Watching Fortune Like Tides, Choosing Matters by the People

Thoughts rise and fall like the tide.

In Qiu Yan's eyes, the Confucian scholars of the academy were the Fire Seeds of spreading the doctrine of the Human Divine Path, so naturally they would attract attention. Before this, he had made a lot of preparations and made the doctrine of the Human Divine Path more and more perfect.

To cater to Qiu Yan's interests, the Meng Clan organized this lecture during his return north, which was like a godsend, saving Qiu Yan a lot of trouble.

Thoughts are different from those related to Incense Thoughts, but are similar.

Incense is a way to entrust one's hopes to a specific deity and seek assurance, while thought is the spiritual power accumulated by scholars through their learning and knowledge.

The difference between the two determines that the Human Divine Path will not, like the traditional Divine Path, extract the thoughts and emotions of believers to strengthen itself and distort reality, but will expand its influence in another way.

"The idea of offering incense is to entrust one's hopes to the gods, influencing their thoughts and changing their inclinations. But in turn, it feeds back into the minds and bodies of believers, making them unconsciously subject to the gods' control. In this respect, it is very similar to the behavior of Confucian scholars."

In Qiu Yan's view, the convergence of thought and Fortune reveals the future prospects of the Confucian scholars. Of course, this is not absolute; there are many ways to change a person's destiny, and even his lecture today can influence the future of the Confucian scholars present to some extent.

"The learning and knowledge of Confucian scholars do not come from nothing; they are often based on the classics of sages and great scholars. These classics on humanity do not appear out of thin air, but are principles summarized from the changes in the ways of heaven, earth, and humanity. These principles, like the divine laws of the gods, limit and guide those who seek knowledge..."

Second Grade deity can establish their own Divine Laws. Qiu Yan's Divine Spirit Body is now at the Second Grade and is even gradually approaching a higher level. However, due to its distance from the Netherworld and the foundation of sacrifices, it has not truly established Divine Laws. Yet, it has a clear understanding of the essence of things.

This Divine Law also created the conditions for him to perfect the Human Divine Path and to unite the many preparations he had made for the Three Bodies into one.

"By abandoning the Incense Thoughts and instead adopting a mutually beneficial approach, it will be advantageous to both sides and truly sustainable. Confucian scholars will also remain motivated, since this is not about deceiving them. There's no need to use any means of suppression or manipulation. However, the conditions required for this path are far too complicated; this is currently just an experiment..."

As he pondered, Qiu Yan's gaze swept over the streams of spiritual energy in the front yard.

The scholars and students who had gone out for a meal had all returned. The entire courtyard was brightly lit, and although the thoughts were still faint, they had become richer and more subtly brewing compared to the beginning.

However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that the pillars of spiritual energy in the courtyard are roughly divided into two groups: one side Fortune, while the other is relatively dim, corresponding to wealthy families and impoverished scholars, respectively.

"The monopolization of knowledge by the Aristocratic Clan greatly hinders the dissemination of the Human Divine Path. It's time to open a gap; it was only a matter of time. Those concerns will eventually have to be faced. With the momentum I've built up, I should be able to give it a try..."

Thinking of this, his gaze fell on the pillar of thought on the side of the poor sect. He focused his mind and saw that this pillar of thought was complex and ever-changing, vaguely showing signs of wind and clouds. It was clear that once the wind and clouds gathered, it had the potential to rise rapidly.

"This person is quick-witted, but limited by his background, he is constrained. However, once he breaks through these barriers, his fortunes could Fortune. But deep within his potential lies a dark side; if no one constantly keeps him in check and restrains him, he might cause chaos in politics..."

As he pondered and observed, his gaze shifted again, this time landing on a relatively thin pillar of thought.

Compared to other pillars of thought, this one was not only small, but also rough and blurry. With Qiu Yan's perception, he could sense its clumsiness, indicating that the owner of the pillar was not someone with extraordinary talent. However, upon closer inspection, he could discover its tenacity!

This column of energy is like a strong, unyielding rope, possessing an unbreakable and unbreakable force, and deep within its depths lies an extraordinary tenacity.

In addition, it was imbued with the scent of ink.

With a slight stirring in his heart, Qiu Yan's thoughts shifted, and his slender thoughts suddenly boiled over, rapidly expanding and covering all the pillars of energy, filling the area!

But it was just an illusion, dissipating into nothingness the next moment, leaving behind only a slender yet resilient column of air.

"Every bite and every sip seems preordained. The Meng Residence welcomed me into the pass and allowed me to lecture here. And then I encountered such a remarkable person. Isn't this the perfect opportunity? If Heaven grants me this chance and I don't seize it, I'll only suffer the consequences!"

With this thought in mind, Qiu Yan took a step and walked towards the front yard.

For a fleeting moment, all the students in the academy felt a sense of disorientation. In their daze, they seemed to see something, but it vanished in an instant. When they came to their senses and looked again, they found nothing. Their memories of it also became blurred, and they simply dismissed it as an illusion.

Just then, Qiu Yan walked out from the archway connecting the two courtyards, drawing everyone's attention.

Once seated again, Qiu Yan, as everyone had hoped, continued to recount his experiences on the Grasslands, offering new interpretations of the scriptures in detail.

Compared to the morning, they were less resistant and more expectant. However, as the stories unfolded, more questions arose, accumulating to a certain extent, making them feel restless and unable to sit or lie still. Many students were scratching their heads, wanting to ask questions but afraid of interrupting Qiu Yan's lecture and incurring resentment.

An hour later, Qiu Yan spoke about establishing a military system for the Slave Army, separating the Grasslands and the original two factions.

Finally, someone couldn't hold back any longer—it was Zhang Shun. He already had conflicting thoughts, and the more he listened, the more agitated he became. He only hoped to alleviate the situation by asking questions.

"Gentlemen..."

Although he had interrupted the lecture, Zhang Shun still acted with courtesy, first bowing with his hands clasped, and then saying, "I, Zhang Shun, a Xiucai scholar, have a question that I do not understand, and I hope that you, sir, can enlighten me."

The saying goes that there is no order of precedence in learning, and those who are accomplished are teachers. In terms of age alone, Qiu Yan is similar to everyone else present. However, once he starts lecturing, he will be considered a teacher, and this title cannot be easily changed.

"Speak freely." Qiu Yan paused and nodded at him.

Zhang Shun ignored the reactions of others and said directly, "I have read the words of the Second Sage in his reply to the King of Wei, which said, 'Only when the world is unified can it be at peace.' The Spring and Autumn Annals, written by the Supreme Sage Confucius, also said, 'Great unification is the constant principle of heaven and earth, and the common understanding of ancient and modern times.' Moreover, when all the nations of the Great Yan came to pay tribute, a scholar said, 'A true king has no outsiders.' Since ancient times, the plains have been the root and trunk, while the barbarians are the branches. You went to the Grasslands with the intention of educating the people, so why do you treat the plains and the Grasslands separately?"

"You have a wealth of knowledge and can readily quote classic texts, which shows your hard work." Qiu Yan praised Zhang Shun after hearing the question.

Amidst the crowd, Hu Ye frowned, a hint of jealousy creeping into his eyes.

"Well done, Zhang Shun! He really knows how to seize an opportunity. With this praise from the compiler, his prestige will likely rise as we all learn from him!"

Originally, Zhang Shun's interruption of Qiu Yan's words was bound to upset the students, but the question he asked was something that others also cared about, so they suppressed their anger and waited patiently.

Since ancient times, how to reconcile the plains and Grasslands has been a major problem, and countless people have offered their solutions. Some start from books, while others base their arguments on historical records. Some of these solutions are useful, while others only add to the chaos. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages.

What Qiu Yan said was something he had personally experienced. Under his leadership, the people of the plains and Grasslands had fought together to defeat the enemy and achieved successive victories. The news had long since spread throughout the Northern Frontier, and no student present was unaware of it.

With such a track record, Qiu Yan's words undoubtedly carry a certain degree of authority.

Instead of answering directly, he asked in return, "Do any of you know about the ruler of the Great Yan Dynasty?"

Immediately, someone among the crowd answered, "The ruler of the Great Yan Dynasty? Is that Emperor Guangwu?"

This person was none other than Hu Ye. After Zhang Shun was praised, he immediately held his breath and focused all his energy on making a good impression.

"Not bad." Qiu Yan nodded and glanced at Hu Ye.

The latter did not show any joy. Hu Ye understood that such a question was not difficult; anyone with a little knowledge of Historians' School could answer it. The reason he was able to answer first was undoubtedly because he was fully focused.

Then, Qiu Yan continued, "Although Emperor Guangwu True Dragon Bloodline, he was a descendant of the Great Yan Founder, and could be considered a fallen man. His circumstances were no different from those of a poor family, but in the end, he was able to achieve great things."

This phrase about impoverished families immediately caught the attention of the students from humble backgrounds present.

Hu Ye replied, "After all, Emperor Guangwu was of True Dragon Bloodline, Fortune far surpassed that of ordinary people. He once traveled to the capital to study and entered the Imperial College. Compared to him, his situation was worlds apart from that of the poor and humble." In this way, he not only seized the opportunity to demonstrate his erudition but also took the opportunity to put himself in a superior position, which made him quite satisfied.

At this moment, Zhang Shun frowned and replied, "True Dragon Bloodline and long-lasting aura, that's natural. But in terms of favor, how can they compare to the Great Yan royal family and princes of that time? In terms of Fortune, these people are far more powerful. Why did Emperor Guangwu succeed in this endeavor? It's clear that he was able to seize the opportunity and rise with the tide. It was destiny's will. This fortune doesn't necessarily fall only on the heads of high-ranking families."

The two exchanged words, their tone tense and their thoughts Void, sparking intellectual insights.

Qiu Yan then spoke up, "There are many people with Fortune, and quite a few who seize opportunities, but at most they become wealthy and powerful, or achieve temporary fame. How many can truly rise from humble beginnings to greatness and establish a dynasty? Besides, Emperor Guangwu himself was not necessarily both a master of strategy and tactics; how could he stand out from the crowd?" Only Grand Confucian Grandmaster would dare to say such a thing. Without his initiation, how could anyone else dare to comment on the emperor?

However, upon hearing this, the others realized that Qiu Yan had only mentioned the Lord of the Great Yan Dynasty in response to Zhang Shun's question, so they focused their attention and listened attentively.

Then Qiu Yan uttered eight words--

"Choose a person's position based on their heart."

P. S.: Thanks to "Wan Xia Xia La" for the donation!