Chapter 585

Upon hearing Han Fei's words, Fu Nian's brows immediately furrowed.

He was a clever person and naturally heard the meaning in Han Fei's words.

The meaning was roughly that the Qin Wang intended to issue an edict to the Confucian school.

Logically speaking, the Qin Wang's status was noble, and the Confucian school, in the end, was just one of the Hundred Schools of Thought; it wouldn't matter if they received the Qin Wang's edict, but there was a problem beforehand.

That was, the headquarters of the Confucian school was located in the State of Qi.

The State of Qi had not yet been destroyed by the Qin Guo. What did it mean for the Qin Wang to issue an edict to the Confucian school located in the State of Qi?

This posture was equivalent to treating the State of Qi as his own territory.

The Qin Wang was truly overbearing!

Many emotions arose in Fu Nian's heart, but even knowing the Qin Wang was overbearing, he was helpless.

After all, the general trend of the Qin Guo had already been formed.

If he did not accept this edict, it meant the entire Confucian school would offend the Qin Wang because of it.

Although the current State of Qi had not yet been destroyed, judging by the determination shown by the Qin Guo, it would sooner or later move against the State of Qi, and the State of Qi absolutely could not stop the Qin Guo's conquest.

In other words, the State of Qi and the Confucian school being incorporated into the Qin Guo's rule was a matter of time.

Offending the Qin Guo now—the Qin Guo might not be able to do anything to the Confucian school for a while, but it would leave behind hidden dangers, which was unfavorable for the future of the Confucian school.

For a time, Fu Nian fell into a dilemma.

He looked at Han Fei and said, "I wonder where the edict is?"

Although he had not yet made up his mind whether to accept the edict, before that, Fu Nian didn't mind taking a look at the edict first, and then thinking about that problem.

Han Fei said nothing and took a scroll from his sleeve, handing it to Fu Nian.

Fu Nian opened the scroll handed over by Han Fei and looked at the content on it.

This edict was stamped with the Qin Wang's seal, and since it was delivered by Han Fei, he did not doubt the authenticity of the edict, but the content on it made his brows furrow again.

The content written on it roughly meant that since the Confucian Sect Master Fu Nian had a way of governing and had the merit of education, he was conferred the title of Doctor, and so on...

Earlier, upon hearing Han Fei say that the Qin Wang intended to issue an edict to the Confucian school, Fu Nian realized the unusual nature of the matter. Now, after reading the content of the edict, he immediately understood the Qin Guo's intention.

"The Qin Guo is forcing our Confucian school to take a stand..."

He sighed in his heart.

As a scholar who only read the books of sages, Fu Nian actually did not like the Qin Guo. Like many Confucian scholars, he did not like the Qin Guo. Although it was said that rites and music had collapsed since the Spring and Autumn period, the Qin Guo had absolutely no rites or music to speak of. They used the Legalist philosophy of governing the country, valuing heavy punishment and slighting benevolence and righteousness. Even though the State of Qi had always been on good terms with the Qin Guo, in the hearts of many Confucian scholars in the State of Qi, the Qin Guo was truly a tyrannical country, and the Qin Wang was an unbenevolent ruler.

However, even if he disliked the Qin Guo and the Qin Wang in his heart, Fu Nian had to force himself to calm down and suppress these dislikes, just because he was the Confucian Sect Master and needed to consider the Confucian school.

After a little thought, Fu Nian said to Han Fei, "Whether to accept the edict, I need to consider it!"

Han Fei had known the content of this edict all along and was not surprised by Fu Nian's answer. He nodded. "As it should be!"

Just like that, Han Fei, Su Xuan, and Jing Ni stayed at the Confucian Little Sage Manor.

The scenery in the Little Sage Manor was excellent, and there was the sound of loud reading echoing.

Su Xuan seemed extremely interested in the Little Sage Manor. After moving in, he often asked Han Fei about some of the internal layouts of the Little Sage Manor and even asked about the location of the library.

Han Fei only thought Su Xuan was interested in the Confucian school's collection of books and did not hide it, directly telling Su Xuan the location of the library.

He did not notice that after learning the location of the library, a strange light flashed in Su Xuan's eyes.

On the other side.

After receiving that extremely hot-potato edict, Fu Nian immediately found his junior brother, Yan Lu.

Yan Lu had joined the Confucian school halfway. His master and Fu Nian's master, the previous Confucian Sect Master, seemed to be friends across generations. After Yan Lu came to the Confucian school, the previous Confucian Sect Master took Yan Lu in. Later, after the previous Confucian Sect Master died and Fu Nian succeeded as the Confucian Sect Master, Yan Lu also leaped to become the second-in-command of the Confucian school.

"Senior Brother Fu Nian!"

At this time, Yan Lu was still a youth and had no beard under his chin.

He bowed respectfully to Fu Nian.

Because of that edict, Fu Nian did not talk about any cumbersome etiquette and said directly, "Junior Brother Zi Lu, look at this edict!"

He handed the edict in his hand to Yan Lu.

Yan Lu took the edict, and after seeing the content on it, his eyes suddenly condensed.

"The Qin Guo is forcing our Confucian school to make a choice!"

He was also a clever person; how could he not know the intention contained in this edict?

"Isn't that so!"

Fu Nian sighed.

Yan Lu put the edict away again and asked Fu Nian, "What does Senior Brother Fu Nian plan to do? Accept the edict, or refuse?"

Fu Nian was silent for a while and said, "The Confucian school is located in the State of Qi. Logically speaking, it should not accept the Qin Wang's edict, but the Qin Guo is powerful. If we refuse the edict now, I am afraid it will leave behind hidden dangers, which is unfavorable for the future of the Confucian school..."

"Whether to accept the edict, I haven't thought it through yet."

"I plan to go see Uncle Master Xun first!" **Chapter 587: The Inheritance of the Sages' Spirit! **