Secret Deliberations
Aren't you going in to take a look?
"Even if I find the treasure, it won't be mine. What would I do inside!"
"That's true!"
Standing in the waves, Zhang Xuezhou watched as the King of Huainan rushed towards the Twenty-Eight Routes of the Huai River Water Palace. He glanced around a few times, then grabbed the ten-stringed coin bag carried by Lady Yourong and leaned towards Dong Zhongshu on the high ground by the shore.
He gave Dong Zhongshu a lukewarm response, yet his gaze lingered on the surroundings.
Zhang Xuezhou had to admit that there were very few opportunities he could find, and it would be difficult for him to use this flood to obtain a few missing persons slots.
Even those from the Lady Yourong were by his side found it difficult to escape the flood and had no choice but to follow him.
Perhaps having seen too many arrogant people, and knowing that offending them could easily bring trouble, Lady Yourong never raised his head, and Zhang Xuezhou never lowered his head.
Although they were clearly mother and son, one was tall and held her head high, while the other hunched over and lowered her head; neither of them ever looked directly into the other's face.
Zhang Xuezhou looked around, and even though he tried his best to maintain a cheerful demeanor when communicating with others, he could only keep a calm expression at this moment.
You seem a little unsettled?
"Anyone who encounters such a water-related matter would find it difficult to remain calm, and Mr. Dong seems to be somewhat unsettled as well!"
Zhang Xuezhou and Dong Zhongshu whispered to each other, then each retreated.
Once there were fewer people around them, Dong Zhongshu leaned closer.
"What are you trying to achieve here?" Dong Zhongshu asked. "Is it related to magic?"
"Yes!"
"The King of Huainan's fortune-telling is very risky. Try to avoid getting involved with him, and don't associate with him or discuss anything related to fortune-telling," Dong Zhongshu warned.
"You seem to know something?"
"This is not good news!"
Dong Zhongshu nodded.
"Then what are you doing following the King of Jiangdu?" Zhang Xuezhou asked casually.
"I cannot bring disaster upon His Majesty, but I am still unwilling to give up and want to try," Dong Zhongshu said in a low voice.
Is conflict inevitable?
"Unavoidable!"
Dong Zhongshu responded in a low voice, not concealing his ulterior motives in getting close to the King of Jiangdu.
Dong Zhongshu was not afraid of the Jiangdu King's bravery and strength, but he could not contend with a prince like the King of Huainan, whose mind was unpredictable.
The King of Huainan also had to face the same situation they were in.
In reality, every feudal lord who cultivated the art of destiny would inevitably find himself in opposition to the emperor of Chang'an City.
The King of King of Huainan broke the deadlock by spreading the strategy widely, pushing it down to important advisors and ministers.
This method of expansion, from another perspective, is tantamount to establishing a separate dynasty, which is almost equivalent to rebellion.
The King of Huainan had placed a heavy bet on this game of strategy, and Dong Zhongshu felt he couldn't keep up. Huainan wouldn't be missing someone like him.
Rather than being bound to the ranks of the masses, Dong Zhongshu would certainly choose to become one of the most important members of the King of Jiangdu's inner circle.
Once Dong Zhongshu could overcome the most difficult hurdle in his cultivation by relying on his spiritual techniques, he could let go of everything else.
He whispered to Zhang Xuezhou, also mentioning his future plans after achieving great success.
"I have converted the Yellow Sand Sect's secret scroll, the Yellow Sand Technique, into a Confucian classic. I am returning this scroll to you," Dong Zhongshu instructed. "You are different from me. I was struggling to overcome a cultivation hurdle and almost reached the end of my path. You don't need to take such risks like I did. As long as you cultivate diligently, you will surely have a place in the future."
"The Master is right!"
Zhang Xuezhou nodded and accepted the revised version of the Yellow Sand Sect's secret scroll, the Yellow Sand Technique.
He felt that he was quite lucky to be standing by the water.
However, what Dong Zhongshu said was not accurate. Dong Zhongshu's challenge was difficult to pass, and Zhang Xuezhou was even more trapped in a desperate situation early on.
If he weren't walking a tightrope, following the proper steps would mean absolutely nothing to him.
However, he did not politely decline Dong Zhongshu's offer.
However, Dong Zhongshu's attitude was quite clear: the other party was obviously not willing for Zhang Xuezhou to repeat Dong Zhongshu's path of manipulation techniques, and was refusing to communicate with him on the subject of manipulation techniques to avoid future troubles.
Zhang Xuezhou pondered for a few seconds, then had no choice but to suppress his thoughts.
He came to Shouchun City to seek out Dong Zhongshu to discuss matters related to the art of movement, but Zhang Xuezhou never expected to end up in this situation.
Dong Zhongshu was found, and the two still had a close relationship. However, Dong Zhongshu did not recommend that he risk practicing the art of manipulation, and even felt that giving Zhang Xuezhou the manipulation techniques he understood would be a disaster.
Zhang Xuezhou's exploration of techniques involved the King of Huainan King of Huainan, his use of weapons, and the teachings on the favor bestowed by "Bai".
This back-and-forth also revealed a possible difference between his and Dong Zhongshu's techniques.
But Dong Zhongshu was right. No matter how good one's skills are, they are only supplementary. Once one has achieved one's goal, one should learn to restrain oneself instead of being greedy and continuing to pursue it.
Learning restraint and moderation was perhaps the greatest takeaway Zhang Xuezhou gained from his exchanges with Dong Zhongshu.
"Master Dong, you say the King of Huainan possesses one hundred rare and precious medicinal pills. Is there any way I can obtain them?"
After a quick exchange of pleasantries upon meeting, Zhang Xuezhou also asked some casual questions.
"Provide the King of Huainan with sufficient benefits," Dong Zhongshu repeatedly warned. "Don't try any other tricks. He is a man of great fortune. You can only get what you need by offering him things that benefit him. Any other method will bring great risks, at best ruining your family, at worst death!"
"At best, it will ruin your family; at worst, it will cost you your life!"
Zhang Xuezhou repeated the whisper.
He couldn't help but recall his sudden encounter with Mao Bei in Xiashi Mountain.
If he hadn't possessed the Yang Soul Body, he would have been beheaded in that encounter.
And he was also quite lucky; not only did he accumulate good fortune, but he also encountered someone other than the King of Huainan.
"Don't try to gain an advantage from the King of Huainan," Dong Zhongshu said. "The more advantages you gain, even if you seem to have made a profit for a while, you may eventually have to give it all back."
"Um!"
"I don't recommend that you have too much personal interaction with the King of Huainan, but if he has something you absolutely need, and you can't offer him enough in return, perhaps you could try to suffer a loss with him!"
"Losing out?"
The more you suffer losses with him, the more likely he is to compensate you out of a sense of indebtedness, thus allowing you to fulfill some of your demands!
Dong Zhongshu frowned and offered a rather unreliable suggestion.
This made Zhang Xuezhou blink slightly as well.
He seemed to have inadvertently made contact with the King of Huainan in this way, and the King of Huainan even temporarily lent him his weapons.
The subtle interplay of wits and strategies revealed a great deal of mystery to Zhang Xuezhou.
If Dong Zhongshu hadn't pointed it out, Zhang Xuezhou might still have been considering some risky plans, or perhaps he would have inadvertently begun interacting with the King of Huainan.
But after being reminded by Dong Zhongshu, he felt all the risky thoughts in his mind disappear.
"He is a person of great fortune. If someone has even greater fortune than him, are there other solutions?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.
"If His Majesty were to directly ask the King of Huainan for those one hundred rare medicinal pills, do you think the King of Huainan would give them to him or not?" Dong Zhongshu whispered.
"It's that simple?"
"It's that simple!"
Dong Zhongshu nodded.
Zhang Xuezhou sought a simple answer, but no one could do it for Zhang Xuezhou.