The Head of the Confucians' Thoughts

Outside Li Garden, the smile Zhangsun Nanqiao had given before leaving, beguiling enough to enchant all living beings, kept echoing through Li Ziye's mind, refusing to fade.

Enchantress!

Li Ziye shook his head hard, shaking the distracting thoughts out of his mind.

After a whole day of running around, he had finally gained something.

Li Ziye turned and walked into the residence, the corners of his mouth curving slightly.

He had made his move. Now it remained to be seen whether the Zhangsun Family could counter it.

In the capital, the sun was about to set. Its lingering light spilled down, lending the entire city an air of antique charm.

Inside a carriage traveling down the street, Zhangsun Fengyu looked at his silent aunt and asked with concern, "Aunt, is something troubling you?"

"Just now, the Li Family named their terms for cooperation."

Zhangsun Nanqiao rubbed her aching head and said, "They want a twenty-percent share of the Zhangsun Family's medicinal herb business, plus a thousand-year-old herb king."

"Damn!"

Hearing this, Zhangsun Fengyu nearly failed to hold back a curse. "The Li Family is far too ruthless! Our Zhangsun Family built its foundation on the medicinal herb trade, with shops throughout the Great Shang Dynasty. Do they know what an enormous sum a twenty-percent share represents? Why don't they just rob us? And they want a thousand-year-old herb king too? Do they think herb kings are radishes? Where are we supposed to find one for him?"

At this point, Zhangsun Fengyu stared blankly at the woman before him. "Aunt, you didn't agree, did you?"

"I did."

Zhangsun Nanqiao nodded. "The Zhangsun Family needs a partner like the Li Family."

Others might not understand, but she knew very well that the Zhangsun Family's business had reached a bottleneck. The Merchant Alliance and the Yin Family Bank faced the same problem. Openly and in secret, competition among the three was growing ever more white-hot. To break this deadlock, they had to ride the favorable wind of the Li Family.

"But we don't have the herb king the Li Family wants," Zhangsun Fengyu said gravely.

"We do."

An unusual gleam flashed through Zhangsun Nanqiao's eyes. "Have you forgotten? The Divine Hall's delegation will soon arrive in the capital, and among the gifts they're bringing is a thousand-year-old herb king."

"The Divine Hall?"

Zhangsun Fengyu asked in surprise, "But how can we decide what happens to something belonging to the Divine Hall?"

"We can't, but your aunt the empress can."

Zhangsun Nanqiao said calmly, "The gifts the Divine Hall offers as tribute to the court will ultimately be distributed by His Majesty. As usual, His Majesty will select a few to bestow upon the imperial harem and meritorious court officials. As mistress of the harem, your second aunt can certainly choose one or two gifts in advance."

Zhangsun Fengyu froze upon hearing this, then raised his thumb in admiration. "You really are clever, Youngest Aunt!"

"I'm not the clever one. The Li Family's legitimate son is."

Zhangsun Nanqiao said evenly, "Fengyu, you must learn from him. This young man's schemes run so deep that even I find him a headache."

"You mean Li Ziye's goal from the very beginning was that herb king from the Divine Hall?" Zhangsun Fengyu asked in shock.

"Exactly."

Zhangsun Nanqiao nodded solemnly. "I was puzzled too, wondering why the Li Family's legitimate son had changed his attitude so drastically. Only just now did I understand. The Li Family changed its mind and agreed to cooperate with our Zhangsun Family because they set their sights on the herb king Yan Xiaoyu is bringing. Our Zhangsun Family is merely a chess piece the Li Family's legitimate son needs to achieve his goal."

"He wants to use our Zhangsun Family? That Li Ziye has some nerve."

Zhangsun Fengyu's expression darkened. "He's even drawn Second Aunt into his calculations."

If the Zhangsun Family wanted to obtain that herb king, they would have to ask his second aunt, the empress of Great Shang, to intervene. The Li Family's legitimate son's schemes ran astonishingly deep.

"The younger generation is indeed formidable."

Zhangsun Nanqiao sighed softly. "Fengyu, you are our Zhangsun Family's hope for the future. You mustn't lose to him."

Zhangsun Fengyu gave an awkward smile. Judging by the cunning the Li Family's legitimate son had displayed today, he truly had little confidence.

While the two were finding Li Ziye's scheming rather troublesome, in the Li Family's inner courtyard, a certain Li was pestering the handsome Little Red Riding Hood for guidance, his face full of flattery.

Harassed beyond endurance, Bai Wangyu had no choice but to help study the Flying Immortal Formula's movement technique.

"Three steps left. Yes, yes-damn it!"

In the west wing, after guiding Li Ziye's martial practice for nearly two hours, Bai Wangyu finally lost control and let fragrant words spill from his mouth.

For driving the Confucian School's eldest senior brother, a man so perfect in both self-restraint and temperament, to curse, Li Ziye could be called the foremost person in the world.

Thud!

Because his footwork went wrong, Li Ziye went flying again without any suspense, crashing headfirst into the apricot tree in the courtyard.

The apricot tree shook at once, its leaves rustling down in showers.

"Old Bai, hurry and get me down!"

Stuck between the apricot tree's branches and unable to get down, Li Ziye struggled as he shouted.

"..."

Bai Wangyu truly wanted to pretend he could not hear him and simply let the brat stay wedged there until he died.

If he kept teaching him, he feared he would be angered to death.

Crack!

Perhaps Li Ziye had struggled too fiercely. The sound of a branch snapping rang out from the apricot tree.

Utterly abrupt.

Utterly grating.

Li Ziye went rigid, not daring to move again.

Not far away, Bai Wangyu froze too, forgetting to rescue him.

Thud!

Then came a tremendous crash.

The branch broke, and Li Ziye dropped straight down, slapping against the ground like a sandbag.

Face-first.

"Brother Li, I have something to do. Practice on your own."

Seeing this, Bai Wangyu fought back the urge to laugh, called out, and quickly left.

Silence filled the west wing. Three breaths later, Li Ziye sprang up, two streams of blood flowing from his nose, fury blazing in his eyes.

"Bai Wangyu, damn you!"

"Hahaha!"

Outside the west wing, Bai Wangyu finally could not hold back any longer and burst into hearty laughter.

That felt so good!

Heaven had eyes after all.

"Young Master Bai, a Confucian scholar outside says he is a disciple of the Imperial Academy and wishes to see you."

Just then, a servant hurried up before the west wing and spoke respectfully.

"Someone from the Imperial Academy?"

Bai Wangyu's expression grew serious, and he hurried toward the gates.

Outside Li Garden, a youth in Confucian robes was waiting. Seeing his eldest senior brother emerge, his face lit up. "Eldest Senior Brother."

"Why are you here? Has something happened?" Bai Wangyu asked.

The youth bowed respectfully. "The Head of the Confucians has ordered Eldest Senior Brother to return to the Imperial Academy."

"An order from the Head of the Confucians."

Startled, Bai Wangyu dared not delay a moment. "Then let's hurry."

With that, the two set off together toward the Imperial Academy.

Inside Li Garden, Li Ziye looked puzzled when he heard that Little Red Riding Hood had left. What happened?

Why had the Confucian School suddenly summoned Little Red Riding Hood back?

Please, no. Without this top-tier hired muscle, how was he supposed to roam the whole map?

At the Imperial Academy, in the small courtyard to the east.

The sun had sunk out of sight, its final lingering rays spilling down. In the courtyard, the old man finished tending his vegetable patch and straightened his aged body.

"My respects, Head of the Confucians!"

Bai Wangyu approached the courtyard alone and bowed respectfully.

"How have you been getting along with the Li Family's third son?"

In the courtyard, Kong Qiu set down his hoe and asked.

"Brother Li is intelligent and possesses extraordinary insight. I am his inferior. I have gained much from spending these days with him."

Bai Wangyu answered earnestly.

"Mm."

Kong Qiu nodded. "Though the Li Family's third son has little cultivation yet, he is adept at understanding people and worldly affairs. That is precisely what you lack. Stay by his side, learn more, and observe more."

"Yes!" Bai Wangyu answered respectfully.

"Yan Xiaoyu of the Divine Oracle Hall is coming to the capital. Have you heard?" Kong Qiu asked.

"I have," Bai Wangyu replied.

"You have fought Yan Xiaoyu before and know something of him. Given Li Ziye's current progress in martial arts, how long do you think it will take him to catch up?" Kong Qiu asked calmly.

Bai Wangyu hesitated a moment, then answered truthfully, "He cannot catch up."

Hearing this, Kong Qiu nodded. "Then help him."

"Yes!"

Bai Wangyu respectfully accepted, without even asking why.

"Don't you want to know the reason I'm asking you to help him?" Kong Qiu asked.

"Your decision must have its reasons," Bai Wangyu replied.

"Respect for your teachers and their teachings is one of your strengths."

Kong Qiu sighed softly. "But it is also one of your weaknesses. In this world, no one's decisions are always right. You must learn to question, even if the one you question is your master, the Law Confucian, or even me!"

Bai Wangyu's expression changed in alarm. He hurriedly bowed respectfully. "This disciple would not dare!"

"Why wouldn't you dare?"

Kong Qiu gazed at the Confucian School's future successor standing outside the courtyard and said calmly, "Wangyu, from the beginning until now, have you never thought of stepping into this courtyard?"

Bai Wangyu trembled. After a long while, he clenched his hands and attempted to take the first step.

Yet the oppressive weight of the authority the Head of the Confucians had accumulated over many years made the Confucian School's eldest senior brother withdraw the foot he had extended.

Seeing this, Kong Qiu sighed again.

What he wanted was not the world's respect, but its questioning.

Authority was meant to be broken.

Whether it was people, martial arts, or classical texts.

Outside the courtyard, Bai Wangyu stood with guilt on his face. "I have disappointed you."

"It isn't your fault."

Kong Qiu said with feeling, "I was wrong. I intended to enlighten the people, yet never imagined I would bind you with ritual and rules instead. Wangyu, this is also why I asked you to stay beside the Li Family's third son. Remember, there are no sages in this world. You must learn to judge right and wrong with your own heart."

"Yes!"

Bai Wangyu answered softly.

Kong Qiu nodded. "In a few more days, the people from the Divine Oracle Hall will arrive. If my deductions are correct, the Li Family's third son and Yan Xiaoyu will have a clash. Continue staying beside the Li Family's third son, and when necessary, help shield him from those arrows in the dark."

"This disciple obeys your decree," Bai Wangyu said, respectfully accepting his command.

"All right. You may go."

Having finished his instructions, Kong Qiu said no more and waved his hand.

"This disciple takes his leave."

Bai Wangyu bowed respectfully once more, then turned and left.

"Actually, this young man is already quite outstanding."

Just after Bai Wangyu left, Qin Enuo emerged into the courtyard and spoke calmly.

"He still falls somewhat short of your disciple."

Kong Qiu said calmly, "When it comes to choosing disciples, the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal has a much better eye than this old man."

"I fully deserve that praise."

Qin Enuo accepted the compliment without the slightest modesty, seemingly choosing to forget how she had wanted to slap herself when she first learned the truth that Li Ziye could not practice martial arts...