Phi-Fic Chapter 1012 Trip to Yunmeng Mountain (2)
Chapter 1012 Trip to Yunmeng Mountain (2)
After listening to Lin Qingyuan's words, Li Che also fell into deep thought.
It must be said that Lin Qingyuan's analysis is entirely reasonable.
The imperial court is currently at a sensitive juncture, undergoing a transition between old and new powers after the elimination of powerful clans.
If I were to meet in a high-profile manner with a leader of a reclusive school of thought who is regarded as a 'heretic' by mainstream Confucian scholars at this moment, it would be tantamount to deliberately provoking those Confucian scholars.
In Daqing today, Confucianism remains the mainstream doctrine, and even his close ministers are mostly Confucian scholars.
The aristocratic families have already been pushed to the opposite side. To make enemies of Confucianism and create a powerful opponent for the new policies would be a losing proposition.
After a moment, Li Che raised his head: "What you say makes sense. It is indeed inappropriate to send your teacher to the capital at this time."
Lin Qingyuan had just breathed a sigh of relief when Li Che abruptly changed the subject, saying firmly:
"Since that's the case, then I won't allow Mr. Xu Jiezi to enter the capital... I will go see him myself!"
"what?!"
Lin Qingyuan was completely dumbfounded and almost thought he had misheard.
He simply couldn't understand why His Majesty and his teacher, who had never met before, would insist on meeting despite ancestral rules, and why the emperor would disregard his status as the supreme ruler to welcome him.
What's going on with these two? Why are they so... inseparable?
It wasn't that Lin Qingyuan was inconsiderate of social status, but rather that he simply couldn't think of any other words to describe it.
"Your Majesty! Absolutely not!" Lin Qingyuan hurriedly dissuaded him. "Your Majesty is the supreme ruler, the one whose fate is tied to the safety of the nation. How can you so easily leave the capital?"
Li Che waved his hand, interrupting him: "I am not one of those weak and powerless rulers who grew up in the deep palace. Back in the day, I rode a horse with a sword in hand. What kind of battles haven't I seen?"
"What does a short journey matter? It's settled then!"
He immediately looked at Huai En beside him and issued a series of orders: "Huai En! Quickly send someone to catch up with the team that was sent to meet Mr. Xu Jiezi."
"Issue my decree that they should suspend bringing the gentleman to the capital and instead find a safe and secluded place along the way to settle him properly, awaiting my next instructions."
Huai En quickly replied, "Yes."
Then, Li Che looked at Lin Qingyuan and said, "Minister Lin, you have not seen your master for a long time, you must miss him very much."
"Why don't you go and greet him, my dear minister? Find your master as soon as possible and explain the pros and cons to him. I will have Qiu Bai lead a team of elite soldiers in plain clothes to accompany you."
Seeing that the emperor's mind was made up, Lin Qingyuan knew that further persuasion was useless, so he could only bow and accept the order: "Your subject... obeys the decree! I will certainly not fail in my mission!"
. . . . . .
When Qiu Bai received Li Che's secret order, he was quite skeptical.
What Yunmeng Mountain, what Guiguzi, what old immortal...
He served Li Che for many years and had met at least eighty or a hundred so-called great scholars, famous figures, and reclusive masters.
Their titles were all impressive, but when it came to the moment when swords and axes were at their throats, let alone being able to talk and laugh, he had hardly ever seen anyone who could remain calm and composed.
In his view, if there truly is a god in this world, there is only one, and that is His Majesty the present!
The rest of those who seek fame and fortune are not worth mentioning.
However, despite their inner grumbling, His Majesty's orders are ironclad.
Qiu Bai suppressed his disdain, but carried out the orders without any hesitation.
He immediately selected fifty skilled cavalrymen from his personal guards, and together with Lin Qingyuan, who was traveling with him on imperial orders, they left the capital and sped south along the official road.
At first, Qiu Bai was worried that Lin Qingyuan, who looked like a weak scholar, would slow down the journey.
Unexpectedly, this third-place scholar in the imperial examination was not only a brilliant writer, but also quite skilled in horsemanship.
As they galloped on horseback, they were able to keep pace with him, showing no inferiority whatsoever.
Qiu Bai's slight contempt subsided slightly, and he secretly praised, "The disciples of Guigu Sect do have some skills." He then relaxed and focused on making his way.
The group endured wind and rain, sleeping outdoors, changing horses but not riders, and traveled swiftly for three days and three nights.
Finally, news came from the scouts ahead: Master Xu Jiezi had settled down at the official post station not far ahead, and upon hearing that the imperial court had sent people to meet him, he had already set off to greet them.
Upon hearing the news, Qiu Bai immediately ordered the troops to prepare.
He reined in his horse and gazed into the distance, wanting to see what kind of person this man, who had moved even His Majesty, was.
However, when he saw the figure at the end of the official road, his pupils suddenly contracted, and the remaining disdain in his heart vanished instantly.
In the distance, an elderly man dressed in loose white robes slowly walked along the road.
He neither rode a horse nor took a carriage; he simply walked leisurely along the official road on his bare legs.
That would have been fine, but what was strange was that from the moment Qiu Bai first saw his figure until he could clearly see the other's hair, beard, and facial features, only less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn remained.
Even at top speed, it would be impossible to cover this distance so quickly!
The old man seemed to walk with ease, as if strolling leisurely, but his speed was as fast as a ghost. His figure flashed a few times on the official road and he was already in front of me!
Qiu Bai felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, and his palms, which were gripping the reins, instantly became sweaty.
He subconsciously swallowed and whispered to Lin Qingyuan beside him, "Lin...Lin Tanhua...Master...is he...is he really not a celestial being descended to earth?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyuan snapped out of his daze, a hint of helplessness on his face, and explained, "Your Excellency is joking. My master is naturally a human, not a deity."
"These are just some secret techniques of cultivating qi and guiding energy passed down from our sect. When you practice them to a high level, you will feel light and healthy and walk faster."
“My lord, you are also a close confidant of His Majesty, so you should know the principle of the sage’s saying, ‘The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits.’”
Qiu Bai: ...
He watched the white figure approaching so rapidly, almost as if shrinking the distance between them, and listened to Lin Qingyuan's weak and feeble words, finding it utterly absurd.
This is like a highly respected Taoist priest who, one moment preaching the importance of believing in modern science, the next moment jumps off a mountain in front of everyone.
This thing, once seen with your own eyes, is undeniable!
Just as Qiu Bai was internally ranting, the white-robed old man had already gracefully arrived in front of him, standing steadily as if he had just taken a stroll.
He had white hair and beard, and a gaunt face. What was most striking were his unusual double pupils, which made people afraid to look directly at him.
Lin Qingyuan quickly dismounted, stepped forward, and respectfully bowed: "Disciple Qingyuan greets Master!"
Xu Jiezi's gaze fell on his disciple, and he said gently, "You must be tired from your journey. I already know about what you did in the capital. You did well."
Then, he turned to Qiu Bai, who seemed a little lost, and asked, "And who is this?"
Lin Qingyuan quickly introduced, "Master, this is Marquis Chengen, the head of all the marquises and a trusted and beloved general of His Majesty. He has come here to welcome you on His Majesty's orders."
Upon hearing this, Xu Jiezi bowed to Qiu Bai and said, "So it is Marquis Chengen in person. I, Xu Jiezi, am very honored."
At this moment, Qiu Bai dared not accept the greeting so readily. He dodged to the side and quickly returned the greeting with clasped hands, his tone becoming much more polite:
"Sir, you mustn't! You are His Majesty's honored guest. I, Qiu, have been ordered to come and protect you. How could I possibly accept such courtesy from you!"
Seeing his reaction, Xu Jiezi didn't stand on ceremony and went straight to the point, his gaze sweeping over Qiu Bai and Lin Qingyuan: "Does His Majesty already know about my journey north?"
Lin Qingyuan nodded solemnly and said, "Yes, the envoy from the Hua Academy sent a secret report first. His Majesty was overjoyed after reading the letter and originally intended to welcome him with open arms in the palace."
"It was your disciple who advised Your Majesty that your meeting with your master at this time might be detrimental to Your Majesty's great cause."
"Therefore, His Majesty sent his disciple and Lord Qiu to welcome our master and explain the advantages and disadvantages."
Xu Jiezi nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes: "You have considered things thoroughly. I have been thinking about this matter on the ship for a few days and I also feel that I did not think it through properly and that I was a bit rash."
"If those old Confucianists find out that I have come to the capital to meet the Emperor, they might use this as an excuse to cause trouble, which would certainly add a lot of trouble for His Majesty."
Seeing that his master was reasonable, Lin Qingyuan felt somewhat relieved and continued, "Therefore, His Majesty has made a new decision; he has decided not to allow you, Master, to enter the capital."
Xu Jiezi raised an eyebrow slightly, waiting for what would happen next.
Lin Qingyuan took a deep breath and continued, "His Majesty said that he will personally leave the capital to meet with Master!"
Even with his extremely high level of mental cultivation, Xu Jiezi's eyes twitched involuntarily upon hearing these words.
The emperor himself left the capital to meet an old man in the mountains? What an honor!
The ancient Chinese tradition of "treating the virtuous with respect" is exemplified by Liu Bei's three visits to Zhuge Liang's thatched cottage, which occurred before Liu Bei ascended the throne.
If someone has already ascended to the throne and still lowers themselves to such a degree, it's not just a simple case of 'eagerly seeking talent,' but rather a bit like a sycophant.
But this only reinforced Xu Jiezi's belief that the young emperor was far from at peace.
It seems that he has an unimaginable relationship with Yunmeng Mountain, or rather with his mentor!
Having thought this through, Xu Jiezi had already made up his mind.
He slowly shook his head and said, "I am grateful for Your Majesty's kindness."
"But having His Majesty come in person would still be too much of a commotion, and it would inevitably lead to leaks, and it would also be inappropriate according to etiquette."
He paused, his gaze sweeping southward, and then made a suggestion that shocked even Lin Qingyuan:
"Since that's the case, there's no need for His Majesty to come see me. How about this... Your Majesty, please come to Yunmeng Mountain in person?"
"Master?!" Lin Qingyuan exclaimed in disbelief, hardly able to believe his ears.
What kind of place is Yunmeng Mountain? It is the ancestral home of the Guigu School for thousands of years, transcending worldly affairs and forming its own unique system.
Since its inception, the family has never received outside guests and maintains strict rules.
When the former emperor held immense power, he once wanted to go up the mountain to find out what was going on, but in the end he couldn't even step into the mountain gate!
Now, Master is actually going to invite the current emperor to come up the mountain?!
Seeing his disciple's shocked expression, Xu Jiezi knew what he was thinking and said calmly:
“Some things are about inheritance and roots; words alone are not enough and are ultimately superficial.”
"Only by letting His Majesty see certain things in the mountains with his own eyes can we dispel his doubts and confirm some of my guesses."