Arguing, that is the Confucian Scholar's true skill.
Moreover, Zou Ziqu and Yuan Zhen are both accomplished Great Confucians.
To be fair, both of their arguments make sense.
This world is not simply black and white.
The achievements of the Great Jin are substantial, but it is not without its faults.
The Emperor of Jin and his sons have done much, but they have also harmed many.
The Great Jin is governed by the Legalism of Zhuge Yuan, where the Three Northern Provinces believe in the survival of the fittest, the law of natural selection, where the fit survive. The population there is indeed less than in other states, and describing it as 'harsh government is fiercer than a tiger' is not unreasonable.
Compared to the scheming of the Hedong Alliance, the Great Jin definitely seems united, but to say it's entirely so is not true. Zou Ziqu's rhetorical question is very persuasive. If you were truly united, how did Hou Jing manage to rebel against the Great Jin?
