Chapter 325: No Gate, No Match; Outer Heresy, Inner Sovereign!

Jiakangcheng, the government office.

A yellow-wood carved carriage quietly halted before the government office; the driver gently tugged the reins.

He murmured:

"Whoa—"

The driver was a tall middle-aged man, dressed in fine silk-hemp robes, a leather belt around his waist, with a square face and a full beard, his expression somewhat simple.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Jiakang Government Office has arrived!"

The three stepped down from the carriage; the young lady drew several extra glances from the driver.

He had driven for years and rarely seen a woman with such an ethereal bearing and appearance, yet he quickly looked away.

Yuwen Liqian helped Du Hui step down.

When Yuwen Liqian studied at the White Deer Academy, she never revealed her identity.

Master Du Hui taught with zero tolerance for carelessness and had more than once struck her palms.

Even after she reclaimed her princess status, Du Hui treated her the same.

He once said, "In the classroom, I am the teacher; even princes are treated equally."

The elderly man from Da Chu, Du Hui, was dusty from travel, yet his face glowed with joy.

"Liqian remembers her master; she longed to come to Yan lands, but was always held back by worldly affairs."

Du Hui nodded!

"Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles!"

Du Hui gazed at the four-horse carriage they had hired, his aged face showing a different expression.

In Da Chu, propriety and virtue were actively promoted.

Propriety meant ritual law.

The Son of Heaven rode six horses; only feudal lords could ride four—this was ancient custom.

Even the Crown Prince dared not overstep!

On the streets, carriages flowed like a river; splendid vehicles vied for attention, and six- or seven-horse carriages were common.

Yuwen Liqian watched her master lost in thought, and a faint smile touched her lips as she asked softly:

"Master, are you also dazzled by the carriages on the road?"

"When I first arrived, I was equally astonished."

"Doesn't this contradict the propriety you taught us?"

Du Hui shook his head!

"The great Dao moves; the world belongs to all!"

"When the true Dao is practiced, the world belongs to the people."

"A truly virtuous ruler would never use the extravagance of his carriage to set himself apart!"

Yuwen Liqian had not expected such an answer from her master.

The driver standing nearby, upon hearing this, could not help but show greater respect—after all, the world still honored those with learning.

He sincerely praised:

"Old master, well said!"

Du Hui stroked his beard and chuckled: "Young brother, you flatter me—you have keen eyes."

Yuwen Liqian merely smiled faintly; her master was unchanged.

The three looked toward the low government office.

Above it hung a blue plaque.

"Jiakang Government Office!"

This unassuming entrance was the government office of such a great city.

In the five states, the Prefect was a high official directly appointed by the Son of Heaven, entrusted with governing the people, overseeing justice, education, taxation, public security, and waterworks—the supreme authority of the city.

Yet in Yan lands, it seemed different?

In prosperous Da Chu, a Prefect's office was often grand and imposing, sprawling over vast land, with dozens of side halls—forty to fifty—and over one hundred sixty living quarters, all showcasing official authority and power.

Entering meant passing the screen wall, main gate, ceremonial gate, Grand Hall's Yinggong Gate, second hall, inner residence gate, third hall—each main structure in sequence.

Civil on the left, military on the right!

Left side: guard room, household office, and rites office.

Right side: criminal office, public works office, and military office.

Each gate seemed to speak of layered authority.

Above the Grand Hall's lintel:

Hung the four characters "Upright and Bright," declaring impartial justice.

The "Avoidance" and "Silence" plaques before the constables' courtroom inspired awe and deterred recklessness.

Yet!

This government office defied all norms—low-roofed, unassuming; passersby unfamiliar with the place might easily overlook it as official ground.

Seeing this, Yuwen Liqian felt doubt and asked softly:

"Master, does this construction hold some deeper meaning—or is it improper?"

She privately thought that a grand office displayed official authority and intimidated the people, deterring troublemakers.

The maid beside her chimed in: "Yes, Miss, ordinary government offices are always bigger and better."

"The public garden we saw by the river yesterday was magnificent too. Why is this office so plain? Could the officials be embezzling, caring only for their own pockets and ignoring the dignity of the office?"

The driver's expression showed he wanted to speak but chose silence.

Du Hui gently said:

"Young brother, you seem to have more to say—do tell us."

The simple middle-aged man scratched his head sheepishly and explained:

"Honored guests, you've come from afar and may not understand this office."

Du Hui smiled:

"I'd be honored to hear your insight, young brother."

The driver quickly waved his hand: "Insight? I can't claim that."

"In this city, there isn't just one government office—there are four, all of this size. Though nominally only one Prefect holds office, in truth, there are four Councillors, each managing justice and taxation, governing separately."

"This office is the central one—the place for trials, imperial edicts, official audiences, and major ceremonies."

"Lady, don't accuse the Prefect of corruption—every Prefect here has been upright."

Master Du Hui nodded, silently reflecting: this arrangement effectively scattered power; though the Prefect remained nominally the city's head, governance was now shared among many.

The driver continued:

"Originally, this office was meant to be grander, but the Prince of Yan decreed: a government office's authority should not be measured by size, nor should it frighten the people. So it was built as it stands."

"I think the Prince of Yan's words make sense."

The driver's tone brimmed with reverence for the Prince of Yan.

The maid still looked unconvinced.

She had grown up in the imperial palace, raised alongside the princess, studying and reading—how could her knowledge and insight be any less than that of a driver?

Du Hui nodded:

"The name of a government office lies not in its height, but in its governance. A good official's virtue lies not in his rank, but in his heart."

The authority of an office does not come from its buildings, but from the people's hearts.

The driver waited where he stood.

The three slowly walked toward the office.

No stone lions stood at the gate—only two pots of orchids.

Those stone lions, called "men dang," were reserved only for royalty and government offices.

The brick or wood carvings above or beside the lintel were called "hu dui."

The number of "hu dui" corresponded directly to official rank.

This was the government office.

No "men dang," no "hu dui!"

Only a stone tablet stood on the left.

The three stopped before the tablet.

The main gate stood open; no guards flanked it—only occasional passersby, calm-faced, showing no restraint or fear.

This scene differed sharply from Yuwen Liqian's image of an imposing government office!

Suddenly, a phrase flashed in her mind:

"A government office need not be tall—lest it frighten the people!"

Du Hui looked at the words on the tablet.

The inscription was brief:

"Focus on the people's livelihood!"

"If it benefits the people, do not follow ancient laws; if it serves the matter, do not cling to custom."

"Heaven's mandate need not be feared; ancestral laws need not be followed!"

Yuwen Liqian and the others had seen these words before.

"Master, the inscribed text on this stele is precisely the opening of Prince Yan's Treatise on Governance of Zhenbei."

This book is widely circulated in Yan territory, though the latter half is regarded as the highest secret by the Yan Prince's mansion.

Yet these few short characters, when she first read them, stirred her to the core.

No wonder the states of Han and Chu have banned this book.

Fear not the mandate of heaven, fear not ancestral law.

Seek only the welfare of the people!

Du Hui ran his fingers over the characters, drew a deep breath, and said:

"This Prince Yan is truly a wise sovereign!"

"He possesses the spirit of opening heaven and earth."

Yu Ke had long known that Master held Lu Chen in high esteem.

The attendant beside her murmured softly:

"Indeed, a wise sovereign who devoted ten years to cultivating the Dao while ignoring state affairs."

Is there such a wise sovereign in the world?

Lu Chen's decade of cultivation was always criticized by the Confucian school.

Beneath the stele, there were still several lines of script!

"Promote talent alone, regardless of birth!"

"In times of chaos, do not distinguish between noble families and humble huts, do not separate aristocrats from commoners, nor regard the crippled differently from the whole—promote talent alone."

After reading them, Du Hui's gaze grew even sharper; he turned away, as if unwilling to step another step into the government office.

"Master, why not delve deeper to uncover the truth?"

We have come this far—we are already at the door. Why not go in and take a look?

Du Hui shook his head gently and smiled:

"To understand a nation's character, observe its people, then examine its officials—you will know its rise or decline!"

"Why look further?"

Yu Ke asked in a low voice:

"Master, do you consider this Prince Yan a sage ruler or a foolish sovereign?"

Du Hui replied: "This is not a question I can answer alone. Your Highness, why not ask the people of the entire city, indeed all the subjects of Yan, to see the full picture?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Ke fell into thought, her gaze unconsciously drifting toward the pedestrians moving through the streets.

Du Hui asked:

"Your Highness, what kind of man do you think Lu Chen is?"

Yu Ke shook her head, thinking instead of how his first half-life squandered heroic spirit, and his second half sought immortality and the Dao.

Du Hui spoke slowly:

"The highest good is like water; water benefits all things without contention."

Water nourishes all things yet remains nameless.

"Confucianism emphasizes outward kingship and inward sainthood: outwardly possessing the bearing of a king, wielding royal statecraft; inwardly embodying the virtue and cultivation of a sage—this is the highest praise ever given to ancient rulers."

"The first dynasty in history was founded by the overlord who lifted the nine tripods; though mighty for a time, it collapsed after only two generations due to outward dominance and inward emptiness."

At this, Du Hui's lips curled into a faint smile:

"This Prince Yan governs with outward Dao and inward sainthood."

"He acts without action, yet nothing remains undone."

(End of Chapter)