Chapter 76: Who Wins Yunshang Wins the World
When Lan Ruoyun returned to Great Qian, he was secretly summoned into the palace.
Facing the old lady seated in the chair, Lan Ruoyun felt an inexplicable tremor in his heart. As Great Qian’s spy chief for so many years, he had long since stopped caring about torture and punishment. Physical pain seemed unable to reach the depths of his heart. Only when facing this old lady was he filled with fear and dread.
Everyone said Great Qian’s Empress Dowager Zhaosheng had grown old, which was why she had retreated behind the scenes and no longer involved herself in court politics.
But as Great Qian’s spy chief, he knew far more than ordinary people.
In the twenty-seventh year of Great Qian, the king built waterworks for the people, benefiting a whole region. It was also the time when the king’s reputation began to rise, and he was called a sage-like ruler.
Yet no one knew that same year, because of the waterworks project, local officials embezzled huge sums of money, enslaved the common people, and withheld wages. One by one, they fell. In name, they retired and returned home; in truth, all their property was confiscated and they were exiled.
The king knew none of this. He only needed to receive the bright praise of the common people. It was the empress dowager who secretly had people clean up after him and hide his failure to notice.
In the twenty-eighth year of Great Qian, Yan invaded. The king personally led the army and blocked the enemy before the pass, winning a great victory. The people of Great Qian praised him throughout the nation for his peerless military achievements.
Yet no one knew that it was Empress Dowager Zhaosheng who secretly sent people into the Yan capital and had Great Qian swordsmen assassinate members of the Yan imperial family without pause. Countless blood and lives were spent to leave the Yan imperial family too occupied to look east, delaying their reinforcements.
In that battle, if Yan’s reinforcements had arrived on time, Great Qian’s soldiers, who had advanced so fiercely, might never have returned.
The twenty-ninth year of Great Qian…
The thirtieth year of Great Qian…
The king’s civil governance and military achievements were majestic and towering, as though he had propped up Great Qian’s future and hope. He was praised again and again by the people of Great Qian.
But aside from him, Great Qian’s spy chief, who knew that behind every single thing the king had done to build his reputation, there was Empress Dowager Zhaosheng’s shadow?
There was no such thing in this world as a person perfect to the extreme. It was only that someone had silently erased those blemishes for him from behind.
The one who had propped up Great Qian’s sky and allowed Great Qian to survive steadily had never been the king. It was the old lady before him, Great Qian’s true backbone.
It was just that all the glory had gone to the king. Draped in a bright and splendid cloak, he had become an existence respected and revered by all. On the surface, this also let Great Qian’s people know what an extraordinary king they had. As long as the king was there, they could live peacefully, untouched by war.
The old lady in the chair spoke. “Lan Ruoyun, do you still remember what you said to me all those years ago, when the Lan family was implicated and doomed for their crimes, and you, at such a young age, blocked my carriage?”
Lan Ruoyun replied, “I remember. At the time, Lan Ruoyun promised the empress dowager that from then on, the School of Names among the Hundred Schools of Thought, represented by the Lan family, would be at the empress dowager’s disposal. From then on, there would no longer be the orthodox Lan family of the School of Names in this world, only the Lan family of Great Qian.”
Great Qian’s spy network had been built by Empress Dowager Zhaosheng on the foundation of the School of Names among the Hundred Schools of Thought. Only because Lan Ruoyun was the orthodox heir of the School of Names could he control the entire spy network at such a young age without being questioned.
But all the Hundred Schools of Thought were ways of the sages. In the end, they had fallen to serving Great Qian. This truly went against the way of the sages. From then on, the School of Names had also turned from a prominent school of the age into a hidden one. In merely a few short years, the once flourishing School of Names among the Hundred Schools had withdrawn from public view and hidden itself among the masses.
The old lady nodded noncommittally. “It is good that you remember the reason your Lan family survived until today and even gained such a prominent position.”
“The Lan family is Great Qian’s Lan family, not the king’s Lan family. Do you understand this point clearly?”
Lan Ruoyun nodded. “Your Majesty sees clearly.”
Only then did the old lady ask, “Then speak. This time, when you went to Yan on behalf of Prince Zhuo and privately used potatoes as a condition to help him fight for power, was it your own unauthorized action, or were you acting under someone’s orders…”
The old lady and Lan Ruoyun’s conversation did not last long. Only after Lan Ruoyun came out, he was directly escorted to prison.
The charge was… illicit communication with an enemy state.
Illicit communication with an enemy state was a capital crime.
Lan Ruoyun’s expression did not change much. He finally knew what great gift Ruohong had said he was giving him.
And just as Ruohong had said, someone had to shoulder this crime. Since it could not possibly be the king, then it could only be him.
Before Lan Ruoyun left, he respectfully bowed to Empress Dowager Zhaosheng.
“Thank you, Empress Dowager, for protecting my Lan family all these years.”
The old lady fell silent. Among the Hundred Schools, the School of Names debated truth, verified reality, and distinguished status. In truth, the crime that had implicated the Lan family back then had something to do with her as well. It was also that year that Prince Zheng had been sent to Zhao as a hostage…
Great Qian was very small. Among the noble families, countless threads tied them together. But all of that was already in the past.
Speaking of it, Great Qian did owe the Lan family.
But this time, Lan Ruoyun was indeed guilty, though the greatest crime should not have been his to bear.
When Lan Ruoyun was escorted out, he happened to run into Qi Zheng, who was preparing to enter the palace.
As a prisoner, Lan Ruoyun did not show much reaction. Instead, he respectfully bowed.
Qi Zheng returned the bow.
Perhaps because Lan Ruoyun felt he would not escape this calamity, he could not help saying a little more. “Does Your Highness not blame me? This time, I nearly ruined Your Highness’s great matter.”
Qi Zheng was noncommittal. After a long while, he replied, “I was the one who owed your Lan family first. Back then, if not for me, the Lan family would not have been implicated and almost exterminated.”
Lan Ruoyun froze. His mouth opened slightly. So many years had passed. He had thought Qi Zheng had long forgotten.
In the end, he said, “The School of Names debates truth, verifies reality, and distinguishes status. It was only to verify our own sage’s path. Even if it had not been you, we would still have done so. We were merely somewhat unable to read the times.”
But was it truly as he said?
When the king had ordered him to use potatoes as an exchange condition, had he truly not known the weight of it?
He had known. But he had still silently accepted it and kept silent, not even informing Empress Dowager Zhaosheng.
So when Empress Dowager Zhaosheng said he was guilty, she had not wronged him.
Why? Thinking about it now, perhaps deep down, he had never truly let go of the fact that the Lan family had nearly been destroyed because of a certain person. Back then, the Lan family, which upheld the way of the sages, had been so glorious and unmatched for a time. So when he received that mission, somewhere deep in his heart, he had accepted it so naturally.
It turned out he had always held resentment in his heart.
Only now did he learn that Qi Zheng still remembered the Lan family’s kindness from back then.
Lan Ruoyun could not help smiling. “If Your Highness truly has the heart, then please look after my Lan family a little more in the future.”
Lan Ruoyun’s imprisonment stirred up towering waves throughout Shangjing.
He was Lan Jun, one of Great Qian’s Four Gentlemen, a famous scholar second only to Meng Huanchao.
For a time, who knew how many people sighed over it.
Lan Ruoyun’s crime also spread in a great uproar. Illicit communication with an enemy state. This time, that dreamlike divine gentleman, graceful as a secluded orchid, was probably doomed.
Yet the unpredictability of worldly affairs truly surpassed imagination.
Logically speaking, after Lan Ruoyun got into such great trouble, he truly could not be saved. But…
Just before Lan Ruoyun’s crime was confirmed, Yan’s former crown prince, Ruohong, came as an envoy to Great Qian. He was willing to offer ten li of bridal gifts, asking only for one person’s heart.
Those ten li of bridal gifts were not a metaphor. Yan’s former crown prince Ruohong really did bring bridal gifts that stretched so far one could not see the end. Yan’s wealth stunned everyone for a time.
It was just that, although male romance was not unheard of in this era, making such a grand public display of it was rare. To make such a spectacle like Yan’s Prince Ruohong—he was probably the first person of the age.
For a while, the entire Shangjing became unbelievably lively. There was envy, jealousy, and admiration. To obtain one devoted heart—what a beautiful and desirable thing, and yet also something so hard to obtain.
The whole city seemed empty as everyone rushed to the city gate to look at this legendary, once first crown prince among the states, later ruined and stripped of his position because of a confidant of beauty.
What kind of person could be infatuated to such a degree?
What kind of person could remain so stubbornly obsessed?
Even Chen Bai hurried over nonstop to watch the excitement. In Chen Bai’s eyes, choosing beauty over empire—wasn’t that only something that existed in novels? Yet now, right before his eyes, there was a living, breathing example. He had to take a serious look. If he had the chance, he even wanted to chat with him and find out exactly how such a person’s brain worked.
Unfortunately, there were far too many people watching the excitement. Even with Chen Bai glaring sideways, no one made way for him. There was no helping it. In Shangjing, the person whose heel you stepped on might very well be an official, and perhaps even one with a higher rank than his. Who would make way for him?
Chen Bai curled his lip and could only stand on tiptoe to look from afar. He only saw a blurry outline of the person. He did indeed seem elegant and handsome, with the manner of a devoted romantic. Not being able to see him clearly was rather regrettable. But that endless line of bridal gifts truly made people envious to death.
The most sensational event today was probably this famously infatuated man arriving in Great Qian’s Shangjing.
The other matter was that, in court, Lan Ruoyun’s charge had also been temporarily delayed.
Great Qian and Yan were enemy states, but that did not mean they would shout and kill the moment they saw a Yan person. The situation was complicated. For example, in the past, had Yan merchants not come to Shangjing to do business as well?
Besides, Ruohong was now Yan’s former crown prince. Targeting him would be useless.
But Ruohong was different from ordinary former crown princes. His reputation back then had been far too great, so great that all the states feared him. Therefore, Great Qian could not possibly treat him with the same mindset they would use toward an absurd prince from another country. This was why Lan Ruoyun’s sentence was delayed.
Chen Bai saw nothing satisfying and, after the crowd dispersed, had no choice but to return home.
Ruohong, however, went to Great Qian’s prison.
When Lan Ruoyun saw Ruohong, he was surprised.
Ruohong raised his eyes. “Tsk. Just like back then, if I had not come to save you, you probably would not survive again.”
Lan Ruoyun also smiled. “It is merely acting again. Whether it was back then or now, if I could not become your chess piece and play some role on your chessboard, I fear the first person who wanted to kill me would be you.”
Ruohong did not mind. “The one who knows me in this world is truly none other than Lan Jun. No wonder I have longed for you for so many years.”
A trace of mockery hung at the corner of Lan Ruoyun’s mouth. “Are you not afraid I will expose your identity? The first crown prince of Yan has come to an enemy state. Most likely, once you come, you will not return.”
The corner of Ruohong’s mouth lifted. “Even if Great Qian knows my identity, would they really dare to kill me and start a war between Yan and Great Qian? Great Qian is terribly poor. Once a great war begins, it may become the next state swallowed up by the others.”
The corner of Lan Ruoyun’s mouth twitched, but he also knew Ruohong was speaking the truth.
Ruohong continued, “Besides, as long as I remain in Shangjing, they will not kill you, will they? Do you not want to make use of me?”
Lan Ruoyun: “…”
Why exactly had Ruohong come to Great Qian at this time? If he truly believed that nonsense about Ruohong coming for him, then he would be stupid to the extreme.
Revenge?
This time, Yan had lost three cities and suffered such a great loss. Among the states, it had almost become a joke. They probably would not let the matter rest so easily.
It was just that Ruohong’s thoughts had always been mysterious to the extreme. Until the very end, no one could guess his true intentions.
The two exchanged more barbed words. At that moment, another person walked in.
It was actually Meng Huanchao, who had come to visit his fellow gentleman.
Meng Huanchao came in carrying a food box. In any case, they were both among Great Qian’s Four Gentlemen. Appreciating one another was only natural.
Lan Ruoyun was somewhat moved. Perhaps only a “bosom friend of the world” like Meng Huanchao could truly be consistent inside and out. He had even come to visit him, this neglected prisoner.
There was no helping it. The information was not equal. In Lan Ruoyun’s heart, Meng Huanchao was the number one confidant in the world, a true famous scholar, so clean that he made others envious. Unlike himself, who wore a holy outer appearance while doing dirty, filthy, unspeakable things in the dark.
In Meng Huanchao’s heart, however, Lan Ruoyun was not only Lan Jun, but also the king’s Lan Guard and Great Qian’s spy chief. As fellow spy chiefs, they were actually rather similar. So now that Lan Ruoyun had fallen into trouble, he had to come and feel the atmosphere. Perhaps one day, he too would encounter the same situation Lan Ruoyun was in today. It was not bad to adapt in advance.
Lan Ruoyun’s face carried a gentle smile. When interacting with such a person, one sometimes felt as though one was tainting him. It truly made one feel warm, like a ray of sunlight shining into his cell in this dark, chaotic age.
Meng Huanchao actually did not do much. He simply took the food out of the food box and said, “I made this just now. Try the taste.”
It was very plain. Yet something seemed to exist within him, making others involuntarily imagine warm scenes on their own, as if their closest friend had come to visit them at their most difficult moment. How could one not be moved?
Ruohong, however, frowned slightly from the side and suddenly asked, “Do I know you?”
Meng Huanchao honestly replied, “You probably do. I once traveled to the Yan capital for study. Back then, Crown Prince Ruohong was truly glorious.”
Ruohong was somewhat stunned. Did he know him? Someone who could be known by him back then should not have been an ordinary person. Why, then, did he only feel a faint sense of familiarity?
It was Lan Ruoyun at the side who said, “This is Meng Huanchao, the foremost of Great Qian’s Four Gentlemen.”
“Oh?” Ruohong was somewhat surprised. If he had seen such a person before, he should not have forgotten him. Why did he only feel that he had seen him somewhere before?
Only then did Meng Huanchao bow with Great Qian etiquette. “You must be Yan’s Crown Prince Ruohong. Speaking of which, I also know your country’s Crown Prince Ruoqing. Looking at you now, the two crown princes truly do resemble one another.”
Lan Ruoyun’s mouth curved with mockery. Ruohong was also somewhat embarrassed. “Ruoqing and I are twins by birth. It is only natural that we look alike.”
Meng Huanchao smiled. “So that is how it is. Those who do not know might even think Crown Prince Ruohong and Crown Prince Ruoqing are the same person.”
Ruohong: “…”
Lan Ruoyun: “…”
No one would think in that direction, right? Because no one could deceive the entire Yan, the entire world. Yet who knew how Meng Huanchao’s mind worked? He had actually stumbled right onto the truth by accident.
In Meng Huanchao’s eyes, this young couple surely had some private words to say to each other. So after saying a few words, he tactfully left.
But after Meng Huanchao walked out of the prison gate, the corner of his mouth carried a faint, gentle smile. He quietly muttered, “Interesting, interesting. I did not expect that by coming here, I would discover such an interesting secret.”
“If the Wei imperial family had not suddenly abandoned me back then, I should have been able to learn such an interesting matter in advance.”
“If that is the case, then could that legendary love story spread across all the states actually have another hidden truth? Choosing beauty over empire—absurd as it is, who knows how many lovesick men and women it made envious. Speaking of it, Lan Ruoyun is rather miserable. The dignified Great Qian spy chief actually became a chess piece on someone else’s board. But if Lan Ruoyun knew the truth, that would be even more interesting…”
“The dream of unwavering love shattered. Then why did Ruohong come to Great Qian with such great fanfare?”
After speaking, Meng Huanchao froze for a moment and shook his head. “Since when did I become so fond of gossip? It is all the academy students’ fault. They come to me all day long to listen to gossip, causing me to pay extra attention whenever I see something interesting.”
This really would not do. He should quietly be his bosom friend of the world. Mm, that was it. He would come deliver food again tomorrow. His cooking skills had been quite good lately. There was no helping it—cooking so much food for a group of students every day had made his skills improve by leaps and bounds.
Only, the next day, Meng Huanchao had no way to deliver food to the prison.
Because Lan Ruoyun had been released.
On the surface, it was because Yan’s former crown prince, Ruohong, had pleaded for him. In court, he had made a tear-jerking appeal, and on top of that, he had added quite a few conditions that tempted Great Qian’s officials. It was more than enough to exchange for one Lan Ruoyun.
At the time, the officials had practically died of jealousy. Even a former crown prince could bring out so many good things. Just how wealthy was Yan? Unlike their Great Qian, poor and miserable, where one copper coin had to be stretched into two.
Comparing people really could make one furious.
As for the true reason in private, Lan Ruoyun had received a new mission and was preparing to redeem his crime through merit.
Who was whose chess piece? Who could say?
These two were quite interesting, too. You wanted to use me, I wanted to use you. Both knew it perfectly well, yet each still acted in their own way.
Of course, the explanation given to the people of Great Qian was that the charge of Lan Ruoyun communicating with an enemy state had not been established.
The people of Great Qian also breathed a sigh of relief. To be honest, if even someone like Lan Ruoyun had betrayed the country, it would truly be heartbreaking. Great Qian would probably not be far from becoming the laughingstock of the world.
“Thank goodness, thank goodness.”
Who knew how many people comforted themselves like this.
Perhaps living a little more simply was also a kind of happiness.
Next came the period when Lan Ruoyun and Ruohong flaunted their affection every day, scattering dog food everywhere. A tale of romance gradually became a legend, and even the trend of male love in Shangjing suddenly showed signs of rising.
Looking at Lan Ruoyun and Ruohong, people felt that love between men was the true kind of love. Envy, jealousy, and resentment practically came reporting in all at once.
Of course, there were also those who had been stuffed so full of their public affection that they nearly vomited, cursing them as shameless dog-men, lamenting that morals were declining and the world was not what it used to be.
Chen Bai also enjoyed a leisurely period for a while. These days, he even had time to go to Cloudtop Academy.
At the entrance of the academy, he saw Chen Xiaobu sneakily pulling flowers out of the flower bed. His little bottom was sticking up, and his head was buried among the flowers.
Chen Bai walked over and gave him a light push. Chen Xiaobu toppled into the flower bed like a scallion. Chen Bai could not help asking, “What are you doing, acting like a thief?”
Chen Xiaobu rubbed his bobbed hair, pouted, and turned back. “Brother, I’m just digging up one flower to plant in a flowerpot. I gave the pot of hollow mulberry flowers I planted before to Lord Meng. Lord Meng especially likes hollow mulberry flowers.”
Chen Bai smiled. “The flowers in this flower bed were all planted by Qi Zheng. He’s so stingy. If he finds out you secretly dug up his flowers, he’ll definitely make you return them.”
Chen Xiaobu laughed out loud. Prince Zheng was not that stingy.
Taking the dirty Chen Xiaobu into the tower, Chen Xiaobu carried the flowerpot and said, “Lord Meng said the hollow mulberry flowers in Wei bloom even better than ours here. I’ll take this back and study it. Why don’t ours grow as well as Wei’s?”
Chen Bai smiled. Wei was probably the most suitable place for hollow mulberry flowers in terms of geography, temperature, and climate. That was something very difficult for them to replicate here.
But Meng Huanchao actually liked Wei’s hollow mulberry flowers. That was a little strange. It was like a person from Great Qian thinking something from another country was beautiful, but not to the point of genuinely envying and loving it.
Still, everyone had their own preferences, so Chen Bai could not really comment.
He had not come to the academy in a long time. Especially after promising these students he would not cut off their internet, they had lost all restraint. They had probably been playing like mad recently.
The students were overjoyed by Chen Bai’s arrival, because whenever Chen Bai came, they would have new food and dishes to try.
Chen Bai smiled. During the last salt field reform, these students had gone to the provinces and worked hard for quite a long time, helping quite a lot. He could treat it as a reward for them. Today, should he use the oven to make barbecue?
Of course, such leisurely days did not last long, because the final round of the imperial prince competition had begun.
It was worth mentioning that many people said this final round had lost its meaning. No matter whether he won or lost, no one could surpass Qi Zheng’s score anymore.
The king’s original plan had probably been that if Prince Zhuo won the previous round, then with this final round added, the matter would be settled. Who would have thought that Chen Bai and the others would win the previous round instead?
Qi Zheng’s residence was now completely different from before. Its threshold was about to be trampled flat. No matter how one looked at it, Qi Zheng had won the imperial prince competition. According to the previous agreement, Qi Zheng was Great Qian’s crown prince.
When the tide rose, all boats rose with it. The king’s former dislike and such things had become passing clouds after the rain. Those who came to flatter him did so with tireless enthusiasm.
They had failed to offer charcoal in the snow, so of course they had to clutch at Buddha’s feet at the last moment. Otherwise, would they not be made to suffer in the future?
However, Chen Bai was quite happy that Qi Zheng was so busy, because last time, after getting drunk, he had clung to Qi Zheng’s leg and kept shouting that this leg could be played with for years. He had no face to see Qi Zheng.
But some things could not be avoided. For example, today’s competition. No matter what, he had to meet Qi Zheng.
At this moment, Chen Bai was solemnly explaining to Qi Zheng, “Last time, those were only drunken words. I don’t like men. Really.”
Qi Zheng gave a cold laugh. He had hugged a man’s leg and said something like “this leg could be played with for years,” and now he was trying to explain? Was it useful?
Seeing Qi Zheng’s expression of disbelief, Chen Bai almost swore an oath. But he did not dare make a poisonous oath.
Qi Zheng found it amusing. Keep pretending. Let’s see how long you can keep pretending.
Fortunately, the official presiding over the competition spoke, breaking Chen Bai’s awkward situation. “The final round of the imperial prince competition begins now. The winner of this round may receive three points.”
As expected. Even if anyone else got these three points, their score could not be higher than Qi Zheng’s.
In other words, Qi Zheng’s position as crown prince was basically a sure thing.
But what the presiding official said next made Chen Bai frown.
“After discussion, the content of this round shall be: invite the sages, and let the teachings of the sages return to Great Qian.”
Chen Bai’s brows furrowed. For the sages’ teachings to return to Great Qian, naturally a sage, or a direct disciple representing a sage’s will, had to be willing to join Great Qian.
But there was a major problem here. The reason Great Qian’s literary education had not flourished was because no sage or sage’s disciple was willing to settle in Great Qian.
As for why?
That required mentioning an old matter.
In fact, in the past, Great Qian had also had sage disciples. They walked through Great Qian and represented the teachings and will of the sages.
Their status was noble, and they were treated with courtesy by the kings of every state.
But back then, something unexpected had happened. The School of Names, one of the Hundred Schools of Thought, had offended the king somehow while verifying its sage path in Great Qian.
Offending him was one thing. According to the unspoken rules among the states, because sage disciples were not ordinary people, the criminal laws of any state could not be applied to them. They should simply be driven away.
But for some unknown reason, the king at the time had been enraged and broken this rule. He had actually implicated the School of Names, causing the School of Names among the Hundred Schools to be erased overnight.
A generation of prominent sage learning had vanished from the world just like that.
The matter had caused quite a stir back then. The final result was that all sage disciples withdrew from Great Qian. This could be considered the attitude of all sages under heaven. From then on, sage teachings no longer descended upon Great Qian, making Great Qian the only state without the support of any mainstream school of thought. It had always been known for its fierce and uncivilized customs.
Fierce and uncivilized customs, in a certain sense, were just another way of saying it had not yet been enlightened.
In this era, sage teachings were truly important, because they could guide the direction of a state’s progress. Although even sage teachings could not be said to be absolutely right or wrong, one still had to cross the river on horseback and wait for them to be verified.
This was also one reason why the states were so tolerant of sage disciples verifying their sage paths.
The moment Chen Bai heard this question, he had a bad feeling. This was an impossible test.
Could it be… that the king wanted to use this question to make the imperial prince competition never end?
After all, the original condition was that whoever won the imperial prince competition would become Great Qian’s crown prince. But what if the imperial prince competition never ended?
On the surface, Prince Zheng had already won without suspense, but he could only stop at a competition that would never be finished.
That was Chen Bai’s thought. Meanwhile, the common people had already gone mad.
“Let the teachings of the sages descend upon Great Qian again?”
Though they felt it was impossible, people always held onto a tiny bit of hope.
Chen Bai’s thoughts only flashed by for an instant. The presiding official on stage was already continuing, “Princes, please submit the name plaques of the retainers participating in this round.”
This time, Chen Bai had to go on stage, because each retainer could only compete once. Mountain Lord definitely could not appear.
“The final round of the imperial prince competition: Prince Zheng’s retainer, Hongwen Pavilion Grand Scholar of Zhaoxue, Chen Zixiu.”
The eunuch announcing the names had already begun loudly reading the names of the retainers from each residence.
Lan Ruoyun and Ruohong were also watching the competition. Ruohong casually asked, “Why do I not see Prince Zheng’s chief retainer, Mountain Lord?”
Lan Ruoyun replied, “Mountain Lord keeps a low profile. He is usually very difficult to see. The one competing this time is his eldest disciple, Chen Zixiu.”
Ruohong gave an “oh,” seeming not to care, and continued watching the competition with interest.
This round was similar to the previous one. It was impossible to determine victory or defeat on the spot.
So Chen Bai went up and went through the motions, then came back down.
The moment he got into the carriage, Qi Zheng could not help asking, “How is it?”
Chen Bai smiled bitterly. “Difficult.”
In this world, some people coveted wealth and power, and some were greedy for beauty and desire. Those people were easy to handle, because they had weaknesses.
But these sages and their disciples, whose entire hearts were set on verifying the sage path, had no distractions.
Moreover, Great Qian had disrespected sage teachings so much, and had even wiped out one prominent school of learning. Now it wanted to beg others to return. Was that even possible?
Others were not stupid either. If they returned easily, and if their teachings once again displeased some noble or powerful person, and that person decided to exterminate them just because he disliked them, what then? Would they not end up like the former School of Names, with no one answering their cries to heaven or earth?
At least in the hearts of these sages and sage disciples, Great Qian had no tolerance. Different teachings, even opposing teachings, had to be verified against one another before one could know which was truth. One could not simply destroy the other party because their ideas contradicted one’s own.
Great Qian did not have soil that could nourish sage teachings.
That was why Chen Bai felt this question was truly difficult. He said, “Do you think the king deliberately set this question? Isn’t this clearly meant to drag things out?”
What was strange was that Qi Zheng was actually somewhat absent-minded.
After Chen Bai returned, he could only slowly think of a way. In his view, no temptation could make a school of thought disregard everything and settle in Great Qian.
It was truly troublesome. He simply went to find Meng Huanchao to relieve his boredom. In the past, he would have gone to drink with Qi Zheng, but now things were a little awkward.
He found a restaurant and called over Meng Huanchao, who always came when called.
Drinking with Meng Huanchao was still the best. It was comfortable, and before he knew it, he opened up.
Chen Bai was pouring out his grievances. “Tell me, isn’t this just making things difficult for people? The king himself caused that disaster back then, causing Great Qian’s scholarship to wither. Now he’s using this unsolvable matter as the exam question. The king’s abacus is really clicking loudly.”
Meng Huanchao said, “It is not necessarily unsolvable.”
Chen Bai froze. “What do you mean?”
“At the very least, you need to draw the sage disciples to Great Qian first. When the time comes, perhaps you can persuade one or two.”
Chen Bai: “…”
What Meng Huanchao said actually made sense. If he could not even see them, how would he know there was no possibility?
“It’s just that I don’t know how to lure these sage disciples to Great Qian. Lord Meng, you’re such a good person. If you have a way, you have to help me.”
After saying that, he shook his head again. How could Meng Huanchao possibly have a way? He should think of some way to hook them in later.
Meng Huanchao, however, froze. Was this asking him to handle something?
After the two finished drinking, Chen Bai went back to think of a method.
Meng Huanchao, meanwhile, was still strolling through the streets. He even arrived at a fortune-teller’s stall and had a divination done.
After paying, he took out a black plaque and said to the fortune-teller, “Pass this order to all sage paths across the states: whoever obtains Cloudtop Academy may conquer the chaotic age, pacify the world, and bring prosperity for ten thousand generations.”
After saying that, he even nodded. The dean had only asked him to draw sage disciples into Great Qian. As for what consequences there would be, he did not seem to have asked him to pay attention to that. Then it should mean he did not need to care.
The fortune-teller looked at the black plaque in Meng Huanchao’s hand and almost knelt down. On the black plaque, the two characters “Ghost Valley” were written with uncanny craftsmanship, as though carved by ghosts and gods.
The fortune-teller’s heart was filled with shock. The supreme path of Ghost Valley. In this world, there were countless sage paths, but half of them had split off from the supreme path of Ghost Valley. They did not dare call themselves Ghost Valley scholarship, because they were not worthy.
And that plaque just now was the token of the only direct disciple of the supreme path of Ghost Valley, which had disappeared for many years.
At the same time, Qi Zheng also entered the palace and went to Empress Dowager Zhaosheng’s residence.
Empress Dowager Zhaosheng seemed to have known the content of this round of the competition long ago and sighed.
“The one who tied the bell must untie it. Back then, the one who destroyed the sage path was the king, the one verifying the path was the School of Names, and you were the one involved in that argument…”
“The king dared set this question probably because he thinks the School of Names from back then truly no longer exists. He does not know that the orthodox heir of the School of Names has always been by his side.”
Meanwhile, Chen Bai had picked up his phone and was burying his head in frantic copying. The teachings of the Hundred Schools of Thought in this era should all still be in the stage of constant refinement, right? He would copy the ideas of all the Hundred Schools of Thought once—mm, only half of each—then scatter them out…
Just as Meng Huanchao had said, he would lure the people here first. As for whether he could persuade those thinkers whose hearts were filled only with the sage path to join Great Qian, Chen Bai was not sure. But if it was only to draw them over, he had a tiny bit of a method.
