Confucian and Taoist scholar

Zhang Haoran left indignantly, leaving everyone in the hall looking at each other, speechless for a moment.

Upon closer reflection, if the sudden departures of those Confucian and Taoist sages were truly because of them…

Some people simply can't imagine it, and are unwilling to believe it.

"Cough cough..."

After a while, someone broke the silence with a dry cough.

"Zhang Haoran must have been greatly shocked and spoke without thinking. Please don't take it to heart. Where were we?"

The previously chilly atmosphere eased slightly.

Yan Jue watched Zhang Haoran's departing figure, her gaze becoming somewhat complicated.

Zhang Haoran's words may well be the real reason why the sages left.

However, he currently lacks sufficient evidence to convince those present of this fact.

The group discussed the matter in the hall for a while before dispersing.

Officials also instructed Yan Jue to manage the Jixia Academy well and not to let anything go wrong at such a critical juncture.

The strange changes at Wensheng Mountain were witnessed by many people in the academy.

After that, Mount Wensheng was forbidden to be set foot on, and apart from the high-ranking members of the academy, no one else knew what had happened.

If those students were to learn of the passing of Confucian and Taoist sages, it might cause quite a stir.

Yan Jue's expression was solemn. He could keep the truth hidden for a while, but not forever.

If those Confucian sages never return, the world will eventually know about them.

Yan Jue returned to her residence with a heavy heart, her mind in turmoil.

The scene of Yan Sheng seeing him for the last time still kept replaying in his mind.

Were the sages and worthies of the past truly disappointed with them, and that's why they left?
Thinking of this, Yan Jue felt a tightness in her chest.

Just then, a person hurriedly returned from outside.

"Chancellor, I've received news that someone recently saw him in Langya..."

The visitor excitedly whispered something to Yan Jue.

Yan Jue's eyes flashed. He thought Lu Zheng had already returned, but was actually still traveling within the Qi Kingdom?

Langya is not too far from here.

It seems that Lu Zheng didn't react in any particular way to the matter of Confucianism and Taoism.

Yan Jue's mind raced, and she felt it was still necessary to meet with Lu Zheng and seek confirmation.

Although he already had an answer in his heart.

Yan Jue thought for a moment and then said, "I'll be gone for a day or two. If anyone looks for me, just say I'm in seclusion. As for matters within the Jixia Academy, you and..."

Yan Jue gave some instructions and then quietly left.

……

Tian's Farm.

A spacious courtyard was filled with people, men and women, young and old.

Many of the people were dressed simply; they were farmers from the nearby area.

These people were staring intently ahead.

In front of them, Lu was teaching them to read and write, and he also used stories to explain principles and instill correct values ​​in them.

These people listened with great interest and studied very diligently.

Where would many of them have had the opportunity to receive an education before?

Tian Jiu knew Lu Zheng's character, so she specially allowed everyone to come and listen to Lu Zheng's lecture.

Many people knew that a remarkable scholar had come, and seeing this as a rare opportunity, they were all eager to come.

Lu Zheng's lessons were not as rigid as those of some private tutors; they were very engaging.

Even some members of the Tian clan who were well-educated listened attentively.

Tian Jiu sat in another courtyard not far from the main courtyard, leisurely listening to Lu Zheng's lecture.

"Young man, you're quite skilled at teaching and nurturing people. No wonder the demons and monsters over there all respect him as their teacher..."

Tian Jiu couldn't help but sigh, a hint of regret in her eyes.

It's a pity that Lu Zheng is too outstanding; his small town can't retain such a talent.

Tian Jiu looked at the clansmen accompanying him and said leisurely, "You all still need to learn more from him and cultivate more talents for the clan in the future."

Upon hearing this, the others readily agreed.

Suddenly, a person rushed in from outside and presented Tian Jiu with a thick letter.

Tian Jiu slowly opened the package and took a look. He then quickly sat up straight, his face showing a hint of suspicion and seriousness.

"Such a thing has happened! The Confucian school..."

Tian Jiu carefully read the letter and then pondered for a moment.

"You may all leave now. Please invite Mr. Lu here after he finishes his lecture."

The group immediately left quietly.

Tian Jiu closed his eyes to rest, muttering to himself, "This world is getting more and more incomprehensible. Nothing like this has ever happened in thousands of years..."

After a while, Tian Jiu sensed something and slightly opened his eyes to look ahead.

Then a figure appeared.

When Tian Jiu saw the person who had arrived, a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes.

"Chancellor Yan, what brings you to this old man's humble abode? A rare guest indeed, please invite him in..."

Tian Jiu greeted him with a smile.

Yan Jue cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Patriarch Tian. I have come to Langya to visit, so naturally I must pay my respects to Patriarch Tian."

Tian Jiu smiled, his eyes crinkling, "This old man is but a martial artist; it is an honor for me that Master Yan has come here..."

Tian Jiu paused, then lowered his voice and said, "I heard that your Confucian school has had some trouble recently? Is it alright?"

Yan Jue's expression stiffened upon hearing this; it was more than just a minor incident...

Yan Jue smiled and said, "It seems that nothing in the world can escape the ears of Patriarch Tian."

Tian Jiu laughed heartily, "Things have gotten a bit out of hand, so I've heard a little about it. Are they really gone and never coming back?"

Yan Jue sighed, "How could I possibly know what they are thinking?"

Tian Jiu's eyes flickered, and she said quietly, "Even Chief Scholar Yan doesn't know the reason for this?"

He thought Yan Jue knew the root cause of the departure of those Confucian sages, but it turns out that even the head of the Jixia Academy didn't understand the situation, which is quite intriguing.

Yan Jue shook his head and said, "This matter is still undecided, and I dare not speculate. I wonder if Patriarch Tian has received any important information?"

"you ask me?"

Tian Jiu shrugged. "How would I know about the things that happen to you Confucianists? I've heard that similar situations have occurred in Anguo, Wuguo, Weiguo... but I haven't heard of any reason for it... It can't be some kind of scheme orchestrated by any dynasty, can it?"

Tian Jiu couldn't imagine which dynasty had such power as to invite all those Confucian and Taoist sages to their deaths.

None of the countries in the world are at peace now. If any country were to plan and orchestrate such a spectacle, it would be impossible for no information to be leaked.

Therefore, Tian Jiu always felt that the problem lay with Confucianism itself. And if we're talking about what problems exist with Confucianism today, well, there's a lot to discuss…

Tian Jiu looked at Yan Jue with a smile, trying to glean something from the other's expression.

But Yan Jue was truly unaware of this and could only smile helplessly.

The two prominent figures in the State of Qi were speechless for a moment.

A series of light footsteps approached, and it was the Arita clan members bringing Lu Zheng over.

When Lu Zheng saw Yan Jue present, his eyes merely flickered slightly, and he responded with a calm smile.

"Master Yan, I didn't expect we'd meet again so soon."

Yan Jue looked at Lu Zheng with a slightly complicated expression.

Yan Jue then turned to Tian Jiu, "Patriarch Tian, ​​would it be convenient for me to have a private word with young friend Lu?"

Tian Jiu blinked and smiled, saying, "You two are my guests, so please excuse me. I'll give you the seat..."

In the blink of an eye, Tian Jiu and his men vanished.

Yan Jue moved his fingers slightly, and an invisible barrier enveloped him and Lu Zheng.

Yan Jue said in a low voice, "You should know what happened at the Confucian Temple a few days ago, right?"

Lu Zheng smiled slightly and said, "I saw it with my own eyes, but I wonder what Jijiu Yan saw?"

Yan Jue took a deep breath. "So many Confucian sages have left. Don't you have any thoughts about that?"

Lu Zheng thought for a moment and said, "Thoughts? I don't have any thoughts. I just need to do my own thing right now. That's what you need to care about."

Now that those Confucian sages have been invited to heaven, Lu Zheng naturally doesn't need to worry or care about anything anymore. He can just continue on his own path according to his plan.

Yan Jue gazed at Lu Zheng and said softly, "I think you should know why they left, and what exactly happened when you entered the Confucian Temple that day..."

Yan Jue is now quite certain that Lu Zheng must know some inside information, or rather, Lu Zheng is involved in something.

Lu Zheng said calmly, "Why do Confucius and the others no longer receive offerings? Doesn't Master Yan have an answer in his heart?"

No longer receiving offerings... Yan Jue's pupils contracted.

Lu Zheng's words undoubtedly confirmed some of their suspicions.

He believed this was not Lu Zheng's speculation, but a statement of fact.

Yan Jue's lips trembled, her inner emotions fluctuating.

"Is it really because we...didn't do a good enough job?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Zheng couldn't help but chuckle, his voice carrying a hint of something inexplicable.

Lu Zheng said quietly, "Not good enough? When has Grand Master Yan ever thought it was good enough?"

"Since the rise of Confucianism and Taoism, thousands of years have passed, with dynasties rising and falling in cycles... Have the people of the world truly had a good life?"

"Oh, perhaps in the eyes of some of you scholars, only those from noble families with status can be considered human. Those who toil in the fields to support you are no different from livestock..."

"You praise the golden age of dynasties, but such golden ages never belong to ordinary people..."

Lu Zheng looked at Yan Jue and said, "Chancellor Yan has already been to the Taiping Domain. I alone can lead so many people to create a peaceful and tranquil land. How can you, with so many people, dozens or even hundreds of generations, who call yourselves sage families, still let this world be like this?"

"The blessings bestowed by our ancestral sages are not meant for you to exploit the people."

"You have completely disgraced the sages..."

"They simply left without doing anything else, wanting to give the people some hope. After all, Confucianism and Taoism are completely gone, and the people suffer the most in this world, not you who are tyrannical and oppressive."

"If it were me, and I had the ability, I wouldn't be so merciful."

Yan Jue's face turned pale and then red after being spoken to by Lu Zheng.

Yan Jue has never experienced such verbal attacks since birth.

He felt like his literary heart was about to collapse.

Yan Jue clutched her chest, a sharp pain shooting through her heart.

He thought that he had followed his family's education and grown up to this day, and that he had done right by his family and ancestors, and that he had a clear conscience.

But these recent events struck Lu Zheng like a thunderbolt.

Yan Jue realized that she probably hadn't done a good job.

Lu Zheng continued, "I think Chief Minister Yan already had this answer in his heart, but he just didn't want to face it."

"You came to me because you wanted to ask me when those sages would return?"

"I can only say that I don't know either. What Confucianism and Taoism, and Confucianism itself, will become in the future—whether they will be despised like Buddhism was before, or whether they will return to their original state—does not depend on them, but on you..."

Lu Zheng couldn't help but look up at the sky and said softly, "Does Master Yan think that this place, without so many Confucian sages, will become better or worse?"

Yan Jue opened her mouth, but couldn't give a reply.

The fact that Lu Zheng had confirmed some of the information completely depleted his energy and spirit.

It was as if I had suddenly lost my spiritual support.

Yan Jue said dejectedly, "Why did it have to come to this all at once? If they were to appear and advise us..."

Yan Jue felt that things shouldn't have escalated to this point so quickly.

If Yan Sheng were to give him explicit instructions to make changes, he wouldn't be unable to do something to try and improve the current situation...

However, the Confucian sages did not explain anything and suddenly broke away, which can be said to have severed the fate of Confucianism and Taoism. It was too decisive.

Lu Zheng said calmly, "So many classic texts by sages, so many principles, yet so few people truly listen to them. Is there any point in doing so?"

Yan Jue was speechless for a moment, unable to find any words to refute him.

Yan Jue looked at Lu Zheng and felt that it was because of this young man that Confucius and the others made that choice.

After all, when compared, Confucius and his followers certainly had enough reason to be so disappointed in them.

Lu Zheng noticed Yan Jue's gaze and smiled calmly, "Does Grand Master Yan think there's something wrong with me?"

Yan Jue's eyes narrowed, and she sighed softly, "What problem could you possibly have? You..."

He thought this person was the one truly recognized by all the sages, so what did he dare to do and what was he capable of doing?

Yan Jue seemed somewhat dazed, and said in a deep voice, "I will not reveal today's events to anyone. You..."

Yan Jue wanted Lu Zheng to be more careful, but considering the current turmoil within the Confucian school, many people were probably too preoccupied with their own problems to care about Lu Zheng.

Yan Jue then said, "Take care of yourself."

Yan Jue cupped her hands in greeting to Lu Zheng, then quickly left.

"Tsk tsk..."

Tian Jiu walked back from outside with her hands behind her back and a strange look on her face. "What's wrong with Yan Jijiu? What did you talk about? He seemed like..."

When he saw Yan Jue leave, his expression was really strange, like he had lost his soul, quite different from when he first arrived.

Lu Zheng replied, "We discussed some changes in Confucianism."

"Oh……"

Tian Jiu nodded slightly and couldn't help but say, "It seems that this incident has been a big blow to Yan Jijiu."

"But then again, this is the first time in my life that I've encountered such a change; it's truly extraordinary..."

Tian Jiu blinked, looked at Lu Zheng, and asked curiously, "Why do you seem even calmer than me?" (End of Chapter)