Confucian and Taoist scholar

Feng Xin hurriedly invited Lu Zheng and the others into the palace, still full of doubts in his heart.

Rumor has it that Yuan Si abdicated to cultivate Buddhism, which is why he stepped down. Although the truth is hard to verify, seeing Yuan Si following Lu Zheng left Feng Xin puzzled and unable to understand what was going on.

Feng Xin couldn't help but glance at Feng Xuan, who had followed him back.

Feng Xuan blinked and gave her a helpless look.

Lu Zheng casually struck up a conversation with Feng Xin, "You look even younger than before, senior..."

Upon hearing this, Feng Xin smiled and said, "I have been in seclusion for a period of time, and my cultivation has improved, which has increased my lifespan."

Feng Xin paused, then said, "Young friend Lu seems a bit different. I wonder if there's something important that made you come all this way..."

Lu Zhengdao said, "I like to travel around and get closer to everyone. Recently, we have a new plan for Taiping Region, and I thought it would also help promote the development of the surrounding areas, so I came to have a chat."

Feng Xin nodded and said, "Is that so? That's a good thing. It's rare that young friend Lu is so concerned about our side..."

Lu Zheng took out several new planning documents and gave them to Feng Xin and the people around him.

The group arrived at a grand hall and began discussing various matters, including strengthening certain trade and economic cooperation between the two sides.

Yuan Si did not participate, but listened quietly from the side.

He discovered that Lu Zheng was truly a rare talent, knowledgeable in all sorts of things, yet it didn't seem to affect his own cultivation.

A person's energy is limited, and it is difficult to achieve success in many areas, but Lu Zheng is clearly an exception.

Seeing Lu Zheng still talking about the future development of Chaofeng Kingdom, Yuan Si couldn't help but recall the scene of discussing national affairs with Lu Zheng, and couldn't help but feel a little sad.

After some discussion, Lu Zheng did not mention the suggestion of merging Chaofeng Kingdom into Taiping Domain, but only said that he hoped to deepen cooperation between the two sides in the future.

Afterwards, Feng Xin invited the group to stay in the palace to rest.

Lu Zheng wasn't in a hurry to get going, so he agreed.

Feng Xin noticed that Yuan Si hadn't said anything from beginning to end, seemingly just following Lu Zheng around.

After settling Lu Zheng and his party in, Feng Xin made a special trip to visit Yuan Si alone.

"I heard His Majesty has turned to Buddhist and Taoist practices. Why have you come here with young friend Lu? Is there something wrong...?"

In private, Feng Xin directly inquired about the situation from Yuan Si.

Yuan Si smiled faintly and said leisurely, "Buddhist and Taoist cultivation. Aren't I cultivating under his guidance? Among the Buddhist practitioners in this world, who among the living can compare to him?"

Putting everything else aside, Yuan Si felt that apart from Lu Zheng, no other Buddhist monk in the world could directly confer upon him the title of Bodhisattva.

After all, the cultivation of those so-called eminent monks was only at the Bodhisattva level.

Although Lu Zheng clearly stated that his Buddhist cultivation was not high, his ability to freely use the power of the Buddhist and Taoist origins to confer the Bodhisattva status upon others was beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

Hearing Yuan Si say this, even Feng Xin couldn't help but be surprised.

When the emperor of a country utters such words, they carry considerable weight.

Feng Xin couldn't help but say, "In all my years, I've seen countless prodigies from all races, but this is the first time I've ever met a young man like him. It's said that many people in the Taiping Domain praise him as someone who could become a true saint..."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Si said, "Speaking of which, it has been a very, very long time since a true saint has appeared in this world. What martial saints, true immortals... are all just empty names."

Feng Xin stroked his long beard and murmured, "Yes, there hasn't been a single true sage in all these thousands of years."

Even though Feng Xin is a demon saint who has reached the saint realm, he can't shamelessly claim to be an ancient sage.

Such a person is someone who prioritizes the well-being of the people and makes immortal contributions, thus earning the recognition of the world.

While he reached a certain level of attainment, his achievements were far inferior.

Feng Xin then asked, "I've heard that the State of Wei is undergoing reforms and changes. I wonder how effective they have been?"

Yuan Si began, "There have been some positive results, making life a little better for the people in the country..."

Yuan Si paused for a moment, then said, "However, it is still far inferior to the Taiping Domain. The upheaval in Wei is imitating the Taiping Domain. I no longer concern myself with the affairs of state; let them do what they want!"

"If my son had even a tenth or a twelfth of Lu Zheng's abilities and skills, that would be enough..."

Yuan Si didn't know how Yuan Tao and his new political team could change the state of Wei, but with Lu Zheng's support, the situation in Wei shouldn't get too bad.

Hearing Yuan Si say this, Feng Xin roughly understood that this person probably intended to stay in Taiping Domain for a long time.

Lu Zheng and Yuan Si spent a day in the palace, preparing to go to other demon kingdoms.

When Feng Xin learned of what had happened, he decided to go along and visit his old friends as well.

Seeing this, Lu Zheng was naturally pleased.

So the group headed together to the next demon kingdom.

None of the three individuals hold a particularly important position.

The three of them visited the Demon Kingdom together, which drew out the reclusive elders and powerful figures of the Demon Kingdom. Even the Demon Saint dared not neglect them.

Having visited all the major powers in the Northern Region in one go, Lu Zheng and Yuan Si then leisurely returned to Yongding City.

News of Yuan Si's presence in the Taiping Domain spread quickly, leading to various rumors.

For example, Yuan Si was enlightened by the Buddha and turned away from the throne to devote himself to Buddhism, coming to the Taiping Domain to save sentient beings and help establish a peaceful and prosperous world...

It was said that the Wei Kingdom and the Taiping Domain had formed an alliance.

Even the story of Yuan Tao seizing the throne through a coup became mere gossip and was no longer a topic of discussion.

After all, everyone found that Yuan Si was perfectly fine, to the point that some of the truths were mistaken for rumors.

Upon returning to Yongding City, Yuan Si made a public appearance, allowing everyone to see the abdicated monarch.

However, perhaps the locals were used to seeing all sorts of powerful figures, and their curiosity about Yuan Si, a person with a special identity, was only temporary, but they soon got used to it.

In the Taiping Domain, no one cares about your past status; no one here enjoys any special privileges.

After learning about the situation, An Dingyuan was almost completely impressed.

He never expected that Lu Zheng could keep Yuan Si in Taiping Domain; it was simply a dream come true.

If this got out, it would shock the whole world.

Seeing the surprised and puzzled looks on An Dingyuan and the others' faces, Lu Zheng couldn't help but laugh and say, "What's so surprising about that? He's just a former emperor. Perhaps a thousand years from now, with the development of the times, figures like emperors will become a thing of the past..." Everyone couldn't help but think that Lu Zheng was really daring to think. They were all young people, but their awareness and understanding were far behind.

Qing Wan excitedly approached Yuan Si, smiling broadly, and said, "Uncle Yuan Si, would you be interested in writing a memoir?"

"Memoir?"

Yuan Si was stunned for a moment upon hearing this.

Qingwan smiled and said, "As the name suggests, it's about reminiscing about the past, evaluating your past life, and looking forward to the future... We have a dedicated bookstore here, and we also cooperate with many chambers of commerce in other places. You write the book, and we'll be responsible for printing and selling it. The sales will definitely be very good; in Taiping Domain alone, we estimate we can sell a lot! And you'll get a share of the profits too..."

"If you are not short of money, you can donate it to the people in your name, to the people of Wei. We also have channels to donate to the people of Wei..."

“Writing a memoir takes time. We’re also preparing the next issue of our thought journal. You can publish an article in it as a warm-up… Of course, the content of the published article will be reviewed and must conform to the ideology and values ​​of the Taiping Domain…”

Qingwan spoke at length, leaving Yuan Si completely bewildered.

He hadn't expected this girl to have so many ideas, and she even planned to use his identity to her advantage, thinking of everything in detail.

Seeing Qingwan staring at him with bright, expectant eyes, Yuan Si didn't know how to refuse.

Seeing that Yuan Si remained silent, Qing Wan pressed on, "If you feel you can't write well, we can find someone to write it for you; you can just dictate. There are plenty of people in Yongding City who can write, including great scholars..."

These words... Yuan Si felt that if he refused, people would mistakenly think that he, as the ruler of a country, could not write good articles.

Yuan Si said, "I'll think about it."

Qingwan smiled and handed Yuan Si a stack of documents.

"These are some article templates, as well as the writing standards for thought journals. Study them carefully. You've been in Taiping Domain for a while now, it's time for you to make more contributions. For now, I'll put you in the regional publicity department, so focus on developing publicity articles..."

Qingwan looked at Yuan Si and said seriously, "Although you are no longer the ruler of a country, don't be discouraged. Is it possible for you to live a wonderful life in your new identity? We can offer you some support..."

Qingwan then said earnestly, "Uncle, you're not old yet; you're at the prime of your life, striving for success!"

Yuan Si looked puzzled, finding Qing Wan's words both amusing and exasperating.

Qingwan waved her hand and left happily. If she could transform the former emperor into a progressive person with new ideas, that would be a very meaningful thing.

Yuan Si stood there silently, pondering Qing Wan's words.

He might actually be able to do something of value, so that the world doesn't mistakenly think he's become a useless abdicated emperor.

……

"What! Yuan Si is actually in the Taiping Domain? And he's even become a member of the Taiping Domain, working there?"

When An Taixuan received the news from the north, he was so surprised that he could hardly contain his excitement.

Not only did he lose his composure, but even the messenger and the servants beside him looked strange.

This intelligence was even more shocking to them than the news that the Wei Kingdom had changed its emperor.

Intelligence from multiple sources, including messages from the Anguo people in the Taiping Domain, forced An Taixuan to believe such an absurd fact.

Previously, all the major dynasties had been inquiring about the fate of Emperor Yuan Si of Wei, and there were all sorts of speculations.

Some even speculated that Yuan Si had been imprisoned and silenced by the newly enthroned Yuan Tao, and that his supposed conversion to Buddhism was merely a way to provide incense offerings for the deceased Yuan Si...

Now, intelligence tells us that Yuan Si is still alive and well, and has even gone to Taiping Domain, where he is living among the people and everyone knows his identity.
Everyone knows the rules in Taiping Domain: whether you're a dragon or a tiger, you have to coil up and abide by all sorts of strict regulations.

Is Yuan Si having some kind of mental breakdown or has his personality changed drastically? Will he go to live in the Taiping Domain?
An Taixuan had spent some time in the Taiping Domain, and he really couldn't understand why Yuan Si would go to such a place.

He even wanted to go to Taiping Domain right now to see the situation for himself.

"I feel there's something wrong with this. Yuan Si doesn't seem like the type to endure hardship in a place like the Taiping Domain..."

An Taixuan stroked his chin, finding it truly incomprehensible.

An Taixuan thought for a moment and said, "There's something strange about this. Let Master Xu go and take a look."

Soon, Xu Shou received the imperial edict.

Upon hearing the reason for the incident, Xu Shou was stunned for a moment and did not react immediately.

Without hesitation, Xu Shou quickly set off for Taiping Domain.

This matter somewhat overturned his understanding, and he needed to investigate it thoroughly.

Besides Anguo, other dynasties that received the intelligence also doubted its authenticity and sent personnel to Taiping Domain.

……

"Recently, a lot of people with unfamiliar identities have come to Yongding City, and they all seem to be here to inquire about Yuan Si."

Qingwan found Lu Zheng and told him about her recent situation.

Lu Zheng laughed and said, "That's normal, it'll be fine in a while."

Lu Zheng estimated that many people from various dynasties would come to investigate the situation, which would also allow more people to learn about the Taiping Domain, which was a positive thing.

Qing Wan nodded and said leisurely, "It will also let them see that emperors and saintly experts can live peacefully in the Taiping Domain without caring about their status. This will shatter the world's perception of emperors and immortals..."

Qing Wan said, "I've already had him write an article evaluating the differences between the Dynasty and the Taiping Domain. The article is quite good, relatively objective and fair. It will be published in a thought journal with his name on it."

Qingwan shook her head and said, "Speaking of which, he is the first person to be able to sign his name in a thought journal. Such an opportunity is rare."

The reason why the previous articles were not attributed was to protect the authors.

However, Yuan Si's identity is unusual, and even if it were made public, it is unlikely that anyone would write an article specifically to criticize him.

Allowing Yuan Si to publish his articles would also greatly expand his influence.

Upon hearing this, Lu Zheng asked, "He agreed?"

Qingwan chuckled and said, "I did a lot of persuasion with him! Besides writing journals, he's also starting to write his memoirs..."

"Having an emperor promote us, it has to be said, it really does have a significant effect..."

Qingwan added, "I reckon that once the article gets out, it will attract a lot of talented people to come here."

"Oh, now Confucianism and Taoism are in disarray in various countries, aren't they? Some patriots have already gone to various countries to spread our ideas and, incidentally, recruit some people to come here..." (End of this chapter)