sbdcsierra Chapter 523
Chapter 523
"Are you the Great Immortal Qingniu?"
At the Li Mansion, the old master looked at the young man in hemp clothes in front of him with an expression of disbelief on his face.
This person did not go through the door or window, but suddenly appeared in front of the old master like a gust of wind. He was dressed in coarse linen clothes without any decoration. He looked extremely simple and clean, with a straight back and looked very energetic.
"That's right." Qin He nodded.
Like the old man, Qin He was surprised for a moment when he first saw him.
A year ago, he heard Hexian say that the old master was extremely talented and learned, so he began to consider visiting him.
However, when I went to his house, the old man was not at home, so I was delayed.
When I saw him today, I realized that this person not only saw it, but also cared about whether his legs were cold standing on the street without pants.
Things like fate are so strange.
After going around in circles, I thought I was fascinated by you, but in fact I had already met you, but I didn't know each other.
"I have long heard of your name, great immortal." The old man made a false fist and bowed, the astonishment on his face slowly faded, without a trace of doubt.
The old master naturally knew about the Great Immortal Qingniu, who quelled the plague, suppressed the rebellion in Lu and repelled the Di and Lu invaders. He was present in all the important events in the capital, but no one knew his identity.
They have a wide range of followers, but never gather in groups to perform activities.
This immortal has countless merits, but he is not interested in fame, wealth or power and is extremely low-key.
He wore coarse linen clothes, without any desire to wear them, but his back was straight and he had a righteous spirit.
This is exactly the silhouette of the Green Ox Immortal.
So as soon as Qin He revealed his identity, he believed it.
The old scholar's surname was Li and his name was Huaian. He was a master of Cheng studies and had served in the three dynasties of Dali. He had assisted Zhang Juzheng in carrying out reforms and was promoted to the position of Second Assistant of the Cabinet. He was an honest and upright official. Later, he retired because he could not stand the darkness of the court and lived in seclusion in Beicheng.
"Master, you are too polite. I am sorry for any inconvenience caused by my visit today." Qin He said with a smile.
"It's okay. I'm just sitting around doing nothing. I just don't know what brings you to my humble abode. What's the matter?" the old man asked, picking up the teapot with a small piece missing from the spout in front of him, and naturally poured a cup of tea for Qin He.
"I am visiting you today and have three questions that I don't understand, so I came to ask you." Qin He held the teacup lightly and looked around the old master's residence.
It is indeed as he said, a “humble abode”.
A living room, two side rooms, a woodshed and a well, plus a yard less than five meters long and wide, constitute the old master's residence.
Only a small path remained in the yard, with holly planted on both sides.
Although the residence is simple, it is extremely tidy, with items neatly arranged. Although the residence is not large, it does not give people a feeling of restraint.
"You are welcome to speak freely, Immortal. However, I am limited in knowledge and have no profound opinions. This is just my personal opinion. You will have to decide for yourself whether it is right or wrong." The old man put down his teacup.
"Master, you are too modest." Qin He nodded and said, "My first question is, what kind of emperor is a good emperor?"
The old man opened his eyes slightly, because this question was very big and dangerous.
Ordinary people ask this out of curiosity.
But when the Great Immortal Qingniu asked, the matter concerned the lives of all people.
The old master's face was solemn. After a moment's silence, he said, "To understand the wickedness of human nature, to know the sufferings of the people, and to uphold kindness and righteousness, is to be a wise ruler."
"I am a young man with a dull mind, so please explain it in detail, Master." Qin He asked.
Without hesitation, the old master said, "The emperor inherits the destiny of heaven, holding supreme power. He has a cabinet of ministers and six ministries, and his system is governed by the laws of his ancestors. Being able to judge and discern is enough to make him a wise ruler. Being able to judge and discern simply means being able to recognize people, to understand suffering, and to combine this with kindness and righteousness in one's heart. This allows capable ministers to stand out, while treacherous officials have no place to hide. Then, when the government is clear and prosperous, even chaos will be nothing more than a minor inconvenience."
Qin He nodded. It takes a thousand years for a sage king to appear, but the requirements for a wise king are much lower.
In short, in one sentence: Don't be fooled, even if he is a wise ruler.
Although the Carpenter Emperor could not be considered a wise ruler, he had one thing worth praising, which was that he was not fooled by the Donglin's words of sage rulers. Throughout his reign, he always kept the dynasty's food and salary lifeline firmly in his hands.
It also made Wei Zhongliang a perfect shield.
On the other hand, Chongzheng is too immature.
With just a few words, he not only killed Wei Zhongliang, but also supported the Donglin Party to continue to grow.
When the court was full of Donglin people, he, the emperor, became a canary.
Going out in person to borrow money would result in a complete loss of face.
"What if the emperor rose from humble beginnings?" Qin He asked again after a pause.
"The emperor rose from humble beginnings, personally experiencing the suffering of the people and seeing the true face of all beings. This is exactly the way of a wise ruler." The old man nodded and said, "Throughout history, all sage rulers have come from humble beginnings, or from the grassroots."