Chen Gui and Chen Deng looked at each other. They had already discussed many things before Yuan Xi came.
In fact, the Chen family's ancestral property was in Xia Pi, the capital of Xuzhou, which meant that the Chen family's future achievements were destined to be limited.
When a local lord chooses a place as his base, he will certainly try to win over the local powerful families, but the degree of winning over will never be unconditional trust and elevation.
The reality is often quite the opposite. While trying to win over others, they also suppress them covertly.
This is actually very normal. No prince would want to hand over the rear base where his family and loved ones are to a local tyrant who can take over the reins.
Therefore, the Chen family faced the same dilemma as the Jizhou gentry under Yuan Shao. Even if they were loyal to him, their lord would not open his heart to them completely.
Today, Liu Bei, Yuan Tan and Yuan Xi reached an agreement. Chen Deng rushed back to see Chen Gui and said that he was forced to make a choice on the spot due to the situation at the time, and he didn't know whether the Chen family would be implicated later.
Chen Gui heard this and said, "A blessing in disguise. Changing places may not be a bad thing. Besides, Envoy Yuan has done you a favor."
Chen and his son had already made up their minds and were ready to move their ancestral property away. At this time, Mi Fang came to their house and talked about buying land.
Chen Gui waited for Chen Deng to send Mi Fang away, and said, "This man has a good sense of timing, but it's a pity that he is so obsessed with petty gains that he really puts the cart before the horse."
Chen Deng nodded in agreement. He was good friends with Mi Zhu and knew the Mi family's background well. Mi Zhu was too conservative, while Mi Fang was too profit-seeking. They were okay as a merchant family, but not good enough to be the arms of the princes.
While the father and son were talking, the guard announced that Yuan Xi had arrived, and Chen Deng quickly invited Hua Tuo out as well.
Hua Tuo was writing down what he had learned throughout his life and wanted to compile it into a book. He originally thought that his way of seeking medicine was a path of inquiry and had nothing to do with supernatural prophecies. He felt that the way of studying classics could not cure patients.
But when Hua Tuo heard Chen Deng say that there were people who were good at observing the stars and could predict the physical condition of people they had never met, he couldn't help but become suspicious. Didn't this mean that his previous idea was wrong?
So when Yuan Xi talked about the hidden tiger, Hua Tuo hurried to speak and expressed the doubts in his mind.
Yuan Xi knew something was wrong as soon as he heard it. He naturally understood that Hua Tuo's idea of curing diseases and saving lives and perfecting medical skills in practice was very correct.
On the contrary, the rumor about stargazing that he made up was really nonsense. If Hua Tuo really believed it, it would be troublesome in the future. The world might lose a famous doctor and gain a charlatan!
Thinking of this, he quickly said, "It is not that Yinhu knew about Mr. Wenlong's condition just by observing the stars."
Hua Tuo heard this and asked, "Why do you say that, sir?"
Yuan Xi could only bite the bullet and continue to make up stories. "According to what Yin Hu said, observing the stars can give you a glimpse into the heavens, which greatly affects your life span. He and Mr. Wenlong are not close friends, so why would he waste his life span? Predicting something that is irrelevant to him?"
"Xi thought that it was possible that he knew something about stargazing, but it was more likely that he understood the various schools of thought."
"He may be like Mr. Hua Tuo, who is proficient in medicine and knows that people who eat raw fish will have worms in their bodies. He also heard about Mr. Wenlong's habits from other places, so he can make some guesses."
"Otherwise, he talked to me about dozens of people and looked at the stars one by one, which shortened his lifespan, right?"
"Gu Xi believes that Mr. Hua Tuo's path of practicing medicine is correct, and stargazing cannot replace medical skills."
"Of course, Yinhu lives in seclusion in Youzhou. If you are interested, you can ask him in person."
At this time Yuan Xi started to do bad things. He spoke righteously, but in fact he was secretly seducing Hua Tuo to Youzhou.
After hearing this, Hua Tuo sighed and said, "It is really amazing that you can understand me so well."
There is a reason why Hua Tuo said this.
Although doctors at that time were widely praised by the people for their efforts to save lives and cure illnesses, among the gentry, being a doctor was considered a relatively lowly and dirty job, and few gentry or even good families were willing to do it, for fear of failing.
Because scholars were valued more than doctors in the Han Dynasty, doctors were classified as alchemists, similar to the alchemists in the Taiping Dao, and their status was even lower than that of wizards and witches.
Zhang Zhongjing of the same period had made great achievements in medical skills and was even promoted to the prefect of Changsha. However, as practicing medicine was a lowly profession, Zhang Zhongjing's deeds were not recorded in the classics.
The reason why Hua Tuo became famous and left records was not because of his medical skills, but because he treated powerful people such as Cao Cao.
Therefore, Zhang Zhongjing wrote indignantly in Treatise on Febrile Diseases: "I wonder why scholars today do not pay attention to medicine and study prescriptions and techniques in detail, so as to cure the diseases of their rulers and relatives, save the poor and humble, and protect their health and well-being. Instead, they compete for fame and status, try to follow the powerful, and are only concerned with fame and wealth. They value superficial things but ignore the essence, and are beautiful on the outside but poor on the inside."
Seeing that Hua Tuo had been fooled by him, Yuan Xi took the opportunity to say, "Sir, you have saved the common people with your own strength. I admire you, but there are more than a million people in the world. Can you save them all?"
Hua Tuo sighed and said, "How is that possible? I can only do my best and leave the rest to fate. I just want to pass on what I have learned throughout my life through writing books during my lifetime, and I will be satisfied."
Yuan Xi saw that the time was right and said, "Mr. Yuan Hua, have you ever thought that it is better to teach a man how to fish than to give him a fish?"
"If you recruit many disciples, you may be like Confucius, with disciples all over the world."
Hua Tuo shook his head and said, "It's too difficult. Nowadays, alchemists are not as good as sorcerers. Who would be willing to learn?"
Yuan Xi said seriously: "Xi has a solution, how about I discuss it with you later?"
Hua Tuo understood that Yuan Xi came this time to discuss some matters with Chen Deng and his son, and he felt that he was taking over the show, so he nodded and agreed.
Yuan Xi turned to Chen Deng and said, "I came here this time because I heard that Mr. Yuanlong has made great achievements in the post of the Director of Agriculture. Now I want to invite you to be the governor of Guangling, but the post of Director of Agriculture and other agricultural and forestry positions are also in urgent need of manpower. Can you recommend a few people?"
After hearing this, Chen Deng hesitated to speak.
Yuan Xi saw it and said, "You can tell me what's going on."
Chen Deng smiled bitterly and said, "Don't be afraid of being laughed at by you, my Chen family has the largest collection of agricultural and forestry books in Xuzhou, so most of those who can see them are children of the Chen family."
"Scholars from other families can also come to the Chen family to read, but now the scholars in the world are all learning the classics, and there are very few who are interested in this way."
"Deng just loves reading since he was young, so he has read a lot of books on agriculture, forestry and military strategy. In the eyes of others, this is a bit unprofessional."
Yuan Xi said solemnly: "No, if the country could be governed by the classics alone, how could the world be in the current state?"
"What Mr. Yuanlong has read is the truly useful knowledge of governing a country."
Chen Gui's eyes flickered, and he said, "I've heard that Yuan has been studying Meng's Yi for hundreds of years, but you don't seem to be very interested in classics?"
Yuan Xi looked at the three people present and said, "Xi believes that Confucian classics are indeed good, but studying Confucian classics alone cannot change the world."
After hearing this, Chen Gui said, "I have heard the details."
Yuan Xi said, "May I ask Mr. Han Yu, what is the current status of the Confucian classics in the world?"
"Is it full of mistakes and omissions, or is it perfect, or is it a mixture of both?"
Chen Gui heard this and said with a smile: "Sir, this is stumping me, but I dare not say anything."
Yuan Xi smiled and said, "That's the problem."
"If we admit that there is nothing wrong with the meaning of the scriptures, then how did the current chaos in the world come about?"
"If we admit that there are problems with the meaning of the scriptures, doesn't that mean we are admitting that the path we have been on is wrong?"
"So Xi believed that the way of the world is endless, and the way of classics has not exhausted the ultimate truth of the world."
"In times of chaos, the military is used; in times of peace, classics are used. If we only look at classics, this is still too narrow."
After hearing this, Chen Deng said, "Sir, do you think that the current exclusive Confucianism is not as good as the past when hundreds of schools of thought contended with each other?"
Yuan Xi laughed and said, "They all say that Confucianism is the only doctrine that should be respected, but the criminal law of the Han Dynasty is not the same as that of the pre-Qin Legalists, right?"
"To praise Confucianism in order to explain the mandate from heaven is too biased. Why can't the Way of Heaven contain legal principles?"
Chen Gui and Chen Deng, father and son, heard this and said in unison: "Sir, what you said is very dangerous."
Yuan Xi said sternly: "This is what I really think. The Han Dynasty is in decline. Can the study of classics end this chaotic world?"
"Xi believed that in order to restore peace and prosperity, we must combine the strengths of all schools of thought, and this does not conflict with Confucian classics."
"If Xi can meet the emperor in the future, he will definitely propose that the Imperial Academy adopt the strengths of the classics of hundreds of schools of thought and teach the various disciplines of agriculture and forestry."
Chen Deng and his son were shocked when they heard this.
Yuan Xi turned to Hua Tuo, who had been listening, and said, "Medical skills are the way to save lives and bring benefits to the world. They should have a place in the Imperial Academy."
After hearing this, Hua Tuo opened his eyes wide and asked, "Is it really possible?"
His whole body began to tremble with excitement. Although he felt that Yuan Xi was just making empty promises, he couldn't help but feel excited.
What is Imperial College?
The highest educational institution in the Han Dynasty, representing supreme authority!
What did you learn in the Imperial Academy?
A sage's work that is regarded as a golden rule by scholars all over the world!
Yuan Xi's meaning is very profound, because once this idea is realized, medical skills and agricultural sciences can also become the words of saints!
Not only that, if Hua Tuo's own works could be included, perhaps in later generations, his status could be compared with that of the saints!
Who can resist such temptation?
Once this is accomplished, it will be a subversive innovation, no less than Dong Zhongshu's proposal of upholding Confucianism alone!
But Chen Gui was secretly alert. How much power would be needed to change the Imperial College?
What exactly is this guy from the Yuan family planning?
Yuan Xi took one look and quickly covered it up, saying, "Of course, only the emperor can decide on such matters."
"Although I am in the Yuan clan, just as the Yuan clan is on good terms with Lord Liu, I am also extremely worried about the emperor's situation."
"I heard that the emperor is returning to Luoyang today. If possible, I will go to Luoyang to meet the emperor and purge the Han Dynasty of bandits and clear the world."
After hearing this, Chen Gui nodded and praised: "I understand your ambition, and Chen is willing to help you achieve your goal."
Yuan Xi secretly wiped his sweat, thinking that he had finally gotten away with it.
As for how much the old fox Chen Gui believed it, he had no idea. He also didn't think that he could convince Chen Gui, a staunch supporter of the Han Dynasty, with just a few words.
But now both sides need to stick together for warmth, so they actually deliberately turn a blind eye to some minor differences. This is also what smart people do.
The two sides reached a consensus and were both satisfied. Chen Deng then took Yuan Xi to see Chen's collection of books, among which those on agriculture, forestry and water conservancy filled several rooms.
While Yuan Xi was amazed at the profound heritage of the Chen family, he immediately discussed the matter with Chen Deng. Chen Deng took these classics to Guangling to take up his post. Yuan Xi arranged for people to copy them there and take them to Youzhou, where they were taught by the Chen family's children to local officials and craftsmen.
Yuan Xi was ecstatic. To him, these things were the real rewards of this trip to Xuzhou. He really made a lot of money!