Chapter 21: The Hundred Schools of Thought

  That night, the subtle and hidden killing intent in the exchange between Yao Guang and Zhang Liang dissipated into nothingness. Neither Zhang Liang, as one of the three leaders of the Confucian school, nor Yao Guang, who had come with the title of Emperor's Teacher, intended to speak of this matter again.

  When the two met again, Zhang Liang was still polite and courteous, while Yao Guang remained calm and composed, as if they had never had a tense standoff with swords drawn.

  But what's the difference between them now?

  At least Yao Guang's impression of Zhang Liang has improved a lot, and she can gradually calm down her mind. She no longer puts the reverence for "Taoist Zhangzi Fang" on the young man in front of her, nor is she angry because Zhang Liang rebelled against Qin. There will be disappointment only if there is hope. Since Yao Guang no longer overlaps the Confucian San Dangjia and the historical strategist with the youth in front of her, but simply treats him as a Confucian disciple and a former Korean prince, she also doesn't have the initial disappointment and discontent, and can evaluate the young man in front of her fairly.

  To be fair, Zhang Liang is not bad at all. He has a versatile talent, extensive knowledge, and is good at dancing with long sleeves and being clever in every way. He is skilled at recognizing people and drawing up strategies. Although he may seem a bit young and arrogant now, among the outstanding young talents of today, he can be considered one of the best.

  Yao Guang is not unsympathetic towards Zhang Liang, but now his attitude has become cold due to their differing stances.

  In Zhang Liang's view, Yao Guang also transformed from a sword-fighting Taoist genius in the Organ City to an intelligent and formidable figure who could not be underestimated. When mentioning "Emperor's Teacher", he also added a few more sincere words, rather than the sarcastic tone he had previously held within his heart.

  Zhang Liang asked Yao Guang, who was wearing a Taoist crown, Yao Guang replied calmly: When I cast the sword, I had some feelings in my heart. Although it was not until the time of going out, I am no longer the Taoist boy of the past. I should wear my hair and wear a crown to show it clearly.

  In the following days, Yao Guang continued to recite Taoist scriptures during the day and received guests and gifts at night.

  The room originally arranged for Yao Guang was not small, but the people who came to give gifts were endless, and all kinds of gifts quickly filled up the whole house. Yao Guang didn't hesitate to ask Fu Nian to borrow another room to pile up the gifts.

  This behavior, which was between legal and illegal, made Zhang Liang and Fu Nian, who had a good impression of her, not know what to do. The words about "bribery" from Yao Guang were naturally passed on by Zhang Liang to the other two masters, and at that time, the two men remained silent for a long time.

  By the fourth day, Ying Zheng arrived at Sang Hai. Yao Guang had just finished speaking about his familiarity with over a hundred classics, and upon receiving this news, he stood up and bid farewell with a smile.

  Fu Nian did not utter a word of persuasion.

  It's clear to everyone that this is probably the end of our fate. If we meet again in the future, it's unlikely that we'll have another moment as peaceful as this one.

  Ying Zheng was extremely excited to take Yao Guang to the seaside, proudly introducing the mirage, saying that he would send 500 boys and girls to the overseas Xian Shan to find the immortal, the moon god quietly agreed, deliberately explaining in detail that the construction of the mirage is not easy, the Yin Yang family spent a lot of effort on it, if they found the immortal, they would bring back the elixir of immortality.

  Yao Guang listened and shook her head disapprovingly.

  "Long life and eternal vision are not in external objects, the elixir of immortality is indeed elusive. Even if there were a mountain of immortals in this world, it would not be seen by ordinary people, the mirage rises from the sea, only to waste human resources and material wealth."

  If someone else had said that, they would probably have been beheaded by Ying Zheng immediately. But the one who spoke these words was Yao Guang, whom Ying Zheng considered to be "immortal". Although he was shocked and displeased in his heart, after thinking carefully for a moment, he let out a long sigh.

  "Since you say so, mirage... it's fine even if it doesn't come out of the sea."

  Intangible legends and real people in front of you, who to believe is self-evident.

  The moon goddess almost couldn't hold back her profound and mysterious appearance, and nearly wanted to pounce on and strangle Yao Guang.

  She knew, she knew that this sentence would make the efforts of the Yin and Yang family all in vain, and their years of hard work would be in vain!

  Ying Zheng originally wanted to take Yao Guang to the Mirage Tower, but now that Yao Guang has said so, he suddenly loses interest and returns to the mansion after inquiring about Yao Guang's experiences over the past few days.

  "What does the teacher think of Confucianism?"

  "...the various schools of thought and the hundred families, all interconnected and interdependent...I almost didn't get to see Your Majesty. Recently, I still have some unease in my mind, always feeling that something will happen. If I were to meet with an accident in Sang Hai, it's likely that the culprit would be from Xiao Sheng Xian Zhuang, who has been trying to entice me into marriage and is infatuated with his wife."

  Yao Guang had not so easily forgotten the crisis of that night when Zhang Liang threatened his life, and he answered Qin Shi Huang's question honestly.

  She said this, undoubtedly implying a connection between Confucianism and Mohism.

  What else could be associated with "counter-revolutionary"?

  Qin Zheng's expression changed slightly, "Confucianism..."

  Yao Guang didn't say much more, feeling that she had already said enough. Before leaving, she turned her head to take one last look at the massive mirage, thinking to herself that this ship would probably be able to sail all the way to Fusang, anyway Xu Fu hadn't brought back any elixir in history.

  Hmph, it can't be said that Xu Fu is definitely a swindler. On the island of thieves, so many poor and innocent "children" who cannot grow up didn't all become like that after eating his elixir?

  Unable to grow up, losing loved ones, having no place to settle down, even if one lives forever, what's the point? In the end, aren't they just like ghosts and demons? What they desire is not immortality, but merely a normal life of birth, aging, sickness, and death, which is unattainable. They are cast aside from the cycle of reincarnation in the mortal world.

  Yao Guang was almost unable to contain his anger when he saw those children on the island, and he wished he could cut off Xu Fu with one sword.

  Now that she is here, how can she just stand by and watch history repeat itself!

  Five hundred children, mirages rise from the sea, no need to go.

  Yao Guang didn't know how much impact her speech based on injustice and indignation would bring, she had no idea how much effort the Yin Yang family in this world had put into the Mirage Flower, only to have it all go down the drain because of her words.

  Ying Zheng was able to cut off his delusional thoughts with great determination and stop the plan to go out to sea in search of immortals, but the Yin Yang masters were unable to give up like this.

  How many years of planning, how many years of heart and soul, all abandoned because of one word from the emperor!

  Late at night.

  Yao Guang was startled awake from his meditation by a sharp and fierce murderous aura.

  That murderous aura came too suddenly, as if it had appeared out of thin air, and with Yao Guang's keen spiritual awareness, she could only barely detect it in the nick of time. She just managed to draw her long sword.

  A deep purple, almost black light flashed in the night and instantly enveloped Yao Guang's field of vision.

  A massive and terrifying power condensed into a physical form, transforming into a deadly beam of light.

  Yao Guang barely squeezed out a sword mantra and swung his sword down with a wave of energy.

  The moment the aura formed, that shocking power exploded on Yao Guang's body, and space underwent a violent distortion, as if it had been pierced, revealing a terrifying black hole.

  Yao Guang was caught off guard and was directly swallowed by the black hole.

  In the distorted space, gusts of violent winds swept through, destroying the house in an instant. But just for a moment, the black hole disappeared, and the distorted space returned to normal, as if that terrifying scene had never happened. The house was quiet as death, without any signs of life.

  After a while, someone whispered in the moonlit night: "Under the East Emperor's Pavilion, if Your Majesty asks..."

  A middle-aged man wrapped in a black cloak, his face obscured, spoke in a cold voice: "The Confucians are dissatisfied with the Emperor's teacher and plan to assassinate him at night, destroying all evidence."

  The moon god nodded and replied, "Yes, sir."

  The next day, Ying Zheng saw the messy situation at Yao Guang's residence but didn't see Yao Guang. He summoned Yue Shen and ordered her to investigate. After a few days of pretending to be mysterious, Yue Shen reported back according to Dong Huang Tai Yi, the leader of the Yin Yang family. Ying Zheng was indeed furious and gathered his troops to assemble at Sang Hai, where a fierce battle broke out as soon as they clashed.

  Inside Xiaosheng Village, the atmosphere is heavy and everyone feels endangered.

  Fu Nian sank his face and looked at Zhang Liang, the fragrance of rice flowers in the fields.

  "Is it you who has been behind the imperial tutor all along?"

  Zhang Liang smiled bitterly and replied: "If it were really me who did it, I wouldn't be wrongly accused."

  This answer is tantamount to admitting it.

  Fu Nian and Yan Lu exchanged a glance, their faces even more solemn than before.

  Yan Lu said in a warm voice: "The Emperor's mind is clear and empty, the Tao is natural, even if the internal force is empty, it will not be silently eliminated by the Yin Yang family..."

  Zhang Liang's face didn't look very good as he asked: "What if it was Dong Huang Taiyi who made the move?"

  Dong Huang Tai Yi has always been stationed inside the Yin Yang family, rarely appearing in front of people. If inferred from the strength of the two guardians outside the Yin Yang family and Da Shao Si Ming, Dong Huang Tai Yi's strength can only be described as "profoundly unfathomable".

  If the leader of the Yin-Yang family really didn't mind taking matters into his own hands and killing Yao Guang, it's not impossible that he would succeed. Moreover, the Moon Goddess was so certain in framing the Confucianists for this crime, if you say she had nothing to do with it, it's a bit too fake.

  Yan Lu thought for a moment, then slowly shook her head.

  "I don't know the true extent of Dong Huang Tai Yi's power, so it's hard to make a judgment... Even so, I still believe that Emperor Shi is still in the mortal world."

  It's better that Yao Guang is still alive rather than dead and missing. As long as she appears, the crime of being a Confucian will naturally be washed away.

  The question is, if she's really alive, why hasn't she been seen?

  Zhang Liang recalled the conversation a few nights ago under the moonlight, muttering to himself: "The Qin king has long been dissatisfied with Confucianism, he just needed an excuse... The Emperor's teacher died at Sang Hai, this is the best reason. Indeed... worthy of being the Emperor's teacher..."

  Life and death are all concerns of the emperor's thoughts.

  Fu Nian suddenly stood up and said in a deep voice, "I will go to request an audience with the Emperor. If you can leave, then hurry up and go. The Confucian tradition cannot be cut off here."

  Yan Lu and Zhang Liang were shocked, and exclaimed in unison: "Shixiong?!"

  Outside Xiaosheng Village.

  Li Si waved his hands to signal those around him to retreat and cautiously stepped forward, saying in a low voice: "Your Majesty, the Confucians should not be making a move against the Emperor at this time."

  Qin Shi Huang's face remained solemn, his gaze swept Li Si and said calmly: "I certainly know. But Mr. had an accident in Sang Hai, the murderer must be related to Confucianism."

  Li Si thought back to what he had seen in the imperial teacher's residence and still had doubts in his mind.

  "Whoever dares to lay a hand on the master, I won't let off a single one of them. Let's start with the Confucians. The master has risked his life to come to the Confucians in person. If I miss this opportunity, how can I still face the master?"

  Not bad, he didn't believe in the words of the moon god, nor did he believe in the Yin and Yang family.

  However, sir was attacked, and the murderer "must" be from Confucianism, which is the best excuse to punish Confucianism.

  He believed that Mr. must still be in the world, and at this moment he was paying attention to himself from afar. She would put such a good opportunity into his hands, how could he fail!

  Li Si's heart was suddenly as clear as snow.

  This is actually... The master and apprentice sang a play, with Sang Hai as the stage, directly pulling all the Confucians and Yin Yang families who were in power at the time onto the stage. The play has not yet ended, and they cannot leave the stage. By the time the music stops and the crowd disperses, it's likely...

  Ying Zheng coldly watched as the gate of Xiaoshengzhuang opened, and Fuyan walked out slowly.

  The era of the Hundred Schools of Thought has finally come to an end.

  A hundred schools of thought contend with one another, but none can surpass the Way of the Emperor.

  This chapter is Chapter 21 of the Hundred Schools of Thought. If you think this chapter is not bad, please don't forget to recommend it to your friends on QQ group and Weibo!