Gao Xunzhī had a lot to say to Xiao Rong, but when he looked at Xiao Rong’s slightly smiling expression, he slowly closed his mouth.

The biggest difference between Xiao Rong and Qu Yunmie was that Xiao Rong’s thoughts were mostly meticulous, feasible, and reasonable. However, he also had a particularly fatal flaw in Gao Xunzhī’s eyes, which was that he was too radical.

Gao Xunzhī was just an ancient person, and he certainly didn’t know that it was possible for the whole population to read in the future. He simply thought Xiao Rong was too naive, and felt that Xiao Rong seemed to want to follow the example of the ancients and create a world of harmony.

It was too absurd. How could this be possible?

 

…

 

Scholars were a general term for people who read books, and in the past, they called themselves Confucian scholars because they were the descendants of sages and the inheritors of Confucianism. However, the modern scholars now referred to themselves as “shi people,” which signified their identification with the elite class of scholars.

In the early days of Confucianism, Confucian scholars had a tough time. They traveled everywhere to promote their ideas and culture, but they weren’t welcomed everywhere. If they angered the local authorities, it wasn’t uncommon for them to be executed on the spot.

When Confucian scholars developed into the “shi” class, they became officially linked with land ownership, privileges, and cultural activities, thus distinguishing them from the common people. The term “shi” represented their higher status, privilege, and the significant divide between them and the ordinary people.

In ancient times, Confucian scholars focused on spreading ideas, but in this era, the “shi” class was more concerned with elevating their own status. Their vanity had surpassed the importance of spreading culture, and so, civilization was controlled by a small group. They restricted others from learning in order to control the number of scholars and maintain their wealth and privileges.

Modern people might view this era as backward, but the people of this time also thought the same about the earlier periods. The early stages of Confucianism had long since scattered, and the concept of “universal education” that Gao Xunzhī once proposed had become a joke, impossible for anyone to bring up again.

So when Gao Xunzhī heard Xiao Rong say he wanted to sell books, he was alarmed. It was indeed a very dangerous idea. Although not all scholars focused only on their own small territories, it was precisely this group of greedy scholars who held the most power.

Gao Xunzhī wasn’t exaggerating at all. If Xiao Rong really dared to do this, the wealthy families would definitely spend money to hire assassins and wage a war of attrition on the Northern King’s manor. It wouldn’t be too serious if they only hired assassins, but the real danger was that they might unite, raise an army, and even join forces with the tiger if necessary, just to destroy the Northern Army, which harbored such ideas.

Because of this, Xiao Rong decided to wait a few years to allow the Northern Army to grow into an unshakable force before taking action. Since Xiao Rong planned to act in a few years, Gao Xunzhī decided not to lecture him today.

Clearly, Xiao Rong had already made plans and had no intention of easily abandoning them. Any opposition at this point might provoke Xiao Rong’s rebellious streak, pushing him to act even sooner than planned.

So Gao Xunzhī decided not to bring it up for now. There was still time. After all, Xiao Rong was young and fearless, like a calf. After completing his studies, he immediately set his sights on the Northern Army and had never encountered any setbacks. Whether it was himself or the King, they had always supported him, which had only boosted his confidence. He was eager to take down the powerful families and challenge their authority.

Xiao Rong watched Gao Xun’s expression change several times, finally settling into a look of helplessness. 

After sighing, Gao Xunzhī said to him, “Fine, let’s discuss this later. For now, let’s talk about building a library. We’ll say it’s an order from the King. That is indeed the truth, and undeniable. However, if we say it’s the King’s idea… Ah Rong, don’t blame me for speaking bluntly, but I’m afraid not even our own people will believe that.”

Xiao Rong: “…”

Xiao Rong wasn’t very aware of what reputation Qu Yunmie’s had outside, but based on the reactions he received when he told Xiao Yi and others that he was going to join the Northern King, Xiao Rong fell into silence.

At the time, Xiao Yi had looked at him in shock, and his expression gradually turned into one of sorrow, as if he didn’t want to witness his death.

After recalling this, Xiao Rong said without expression, “It’s precisely because no one believes it that we need to say it this way. Chancellor, don’t worry. I’m just suggesting an idea. Whether it can be implemented depends on yours and others’ opinions. Saying it’s the King’s idea is somewhat forced, but we can’t say it’s my idea, or that it’s yours either.”

Gao Xunzhi: “…”

What does this have to do with me!

Xiao Rong pondered for a moment and then smiled at Gao Xunzhi. “Regardless of whose idea it was, in the end, that person will become a target. If we don’t mention it, it will only raise suspicion, and people will surely want to know who really made this happen. Perhaps it’s better if we shift the blame to something not human.”

Gao Xunzhī asked, puzzled, “Not human?”

Xiao Rong casually responded, “Let’s say it’s the will of the immortals. The immortals didn’t want books to be left to gather dust, so they sent dreams to the Northern Army. Uh, it’s better not to say it was just one person who had this dream. Many people had the same dream. This wouldn’t only make it more credible and dramatic but also divert the attention of the wealthy families. It will even help build momentum for the Northern Army. The immortals sent the dream, and naturally, it should be someone in the Northern Army. Isn’t that fate?”

Gao Xunzhī stared blankly at him. Rationally, this was an excellent idea, but Gao Xunzhī could hardly think rationally.

His attention was entirely on Xiao Rong’s first statement. He tried to remain calm and asked, “Rong, which immortal are you talking about?”

Xiao Rong didn’t realize that Gao Xunzhī was taking him seriously and was actually thinking deeply. “Since we’re building a library, it should be the God of Literature, Wen Chang. Uh, Wen Chang is from Daoism, but I wonder who manages the cultural affairs in Buddhism….”

Gao Xunzhī was startled. “The God of Literature, Wen Chang?”

Xiao Rong noticed the surprise in his voice and turned his head to carefully observe Gao Xun’s expression.

At that moment, Xiao Rong felt a jolt in his heart. Gao Xunzhī looked truly shocked.

Xiao Rong realized something was wrong. He widened his eyes and asked nervously, “Chancellor, you’ve never heard of the God of Literature, Wen Chang?”

Gao Xunzhī silently stared at him.

Not only had he never heard of Wen Chang, but he didn’t even know which star Wen Chang was associated with.

 

….

 

Gao Xunzhī was a follower of Taoism, but at that time, Taoism hadn’t developed for long, and there were various different doctrines and branches. The most comprehensive and systematic Taoist scriptures, the Daozang, would take several hundred more years to be compiled and officially published. By the time the Daozang was released, Taoism had already connected all the stars with its beliefs, and even the God of Literature, Wen Chang, and the God of Literature Star, Wen Qu, who had been protecting scholars for over a thousand years, were recorded within it.

However, that was all in the future. At least for now, Gao Xunzhī truly hadn’t heard of them.

Xiao Rong realized he had made a mistake. He didn’t know much about mythology and had probably mentioned the name of a deity that hadn’t appeared yet. He nervously watched Gao Xunzhī, but Gao Xunzhī suddenly smiled and returned to normal. “Although I haven’t heard of this, since young Rong says this deity is suitable, let’s borrow this deity’s name.”

After all, it was for a good cause, so there was no fear of retribution.

Xiao Rong: “…”

He didn’t quite believe that Gao Xunzhī would so easily gloss over this matter. After all, this little old man was usually very superstitious. Every day he would burn incense, and before going to bed, he would perform a ritual, something called “exorcising the three corpses.”

It was similar to the Clearing of Turbid Qi practiced by the Qingfeng Sect, but while the Qingfeng Sect removed the impurities of others, Taoism was more about cleansing oneself.

Whether Xiao Rong believed it or not, Gao Xunzhī didn’t bring up the matter again. Instead, he asked Xiao Rong for more details about building the library and then went back to look for maps. He wanted to determine the location first.

As soon as Gao Xunzhī left the room, he clenched his fists tightly.

He had known it.

To be able to cultivate such a learned and wise disciple, it must be the work of the Dao Lord!

Young Rong even knew of Taoist deities that others didn’t, which proved this point!

He needed to hurry and go back to burn incense, first to apologize to the God of Literature, Wen Chang, for never having heard of his name, and second, to thank the Dao Lord for sending such a talented person to the Northern Army.

When Xiao Rong first mentioned that Pingcheng had coal, Gao Xunzhī had already had an inkling of an idea, and now, his suspicion was confirmed.

Indeed… Ah Rong carried something extraordinary. Whoever got Ah Rong could take the world!!!

 

＊

 

…

Xiao Rong watched Gao Xunzhī leave and felt a bit disappointed.

After discussing the library for so long, Gao Xunzhī didn’t show even the slightest amazement or curiosity about carving books onto wooden boards.

This was printing!

One of the Four Great Inventions—printing! With this, the civilization of Central China could make a qualitative leap!

It was already impossible to determine who had invented printing, as the exact inventor was lost to history. After all, anyone could have had the sudden inspiration to carve characters onto a board. In the isolated ancient world, it was possible that several people had the same idea at the same time, but their efforts hadn’t spread.

The earliest form of printing was rubbings, like woodblock printing, and even today, rubbing was still a leisurely artistic activity, though limited to the wealthy and aristocratic families. These people had the money but never thought of selling the prints.

Actually, Xiao Rong didn’t know whether printing existed at this time. The earliest recorded appearance of printing coincided with the publication of the Daozang. There was one small issue: it also occurred at a time when the aristocratic families had been thoroughly crushed. As a result, thousands of new ideas and innovations sprang up from the common people, and many famous items that became household names in later generations emerged during this period.

The Daozang was a collection of Taoist works, and in fact, those books existed even now. They were just hidden away and not revealed. Printing might have already been invented, but it too was hidden and not revealed to the public.

The aristocratic families….

Though Xiao Rong had always known the aristocratic families were overbearing, he hadn’t been particularly emotional about them until he realized that every plan he made was obstructed by this group. Every step he took was met with opposition, pushing him back and forcing him to retreat. Now, when he heard the term “aristocratic families,” he felt a strong urge to grind his teeth.

Therefore, he didn’t care whether Gao Xunzhī agreed or not! He was going to do this. He would test the limits of the aristocratic families repeatedly and work hard to develop himself. He didn’t even need to wait until the Northern Army surpassed the aristocratic families. As soon as their levels were equal, he would kick down the aristocratic families’ boundaries and declare war on them.

These woodblocks were to be the vanguard of his declaration of war.

The ten men were still diligently carving the woodblocks, and Xiao Rong looked at them with a kind expression, as though already imagining the scene of the aristocratic families jumping in anger at what he was doing.

The ten busy men: “…”

Strange, why did they feel a chill running down their spines?

 

….

 

As for why he used woodblocks instead of moving directly to movable type printing….

In fact, movable type printing had never truly become widespread. It wasn’t that anyone was stopping it, the cost was just too high and impractical. Copper and iron were too expensive, and common people couldn’t afford them. Only the royal family could create a movable type framework for experimentation. The Northern Army at this time was similar to the later shopkeepers of the common folk, living frugally and counting every coin. It was better to start with woodblock printing.

 

＊

 

In the end, eight of the ten men stayed, while the remaining two were not completely dismissed. Xiao Rong told them to go back and practice diligently, and when he returned from Jinling, they would be tested on their carving skills.

The two men didn’t want to carve wood blocks at all, but they didn’t dare defy Xiao Rong’s orders, so they reluctantly went back.

Meanwhile, Xiao Rong inspected the work of the other eight men, and then took the best piece to find Mijing.

That day, Mijing had been struck to the heart by a remark from Qu Yunmie. Although Gao Xunzhī had told him that Mijing hadn’t taken it to heart, Xiao Rong didn’t believe that. Even if Mijing truly hadn’t cared, his attitude should have shown otherwise. Since Qu Yunmie wouldn’t apologize to Mijing, it was up to Xiao Rong to do so.

When he arrived at Mijing’s residence, upon learning his purpose, Mijing couldn’t help but smile slightly. “Thank you, Young Master Xiao, for treating me with such kindness, but the King came the day before yesterday. We had a pleasant conversation, and regarding that day’s careless words, the King has already explained to me. I am deeply grateful and have gained some new insights into Buddhism.”

Xiao Rong: “…”

He was stunned. “The King apologized to you?”

Mijing paused for a moment, then gently corrected him. “He explained why he said those harsh words that day.”

That was essentially an apology!

In Qu Yunmie’s world, an explanation was the same as an apology!

Xiao Rong was so shocked that he became dazed. It was already rare enough for Qu Yunmie to apologize, but now he had apologized to Mijing, someone he disliked. What a rare sight this was!

Suddenly, Xiao Rong remembered something and asked Mijing, “When did the King come to see you?”

Mijing answered, “The day before yesterday, at the second quarter of the Chen hour.”

Xiao Rong: “…”

That was the morning of the day he woke up late. He had asked Qu Yunmie where he had gone, and Qu Yunmie had turned it around, complaining about Xiao Rong interfering with his personal matters.

Xiao Rong felt speechless. No wonder Qu Yunmie had avoided the question; it turned out he had secretly gone to apologize and didn’t want anyone to know.

He felt a bit displeased but also wanted to laugh. In the end, Xiao Rong lowered his head, and smiled slightly. Then lifted his head, and spoke to Mijing with a warm smile. “Mijing and the King haven’t known each other for long. Perhaps you don’t realize how rare it is for the King to do this. It shows how important you are to him.”

Mijing silently looked at Xiao Rong, and Xiao Rong smiled back at him, not caring at all about how far-fetched his words might have been.

Mijing blinked, and after a moment, he too smiled. His smile was somewhat bold, not quite fitting with his usual reserved nature.

Xiao Rong couldn’t help but sit up straighter, no longer pretending. It was clear now that Mijing was about to lay his cards on the table.

A monk who could become a politician couldn’t possibly remain as low-key as he had been showing.

Sure enough, after the smile faded, Mijing sighed lightly: “I am very aware of my position in the King’s heart. The King doesn’t believe in the Buddha or the Dao Lord. In the King’s eyes, my identity as a Buddha’s son might still be a burden. But the King was willing to put aside his prejudices and talk to me. Not because of my position in his heart, but because of your position in the King’s heart, Young Master Xiao.”

Xiao Rong pursed his lips and listened to his words. After a while, he replied, “It doesn’t matter whose position it is, at least the King has made a change. That’s what truly matters, don’t you think?”

Mijing nodded but then shifted his tone. “Changing because of someone is ultimately just changing the surface. The root cause of the King’s actions is a person. If that person ever changes, or if the King’s relationship with them changes, will the King fall back into his old ways?”

Xiao Rong lowered his eyes and smiled cryptically. “No. Because nothing is purely black or white. The King has changed because of one person, but during the process of change, he will receive many responses. People spend their entire lives striving to rise, and there’s more to life than just power—there’s wealth, admiration, joy, and so on. Once the King has experienced what it feels like to have the hearts of the people, he can never go back to a state of being out of touch with them. He can’t bear it.”

Mijing said, “Perhaps so, but from my perspective, the King doesn’t seem to care much about the people’s hearts. He cares more about the hearts of the people around him.”

Xiao Rong raised his eyelids and smiled at Mijing. “Isn’t that just right? The people around the King now are all benevolent individuals who think of him and the common people.”

Mijing subtly tugged at the corner of his mouth, but he couldn’t agree with that. He had observed the Northern Army for so long, and even Gao Xunzhī, with the best reputation, seemed to only serve the Northern King.

Yu Shaoxie merely placed his ambitions within the Northern Army.

If you count it, only Xiao Rong truly cared about the common people. Most people would think Xiao Rong was good, an absolute benefactor, but Mijing, looking at him, felt his expression gradually grow colder.

“Young Master Xiao, what I said that night was all from the heart. I truly don’t believe you’ll face danger in Jinling. But if you continue acting like this, I’m afraid you won’t live for many more years.”

Xiao Rong was stunned. He recognized the coldness in Mijing’s voice and couldn’t help but ask, “Buddha’s son, are you worried about me, or are you disappointed in me?”

Mijing paused for a moment and then spoke again. “It’s neither worry nor disappointment. I’m just an outsider, and though I’ve chosen to enter the world, I still view things with the perspective of one from the outside. Young Master Xiao, you are kind-hearted and have a compassionate spirit. Your actions are indeed done for the Northern King and the people, but I want to advise you: if you truly want to do good for the people, you shouldn’t do things this way in the future.”

Xiao Rong stared at Mijing’s face, but Mijing had a naturally compassionate expression. In the midst of his sympathy, there were no other emotions visible. Xiao Rong couldn’t tell what Mijing meant, so he had to ask, “Buddha’s son, please elaborate.”

After a brief silence, Mijing said, “Temporary charity isn’t charity, it’s torture.”

Xiao Rong: “…”

It seemed that monks had this common trait—though they could explain things in detail, they chose not to and left you to figure it out. Luckily, Xiao Rong’s mind was quick, and after a while, he understood Mijing’s meaning. If it had been someone else, they might have needed several days to comprehend.

 

….

 

Mijing was saying that by pouring all his energy into improving the lives of the common people, Xiao Rong was merely offering short-term charity. One day, when Xiao Rong was assassinated by someone he had offended, the people would go from having enough to eat to starving. After experiencing a full belly, returning to hunger would be even more painful for them. It would be better if they had never experienced abundance at all.

So, in the end, Mijing was advising him to not be so radical, and pay more attention to the interests of other social classes. For the common people’s sake, he needed to take care of those in higher positions so that they wouldn’t act impulsively.

Xiao Rong fell silent. After a while, he smiled again. “Buddha’s son should have heard the saying, ‘Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day; teach a man to fish, and he will eat for a lifetime.’ I’m not giving out temporary charity, not at all. What I want is for every trade and every household to thrive. Now, I’m teaching them skills. In the future, they will use these skills to give back to me. I want them to be able to support themselves, and eventually, to become so skilled that they can support the whole land.”

With that, he placed the woodblock he had brought in front of Mijing. “This is one of the skills I’m teaching.”

Mijing picked up the rough woodblock. After a glance, he immediately understood what it was. “Is this… writing?”

Xiao Rong smiled even more proudly. “Yes, I carve books onto the woodblocks. After brushing ink on it, I can print the books onto paper. With this method, I can print hundreds of books a day. I will sell these books. Commoners, noble families—anyone with money can buy them, and I won’t refuse anyone.”

Mijing’s fingers lightly traced the relief on the surface. After a while, he looked at Xiao Rong. “You are seeking your own demise.”

Xiao Rong smiled even more boldly. “Lord Chancellor Gao also said that. If I tell more people about this, I’m sure their reactions will be the same. But some things must be done. We can’t stop just because there are obstacles ahead. Some things I cannot even tell Lord Chancellor Gao, but I can tell you, Buddha’s son, because I know you and I are on the same path. We both drift in this world, both involved in it and detached from it. We both want to change everything, but for various reasons, we have not yet acted.”

Mijing silently watched him.

Xiao Rong asked, “Am I wrong? Everyone says the Buddha’s son went to the Western Regions to search for new scriptures, but I think what you are really looking for is a way to save the world. I believe you’ve noticed the reason the King went to pick you up that day was because I requested it. There are all sorts of people in the Northern Army, but what we lack is an outsider. An outsider does not care about status. In their eyes, all people are the same. This aligns with my way of thinking. Many people can’t understand the things I do, but an outsider can. Over the past month, I’ve never asked you to do anything. I’ve been waiting for you to finally understand, to stop staying here with a probing attitude. What do you think now? Do you think the King is beyond saving, and I’m reckless? Or do you believe the King still has potential, and I have touched a bit of your true feelings?”

Mijing: “…”

He had revealed some of his true nature to Xiao Rong. His intention was to make Xiao Rong understand him better, and to caution him. If Xiao Rong couldn’t be aware of his personality after being with him for so long, then he should be even more cautious about outsiders.

Mijing wanted to teach Xiao Rong the lesson that there were always greater things beyond what one could see; in the end, he became the one taught.

It was clear that Xiao Rong had already known that Mijing wasn’t simple. Asking him to come wasn’t just for discussing scriptures, but because Xiao Rong truly wanted him as a helper. This was a game that Xiao Rong had started, but now it seemed like Mijing had fallen behind.

However, Mijing couldn’t feel angry. First, he wasn’t a person who got angry easily, and second, Xiao Rong understood him so well. This both shocked and touched him deeply.

Since the Huhar people broke through Yanmen Pass, Mijing had always been the Buddha’s son who shouldered the responsibility. Others saluted him, bowed to him, and treated him with utmost respect, but no one, not even his former teacher, had been able to see through his heart the way they once did.

After a long breath, Mijing looked at Xiao Rong and asked directly, “Young Master Xiao, do you hope I can help you with something?”

Hearing this, Xiao Rong genuinely smiled. For Mijing to ask him this meant that his attitude had finally softened. “We’ll talk about the future when the time comes. As for now, I hope the Buddha’s son can organize the scriptures and give them to the engravers. Let them print a few copies of the Buddhist scriptures first.”

He planned to use the Buddhist scriptures to shield them from criticism. Once the storm passed, they would carve and print the classics.

Mijing nodded. It was a small matter. As a disciple of the Buddhist sect, it was his duty to spread the scriptures.

However, when he got up to retrieve the scriptures, he remembered that Xiao Rong had said earlier: ‘We’ll talk about the future when the time comes.’

Mijing: “…”

Suddenly, he had an ominous premonition.

 

Edited by: Antiope

 

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