In front of Yang Ci's spirit, Liu Bei lit a few sticks of incense for Yang Ci and bowed.
Later, Yang Biao and Yang Xiu's father and son followed the rules and returned the gift to Liu Bei.
"I didn't expect that a man as busy as General Liu would have time to come to Huayin to pay homage to his late father. Mrs. Yang is very honored."
"Hehehe, I'm not that busy. I stopped by and thought about my old friend. I thought about all the things that happened in the past, and also thought about the separation between yin and yang. I couldn't help but feel sad, so I came to pay my respects."
Liu Bei said with a smile: "Originally, Bei thought that Yang Gong's family would not welcome him, so he was prepared to be rejected. I didn't expect that Yang Gong was so generous and noble."
Yang Biao's expression did not change.
"You are the hussar general of the current dynasty. After you return to Luoyang, you have to open a palace and have a high status. How many doors in the entire Han Dynasty can close to you? Yang does not dare."
"Most people won't do that, but there are always people who do."
Liu Bei smiled and said: "For example, if the former Taiwei Duke Wenlie knew that Bei was coming to visit, he would definitely close the door. After all, Bei once contradicted Duke Wenlie. Now think about it, it was a little inappropriate when he was young and energetic and spoke indecently.
.”
Yang Xiu pursed his lips.
Yang Biao took a deep breath.
"Are you here just to pay homage to your late father?"
"That's mostly the case."
Liu Bei smiled and said: "Besides, isn't the situation in Luoyang City quite tense? I am going here because I have a heavy responsibility. I am a little confused and want to ask Duke Yang for some advice. I wonder if Duke Yang is willing to give me some advice?"
"It's out of the question to teach you."
Yang Biao took a deep breath and said slowly: "General Liu is now also the upright head of a famous family. You and I have the same status, and the position is far above me. What can I teach you? General Liu is really
Can joke."
"Here, Mr. Yang is an elder. Asking elders for advice is still very important to Bei."
Liu Bei smiled and said: "In the past, due to the dispute between modern and ancient literature, Bei wanted to get close to Yang Gong, but was unable to do anything. This must have been deeply felt by the teacher. We were all good friends before, but because of the dispute between schools, we had to
Watching former friends become strangers and even become enemies.
Every time I read this, the teacher will feel heartache. How can Bei not feel heartache? When Bei first came to Luoyang, Yang Gong once praised Bi. Bei has never forgotten Yang Gong's kindness. Every time he thinks of it, he feels that things are impermanent...
…”
Yang Biao closed his eyes and had nothing to say about Liu Bei's respectful but shameless appearance.
"As for the general's teacher, I would still believe that the general's teacher is sincere and reliable. I am willing to believe it, but when the general himself said it, I don't quite believe it. In my eyes, the general himself is not
You are so sincere and reliable, general, don’t blame me, what I said may not sound nice, but it is all the truth.”
Liu Bei put away his smile.
"It seems that Mr. Yang has a deep misunderstanding of Bei. Bei has never been a despicable person."
"General, of course he is not a despicable person, but I have no misunderstanding either. This is all from personal experience. I, the Yang family, and the Jinwen School have fallen step by step to this day, so how can there be any misunderstanding?"
Yang Biao opened his eyes and looked at Liu Bei, and said with a smile: "The general is talented and resourceful. No matter what the modern school of literature does, it can't succeed. By the way, I also heard that after Huangfu Song's death, his house was ransacked. Huangfu
The family was overthrown and several generations of family business were wiped out. Is this possible?"
"That's the emperor's order."
Liu Bei's expression remained unchanged: "I'm just following the emperor's orders."
Yang Biao smiled.
"But I also heard that the emperor ordered Huangfu Song to be executed after meeting with the general. Is this true?"
"That is also the emperor's own will. I just tell the truth and tell the emperor the mistakes Huangfu made. Every word is true and there are no lies. How can I control the emperor's will?"
Liu Bei's expression remained unchanged.
Facing the airtight Liu Bei, Yang Biao was helpless.
"Huangfu Song is already dead, why should the general kill them all? Isn't it okay to leave others alone?"
"The Huangfu family interfered with the emperor's ability to obtain salt profits. They have committed a crime and will not survive."
Liu Bei smiled and said: "Mr. Yang should also be very aware of the great power of salt. If it weren't for the three generations of the Yang family and the many former officials of his disciples, does Yang Gong think that the Hongnong County Association has not sold Liangzhou fine salt so far? Doesn't Mr. Yang
Do you know what this means? Under the current situation, does Yang Gong think you still have room to voice the injustice of the Huangfu family?"
Yang Biao's face moved slightly.
"No wonder General Liu is able to reach this level with such a background. Everyone says that General Liu is a famous person in the world, but General Liu treats the emperor with sincerity!"
"We are all ministers of the emperor, and we are loyal to the emperor and the country. Is there anything wrong with it? Is it the right behavior to deceive the emperor, seek false fame, and secretly profit for ourselves?"
Liu Bei looked at Yang Biao with a strange look on his face: "Is it the right behavior to seize the country's possessions and make them your own, and feed the people to enrich yourself? Mr. Yang, which one is better, profit for the country or profit for yourself?
Is it the right choice?”
Yang Biao almost couldn't control his emotions.
But he still controlled his emotions in front of his father's memorial tablet.
"General Liu said everything in a high-sounding way, but he has been promoted step by step. Now he is even about to return to Luoyang to open a government office. What he does and what he says seems to be slightly different, right?"
"Making profits for the country and seeking profits for yourself are not mutually exclusive things."
Liu Bei smiled and shook his head and said: "Profiting for the country does not mean that you cannot seek profit for yourself. Do things for the country, put in your hard work and effort, and then receive rewards and salaries. Is there anything wrong with this?
Farmers can earn income from farming, craftsmen can earn income by working, and soldiers can earn income by joining the army and fighting. While we are making profits for the country, why can't we earn income?
It's just that some people put self-interest above profit for the country, and even don't make profits for the country, but only seek profits for themselves, and then label those who make profits for the country and themselves at the same time as traitors.
, this will make it easier for them to continue to benefit themselves, am I right, Mr. Yang?"
Faced with Liu Bei's aggressiveness, Yang Biao once again felt the power of the debaters in Luoyang City.
After so many years, Liu Bei's words are still so sharp and ruthless, as if he wants to cut open his opponents completely to prove that his opponents are all evil-hearted thieves and that he himself is the only conscience.
Yang Biao tried hard to control his emotions.
"After all these years, General Liu is still as sharp as ever!"
"As I get older, I have become more restrained. Back then, I was one to nine."
Liu Bei laughed and said: "Thinking about those days, and looking back now, I feel that I am really getting older, and I am no longer as sharp as I used to be. How can I say that I am sharp? The future belongs to young people.
,Yes, it is for a young man like your noble master."
Yang Biao really wanted to laugh.
Really, he really wanted to laugh.
Listening to the 28-year-old Liu Bei saying to him, a 49-year-old man, that he was getting old, if this was not his father's funeral hall, Yang Biao would really want to laugh loudly and try to tear him apart.
Damn Liu Bei's mouth so that he can no longer say such irritating words.
It's a pity that this is my father's mourning hall, and he doesn't have the ability to tear Liu Bei's mouth apart.
"General Liu is really humble, so humble that I, an old man like me, can't help but sigh. No wonder, my Yang family has been completely defeated!"
Yang Biao looked calm, but the fire in his heart could already burn Liu Bei to charcoal.
Liu Bei chuckled.
"In my opinion, the defeat of Yang's family is not traceable. Without competition, there is no pressure. Without pressure, there is no motivation. Without motivation, how can one become the world's best? Jinwen School achieves its achievements through competition.
and pressure, but also destroyed by the absence of competition and pressure.”
Yang Biao was not stupid and understood the meaning of Liu Bei's words.
"What General Liu said is not pleasant to hear. Who works hard to earn a family fortune not for the sake of passing it on? Who works hard not for the sake of being a wife and a shadow so that the family can flourish? If working hard to get ahead can't benefit future generations, who can
Would you do such a thing?"
"So, the Yang family has lost, the Jinwen School has lost, and it is inevitable that you will lose. Even if I don't add fuel to the fire, you will lose sooner or later. Virtue is not worthy of it. That's it."
Liu Bei smiled and said: "There will always be people who are dissatisfied, there will always be people who are not willing to suffer hardship all their lives, and dare to say who can replace them. Is there only one Xiang Yu?"
Yang Biao was a little stunned, and it took him a while to react.
"That's interesting. What you're talking about here seems to be more than just the Jinwen school, right?"
"The same is true for the ancient literature school."
Liu Bei nodded and said: "If there is no competition, no pressure, and no motivation, the ancient literature school will be the next modern literature school. They will be exactly the same without any changes. They will eventually go to destruction and be replaced by a group of people with more combat effectiveness."
"You dare to say that."
Yang Biao curled his lips and said, "If those people from the Ancient Literature School knew about this, I'm afraid they would be angry."