Yefutidaolu

Chapter 386 Return
Li Zoufang laughed so hard he almost lost his composure.

There's no way around it; who wouldn't be overjoyed when such an incredible surprise comes their way?
On the other side, Gao Jian picked up his teacup but didn't drink it. Instead, he looked at Li Zoufang and said, "Since everything is alright now, this tea tastes a bit bland today."

He poured out the teacup, a hint of arrogance flashing in his eyes: "Shall we get something else to drink?"

At this moment, Li Zoufang was full of pride and high spirits. Upon hearing this, he waved his hand and said, "Good! Let's change the wine! Today we shall drink a big cup! We shall not leave until we are drunk!"

"Squeak—!" Shu Jian, the mouse who had been perched on Gao Jian's shoulder, trying to minimize his presence and suppressing his curiosity and cravings, jumped up excitedly when he heard the words "exchange for wine"! His little paws rubbed together excitedly, and his black bean eyes shone brightly!

He used to drink all the time on the flying boat, but since returning from Youzhou, he hasn't drunk any alcohol for a long time, for fear of causing trouble. He has been looking forward to this day when he is no longer allowed to drink!
Li Zoufang laughed loudly and gave an order to the person outside the door.

Soon, jars of exquisite wine, sealed in mud and exuding a rich aroma, were brought in. Inside the sealed room, the fragrance of tea was replaced by the intense aroma of wine.

Only Yuan Lu remained standing by, like a sculpture, his empty eyes beneath his hood indifferently watching the clamor of the mundane world.

To him, all of this seemed to be nonexistent, just like the moon in the sky, calmly watching the world without any intention of interfering.

The strong, mellow aroma of wine replaced the delicate fragrance of tea, filling the small, enclosed room.

The mud seals on the several jars of fine wine brought by Li Zoufang were broken, and the amber-colored wine rippled in the exquisite tricolor wine cups decorated with fish, frog, and deer patterns.

Shujian the mouse could no longer contain himself. With a cheer, he plunged headfirst into the smallest of the wine jars, leaving only his tail and round bottom sticking out and swaying happily.

A satisfied "glug-glug" sound came from the jar, occasionally interspersed with a few ecstatic "squeaks".

He was a true drunkard, who used to be able to get drunk for seven days straight on a flying boat. Now, with such fine wine before him, all earth-shattering events had to take a backseat.

Li Zoufang looked at the shadowy mouse swaying in the wine jar, chuckled, and shook his head. Then, he picked up the wine cup in front of him, his face showing the solemnity and a hint of pride of someone appreciating a precious treasure: "There are six things for wine: first, sorghum and rice; second, yeast and malt; third, soaking and heating; fourth, spring water; fifth, pottery; and sixth, proper firing. The sorghum and rice must be of the same quality, the yeast and malt must be timely, the soaking and heating must be clean, the spring water must be fragrant, the pottery must be of good quality, and the proper firing must be obtained, only then can good wine be made."

He gently swirled the wine cup, allowing the aroma to fully release: "For this wine, I select the millet used in sacrifices, the fine rice from the mountains, and the white rice from the medicinal forest; the yeast is even more exquisite, made with costus root, cinnamon, arisaema, and atractylodes, mixed with water, wrapped in mulberry leaves, placed in a paper bag, and hung in a sunless and ventilated place for a full forty-nine days to mature. It can be called a rare delicacy!"

He took a sip, letting out a satisfied sigh. "The brewing process is overseen by the masters of Jiuquan Palace. The water comes from a spring in Cangzhou, its flavor like honey and cheese, sweet and nourishing. The wine vessel is made of three colors, adorned with fish, frogs, deer, and birds. The fire used is from the southern lands, rich in firewood and charcoal. With all six elements in place, the wine is exquisite. Normally, I only dare to sip a little, but today, in my great joy, I must drink a whole cup! Don't hold back, just drink to your heart's content!"

After speaking, Li Zoufang tilted his head back and drank a full cup of wine. As the wine went down his throat, the look of pleasure on his face deepened.

Gao Jian also picked up his wine cup and took a small sip.

Indeed, it is sweet and mellow, with a rich aroma and distinct layers, making it a rare and excellent wine.

But he wasn't an alcoholic; he simply savored the mellow aroma, his gaze distant: "Good wine. It reminds me of the past, under that demonic willow tree in Cangzhou. If it weren't for Minister Li's righteous help, saving us with a sip of wine, I'm afraid I would have turned to dust long ago. I will always remember your life-saving grace."

Li Zoufang waved his hand, but looked at Gao Jian with a meaningful gaze: "It's all a small matter. It's just that now I realize that the one I saved back then was actually such a... monster."

He paused, his smile tinged with inquiry, "However, my insight is profound. Even now, I still can't quite see through you. Your actions... are too ruthless. Whether it's the Zuo family, Baishanjiang, the Dragon Palace, or even the Four Pillars of the North, you leave no room for compromise. Such extreme rigidity is easily broken, and your sharpness is too exposed. I'm afraid this will be detrimental to your future foothold and integration into the Divine Dynasty's officialdom."

His words were loaded with meaning, containing concern, probing, and even a hint of advice—he hoped that Gao Jian could be a sharp but controllable knife, rather than a fire that would destroy everything.

Gao Jian naturally understood the implied meaning in Li Zoufang's words.

He understood Li Zoufang's thoughts.

This Minister of Revenue wanted to reform the officialdom of the Divine Dynasty, eliminate corrupt officials, and make the giant ship sail more steadily. But no matter how he reformed, his fundamental goal was to ensure the continuation of the Divine Dynasty and to allow the people to live a little better than they do now, but... there are limits to how much better they can live.

He was a "loyal minister" who upheld the order of the "heaven" of the divine dynasty, and his bottom line was that he could not "rebel against heaven".

Gao Jian offered no explanation, but simply took another sip of his drink. The spicy liquid slid down his throat, but it couldn't ease the heaviness in his heart.

He silently sighed in his heart, "A loyal minister."

Li Zoufang is a loyal minister and a good person, but... it's impossible for Li Zoufang to be on the same side as Gao Jian.

Although both sides are now on the same path, wanting to start by reforming the bureaucracy, their destinations are completely different. For Li Zoufang, the improvement of ordinary people's lives during the process of reforming the bureaucracy is a side effect, not the goal.

To him, the lives of mortals... were not important either.

It's normal. Gao Jian knows that in this world, human life is really not worth much. Everyone is only concerned with themselves; just surviving is difficult enough. Revenge? That's a luxury that the lower classes wouldn't even dare to dream of! Exchanging children to eat, people devouring each other's flesh—these are commonplace in this world. They've almost run out of energy even to hate; they just want a bite to eat…

But this harsh reality only fueled Gao Jian's almost insane sense of defiance! Why? Why can some people be so high and mighty, treating the common people like dirt? Why must the world be so cruel? He was determined to be that stubborn fool who wouldn't turn back even after hitting a brick wall!
However, it was best not to show it. Gao Jian put down his wine cup, his fingers tracing the cool glaze on the rim. A complex, self-deprecating smile appeared on his face as he changed the subject: "The world is so fickle, yet money is so precious. Minister Li, my success today, my ability to stir up trouble in the Dragon Palace, and my return to the capital alive, are all thanks to your timely help of six million gold coins. I will always remember this kindness. 'Thank you' is too simplistic, but I still want to say thank you."

Seeing the fleeting heaviness and almost obsessive look in Gao Jian's eyes, Li Zoufang understood and didn't delve further into the previous question. He refilled both his and Gao Jian's glasses, his tone tinged with emotion: "No need for thanks. In this world, there are very few people like you who have self-awareness, can see things clearly, and dare to break the deadlock. Most people just use a magnifying glass to find flaws in good people and look for merits in bad people, deceiving themselves. It's my luck to be able to work with you."

But then he changed the subject, his expression turning serious, and gave a stern, elder-like warning: "However, sir, don't be careless. Many things seem easy, like catching a roe deer. But you must understand, are there still roe deer in the wild because they're all incredibly intelligent? No, they just haven't been caught yet. The same applies to dealing with those powerful clans. Those four rotten wooden pillars in the north might be considered roe deer, easily shaken by you. But within this capital, throughout the world, there are countless deeply entrenched and secretive clans, like bears and wolves that can play dead, dig burrows, and retaliate. Catching a roe deer is easy, but hunting tigers and leopards requires thorough preparation."

Gao Jian's expression hardened, and he nodded solemnly: "Your words of wisdom are invaluable, Minister. I understand. We must conceal our sharpness, discern our prey, and wait for the right opportunity."

The atmosphere eased slightly, and Gao Jian's gaze fell upon the enormous stained-glass window. Outside, the floating islands of the capital city hung like stars, ablaze with lights and teeming with flying boats—a scene of bustling prosperity. But what he saw beneath this splendor was an extreme form of desolation.

“The capital city… is truly only inhabited by people.” Gao Jian sighed softly. “Such a vast aerial city, inhabited by a billion living beings, birds have vanished, beasts have disappeared, and even plants and trees have become carefully cultivated embellishments. Even a true dragon, upon arriving here, would have to restrain its claws and teeth, occupy a corner, and bow down to this human monarchy.”

Li Zoufang followed his gaze, a complex expression on his face, a mixture of pride as a high-ranking official of the Divine Dynasty and a barely perceptible sense of helplessness. He explained, “In a small county town, hundreds of thousands of people live in one place, which is enough to trample the land beyond recognition. To build houses, the land must be compacted, stones must be driven into the ground, and newly sprouted grass must be cleared away. Coal and charcoal are burned, producing billowing smoke; trees are indiscriminately felled, and birds and beasts are driven away. Flowers, trees, birds, and insects all have to make way for people’s survival and give them space.”

He raised his wine glass, his tone cold: "What's more, this is a divine capital that can accommodate a billion living beings? This world is vast, but its resources are limited. For the survival of the divine dynasty, for these hundreds of millions of people to have a place to live and make a living... everything else, whether it's birds, beasts, grass, trees, or anything else, must give way. This is... the general trend."

Gao Jian listened in silence, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table. He neither agreed nor disagreed with Li Zoufang's remarks.

The dazzling lights outside the window were reflected in his deep eyes, but they couldn't illuminate the turbulent emotions churning within him.

The atmosphere in the secret room became tense once again. The sound of wine cups clinking together rang out, and the two began to talk in hushed tones, turning their conversation to the even more unpredictable situation in the imperial court of the capital.

Li Zoufang would sometimes analyze the movements of the major factions in a low voice, and sometimes point out the weaknesses of certain key figures; Gao Jian would occasionally interject, putting forward some seemingly bold but actually well-thought-out ideas.

Their voices were low and their pace rapid as they plotted their next move amidst the mingled aromas of wine and sandalwood. The mouse inside the wine jar began to snore contentedly, becoming the only lullaby in the backdrop of their conspiracy.

After an unknown amount of time, the wine jar was more than half empty. Li Zoufang and Gao Jian seemed to have reached some kind of consensus and had also sorted out the current situation.

Li Zoufang put down his wine cup and looked intently at Gao Jian. Gao Jian also raised his head and looked back at him with a firm gaze.

Without exchanging any words, the two simultaneously extended their fists. It wasn't a high five, but rather a steady and powerful clash in the air, like comrades-in-arms in the military!
"boom!"

A dull but clear sound of bones clashing echoed in the sealed room.

In a brief conversation, a promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold.

The fist broke. Li Zoufang's face showed a relieved yet expectant smile.

Gao Jian withdrew his fist, feeling the slight vibration lingering between his knuckles. He looked out the window at the super metropolis, constructed by humans and suspended in the sky, his eyes burning with a calm yet intense flame.

A new storm is brewing. And they have already grasped the "key" in their hands.

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After entrusting Yuan Lu, the "Earth Immortal Puppet" that cost a whopping six million gold coins and whose power was enough to change the landscape of the capital, to Li Zoufang for safekeeping, Gao Jian felt a great sense of relief.

This thing is good, but it's also a hot potato. Carrying it around is like holding up a bright light to tell everyone "I have a problem," only causing endless trouble. Entrusting it to that old fox Li Zoufang to strategize and stir up the political winds is the wisest choice at present, making the most of its value while also allowing oneself to temporarily extricate oneself.

Of course, he didn't hold back completely. He didn't impart all the specific "essence" of driving the puppet.

Li Zoufang's mastery of the basic "command" was enough to allow Yuan Lu to unleash the power of an Earth Immortal, becoming the sharpest sword in his hand. But at a deeper level, Gao Jian had left something behind. This was a contingency plan for self-preservation—if the two sides were to clash in the future and go to war, the ultimate fate of this puppet would still belong to Gao Jian.

Having dealt with this "big deal," Gao Jian returned alone to the Imperial Academy in the capital. Although his mission in Liangzhou had deviated from its intended path and ended up at the Dragon Palace, it was still considered complete, and he naturally wanted to return to continue his studies.

However, as soon as he stepped into the main gate of the Imperial Academy, before even setting foot on the bluestone path leading to the Sutra Repository, Gao Jian stopped in his tracks.

Ahead, a dozen or so distinguished young scholars, dressed in the standard blue-collar robes of the Imperial Academy, stood in a semi-circle, blocking the main path leading to the academy. Some stood with their arms crossed, others with their hands on their swords, their gazes fixed intently on Gao Jian. In their eyes, there was scrutiny, curiosity, resentment, and an undisguised eagerness to try their luck.

The leader was tall and handsome, with a reserved and composed air about him. He was none other than Cang Hai, the senior who had once given Gao Jian a hard time!
He stood in the center of the crowd, not deliberately displaying his power, but his subtle leadership qualities and strong aura made the surrounding students unconsciously center around him.

"Junior Brother Gao, you must have had a hard time in Liangzhou." Cang Hai spoke first, his voice calm and unreadable, a standard aristocratic greeting.

"Senior Brother Canghai." Gao Jian bowed slightly.

(End of this chapter)