Chapter 290

General Sima Ting pondered for a moment and deliberated: "To manage the Yellow River, the laborers conscripted are actually mostly those displaced people on the roads of the Thirteen Provinces."

"Although the imperial court says they will be paid in kind, the silver is issued from the capital, and after passing through several hands, how much can truly fall into the hands of the people?"

He sighed lightly, a trace of worry appearing between his brows, "I'm afraid that most of them are laborers under the Nine Great Clans, driven as unpaid labor. Yet those members of the Nine Great Clans are openly collecting the silver allocated by the imperial court. These laborers have been slaves for generations, and their hearts have long been filled with endless hatred for the Nine Great Clans."

The system of laborers, although not slavery.

It is even worse, as the red seal is stamped on the deed of sale, making them slaves for generations.

General Sima Ting also said with some emotion: "With so many people gathered together, there is no lack of outsiders or those who are dissatisfied with Great Qi. If someone really jumps out and raises a call, it's not without this risk."

"Are kings and nobles born with high status? That Tang King in the past was just a lowly person who sold salt; once he raised his flag, responders across the world were like clouds."

Chen Lu also didn't expect that General Sima Ting, as a member of the Nine Great Clans, would actually say such things.

He didn't seem like a person of the Nine Great Clans at all.

Tang Tang Ziang's eyelids drooped as he said: "Yiju, you don't need to be so anxious. Great Qi has been established for a thousand years, and Confucian scholars have been cultivated for dozens of generations; the hearts of the people still lean toward Qi."

The old man said leisurely: "As long as the Master is here, Great Qi is here."

Great Qi has been established for over a thousand years, a dynasty like no other since the dawn of time.

General Sima Ting was silent.

Great Qi has been established for so long that even a strong power like Great Yan has only been established for a few hundred years.

Apart from the two generations of Masters in the Academy driving the carriage of "Great Qi," the root cause is actually the existence of "Martial Dao" and "Spiritual Cultivators" in the world, with the great clans mastering their classics and paths of advancement.

A martial artist of the Ninth Realm is already an "enemy of ten thousand" in the human world, if not for the fact that a martial artist's lifespan is only ninety years.

And for spiritual cultivators, the conditions for entering cultivation are extremely harsh.

History records that before the Warring States period, it is not impossible for the legendary "Immortal Masters" who enslaved the world to reappear.

Chen Lu suddenly remembered something and said: "Has General General Sima not yet set off for Jiannan Dao? Prime Minister Su's order has been issued, and I fear that Dingyuan Marquis Xie Ling will be recalled to the capital tomorrow."

At this time, Jiannan Dao is in a state of turmoil, with demons raging inside and the Deze Lake Dragon Palace harassing from outside, plus constant uprisings.

This Jiannan Dao Military Governor is still there and can preside over the overall situation; if he is not there, the situation may become even more thorny.

Tang Tang Ziang had already ordered tea to be served.

"Yiju is currently immersed in a gentle land, having long forgotten about any Military Governor? Seeing that young lady of the Xie family, I'm afraid he can't even lift his feet."

General Sima Ting showed a helpless expression.

"Teacher, please don't mock me anymore."

General Sima Ting turned to look at Chen Lu and revealed a hidden matter: "Official Chen, although Prime Minister Su has already mobilized troops for me, the three demons in Jiannan Dao call themselves Great Sages and have become monsters; they are not something ordinary people can deal with."

"Therefore, I still need to wait for a teacher from the Academy."

Chen Lu guessed the teacher General Sima Ting was talking about, so he didn't ask further.

General Sima Ting changed the subject and said: "However, I did have a brief encounter with that Mr. Xie yesterday."

Chen Lu was also full of emotion: "I have admired this Mr. Xie's articles since I was in Longnan Dao. I have been in Above Bianjing for many years but have not had the chance to meet him; he has been cultivating at Qingliang Temple for years, which is truly regrettable."

"Who in the Nine Great Clans of Above Bianjing doesn't know about Xie Hong returning to the residence yesterday?" Tang Tang Ziang nodded and continued,

"You underestimate this Third Young Master Xie too much. His fame back then was so great that no one could match it to this day. He is the youngest cultivator in Great Qi to ignite the Divine Fire Realm, and the Second Gentleman almost broke the rules to accept him as a disciple on behalf of the Master."

"The Xie family's fortune is prosperous; they were almost at the bottom of the Nine Great Clans, but they have regained their prestige because of the three Xie brothers. Even if the eldest went astray, the second and third are heroes of the current age."

"There are even rumors that the Xie family once produced a female immortal, and that ancestral grave was buried in the sky."

Chen Lu smiled after hearing this.

General Sima Ting nodded slightly upon hearing his teacher's words, and Xie Guan's figure appeared in his mind.

"Teacher, apart from this Mr. Xie yesterday, I also met a rather interesting young man."

After speaking!

He took out a scroll of silk, originally over two feet long, but now only one foot remained after being cut, and it was carefully rolled up.

He slowly placed it on the table and unfolded it gently.

Chen Lu only glanced at it before standing up impatiently to take a closer look.

Tang Tang Ziang's half-closed eyes suddenly opened, and he couldn't help but chant:

"There is no good and no evil in the substance of the mind; there is good and evil in the movement of thoughts. Knowing good and knowing evil is innate knowledge; doing good and removing evil is the investigation of things."

"Investigation of things, extending innate knowledge."

After reading it carefully, Tang Tang Ziang's eyes sparkled, and he no longer had his previous indifferent state.

"Who wrote this?"

General Sima Ting seemed to have expected his teacher to react this way and did not play mystery.

"This was written by Xie Guan, a son of a concubine of the Xie family."

Tang Tang Ziang looked puzzled: "Really? Although I am old and my eyes are dim, this handwriting is quite outstanding, and these few sentences do not seem like the worldly experience a young man could have."

"How would a student dare to deceive the teacher."

Tang Tang Ziang glanced at General Sima Ting and smiled: "I assume you wouldn't dare."

The handwriting on the silk scroll was fresh, clearly written not long ago.

Tang Tang Ziang coughed lightly, smiled, rolled up the silk scroll, and held it in his hand.

"Yiju, you are quite sensible this time, knowing to bring a gift for your teacher."

General Sima Ting smiled bitterly; his teacher's temperament was just like this, and he could do nothing about it.

Chen Lu exclaimed from the side:

"It is easy to break the thieves in the mountains, but difficult to break the thieves in the heart!"

"If this interpretation of benevolent people and men of high ideals truly came from the hands of a young man, then in a few years, this person might truly achieve something great."

"Perhaps, another ancestor will be added to Confucianism because of this."

Chen Lu also came from a Confucian background, but he had never entered the Academy for advanced studies.

This evaluation can be said to be quite high.

"General General Sima, who exactly is this young man? Could it be that Kirin child of the Xie family?"

The Xie family's hundred-day banquet back then, celebrating Xie Yu's birthday, shocked the people of Above Bianjing.

Tang Tang Ziang was still savoring the interpretation of the word "heart" on the silk scroll, and the more he pondered, the more he felt his mind suddenly enlightened.

General Sima Ting shook his head and smiled: "It's a coincidence."

Then, he recounted his encounter in the Xie residence one by one.

Tang Tang Ziang unfolded the silk scroll again and muttered to himself:

"The heart is principle. If this heart is not obscured by selfish desires, it is Heavenly Principle. There is no need to add anything from the outside."

"In this life, how could I not have this heart of brightness."

The old man silently recited this name.

"Xie Guan!"

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【At night, with the bright moon hanging high and approaching the zenith, you are still practicing hard in the courtyard.】

【Sister Wu Tong has already been persuaded by you to go to sleep.】

【The image of the "Ghost-Slaying Sword" in your mind is becoming increasingly clear.】

【After only one day of practice, you feel a subtle improvement in your muscles and bones, a change that makes you both pleasantly surprised and excited.】

【You are not sure if this improvement is due to the formidable "Great Ancestor Holy Ape Stake" technique gifted by General Sima Ting, or the inheritance of the Second Gentleman's sword intent.】

【To better comprehend the sword intent, you begin to outline with pen and ink on paper, attempting to depict the scene of the Second Gentleman slaying ghosts in the temple.】

【Under the blessing of the "God in the Pen" talent, your pen and ink actually captured some of the agility of the sword intent.】

【"I advise you not to be so blatant. The Second Gentleman's sword might not be recognized by the servants in the residence, but anyone with a slight foundation in spiritual cultivation will recognize its extraordinariness at a glance."】

【A voice sounded quietly behind you, but you didn't notice it. You were startled, but your pen and ink didn't stop; there was no ink blot, and your hand didn't shake.】

【You turned around with a calm expression on your face.】

【You saw the woman you met in the Hongjing Courtyard yesterday, wearing a white gauze hat, leading a donkey, and appearing unconventional—Lu Hua.】

【She was holding her hands in her wide sleeves, standing sideways, watching you paint with great interest.】

【"You don't have to look at me with that kind of expression; I'm not a thief."】

【"I just arrived, and by the way, I had a cup of tea and brewed one for you too."】

【You followed her gaze to the inner room and indeed found that the door had been pushed open gently, and on your left hand, there was a steaming cup of tea, which you hadn't noticed at all.】

【You couldn't help but marvel inwardly; this person's cultivation is truly unfathomable, and certainly not something you can match at the moment.】

【Lu Hua seemed to see through your thoughts and chuckled: "Don't worry, the little girl is under my calming spell and will be able to sleep until dawn tomorrow."】

【Then, her gaze fell on the painting on the stone table again, and she exclaimed in wonder: "If I didn't know you only got the characters in the lake yesterday, I would have thought you had been observing them for several years."】

【"No wonder the inheritance left by the Second Gentleman chose you; you are a great talent for cultivation like me."】

【Lu Hua found a chair and sat down on her own, seemingly intending to chat with you.】

【"However, I still advise you to destroy it after painting in the future. The Second Gentleman's sword is much more precious than that common martial arts foundation you have. In the eyes of those who know, it's like a child holding gold in a busy market; an innocent man is guilty of his own treasure."】

【"The two are like heaven and earth, a world of difference; of course, if you can get the Upper Three Realms of this Great Ancestor Monkey Fist, it's still passable."】

【The woman seemed to look down on the "Great Ancestor Holy Ape Stake," and her tone revealed a trace of disdain.】

【You looked up slightly, and the woman seemed to see through your thoughts.】

【"If it were a few years ago, I might have wanted to see it, but now I have long walked my own path, and looking at others' paths will only ruin my state of mind."】

【You secretly speculated about the woman's identity; although Sister Wu Tong had told you that this woman was said to be the child of an old friend of the Second Master, you didn't believe a word of it now.】

【"Why do you think the Second Gentleman left three characters in the Xie family? Why not leave them in the Academy? Why specifically in this Xie residence?"】

【"The ins and outs, I don't know specifically. I guess it might have something to do with a bet between the Second Gentleman and Xie Hong, which led to the Second Gentleman falling ill, and Xie Hong also becoming disheartened."】

【"These three characters represent three choices. It seems this Mr. Xie didn't choose any of them, but you made the decision for him."】

【The woman seemed to be quite happy when she said this, and she picked up the teacup and drank it in one gulp.】

【While you were talking, you decisively burned the painting paper with a candle flame.】

【Lu Hua looked around at your simple courtyard; the furnishings were simple, and even the courtyard walls looked somewhat mottled.】

【She turned her head and said to you: "After you have completely comprehended this sword intent, go to the lake in the Daguan Garden to take the other two sword intents. These two sword intents are great opportunities for anyone."】

【"This Ghost-Slaying Sword is a sword of the soul; you can try to integrate it into your pen and ink, which will have the effect of suppressing ghosts and driving away evil."】

【You were surprised, not knowing how she knew these things, or why she came specifically tonight to tell you these words.】

【Lu Hua continued: "The Second Gentleman has nine swords, each with its own character; the sword techniques and sword intent are invincible in the world. You just need to remember, the nine swords combined..."】

【Speaking of this, she smiled softly; although you couldn't see her face, you seemed to be able to feel the brilliance in her eyes.】

【"Nine swords combined can injure the Master and can also slay immortals."】

【Lu Hua's words brought you an unspeakable shock.】

【You couldn't help but whisper her words just now: "Can injure the Master..."】

【According to General Sima Ting, this Master has long been invincible in the human world; the great lifespan of spring and autumn cannot trap him, and the strongest martial artist in the world is no different from the common people in front of the Master.】

【He has already transcended the common sense of the world, yet there is a sword that can injure the Master.】

【You looked inside yourself and saw the "Ghost-Slaying Sword" flashing with golden light in your mind; it seems this sword intent is truly a great opportunity.】

【"You don't have to be so shocked. There are so many cultivators in this world; even if we all swarm up, the Master can't kill us all in one breath."】

【Lu Hua held up two fingers and said: "At least it would take two breaths."】

【Upon hearing this, you didn't know how to respond to the woman for a moment.】

【Lu Hua continued: "I came today, first to get to know you, and second to give you a secret manual of the soul."】

【"General Sima Ting is just a martial artist and doesn't know your talent in soul cultivation. Although martial arts practice is good, soul cultivation must also be practiced together. For great talents like you and me, this is the true Great Dao; otherwise, it will only be a dead end in the end."】

【Dual cultivation of martial arts and soul? You were puzzled in your heart.】

【"You just need to know that the four gentlemen of the Academy all follow this path of dual cultivation."】

【Lu Hua took out a booklet from her bosom, on which was written "Yin Fu Jing".】

【"This is what I copied; you should read it and memorize it tonight."】

【"Of course, we are meeting for the first time; whether you choose to learn or not is up to you."】

【Facing this, you decided...】

1. Practice "Yin Fu Jing". (Hint: You may miss an opportunity, which is unfavorable for the future.)

2. Refuse to practice "Yin Fu Jing". (Hint: You may miss an opportunity, which is unfavorable for the future.)

3. Participate personally. (0/3)

The great cauldron rang, and the words on it slowly froze.

Yu Ke looked at the three options, feeling a bit strange.

Excluding "Participate personally", this is the first time two options with identical hints have appeared.

So how to choose!

Since the result of the hint is the same, learning must be good.

Yu Ke chose directly.

1. Practice "Yin Fu Jing". (Hint: You may miss an opportunity, which is unfavorable for the future.)

【Moonlight filled the small courtyard, and you looked at Lu Hua and said: "I will learn!"】

【The woman smiled brightly.】

(End of chapter)