Chapter 132 The Master I Wish to Serve Is Elder Xi

Tan Zishan, who had just started to rise from his seat, froze. He sat back down quietly. Even if he were to be snubbed, he really wanted to exchange ideas with those two. In such a public setting, everyone was a person of standing; surely they wouldn't embarrass him?

Tan Zishan’s mother was Xiao Hua’s aunt, but she had married into a higher social stratum. Tan Zishan himself was also capable—good-tempered and academically gifted. Xiao Hua was constantly being compared to him, and every word of praise from their elders felt like a needle in his ear. The more he heard, the more he despised Tan Zishan. If Tan Zishan were to be expelled from the academy, he would be the first to applaud.

Tan Zishan, however, largely ignored Xiao Hua. His mother had told him to be the bigger person since Xiao Hua was his younger cousin, and since Xiao Hua’s father treated him well, he generally couldn't be bothered to argue with him.

Seizing his moment, Tan Zishan rose immediately after the previous student departed. "Student Li, Student Yun," he greeted. Li Su and Yun Qin turned and greeted him in kind. Seeing that they were receptive and showed no sign of coldness or hostility, Tan Zishan let out a silent sigh of relief.

The three began to converse, becoming so engrossed that they lost track of time. The students of the Heaven Hall pricked up their ears to listen, and as their views diverged, a debate naturally ensued.

The point of contention arose when they discussed the concept of sacrificing one’s life for righteousness. Tan Zishan argued that a gentleman must prioritize righteousness above all else. Yun Qin suggested that one could prioritize profit, while Li Su believed that righteousness and profit were not mutually exclusive, and that the key lay in where one drew the boundary.

Tan Zishan spoke with earnest sincerity, his gaze burning, "A gentleman standing between heaven and earth must prioritize righteousness. For instance, Yan Hui lived in a humble alley, surviving on a bowl of rice and a ladle of water, yet he never let it dampen his joy. If a person cares only for profit, even with a fortune of ten thousand gold pieces, a gentleman would hold them in contempt."

The students of the Heaven Hall nodded slightly; it made sense.

Yun Qin rubbed the jade pendant at his waist. "Brother Zishan’s words are logical, yet I find prioritizing righteousness a bit restrictive. One may prioritize profit, for a gentleman should not shy away from discussing it. Guan Zhong managed the currency and accumulated wealth, enriched the state and strengthened its military, and honored the king while repelling invaders; he achieved the hegemony of Duke Huan of Qi. These were deeds that benefited the country and the people—it would not be an exaggeration to call this 'great righteousness.' But without profit as a foundation, the country would be poor and weak, and the people destitute. This 'great righteousness' could never be achieved."

The students of the Heaven Hall nodded again; this also made sense. Tan Zishan lowered his head in thought, contemplating how to respond to this argument of using profit to achieve great righteousness.

Li Su then spoke, "I, however, believe that the crux of the matter regarding righteousness and profit lies not in which comes first, but in how they are defined."

As soon as Li Su spoke, both Yun Qin and Tan Zishan showed expressions of deep thought. This was a novel perspective that stepped outside the binary framework.

Li Su continued, "What you suggest, Brother Yun, is using profit as a means and great righteousness as the ultimate goal. The means serve the purpose, and the boundary is clear. Conversely, if one deprives the people to amass wealth, or even sells out their country for personal glory, the means have become the end itself—that is to see profit and forget righteousness.

"As for the joy of Yan Hui that Student Tan mentioned, it lies in spiritual self-sufficiency—the joy of the Way. In itself, this is a form of the purest profit on a spiritual level. It does not necessarily conflict with material scarcity. Yan Hui’s choice was to take righteousness as his essence, finding peace in poverty and joy in the Way to achieve spiritual profit. If one were to force him to pursue material things, it might instead disturb his spirit. Thus, the boundary lies in the choice of one's heart."

The students of the Heaven Hall nodded once more. What Student Li said was logical!

Yun Qin looked thoughtful. "Brother, do you mean that the key to profit and righteousness lies in how we define the boundary? That righteousness can be the ultimate end, profit can be the means to reach that end, and righteousness itself can bring spiritual profit?"

"Precisely," Li Su nodded. "Without a clear boundary, when the flood of profit loses its constraints, it will surely drown morality. But when the requirements of righteousness are completely detached from the basic necessities of survival, it becomes an impossible moral demand hanging in the air."

The students listening in silence felt that everyone’s points were valid, though they each began to lean toward their own preferred conclusion. Tan Zishan felt a great stir in his heart. Li Su’s argument not only synthesized his and Yun Qin’s views but reached an unprecedented height. He had concretized the issue of righteousness and profit as a fundamental matter of operation, jumping past the limitations of individual moral choice to point directly at the core of the contradiction.

When the discussion concluded, everyone couldn't help but sigh; it had been a truly satisfying and spirited exchange. Tan Zishan looked at Li Su and said, "Student Li is truly worthy of being the top of the rankings." At that moment, he genuinely felt that Li Su’s scholarship was superior to his own.

The three continued to discuss other topics, and soon, other students from the Heaven Hall crowded around, eager to express their own opinions. Because there were so many people, the discussion began amicably but eventually grew heated, with single remarks threatening to ignite tempers. Fortunately, with Li Su, Yun Qin, and Tan Zishan guiding the flow, it never devolved into a true quarrel.

It wasn't until the master arrived that everyone returned to their seats. Some were still unsatisfied, wishing the master had come later. From then on, Tan Zishan often sought out Li Su and Yun Qin, deeply admiring them both. Though Li Su and Yun Qin were close, their views often differed, and Tan Zishan found it fascinating just to listen to them debate.

Sometimes Li Su would convince Yun Qin, sometimes it was the other way around, and sometimes neither could persuade the other, each holding firmly to their own stance.

Xiao Hua did not believe the rumors that Li Su, Yun Qin, and Tan Zishan were getting along. Driven by disbelief, he went to the Heaven Hall to see for himself, only to find the students gathered around, with Li Su, Yun Qin, and Tan Zishan laughing and talking together.

Xiao Hua: "???" They were actually getting along? Why? Wasn't Tan Zishan jealous of Li Su for snatching the top spot? Didn't Li Su feel offended that Tan Zishan suspected him of cheating? Perhaps Li Su had confronted him and realized those rumors were all fabrications. It seemed his prediction had been wrong; Li Su was not the type of aristocratic scion who felt slighted at every turn.

Xiao Hua felt a flicker of regret. Never mind. Since this scheme hadn't worked, he had better focus on working his way back to the Heaven Hall. Otherwise, if he went home and his family found out he was still in the Earth Hall, they would surely drag him out to be compared to Tan Zishan again. The thought alone was exhausting. He returned to the Earth Hall, disappointed and filled with a sense of grievance.

When Yun Qin returned from Master Xi Sheng, he looked utterly dejected. Li Su comforted him, "My teacher has very high standards; no matter who is with him, they never seem to meet his requirements." He was a firm believer in the "education through discouragement" approach.

"It is still you who can see past it, Brother," Yun Qin sighed. Being scolded every day yet remaining cheerful—compared to him, the words Master Xi used on him were not even that harsh. "Actually, I should be happy. Many would beg to be scolded by Master Xi and never get the chance. If it weren't for your grace, I wouldn't even have this opportunity." He felt a bit embarrassed for constantly tagging along to see Li Su's teacher. He had only intended to go occasionally, but now he was going every day.

"I once asked to become his student and was rejected. Master Xi was the one I wanted to study under, but he was unwilling to take me in. I never dreamed that one day I would receive his guidance."

Li Su widened his eyes slightly, looking at Yun Qin in genuine astonishment.