The Immortal Seeker: Legend of Bronze Mirror
Chapter 261 - 130: Proposing Marriage and the Portrait of Chongyang (Seeking Subscriptions)_2

Chapter 261: Chapter 130: Proposing Marriage and the Portrait of Chongyang (Seeking Subscriptions)_2

This is Xu Qing’s true intention.

The skylight theory is most applicable to the national conditions of the Great Yu Dynasty.

As long as the transition from rice to mulberry farming is successfully implemented, Xu Qing will have control over the source of raw silk, coupled with the sea route opened by King Lin, it means an endless stream of wealth.

Of course, eggs aren’t only laid by silk, but also by tea leaves, which are the most profitable trades in sea commerce.

With Jiangning Prefecture as his foundation and control over these two businesses, he has both people and money at his disposal. He just needs to wait for the right opportunity, and even Duke Wei won’t be able to touch him. By then, he won’t need to leverage others; he will be a force in his own right.

If he was only concerned with solving the peasants’ petition issues and matching wits with the nobles of Jiangning Prefecture, that would indeed be missing the forest for the trees.

What do the nobles of Jiangning Prefecture amount to?

In this game, they are not qualified to compete with Xu Qing.

If Xu Qing were to entangle himself in trivial matters, he would just be exhausting his potential and energy for nothing.

Xie Quan is a wise man; with just a hint, he understands Xu Qing completely. He says, "Gongming, are these methods divinely inspired?"

He recalls Zhang Zifang’s evaluation of Han Gao, the Grand Ancestor.

It implies that Han Gao’s abilities were given by heaven, not something teachable by man.

Xu Qing: "You could say that, but it’s not some rare skill. Teacher doesn’t understand not because I am smarter than you, but because Teacher looks at things differently than I do."

Xie Quan: "How so?"

"The principle of ’The Book of Changes’ is that all things follow the Yin-Yang opposition. There is no pure good and no pure evil. By looking through external objects to see the essence of things, naturally one cannot be confused by externals. Teacher is a great scholar of ’The Book of Changes’, so you must understand this."

Reflective, Xie Quan says, "It seems my study of ’The Book of Changes’ is not comparable to yours."

Xu Qing casually replies, "It’s not about being inferior; it’s about looking at things from a different perspective."

Xie Quan: "The rationale is easy to think of, but the most valuable quality is the courage to act, in this, I am far behind you."

Xu Qing thinks to himself: "If you knew you might not live for many more years, what would you dare not do?"

He changes the subject, "This matter is drawing to a close; we’ll see how it develops and how they strategize above. Please, Teacher, join me on a trip to Yingtian Prefecture."

"For what purpose?" Xie Quan asks instinctively.

Xu Qing laughs heartily: "To propose a marriage to Master Feng. Your assistance is needed as a witness. As for the betrothal gifts, this is the best betrothal gift; if Master Feng presents these to the court, his return to the capital will surely bring promotion."

He gestures to the box full of the local gentry’s petition for land measurement.

Xie Quan can’t help but smile wryly, thinking: "Feng Qiuyuan, let’s see if you can sleep well with such a son-in-law."

Despite the schadenfreude, having the box of petitions, for an Imperial Censor, is indeed a legitimate achievement.

If the Grand Secretary is strong enough, then Feng Xifeng is sure to benefit from this achievement.

And the current Grand Secretary lacks nothing in terms of strength.

Xie Quan can’t help but regret; he has spent half his life in vain, not as good as someone who has a desirable daughter.

Fate!

...

...

Outside the Government office, Lei Juren looks up to the sky and heaves a long sigh, his face filled with sorrow.

Scholar Hu and others ask, "Mr. Lei, what’s wrong?"

Now that everyone is in the same boat, they have grown much closer, unlike before when they would appear cordial on the surface while secretly wishing they could stab each other and feast on the corpses.

Lei Juren, embarrassed, says: "Mr. Hu, this... ah... this land measurement has cost me dearly."

Scholar Hu and the others are speechless. You, an old guy looking fierce and formidable yet utterly useless. If you had dared to resist face-to-face earlier, could Xu Gongming possibly have dealt with all of us, the prominent local gentry, alone?

Now you’re regretting it.

Seeing petty gain and forgetting righteousness, pursuing great pursuits yet fearing for one’s own skin!

Deservedly so.

Yet seeing Lei Juren regretful and likely to suffer a blow to his Essence Qi, everyone, originally irritable, start to feel an unexpected sense of pleasure.

And the resentment towards him for being the first to capitulate seems to diminish substantially.

Scholar Hu says: "That Xu Gongming is lawless, daring to oppress us gentry. I will report this to my Old Master and ask him to write to his old colleagues."

"Right, we must expose him. Xu Gongming must realize Jiangning Prefecture is not a place where he can act unchallenged..."

At that moment, Lei Juren pounds the ground, kicking up dust, and a depression forms in the earth.

Everyone is startled and asks, "Mr. Lei, what’s the matter?"

Lei Juren says, "The more I endure, the angrier I get. Better to confront Xu Gongming again for an explanation."

"Uh..."

Scholar Hu bows slightly and says, "I’m in a hurry to prepare medicine for my Old Master. I will take my leave now. Farewell, everyone..."

"I just remembered there’s something urgent at home... ahem..." Mr. Ding quickly climbs aboard his carriage, urging his driver to hurry.

"My concubine is about to give birth..."

One by one, the gentry hastily climbs onto their carriages.

Lei Juren watches everyone depart and shakes his head, "Lei usually persuades others with virtue. You all really think I’m eager to start a fight?"

With an innocent face, he walks to his carriage, lifts the curtain, and steps inside.

"Old Lei, you did well this time." A rugged hand pats Lei Juren on the shoulder.

Startled, Lei Juren turns to see it’s King Lin and pats his chest, saying: "Old Lin, sneaking onto my carriage like a ghost, you almost scared me to death."

King Lin laughs heartily: "Your courage, Old Lei, isn’t that small."

Lei Juren: "I wouldn’t dare compare my courage with yours. If they hadn’t agreed earlier, you wouldn’t have teamed up with Xu Gongming to deal with them, would you?"