Confucian and Taoist scholar

Lu Zheng knew that after this incident, some people who were not entirely pure would choose to leave, while others might be forced to leave due to pressure from the forces behind them.

But no matter what, Lu Zheng respects everyone's choice.

Lu Zhengdao said, "Of course, if anyone tries to sabotage this place in the future, I will not show any leniency."

Upon hearing this, Yun Xiao said, "Don't worry about that. I'll talk to those Taoist sects in Shu. Knowing their nature, they shouldn't do anything to you..."

In fact, Yun Xiao couldn't be completely sure either, since Lu Zheng's actions left him unsure how to view them.

On the one hand, Lu Zheng had the ability to invite Taoist sages, which meant he had formed a deep connection with the Taoist sect.

On the other hand, Lu Zheng asked the sages to forge the Great Law and Principles, attempting to restrain all cultivators in the world.

This will certainly cause dissatisfaction among many Taoist practitioners.

Therefore, Yun Xiao finds it difficult to judge whether the relationship between Lu Zheng and the Daoist sect is good or bad.

Yun Xiao sighed, "I remember when you mentioned Legalism to me, I thought you were just joking. I never imagined you could actually succeed. But the way you've done this, you really haven't considered the consequences for yourself..."

Yun Xiao patted Lu Zheng and said, "I feel that you are much stronger than me now, so I can't help you much anymore. I will go back to Shu later and inform them about what happened here as soon as possible, and see how they react."

"You'd better live well, I still want to discuss scriptures and doctrines with you in the future!"

Yun Xiao gave Lu Zheng a deep look. He didn't know if he would ever see Lu Zheng again, or what the next time they met would be like.

Take good care of yourself.

Yun Xiao spoke softly, then turned and walked away gracefully.

A little while later, some more people came over to talk to Lu Zheng, wanting to know his attitude.

Lu Zheng clearly stated that the legislation was intended to better protect the rights and interests of the people of the new dynasty and maintain regional stability.

Furthermore, Lu Zheng also made the contents of the Taiping Code completely public.

Many of these laws and regulations were previously in effect in Taiping, and now the code is clearer and more detailed.

Representatives from various factions were hesitant to directly criticize Lu Zheng's actions.

The saints of all the ways of heaven and earth have manifested their sainthood to support Lu Zheng. If they openly oppose Lu Zheng now, wouldn't that be opposing the saints?
If such words were to spread, they would be seen as rebellious and their reputations would be damaged.

In Yongding City, the celebratory banquet was still in progress, but many people had already chosen to leave quietly.

Gongyang Ming found Lu Zheng, who finally had a moment to spare, and said with a slightly grave expression, "The representatives from the several academies of Qi have already left. They seem to have some reservations about your inviting of Confucian sages... On our side, some students from Qi have volunteered to return to Qi to investigate the situation..."

Gongyang Ming paused for a moment, then said, "After this incident, some forces that were previously close to us will probably sever ties with us."

Lu Zheng said calmly, "It's only a matter of time."

Gongyang Mingdao said, "You want to establish a great law, but why don't you consult with others first? It's too risky to establish a law so soon after the country is founded."

Lu Zheng smiled and said, "I want to use this opportunity of establishing a nation to let them witness it with their own eyes. If we miss this chance, we won't have such a good opportunity again."

Gongyang Ming sighed, "Then you shouldn't have kept it a secret until now. We've worked together for so long, we can face this together, instead of leaving you alone..."

Lu Zhengdao said, "Some things are best left to one person to bear. If I fail, you may not be affected, and we can leave some sparks in the world."

Lu Zheng added, "Mr. Gongyang, you don't need to worry about me. Just manage this newly formed country according to the original plan. Let me handle the external problems."

Gongyang Ming's lips moved, but he ultimately said nothing, bowed, and retreated.

At night, Yongding City was brightly lit inside and out, and the people were still celebrating, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

Lu Zheng stood atop a mountain, his eyes reflecting the dazzling lights.

Qingwan stood to the side and said softly, "It's so lively. I really hope it can continue forever."

Lu Zhengdao said, "Then we'll have to work together."

Qing Wan said slowly, "Now we've completely exposed ourselves to the world. Who knows how many enemies will appear, or how many like-minded people will come along?"

Lu Zhengdao: "If Heaven had feelings, it too would grow old; the vicissitudes of life are the true path of humanity. Our journey has just begun, and it is still very winding, but one day it will come..."

At this moment, a figure gracefully arrived; it was Yun Fuyao.

Yun Fuyao said to Lu Zhengdao, "Things are as you wished. The Great Dao you have forged is connected with the Dao of the Sages and will gradually influence the entire world, especially the various countries and cultivation forces."

"However, the extent of the influence is limited, unless your principles of law can completely constrain the paths of the saints. To achieve this, you need time to grow, or to suppress those powerful forces in the mortal world..."

Yun Fuyao paused for a moment, then said, "It is almost impossible for one person to suppress the world, even with the support of all the Great Dao Saints."

After all, the Great Dao Saints are merely manifestations of holy thoughts, and their power is limited.

Even the sages who pioneered the Great Dao could not single-handedly dominate the world when they were alive, let alone now, who is merely a wisp of the Great Dao's origin thought.

Qingwan blinked and said quietly, "To be an enemy of the world."

Lu Zheng replied, "The world is in the millions of ordinary people, not them."

……

The Shu Kingdom, Furong Capital.

Yun Xiao landed outside the city, panting heavily.

In order to get back to Shu as soon as possible to report the situation, he could not stop for a moment.

"This is exhausting! There's probably no one faster than me..."

Yun Xiao tidied his appearance as he walked.

Soon, he went to the palace to report to the Shu Emperor.

The Shu Emperor and Empress Furong celebrated the New Year with their princes and princesses in the palace, creating a lively atmosphere.

The Shu emperor was somewhat surprised to hear that Yun Xiao had come.

"Didn't he go to the Taiping Domain to attend the ceremony? Why is he back so soon? Summon him here!"

The Shu Emperor knew Yun Xiao's temperament quite well; his sudden entry into the palace must mean something important.

Yun Xiao hurriedly paid his respects to the Shu Emperor and others.

Seeing that Yun Xiao still looked tired, Empress Furong had a cup of hot tea served to him.

"Thank you, Queen!"

Yun Xiao took a sip of tea and immediately felt much more refreshed.

Then, Yun Xiao calmly recounted the events surrounding the founding ceremony of the Taiping Domain, and even used magic to display the scenes he had witnessed to everyone.

Everyone was astonished when they saw the scene Yun Xiao presented.

"That's how it is. I thought it was a matter of great importance, so I rushed back to report to His Majesty!"

After saying that, Yun Xiao took another sip of tea.

Empress Furong smiled and said, "Daoist Yunxiao, you must be tired from your journey. Please take a seat! Let Daoist Yunxiao rest for a while."

The palace servants nearby quickly arranged a seat for Yun Xiao. Yun Xiao did not refuse and sat down to rest happily, his eyes looking at the Emperor of Shu.

Seeing the Shu emperor sitting there in deep thought and not saying a word, no one else spoke either.

"Snapped!"

The Shu Emperor slapped his thigh, looking slightly regretful, and said, "If I had known that the founding of the new dynasty would involve such a series of extraordinary spectacles and phenomena, I should have taken the Empress to witness the ceremony."

The appearance of sages and saints in the world, and their assistance in forging the Great Way, is a spectacle unprecedented in history.

The Shu emperor was truly disappointed that he hadn't been able to witness it firsthand.

A strange glint flashed in Yun Xiao's eyes. He wondered if this was the key point. His Majesty's perspective on matters was truly unique.

The Shu Emperor said leisurely, "Taoism, ancient gods, Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism... and the unity of the people's hearts, this is truly remarkable!"

"Is that young man, and the new nation of Taiping Domain, truly the rightful heir of the world? Or the legitimate ruler of humanity?"

When the establishment of the Taiping Kingdom was announced to the world, no one took it seriously.

The outcome of this situation is enough to shake the entire world and have a far-reaching impact.

The Shu Emperor looked at Empress Furong beside him and asked with a smile, "What is your opinion on this matter, Empress?"

Empress Furong smiled and said, "Doesn't this show that the young man is truly dedicated to the peace of the world? Our human race is about to produce a true sage."

The Shu Emperor chuckled leisurely, "The Empress is right! However..."

The Shu Emperor's gaze deepened, and he said softly, "However, there are probably many people in this world who would not want to see a true sage appear."

For the privileged class and those who have vested interests, the appearance of a true saint is a nightmare.

Even the sages of old suffered various forms of dislike.

This is because some people fear the actions of sages and worry that their own interests will be harmed.

For some people, greed far outweighs moral principles.

Upon hearing the Shu Emperor's words, Empress Furong couldn't help but recall that she had also received Lu Zheng and his companions here years ago, listening to them recount their grand and ambitious aspirations...

Empress Furong said softly, "They are all good children."

Upon hearing this, the Shu Emperor reached out and grasped Empress Furong's soft hand, whispering, "I know, I know... I won't do anything to them, let them make a fuss."

Not far away, Yun Xiao kept his eyes down, thinking to himself, "This is a matter of great importance concerning the future of the country, and His Majesty really doesn't care."

The Shu Emperor turned to look at Yun Xiao and asked, "What does Daoist Yun Xiao have to say?"

"This one……"

Yun Xiao blinked and said, "Since Fellow Daoist Lu has gained the approval of the Daoist sages, I will naturally follow their ideas."

Upon hearing this, the Shu Emperor smiled and said, "I know you have a very good relationship with him. I don't care how the various Daoist sects view it, but if anyone causes any trouble on their own, don't drag the court into it."

Yun Xiao nodded quickly, "Understood, understood."

The Shu Emperor inquired about some more details before dismissing Yun Xiao.

Then, the Shu Emperor instructed his trusted subordinates, "Yanran and the others are still training over there. Send someone to inform them that they can come back if they want, and if they don't want to come back, secretly protect them to prevent anyone from sowing discord or causing trouble..."

……

The strange phenomena that occurred during the founding of the Taiping Kingdom quickly spread to all the major dynasties, causing a great stir and leading many people to make various speculations.

In a certain place in the State of Qi, a group of extraordinary figures gathered in a secluded chamber.

Someone spoke in a deep voice: "When the Confucian sages passed away, the fortunes of Confucianism and Taoism were diminished. Now, however, all the sages and worthies have appeared in the Taiping Domain to help him achieve the Great Way of Law. The events of that year are probably inextricably linked to him..."

"Not long before the passing of the Confucian sages, this child had visited the Jixia Academy..."

"There's nothing more to say about this. If he could invite Confucian sages, he could have persuaded them to abandon their ancestral worship in the first place. If it weren't for him, how could Confucianism have fallen to such a state of being pointed at and criticized all these years..."

Everyone's expression turned grim upon hearing this.

With the passing of Confucian sages, those sage families endured much gossip and their status was suppressed.

Oh, now it seems that some of the rumors are indeed true; the Confucian sages have truly abandoned them.

Confucius, Mencius, and other sages were willing to appear in the world of Taiping, but they have not chosen to respond to them in recent years, which has already indicated some factual issues.

Now that the news of the establishment of the new dynasty has spread, it has been a slap in the face to many Confucian and Taoist families and forces across the land.

I've heard that some renowned scholars from prestigious families couldn't bear this reality, and their anger and frustration led to the breakdown of their literary minds and a significant drop in their artistic realm.

Of course, such a person shows that they still have a sense of shame.

Many more members of the sage family harbored resentment towards Lu Zheng.

They all believed that without Lu Zheng, the Confucian and Taoist sages would not have passed away, and their families would not have fallen into such a state.

"He has gained the approval of all the saints, and now many people proclaim him as the embodiment of the righteous path in the world and the human spokesperson for the saints. As a result, many people have gone to the Pacification Domain to follow him..."

No one can refute the world's assessment of Lu Zheng; there is simply no reason to refute it.

After all, so many sages have appeared in the world to help Lu Zheng. If Lu Zheng cannot be considered a righteous person, then probably no one in the world would dare to claim to be a righteous person.

"Back then, he practiced the ways of sages in the Northern Region, and unexpectedly, he achieved such a level in such a short time, unprecedented in history..."

"He's still so young, and his future achievements are limitless. If he continues like this, what future do we have left?"

The people whispering among themselves all had solemn expressions.

"We can't let him live..."

"But he..."

"He is the most likely person among our human race to become a true saint in all these years, and he is not so easy to deal with."

"That's precisely why we can't let him get away with this..."

"Do you want the whole world to become like the Taiping Domain? Not to mention us, even the royal families and princes would probably be unhappy."

"He is too young and too talented. Someone like him should not exist in this world."

"His principles of law can even restrain those in the Saint Realm. Are you willing to be controlled by him?"

“Destroy him. Once he's gone, the new nation, his principles, and those who follow him will naturally fall apart…”

"But he was ultimately a prodigy of our human race. His death would have a great impact. To quell any potential turmoil afterward, we could simply set up incense offerings in his honor. In this way, people would remember him, but without him, his followers would not amount to anything."

"He has the approval of all the saints, so it's probably not appropriate for us to take action to eliminate him..."

"There are probably many powerful figures in this world who wish for his downfall. Let's unite and stop him from growing any stronger!"

"To accomplish this, we must be decisive and not let the word leak out, otherwise, if things fail, we will become sinners in history!"

"History is written by the living. Once he dies, isn't it up to us to decide what really happened?" (End of Chapter)