Chapter 611: He Is Truly Old

"What, what is it?"

Chen Qian was advanced in years and did not quite understand.

The others were young, but they also wore looks of utter confusion.

"I have it, I have it!"

Liu Zheng laughed heartily and said, "Chen Lao, rest assured. Leave this matter to Liu Zheng. By tomorrow morning, Liu Zheng will certainly provide Chen Lao with a plan!"

Everyone looked at each other in dismay upon hearing this.

So many people in the Hanlin Academy had discussed it for so long, and none had a Method.

Are you saying that after you came and listened for a few sentences, and shouted "Love and Peace," the matter is considered settled?

Chen Qian could not help but frown and say, "Prefect Liu, this matter is of great importance; one must not speak recklessly..."

Gu Jin also snorted coldly, "Don't you go joking around. If this matter cannot be reported to the Emperor, our Hanlin Academy..."

Liu Zheng waved his hand with a smile, "When has Liu Zheng ever spoken recklessly?"

"Truly?"

Chen Qian was still somewhat skeptical.

Liu Zheng said decisively, "Truly!"

"Good, then I shall trust you once more!"

Chen Qian nodded.

Who would have thought that Liu Zheng would look at Gu Jin instead: "However, Liu Zheng has one request..."

"Speak, it is no matter!"

Chen Qian had not even heard what the request was before agreeing directly.

Liu Zheng chuckled, "Liu Zheng needs to borrow Miss Gu for a while!"

"Ah!"

Once these words were out, the expressions of many changed.

Gu Jin's pretty face flushed red, and she stomped her feet in anger.

This, this, this... this lecher, what does he want to do! What time is it now? This is Jinghua; otherwise, in other places, the curfew would have been in effect for a long time! At a time like this, he actually wants to borrow her!

Oh my!

How could he be like this!

Bad person!

Scumbag!

Because of her extreme embarrassment, Gu Jin's legs nearly went weak, and she could not stand steady.

Her close friend is Shen Manqing! Sister Manqing! And he is about to marry the Princess; why drag her into this!

Bad person!

Scumbag!

Chen Qian also wore a strange expression, looking at Liu Zheng, then at Gu Jin, and finally laughed heartily, "Good! As long as the Emperor's errand can be handled well, never mind one night, even several nights will do!"

"Oh my, Chen Lao, you..."

These words were truly somewhat ambiguous.

Liu Zheng was even more unable to laugh or cry, "Liu Zheng only wants Miss Gu to help me organize the plan; everyone, do not overthink it."

Only then did everyone heave a sigh of relief and share a laugh.

Then, they continued to watch Liu Zheng and Gu Jin leave with ambiguous gazes.

"What exactly do you want to do!"

As soon as Gu Jin stepped outside, she glared fiercely at Liu Zheng.

Isn't it just that he beat her once? Isn't it just that he gave her some ice cream? Just because of this, he wants to humiliate her! No way! She is the granddaughter of the dignified Minister of Rites!

Liu Zheng smiled, ducked into the Horse Carriage, and waved at Gu Jin, "We will talk as we go!"

What?

Still have to sit in one Horse Carriage?

This, this, this...

Gu Jin almost roared, but at this moment Chen Qian came to see them off, his face full of smiles.

So infuriating!

Why must it be like this!

If it gets out that she sat in the same Horse Carriage as him, wouldn't her reputation for purity be gone?

"This time, the GeneralDirector is you..."

She was just about to turn and run—she would rather quit! Who would have thought that Liu Zheng's calm words would make her, who had just turned around, stop in her tracks instantly.

"You... what did you say?"

Gu Jin still could not hold back, turned around, and looked coldly at Liu Zheng.

Liu Zheng smiled amusedly, "I am a competitor; naturally, I cannot let people know that I participated in designing the competition. What does Miss Gu think?"

Gu Jin's eyes lit up, "So, the credit is mine?"

Liu Zheng nodded.

"Good!"

Gu Jin was radiant with excitement upon hearing this, and for a moment, she could not care about anything else.

GeneralDirector!

Isn't this thing the same as a GeneralDirector? At the ceremony, she had not stood out at all and was completely crushed by Liu Zheng, so for this second stage, she must make a name for herself no matter what!

Having figured this out, she said nothing and got straight into the carriage.

"What a master!"

Watching the carriage speed away, Deng Wenhui let out a wail.

The other young men of the Hanlin Academy wailed just the same.

This Miss Gu Jin was the goddess of their Hanlin Academy! Was she really just snatched away so easily by Prefect Liu?

Bad guy!

Scumbag!

"Olympic Games, what are the Olympic Games?"

Along the way, Gu Jin had been on guard against this scumbag Liu Zheng.

But upon hearing this new term from Liu Zheng, she was instantly dumbfounded.

Liu Zheng was speechless for a moment; it was true, they wouldn't know a thing about the Olympic Games.

He thought for a moment and continued, "A Sports Meet, do you know what that means?"

"A Sports Meet?"

Gu Jin still hadn't heard of it and blinked her beautiful eyelashes.

Liu Zheng rolled his eyes.

How should he put it... That's right. When Chen Qian mentioned that this second phase required some conceptualizing, the first word that popped into his head was the Olympic Games! You couldn't have military drills, you couldn't fight, and you certainly couldn't go to war, yet you still had to determine a winner and completely crush these barbarians—of course, more importantly, after beating them black and blue, we still had to smile and say, fair and just, love and peace!

The only thing that fit this situation was the Olympic Games!

You don't say.

Historically, the origin of the Olympic Games was actually very similar to the opportunity Liu Zheng was currently facing. That was the story of Pelops winning a bride!

The King of Elis in Guxila, in order to choose a son-in-law who was skilled in both literature and martial arts for his daughter, proposed that the candidates must race chariots against him. During the races, 13 young men died one after another under the King's Long Spear, and the 14th young man was none other than the grandson of Zeus and the Princess's sweetheart, Pelops. Inspired by love, he bravely accepted the King's challenge and finally won through wit. To celebrate this victory, Pelops and the Princess held a grand wedding in front of the Temple of Zeus in Olympia, and chariot races, wrestling, and other events were arranged at the ceremony. This was the original ancient Olympic Games, and Pelops became the legendary founder of the ancient Olympic Games.

Of course, this was a myth.

The true origin of the Olympic Games was actually closely related to the social conditions of Guxila. From the 9th to the 8th century BC, the clan society of Greece gradually disintegrated, and a slave society based on the city-state system gradually formed, establishing more than two hundred city-states. The city-states were independent of each other, had no unified monarch, and were in constant war with one another. To cope with the wars, each city-state actively trained soldiers.

Children in the Sparta city-state were raised by the state from the age of seven, engaged in sports and military training, and lived a military life. War required soldiers, soldiers required strong bodies, and sports were a powerful means of cultivating soldiers capable of fighting and winning. War promoted the development of sports in Greece, and the events of the ancient Olympic Games also bore clear military imprints. The continuous warfare made the people feel disgusted, and there was a universal yearning for a peaceful environment in which to recuperate. Later, the King of Sparta and the King of Elis signed the "Sacred Truce Month" treaty. Thus, military training and sports competitions intended to prepare for the source of troops gradually turned into a sports meet of peace and friendship.

This had similarities to the Longyan of today.

In the Longyan Dynasty, Feudatory Kings were numerous, each preparing for war, and every Feudatory King was calculating his own interests, just waiting for the day Xie Tianyao passed away, for the Xie Clan to lose its grip on power, and for the world to contend for it. Therefore, every region had strengthened its military preparations. It was heard that many large provinces no longer had just three hundred thousand in their Standing Army; under various pretexts, they had begun to stockpile quite a few private armies...

Orders for Weaponry and Equipment in Yintan City were flying in every day.

From this, one could see the current situation in Longyan.

This year's Eighteen Envoys were also coming aggressively; there were strong enemies without and worries within.

In fact, many Longyan citizens had a very strong anti-war sentiment.

Every change of imperial power seemed to require a large-scale war.

They were beginning to have some resistance toward the Xie Clan.

Xie Tianyao...

It was the same for him!

The Longyan Dynasty of today could not withstand such turmoil.

Because he knew that if Longyan were to undergo major surgery now, it was very likely that it would not be just one prince who collapsed, but the entire Longyan.

Yes.

The thousands-year-old Longyan Dynasty was very likely about to change dynasties.

He did not want this to happen while he was still alive.

Even if it were just after he died...

Therefore.

Whether it was Xie Tianyao or the Longyan citizens.

They were all desperately trying to maintain the last shred of dignity of their Celestial Empire.

The later this last shred of dignity was broken, the better...

A beautiful dream.

The later one woke up, the better.

Therefore.

The old Emperor.

Wanted a prosperous age.

And also wanted peace.

He was truly old.

Then himself...

Let's find a Method to satisfy him.