Back when Wei Yuan first assumed the post of Western Jin's military commissioner and traveled to the capital for an audience, he had tried at every turn to slack off during the great hunt. Yet contrary to his desires, he ended up firmly pinned in first place, forced to bear the burden of Western Pu's state fortune—and in an amount far exceeding his expectations.
Over the past two years, the northern front of Western Pu had originally been going poorly, but Wei Yuan's crushing defeat of the shamans in the Western Regions had caused the state fortune to rise rather than fall. Now, Qingming had been resting and recuperating for more than half a year, growing ever more formidable, and the firmament of Smoke and Fire of the Mortal World had gradually turned lofty and clear.
Yet out of nowhere, the sky had suddenly begun to fester, bleeding residual crimson light. Judging from this shift in fortune, Western Pu's state fortune had plummeted right back to where it stood when Wei Yuan first took up the commission.
The variables affecting a state's fortune were numerous and dizzyingly complex. Even if one combined the King of Pu, the imperial court, and Wei Yuan, they accounted for barely thirty percent of Western Pu's total fortune.
The northern Liao and the Wuyu bore the lion's share of the impact, while the rest was dispersed among the Lyu and Xu clans, as well as the various aristocratic families conducting business within Western Pu.
The moment Western Jin's fortune ran into trouble, Zhao planted a new domain right against Qingming, displaying unmistakable signs of military aggression against Jin.
Not long ago, the King of Zhao had been waging war against the State of Ji on and off for several years, ultimately seizing two commanderies. It was very likely he would now kick Western Pu while it was down and exploit its weakness to plunder more.
A heavy sense of crisis welled up in Wei Yuan's chest. He felt he had to act fast. Having enjoyed the benefits, the time had come to fulfill his obligations.
Western Pu's state fortune had transformed into the firmament of Smoke and Fire of the Mortal World, serving as a vital link in perfecting that world. If a problem arose with this link, there was no telling how long Wei Yuan's path of cultivation would be delayed.
At this moment, Li Zhi arrived at Qingming. By now, the two had not seen each other for some time. Wei Yuan arranged a banquet in Zhike Town to welcome him.
After three rounds of wine, Wei Yuan asked about Li Zhi's recent situation.
Li Zhi had previously spared no effort in supporting Qingming, committing over a hundred thousand troops in succession and suffering nearly fifty percent casualties. Grievances and complaints had boiled within the Zhenshan Fief, and many had even lodged direct complaints with the King of Zhao and the King of Qi. Yet Li Zhi had suppressed all dissent and continued his unwavering aid to Qingming.
When they finally defeated the Land of Rain, Li Zhi reaped immense prestige. The earlier doubts vanished in an instant, replaced by overwhelming praise. Seeing that he had sired such a prodigy of a son, Duke Huien promptly took three more concubines, determined to build on the momentum and vigorously expand the Li family.
For Li Zhi, whose primary path of cultivation lay in the art of the sovereign, prestige was of paramount importance. The victory in that great war allowed his cultivation to attain complete perfection, after which he returned to the Four Sages Academy to prepare his dharma idol.
The Four Sages Academy threw its full weight behind him as well, drastically cutting the resources allocated to several other Dao seeds and expending several ancient true meanings—items that could only be used one last time—entirely on Li Zhi.
In the end, Li Zhi fused the sword and cauldron into a single crucible, successfully condensing the dharma idol: Former Site of Xuanling.
In antiquity, a Human Emperor had constructed the Xuanyuan Altar to offer sacrifices to Heaven. Later, the site fell into alien hands, and the sacrificial altar was destroyed. Only after a thousand years of continuous warfare did humanity reclaim it. By the time the Founding Emperor of Great Tang successfully established the dynasty, he chose to preserve the ruins under seal rather than rebuild them, using them to spur future generations never to forget the bitter struggles of their forebears.
The brilliance of this dharma idol lay precisely in the fact that Li Zhi had not condensed the intact Xuanyuan Altar, but rather the ruined former site left in the wake of the alien races' destruction.
This had been possible only because the Four Sages Academy retrieved a strand of Human Emperor karmic luck that had been sealed for a millennium and bestowed it upon Li Zhi, allowing his dharma idol to undergo a profound transformation and rise to an even higher plane.
Within this dharma idol's altar sat a battered ancient cauldron, beside which stood a treasured sword thrust into the stone, surrounded by bloodstained war banners.
When warring against alien races, this dharma idol could dramatically bolster martial qi, filling an army with unyielding fighting spirit so they would wage bloody battle without retreat. When battling fellow humans, unless the opponent possessed an auspicious treasure capable of countering it, their army's martial qi would be noticeably suppressed. When deployed within his fief, the idol could enhance the attributes of boundary stones and diminish the likelihood of natural disasters and man-made calamities within the territory.
Wei Yuan could not help but deeply envy Li Zhi's dharma idol. It was practically the consummate idol for becoming an emperor.
Li Zhi, however, offered a wry smile. "To tell you the truth, the founding masters of the academy placed a seal on my dharma idol. When I manifest it normally, it appears only as a sword and a cauldron; the ruins of the altar and the blood-soaked banners are kept completely hidden. Otherwise, if this idol were revealed, I fear the Son of Heaven of Great Tang wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I'm telling this only to you, so do not let anyone else know."
Knowing the gravity of the matter, Wei Yuan gave a solemn promise. On second thought, it made sense: if any monarch discovered such a figure within his realm—a rebel in the making through and through—he would surely do everything in his power to have him killed.
Following the great battle against the Land of Rain, Wei Yuan had delivered a hundred thousand sets of breastplates to Li Zhi in batches, allowing the Zhenshan Army to completely refit its gear.
With their combat effectiveness dramatically enhanced, coupled with Li Zhi's immense personal prestige, the generals had finally recognized the tremendous benefits of entering the war.
However, while Wei Yuan had initially offered to train another hundred thousand infantry for Li Zhi, once Li Zhi condensed his dharma idol, he felt that his core forces would be far more dependable if drilled with his own hands. Qingming's style of warfare was far too elusive and unorthodox, not necessarily fitting the proper path, so the matter had simply been dropped.
After chatting about the past for a while, Wei Yuan turned to the main topic, explaining how Li Chengfeng had established a new domain in an attempt to bottle up Qingming and sever ties between Qingming and the Zhenshan Fief.
Li Zhi did not offer an immediate opinion. Instead, he asked, "My good brother, you must already have a plan in mind. If you need anything of your elder brother, just say the word."
Wei Yuan replied, "I want to seize the initiative in this matter and preempt the court of public opinion first. So I'd like your help, Brother Li, in contacting some great scholars who have no fear of the powerful and mighty. Have them publish articles roundly denouncing the King of Zhao! I will certainly provide more than ample honorariums!"
By then, the two had nearly finished eating. Li Zhi had the food and wine cleared away and called for brush and paper. In a single breath, he jotted down over thirty names, then crossed out five or six before saying with a laugh:
"You've come to the right place—this is the Four Sages Academy's bread and butter. Nowadays, scholars across the realm pride themselves on their moral fiber and consider it a badge of honor to scold emperors and nobles. When it comes to men who aren't afraid of stirring up trouble, there are far too many. The ones I crossed out just don't have enough fame."
Wei Yuan glanced at the list and saw Cai Shizhi's name prominently displayed. Surprised, he asked, "Even Master Cai is willing to speak on my behalf?"
Li Zhi chuckled. "Circumstances change. Back then, driving civilians forward to fill the battle lines was a fact; right now, the King of Zhao disregarding the greater good of humanity to send troops for petty gain is also a fact. Speaking up for you now will actually highlight his magnanimity—that he judges actions, not persons. I'll also find two people close to him to chime in, and the deal will be done. Of course, the honorarium cannot be lacking; I'll simply say it came from me."
Wei Yuan sighed. "You scholars truly have no shortage of wicked tricks."
Li Zhi and Wei Yuan went through the list name by name. Right and wrong were clear in Wei Yuan's case, making it relatively straightforward to manage. Furthermore, the Four Sages Academy was the realm's sacred sanctuary of letters; with Li Zhi stepping forward in person, more than half of the twenty-odd grand scholars needed nothing more than a generous writing fee.
Of the remaining seven or eight, some had strange quirks, some were stubbornly intractable, and some held grudges against other scholars—the sort who would deliberately write the exact opposite whenever someone else published an essay.
Yet quirks did not matter so long as they had desires.
Tailoring their approach to each man, Wei Yuan and Li Zhi quickly devised solutions for almost all of them, until only two remained. Both were men of spotless integrity and unyielding pride who rarely kept company with friends, making their mark on the world purely through their prose and scholarship.
Wei Yuan and Li Zhi pondered for a long time without coming up with a good plan. Staring at their dossiers for a while, Wei Yuan suddenly asked, "Do they have descendants?"
"Undoubtedly."
Wei Yuan said, "Tell them that if they accomplish this task, I will elevate one of their inept younger relatives to the Dao Foundation!"
Li Zhi slapped the table in admiration.
With the plan settled, Li Zhi headed straight for the Four Sages Academy.
Three days later, grand scholars began publishing articles in succession, fiercely condemning the King of Zhao for disregarding humanity's greater cause and dispatching troops to seize profit just when Qingming was weakened. If everyone in the world acted like this, who would still be willing to resist the alien races? Who would bleed and sweat for humanity?
Cai Shizhi's essay was the most scathing of all, its core thesis ringing loud and clear: *When a petty man devoid of virtue rules a state, that state will not long endure.*
***
Inside the grand hall of Zhao.
The King of Zhao seized a stack of jade paper from the table and slammed it violently before his assembled ministers, roaring in fury, "I have ruled as the King of Zhao for decades! People have called me a warmonger, people have called me callous toward the people's livelihood, but never once has anyone dared call me a petty man devoid of virtue!!
"And for so many people to publish articles cursing me all at once—what in the world is going on? Did I dispatch a single soldier to attack Qingming? On the contrary, that rogue Wei Yuan acted with utter barbarism and murdered my Zhao soldiers first! How is it that every single one of these scholars curses me, yet not one utters a word against Wei Yuan?!
"Such a major storm, and you had not a shred of advance warning! What use do I have for any of you!"
The King of Zhao roared like thunder. The ministers stood trembling like cicadas in winter, none daring to utter a word.
***
Meanwhile, Wei Yuan dispatched emissaries to Jin to discover what major events had recently unfolded, even as he reorganized his forces and prepared for war.
After parading a force of over ten thousand half-baked, poorly coordinated, and ragtag cavalry before Li Chengfeng, Wei Yuan estimated that while Li Chengfeng was confident of victory, he would have no clear grasp of Wei Yuan's true troop numbers. Under such circumstances, Li Chengfeng's natural choice would be to request reinforcements rather than flee.
Furthermore, having just unleashed the upright scholars of the realm to blast the King of Zhao into oblivion, the King of Zhao—if he had an ounce of temper left—would never allow Li Chengfeng to withdraw.
With a great clash on the verge of erupting, Wei Yuan still had urgent business to attend to.
He issued orders, and freight carts set out from across Qingming, forming dozens of small convoys that loaded supplies at designated locations. Converging along the route, the small convoys merged into medium convoys, and the medium convoys merged into large ones. By the time they departed Qingming, they had grown into a massive caravan of over five hundred freight wagons.
Wei Yuan, meanwhile, flew ahead toward Zhao.
***
Zhao, Yuyang Commandery.
Pacification Commissioner Cui Shutong had just finished lunch and was sipping tea in his study when his senses stirred. "An esteemed guest arrives at my door—why not reveal yourself?"
An ethereal voice echoed in the air: "It is somewhat inconvenient at the moment. Would the Pacification Commissioner kindly dismiss his attendants first?"
Cui Shutong instructed, "All of you, withdraw. Without my orders, no one is permitted into this courtyard."
The servants and guards stationed outside promptly retreated from the courtyard.
Only then did Wei Yuan reveal himself, already seated in the guest's chair.
Cui Shutong's pupils contracted slightly. "Commissioner Wei's cultivation grows ever more transcendent. It seems attaining immortality is well within your grasp in the future."
"Ascending to immortality is a matter for the future. Right now, mundane affairs are far more pressing."
"What pressing matter brings you here? Pray speak in detail, Commissioner Wei," Cui Shutong asked.
Though they rarely met in person, they had dealt with each other countless times, and the volume of goods traded between them had grown steadily. It was fair to say that more than half the immortal silver lining Cui Shutong's pockets had come from Wei Yuan.
Wei Yuan said bluntly, "With a clash between Jin and Zhao imminent, I worry the King of Zhao may very well embargo trade between us."
Cui Shutong did not bother hiding it either. "Indeed. I expect the decree is already on the road and will arrive within a day or two."
Wei Yuan replied, "My caravan is already on the road as well. It will reach the border by noon tomorrow."
Cui Shutong's eyelid twitched. "How much cargo?"
"Five hundred wagons of breastplates and brocade."
Cui Shutong's eyelid twitched again. "With a great war at our doorstep, you're still selling breastplates?"
Wei Yuan offered a faint smile. "Only then is it persuasive."
"Fine. What do you want?"
"The usual: people."
Cui Shutong gritted his teeth. "Five outer counties, totaling seven hundred thousand people—take them all!"
A broad smile appeared on Wei Yuan's face. "Doing business with Commissioner Cui is always a delight!"
Chapter 667