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All eyes were fixed on Qin Lingge, watching the handsome man speak. “Drop sagacity, abandon wisdom, and the people will benefit a hundredfold. Drop humanity, abandon justice, and the people will return to their natural affections. Drop shrewdness, abandon profit, and thieves will cease to be.”
Zhang Yuelu raised an eyebrow slightly.
Qin Lingge’s chosen reference was easy to recognize. However, the more well-known a classic, the broader and deeper the topic it encompassed. Even the most erudite Great Sage might struggle to fully analyze it.
Over centuries, generations of scholars have expanded and refined its interpretations, solidifying its accepted meaning and leaving little room for other rhetorics. By choosing this topic, Qin Lingge was clearly aiming to defeat Zhang Yuelu with a direct and honorable approach rather than through cunning maneuvers.
This reference originated from the new edition of the Primordial Daoist Ancestor’s Five Thousand Words Classic.
The Five Thousand Words Classic had two editions—one old, one new. The older version, also known as the original version, contained the exact words spoken by the Primordial Daoist Ancestor himself. The newer version was later modified by Daoist disciples to adapt to the evolving times and circumstances.
The original version stated, “Drop wisdom, forsake argumentation, and the...
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