Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

Regardless of whether the latter's journey was successful or not, it did not affect his visit to Xunzi.

Chapter 158: All Old Acquaintances

The journey from Linzi to Langya is neither short nor long. The straight-line distance is about two or three hundred li, but the route requires skillfully avoiding the shallows of the Zi River's tributaries and the winding mountain paths trodden by woodcutters. This adds another quarter to the actual journey.

Fortunately, the State of Qi had enjoyed peace and stability for many years. Wooden signs reading "No Theft on the King's Land" stood along the ridges of the fields, and patrolmen occasionally strolled leisurely along the official road with bronze swords slung over their shoulders. The crisp sound of their armor plates clashing together became a peaceful and unique background noise in this long journey.

Xu Qing followed the envoy sent by Hou Sheng, and the whole journey seemed like a pleasant sightseeing trip.

When passing through Changguo County, we saw farmers diligently drying millet on a wide threshing ground. The golden grains, like flowing gold dust, merrily leaked down the gaps in the wooden rakes, attracting a flock of sparrows to chirp and circle around the bamboo baskets, creating a scene full of life.

Upon reaching Muling Pass, the group paused to admire the old inscriptions on the pass wall. These inscriptions were carefully carved twenty years ago when Qi and Chu made their oath of allegiance. Although the characters have been blurred by the relentless wind and rain, they still faintly reveal traces of that important period of history.

By the time they arrived at Langya, the setting sun had already slowly sunk below the horizon, painting the sky a brilliant orange-red.

The coastal city of Sanghai lies quietly bathed in this enchanting sunset glow, its cobblestone streets stretching smoothly from the city gates all the way to the sea. Fishermen skillfully arrange their fresh catches on bamboo racks, the salty sea breeze carrying the rich aroma of fish filling the air. Most of the houses in the city are simple rammed earth walls with thatched roofs, giving them a rustic feel. Only a few brick houses on street corners stand out, creating a striking contrast with their surroundings. Occasionally, scholars in Confucian robes calmly enter and exit, carrying bamboo slips, adding a touch of elegance to the city.

Although the State of Qi was a country that valued peace and had not been disturbed by war for many years, Sanghai was more peaceful and tranquil than other parts of Qi.

This is not surprising, after all, the headquarters of Confucianism is located on the seaside hills in the eastern part of Sanghai.

The Confucian school excels at educating the people, and under its profound influence, the entire city of Sanghai is naturally brimming with Confucianism, exuding a gentle and refined atmosphere everywhere.

Upon arriving in Sanghai, Hou Sheng's people immediately rushed to the foot of the mountain where the Confucian Xiaoshengxianzhuang (Little Sage Village) was located.

However, they did not visit them immediately.

After all, it was already afternoon when we arrived in Sanghai.

Visiting at this time would be extremely impolite.

Although Xu Qing wanted to meet Xunzi, he didn't have much opinion on these matters of etiquette. He simply went with the flow and, together with the envoy sent by Hou Sheng, found an inn at the foot of Xiaoshengxianzhuang Mountain.

The inn is neither too big nor too small, and the signboard hanging high above the entrance reads "Youjian Inn" in large, eye-catching characters.

As they stepped inside, the shopkeeper, hearing the commotion, eagerly peeked out from behind the counter.

The shopkeeper was a round-faced, chubby man, about thirty years old, with a shiny apron tied around his waist. He looked kind and approachable.

Xu Qing was stunned when he first saw the inn's sign, but when he saw the innkeeper's appearance, he couldn't help but smile slightly.

He stepped forward, pointed to the signboard, and said with a smile, "Innkeeper, the name of your inn is quite unique; those who have heard it will probably never forget it."

Upon hearing Xu Qing's words, the innkeeper quickly rubbed his hands together and smiled obsequiously, his cloth still dripping wet, appearing extremely attentive: "What you say makes sense, sir. When I first opened the inn, the neighboring inns were all called Yingkeju and Shunchangzhan, but I insisted on calling it Youjian Inn, just to be unique. You see, the fishermen, merchants, and students who come and go now all remember this name, don't they?"

As he spoke, his gaze swept over Xu Qing and several envoys sent by Hou Sheng without making a sound.

The other party was dressed in fine clothes, and it was clear at a glance that they were not ordinary people. This gave him a sense of what was going on, but he did not show it on his face. After all, when you open a business, you should always treat your customers warmly.

The innkeeper, with a broad smile, asked Xu Qing and his companions, "Are you here for a meal or to stay overnight?"

"Prepare a few rooms for us first!"

"Also, if you have any good food, bring us a table full of it!" Xu Qing said to the innkeeper.

"Alright!" Upon hearing this, the innkeeper immediately and efficiently made the arrangements.

Xu Qing, accompanied by several envoys sent by Hou Sheng, found a table and sat down comfortably.

Soon, a waiter carefully brought over the drinks and side dishes. Xu Qing glanced at the waiter, quite disappointed; she had expected to see the pretty waiter named Shi Lan.

But thinking about it carefully, it's quite normal. When Shi Lan was infiltrating Youjian Inn, it was many years later, by which time the Qin Kingdom had already unified the world. Seeing Fatty Ding in Youjian Inn is quite unusual in itself.

Xu Qing recognized the innkeeper the moment he saw him.

He is none other than Paoding, one of the leaders of the Mohist school in the original work.

Both Paoding and Daozhi are characters from Zhuangzi's works. Although it's unclear why the names of the Mohists all originate from the Daoist Zhuangzi's works, neither Daozhi nor Paoding are clearly the individuals mentioned in Zhuangzi's writings.

The "thief" and "cook" here actually refer to professions, namely, a bandit named Zhi and a cook surnamed Ding.

"Speaking of which, it's no coincidence that the Mo family's stronghold is located at the foot of the mountain where the Confucian headquarters, Xiaoshengxianzhuang, is located." While leisurely sipping his wine and slowly eating his cold dishes, Xu Qing couldn't help but think to himself as he waited for the hot dishes to be served.

Although Confucianism and Mohism were both prominent schools of thought in their time, these two schools had never gotten along and had often engaged in heated debates.

The Mohists brazenly placed their stronghold in the State of Qi right at the entrance of Xiaoshengxianzhuang, revealing their true intentions.

In comparison, Confucianism has produced quite a few gentlemen.

After waiting a while, the hot dishes were finally served.

"This dish is really delicious!" Several envoys from Hou Sheng praised it highly.

They usually lived in the Prime Minister's residence in Housheng, and naturally enjoyed the delicious food there.

However, it's unclear whether it's because we haven't had any good food along the way, or because the inn's cook is truly so skilled that it's astonishing.

Surprisingly, it made them feel that the food the other person cooked tasted better.

Xu Qing enjoyed the food to the fullest without saying much. He genuinely admired Fatty Ding's culinary skills.

After all, even in prison, he could replicate Haiyue Xiaozhu's signature dish, "Shark Fin with Bear Paw," thus creating an opportunity for Luo Wang to assassinate Fusu.

If he hadn't been hiding his identity and hadn't just had a conflict with Yan State and Yan Dan, Xu Qing would have really wanted to make contact with Fatty Ding and forge him a sword.

However, there might be opportunities in the future. After all, Xu Qing has decided to stay in Qi for now and doesn't plan to go to other countries in the short term.

As long as he remains in the State of Qi, he will inevitably have another chance to run into Fatty Ding.

After having a good meal at Youjian Inn, Xu Qing and the other envoys settled down comfortably.

The following morning, the group set off from Youjian Inn in high spirits, carrying carefully prepared gifts, and headed towards Xiaoshengxianzhuang, the headquarters of the Confucian school.

As they ascended the stone steps, the Confucian mountain gate, with its massive archway, gradually came into view. The four large characters "Xiao Shengxian Zhuang" (Little Sage Village) were inscribed on it with vigorous and powerful strokes. The sound of students reciting lessons drifted from within, seemingly narrating the profound heritage of Confucianism.

"What a wonderful place!" Xu Qing couldn't help but exclaim sincerely.

The people next to him also exclaimed, "It is indeed a good place. It is worthy of being the headquarters of Confucianism and is known as a place of sages. After coming here, I feel that my whole being has been elevated."

That's a bit of an exaggeration, or even absurd. However, Confucianism did indeed hold an extraordinary position in the State of Qi.

Over the years, the State of Qi has maintained a neutral stance, keeping on good terms with the State of Qin while also engaging in commercial exchanges with the other five states east of the mountains. This centrist approach has certainly made the other five states east of the mountains quite unhappy.

They frequently unite to attack Qin, but Qi, located in our rear, not only doesn't help us, but also goes to collude with Qin, which doesn't even border us. What does this mean? Are you trying to join forces with Qin to besiege us?

However, this dissatisfaction only existed in the other five countries.

For the vast majority of people in Qi, this situation of not offending either side was acceptable. After all, they frequently heard about wars breaking out in other countries, while their own country remained untouched by conflict and enjoyed a peaceful life. Compared to that, it was naturally a much better situation.

Confucian scholars played a significant role in the process of stabilizing society.

This is also why King Jian of Qi hesitated when his visit to Qin was obstructed by Confucian scholars.

Hou Sheng did not directly target the opposing Confucian scholars, but instead sought to appease them.

Naturally, the Confucian Xiaoshengxianzhuang (Little Sage Village) held a transcendent position in the State of Qi. This was also because the head of the Confucian school was unwilling to serve as an official in the court, otherwise he would definitely be a high-ranking official. Not to mention that there were quite a few officials from Confucian backgrounds in the Qi court.

Even the envoys Hou Sheng sent this time were actually Confucian scholars, but they had not studied at Xiaoshengxianzhuang.

They were incredibly excited to be here.

As they continued onward, some Confucian disciples immediately spotted them.

Without the slightest hesitation, these people stepped forward and respectfully presented their visiting cards. Not long after, Fu Shang, the leader of the Confucian school, an elderly man with white hair but vigorous spirit, personally came to greet them.

Xu Qing was quite surprised that the leader of the Confucian sect was not Fu Nian.

However, upon closer examination, it makes quite sense. After all, during this period, even the leader of the Mohist school had not been replaced, and Fu Nian had not yet inherited the position of the Confucian school's leader, which is quite normal.

He was just hitchhiking to visit the Confucian Academy, so Xu Qing didn't pay much attention to what those people and Fu Shang talked about.

That being said, there was no need to ask Xunzi to step forward. When Hou Sheng thought of Xunzi, it was just a way to break the deadlock. The most important thing was the attitude of the Confucian leaders. As long as they were willing to express their support for the King of Qi to go to Qin to establish diplomatic relations, they could suppress the vast majority of the opposing voices within the Confucian school. That's why this trip to Xiaoshengxianzhuang came about.

Xunzi was a great Confucian scholar who had once served as the chief priest of the Jixia Academy. Naturally, we should pay him a visit. It would be best if Xunzi would come forward. If not, at the very least, we should ask Xiaoshengxianzhuang to express their opinion.

Xu Qing learned all this from his conversations with those people along the way.

Mr. Qing held an extraordinary position in Hou Sheng's household. While he might not have the most seniority among the retainers, he enjoyed Hou Sheng's deep trust. Naturally, these people dared not neglect Xu Qing, who was traveling with them.

While these people went to discuss the demands of the Prime Minister's wife with the Confucian leader, Xu Qing leisurely strolled around Xiaoshengxianzhuang as a guest.

Xiaoshengxianzhuang boasts beautiful scenery. One side faces the sea, where there are seaside pavilions offering panoramic views of the vast ocean, its shimmering waves stretching to the horizon. The other side is covered with lush greenery and flowers that bloom year-round, their vibrant colors and fragrant aromas filling the air.

As you walk through it, you can often hear the sound of students reading aloud, as if you are swimming in an ocean of knowledge.

Xu Qing walked to a pavilion and saw two people playing chess there from afar.

One was a young man, and the other was a boy. The young man had a serious expression and focused eyes, as if he were an extremely serious person. Even though his opponent was a boy much younger than him, he did not show any carelessness, but instead devoted himself to playing chess with the boy.

The clattering sound echoed in the pavilion. On the chessboard, black and white pieces were clearly distinguished, and the situation was unpredictable.

Xu Qing watched the two playing chess, a strange look flashing in his eyes. He had a guess in his heart, and then walked forward steadily, watching the two play chess quietly.

Xu Qing could only say he had a basic understanding of Go.

After all, thanks to Zhan Lao, Cupping King, and others, Go in his previous life had become somewhat popular, so Xu Qing knew a little about it and could understand a thing or two. Of course, it would be a bit difficult for him to play Go on his own.

Even though he acquired many abilities from various people in the martial arts world.

But Go is a game that puts those who live on the edge of danger and are barely literate to a high level.

Not all people in the martial arts world are artists like Gao Jianli.

Music and Go are things that are far too refined for people from the martial arts world.

Xu Qing is more skilled in the unorthodox skills that are common among martial arts practitioners.

Standing beneath the pavilion, he quietly watched the young man and the boy play chess. Despite the boy's youth, he and the young man played a perfectly even game on the chessboard.

Of course, it also doesn't have any advantages.

Or rather, his playing style is primarily defensive.

They continued to defend like that until the endgame.

The young man couldn't help but sigh, "Junior Brother Yan Lu, your chess skills are excellent. I have lost this game."

"Senior Brother Fu Nian didn't lose!" Upon hearing the young man's words, the boy quickly replied, "This round, we're even, aren't we?"

“Although it’s a draw, I’ve been learning Go for ten years,” the young man said to the boy. “Junior Brother Yan Lu has only been playing Go for two years, yet he can already draw with me. It won’t be long before he surpasses me. So, I’ll still consider this game a loss…”

Yan Lu was about to explain when he heard what the young man Fu Nian said, but in the end, he didn't say anything.

The "Sitting in Oblivion" technique was a unique skill passed down from his previous master.

It was precisely because of the state of "sitting in oblivion" that he could forcibly enter a state where he was evenly matched with his opponent.