At the Star-Gazing Tower, on the Eight Trigrams Platform.
The white-robed, white-haired, white-bearded Chief Astrologer sat before a table, twirling a cup of wine in his hand, silently gazing towards the northwest of the capital.
To his left was another table laden with delicacies. Seated there was Chu Caiwei, with her oval face, big eyes, and delicate features that hinted at sweetness.
She spoke incessantly while eating: “Master, when will I be able to reach the sixth grade and become an alchemist?”
The Chief Astrologer answered with a smile: “When you stop focusing on eating and sincerely cultivate, the time will come.”
Chu Caiwei replied with difficulty: “Then it’s unlikely to happen in this lifetime.”
She swallowed her food and continued chattering: “By the way, that fake silver burns easily and explodes when thrown into the water. It’s impossible to preserve. It’s not good enough to present to the Emperor.”
The Chief Astrologer said softly: “The old Emperor has nothing better to do. Just tell him to get lost.”
Chu Caiwei stuck out the tip of her tongue: “I don’t dare say such things. You go yourself.”
The Chief Astrologer smiled benevolently.
“Master, Fourth Senior Brother is almost obsessed. You don’t even manage him. He keeps running out of the city, saying that the door to the mysteries of alchemy has opened for him.”
“…”
“Master, I think that minor constable Xu Qi An is quite good. Can’t we recruit him into the Astrology Bureau? Oh, you don’t know who he is. He’s the one who solved the tax silver case…”
“…”
“Master, what is grafting?”
The Chief Astrologer sighed: “Caiwei.”
“Yes, Master?”
“Can’t even food stop your mouth?”
“Oh.”
A few seconds later…
“Master, why do you keep looking in that direction?”
“Caiwei, your master has some regrets.”
“Tell me, Master.”
“Why doesn’t your master know the Confucian silencing technique?”
“Hehe…” Just as a smug expression appeared on Chu Caiwei’s face, she suddenly noticed that the food on the table had instantly spoiled, emitting an unpleasant rancid smell.
Her little mouth pouted, on the verge of crying, heartbroken to the point of breathlessness: “Master, I was wrong. Please change it back.”
The Chief Astrologer continued gazing northwest, smiling as he said: “Let your master teach you another principle: in the realm of alchemy, most transformations are irreversible.”
Chu Caiwei wiped her tears while walking away, sobbing: “I’ll never come to keep you company again, you old codger.”
…
At the elegant pavilion by the bamboo grove, Principal Zhao Shou said solemnly: “No one is allowed within thirty zhang of this place.”
As he spoke, he waved his sleeve, and a clear energy expanded, enveloping the pavilion within a thirty-zhang radius.
After doing this, he turned back to look at the three Erudites who had been summoned.
Li Mubai held a teacup in his hands, his expression serious. “I’ve inquired, and there were no students near the Hall of the Lesser Sage at that time, so it’s impossible to know who entered.
“The handwriting on the stone tablet doesn’t belong to any student in the academy. I don’t believe our academy would produce such ugly writing.”
At this point, Li Mubai felt a bit uneasy. If it wasn’t a student from the academy, who else could it be that was in the academy today, apart from that convenient disciple?
“Knock, knock…”
At this moment, Zhang Shen tapped the table. This Erudite had put away all his frivolity and expressionlessly refuted his close friend:
“Handwriting can be disguised, especially ugly writing.”
Chen Tai suddenly asked: “Then, what’s the reason for disguising the handwriting? That tablet has been there for over a decade, and all the teachers and students in the academy have tried it, all willing to be the hero. There’s no reason to disguise the handwriting.
“Moreover, the Xu brothers, Ciju and Ningyan, happened to be touring the mountain at that time.”
After the three Erudites finished discussing, there was a long silence.
Li Mubai took a sip of tea from his cup and sighed: “To establish the mind for heaven and earth, to establish destiny for the people, to continue the lost teachings of past sages, to establish peace for all generations…
“How shameful, I’ve long abandoned thoughts of an official career, only wanting to leave a lasting legacy and have my name recorded in history.”
“Brother Chunjing has lofty principles,” Zhang Shen gave a thumbs up in praise, then continued: “Let me guide the study-encouraging poem.”
Li Mubai immediately changed his tune: “Serving the country and the people is not incompatible with leaving a mark in history.”
Principal Zhao Shou was stunned. He stared at Li Mubai, his eyes flickering with clear light, and said in surprise: “You’re close to establishing your destiny?!”
“!!!” Chen Tai and Zhang Shen were shocked.
Li Mubai smiled, stroking his beard: “A moment of sudden enlightenment, and all became clear.”
The other two Erudites instantly became envious.
After Principal Zhao Shou pointed it out, they immediately noticed the subtle change in Li Mubai’s aura.
The third-grade Life-Establishing Realm is a state of finding one’s life purpose. Some study for fame, some for wealth, some for benefiting future generations… everyone has their path.
Principal Zhao Shou’s path was to create a new school of thought for Confucianism, to break the shackles of thought for countless scholars under heaven, and to find a new path.
Therefore, as long as he couldn’t achieve this goal, he couldn’t break through to the second-grade realm.
The others didn’t ask about Li Mubai’s life goal, because at this moment, he was in a state of ambiguity.
Zhang Shen and Chen Tai exchanged glances, secretly deciding that from today on, they would seclude themselves in the Hall of the Lesser Sage for meditation and wouldn’t come out.
“From today onwards, students are forbidden from entering the Hall of the Lesser Sage,” Zhao Shou said, his eyes filled with inner radiance sweeping over the present Erudites. “This matter is not to be disclosed. I want you three to take an oath.”
The three Erudites looked at each other and nodded slightly.
Zhao Shou gathered his qi in his dantian, concentrating his power on the tip of his tongue: “A gentleman should keep his mouth shut thrice.”
…
Two horses galloped swiftly. As they approached the capital, the brothers slowed down, letting the horses trot.
They had rented inferior horses, only slightly better than nags. The advantage was that they were cheap; the disadvantage was their poor stamina.
They couldn’t maintain high-speed running for long periods.
If the horses died, they would have to compensate with over ten taels of silver. Both brothers were very conscious of their wallets.
Xu Xinnian exhaled deeply, finally asking the question that had been bothering him: “Shouldn’t Big Brother explain something?”
He was referring to that world-shaking maxim.
“What do you want me to explain?” Xu Qi An asked in return.
“Big Brother has only just begun learning, how could you say such earth-shattering words?” Xu Xinnian raised his chin proudly:
“Those are words only scholars can say.”
Look how pleased with yourself you are… “All pursuits are inferior, only studying is supreme,” is that it? I’ve at least nine years of compulsory education plus police academy… and I’m also a veteran keyboard warrior, deeply influenced by keyboard culture. I know a little about everything… If we compare knowledge reserves, you scholars are just little brothers in front of me!
Xu Qi An wanted to say this out loud.
He pondered for a moment and changed his approach: “Ciju also feels that there are some issues with current Confucian thought, but when I asked you what scholars should do, your answer was still the standard response conforming to the times.”
This statement plunged Xu Xinnian into deep thought.
“This is the limitation of thought. You scholars are influenced by a certain way of thinking, and over time, you become shaped by it. Even if you realize it’s wrong, it’s hard to break free,” Xu Qi An expounded:
“We can put it another way: thought imprisonment.”
“Thought imprisonment…” Xu Ciju murmured, repeating these four words.
“The principal of Cloud Deer Academy is also imprisoned by thought, influenced by Cheng’s scholarship. He wants to break through, to find a new school of thought, but he is in the vortex. How can he lead the scholars of the world out of the vortex?
“Only those outside the vortex can truly do it.
“Perhaps it’s precisely because I, your Big Brother, haven’t read many books that I can take an unconventional approach, be innovative, and not be constrained by Cheng’s Neo-Confucianism.”
Of course, I also have thought of imprisonment, from 21st-century thought imprisonment, it’s just that no one has given me a wake-up call… Xu Qi An said to himself.
This thought imprisonment, simply put, is one’s worldview, and worldviews are shaped by the times. When you’re in this era, influenced by it, you won’t feel there’s anything wrong. Only when the time scale reaches a certain distance can you gain a broader perspective and discover the problems.
Xu Ciju was silent for a long time. He began to think, to investigate things. After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, he looked at Xu Qi An with bright eyes:
“Big Brother’s words have suddenly enlightened me.”
Big Brother is amazing.
His comprehension is very strong… Xu Qi An evaluated his heart, but on the surface, he didn’t take it seriously. Instead, he showed a mocking expression:
“It’s a pity that you didn’t inherit our Xu family’s excellent genes. You inherited the Li family’s.”
Big Brother is annoying… Xu Ciju suddenly didn’t want to talk to him anymore.
If Mother heard these words, she would get angry again, slamming the table and cursing: This little rascal just clashes with me.