nucmednet Chapter 227 Persuading Lu Jia 2
Chapter 227 Persuading Lu Jia 2
Liu Qi spoke first, his voice steady: "Look, spring brings forth life, summer fosters growth, autumn harvests, and winter stores away—this is the natural order. The sun, moon, and stars each follow their own orbits, beyond human control. Ancient sages all acted in accordance with Heaven, thus ensuring favorable weather, national prosperity, and peace. Going against Heaven inevitably brings disaster. Moreover, when floods rage, how long can human power resist them? Only by conforming to the way of Heaven can we ensure peace. This is the principle of the unity of Heaven and humanity; why don't you respond?"
Lu Jia raised his head slightly, his gaze firm: "You only see the natural order, but not the great power of man. Heaven creates all things, and man is one of them. Yet man has intelligence and ambition; how can he be bound by Heaven? In the past, Yu the Great controlled the floods, passing his home three times without entering. He used human power to dredge the river channels and guide the floodwaters to the sea, ultimately controlling the floods. Is this not proof that human power can overcome Heaven? If we only know how to follow Heaven, man can only sit and wait for death. How can we talk about the progress of civilization, how can we talk about the prosperity of the nation?"
Liu Qi frowned and retorted, "Yu the Great's flood control also relied on the terrain and the nature of water; this was acting in accordance with the will of Heaven, not simply a matter of man conquering Heaven. Moreover, humans live between Heaven and Earth, eat grains and receive the essence of the sun and moon, and are inherently dependent on Heaven. Heaven determines the seasons, and people work accordingly; Heaven bestows disasters, and people should be in awe. Your claim that man can conquer Heaven is probably just arrogant talk."
Lu Jia spoke eloquently: "You are mistaken! Although humans are nourished by heaven and earth, human will must not be extinguished. How can a sparrow perched under the eaves know the ambition of a swan? Humans can observe the heavens and understand the geography, and then make tools, develop agriculture, and build cities—all these are the work of human beings. If we only talk about following the will of heaven, how can we not strive for progress and let fate dictate our lives? Moreover, heaven is not constant, but humans have perseverance. With perseverance, we can respond to all changes, and even if we encounter difficulties and dangers, we can overcome them. Your idea of the unity of heaven and man only makes people lazy!"
Liu Qi was speechless for a moment, then after thinking for a while, he said, “Your words are bold, but human power is finite. If there is a severe drought, the land will be barren for thousands of miles, and there will be no harvest. What can people do? Praying for rain is the right way. This is a test of the interaction between heaven and man. People must not go against the will of heaven, otherwise they will be punished by heaven.”
Lu Jia argued vehemently: "Although a severe drought is devastating, people can dig wells for water, draw canals for irrigation, and relocate people to other places for food. You only know how to pray to Heaven, but what if Heaven does not respond? During the reign of King Tang of Shang, there was a seven-year drought. King Tang led the people to dig wells and draw canals to overcome the crisis through self-help. Is this not a model of human strength overcoming nature? Human determination to overcome nature does not mean ignoring the might of Heaven, but rather doing one's best to make up for the deficiencies of Heaven with human effort and to change the trajectory of destiny through struggle. If we blindly submit to Heaven, people will have no place to stand, and civilization will stagnate."
Liu Qi pondered for a long time before finally letting out a long sigh: "Your eloquence is impeccable, and your words are reasonable and well-founded. Only today do I realize that human strength should not be underestimated. You have won."
Lu Jia bowed and said, "Your insightful views have greatly benefited me. Today's debate is only to clarify our aspirations. I hope that you can join hands with me in the future to explore the principles of humanity and the universe and seek happiness for the world."
Seeing Liu Qi voluntarily concede defeat, the restaurant owner's face immediately broke into a bright smile. He strode forward with light steps and exclaimed loudly, "Haha, excellent! You two are truly eloquent and erudite, your arguments are all well-reasoned and supported by evidence, which is truly admirable! After this intense and brilliant debate, the result is now clear. Hereby, I solemnly announce that the final victor in this debate on the topic of 'Heaven and Man' is Mr. Lu Jia's school of thought, which advocates that man can conquer nature! Let us extend our warmest congratulations to Mr. Lu Jia!"
As the restaurant owner finished speaking, the crowd erupted in thunderous applause, the applause rising and falling like waves, deafeningly loud. Those downstairs were even more excited, shouting at the top of their lungs, making the entire restaurant a bustling and lively place.
At this moment, Sun Yi, who was on the second floor, listened to the entire debate between the two from beginning to end, and couldn't help but admire Lu Jia's excellent eloquence. At this moment, the atmosphere in Mingyue Tower was as joyful and enthusiastic as a festival.
After the debate concluded successfully, everyone began to enjoy the fine wine and food, and the tense and serious atmosphere instantly dissipated. Lu Jia and Liu Qi sat facing each other, barely a foot apart. Recalling the tension before the debate began, the two had been locked in a battle of wits, neither willing to yield, but now that sharp confrontation had vanished without a trace, replaced by a tacit understanding.
The two men toasted each other, chatting and laughing, thoroughly enjoying themselves. Just as they were getting into the swing of things, a figure suddenly appeared in front of them. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Sun Yi, who had seized the opportunity to approach them. However, Lu Jia and Liu Qi, who were in the middle of a lively conversation, frowned almost simultaneously upon seeing this unexpected stranger. They were clearly displeased by Sun Yi's uninvited arrival and even considered driving him away.
Sun Yi quickly clasped his hands in a salute and said, "My name is Sun Yi. I have come here on behalf of Princess Jiayang to discuss some important matters with you two. I wonder if you two are available at this moment?"
Upon hearing this, both men were astonished. The name of Princess Jiayang was known to everyone in Qin. Scholars like Lu Jia and Sun Qi held her in high esteem and had heard of her for generations. Seeing this, they quickly rose, bowed, and invited Sun to sit down.
Sun Yi, without any hesitation, generously beckoned the bartender over and ordered several more exquisite dishes and fine wines. After the food and wine were served, Sun Yi personally took the wine pot and poured a full glass for Liu Qi and Lu Jia, then said with a smile, "It has been an honor to listen to your two brilliant debates today. It has been truly breathtaking and eye-opening! I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to you both!" After saying this, he tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp.
Liu Qi, being several years older than Lu Jia and more experienced in interpersonal relationships, appeared quite composed. He simply picked up his wine cup, downed it in one gulp without hesitation, and smiled at Sun Yi. Lu Jia, seeing this, appeared slightly reserved, but still followed suit and drank his wine in one go. At this moment, Liu Qi put down his cup and asked, "Just now, sir, you said that you came here on Princess Jiayang's orders to specifically find the two of us. Is that true?"
Upon hearing this, Sun nodded repeatedly and replied, "Of course, it's absolutely true, there's not a single falsehood in it!"
Liu Qi and Lu Jia exchanged a glance, a hint of doubt appearing on their faces. Liu Qi then asked, "Although we are somewhat well-known in Xinmi, we are far from being known even to Princess Jiayang, are we?"
At this moment, Sun Yi, who was sitting in front of them, smiled slightly and replied softly, "What you two say is true, and that is indeed the case according to common sense. However, this time it was the princess who personally invited you two to Xianyang. The princess greatly admires your talents and is eager to have you two serve her and make the most of your abilities."