Divine Brilliance

“After the Qin and Han, they all said that doing lesser things was the best. Qin Sui dying early was an example. However, looking at the Great Gan, there are signs of prosperity all around. Look at the people of Donglin, who looks troubled and unwilling?”

When he said that, Wen Wei was also filled with doubt.

“This is weird, the Great Gan has been building roads all around and repairing cities. The Great Gan uses a lot of labour, but its people are still happy. Apart from those vassal states, all the cities under its direct rule were all prosperous.”

He took in a deep breath and said, “After thinking about it… it should have something to do with them removing forced labour. All projects are done by people who are paid and recruited. The officials of the Great Gan seem afraid that the money in the treasury can’t be used. However, I still haven’t gotten my head around some of the economic principles they have.”

“Those merchants said that money can give rise to money.”

That Yangming nodded and responded, “Shouren also hasn’t gotten some details clear. I can only guess that it has something to do with the flow of money and mind stones. Which is why I invited Brother Yuenie to walk around the Great Gan and have a look.”

“However, what Zong Shou is doing is obviously going against what the Saints teach!”

The young teen frowned. “For example, removing the imperial exams and the issue with the meeting Hall. How can a ruler treat scholars like that?”

The third hit landed on his head.

“Zong Xi, what the Saints say might not be correct. There might be things that even the Saints do not know about and times when they are wrong. Times change and theories of the past might not be suitable today. We can’t act like this because we do not understand. With the meeting Hall system and choosing officials from the people, they are helping to treat educated people like us well! Our Confucian Faction has been chasing the rules of those three eras, and replicate what was already done. There are also many who know about the cons of a ruler being too powerful and wanted to restrict him. Which is why there was Saint Dong’s words, however, that was unable to solve the root problem too…”

“Matters of the world should be shared with the people and is not something the ruler can fully control. To treat people as people and not as objects to be played with.”

“Since the Great Gan ruler restricted his power and controlled himself under the laws of the country, he has done something many of our Confucian predecessors wanted. However, if the ruler fully restricted his own powers, how would he control the subjects?”

These few sentences sent Wen Wei into deep thought. Even the kid who was unwilling to admit defeat kept silent.

At the same time, it was a whole different scene on the second floor of the Jinyu Pavilion. A few scholarly dressed middle-aged men were laughing in joy.

“So, his majesty is prepared to attack the Jiuchi Palace?”

“That’s right! The three factions added together has eight hundred thousand troops. They will teleport over and lock down the space. Zong Shou wouldn’t even be able to escape even if he wanted to.”

“Aren’t they afraid that this news will get out? That the ignorant ruler will find out in advance?”

“No worries. This was something I found out after the troops of the three factions attacked. Who knows, maybe the outcome over at Jiuchi Palace has already been decided.”

“Ah, God Falling Plains, what an apt name!”

“I would have to congratulate brother who caused all of the colleges in Donglin to close and make all the Confucians resign from the Great Gan. With such achievements, you would be able to become an important subject in the dynasty. With your experience at Linhai College for twenty years, you will probably be able to enter Bailu Heavenly College.”

“That’s right. The people there are all famous Confucians, all of them carved their name in history.”

The one at the helm had a red hue on his face as he raised his hand. “All these things are uncertain, so what is the point of saying all this? However, if the day really comes, I, Yuting won’t forget about all of you. Once Donglin enters the Great Shang, they will rely on local officials. I will fight for all of you!”

He smiled and looked towards the middle-aged man at the corner. “Moreover, how can my future be compared to Brother Wang Wei? He is supported by an elder of the dynasty and he will definitely be able to rule a province.”

Wang Wei smiled but didn’t say anything. The people around congratulated him, their words were all filled with emotion.

“We will finally be able to rise up! Under that ignorant ruler, our lives were really like that of dogs.”

“Thankfully, Zhu Zi is smart to make him the enemy of the Confucians and use the imperial army to attack. If not, who knows what our lives would have become.”

“That ignorant ruler deserves to die! Which one of the past Great Gan Rulers and city heads didn’t respect us? Their defeat and death today is well deserved!”

Just as they spoke, the expressions of the people changed when they looked outside. A vast gold light flew over.

It came from the west from the Central Cloud Continent and fell in the direction of the Gantian Mountain City.

“That is the Lubu Talisman?”

The people present were all stunned as they continued looking at the golden talisman which was shining gold.

The Lubu Golden Talisman was one type of message talisman. It didn’t hide any news and information within, any cultivator which could see it could scout out with their spiritual sense.

Whenever the ancient dynasties had huge calamities or joyous matters, they would use this talisman to tell the world such that everyone would easily find out.

“What kind of game is that ignorant ruler trying to play?”

With a teasing tone, one of them gave out a mocking laugh. However, the expressions of the people around slowly turned cold.

A few streaks of spiritual sense reached out. The moment they came into contact with the talisman, their bodies shook and their faces turned ashen-white.

“Ruler personally led troops and wiped out the eight hundred thousand Great Shang troops! The South Conquering General Feiyin was killed and 20 Rank Four and above officials were captured. Two hundred thousand surrendered and numerous weapons and armor were gained. Unfortunately, the Great Shang Emperor was able to escape… this… what kind of joke is this?”

Yuting’s body shook, he used his hand to touch his forehead and nearly fainted on the spot.

How did this happen? Didn’t they say that although Jiuchi Palace had many troops, the troops from the three factions and the imperial army had the confidence to easily win?

Even if Zong Shou was fortunate enough to escape, they would be able to gain large amounts of grain to support the southern battlefield.

How did they lose? How did the entire army get crushed?

Speaking of which, those four hundred thousand Dao Soldiers were all gone?

NO! The Taoist Faction Purple Qilin’s Flame Spear Cavalry, The Demon Sect’s Heaven Demon Cavalry, and the Yuanshi Demon Spirit’s Cavalry, how strong were they?

Even if they lost, they would’ve been able to escape! Zong Shou was faking the news to calm the people down.

“Zong Shou must be faking it to calm the Donglin people down! This ignorant ruler is already about to die and tried this kind of…”

Yuting didn’t say a word. Wang Wei gritted his teeth and spoke up on behalf of him.

“The Great Shang’s eight hundred thousand elites, with four hundred thousand Dao Soldiers could fight four million troops. How is it something that he could easily swallow?”

“That’s right! The news written in the talisman is a little too exaggerated!”

Everyone exchanged glances with one another and then shook their heads. However, they weren’t as relaxed as before.

In just a short moment, a loud explosion happened outside as people cheered out.

Since everyone present had practiced even a tiny bit of cultivation, they could still hear the talisman hundreds of feet away.

“The Great Gan won! We really won! We wiped out the Great Shang elites and only ten thousand demon cavalry escaped! Eight hundred thousand troops nearly all wiped out.”

“Ruler built the Jiuchi Palace not to enjoy, but to bait the enemy! To sweep up all the Great Shang’s Dao Soldiers!”

“I told you that the ruler couldn’t be that preposterous.”

“Is it true? Looking at what is written in the talisman, it is really tough to tell.”

“It came from the Country Protecting Duke. I heard that after he heard this, he laughed out loud, took ten jugs of wine, and invited all his friends over for a drink!”

“There is news from Vast Country Duke! He also said that the Great Gan won and is entering the mid plains!”

“From today onwards, the Great Gan would be the head of the Cloud World!”

“My news came from the Hanshan Sect dojo. All of the Sword Sect dojos sent a notification to open their mountains and sects to recruit disciples!”

“The Common People’s Path College is also preparing to expand and accept students…”

Many discussions spread into the ears of the people, causing the atmosphere of the place to become increasingly more solemn.

If the Great Gan was the only one spreading this news, then it might’ve been false. However, along with Sword Sect and Common People’s Path…

They all exchanged glances with one another, only to see ashen-white faces and fear in each other’s eyes. They were all terrified.

Was the news really correct?

“Not only that! I heard that when the ruler fought the enemy, he had a Fire Qilin by his side! The energy surged into the heavens with a dragon roaring and phoenix chirping.”

“A Qilin accompanied him? And a dragon roared alongside a phoenix chirp? Legend has it that only the three emperors had…”

“The people in the Common People’s Path also said that it is a sign of Saint King! Ruler is the true Saint Ruler!”

When they heard that, Yuting’s expression calmed down. He shook his head. “Amusing! What Qilin? What Saint King? Even if they want to falsify things, they didn’t need to make it so exaggerated.”

One of them holding a paper crane had his face turn green and white, blood seeped out from the corner of his lips.

Yuting frowned and asked curiously, “Brother Li, what’s up?”

The person raised his head and looked with a deathly expression at everyone present.

“This is a message talisman from my master. He participated in the Space Locking Formation and personally witnessed the battle. All troops from the three factions were wiped out. The Great Shang Army was crushed! Ruler had a Qilin and the Saint King’s Energy around him, he was protected by the heavens. Not only is he not an ignorant ruler and the enemy of the Confucians, he is also the Saint King! Zhu Zhi made a mistake, he is the sinner of our Confucian Faction…”

His heart nearly stopped beating. The people in the room nearly turned to stone.

“Shut up, you dare to slander the saint…”

This sentence was stuck at his throat, he was unable to say it out loud.

The master of that person was just a slightly famous Confucian scholar, what gave him the courage to question the ancient Saint?