The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 250 Gao Cheng (3k)

Looking at the middle-aged scholar who was particularly excited, Du Yuan asked curiously:
"You seem to hold the emperor in very high regard?"

The middle-aged scholar nodded in response, his tone earnest:
"The Emperor is a supreme ruler throughout history, and I naturally hold him in the highest esteem both in public and private! Young master, why don't you think back a bit? Looking at all the emperors of the past, even the founding fathers of dynasties, how many can compare to the current Emperor?"

Although Du Yuan had carefully studied the affairs of this world these past few days, time was limited and there were many things to do. She really didn't know much about it.

He could only compare this emperor to the monarch of his hometown.

Du Yuan estimated that it should be able to rank in the top ten? Or perhaps the top five?

In any case, based on what we see now, this emperor must be an exceptionally wise and virtuous ruler.

After all, his rule had been stable for more than a decade. Du Yuan remembered that it was the twenty-first year of the Tianbao era. So, this emperor was only thirty years old.
Thinking of this, Du Yuan couldn't help but sigh inwardly: such great talent and ambition, and he is also in his prime.

If it weren't for this unprecedented upheaval, he truly didn't know how far this emperor would ultimately go.

So Du Yuan carefully considered her words and said, "Judging from the current situation, it should at least be given an 'excellent' rating."

He dared not make predictions about the future. His abilities did not allow him to speak recklessly.

Moreover, emperors occupy high positions and are difficult to judge by common sense; furthermore, Du Yuan has seen many monarchs who were wise in their early years but incompetent in their later years, such as Emperor Xuanzong and Gao Yang, who also shared the surname Gao.

Both of these are typical examples.

It was precisely because Du Yuan deliberately added the phrase "nowadays" that the middle-aged scholar, upon hearing this, also let out a long sigh:
"Yes, in the present moment, His Majesty is 'excellent' in every way. But who could have predicted that the world would become like this?"

At this point, his tone was full of helplessness.

“I used to think that what His Majesty would have to worry about in the future was whether he would die from an assassination attempt. After all, as far as I know, since the seventh year of Tianbao, there have been two assassination attempts by palace maids, one assassination attempt by eunuchs, and two poisoning attempts.”

“Even the palace was burned down three times. The last time, wherever His Majesty fled, the fire followed.”

Du Yuan wasn't surprised that the emperor had faced so many assassination attempts. After all, his actions had practically made him an enemy of the entire world, offending all the powerful families and members of the imperial clan.

Logically speaking, the dynasty should have changed long ago, but he was exceptionally capable and managed to turn those two potentially deadly "bombs" into playthings in his palm by using leverage.

They even managed to push the dynasty, which should have been gradually declining in its later stages, back up to a rare golden age.

Therefore, Du Yuan was not surprised at all by the assassination attempt; what truly surprised him was that he had been assassinated so many times and was still unharmed!

"To have survived such a perilous ordeal unscathed is no wonder, given that he encountered such a turn of events," Du Yuan said softly.

No wonder, it was during his reign that such a change of events occurred.

This person truly seems to have been born to meet the needs of this great era.

The middle-aged scholar nodded and continued:

"Yes, I heard them say that this is why many people believe that what they are looking for is either in Kyoto or simply on His Majesty!"

"Such a narrow escape from danger, and such a young hero, it all seems like a blessing from heaven."

After a pause, he added:
"In short, I have always felt that His Majesty's greatest danger is nothing more than a desperate aristocratic family successfully assassinating him, preventing his great cause from being completely settled."

After assuming personal rule in the sixth year of the Tianbao era, the many national policies the emperor used to break the deadlock, while impressive, ultimately lacked the necessary time and experience to mature.

It can only be considered as 'taking root' rather than 'settling down'.

After all, the numerous conflicts currently existing within the court and among the people are merely being suppressed by the emperor's unparalleled ability and prestige, rather than being completely resolved.

The aristocratic families still possess deep-rooted traditions, and the imperial clan remains a powerful and influential force.

Once the emperor dies, he can't imagine what will happen.

Will the imperial family seize the opportunity to take power and become emperor, or will the powerful families directly change the dynasty?
I don't know. His perspective is too narrow; he can't see it or understand it.

If the emperor were given another ten years or so, he believed that everything could be resolved properly. By then, even if the crown prince was not wise, as long as he was of normal character, he could rely on the legacy left by His Majesty to ensure a stable future!

But now.
Ever since he witnessed that delicate young girl sever a stream with a single sword strike, he knew that the trials the emperor would face were far more complex than he had previously imagined.

Thinking of this, the middle-aged scholar suddenly turned to look at Du Yuan and said earnestly:
"That's why I came to find you, young master."

Du Yuan asked curiously:

"What do you want from me?"

Is this person even more capable than that young master Wang, and has figured out who I really am?

Theoretically, this should be the only answer, but instinctively, Du Yuan felt it wasn't.

I can't explain why, it's just a simple feeling.

And indeed, his feelings were just as he had sensed. The middle-aged scholar lowered his head and chuckled softly, his tone tinged with self-deprecation and helplessness:
"I used to disbelieve in fate and destiny, believing only in the saying 'Man can conquer nature.' But now..."

He paused for a moment, then let out another soft sigh, filled with the vicissitudes of life: "I have no choice but to believe it."

"I still don't quite understand what you mean."

The middle-aged scholar stopped where he was, then turned around and looked at Du Yuan seriously, saying:

"Ever since I caught a glimpse of you upstairs, I've had one thought lingering in my mind—if I don't come to see you today, I'm afraid I'll never get that sword!"

He was a man who never believed in anything mystical or mysterious in his entire life.

But today, he wants to take this gamble and believe this time.

More importantly, he had no way out. This was his last chance to seek the sword; he couldn't afford to lose, and he couldn't afford to lose.

So even with just a slight premonition of something unusual, he dared not miss any opportunity that might turn the situation around—and so, he eventually took the initiative to come over and stand in front of Du Yuan.

Du Yuan found this somewhat unbelievable. Why would someone specifically seek him out? He wanted to glean something from the middle-aged scholar, but his Confucian cultivation was too shallow to discern the cause and effect.

After a moment's thought, Du Yuan finally suppressed her desire to switch allegiances and only asked one question:

"I'd like to ask, is your surname Gao?"

The middle-aged scholar nodded and said:
"You probably guessed it by now, I was the former magistrate of Hexi County."

Du Yuan suddenly realized that she had been thinking about this matter ever since she heard the boatman's words on the river.

Sure enough, it really was him.

"If it really is you, then why do you hold the Medicine Master in such high esteem? And what is your purpose in seeking that sword?"

Du Yuan could clearly sense that the magistrate's admiration for the current emperor was not feigned; his respect came from the bottom of his heart.

But the more this is the case, the stranger it seems—after all, that emperor was the one who personally slaughtered the entire Gao family!

If Du Yuan wasn't mistaken, the magistrate in front of her was clearly no ordinary person either.

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged scholar remarked with considerable emotion:

"I admire not the Medicine Master's wish, but this heroic emperor who exudes the aura of a dragon. Because he showed me a possibility and hope that I had never thought of before."

He paused, his gaze lowered, and his words were full of frankness and self-reflection:

"As for my Gao family, since we wanted to seize power and rule dictatorship, we have only ourselves to blame for our current predicament. We have no one else to blame but ourselves."

"Then what is the purpose of your request for this sword?"

Du Yuan kept asking questions because he felt that the issues involved were far more complex than what he had seen so far.

The middle-aged scholar fell into a long silence this time.

Du Yuan didn't urge him, but simply stood aside and waited for him to continue.

Finally, the last rays of the setting sun fell on his face.

The middle-aged scholar then spoke:

"Because I—Gao Cheng—want to present a sword to the Emperor, in exchange for the Medicine Master's request."

This answer, which wasn't really an answer, made Du Yuan frown slightly.

After gazing intently at the other person for a long time, Du Yuan finally nodded and said:
"I won't stop you."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged scholar suddenly felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his heart and he could breathe a sigh of relief.

Then he bowed respectfully to Du Yuan and said:

"Gao Cheng thanks you!"

Du Yuan returned the gesture.

Then he looked behind him and said:
"Let's end things here today. If we drag this out any longer, I'm afraid that girl will come looking for us."

Gao Cheng turned around following Du Yuan's gaze and saw the girl who always carried a sword waiting not far away.

This left Gao Cheng somewhat helpless, but he still turned around and said:
"In that case, Gao Cheng will take his leave."

"No delivery."

Du Yuan stood there and watched Gao Cheng leave.

When Gao Cheng returned to the girl's side, the woman couldn't help but say:

“Sir, you are being too reckless. Although I cannot discern this person’s potential, and my senior brother has also explored him with a secret treasure, I have overheard some information just now. This person may be far more complex than what we perceive him to be.”

"You really shouldn't have approached this person alone!"

She and her senior brother both believed that Du Yuan was just a scholar who had gained some knowledge by taking advantage of the approaching great era.

They weren't even proper Confucianists.

But not long after, they heard some bad news.

So she rushed over, firstly to look after Gao Cheng, and secondly to check on Du Yuan.

As for her senior brother, he followed the trail to find the old beggar.

At this, Gao Cheng shook his head and smiled:

"Miss, you're overthinking it. This young master isn't the kind of person you think he is!"

"One should always be wary of others, sir!"

The two traveled together. Along the way, the woman kept nagging, and the middle-aged scholar felt somewhat helpless, but he couldn't refuse, so he could only try to make excuses.

And at the confluence of the Tianshui River and the Lan River in Hexi County.

The man carrying the ebony dagger finally found the old beggar. Upon seeing him, the man bowed and said:

"This junior has come on behalf of Xuanlai Cave Heaven to greet you, senior!"

The old beggar turned his head slightly, glanced at the man a few times, and asked:

"Xuanlai Cave Heaven? Among the younger generation of Xuanlai Cave Heaven, the only one I remember is that little girl who wielded the bow. Who is she to you?"

(End of this chapter)