Qin Shi Ambitious

Page 159

But Lu Wei's last words today subtly revealed another world to Zhang Liang: the anti-Qin alliance was already taking shape!

According to Master Lu, Yan Dan, representing the Yan Kingdom and the Mohist forces, is cooperating with the Quicksand.

Their purpose is unknown, but since the farmers knew about it, they, or at least a part of them, joined in.

This part of the peasant faction is tentatively designated as Gonggongtang, because Yan State is within the sphere of influence of Gonggongtang, and Lu Wei himself shows no goodwill towards Qin, so he can certainly join the anti-Qin movement.

This information, revealed in just a few words, already demonstrates such immense power. Who else might be a member behind the scenes...?

Zhang Liang believed he needed to observe the war situation in the Yan state more closely.

However, his attitude remained unchanged: wait. At this point, opposing Qin would be like moths to a flame, unless the three states of Chu, Wei, and Qi genuinely united to attack Qin and rescue Yan.

That is obviously impossible.

"While remaining patient, I need to gradually influence the attitudes of my senior brothers, the sect leader and the second senior brother."

After tidying up the chessboard, Zhang Liang stood up and looked towards the towering library, stepping closer: "Confucianism, as one of the prominent schools of thought, would have a huge influence if it could stand up and call for an anti-Qin movement at a critical moment."

"Sect Leader Brother... he's even harder to persuade than Uncle-Master Xun Kuang..."

...

In the northwest stands a tall building, reaching up to the floating clouds.

When Lu Wei met Fu Nian in the library, the Confucian leader was standing with his back to the "Confucius Observing the Leaning Vessel" painting, which the hall master had given to the Confucian school.

The sound of footsteps made Fu Nian turn around, face the person, and say loudly: "A vessel that is tilted will tilt when empty, stand upright when half-full, and overturn when full."

"As the saying goes, 'Pride goes before a fall, humility brings benefit,' and this is exactly the case."

"Brother Lu, you were very thoughtful to give me this painting of Confucianism last time. I have already had an artist make several copies for use in Confucian classes for teaching purposes."

Immediately afterwards, Fu Nian and Lu Wei began a deep discussion about the hanging scroll. Fu Nian did most of the talking, while Lu Wei listened.

Even with just a simple painting, this Confucian master was able to explain it eloquently from various angles, citing classical texts and engaging in a lively discussion that lasted for a full half-incense stick's time.

As the original owner of the scroll, Lu Wei learned about the various details in the scroll through the explanation, and was amazed by them.

Although the Hall Master's knowledge was far inferior to Fu Nian's, he could easily discern the intentions behind Fu Nian's conversation.

First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude; there's not much to say about that.

Secondly, it was a well-intentioned admonition from a friend. The saying "Pride comes before a fall, humility brings benefit" was mainly aimed at Lu Wei's boastful pursuit of a hundred consecutive victories in sword duels last year.

Excessive pride can bring disaster.

Of course, Lu Wei was not a Confucian, and Fu Nian, adhering to his own identity, only mentioned it indirectly as a friend, without saying much more.

Finally, we must consider the medium on which the painting is displayed: paper.

In the library with its vast collection of books, two or three bookshelves in the center are already filled with paper books, but compared to the enormous library, they are just a drop in the ocean in terms of volume.

According to a letter sent back to headquarters by Li Shiqi, Fu Nian had twice approached him to request an increase in the amount of paper Xiaoshengxianzhuang would purchase each month.

Li Shiqi, lacking sufficient authority and position, declined all offers.

Before coming to Xiaoshengxianzhuang, Lu Wei had made preparations to accept Fu Nian's request.

Therefore, when Fu Nian subtly brought up the material of the painting, he generously offered to allocate a larger share to Sang Hai.

I bow deeply in gratitude for this kindness.

Just then, Zhang Liang pushed open the door and entered. After the bowing ceremony was completed, he smiled and said:

"Zifang merely went down the mountain for a short visit, yet he brought back Brother Lu for our Senior Brother Sect Leader, solving a major problem for him. Senior Brother, you must reward me for this!"

Chapter 178 Anomaly in Wei

Lu Wei had heard of the strictness of Confucianism regarding diet before.

“I never tire of fine food, and I never tire of delicate mince.”

"One should not speak while eating or sleeping."

“Eat only what is appropriate for your taste. Do not eat fish that is rotten or meat that is spoiled, do not eat food that looks bad or smells bad, do not eat food that is improperly cooked, do not eat food that is out of season, do not eat food that is not properly cut, and do not eat food that is not served with the right sauce.”

"There is no limit to wine, but one should not let it lead to disorder."

However, when the three leaders of the Confucian school dined with Lu Wei in the side hall after their conversation at the library today, the rules were not very strict.

The innkeeper, Paoding, personally led his staff to deliver the food. The portions were not large, but each dish was exquisite.

Paoding's relentless pursuit of culinary excellence led him to strive for perfection in serving any guest, regardless of their status. It was this belief that led Fu Nian to entrust him with the entire catering of Xiaoshengxianzhuang.

Of course, the Confucian representative who made the specific arrangements was Zhang Liang, and in his communication with the butcher, he keenly sensed the extraordinary nature of Youjian Inn.

As for the secret behind this, Zhang Liang still chose to remain an observer and not rush into contact.

When the butcher appeared to deliver the food, Lu Wei glanced at the plump shopkeeper, and Zhang San, who was keeping a close eye on Master Lu without making a sound, immediately remembered this.

Based on his observations of the Youjian Inn after arriving at Xiaoshengxianzhuang, it is clear that the butcher was not a disciple of the peasant school, much less a follower of Taoism or Legalism.

It should be the Mo family's Mo knights.

"The chef at Youjian Inn is a master chef in Sanghai. Brother Lu, you should try his cooking when you come to Sanghai again."

After the cook delivered the dishes, he did not linger. After the cook left, Fu Nian sat upright and gestured to the exquisite dishes on the table.

Lu Wei chewed slowly and carefully, and only after swallowing the food in his mouth did he leisurely follow Fu Nian's words and praise the butcher, and then bring up Confucian food culture.

After patiently listening to Lu Wei's description of the Confucian rules, which were perceived by the public as strict and almost rigid, Fu Nian remained calm and solemnly replied:

"A virtuous person does not seek to be full when eating, nor does he seek comfort when dwelling; he is diligent in his work and cautious in his speech."

"The core of Confucian food culture is etiquette. If etiquette is not violated, one can be flexible and adaptable. Today, we are peers and not in the main room. If we speak with restraint, we can do as we please."

"Senior Brother is usually very rigorous in his studies..." Zhang Liang smiled gently, and after Fu Nian finished speaking, he asked curiously, "I only realized today that he could also be so adaptable and flexible."

"Only by remaining unchanged can change occur."

Lu Wei said this, and Fu Nian nodded in agreement.

Without a solid foundation in scholarship, it is difficult to have the depth and creativity to develop independently after graduation. This Confucian leader pursued propriety, but also strived to adapt Confucian propriety to the ever-changing times.

Confucius himself was eager to serve as an official and put his political wisdom into practice. As the leader of Confucianism in this generation, Fu Nian naturally shares the same ambitions as his predecessors.

Among Confucian scholars, it wasn't just Zhang Liang who observed this era; Fu Nian did the same, only the latter concealed his identity and scholarly research, making him even more difficult to discover.

After finishing their meal, they declined any offer to stay and descended the mountain from Xiaoshengxianzhuang. At the Sanghai City stronghold, Li Shiqi and Ziwu had already returned.

The former, Li Sheng, was discussing farm management in Sanghai City with Lü Qing, while the latter was practicing swordsmanship in the backyard.

Lu Wei exchanged a couple of moves with Zi Wu, then went to the accounting office to listen to the discussion between the two people in charge.

After the invention of paper provided the concept, it was not difficult for others to imitate it in the Qin Dynasty world where technology was somewhat skewed.

After all, the world's technological level is unimaginably advanced, but it lacks a sufficiently broad imagination.

However, the advantages of farmers lie in their low cost and mature technology developed over thousands of years. While some people may be able to make rough paper for everyday writing, small workshops cannot crack the code to produce higher-quality paper.

The sale of paper in Sanghai can be relaxed a bit; Lu Wei has entrusted Li Shiqi with this matter entirely.

While profitability is important for business development, in Sanghai, profitability is not the most important factor.

The following day, the Hall Master took Ziwu on a large ship for a sea voyage. They didn't gain much, but mainly experienced the power of the wider seas and waves.

Due to various limitations, even the coastal state of Qi invested very little in marine development. With the land not yet fully explored, the lurking dangers and uncertainties of the ocean meant it was not a primary focus.

Ziwu has always been very curious about things big and small that he has never seen or heard of before, but this curiosity usually only lasts for a short time. However, when it comes to going to sea, he is energetic and never tired.

However, a day's round trip by sea ships can't cover very far, and ordinary ships, even the large ships that can be found in Sanghai City, can't carry enough people, food, and fresh water to sustain them for long voyages.

Only a little over a decade later, on that massive ship that could be called a mobile island—the Mirage—will be able to sail into the deeper blue sea.

As evening fell, Lu Wei noticed several merchants wandering around the docks.

Are those people locals from Sanghai?

The hall master asked, his gaze fixed on the man in brocade robes who was holding bamboo slips and a carving knife and writing something with his head down.

“No, they are merchants from Chu.” Ziwu glanced at them and calmly replied, “These people came to Sanghai City once last year.”

"Did Li Sheng send you to investigate?" Zi Wu's question prompted Lu Wei to press further.

"Yes," Ziwu added briskly, "The behavior of those merchants holding bamboo carving knives at the dock was very strange, and they also deliberately observed our ship's passage. After I reported this to Uncle Li, he instructed that we could conduct a detailed investigation."

"But there were no follow-up results. They just openly recorded some basic information about the ships at the dock. Everything else was normal. They left after the goods they brought from Sanghai were sold out."

"It's not just about us; they also observe and record things at Xiaoshengxianzhuang, but they're more cautious: they only observe during the day and then return to the inn to record at night."

"So they've also been observing Confucianism..." The hall master's heart stirred, and he made a guess about the intentional or unintentional glances the brocade-clad merchants were giving him.

Clearly, these people were observing from the dock because they were there for the Nongjia Sanghai branch, but their crude surveillance tactics and certain mannerisms typical of merchants proved that they were just ordinary businessmen.

'However, since they are also monitoring Confucianism, Zhang Liang must be able to provide me with useful information!'

Whether smart or stupid, people always act logically. Those who act illogically are either crazy or another kind of genius; their lack of logic is itself a kind of logic.

Although he didn't get to meet them up close, Master Lu guessed that these merchants weren't very valuable.

If they are very valuable, then the event itself is not very valuable.

Ignoring them, Lu Wei and Zi Wu returned to the branch.

The fact that there were no merchants monitoring the branch area like those at the coastal docks was strange, and it reminded the head of the hall of one person: Xiao He.

Before he met Xiao He, two strange things happened between Chen Sheng and the Xu family assassins: one was a test, and the other was an attempt to help.

This record of foreign merchants doing nothing else carries a subtle resemblance to something else...

On the morning of the third day, when Master Lu visited Xiaoshengxianzhuang again, he happened to see Zhang Liang practicing sword dancing in the morning.

After stretching their bodies a bit, the two stopped playing chess and instead took a walk side by side along the mountain path behind the mountain.

"A merchant behaving strangely? Liang certainly knows about this."

Dressed in a swordsmanship uniform, Zhang Liang shed his gentlemanly gentleness and revealed a youthful spirit full of fighting spirit.

Not being inside Xiaoshengxianzhuang, and with no one to disturb them, their conversation was direct and decisive: "Although we cannot leave Sanghai to investigate further, the clues about these people point to the Great Liang of Wei."

"I see. Zifang's clues are very helpful. Thank you."

The location of the Wei Kingdom coincides with the Chen Sheng incident, confirming his earlier guess that he had come to visit Zhang Liang.

"Brother Lu, you don't need to be so polite. I am also very interested in this matter."