Chapter 59: The Variable of the Era
“Little Imperial Uncle?”
Meng Huanchao neither accepted nor denied Su Jin’s form of address. “How could someone already removed from the Wei imperial clan possibly deserve to be addressed that way by the Crown Prince of Wei?”
Su Jin opened his mouth. For a moment, he actually did not know how to respond. Only after a long while did he say, “Little Imperial Uncle took the name Meng Huanchao. Does that not mean Wei still remains in your heart? Now, Wei’s spies are already spread throughout the world. We no longer need Little Imperial Uncle to abandon everything and sacrifice everything. I came this time to bring Little Imperial Uncle back to Wei.”
Meng Huanchao laughed. “Meng Huanchao? Yes. Once, even in my dreams, I wanted to return to court, to return home. Who could know the sorrow of being able to go to any state under heaven, yet being unable to return to one’s own homeland? But waiting day after day, being disappointed day after day, will eventually sever the last thread of longing, and make a person completely become rootless duckweed drifting in this world.”
“Since I could not go back before, what meaning is there in going back now…”
Besides, would the Wei imperial clan truly welcome him back? A former leader who had built Wei’s spy network across the world.
Su Jin said, “Does Little Imperial Uncle not wish to return and sweep Master’s grave? Before Master passed away, the one he worried about most was Little Imperial Uncle. In Master’s heart, you were the one who truly inherited his will.”
Meng Huanchao’s expression changed. In the end, he sighed. “Su Jin, I heard you have traveled through the various states, attempting to form alliances among them. You have indeed inherited Master’s will. Only, Master used a heart that held all under heaven to unite the states, hoping to bring peace and prosperity to the countless common people. Are you truly doing that? Or are you using what you learned for your own private gain?”
Su Jin looked into Meng Huanchao’s eyes. He had many excuses, but under those eyes, it seemed that no matter how many excuses he had, none would be useful. In the end, he answered, “I am a man of Wei. I am the Crown Prince of Wei.”
Meng Huanchao said nothing. Su Jin was not a sage. How could he possibly be held to the standards of a sage? Was Meng Huanchao himself not the same? If he could truly be like Master, holding all under heaven in his heart without bias toward any state, then back then he would not have thrown away his identity as the sage’s direct disciple and gone far from home to establish a spy network for Wei.
Meng Huanchao murmured, “Using the sages’ learning to fool the world will eventually bring backlash. You seek alliances among the states, yet only Wei exists in your heart. Do you know that such alliances are only superficial? Like loose sand, they will collapse with a single blow. Even if Wei can borrow the might of other states to enjoy temporary glory, if Wei survives in the cracks between the states by this method, it will eventually be assimilated by its allies until it disappears.”
Su Jin: “…”
How could he not know? But as a man of Wei, as the Crown Prince of Wei, he truly could not do as Master had done and hold no borders in his heart. Nor did he know how to do it. Perhaps anyone could speak grand words on the surface, but one’s true thoughts could not deceive oneself.
Meng Huanchao did not wait for Su Jin to answer. Instead, he asked, “Did you come all the way to Great Qian truly to bring me back to Wei? Speak. Why did you come?”
His tone carried some mockery, some ridicule, but more than anything, certainty.
Bitterness appeared on Su Jin’s face. “Although it was not the imperial clan who sent me to bring Little Imperial Uncle back, this time, I did indeed come with the intention of visiting Little Imperial Uncle and hoping Little Imperial Uncle would return to Wei.”
Meng Huanchao continued looking at Su Jin.
Only then did Su Jin say, “Among the sages, Sage Yan is the best at observing star charts and divining the fate of the age. By chance, he let slip news that the variable of this chaotic age has appeared. The current balance among the states is likely about to change. One of my purposes in traveling through the states was to see what this ‘variable’ Sage Yan spoke of truly is. Only, along my journey, I have encountered countless extraordinary people and strange events, and the situations among the states are complicated beyond measure. Yet none of them reached the level of being able to change the current chaos, as Sage Yan described.”
“Little Imperial Uncle has seen much and knows much, and is familiar with the secret inner workings of the various states. Looking across all under heaven, only Little Imperial Uncle understands the world’s situation clearly. I came this time also specifically to ask for guidance. For the sake of our shared blood and origin with Wei, please enlighten me.”
Shared blood and origin? Apart from that, was there anything else?
He had drifted in foreign lands longer than he had ever lived in Wei, and those memories were far deeper.
Meng Huanchao did not answer directly. Instead, he pushed open the teahouse window, revealing a small crack, and looked at the magic tower that seemed very far away, yet still within sight. He murmured, “The variable Sage Yan spoke of? That art of divination that is wrong nine times out of ten may actually come true this time.”
Su Jin froze, but did not speak. Since Little Imperial Uncle had agreed to come to this teahouse, he must still care somewhat about his old ties with Wei.
Only, he did not know that even if it had not been Su Jin who came, if someone else had invited Meng Huanchao, Meng Huanchao would most likely have come as well. Otherwise, how could he have earned the title of the world’s number one confidant? That title was not called out for nothing.
Meng Huanchao pointed toward the distant magic tower. “The variable you seek may be there.”
Su Jin said, “Isn’t that the observatory tower? Lu also built one. I even went up and saw Lu’s tower myself. Aside from its astonishing height, it can at most be called an architectural miracle. How could it be the variable of this chaotic age?”
Meng Huanchao shook his head. “What you saw was only the exterior, and the exterior is often the least important thing. What matters is the people inside. Inside lives a group of people who are about to become an unbelievable existence to the various states.”
During these days, he had seen too many novel things. Perhaps to others, they were merely new and strange. Perhaps even those students had yet to realize what exactly they were learning. But he had seen the essence.
The essence that could change this chaotic age.
Su Jin opened his mouth. “…Little Imperial Uncle means that Great Qian will become the key to breaking the balance among the states? But although Great Qian’s military strength is powerful, it absolutely cannot last. The lives of their common people are only at the level of some minor states. Once a major war breaks out, they will surely be dragged down.”
Meng Huanchao suddenly replied, “What if Great Qian resolves its livelihood problems in a short time, and obtains weapons stronger than those of the other states?”
Su Jin: “…”
A Great Qian like that was indeed unimaginable. Perhaps it truly could use the strength of one state to suppress all the others and end this chaotic age of conflict.
However, Meng Huanchao shook his head again. “Great Qian has its own problems too. Whether it can stand out depends on whether it can pass this hurdle.”
Perhaps bystanders truly saw more clearly. Meng Huanchao even understood better than anyone what problem Great Qian was about to face.
“What did you think of the wall divine painting Grand Scholar Zhaoxue brought to Lu? Why did such a peerless treasure have to be exchanged specifically for that Qishan Pill, whose effect is unknown? You were in Lu at the time. You should have seen it clearly.”
Su Jin froze. Then his heart stirred. Why specifically exchange it for the Qishan Pill?
That was right. Why use a treasure like the wall divine painting to exchange for the Qishan Pill at all costs? Grand Scholar Zhaoxue was only there to travel and study. He had no need to do so.
If it was merely Grand Scholar Zhaoxue’s personal preference, then so be it. But if it was not, then who else could pay such a price for it…
Su Jin’s heart suddenly gave a heavy beat.
Great Qian was about to fall into chaos.
Meng Huanchao, on the other hand, had no reaction. He seemed long accustomed to such rises and falls. “Whether it can become the variable of the era depends first on whether they can pass this hurdle.”
What Meng Huanchao did not say was that the things and learning inside that tower were far too miraculous. For them to become the variable of this era, they still needed one indispensable condition: they had to have someone absolutely powerful, and someone who trusted and supported them completely.
Otherwise, new learning, ideas that people could not understand, how could they be so easily promoted? The greater possibility was that they would be labeled crooked doctrines and heresies.
How could there be anyone in this world who would completely and unconditionally support things they themselves did not even understand? Once people obtained power, they would become self-centered and selfish. They would even fail to see many obvious truths. Take the King of Great Qian, for instance. Such a towering figure—was he not the same?
Su Jin still seemed somewhat confused. What he did not understand was why Great Qian could solve its livelihood problems in a short time, and where it would get weapons stronger than those of the other states.
Meng Huanchao said, “Tomorrow, go look around Shangjing City. You will naturally understand.”
Su Jin nodded. During these days, in order to persuade Great Qian’s king to form an alliance with Wei, he had indeed gone out little. “Little Imperial Uncle’s guidance to Wei—Su Jin is deeply grateful. After returning to Wei, Su Jin will certainly report everything truthfully to the imperial clan.”
Meng Huanchao: “…There is really no need. It is only because you asked. Since I know, I told you.”
He, Meng Huanchao, had far too many identities. The identities he had used while traveling among the states to develop spies were too many to count. As for the memories of being Wei’s little prince, they were already vague. Ever since Wei had abandoned him, he had no wish to remember how many identities he had once possessed.
He only wanted to be a heartless person now. Without a heart, there would be no attachments and no burden.
If Chen Bai knew Meng Huanchao’s current state of mind, he would definitely advise this damned pervert to hurry up and see a psychiatrist. Whether the psychiatrist could outtalk Meng Huanchao was another matter entirely.
However, if one has not suffered another person’s bitterness, one should not advise them to be kind. No one knew what Meng Huanchao had experienced in the past, so how could anyone easily judge right or wrong?
When Meng Huanchao returned to the academy, he saw Chen Bai sitting boldly at the entrance, waiting for him.
Chen Bai smiled as he held a notebook. “Lord Meng, this is our academy students’ class schedule. Please see whether it is suitable.”
Meng Huanchao froze. He took it and looked. It was a very strange table, but these days he had been observing beside the students, so he could understand this kind of simple and easy-to-read table.
The day was divided into seven lessons: four in the morning, three in the afternoon. Students who stayed at school in the evening also had evening self-study.
A seven-day cycle was used, and the last two days of every seven days were rest days.
Only, this class schedule: “…”
For example, on Monday, the lessons were The Book of Songs, The Book of Documents, self-study, The Book of Rites, The Book of Changes, self-study, Spring and Autumn Annals…
As for the master’s name written after every named lesson, it was all the same: Meng Huanchao.
Meng Huanchao: “…”
So he was truly being made a master at this academy? This treatment… really was a first.
Chen Bai smiled as he waited for Meng Huanchao’s answer.
In the end, the gentle smile on Meng Huanchao’s face did not change at all as he nodded.
Chen Bai was stunned for a long while. He had been waiting for Meng Huanchao to refuse this arrangement, so they could compromise and discuss it afterward.
Yet Meng Huanchao directly agreed.
He really was a good old man who did not know how to reject people.
Chen Bai suddenly felt a guilty sense of bullying an honest person.
He hurriedly shook his head. He had to endure this guilt no matter what. This advantage was too huge. At most, he would personally cook today and reward this good old man.
Classes began that afternoon, because after “Shanjun” left, these students had truly run wild for an entire day. After spending a whole day being loose and lazy, where was there still even half the appearance of students?
Chen Bai went to the kitchen to prepare food. Today, Shang Zhizhou had brought the ingredients, and they were all chickens. Perfect timing—he could use the oven to make them KFC-style whole roasted chickens.
These students now brought their own food every day. Each day, one student would be responsible for bringing a day’s worth of ingredients for everyone. Their families could understand it too. Although they had to bring enough food for quite a few students at once, it was only once a month. The rest of the time, they simply waited for other classmates to bring food. It was very fair.
Besides, they were all nobles. If anyone’s family prepared food that was a little too poor, they would be too embarrassed to face others. Never mind that these students were young; they loved saving face.
So the students’ meals were actually quite rich every day. For example, today, all the chickens had been prepared by the Shang household. They had already had people slaughter them by the creek below, so all Chen Bai needed to do was brush on seasonings and put them in the oven to roast by themselves.
Fortunately, back then, seeing how many students there were, he had bought a large restaurant-use oven. If it had been a household version, it really would not have been enough to feed them.
From time to time, Chen Bai also went to the classroom to watch Meng Huanchao teach.
In the past, this group of students kept saying that attending classes at Shangjing Academy was like taking their lives. Now Meng Huanchao was also teaching the Four Books and Five Classics, yet these students listened with particular enthusiasm.
After listening for a while, Chen Bai roughly understood why. Meng Huanchao did not simply read from the text. Instead, he quoted extensively from the classics. Whenever he mentioned any state or place name, he could casually tell interesting local customs and human stories from that place.
Even Chen Bai was surprised for a long time. This was what the bearing of a true famous scholar under heaven should be like.
What Chen Bai did not know was that Meng Huanchao was the direct disciple of a former sage, and he had truly traveled through the states. How could his experiences and knowledge be compared to an ordinary master’s? Every word Meng Huanchao said even carried within it the thoughts of the former sage.
Chen Bai muttered under his breath, “This time, I really made a killing.”
His eyes were shining. No matter what, he had to keep Meng Huanchao and make him help raise his students.
So what if he was a little shameless? Who told Meng Huanchao to have a personality that did not know how to refuse others?
He had to strike first. But did this count as poaching from Qi Zheng?
After class, Chen Xiaobu ran over to Chen Bai. “Brother, Lord Meng’s class is so interesting. So it turns out the other states also have signature plants that grow everywhere, just like Lu’s white moon flowers and our Great Qian’s lettuce. For example, Wei has the empty mulberry flower… It was my first time hearing about it. There are also strange customs from every state. They’re so funny. No master ever mentioned them before.”
Chen Bai smiled. It was not that they did not mention them. They probably did not know either.
Chen Bai was also somewhat surprised. Meng Huanchao’s philosophy was actually learning for practical use, not forcing students to study dead texts.
What a progressive idea. It was said that one’s thoughts determined one’s height. Meng Huanchao was truly no ordinary person.
Chen Bai said, “Go wash your hands first. Today we’re eating whole roasted chicken.”
When the chickens wrapped in a flour coating were placed on the table one after another, the students blinked hard at the sight.
“Why doesn’t it smell fragrant?”
Chen Bai smiled. After tearing off a piece of the flour coating, the entire room was filled with the aroma of chicken.
Once it was put into the mouth, the skin was a little crispy, while the meat was tender and smooth.
“This is way too delicious.” Their little mouths could not stop at all.
Chen Bai said, “Who wants to learn how to make this whole roasted chicken?”
He planned to teach each of these students how to cook one dish. Once they had all learned, they could rotate dishes every day of every month without repeating.
Tiny hands shot up high. It seemed they would have to compete for it.
In the end, Shang Zhizhou himself won and obtained the right to learn how to make whole roasted chicken.
Meng Huanchao was also in a daze. It was not as though he had never eaten roasted chicken before, but it was his first time eating roasted chicken this fragrant, smooth, and delicious. Upon careful tasting, he could actually detect the flavor of no fewer than twenty spices. How had this been done?
While the students’ mouths were stuffed so full that they could not speak, Chen Bai looked toward Meng Huanchao and even took out a sheet of paper.
Feigning calm, he said, “Lord Meng, from now on, you are officially hired as a master of the academy. This is the contract. Apart from the benefits mentioned in the contract, there are also some benefits not written on it, such as delicious food you cannot eat outside every day, cats you cannot pet outside, and so on…”
The students also mumbled, “You can’t get these outside. You can’t buy them even if you have money.”
Now, if anyone tried to drive them out of the academy, they would fight that person with their lives. Really. The things in the academy could not be obtained just by having money or power. For example, their families’ conditions were already considered top-tier, right? But no matter how much food their families made, it was not as delicious as the academy’s. Just thinking that one day they might not be able to eat it anymore made their hearts tremble.
Meng Huanchao: “…”
Contract?
What a strange name.
But for someone like him, where he stayed was all the same.
Chen Bai’s heart was trembling. “Just sign your name here. There are two copies of the contract.”
After Chen Bai put away the contract, his expression turned serious. “From now on, you are an official master of Cloudtop Academy. Come, repeat the academy oath after me.”
“I voluntarily join Cloudtop Academy, uphold the academy’s program and charter, carry out the academy’s decisions, keep the academy’s secrets, remain loyal to the academy, be ready at all times to sacrifice everything for the academy, and never betray it.”
(Note: Adapted from the Party admission oath.)
When Qi Zheng saw Chen Bai, Chen Bai was happily rolling around on the sofa while holding two cats. The cats were so annoyed that they were about to flee.
Qi Zheng: “…”
Had this person’s head been caught in a door?
Qi Zheng had indeed come for a reason this time, and sat down on the sofa opposite him.
Those cats despised Chen Bai’s fussing and had already comfortably run over to Qi Zheng’s lap to lie down. This place was better—wide and large, comfortable to lie on.
These cats were played with by the students every day. They probably already thought of themselves as people. They were so clingy that they had become utterly lawless. Whenever they saw a person, they demanded to be hugged and to lie in someone’s arms. If they were not allowed to lie down, they would even meow.
Chen Bai: “…”
An ice-block face and cats. This combination—why did it feel so odd?
But then he glanced at the Alaskan lying by Qi Zheng’s feet…
All right. There was nothing strange about it.
Ever since Qi Zheng had started raising an Alaskan, he seemed less frightening than before. In the past, Qi Zheng always wore that deadpan face that said “stay the hell away from me.”
Qi Zheng said, “The reason my fief is unsuitable for reclaiming farmland, aside from the many mountains, is mainly because the soil and water are incompatible.”
His fief was so close to Shangjing. Logically speaking, it should have been developed long ago. How could it have fallen to him? The reason it remained so poor and remote despite being close to Shangjing was because the soil and water were unsuitable, making it unfit to be reclaimed into farmland.
“Now that Shanjun is not here, I want you to help conduct a soil analysis.”
Chen Bai: “…”
This fellow had listened quite carefully in class. He even knew about soil analysis.
When Chen Bai had taught planting class, while talking about soil selection, he had mentioned soil analysis. At the time, he had only casually brought it up.
Chen Bai nodded. For some simple tests, he could buy a few small tools himself and test it. As for why the land was unsuitable for planting, as long as the reason was not too complicated, he should be able to roughly understand it.
As a result, Qi Zheng directly brought over several sacks of soil.
Chen Bai: “…”
Fine. He was just one step away from doing it himself.
Chen Bai had Qi Zheng move the soil into his room, then closed the door and tested it alone with instruments according to the tutorial on his phone.
When Chen Bai came out of the room, his entire expression had turned strange.
He had just been worrying about how to keep Qi Zheng’s reputation hot. And now, wasn’t this a topic delivered straight to his door?
