Divine Brilliance

It was dead silent beneath the Jinyu Pavilion. All the Confucians present sat there with ashen-white, stunned looks on their faces. They lost their ability to react and simply muttered to themselves.

The scholars who agreed to what was said but didn’t insult anyone felt really fortunate. Within the Great Gan, one couldn’t be convicted and punished for words, so those things that they said weren’t wrong.

At most, if others found out about it, then it would be tough for them to continue in the future.

Those who actually said the words out felt dejected. It was like their energy was instantly sucked away.

The merchants and rich men were all really pumped up and joyous.

“Ruler, he really won…”

“Ruler took the throne at fifteen and during these ten years, his territory expanded by tens of thousands of miles. He also established foundations in the outer region. Although he didn’t like to rule, his military strategy and skills are unparalleled. How could such a mighty lord compare to the Yuanchen Emperor who only knew how to defend? How could he really be an ignorant ruler in the eyes of the Confucians?”

“Haha! Those Confucians are jokes! Do they really think that ruler made the Jiuchi Palace a place for enjoyment? Ruler isn’t like those arrogant men of the past…”

“I had long gotten annoyed at how rude they were! I really wish ruler would just capture all of them and slice them with ten thousand blades.”

They didn’t bother about the many scholars still present in the building as they continued mocking. However, the current situation had totally turned on its head, they didn’t dare to make a single sound, all of them were dejected.

“Tsk! Tsk! Luckily, I locked up my child and didn’t allow him to come out. That kid was influenced by the Confucians and believed what Zhu Zi said. Those Confucian Colleges are truly problematic…”

“Today, our Great Gan won, will we be able to move into the mid plains? Jiangnan has no place to defend, so we should be able to occupy that territory, right? The five states of Jiangnan are famous for being rich with resources.”

At the south corner, Yangming, Wen Wei, and the other man looked at one another, all of them were completely stunned.

Zong Xi was in a total daze.

The Great Shang losing was something totally unimaginable to them. The Central Emperor Dynasty was really strong, at most ten times that of the Great Gan. How could they lose so easily?

Looking at what the people outside discussed, they definitely weren’t faking it.

Eight hundred thousand elites were all killed in front of the Jiuchi Palace. God Falling Plains? It seems like the world is going to be in chaos.”

Yangming sighed to himself. He knew that Yinyu and the three factions would think of a way to break the stalemate.

He also guessed that the Great Shang would attack the Jiuchi Palace. They had no choice and could only enter the battlefield that the Great Gan had selected. The only thing he didn’t expect was for them to lose so badly.

Eight hundred thousand people, that was one out of twenty-two of the eighteen million men army.

The Great Shang’s spine had been broken by Zong Shou!

Although there was still over ten million troops north of Min River, they were like meat on a hotpot, waiting for people to scrape them.

Losing all these elite border troops, the north of Great Shang would definitely have a lack of troops. The situation within the country would be chaotic.

“How could this be?”

Wen Wei laughed bitterly and frowned. The world was in chaos, there would also be arguments within the Confucian Faction.

Within, there were originally already many factions. In the past, the Rational Learning Line was the top with Zhu Zi suppressing it. The many branches could only lower their heads and be afraid to speak up.

However, after this huge incident, who knew how many people would jump out to question Zhu Zi.

“Yangming, in your eyes, is there a chance that the Great Gan Ruler is really the Saint Ruler?”

This was the thing that he cared about the most. If Zong Shou was really the Saint Ruler recognised by the Heavens, then the situation the Confucian Faction would face was even worse.

Zong Xi listened on intently as he was also curious about this.

“I don’t know either!”

Yangming shook his head. After all, he didn’t personally witness it. He wouldn’t be able to judge if it was true or not. However…

“However, if he really is a Saint Ruler and has a Qilin by his side, then the Purple Qilin’s Flame Spear Cavalry would have definitely collapsed!”

“En?”

Wen Wei’s eyes flashed. He understood what he meant.

The Qilin King did have the ability to counter all of the Xuan Flame’s Golden Qilin Beasts.

The Purple Qilin’s Flame Spear Cavalry were the top Dao Soldiers that shook the world. If they really met the Saint Ruler, they would be unable to fight back.

It seemed like the three factions had lost due to that. If not, what else could have been the reason for their swift defeat?

“It most probably is! Speaking of which, the way he does things and act are what a true king recognised by the Heavens should do…”

“How is that possible? This is preposterous…”

Zong Xi was completely stunned, the mental impact of what happened today was huge.

“He is the Saint Ruler!”

Yangming looked outside of the window in a daze. “As they say, a gentleman wouldn’t be willing to live beside a wall that might fall at any moment. I am preparing to move my family to Donglin. However, I don’t think the Great Shang will fall that soon…”

Wen Wei wasn’t surprised.

The Great Gan had won and became the overlord of the Cloud World. It was really strong and the people living in it had nothing to worry about. On the contrary, after the Great Shang lost, it was on the verge of collapse. Even if it could hold on now, it wouldn’t be able to last for long.

When he heard and saw the Great Gan talisman, such a thought had already risen up in his heart. He wanted to move his family to Donglin to avoid the chaos.

“If it is possible, it is best if we work for the Great Gan. I want to observe the economic principle up close. Only by serving him and grasping a certain amount of power can I fully understand it.”

Zong Xi was astonished and hurriedly said, “But the Great Gan Ruler personally said that he wanted to burn the books and wipe out Confucianism.”

Yangming didn’t reply. He simply laughed towards Wen Wei. How would he not know that the current Great Gan Ruler was unhappy with what the Confucians were teaching now?

He was definitely sure that it wasn’t only the two of them who understood this.

Zong Zi was about to speak when a shocking cheer broke out from outside.

“Ruler is victorious and he has sent out five decrees…”

“Farmers actually don’t need to pay taxes and would instead receive subsidies? This is unheard of!”

“Our Great Gan really charges little agricultural taxes. Instead, workers, hunters, and merchants get taxed. It is okay even if it is removed!”

“Setting up a pension fund for workers and farmers? Such that all old people will be raised and not need to worry about retiring? His majesty really is a Saint Ruler!”

“Wipe out the demons? Those Demon Sect people really deserve to die! If not for my cultivation being low, only Grade Two, I also want to kill of few of them!”

“Remove the three law divisions and set up the Ministry of Law? It is no longer under the cabinet and is only monitored by the Meeting Hall? From today on, the King is also under the law? If ruler commits a sin, he will be punished all the same? I don’t understand, this is really weird! A Saint Ruler is rarely here! Why is there such a need?”

“Remove physical torture? Good! Good! Good! Ruler really is merciful! Why couldn’t my nephew meet ruler earlier? He lost three fingers because he took a bit of money. Even if he regrets it now, his fingers can’t grow back…”

“All farmland trading is prohibited? The officials will purchase it and give it to people without land? Is there such a need? Now that farming isn’t profitable, I also wanted to sell some of my land. Who knows how much the officials would pay?”

Yangming and Wen Wei’s eyes both lit up, in a flash, they were outside the Jinyu Pavilion.

The place where the notice was laid out wasn’t far, just two hundred feet out on a green stone wall.

The area was filled with people. Who knew how many of them were there?

Luckily, the two of them could float in the air. Their spiritual eyes could cover thousands of miles. After looking out, they were able to read everything on the notice.

Wen Wei took in a deep breath. “Once this decree goes out, the people’s hearts will lean towards the Great Gan! If he could really do this, then the Great Gan Ruler is truly the Saint Ruler!”

Yangming looked around. “Officials will control grain and split the land. He will offend all the nobles like this! What is weird is that the people here actually show no signs of being angry.”

There were many rich people and officials in the crowd. Although there were some who were unhappy, most of them were really calm and didn’t bother much about it.

It was obvious that this decree didn’t really hit where it hurts.

Was it due to that policy that focused on commerce? Yangming was deep in thought.

What one gained from commerce was far more than agriculture. To these people, there was no need to keep all this land in their hands.

Be it Donglin or the South Wind Cloud Continent, it was where people were sparse.

There were still large amounts of land that could be developed. Zong Shou probably set out this plan to prepare to enter the Central Cloud Continent.

Setting policies first, and when he pushed in the future, he would still face resistance from the nobles in the Central Cloud Continent.

However, it was better than the policies of being controlled by these people!

He was really thinking much further!

He was getting more and more curious about this Great Gan Ruler. Unfortunately, he wasn’t famous enough and wouldn’t get the opportunity to witness it…

He shook his head and looked towards the last decree. Unrestrained laughter erupted beside him.

“A King under the law? This is what Xun Zi wished for! What Han Zi chased! In the end, a Common People’s Path disciple was the one that achieved it. Who knows what those two would feel if they found out? Xi Zi’s junior who proposed equality for everyone was the Saint Ruler. Did the Heavens really open its eyes?”

The laughter spread over for miles causing everyone to look at who it was.

Even Yangming and Wen Wei turned around curiously.

A scholarly dressed unshaven middle-aged man was seen walking from the distance.

“Calling all scholars to discuss the pros and cons of Confucianism! To judge its teachings! How vicious! But I like it! As expected from the Saint Ruler, it’s so much better than that Qin Emperor!”

Wen Wei kept silent and wanted to head over, but he was stopped by Yangming.

“That man is someone from the Legalism school of thought, the line of Han Zi.”