Once the news about the oracle bone inscriptions broke, no one had any interest in continuing the previous discussion. Song Lian offered Ma Yu a few more words of comfort, encouraging him to "keep one's spirit firm and one's noble ambitions untarnished even in poverty," and then prepared to take his leave.
However, there was one exception: Zhu Biao.
They had been debating for the better part of the day, and they hadn't even reached the main issue yet—how could they possibly leave now? Yin-Shang script was important, certainly, but finding and excavating it wasn't a task to be completed in a single afternoon. His own matter, however, had to be resolved first. This would decide whether he could continue to study the works of Guan Zhong and Xunzi; that was a significant matter, too, wasn't it?
He gave a dry cough and said, "Ahem... Master Song, you haven't asked about the 'practical application' part yet."
Song Lian knew exactly what he was after, but he was curious to hear the lad's thoughts, so he didn't insist on leaving. While the Yin-Shang script was significant, the education of the Crown Prince was no small matter either. What if the boy truly had a unique perspective? If he had arrived initially with a mindset to find faults and criticize, that attitude had now shifted toward genuine discussion. The Ma family must have been a house of letters with a unique heritage; perhaps there was some profound insight to be found here.
Next door, Empress Ma sat back down as well. Her attitude was much the same as Song Lian’s. The theories of the "information cocoon" and "understanding the world before studying the classics" had already benefited her immensely, giving her many new ideas on how to raise children. Who knew what other unconventional things he might say?
Ma Yu, on the other hand, felt quite differently. Hearing Li Wen bring up the "practical application" again, he felt a sudden urge to rush over and throw a few punches. *I’ve already pulled the "information cocoon," the evolution of the character for "benevolence," and the Yin-Shang ritual vessels—I barely managed to distract Song Lian! This was about to blow over, so why do you have to bring it up again? Do you really want me to lose face so badly?*
Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do. He could only watch helplessly as Song Lian sat back down and asked:
"Confucius and Mencius as the foundation, Guan Zhong and Xunzi as the application—is this also the view of your elders?"
Ma Yu took a deep breath. *Since it's come to this, I might as well just—well, never mind, just face the music.*
Fortunately, he hadn't put all his eggs in one basket; he had prepared several plans. If the first two had worked and Song Lian left, that would have been ideal. But if an accident occurred—like the current situation—he had a contingency.
He looked up at Song Lian and said, "This perspective is my own, though it has received partial approval from my elders at home."
Song Lian asked in confusion, "Partial approval?"
Ma Yu nodded. "Yes. My elders believe there is no problem with taking Confucius and Mencius as the foundation, but who says only Guan Zhong and Xunzi can serve as the 'application'? The thoughts of the Hundred Schools of Thought all have their brilliant points, and they are all precious treasures left to us by our predecessors. We should take the essence and discard the dross, melting the strengths of all schools into one furnace. Only then can we say our studies are truly accomplished."
Song Lian was shocked. *To melt the strengths of the Hundred Schools into one furnace—what an ambitious... ahem, what a bold spirit.*
"The scholarship of the Hundred Schools is vast; a person could spend their entire life and still not master it all. How, then, can one speak of melting it into one furnace?"
Ma Yu replied, "My elders say, 'Truth is not confined to one place, and learning is endless; how, then, can we ask too little?'"
This was a famous line from *Discourse on Inquiry* by Liu Kai of the Qing Dynasty, meaning that truth is not limited to any one person or field, but exists broadly throughout heaven, earth, and nature; therefore, learning is infinite. To study well, one must be diligent and inquisitive. Using it here to answer Song Lian was perfectly appropriate.
Hearing this, Song Lian’s eyes brightened. "'Truth is not confined to one place, and learning is endless'—an excellent sentiment."
However, he immediately countered, "One who stays near vermilion gets stained red; one who stays near ink gets stained black. If you read the works of all the schools, how can you not be influenced by them and fail to accurately distinguish right from wrong?"
Ma Yu countered, "What is right, and what is wrong? What is the standard for judgment? You, Master, revere Neo-Confucianism and naturally accept the views of the Cheng brothers and Zhu Xi, but the Lu brothers might have a different opinion."
The Lu brothers—Lu Jiuyuan and his brother—were masters of the School of Mind and contemporaries of Zhu Xi; the two sides often clashed, even famously debating the classics at the Goose Lake Temple, leaving behind a legacy that lasted through the ages. Using the Lu brothers as an example made it difficult for Song Lian to retort, but that did not mean he was speechless.
"Whether it is the Cheng brothers, Zhu Xi, or the Lu brothers, all follow the path of Confucius and Mencius. The standard for judging right from wrong is, naturally, the thought of Confucius and Mencius." He added a final question: "Do you not also agree that Confucius and Mencius are the foundation?"
Ma Yu couldn't help but inwardly praise him. *Truly a great Confucian scholar. In a few light strokes, he neutralized my question and countered with one of his own.*
Under normal circumstances, he would have run out of things to say here, or he would have had to awkwardly change the subject. But this was not a fair debate. Ma Yu knew Song Lian, but Song Lian knew nothing of him. From the moment they began talking, he had been laying the groundwork, and now he could finally activate it.
Faced with Song Lian's challenge, Ma Yu didn't answer directly, but offered four words:
"Information cocoon."
Song Lian paused for a moment before realizing that the boy was accusing him of being trapped in an information cocoon. The label was so significant that he didn't know how to respond. If he denied being trapped, the boy would point to how he treated Confucius and Mencius as the *only* truth. But if he admitted it, he would be questioning his own faith. This label was... utterly shameless.
If his opponent were an equal or a grown man, he would have a hundred ways to fight back. But Ma Yu was a boy of only thirteen or fourteen; he couldn't bring himself to use certain methods against a child. And, of course, the key was that he had developed a fondness for Ma Yu, which made him feel restrained.
Ma Yu naturally understood this. From the very beginning, he had never intended to debate Song Lian fairly—that wouldn't be brave, that would be foolish. He had been digging a pit before the debate even started, and the "information cocoon" was part of that. Otherwise, why would he waste his time talking about such things for no reason? His goal was to pull it out at the critical moment and pin the label on Song Lian. And he was certain the label would be effective because anyone who knew Song Lian knew he was a disciple of Neo-Confucianism who treated the thoughts of Confucius and Mencius as absolute truth. No matter what topic they discussed, they would always return to that.
Of course, he also knew it would be impossible to stump Song Lian with such a small trick. Labeling him wasn't the goal; the goal was to use this opportunity to seize the initiative and guide the conversation into his own pre-established territory.
Therefore, the moment the label was applied, he didn't give Song Lian a chance to breathe, immediately saying:
"My elders once reviewed the heroes of the world with me, and they consider Master Qianxi to be the preeminent scholar of this generation."
Song Lian hurriedly said, "I am ashamed to accept such a title. Although I have never met your elders, the character I have glimpsed through your description already makes me feel inferior. Moreover, the scholars of the world are as numerous as the crucian carp in the river; how could I dare to accept the title of preeminent scholar?"
"You are too modest, Master." Ma Yu complimented him, then shifted his tone: "I am but a junior scholar who has yet to even master the classics; how could I dare to show off in front of you?"
This was nothing short of moral blackmail. As a preeminent scholar, could he really bring himself to be difficult with a junior? Song Lian, being a man of upright character, didn't perceive this. Empress Ma, listening from next door, was starting to catch on—the boy was digging a pit for Song Lian. *He is truly cunning. But...* An expectant look appeared on her face. *I want to see if you can truly ensnare him, or rather, what methods you'll use to convince him.*
Ma Yu continued, "Master Qianxi’s views are already set. Even if I had true talent, I doubt I could persuade you with a few simple words. Besides, if we continue this, we will inevitably touch upon the two sages, Confucius and Mencius, and that would only make things more troublesome."
As expected, Song Lian's attention was immediately diverted. "Oh? Could it be that you harbor prejudices against the two sages, Confucius and Mencius?"
Ma Yu inwardly cheered, but his expression remained troubled. "Do you truly wish to hear it? I fear that once I say it, you will brush your sleeves and walk away."
Song Lian frowned. "Am I such a narrow-minded man? As long as what you say is reasonable, I will listen with an open mind."
*It’s done,* Ma Yu thought. He bowed his hands first. "If what I say next offends the two sages, I ask for your forgiveness in advance." Then, without stating his own views immediately, he asked, "May I ask, Master, how you evaluate Guan Zhong?"
Song Lian was becoming familiar with Ma Yu’s conversational style: seemingly irrelevant questions were actually preparations for the real inquiry. However, this method required his own cooperation. If his answer strayed from the boy's expectations, the next step would be impossible. *Was Ma Yu so certain that I would answer according to his predictions? Was he arrogant, or did he understand me that well?*
He realized that Ma Yu’s mention of his elders praising him meant they must have discussed him. This meant Ma Yu knew him well enough to employ this strategy. A sense of realization dawned on Song Lian: the boy had come prepared. He hadn't been fooled by his earlier act. Song Lian wasn't angry, however; he was even more curious about what profound argument the boy would make. He answered according to his own heart:
"Guan Zhong served Qi, facilitating trade and accumulating wealth. He established the power of 'light and heavy' (price regulation) to make Qi rich and strong—this was his merit. Yet, he failed to face the calamity of Prince Jiu, and instead served the man who killed his lord—this is a lack of loyalty and righteousness. His methods were hasty in their pursuit of profit and slack in moral cultivation; his words were shallow and not of the path of the Former Kings. While he helped Duke Huan achieve hegemony, his 'honoring the king and repelling the barbarians' was mere political maneuvering, not rooted in benevolence and righteousness... The hegemon fakes benevolence, and the sage king holds such things in contempt. Therefore, while the sages praised his achievements, they looked lightly upon his virtue, saying his vessel was small and he did not understand ritual."
Ma Yu didn't know that Song Lian had seen through his little scheme. Seeing that he had criticized Guan Zhong exactly as expected, he immediately seized on one point to counterattack:
"Master, you criticize Guan Zhong for failing to face the calamity of Prince Jiu. May I ask, did Confucius face the calamity of Lu?"
Hearing this, Zhu Biao couldn't help but gasp. Confucius was a man of Lu, yet he had done nothing during the several upheavals in the state. To say this was tantamount to pointing a finger at his nose and calling him disloyal to Lu. It was so bold, so reckless. Empress Ma, listening next door, was equally shocked; she knew the boy was daring, but she hadn't expected him to attack Confucius himself. Zhu Shuang, on the other hand, was excited. *Good fellow, daring to attack Confucius directly! Yes, I recognize you as a brother.*
Song Lian’s face turned ghastly. He knew Ma Yu might say something disrespectful, but he hadn't expected such a severe accusation. If not for his own cultivation, the goodwill he had accumulated for the boy, and the boy's youth, he would have slammed the table and stood up. Even so, he was furious. But he didn't lose his head, and he quickly thought of a rebuttal:
"The Master served as the Minister of Zhongdu and presided over the Jiagu Meeting between Qi and Lu, standing firm in righteousness against the powerful Qi. He won back the lands of Yun, Huan, and Guiyin for Lu. He also attempted to raze the three strongholds to weaken the powerful ministers, only to be blocked by Ji Huanzi, falling short of success. Later, coerced by those same ministers, he had no choice but to resign. Mencius said: 'For men and women not to touch when giving or receiving is the ritual; for a brother-in-law to reach out a hand to save a drowning sister-in-law is an act of expediency.' The Master’s resignation was a matter of holding to the foundation while adapting to circumstances. As the saying goes, 'If you are not in the position, do not seek to govern.' The Master had talent, but Lu could not use him—what was to be done? How can you blame him for not facing the calamity of Lu?"
A faint smile touched the corner of Ma Yu's mouth before he quickly hid it. He said meaningfully, "Master, you cannot only speak of 'holding to the foundation and adapting to circumstances' when evaluating Confucius."
Song Lian's expression shifted again. This was an accusation that he was judging people by different standards. He was unwilling to bear such a charge and wanted to retort, but Ma Yu didn't give him the chance, cutting him off:
"Master, you surely want to say that Confucius had talent but Lu could not use him, whereas Guan Zhong was deeply trusted by Prince Jiu. Then I ask you: was Guan Zhong a minister of the state of Qi, or a minister of Prince Jiu? Was it Prince Jiu who enabled him, or Duke Xi of Qi? Should he have been loyal to the state of Qi, or to Prince Jiu?"
Duke Xi of Qi was the father of both Prince Xiaobai and Prince Jiu; it was he who had commissioned Bao Shuya and Guan Zhong, assigning them respectively to Xiaobai and Jiu. Strictly speaking, he was Guan Zhong's true lord.
Of course, this was sophistry—Guan Zhong bore responsibility for failing to assist Prince Jiu. But conversely, was Confucius perfect? The ruler of Lu at the time was Duke Ding, and because Confucius could do nothing about the powerful ministers, he resigned, which was effectively abandoning his lord. He and Guan Zhong were much the same; neither had the right to blame the other.
Song Lian naturally understood this, so for a moment, he didn't know how to refute it. Mostly, he was restrained by the fact that Ma Yu had just accused him of using double standards for Guan Zhong and Confucius, and he feared that one wrong answer would allow the boy to seize the advantage and declare him unfair.
Ma Yu didn't continue. His goal wasn't to disparage Confucius, but to advocate for Guan Zhong. Now that he had achieved his goal, he naturally stopped, shifting the focus:
"Master, do you know how my elders evaluate Guan Zhong?"
Seeing he was no longer attacking Confucius, Song Lian breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I am listening."
Ma Yu said, "Guan Zhong may stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Duke of Shao."