
"I have also quoted the "Song of the Yue People" you mentioned. In ancient times, the emperor was far away and had no influence on the people. But please look at one thing, Dayu's flood control. Without Dayu's leadership, could the people control the flood themselves?"
Ruan Xiong was stunned and shook his head: "No."
Ye Kun looked at everyone and said with a smile:
"The monkeys that go up the mountain all know how to cooperate and unite. Humans are the same, they are suitable for living in groups, not alone. When living in a group, you need a leader to coordinate management and assign tasks. This is the meaning of the existence of the court and government. If there is no court and country, you will have trouble eating salt.
I believe that none of you seven great sages of the Bamboo Forest combined can boil the sea to make salt. If you can complete boiling salt and smelting iron by yourselves, I lose. "
The audience burst into laughter.
Ruan Xiong's face turned pale with anxiety, and he said casually: "Does Your Majesty know how to boil salt and smelt iron?"
He Tiantian chuckled, stood up and said:
"As we all know, it was the emperor who improved the salt refining method, so we can eat refined salt. Iron refining was also a technology improved by the emperor. The five major science and technology cities in the country were all established under the emperor's auspices. If you don't believe me, you can ask everyone here."
Ruan Xiong looked around, hesitated to speak, and sat down.
Zhuang Buwen stood up and said, "Your Majesty, please answer directly, why should scholars serve the country?"
Ye Kun nodded: "I have already said that the purpose of the country's existence is to coordinate the division of labor and distribute the fruits of labor. You enjoy the fruits of the country's development, so you should contribute to the country."
Zhuang Buwen chuckled and said, "Your Majesty, we have never received a single cent of salary from the court."
"It's a farce and makes no sense." Ye Kun shook his head and said:
"You used to write on bamboo slips and wooden tablets. A book of ten thousand words needed a horse-drawn carriage to pull it. I led the improvement of papermaking technology, which greatly increased paper production, and only then did you have your "Bamboo Forest Talks". You wear cotton clothes, use iron pots, hold porcelain bowls, and taste the delicious food cooked with refined salt and chili peppers, but you say that you have not enjoyed the fruits of the country's development?
"If you drink water without remembering its source, or if you pick up the bowl to eat and put it down to curse your mother, is this the demeanor of a Confucian scholar?"
Zhuang Buwen was stunned for a moment, then slowly sat down.
The college students in the audience cheered for Ye Kun together!
In the bamboo forest camp, another person stood up and clasped his fists and said:
"Your Majesty, the Han Empire inherited the foundation of the Ding Empire, but the Ding Empire has been around for four hundred years. The old empire is in tatters. The four hundred years of foundation are shaky. At this moment, we should take a laissez-faire approach and recuperate. However, Your Majesty has initiated numerous large-scale projects and continued to expand. Is this a move that benefits the people?"
"Who said that the empire is riddled with holes?" Ye Kun stared at the man and said slowly:
"You spend the whole day drinking in the bamboo forest, not caring about worldly affairs and doing things behind closed doors. I suggest that you go out for a walk and take a look. China is now thriving and full of laughter. Don't you think it's ridiculous that you talk nonsense without any investigation or visit?"
Zhuang Buwen stood up again and said, "But my neighbor's son died of an illness while on an expedition to Jiaozhi. His parents cried all day long. Can this be considered laughter and joy?"
The whole audience was silent.
Ye Kun looked at everyone and said slowly:
"I have also been to Jiaozhi and Yunmian, cutting through the mountains and going deep into the barren land. My junior sister Gongsun Erniang promoted ventilation stoves all over the country, and is still managing Liaoze Lake. My junior sister Dingding has been rooted in the Yunmian Mountains for three years. She is in her prime, but she has been working hard and is skinny.
General Wang Meng, one of the Five Tiger Generals, contracted an illness in Yunmian and was never allowed to return to his hometown. Now he is isolated on a deserted island, still mining tin for China. General Qin Erwu, with a lame leg, is still expanding territory for China...
They, like your neighbors, are Chinese heroes, and we will never forget them. Our annual pensions, amounting to hundreds of millions, take care of the families of every soldier who died in battle!
Without these people fighting bravely and carrying heavy loads, how could you be free and easy in the bamboo forest, drinking and having fun?
If the Chinese people want to rise, someone must make sacrifices. Gongsun Erniang and Ding Ding, women, still fight for the country without any effort. You seven-foot-tall men, who are lazy and ignorant, talk big all day long, living a life of drunkenness and dreams. Do you feel a little ashamed?"
The college students in the audience became excited and stood up one after another, pointing their fingers at Zhuang Buwen and the others: "You are not worthy of debating with the emperor, get out!"
Zhuang Buwen and others looked at each other in dismay and dared not say anything more.
Ye Kun waved his hand to quiet the audience:
"Ladies and gentlemen, today's debate ends here. Before adjourning, I would like to tell you a story from Chengdu. When Li Bing and his son built the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, the people of Chengdu erected statues of Li Bing and his son beside the Irrigation System.
In the river flow of Dujiangyan, there are statues of Li Bing and his son, which are usually submerged by the water flow. In drought years, when the water level drops, the statues of Li Bing and his son will emerge from the water to remind the people to store water to fight drought.
When I was in Chengdu, I would lead hundreds of officials to pay tribute to Li Bing and his son every year. Because Li Bing and his son are still standing in the rolling clear water of Dujiangyan, instead of sitting in the bamboo forest drinking and having fun! "
The audience burst into applause.
Ruan Xiong, Zhuang Buwen and others were overshadowed.
Ye Kun clasped his fists towards the audience and said, "Goodbye!"
This debate caused a strong response in the university.
The young students all supported Ye Kun's opinion and looked down on the Seven Freaks of the Bamboo Forest.
After Ye Kun left the auditorium, he was not done yet. He went to the university office and wrote an article entitled "Chinese Youth Says - A Debate with Zhulin Ruan Xiong, Zhuang Buwen and Others".
Of course, the article was plagiarized by Ye Kun, with some minor changes.
"The wise men in the Bamboo Grove said that the old Chinese empire was riddled with holes, and its four hundred-year foundation was in tatters. Ye Kun said, "What are you talking about? There is a young Chinese in my heart!"
If the youth are wise, the country will be wise; if the youth are wealthy, the country will be wealthy; if the youth are strong, the country will be strong…
The sky is blue, the earth is yellow. Even if there are thousands of years, there are still vast lands. The future is like the sea, and the future is long. How beautiful are the young Chinese, who will never grow old! How strong are the young Chinese, who will never grow old with the country! "
Seeing Ye Kun writing furiously and composing a magnificent article in one breath, the university president and teachers nearby were all shocked!
Even He Kangju was convinced and said with a fist:
"The emperor wrote this article with great vigor. This article is a thousand times better than those written by Zhulin Ruan Xiong and others!"
Ye Kun dropped his brush, exhaled, and said to Wen Axiu:
"Use the university's mimeograph machine to print this article, and give each student a copy. Publish the full text in tomorrow's newspaper, and increase the circulation by 3,000 copies."
Wen Axiu's eyes welled up with tears as she read it. She took the manuscript and immediately arranged for it to be copied and mimeographed.
In less than half an hour, this article "Chinese Youth Says" had gone viral in the university!
The students were reciting passionately:
"The red sun rises, its path is bright. The river flows out of the underground stream, rushing into the ocean. The hidden dragon soars into the abyss, its scales and claws flying. The young tiger roars in the valley, and all the beasts are frightened. The eagle tests its wings, and the wind and dust are fluttering. The exotic flower is born, shining brightly. The dry general is sharpened, and it has a sharp edge..."
Ruan Xiong, Zhuang Buwen and others had not left yet. When they saw this article, they really thought it was Ye Kun's impromptu work and were all shocked.
Sang Buyi sneered at the people in the bamboo forest:
"You all commented on the emperor's poems, saying they were shallow and tasteless. Now, the emperor has written this short article in one stroke. You can also write one to refute the emperor."