Coming Out Without a Brain Means Being a Jianghu Person for Life

Lin Zhennan's old face flushed as Lin Pingzhi stared at him, bewildered. After all, the martial arts cultivation methods of this era were core technologies highly guarded by each sect.

Lin Pingzhi had always been a righteous and ambitious young man. Lin Zhennan's sudden question was akin to asking a son serving in the army for the specific number of his army group and its exact stationing location, like revealing fifty thousand invisible troops.

It was already commendable filial piety that Lin Pingzhi didn't immediately run to Wang Jingyuan's room to report his father.

Lin Zhennan quickly explained, "I'm not asking you to memorize it all, just the beginning. What happened today was too bizarre; I'm starting to doubt those two..."

Lin Pingzhi nodded. After a moment's consideration, he recited the first two lines of the Mount Hua internal cultivation method. Lin Zhennan, being a martial artist, could tell from these two lines that the internal cultivation method was indeed balanced and peaceful, with lofty aspirations.

After confirming that the two individuals were indeed Mount Hua disciples, he immediately ordered his servants to book the largest restaurant in Fuzhou City. Today, he intended to host a grand banquet to widely announce Lin Pingzhi's formal entry into the Mount Hua Sect.

He himself, along with his wife, went to the old residence in Xiangyang Lane, stating they would inform the ancestors in the ancestral hall of this good news.

In the side room, Wang Jingyuan was sitting at a table, gnawing on a piece of fruit. The fruits of this era were truly not delicious; Wang Jingyuan was just chewing on them for something to do.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "Junior Disciple Brother, are you free now?"

Yue Lingshan had never knocked before when visiting Wang Jingyuan. However, after the many unexpected events that occurred on their journey, she had finally developed the good habit of knocking before entering a room.

Wang Jingyuan put down the fruit pit in his hand. "I'm dressed. Come in."

Yue Lingshan pushed the door open. "Junior Disciple Brother, who did you learn your disciple-accepting ceremony from today? Why was it so strange? And why did you rush to accept Junior Disciple Brother as your disciple? Did Father order you to?"

Wang Jingyuan casually replied, "No, I decided it myself."

Yue Lingshan was startled and quickly moved closer to Wang Jingyuan, whispering, "When you say you decided yourself, do you mean the disciple-accepting ceremony, or the act of accepting a disciple on behalf of the Master itself?"

"Both."

Yue Lingshan was dumbfounded upon hearing this answer. "Are you crazy?! You dared to make such a decision on your own?"

"Before I left, Master told me to make my own decisions when faced with matters. This is the result of my decision. When I joined the sect, Master asked me to help him revitalize Mount Hua, and I agreed. I accepted such a difficult task, so having some leeway in my actions shouldn't be too much to ask.

Accepting Lin Pingzhi is the first step in revitalizing Mount Hua. Because, in my opinion, Lin Pingzhi, as a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, is more useful than all the disciples on Mount Hua."

Yue Lingshan didn't get angry. She just narrowed her eyes and looked at Wang Jingyuan. "Including you?"

Wang Jingyuan looked at her incredulously. "Why would you cattle and horses compare yourselves to me, your partner? Of course, it doesn't include me."

"You're asking for a beating!"

"I'm dodging!"

"Where can you dodge to in such a small room?"

"If you chase me again, believe it or not, I'll accuse you of molestation?"

"Scoundrel!"

"Just tell me if it works or not?"

Yue Lingshan sulkily sat back down at the table, took a pear from the fruit plate, and bit into it fiercely, as if she were biting Wang Jingyuan. She asked indistinctly, "Why do you think Junior Disciple Brother is the most useful disciple?"

Wang Jingyuan sat down opposite Yue Lingshan. "Answer me, what does it take to revitalize Mount Hua?"

Yue Lingshan was stunned. Wang Jingyuan had stumped her. Although she was the daughter of the Mount Hua Sect Leader, she spent her days thinking about slacking off and sneaking out to play. She had never considered such a heavy question.

Wang Jingyuan could see that Yue Lingshan was completely a desert of wisdom for the Mount Hua Sect. He didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "When you're in this business, it's about strength and background. In simple terms, it's money and power. Considering the martial arts background here, it can be further broken down into: military strength, financial strength, and political power.

Military strength generally requires time to accumulate. However, our Mount Hua has valuable legacies left by our predecessors. With a little development, it can still be quite considerable.

Financial strength is what I'm currently pursuing. Our Mount Hua can't achieve anything by just collecting rent from the fields at the foot of the mountain. Moreover, Master is still shackled by the title 'Gentleman Sword.' If there's a disaster year, we'll have to support the farmers, making it even harder to get anything.

But it's different with accepting Lin Pingzhi. He's the young master of the Fuwei Escort Agency. Our Mount Hua Sect has martial strength but lacks a management team and grassroots employees, while the Fuwei Escort Agency is the opposite.

Our two families can perfectly complement each other's weaknesses, jointly run an enterprise, and make the Fuwei branch company under Mount Hua Group bigger and stronger, creating more glory. The income and job opportunities generated by this are incomparable to being a landlord in a remote corner.

As for political power... in the current climate, only the imperial court can be worthy of these two words; there is no other option. To go down this path, our Mount Hua is actually uniquely positioned.

Look at the sect leaders of the other Five Great Sword Sects; what motley crew they are. Only our beloved Master has the scholarly title of Xiu Cai. Whether it's a child or an old man, they're all 'chickens.' If I 'stimulate' him a bit, wouldn't our Master be able to achieve the rank of Ju Ren?

As long as he can achieve the rank of Ju Ren, he will be Lord Yue. It doesn't matter if he gets an official position; the title of Ju Ren is most important. Once we have money and a name, we can establish schools.

In this world, there are too many people with brilliant talent but no money to study. Their Hengshan Sect is a music academy; why can't our Mount Hua be a cram school for the imperial examinations?

Other schools are unaffordable for ordinary people. But our Mount Hua Sect's school can waive tuition and fees, provide room and board, and offer subsidies, selecting students based solely on talent and effort.

After a few years, we'll cultivate a batch of Xiu Cai, then a batch of Ju Ren, and if someone gets lucky enough to become a Jin Shi, then we'll have a background.

At that time, the command flags of the Five Great Sword Sects will be worthless. A single imperial decree to suppress bandits will reach the heavens, and three thousand elite soldiers will be enough to destroy a mountain and wipe out the entire sect. By then, the reputation of Mount Hua Academy might be more resounding than that of the Mount Hua Sect..."

Although Yue Lingshan didn't understand many of his words, she roughly grasped Wang Jingyuan's meaning. After Wang Jingyuan had spoken eloquently for a long time and began to drink tea to rest, Yue Lingshan looked up in confusion and asked, "Is it really that simple?"

"Although after gaining some influence, we will encounter encirclement and interception from other civil official forces. But the task I received is to revitalize Mount Hua, not to control the imperial court. As long as we know when to stop, dealing with these Jianghu riff-raff will be a 'dimensional strike,' more than enough."

"Why didn't the ancestors of Mount Hua or other sects do this before?"

Wang Jingyuan shook his head disdainfully. "If they knew how to use their brains, they wouldn't be people of the Jianghu. Take the Fuwei Escort Agency, for example. With just a few words, I tricked their young master into joining the Mount Hua Sect.

Actually, if they truly wanted to resolve the threat from the Qingcheng Sect, they could have done it easily even without us. It's just that with their brains, they probably wouldn't have thought of it."

Yue Lingshan pressed further, "How should they have done it?"

"If they were harassed by evil forces, they could have reported it to the authorities."

"Ah?!"

"Although Jianghu matters are settled within the Jianghu, and without a citizen's complaint, officials won't investigate. But this Fuzhou city, such a prosperous place, if the involved party reported it to the officials and someone still dared to annihilate them, is that not rebellion?

This is not some chaotic era at the end of a dynasty; the Ming Dynasty is at its peak. If they dared to act like that, the Qingcheng Sect wouldn't be far from being purged.

Moreover, what's the Fuwei Escort Agency's advantage? They have money! Even our Mount Hua Sect can't compare, let alone the even more pathetic Qingcheng Sect?

With money, they can bribe and buy influence. As long as they're willing to stuff enough silver, they don't have to worry about officials not working hard. Plus, this is a coastal area, frequently harassed by Japanese pirates.

As long as the money is delivered properly, it's not impossible to cooperate with the government to form a militia. At that time, the escort guards from the agency could all be appointed to official positions, and which ordinary Jianghu person would dare to make a move?

Even if they were to defecate and urinate on the Qingcheng Sect's heads, Yu Canghai would have to endure it. After all, corruption is part of the Ming Dynasty's political ecosystem; if you don't like it, don't play.

It's just that this Lin Zhennan's ancestors were Jianghu people. Even though he opened an escort agency, his mindset hasn't shifted, and he still operates like a Jianghu person. So, if you don't use your brain, you'll be a Jianghu person forever, unable to get ashore."