The main hall of the Zhao Kingdom Palace.

Zhao State's prime minister, Tian Dan, and Dupingjun, were teaching King Zhao.

"Confucius said: "Dao it with politics, and align it with punishment, and the people are exempted from shame. Dao it with virtue and align it with etiquette, and be ashamed and polite."

"This means that if a monarch only governs the country with the law, even though the people are afraid of punishment and do not break the law, they have no shame. If foreign enemies invade, the people will have no worries when betray the king."

"If a king governs the country with virtue and restrains the people with etiquette, then the people will be loyal to the emperor and patriotism after long-term education. No matter how powerful the foreign enemies are, the king will not need to worry about the people's betrayal."

"The king is the king of the Great Zhao and ruled thousands of people of the Great Zhao. This matter must be observed."

Listening to this long speech, the young King Zhao frowned without feeling the brow.

After a while, King Zhao said, "Du Pingjun, I think there is something wrong with this."

Tian Dan said: "What do you think is wrong?"

King Zhao said: "If everyone can abide by moral etiquette, perhaps Confucius' method will be effective."

"But from my reading of history books, even the ministers have many people who are unvirtuous and rude. Those grass-roots who don't know a single word are even more vulgar and rude, and their minds are full of money."

"If such subjects do not use strong rule of law to restrain the country, it will probably be too difficult to make the country prosperous by relying on their spontaneous morality."

Tian Dan smiled and said, "That's true. So Confucius also gave a solution to this, that is, 'there is no distinction between teachings and no distinction'."

"My king, please think that if all the subjects in the world can receive a good education, know what morality and etiquette are, and have enough shame, then the prosperous era of ritual system that Confucius wanted will naturally come."

King Zhao's brows became more and more tight, and after a long time, he shook his head: "These things are completely different from what the father taught me. I feel that Confucius was still too naive to the people and human nature."

Tian Dan was about to say something, when an eunuch came from outside the hall to report loudly.

"The Queen Mother is here!"

King Zhao and Tian Dan stood up at the same time and saluted the Empress Dowager who entered the hall.

The queen mother asked, "Du Pingjun, what is my brother's homework?"

Tian Dan hesitated a little, and the Empress Dowager said to King Zhao: "The king will go back to the back hall to read history first."

King Zhao looked at Tian Dan deeply and left with unwilling steps.

As soon as King Zhao left the hall, Tian Dan sighed and said, "Empress Dowager, the old minister is very sure that the king has no interest in Confucianism."

The Queen Mother frowned: "No interest at all?"

Tian Dan nodded and said, "Just just now, the old minister and the king explained Confucius's way. The king questioned him many times, but obviously disagreed."

The Empress Dowager pondered for a moment and said, "Confucius's way is not clear, what about Mencius' way?"

Tian Dan's expression became more helpless: "The old minister originally thought that Mencius had just passed away and theories should be more easily accepted, so the explanation of Mencius's way was actually before Confucius."

The Queen Mother was speechless for a moment.

Confucius and Mencius are recognized as leaders of Confucianism. Neither of these two theories were accepted by King Zhao, proving that King Zhao was really not interested in Confucianism.

Tian Dan said seriously: "I will not hide it from the Empress Dowager, but the old minister was actually a little confused. Since the reform of King Wu's Hu clothing and cavalry, the State of Zhao has taken Wei and Qin as its teachers and governed the country with Legalism. Why did the Empress Dowager insist on asking the old minister to teach the King's Confucianism?"

Tian Dan is from Qi, and is a branch of the royal family of Qi.

The Empress Dowager was also a native of Qi and a noble princess of Qi.

From this point of view, Tian Dan is the only "family member" in the Empress Dowager who is trustworthy and capable enough in Zhao.

The Empress Dowager said, "Before the old woman got married, she disguised herself as a disguise and received the teachings of great scholars in the Jixia Academy. Later, she married into Zhao State and witnessed the rule of the former kings with legalist ideas over the past decades."

"The Legalists ruled the country with law and set many frameworks to firmly limit the behavior of the people, so that the people could drive the country like a grinding cattle and horses."

"In this way, the people's strength can be used by the country. The reason why the Wei and Qin countries emerged, and the success of King Wu's Hu clothing and cavalry were all."

"But the Legalists drive the people to be like livestock and to exploit them too harshly, and the people will inevitably have complaints in their hearts. If one day the army of other countries comes, the people will become people of other countries and will not have any nostalgia for Da Zhao."

"Only by using Confucian moral etiquette to reconcile the people, not only respect the law but also fear punishment, but also know etiquette and understand integrity and shame, so that the loyalty and patriotism of the emperor are rooted in the hearts of all people. In this way, no matter how powerful the Qin State is, the people of the Great Zhao will be united and have nothing to fear."

After hearing this, Tian Dan showed a respectful expression on his face: "The Empress Dowager is truly insightful, and the old minister admires it."

The Empress Dowager sighed: "Du Pingjun, the old woman knows that you are alone in supporting the overall situation during this period and have to take time to teach the king's lessons. It's really hard for you."

"But no matter what, for the future plan of Zhao, please ask Du Pingjun to think of a way to reverse the idea that the king respects the law but not the Confucians. The old woman is here for all the people of Zhao... Please Du Pingjun."

Tian Dan took a deep breath, his eyes gradually became sharp, and he said, "The old minister understands."

Half an hour later, Tian Dan's carriage slowly drove away from Zhaoguo Palace City.

There was not only Tian Dan in the carriage, but also a general who was in his prime and had a tall and long legs.

The general said respectfully: "I don't know what if you are summoning Lecheng?"

Tian Dan looked at Le Cheng and suddenly said, "How does General Le Cheng educate his children on weekdays?"

Le Cheng obviously didn't expect that Tian Dan was asking this question. After several seconds, he said: "Le Cheng is a rough man. If the child is disobedient, then whip, scold, scold, and scold."

Tian Dan nodded and said, "Yes, the son does not teach, it is the fault of the father. You said, if the king does not receive the commandment, who will be the fault of that?"

Le Cheng became more and more surprised, and after a long time, he said: "Le Cheng really dares not argue about this matter."

Tian Dan smiled and said with a gentle voice: "You don't need to be so nervous. It's the empress dowager who wants to find you today, and it's not my own decision."

Le Cheng then breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I don't know what the Empress Dowager means..."

Tian Dan touched his nose and said, "Your Majesty, you are too young, too impatient, and too self-righteous. Therefore, the Empress Dowager wants to give the King a little setback. For example, let a doctor who is more optimistic about the king recently be disgraced in front of everyone."

Le Cheng nodded repeatedly and said, "Doctor Li Jian?"

Tian Dan nodded.

Le Cheng was a little confused: "But, haven't you arranged it before?"

Tian Dan smiled: "Aren't the previous arrangements being investigated by Pingyuan Jun? Is it because I'm looking for you today for a new arrangement."

The wheels were slowly rolling over the sand, gravel and dust on the road, gradually fading away with the sound of hooves.

The sun sets, the red sunset is spread all over the sky, and countless people in Handan return home in a hurry, preparing to end the day's hard work.

Li Jian walked off the carriage and watched the sunset gradually set, his mood was quite subtle.
Chapter completed!