The Imperial Preceptor's Methods

Everyone still remembered that when they had first tasted future gossip, it had been mentioned that Great Qi would suffer frequent natural disasters in the future.

A search of historical records had confirmed that these disasters did indeed follow a pattern.

It just so happened that the time had come around again.

But during that period of frequent disasters, rumors had surfaced claiming that Great Qi had gained the throne illegitimately and had been spurned by the Heavenly Dao.

That was why it suffered frequent disasters, weakening the Great Qi imperial family's rule over Great Qi and scattering the people's loyalty.

Chacha had not revealed who was behind it at the time, and as far as everyone was concerned, it did not matter.

After all, any enemy would seize the chance to kick them when they were down at a time like that.

But now...

Xiao Yanchen's expression changed slightly. If Southern Xia's imperial preceptor was the key figure behind the future campaign of public opinion against Great Qi, could the woman watching him from behind, targeting Wei Baozhu in her capacity as crown princess, also be from Southern Xia?

Shen Anxin was standing behind Xiao Yanchen. When she heard Chacha spill the gossip, she craned her neck to look.

She saw a man who looked to be in his fifties, with a few strands of white among his black hair, giving him a particularly stylish air. Dressed in specially made Daoist robes, he looked every bit an immortal sage.

Shen Anxin: [Not a bad look. He really does have the air of one. In the original future, did he also divine Great Qi's national fortune today?]

Chacha: [No, he always stayed behind the scenes and kept a low profile.]

Shen Anxin: [So the future has changed again. I wonder what stunt he's going to pull today.]

Hearing this, everyone had to consider his purpose in doing something that had not happened in the original future.

This sort of fortune-telling was tricky to handle. If he had something good to say, that was naturally fine, but what if he said something bad?

Should they believe him or not?

Even if they did not believe him, word would still spread.

But if they refused to let him divine it, he might do it in private and spread the results, saying that Great Qi lacked the nerve to let him do it. That would do even more damage to the nation's prestige.

Everyone exchanged glances, but for the moment, none could think of a good way to respond.

Emperor Hongyao narrowed his eyes slightly and looked down at the imperial preceptor.

Southern Xia's imperial preceptor was renowned far and wide. It was said that he had truly predicted many things accurately and helped Southern Xia avoid trouble on several occasions. Among the common people, he was even known as a half-immortal.

Emperor Hongyao had once been wary of people like him, not because he was superstitious, but because he knew that once such people opened their mouths, trouble was liable to follow.

That was why Great Qi had never established the position of imperial preceptor since its founding. The only person who had nearly made him reconsider was Shen Anxin.

Emperor Hongyao curled his lips. "I know your Southern Xia puts great stock in this sort of thing, but I do not believe in it."

Southern Xia's minister of rites stepped forward with an ingratiating smile. "Your Majesty, if predictions allow us to learn of minor troubles in the future ahead of time, we can take precautions to prevent losses. Our imperial preceptor is willing to sacrifice years of his life for Your Majesty, the emperor of Great Qi, and offer a fine gift for Great Qi's future development. Your Majesty need not believe it, but there is no harm in listening. This is a token of our sincerity."

The imperial preceptor also said respectfully, "If my prediction concerns good fortune, Your Majesty may take it as a pleasant thing to hear. If anything is amiss, Your Majesty may treat it as a joke. Consider it my humble performance."

Shen Anxin was speechless. [Are your prophecies selling that badly? How good can the goods be when you're pushing them on people?]

The assembled officials: ...

Don't make us laugh at a serious time like this!

Emperor Hongyao sneered.

"Fine. If it's good news, say it. If it's bad news..." Emperor Hongyao gave him a threatening look. "Then we'll take it as Southern Xia being unable to bear seeing Great Qi prosper."

The imperial preceptor's expression stiffened.

Shen Anxin was delighted. [Hahaha, he pulled the firewood out from under the cauldron! He's not playing by your script, so what can you do? Emperor Hongyao is so domineering!]

Emperor Hongyao lifted his chin slightly, the corners of his mouth rising. How could he possibly let a mere minister get the better of him so easily?

Southern Xia's minister of rites and imperial preceptor had indeed frozen. Their purpose was simple: to declare in public that Great Qi's future national fortune was bleak. Even if it angered Great Qi's emperor, they had to do it.

Those were the orders in a secret decree delivered not long ago.

Only by saying it first would the people of Great Qi lose heart more quickly when events later proved it true one by one.

Originally, they had not needed to carry out a plan that could endanger their lives at any moment, but their two successive embarrassments earlier had left them in a very passive position.

They could only follow the secret decree's instructions and take the risk.

But now that this conspiracy theory had been voiced...

If the prophecy was bad, it might instead make Great Qi more united.

Sweat beaded on their foreheads as they exchanged a glance.

The minister of rites: I'm out of ideas. I can only count on you now.

He would trust his colleague one more time.

The imperial preceptor: ...I can only act and think of a solution as I go.

A space was cleared in the Hall of Heavenly Mandate for the imperial preceptor to perform his ritual.

Shen Anxin simply ate gossip while she waited.

[He's the one for today. Chacha, spill the gossip!]

Chacha: [All right, host, listen up. Actually, there isn't much gossip about this imperial preceptor himself, but he deserves considerable credit for Great Qi's future destruction.]

Everyone: Oh, so he deserves considerable credit, does he? We'll remember that well!!!

Chacha: [Actually, he had already divined Great Qi's national fortune long before he came here.]

Shen Anxin: [Oh my, so the mystical arts are real?]

Chacha: [You could understand it as the mystical arts, or as a chance glimpse of a speck of dust from the science of the future. It's just that the dimension involved is beyond the understanding of humans today, so it can only be attributed to the mystical arts.]

The assembled officials: ...What, what, what? What was any of that supposed to mean?

Shen Anxin: [Huh?]

The assembled officials were shocked. There was something even Shen Anxin could not understand?

Chacha: [...It doesn't matter. Anyway, this imperial preceptor did glimpse a little of the future.

He came this time to verify whether Great Qi's reign really would be very short.

After he arrived, further divination confirmed his conclusion.

Then he returned to Southern Xia and drew up a series of plans against Great Qi with their court.

They included more than just the rumors that Great Qi had gained the throne illegitimately.]

Shen Anxin: [There was more?]

By now, everyone's expressions had turned decidedly hostile, and their gazes sharpened as they looked toward the imperial preceptor.

Fine, considerable credit, was it? They would remember! They would see just how much credit he deserved!

The imperial preceptor was absorbed in his divination and remained unaffected.

But Southern Xia's minister of rites, who was standing beside him and caught in the crossfire, felt as though thorns were pricking his back.

He had an ominous feeling. Surely his colleague would not land him in trouble this time?

Chacha: [You should know, host, that the Little Ice Age didn't cause disasters only in the north. In fact, the south also suffered disasters during the same period, though on a smaller scale.

The imperial preceptor made his move then, saying that the only reason they were suffering disasters too was that Great Qi had dragged them down.

Because they had once shared the same roots, they would be affected even more severely if they did not sever ties between the two countries.

In fact, some forces in Southern Xia saw Great Qi suffering so many disasters and wanted to help for old times' sake, or simply wanted to do business.

Great Qi was also in urgent need of outside cooperation at the time.

But after what the imperial preceptor said, those willing to cooperate wavered. If they went through with it, it would amount to betraying Southern Xia.

With that one move, the imperial preceptor completely blocked Great Qi's path to saving itself with outside help.]

Shen Anxin: [Damn! Aren't people who practice the mystical arts supposed to care most about karma? He put so many lives on the line for a power struggle. Was he really not afraid?]

Everyone's expressions grew increasingly terrifying. Even Emperor Hongyao's gaze held killing intent as he looked at the imperial preceptor.

Chacha: [Maybe he thought he was following the will of heaven. Besides, he did save people, because he had another plan.

That was to open up the border household registration policy and spread word that Southern Xia was willing to take in Great Qi's people who fled across the border and make them true Southern Xia citizens.]

Shen Anxin: [Was that accepting refugees?]

Chacha: [It wasn't that generous. There were loads of screening criteria. In short, they only wanted Great Qi people with wealth, power, or talent, not ordinary people at the bottom. The aim was to drain away the backbone of Great Qi's best hope of saving itself.]

Everyone drew a sharp breath. If they really opened it up, they dared not imagine how chaotic Great Qi would become.

If large numbers of people fled with their wealth, how long could Great Qi hold out?

Southern Xia's imperial preceptor was pouring oil on the fire with this move. It was a plan to wipe them out utterly.

Shen Anxin: [Hiss... What a ruthless open scheme. After all, people naturally seek advantage and avoid harm. So in the original future, did lots of people really give up on saving their country and choose to flee?]

Chacha: [That's right. Quite a few people from aristocratic families, great clans, noble houses, officials, and even imperial relatives fled in secret. By then, Emperor Hongyao had no time to deal with them and could only let them go.]

The assembled officials all held their breath at that moment. Although it would happen many years later, their descendants might be among those people. None of them dared lift their heads, for fear of meeting Emperor Hongyao's eyes.

When Emperor Hongyao heard that even imperial relatives were among them, he was so angry he nearly crushed the dragon-shaped armrest.

Very well. People sought higher ground, and he had nothing to say about that. But as members of the Xiao family, how could they abandon Great Qi and care only about fleeing for their own sake?!

Had they forgotten the ancestral precept laid down when the Xiao family founded the nation? When the country was in peril, they must never abandon the people.

If they fled, how could the people still have the confidence to join forces and weather the crisis!

Fierce flames burned in the hearts of Xiao Yanchen and several princes. Although it had not happened yet, the education of their imperial clan needed strengthening.

Shen Anxin: [I'm not really in a position to criticize them, but it still doesn't sit right with me.]

Chacha: [If the future hadn't changed and Great Qi really faced all kinds of crises, wouldn't you have thought about taking your family and fleeing to Southern Xia, host?

Actually, looking at it rationally, going to Southern Xia would be much easier than staying in Great Qi to help turn its national fortune around.

You can eat gossip and save up points anywhere, and Southern Xia really does have fewer natural disasters.]

Everyone: ...

Silence fell. Even the sound of heartbeats seemed jarringly loud.

Xiao Yanchen quietly looked at Shen Anxin and could not help growing nervous.

Would she leave?

Emperor Hongyao also looked at Shen Anxin. He knew that she did not feel much sense of belonging here. After all, hers was a soul that had arrived only two years ago.

Shen Anxin: [I'm not leaving.]

Everyone was startled. They had considered that Shen Anxin might not leave, but had not expected her to be so decisive. They were unwilling to abandon Great Qi entirely because the Great Qi of today was something they had built together; it was their root. But it was hard to say whether their children would choose to stay if given the same choice.

Chacha also seemed surprised. [Host, have you already grown attached to Great Qi? Or is your sympathy overflowing?]

Shen Anxin: [I am a little attached, and I do feel some sympathy. After all, Great Qi has taken care of me for two years.

But mainly it's because I think your analysis is wrong. As a Great Qi citizen, of course I'm better off staying in Great Qi.

Even if I had a chance to change my nationality without any trouble, I shouldn't do it. Unless your ancestors for generations were born in that country, an outsider who goes there will definitely be treated as inferior.

I'm not stupid. I can be a first-class citizen here, so why would I go elsewhere to be a second-class citizen?

That kind of invisible discrimination never really goes away, no matter how beautifully that imperial preceptor promises otherwise.

If you go, people will look down on you. They'll bring up your origins on any occasion you least expect it, and no matter how high you climb, you won't escape it.]

Everyone was dumbstruck.

It seemed... she had a point. Home was surely best in its original form! But there were always people who hoped they would be the exception.

Shen Anxin: [Unless...]

Everyone: Wait? Why was there an "unless"? You just got our blood boiling, ready to stand firmly behind our country. A child doesn't despise its mother for being ugly!

Shen Anxin: [Unless Great Qi becomes the foremost power, with ten thousand nations coming to pay tribute. Then it wouldn't matter if you changed nationality to pursue opportunities in another country. Maybe there would be better opportunities there, and then you'd be going to another country to be above everyone else. Hehehe.]

Everyone: ...Why did that make so much sense?

They suddenly wanted to strive to make Great Qi the foremost power. Then, even if their people wanted to pursue opportunities in other countries, they would be going there to be above everyone else!

Chacha: [Host, you're so clever. Your analysis is exactly right. According to the gossip, those who fled Great Qi and obtained Southern Xia household registration really did all come to bad ends.]

Chacha had suggested that the host go because the host had a system and could easily live comfortably, but the others did not.

Besides, Chacha had overlooked that humans were social animals who needed interaction, so the discrimination Shen Anxin spoke of would be unavoidable.

Shen Anxin: [Just as I thought. Wealth, power, and talent couldn't protect them. After all, once Great Qi was finished, they had no one to rely on.]

Chacha: [That's right. Even if they had established connections and arranged everything beforehand, once they were on someone else's turf, the others held the carving knife while they were the fish on the chopping board.

They were exploited generation after generation. At first, they didn't even have the chance to take the imperial examinations, nor were they qualified to buy or sell land. They were also shut out of business, and even faced discrimination when it came to marriage.

After Great Qi fell, their lives became even more miserable. Being a second-class citizen would have been considered good; most of them could only sell themselves into slavery in the end. It took several generations before they barely managed to fit in.

Even if they had realized early on that the imperial preceptor had tricked them, it was useless. They were already homeless.]

Shen Anxin: [Tsk, tsk, tsk. So it's still better to focus on changing Great Qi's national fortune.]

Homeless...

The assembled officials had mixed feelings: sorrow, regret, and anger.

Among their descendants and relatives, there might be such fools who died far from home, falling hard from their fantasies.

It seemed they needed to strengthen their education when they returned, so they would not spend all day daydreaming, thinking that outsiders would still share their benefits with them when they had no backing.

As for Southern Xia's imperial preceptor and his ruthless schemes... it seemed they could not let him leave Great Qi alive.

Just as everyone was staring intently at the imperial preceptor,

The imperial preceptor suddenly opened his eyes and spat out a mouthful of blood. The compass spinning in his hand shattered and fell, startling everyone.

Since he had no chance to say anything bad, was he going to start putting on an act?

Was he going to say he dared not divine it next, and then put on a show of terror?

Everyone was preparing to respond.

The imperial preceptor suddenly spoke in a trembling voice. "How could this be? How has the national fortune changed? Signs of a golden age... No... That's impossible!"

Everyone from Great Qi: ????

Southern Xia's minister of rites: ...Excuse me? What did you say, colleague?