Chapter 84: The Futility of Ardent Efforts

  Jingling Gongzi had not yet replied, but the Gongzi who had just been ridiculed by Wei Luo had come back to his senses. He chuckled and said: "To govern with laws and also to apply benevolence? I do not know how these two can be applied together."

  Wei Luo was taken aback.

  She turned her head and saw that everyone in the hall was nodding frequently, and from their low voices, it could be heard that these people all thought what this young master said was right.

  It's settled, at this time the various schools of thought had distinct factions, each faction thinking that their own learning was already the ultimate truth, thoroughly understanding and meticulously examining. Never having thought to merge and connect with other factions.

  Wei Luo smiled, and his eyes shone like jade, "To govern by law is to make clear the great and small matters of the state and the people, all written in code, which everyone must follow. To govern by virtue is not outside human emotions, to help those in distress, to heal the sick, to comfort the families of the war dead. Such virtue is like gentle rain and breeze, slowly and quietly bestowed, subtle and nourishing."

  Wei Luo's words sounded reasonable, but after all, they were just talk. To actually implement them would be a monumental task that would require enormous national resources.

  The young master was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing: "Lowly commoners and slaves are no better than beasts, yet they receive benevolence in the form of gentle rain and breeze? How ridiculous! How lamentable!"

  He couldn't help but laugh and sigh, shaking his head back and forth with a chuckle. Wei Luo slightly furrowed her brow.

  She knew that everything she said would be difficult to implement. However, her purpose today was only one, which is to let everyone know that she has talent! Good talent! As for whether what she said could be implemented or not, and whether others would adopt it or not, she didn't care at all.

  Now she knows her goal has been achieved from the unusual gaze of the crowd. If so, then don't argue with a gentleman about this trivial matter.

  Weiluo no longer paid attention to the young master, turned his head and looked at the Jinling young master, and asked loudly again: "What do you think of what this humble person has said?"

  The young master of Jingling sat on the main seat, his hands clasped together, and his deep eyes stared at her with a hint of pride in her eyes. The four eyes met for a moment, and he slowly said, "According to the law, the saying of prospering agriculture and benefiting tools is not wrong."

  As soon as he finished speaking, Wei Luo's originally raised small face suddenly burst into a brilliant smile. This was exactly what she had been waiting for, the words of Prince Jing Ling.

  As soon as the words of the Duke of Jingling fell, the people in the hall also nodded frequently. From any angle, there is some truth to what Wei Luo said in these three sentences.

  This young man is only about 15 years old and has not yet come of age, but he has had such experiences and did not expect to have such insight, it really makes people look at him in a new light.

  Among the murmurs of the crowd, the eyes that looked at Wei Luo also changed. Unconsciously, there was a hint of respect in those eyes.

  In this era, being literate, educated and having insight are symbols of nobility. After so many years of endless war, countless small countries have been destroyed, princes have become slaves, and young masters have turned into servants. Everyone has seen such changes before, so even if they initially looked down on Wei Luo, once they knew he had insight, their eyes immediately showed kindness. Because the Wei Luo in front of them may have been a servant boy, but after all, he was born into a noble family and still had a respectable past and insight.

  Wei Luo turned her head, met the gaze of the crowd with kindness and approval, and for some reason, felt a warmth in her heart. At this moment, an idea that had never occurred to her before floated into her mind: these respectful and kind gazes were really comfortable, it would be great if she could enjoy them more often.

  She quickly put away her dazed and confused state, clasped her hands together, and said loudly: "Everyone, Wei Luo may not be talented, but she is a dignified husband with ancestors to worship! Before this, Luo had already been granted the title of third-class guest in the manor by Prince Jingling himself! A great man's greatest wish is to establish merits and glorify his ancestors, and Luo is no exception. From now on, please do not treat Wei Luo as a child bride again."

  She said this, and in the midst of everyone's whispers, she looked at the Prince of Jingling. Looking up at him with a gaze as deep as midnight, unable to discern even half a ripple in his eyes, Wei Luo smiled, revealing a mouthful of snowy white teeth, causing those two black and pure eyes to become a spring wave. She saw that her hands were clasped together, her voice raised, and she asked the Prince of Jingling loudly: "Does the prince think that with Wei Luo's talent, can he be considered as a good husband?"

  She is a general!

  General Direct!

  In front of so many people, she first showed off her talent and then expressed such a sentimental speech. Now this sentence is asking the Duke of Jingling to give her a proper name. She asks the Duke of Jingling to recognize her talent and no longer treat her as a child or a jester who can be teased!

  She knew he had to agree, because he couldn't give people a reason to gossip, let people think he valued beauty over talent, and couldn't let people think he humiliated virtuous scholars, forcing talented individuals to become his subordinates!

  Wei Luo laughed happily as she thought about it.

  That was the real smile, with ink-like eyes like waves, and radiant flowing light. In that dazzlingly bright gaze, a slyness, a complacency, an uncontrollable joy, and a triumphant arrogance flowed out.

  With such a guard, with such eyes, with such radiance and complacency, staring at the Duke of Jingling, waiting for him to give himself an answer.

  Slowly, the corners of Jingling Gongzi's mouth hooked up slightly.

  As soon as he saw his upturned mouth, Wei Luo's triumphant and arrogant smile was immediately reined in, and a hint of vigilance appeared in those flowing black jade eyes, like a cat beginning to stare intently.

  Jingling Gongzi smiled again at this point.

  He smiled lightly, slowly picked up the wine jug from the table, and slowly took a sip. Until Wei Luo's eyes became more and more alert, his expression clearly guarded, he replied faintly: "You've already said it, I've made you a third-class guest in the mansion, why ask again? Besides, when were you, Wei Luo, ever a virgin?"

  Yes.

  Wei Luo's head spun as she turned to face him, thinking that what he said also made sense.

  No! It wasn't like that, when he conferred me as a third-class guest, there was another sentence afterwards, saying I was his personal minister. Ah, why didn't I say that in one breath just now?

  In fact, as a personal minister of the prince, it was not considered very excessive to be insulted. People at that time looked at carnal desire lightly and casually, and really didn't think this matter was a big deal.

  Because the physical contact can be ignored, what people care about is only the change of identity. However, the personal attendants and the young boys are vastly different; the young boys are of lowly status, while the personal attendants have already become family servants.

  Therefore, even if Wei Luo said that Jing Ling made her his personal minister, others would not think so. It can be said that her idea of "making the world think that he humbled a virtuous scholar and forced a talented person to be his subordinate" was originally untenable.

  Wei Luo stared foolishly at the Duke of Jing Ling, and suddenly she realized that her passionate outburst hadn't improved her situation in the slightest. She still had to stay by his side, still had to endure the danger of being exposed at any moment, and still had to tolerate his teasing. Hmm, of course, she also teased him back.

  Jingling Gongzi took another small sip of the wine in his cup, and only after he had savored it for a while did he turn to Wei Luo with a warm and gentle smile amidst the gradually growing noise: "You've said enough, why not sit down?"

  "Ah? Yes, yes." Amidst the hesitant responses, Wei Luo sat down slowly. At this moment, she was still dazed because her brain was busy sorting out and thinking.