By the time the two had dressed their wounds and eaten a bite, the night was already deep and still.
Exhausted beyond measure, Fang Hetong turned in early to sleep. That he had managed to lead three hundred militiamen with the presence and imposing aura of a thousand elite troops that day had depended entirely on the empowerment of the Service Chapter. Bestowing such a blessing upon three hundred men took a tremendous toll, and in a short time, Fang Hetong had burned through most of his magic power. Fortunately, Li Zhi possessed Qi-Nourishing Pills from Four Sages Academy. Both Four Sages Academy and White Maple Academy were Confucian cultivators, making the medicine remarkably effective. After swallowing a single pill, Fang Hetong not only had his magic power replenished, but even his hidden injuries showed signs of improvement. Yet though his magic power was restored, his primordial spirit remained fatigued, demanding rest.
The night was still long. Li Zhi meditated and cultivated, while Wei Yuan sat beneath the lamp reading, comparing the day's battle against the writings in his texts.
As the saying went, what comes from paper always feels shallow in the end. Only after repeated bloody battles against Northern Liao did Wei Yuan gain a true understanding of the region and discover fresh insights into the books' accounts of them. Now, while the experience was fresh, was the exact time to deepen those realizations.
At the break of dawn the next morning, Li Zhi set out for the neighboring county with the corpses of his personal guards to escort them back to Southern Qi. Only six bodies had been retrieved; the rest had to be left behind in the Liao domain. If a corpse remained in the Liao domain for more than a day, there was practically no point in searching for it. Living things in the Liao domain were ferocious—to say nothing of other beasts, even Liao horses ate flesh.
Throughout the entire morning, Wei Yuan and Fang Hetong worked on the fortifications, digging more pit traps. Working alongside Fang Hetong, Wei Yuan listened as he analyzed the political situation and the current progress of the war, finding it immensely rewarding. Down on his luck though Fang Hetong was—nearing forty without even a minor official post to his name—he was skilled in everything from farming and teaching to training and organizing troops. His analysis of the current state of affairs was equally incisive and penetrating.
Yet while he could dissect politics and officialdom with utter clarity and understood all the principles, he could never apply them to himself. Whenever he witnessed injustice, a surge of hot blood would rush to his head—just like writing that letter despite knowing full well he had no chance of bringing down Vice General Liao. It could only be said that his temperament ruled him; he was simply not suited to be an official.
For the past ten years, Wei Yuan had cultivated in seclusion within the Palace of Grand Beginning, his understanding of current affairs confined to the pages of books. Only after this deep talk with Fang Hetong did he finally understand where so much of the common people's suffering came from.
Around midday, the aroma of cooking began to drift through the air. Li Zhi had left behind many arrows and weapons upon departing, and had even left all of his military rations. Now the men of Shayang Village had not only meat broth, but also polished rice mixed with spirit rice powder and flatbreads. Yet whenever these men received their food, they would always stash away a little, hoping to save enough to send to their wives and daughters in the two villages farther back. Wei Yuan repeatedly told them that there was more than enough military grain to go around, but to no avail.
During lunch, Wei Yuan asked Fang Hetong whether he would be willing to take office in Southern Qi, which was effectively asking if he would follow Li Zhi. Wei Yuan knew Li Zhi had always loved recruiting talented individuals, and following him would give Fang Hetong an outlet for all his learning.
Even at Sun Chao'en's banquet, Wei Yuan had been able to see that Fang Hetong's disposition made him ill-suited to serve as an official. Perhaps finding an enlightened master and serving as an advisor would suit him far better.
Fang Hetong hesitated and said nothing, merely burying his head in his food.
Wei Yuan pressed him further. "The sages spoke of the Three Immortalities: establishing virtue, establishing merit, and establishing words. Brother Fang, if you wish to establish virtue, you must first have a position where you can display your talents. On this point, I believe Magistrate Sun was right. Since Brother Fang also harbors the desire to aid the world and the people, what difference does it make whether you provide a livelihood for the common folk in Southern Qi or in Western Jin? Once great deeds accumulate, the world will naturally sing your praises, and establishing virtue will follow as water forms a channel."
Yet Fang Hetong asked, "Does worthy brother not plan to go out and build an enterprise of your own? I have heard that expanding territory is a tradition of the Palace of Grand Beginning. You will soon achieve the Dao Foundation as well. If you have such an intent then, your elder brother will assist you with all my strength!"
"Ah? Me?" Wei Yuan gave a start, then shook his head. "I'm not someone with grand ambitions. I just want to cultivate quickly and earn some immortal silver as soon as possible. When I go out to expand territory in the future, I will most likely just assist the senior masters of my sect and collect my own share of the pay."
Fang Hetong was not disappointed. Instead, he said, "I used to be just like you, wanting only to read a few more books, farm the fields in my spare time, look after my wife and children and elders, and pass through life peacefully like that. But several years ago, when the Liao barbarians invaded, I finally understood that wishing for a quiet, stable life in troubled times is sheer luxury. So I often ask myself: what do we scholars read so many principles for? Why do we cultivate day after day, gaining such great power within ourselves?"
Hearing these words, Wei Yuan suddenly remembered what the Daoist master had said when he first entered the Palace of Grand Beginning, recounting the ancestral founder's life and the sect's origins: *'We cultivators of the Palace of Grand Beginning cultivate divine abilities and magic power precisely to expand territory and evolve the world, winning more land for our human race to thrive and multiply!'*
Those words had rung out with tremendous force, delivering quite an impact to Wei Yuan's young mind at the time. Yet through ten years of bitter cultivation, the feeling had gradually faded. Hearing Fang Hetong speak now, Wei Yuan could not help but recall his mindset back then.
Fang Hetong lifted his head to gaze at the sky and spoke slowly. "An ancient sage once said: 'To establish a mind for Heaven and Earth, to establish life for the living people, to continue lost teachings for past sages, to establish peace for ten thousand generations!' That is the true meaning of scholarship, and the very origin of the 'Four Sages' in the name of the Four Sages Academy. Even so, what worthy brother said is true—to establish virtue, one must first hold a post. Once we repel the Liao barbarians, if General Li has a mind to recruit me, I will go serve him."
"That is wonderful!" Wei Yuan was genuinely pleased. With Fang Hetong's wealth of talent, he could not remain buried forever in tiny Quyang County.
Fang Hetong looked at Wei Yuan and added, "If the day comes when worthy brother thinks it through and prepares to expand territory, then no matter what post your elder brother holds, I shall travel ten thousand li to join you!"
"Ah? Is Li Zhi's place not good? Before he left, he even told me that if you went, you would be his chief advisor." Wei Yuan did not quite understand.
"General Li comes from an illustrious background, possesses boundless fortune, and holds the heart of a King of Men. Though young, his sharpness is already showing, and he is bound to achieve great things in the future."
Wei Yuan had not expected Fang Hetong's assessment of Li Zhi to be so high, leaving him even more puzzled. "If Brother Li can achieve the enterprise of a King of Men, wouldn't that be even better? When the time comes, Brother Fang, you would be a founding minister."
Fang Hetong shook his head. "General Li is still young right now. He is still gentle and modest, willing to recruit men of talent, and able to listen to unpleasant, honest advice. But once his hegemonic ambition succeeds, things will be different. The heart of a King of Men is not necessarily a blessing for ministers, nor is it necessarily good for the common people. In the future, if I see something intolerable, my character will likely compel me to remonstrate bluntly with loyal words. General Li can tolerate me now, but that may not be true then."
At this point, perhaps realizing the topic was growing heavy, Fang Hetong smiled. "Besides, if a day ever comes when my merit overshadows my master, General Li might not let me retire to my home village."
Wei Yuan smiled as well. "And you would still turn to me? If Li Zhi cannot tolerate you, do you think I can? Truth be told, once this Wei swings his butcher's blade, heads roll just the same!"
Fang Hetong gave a snort, clearly disbelieving. "With your temperament, even if I stood in open court pointing at your nose and cursing you, out of old friendship you would at most give me a beating. And I still have my third essay—in a fight, I might not even lose to you!"
Wei Yuan did not like the sound of that. "Never mind a third essay; even if you have thirty more, I can still suppress you! Let me tell you this: if my Dao Foundation turns out to be only Heaven Tier in the future, I won't even be able to forgive myself!"
Fang Hetong roared with laughter, treating it entirely as Wei Yuan boasting. After a round of tall tales, the bond between the two grew even closer.
Yet Wei Yuan's final words were truly no boast. He was currently saddled with a staggering debt of tens of millions. If his Dao Foundation were merely Heaven Tier, there would be no hope of repaying it in this lifetime. Whether Wei Yuan forgave himself or not, Zhang Sheng would personally move to purge the sect.
After they chatted and laughed for a while, much of the gloom was swept away. Suddenly, an array disc in Wei Yuan's bosom grew hot and began to vibrate. Wei Yuan sprang to his feet and immediately took it out.
"What is it?" Fang Hetong asked.
Wei Yuan said in a low voice, "Someone is calling for help!"
A point of light flashed insistently upon the array disc. Sweeping it with his divine sense, Wei Yuan read the message inside: *Formidable enemy attacking, holding ground awaiting relief! Yu Fei of the Palace of Grand Beginning, Pinghe County.*
Chapter 81