Chapter 240 Simin buys articles, each word is worth a thousand gold

Qingkong Gui walked towards his bicycle frame, and Dong Xingshu suddenly called out his name, "Youan."

Dong Xingshu pointed to his carriage. Qing Konggui immediately understood and told the coachman to leave first, then got into the carriage with Dong Xingshu.

In the carriage, Dong Xingshu said, "You'an's words just now are really thought-provoking. Can you write them into an article?"

Qingkong Gui instantly understood what Dong Xingshu meant. Dong Xingshu was going to use this article as the opening of the newspaper he was going to give to Wang Mingyi.

He shook his head with a wry smile.

Dong Xingshu frowned, "What?"

As a colleague for so many years, Dong Xingshu also knows Qingkong Gui's character. Even though everyone is now fighting for the power of the newspaper, Zhou Tieyi still holds the dominant position. Logically speaking, Qingkong Gui would not be so magnanimous.

Qingkong Gui sighed and said, "I just picked up someone else's words and derived a sentence. If you want to write an article, it's not me, it's him."

Dong Xingshu immediately realized who Qingkonggui was referring to as 'he'.

He hesitated for a moment, "What was the original sentence?"

"Scholars are not bound by one teacher or one method. There are different levels of learning the truth and different specializations in skills. Therefore, there is no noble or humble, no elder or younger. Where the truth exists, the teacher exists."

Dong Xingshu recited it once, weighing every word carefully, and then added the passage deduced by Qingkong Gui, "There is no order of learning, so the disciple does not have to be inferior to the teacher, and the teacher does not have to be better than the disciple. When taking a person as a teacher, one should know shame and then be brave."

At the end, Dong Xingshu sighed, "It can be the beginning of a great article for all ages."

It is not only a masterpiece that will be passed down through the ages, but also the only way to start an article in Wang Mingyi's new newspaper.

The article is plain and simple, yet profound and conscientious. It is a stylistic choice between the current style and the vernacular Chinese advocated by Zhou Tieyi.

Unfortunately, the person who opened the story was Zhou Tieyi!
Qingkong Gui thought for a moment and said, "I have a stupid idea."

"What stupid method?"

"We made an offer to buy this article."

Dong Xingshu instinctively wanted to refuse. In his original understanding, such a good article could not be measured by money, but this article was really timely.

Qingkong Gui smiled and said, "As the saying goes, a single word is worth a thousand gold coins. That guy is not ashamed to talk about profit. As long as we offer a good price, he will be willing to sell it. What's more, he advocates vernacular writing. In his hands, this article may not be able to play such a big role."

Dong Xingshu nodded and said, "Then buy it!"

······
In the Zhushen Division, information from merchants is constantly being gathered here. Qian Guangyun has already started to act. It won't be long before news spreads that Qian Guangyun has acquired a large number of new shops and started malicious competition.

At that time, we just need to hold back the people and shout a few words for Qian Guangyun in the Tianjing News. There is no need for the original shops to be suppressed, otherwise they will panic. After all, it will be too late if the original shops are suppressed.

"It's too late now though."

Zhou Tieyi smiled.

As long as the price is right, capitalists will be willing to sell the rope to hang themselves.

Those businessmen would never have imagined half a month ago that in just half a month, the Tianjing News would become a noose tightening around their necks.

The Tianjing Daily is indeed giving voice to businessmen, but it is up to them to decide which businessmen to speak for.

"Sir, there is someone outside who wants to see you. He said his name is Wang Mingyi."

Zhou Tieyi was slightly stunned. Wang Mingyi? Why did he come to see him?
Wang Mingyi went to see Mei Qingchen today. Zhou Tieyi naturally knew about this, but he didn't care much about it.

"Let him in."

Zhou Tieyi saw Wang Mingyi walking in wearing a scholar's shirt and holding a gift box, so he smiled and said, "This lawyer criticized officials for corruption and bribery in the newspaper. Are you trying to set a trap for me?"

Wang Mingyi cupped his hands and said, "It was Lawyer Si who asked me to come here."

Zhou Tieyi said calmly, "What are you doing here? Do you want me to let you go? The Railway Chamber of Commerce is not a black workshop where you sell your body. You are free to come and go. Remember to settle your wages, or you will accuse me of withholding your wages."

Wang Mingyi had known that Zhou Tieyi was a sharp-tongued person, so he did not argue with him. Instead, he placed the brocade box in front of Zhou Tieyi and opened it. A majestic aura emanated from the brocade box.

Zhou Tieyi looked solemnly as he looked into the brocade box. There was a piece of nephrite the size of a child's palm, with a perfect emerald green color. Dragon seals appeared one after another in the nephrite, a total of ten dragon seals!
A spiritual material with nine dragon seals is already a top third grade treasure, and ten dragon seals is even more valuable!
Zhou Tieyi asked uncertainly, "The green blood in the heart of the Green Blood Pill?"

Wang Mingyi nodded and said, "It is the jade blood of a great scholar of the third rank who died and condensed his life's learning. This jade blood came from the great scholar Yang Wenzhong of the State of Yan three hundred and thirty years ago."

Wenzhong?

Although Zhou Tieyi had not read the deeds of Yang Wenzhong, he could roughly guess how he died based on the time.

"Sacrifice for the country?"

"Yes, Taizu wanted to recruit him, but he stopped Taizu in front of the Yan State Temple and eventually died for his country. After his death, Taizu added the words Wen Zhong to him."

Zhou Tieyi curled his lips, but his eyes could not leave the brocade box, "Such an expensive gift, it can't be a simple matter, right?"

Wang Mingyi smiled and said, "It's just a piece of cake for Lord Zhou."

"Si Lu said that the 'On Teachers' that you wrote a few days ago was extremely exquisite, so he discussed it with Simin and asked me to buy it."

Zhou Tieyi's expression suddenly became strange.

He looked at Wang Mingyi, thought seriously, and understood the reason after a moment.

"You want to start a newspaper?"

Wang Mingyi did not answer.

Zhou Tieyi continued to guess, "Dong Xingshu wants you to take a path between vernacular Chinese and current written language as the foundation of your new Confucianism."

Although Wang Mingyi's expression remained unchanged, he was still shocked by Zhou Tieyi's thinking, as if the other party could answer all the questions as long as he gave a clue.

He couldn't help but ask, "How did you guess that?"

Zhou Tieyi smiled disdainfully, "Since you asked for this article, I can guess it with just a little thought!"

He knows the background of "On Teachers" very well.

Although people in this world do not understand the background of "On Teachers", but considering Dong Xingshu's status and his desire to use "On Teachers" to publish a newspaper, it is easy to guess that Dong Xingshu saw the role of "On Teachers".

The ancient Chinese literature movement advocated by Han Yu!
Abandon complicated rhetoric, allusions, and rhythm, let the article return to its essence and discuss the matter at hand.

It is said to be ancient literature, but its core is to use the past to change the present, just like the Enlightenment.

The only pity is that the Classical Chinese Literature Movement limited itself to articles. It did not, like the Enlightenment Movement, break away from articles and influence all aspects of society, especially in conjunction with the liberation of productivity, complete the liberation of thought, and ultimately lay the foundation for the emergence of a new era.

Because it had no underlying foundation, the classical Chinese literature movement eventually declined.

Zhou Tieyi knocked on the table, but this era was different. He had already started the wave of industrialization, and his vernacular movement was, in a sense, also in line with the thought of the Enlightenment.

It’s just that I have a complete system, so I don’t need to refer to the past to talk about the present.

I have already seen the future, why should I rely on the dregs of history!

On the contrary, if Wang Mingyi's classical literature movement was combined with the wave of industrialization to form a new Confucianism...

"interesting!"

Zhou Tieyi knocked on the table.

"Why should I sell it to you?"

Zhou Tieyi asked back.

Wang Mingyi followed Si Lu's instructions, walked forward, closed the brocade box, and prepared to pick up the things and leave without wasting time talking to Zhou Tieyi.

"and many more!"

Zhou Tieyi quickly held the brocade box, "Would you like to chat more?" Wang Mingyi did not let go and said with a smile, "Si Lu said that if Lord Zhou does not want to sell it, then don't sell it. Even if we don't have your article, we can still write it ourselves if we think about it. At most, it will be a little worse and the effect will not be that good, but Lord Zhou does not have the Confucian Blood in his family, right?"

Zhou Tieyi curled his lips. He still wanted to raise the price!
Qingkong Gui is so cunning!

"I'm selling this article to you. If you succeed, isn't that like I'm selling you the knife that would kill me? Can't you give me a little more?"

Zhou Tieyi couldn't help but say one more word.

Just now he was criticizing the businessman for selling a rope to hang himself, but he didn't expect that the other party could really afford the price, and he was no exception.

Wang Mingyi laughed and said, "If an article could kill you, then Minister Mei's "Plea for Guilt" would be enough. Why did you end up like this?"

Zhou Tieyi waved his hand, "Go, I'll prepare the writing brush and ink for you."

Wang Mingyi did not hesitate to accept Zhou Tieyi's order. He quickly walked to the side and started grinding ink for Zhou Tieyi.

Zhou Tieyi watched Wang Mingyi grinding ink while asking, "Whose name will be on the article?"

Wang Mingyi thought for a moment and said, "Your name will be lost."

Zhou Tieyi smiled and said, "What will your newspaper do if you put my name on it? If Si Lu really gave you the idea, he should not put my name on it. He will definitely say that after ten years, no matter who wins or loses, the article will be returned to my name."

Wang Mingyi did not answer. This was indeed a solution. If Zhou Tieyi's name was used, he would face great resistance in publishing a newspaper, and it would even be difficult for him to promote the newspaper in Taixue College.

However, he still wanted Zhou Tieyi to be listed. As for the method of promotion, he already had an idea, but he didn't know if he could succeed.

But if he can't even do this kind of thing, how can he compete with Zhou Tieyi for the "New Confucianism" orthodoxy? It would be better for him to die at the first step to avoid wasting everyone's time.

Wang Mingyi ground the ink in silence, and Zhou Tieyi picked up his pen and started writing.

"On Teachers" is not long, but it is a must-memorize text. Even if you cannot remember the entire paragraph, you can remember the key sentences. Combined with your own insights over the years, you can write down most of it.

After all, the core of the classical Chinese literature movement is to use literature to convey moral principles, not to force you to memorize things by rote, which would be counterproductive.

After finishing this article, Zhou Tieyi thought for a while, took another piece of paper, and wrote "Investigate things to acquire knowledge, and integrate knowledge and action."

Zhou Tieyi smiled and pointed at the paper. "I'm not lying to you. This is a bonus. You can use this as a starting point. Combine it with what you've seen and heard, and write another article later. If you write well, it will be better than this "On Teachers."

Wang Mingyi read the entire "On Teachers" and was already fascinated. When he looked at these eight words again, suddenly thousands of thoughts came to his mind, like a ray of light, bursting out directly in his brain.

Wang Mingyi looked at Zhou Tieyi deeply, "You're just going to give it to me like this?"

Zhou Tieyi pointed to the sky and the earth, isolating the inside and the outside, and said with a smile, "If you don't understand the truth, you won't understand it. I also want to see what kind of scenery will evolve when this truth is combined with this era in your hands. Now the world is prosperous and heroes are like crucian carp crossing the river, but only the bet between you and me can determine the direction of the world in ten years."

Wang Mingyi said no more, picked up the two pieces of paper, and sighed, "If I win, I will ask you to choose a college to teach me."

After saying that, he walked out without waiting for Zhou Tieyi to answer.

Zhou Tieyi stroked his chin and asked, "Does this mean you want to save my Taoist lineage and my life?"

Boy, are you too crazy?

Zhou Tieyi withdrew his gaze from Wang Mingyi, opened the brocade box again, and took out the great scholar's blood that was as soft as jade.

This is really good stuff.

"It's a pity that it's Wen Zhong. It's a bit unlucky."

Zhou Tieyi couldn't help but complain, using his own [Usurpation of God] magical power to usurp the Taoist tradition?

Zhou Tieyi thought about it. He hadn't even finished digesting the previous [Loyalty and Righteousness] lineage yet, and he had to rely on Li Jianhu to digest it. This [Wen Zhong] was many times better than the novelist's [Loyalty and Righteousness]. He couldn't bear to give it up...

Suddenly, Zhou Tieyi thought of a way to digest it.

He flipped his hand and took out a white jade chessboard.

The longitude and latitude lines on the chessboard expanded, covering the entire main hall, isolating the inside and outside from each other.

The chessboard space at this moment is no longer as chaotic as it was a month ago.

After a month of Zhou Tieyi's work, and with the cooperation of the Five Emperors, the chessboard space has become stable.

A three-foot-tall peach and plum sapling grew vigorously, and its roots extended into the power of thunder and lightning and the righteous spirit. Although the two forces had not been completely sorted out, they were able to make the two forces no longer violent.

Sensing Zhou Tieyi's entry, especially the green blood on Zhou Tieyi's body, the peach and plum saplings couldn't help but stretch out a branch. In this space, its branches are almost everywhere, and it itself is one of the cores of this space.

“When you see something good, reach out.”

Zhou Tieyi opened the branches of the peach and plum tree sapling. Although the peach and plum tree had sufficient spirituality, it was still too young and had not yet developed complete wisdom.

As he took a step towards the peach and plum tree, he found that the spirituality of the sage earth surrounding the tree not only did not decrease, but it was also absorbing the power of thunder and lightning and the righteous energy, so that the five elements of ancestral qi slowly condensed into more soil.

The things in front of this saint are truly amazing.

Zhou Tieyi sighed, then placed his palm on the peach and plum saplings, communicating with them with the magical power of [Taming Plants], "Don't move."

He used the magical power of [Nurturing] to stimulate the growth of the peach and plum saplings themselves. In an instant, the peach and plum saplings quickly grew from their original three feet, as if the time of the entire world was accelerating.

As time accelerated, the peach and plum trees instinctively began to absorb nutrients, and a large amount of thunder power and righteousness poured into the branches and roots.

However, although the quantity of these thunder forces and righteousness is sufficient, their quality is far inferior.

Zhou Tieyi took out the green blood with his other hand and dropped it into the saint's soil.

The Confucian green blood and the Confucian saints' soil complement each other, and the two quickly melt together. After the soft jade-like green blood melts, in addition to providing a large amount of righteous energy, each dragon seal is like a living thing, expounding a righteous Taoist tradition.

The peach and plum tree saplings immediately knew that their opportunity had come. The roots of the trees wrapped around ten dragon seals, completely enveloping them. The integration of Taoism allowed the peach and plum trees to grow beyond their original limitations.

Zhou Tieyi's peach and plum saplings originated from the Confucian peach and plum trees themselves. Over the years, other families have also obtained peach and plum tree cores, but why are they difficult to cultivate? It is because the Taoist tradition is precious. Without spending a huge price and cultivating them with a complete Taoist tradition, these peach and plum trees that are scattered outside will hardly produce miraculous fruits even if they are nourished by luck.

Now that he is nurtured by a complete Confucian tradition, the fruits produced by Zhou Tieyi's peach and plum tree can truly have some of their original magical effects.

But this is far from enough. With the help of the priesthoods of [Nurturing] and [Taming of Plants], the peach and plum trees are growing rapidly.

The peach and plum trees in front of Zhou Tieyi lost their specific shape and also evolved into a dim "galaxy".

However, compared with the galaxy that Hong Shigui evolved, this galaxy has become almost stagnant.

Although Yang Wen Zhong Gong was a great Confucian scholar, he was, after all, a great Confucian scholar of the State of Yan more than 300 years ago. More than half of his Taoist tradition [Wen Zhong] relied on the destiny of the State of Yan. The State of Yan had been destroyed. If it were not for the Great Xia Emperor Taizu who gave him the title of Wen Zhong, and if it were not for the Confucianists who continued to promote his spirit, this Taoist tradition might have directly perished.

If in a complete state, this Yang Wen Zhong Gong should be a second-rank scholar, and the blood he left behind is only a part of his strength. After all, there is the more important "loyalty" that he has not seen.

But even if he has a 'loyal heart', Dong Xingshu will definitely not be willing to give it to himself, Zhou Tieyi thought seriously while exploring this Taoist tradition.

Therefore, it can only exert the better power among the three grades, which is manifested in ten dragon seal characters.

Because it was absorbed by the peach and plum tree, Zhou Tieyi didn't have to worry about whether the attribute of the word "loyalty" was suitable. On the contrary, the attribute of the word "loyalty" contained in the peach and plum tree was the most suitable for him.

"Usurp the God."

Zhou Tieyi grabbed at the illusory galaxy.

At this time, the peach and plum tree had gained enough wisdom under the inspiration of [Wen Zhong], and subconsciously made a childish voice, "Can you leave it to me? I will help you guard this place in the future, and you can eat all the fruits it bears."

He is really good at pleasing people. Shouldn’t you say he is indeed Wen Zhong?

Zhou Tieyi smiled and said, "What good is a stagnant pool of water? I'll show you more things. Don't worry, I won't touch your Taoist tradition."

With the addition of the power of [Usurpation God], the Taoist tradition that was like stagnant water began to stir slightly, connecting the entire history, and one memory scene after another belonging to Yang Wen Zhonggong appeared in front of Zhou Tieyi and Taoli Shu.

After usurping the Taoist orthodoxy of the Five Impermanent Gods last time, Zhou Tieyi understood that what [Usurpation God] usurped was the Taoist orthodoxy, and the magical power was just one of the manifestations.

He didn't dare to touch the memories of the Nine Ancient Gods now, but he could gain more benefits from these upper-three-grade Taoist sects that had completely died out.

(End of this chapter)