Ming Jing sat in the waterside pavilion as snow drifted outside, blanketing Xiaoxiang Bieyuan in white. Tsukishiro Yuexi sat at his right, carefully brewing tea.
"During a snowy day, Jin's famous general Xie An gathered with the younger generation of his family to discuss literature. Before long, the snow fell heavily, and the Duke said happily, 'What does the fluttering white snow resemble?' His nephew Hu Ge replied, 'It may be compared to salt scattered through the air.' His niece Xie Daoyun replied, 'Better like willow catkins rising with the wind.' The Duke laughed heartily." Ming Jing suddenly recited in a low voice.
"Better like willow catkins rising with the wind..." Tsukishiro Yuexi's hands paused. Curious and admiring, she asked, "Young Master, who is this Miss Daoyun?"
"A gifted woman remembered through the ages—Xie Daoyun of the Xie family." Ming Jing took a sip of the tea Tsukishiro Yuexi had brewed and said with a smile, "Yuexi, your tea-making has improved again."
"You flatter me, Young Master." Tsukishiro Yuexi smiled gently. She truly loved being with her young master like this. No conflict, no need for vigilance—peaceful and warm. This was the paradise in her heart.
After sparring with Itachi last time, that little brat had stopped playing with Ming Jing so much. Ming Jing, who had only just found some amusement, was deeply saddened. But if someone did not want to play with you, you could not force them, could you? So, aside from his usual teasing, Ming Jing redirected most of his energy toward reading and writing.
He had originally planned to bring over one of his youthful reading materials, Shaofu Baijie. But after accidentally reading Comrade Jiraiya's masterpiece, Ming Jing felt that Baijie might not suit this world's style.
So Ming Jing did something even crazier. As the inheritor of The Goose Illusionary Book, after careful consideration, he wrote The Way of the Gentleman in the Naruto World...
In a sense, that was even dirtier than writing Shaofu Baijie!
A man who used genjutsu was teaching the world to become great, noble, benevolent, righteous, principled, and trustworthy people; to be as pure in character as bamboo, with their own standards in their hearts. The benevolent should be free of worry, the wise free of confusion, and the brave free of fear.
Every other word out of his mouth was, "A gentleman does not act rashly; when he acts, there must be reason. A gentleman does not speak rashly; when he speaks, there must be principle. A gentleman does not seek blindly; when he seeks, there must be righteousness. A gentleman does not act falsely; when he acts, there must be rectitude." Or, "As Heaven moves with vigor, a gentleman should strive endlessly for self-improvement. As Earth is receptive, a gentleman should carry all things with great virtue."
Or else, "Do not flatter those in power, do not cling to those of influence, do not court those of peerless beauty, do not avoid those of ugly appearance, do not fear the strong, do not bully the weak. Befriend those who do good, abandon those who do evil. Respect the elders, protect the young. Let the common people live in peace, let officials fulfill their duties. Do not lose righteousness in poverty, and do not depart from the Way in prosperity."
Yet what Ming Jing had not expected was for The Way of the Gentleman to spread widely among the Naruto World's upper class. For a time, it even created a sensation where paper became as expensive as it had in Luoyang. After reading the book, the upper class of the entire Naruto World seemed to have had the doors to a new world opened before them!
So this was how a person of true status, standing, and learning was supposed to be!
The name Akira Kurama was sung across the Naruto World for the first time. He was revered as the "Head of Gentlemen," the "Number One Gentleman Under Heaven," the "Model of Nobility," the "Sage of Five Thousand Years," and "One who does not know Ming Jing is unworthy of being called a gentleman." He was given the nickname "Gentleman Ming Jing"!
Well, not as a ninja, but as a moral role model.
The Daimyo of the Land of Fire had issued three decrees inviting Ming Jing to the capital to lecture. Ming Jing refused twice. The third time, without another word, he copied down a passage and had the visiting official bring it back.
"The conduct of a gentleman is cultivated through tranquility and nourished through frugality. Without indifference to worldly gain, one cannot make one's aspirations clear; without tranquility, one cannot reach far. Learning requires tranquility, and talent requires learning. Without learning, one cannot broaden one's talents; without aspiration, one cannot achieve learning. Indulgence and laziness cannot inspire the spirit; recklessness and impatience cannot cultivate one's nature. As years race by and time passes, one's will fades with the days. In the end, one withers away, unable to connect with the world, left to grieve in a poor hut. By then, what can be done?"
This passage came from Zhuge Liang's Admonition to My Son. What Ming Jing had meant was: Son, stop bothering your father when there's nothing important!
But the Daimyo of the Land of Fire did not know Zhuge Liang! He had never read Admonition to My Son either! After reading the passage Ming Jing had copied, he said to his attendant with a face full of reverence, "As expected of a true gentleman! How fortunate that such a sage resides in my Land of Fire!"
Look at that. This was the disadvantage of not reading enough. He had been called someone's son and was still smiling happily...
"All right, we can't stay home all day. Yuexi, let's go for a walk!" Pulling his thoughts out of the pit of being a moral role model, Ming Jing stood and spoke. He had suddenly remembered that in the original anime, Naruto saved Hinata in autumn, but in the later The Last movie, Naruto saved Hinata on a snowy day instead! Kishimoto had really gone all out to get the prince and princess together! As a transmigrator, how could he possibly not swing this hoe?
"Yes!" Tsukishiro Yuexi stood as well, took the robe hanging on the rack, and helped Ming Jing put it on. If people from his previous life saw Ming Jing dressed like this, they would definitely cry out, "Sect Master!"
That was right. Ming Jing's outfit had been copied from Hu Ge's version of Mei Changsu. The difference was his hairstyle, which he had copied from the peerlessly handsome Ouyang Mingri in The Snow Goddess Dragon. Combined with his truly 2D handsome face, Ming Jing had to admit that the first time he looked in a mirror, even he had been captivated!
"An elegant young man of exceptional grace, raising his cup and gazing skyward with Byakugan eyes, radiant as a jade tree standing before the wind." That was probably what he looked like!
Naturally, he had also charmed every girl in the Kurama Clan into a daze. This was the allure of Hanfu! Only true Han people could wear out its full charm! Cultivate the heart within, cultivate the form without. Ming Jing could only be considered half a step through the door in inner cultivation, but in outer cultivation, both feet were already inside. In a world set against the backdrop of a hot-blooded anime, Ming Jing's inner cultivation was barely enough. If he had transmigrated to the Song or Ming eras, he would probably have felt uncomfortable wearing this outfit!
Before they knew it, Ming Jing and Tsukishiro Yuexi had left the waterside pavilion. Qing Yan had been practicing horse stance in the snowy courtyard. Seeing the two emerge, he immediately stopped, naturally walked behind Ming Jing, and followed silently, step by step.
The three of them walked slowly through the snow. There were only two sounds in the world: snowflakes falling to the ground and the crunch beneath their feet. Ming Jing felt very peaceful inside, but also a little nervous. If anyone asked him which female character he liked most in all of Naruto, he would definitely answer Hinata Hyuga!... And Tsunade Senju...
One was a cute girl who looked weak but was strong within, who never gave up once she had set her sights on a goal.
The other looked strong but was weak within, and after suffering a blow, needed the male lead to activate his protagonist aura before she could recover.
Of course, they also shared one common advantage!... Ahem, everyone knew what that was.
Ah, sorry. His thoughts had drifted a little too far!
Ming Jing thought it over. Konoha was so huge that finding that particular snowy clearing where Hinata was bullied would be incredibly difficult. Of course, it was not as though there was no way.
Ming Jing looked toward Hokage Rock. The Third Hokage's little... sacred artifact of surveillance could come in handy now. Of course, given the Third Hokage's moral standards, he would not spy... monitor Hinata. But he would spy... monitor Naruto! Ming Jing only needed to save Hinata before Naruto did.
Some people might say that even if he saved Hinata, she might not necessarily fall for Ming Jing! Though Ming Jing was gentle, considerate, handsome, rich, well-connected, and cultured, he was not Naruto! Nor would he be like Naruto, constantly talking about his dreams while training hard to realize them.
However!
Setting aside the protagonist aura, what was Naruto's greatest appeal to Hinata?
Dreams?
Don't be ridiculous. Who would care what dreams some wild kid by the roadside had?
Hard work?
Kid, in the entire Naruto World, who worked harder than Rock Lee? Why had Hinata not fallen for Rock Lee? What? You said Might Guy?... Well... ahem, the issue was that when Might Guy was working hard, Hinata's father was probably still being lovey-dovey with her uncle...
So, putting aside the protagonist aura, the true source of Naruto's appeal to Hinata was that one heroic rescue of a beauty. In that instant, young Naruto had left an indelible positive image in young Hinata's heart, and it had influenced her entire life. Kishimoto was also trying to tell everyone that if you wanted to court a goddess, you had to start early!
Start early?!
Ming Jing suddenly stopped. Why did he have to wait for that opportunity? He was Akira Kurama! Rich, powerful, influential—the young master of the Kurama Clan, the clan most skilled in genjutsu!
A thought lingered in Ming Jing's mind. Why couldn't he create an opportunity himself?
Right! Why couldn't he create an opportunity himself?!
"Young Master?" Seeing Ming Jing stand there motionlessly for so long, with his expression constantly changing, Tsukishiro Yuexi called out worriedly.
That call truly woke Ming Jing up!
That was right!
I am Ming Jing!
I am the genius who personally pulled the Kurama Clan from its half-dead state to become the wealthiest clan in the Land of Fire!
I am the inheritor of The Goose Illusionary Book!!!
Seriously speaking, only Kaguya Otsutsuki in this world was qualified to contend with Ming Jing. (Neither of them was a native species. Ming Jing came from another plane, while Kaguya Otsutsuki came from outer space. Eh?... Hehehe...)
Since that was the case, what the hell was he afraid of?! Face Naruto head-on! Mm, it seemed time to make a plan to leave the village and court... reform Tsunade.
With that thought, Ming Jing regained his confidence. Smiling, he continued onward. Tsukishiro Yuexi and Qing Yan exchanged puzzled looks, but seeing that their young master had recovered, neither felt inclined to ask. They continued following behind Ming Jing.
"These eyes are the Byakugan, right? They're so ugly!"
"Exactly! Why are you so weak? You fall down after one push. Are all Hyuga Clan members like this? Hahaha..."
"Hey, your eyes look exactly like my grandmother's eyes after she got cataracts! Are all you Hyuga Clan members born with cataracts? Hahahaha..."
Just then, Ming Jing heard three little brats talking. When he heard what they were saying, his whole body went stiff! It couldn't be such a coincidence, could it??
Fuck! This was not the time to freeze up!
Ming Jing hurriedly came to his senses and rushed over without another word, shouting, "You three, didn't your families teach you not to bully girls?! Fuck!"
Ahem... Swearing in front of children was wrong, but Ming Jing truly could not be blamed! Could someone tell him why the person lying on the ground, covered in injuries, was a boy?! Where was Hinata?! What happened to the promised Hinata?!
"Y-you, what are you doing?!" The three little brats immediately became nervous when they saw Ming Jing. His attire alone showed that he was either wealthy or noble, and with Tsukishiro Yuexi and Qing Yan rushing over as well, the little troublemakers instantly cowered.
"Go." Ming Jing waved his hand in disappointment, and the three little troublemakers immediately ran off. Leaving behind a Hyuga Clan child lying in the snow, Ming Jing walked over, helped him up, and asked, "Are you all right?"
"I'm not a girl." The first thing the child said was to correct Ming Jing's earlier slip.
"Sorry, I mistook you. After all, I don't have the Byakugan!" Ming Jing smiled awkwardly and casually praised the Hyuga Clan. Only then did he notice that the child's forehead was wrapped in bandages. Could this child be the future super genius of the Hyuga Clan, Neji Hyuga, who had nearly killed Hinata?
"Thank you." This Hyuga Clan child did not seem to want to say much. He gave Ming Jing a slight bow and turned to leave. As expected of a child from a prestigious family—look how polite he was! Nothing like a certain Itachi and the future Uchiha Sasuke, a pair of brothers who only knew how to act cool in front of their closest friend and lifelong rival.
"My name is Akira Kurama. If you encounter any trouble in the future, you can come find me!" Ming Jing could not help calling out as he watched that lonely back.
The Hyuga Clan child paused. After a while, he finally said, "Neji Hyuga. My name is Neji Hyuga."
Before you continue