"If you consider Hai Rui a loyal subject, could you be a Hai Rui if given the chance?"
Lu Zhao shook his head.
He could not achieve Hai Rui's level of selfless impartiality, completely disregarding personal sentiment and ties.
"Then what about being a Yan Song?"
Lu Zhao shook his head once more.
Nor could he stoop to Yan Song's level of stopping at nothing in pursuit of power.
The old Taoist's lips curved into a smile. "You cannot bring yourself to be a Hai Rui, yet you are unwilling to be a Yan Song. Therein lies your knot. Most people in this world are just like that—incapable of being purely good, yet unwilling to be purely evil, spending their entire lives in mediocrity."
Lu Zhao did not deny it.
He truly could not be a Hai Rui, nor could he be a Yan Song.
The old Taoist shifted his tone. "Yet you are different. You have another path. You should not become Hai Rui, nor should you act as Yan Song. For that is the way of a minister. You are to be a ruler, and how could a ruler be so narrow-minded?"
Lu Zhao's thoughts flashed like sparks. "Teacher means for me to encompass both?"
"You have no need to emulate them; you should emulate Emperor Jiajing instead."
The old Taoist shook his head and laid it out plainly: "The waters of the Yangtze are clear, while the waters of the Yellow River are muddy. Yet no one has ever refused to drink from the Yellow River simply because its waters are muddy, nor has anyone drunk exclusively from the Yangtze merely because its waters are clear.
"You cannot conspire with the Chen family, for they abuse their power; when a river floods its banks, it will inevitably be brought under control one day.
"You may cooperate with the Lin family, but you must not become their dependent. How can the waters of a great river flow into the same channel? It is just like Emperor Jiajing entering the capital—in the end, both paths were meant to inherit the great realm, yet which gate he passed through mattered greatly.
"During the Three Kingdoms period, Marquis Zhongwu—Zhuge Liang—and Sima Yi both assisted their sovereigns, yet their historical reputations differ by worlds.
"Right and wrong, merits and faults, will all depend on your future achievements. If you can reach the summit, everything will be seen in an entirely different light."
Lu Zhao's eyes brightened, and a resolution formed in his heart.
He had indeed been caught in a mental dead end.
Why concern himself with the feud between the Lin and Chen families? Why agonize over whether to assist Lin Zhiyan?
If Lin Zhiyan wanted him to take action, then she ought to put every formal procedure in order; if she could not, it merely proved her ability was lacking and that she was unfit for cooperation.
Seeing that Lu Zhao seemed to have worked it out, the old Taoist asked, "If the Chen family produces a lawful and compliant transfer order instructing you to move against the special investigation team, what will you do?"
Lu Zhao replied, "I will follow proper procedure, but warn the special investigation team."
"Good."
The old Taoist nodded and smiled. "Actually, your optimal move right now is to play the part of Gao Huan. The Lin family's fortune strikes me as quite fine."
Lu Zhao knew his history well, backed by a formidable memory, and was familiar with the historical figure of Gao Huan: an impoverished garrison soldier who, thanks to his striking looks, caught the eye of a prominent family's young lady and soared to prominence from that moment on.
He asked, "Teacher wants me to marry into their family as a matrilocal son-in-law?"
"Not at all. Gao Huan's union was no matrilocal marriage; it was an alliance of lineage and wealth."
The old Taoist shook his head, imparting some historical perspective to this modern disciple. "In former times, aside from intermarriage among prominent noble clans, families would marry their legitimate daughters down to men of exceptional capability. Because so many pampered descendants turned out incompetent, quite a few lineages found themselves left without worthy heirs.
"If the Lin family were to devote their fortunes in the future to tie themselves to a rising hero and aid you in forging a grand enterprise, do you think you could accept that?"
Lu Zhao could not answer right away.
His teacher possessed a great knack for framing things in ways one could digest. Mention marrying in as a son-in-law, and Lu Zhao would surely reject it; speak of it as a partnership, and his resistance faded.
Moreover, it was not like Zhang Like's suggestion that he fawn over Lin Zhiyan.
Riding the momentum, an exchange of mutual interests.
Clarity dawned in Lu Zhao's mind, and he vaguely grasped the underlying logic of his teacher's approach to worldly affairs.
The old Taoist chuckled, stroking his beard. "There is no need to agonize over it; simply let nature take its course. Master only divined that you share a thread of romantic fate with that Lin family girl, which is why I brought it up."
Lu Zhao asked, "You can even divine that?"
The old Taoist said with a squinting smile, "Master also divined that you have many more romantic threads awaiting you. With a countenance rivaling Pan An, you are destined to incur no shortage of romantic debts."
"A student's ambition does not lie in such matters." Lu Zhao shook his head indifferently. "The Federation is in turmoil and society is in upheaval. How could I care for mere romantic entanglements?"
"An admirable ambition. A true man should indeed be so."
The old Taoist shifted his tone, a trace of a smile lingering on his face.
"Yet 'even heroes find it hard to pass the trial of beauty' does not mean a hero's ambition is frail, nor does it mean a beauty blocks his way. In time, you shall understand."
With that, the old Taoist checked again. "What do you plan to do next?"
Lu Zhao replied, "I can lean toward the Lin family, but it must conform to proper procedure. If Lin Zhiyan cannot even manage the necessary procedures, there is no need to help her."
The old Taoist nodded with satisfaction. While this disciple of his was somewhat stubborn, he was sharp nonetheless.
He said, "Those skilled in warfare seek victory from the momentum of the situation and do not place the burden entirely on individuals; hence, they can select the right men and harness the momentum."
"I shall remember your words."
Countless thoughts swirled through Lu Zhao's mind, too tangled to unravel all at once.
Yet one realization had crystallized, peerlessly clear.
"Once you have borrowed the Lin family's momentum, extend your reach into the city. Strike the serpent at its vital seven-inch mark and find a way to turn the Foreign District upside down. The bigger the stir, the better, so you create openings for the Chen family's adversaries."
The old Taoist abandoned his usual detached air—whether out of genuine concern for Lu Zhao or some personal penchant.
He began laying out plans for Lu Zhao in rapid succession.
"In local yamens like this, the struggles between prominent clans and entrenched families are often the fiercest. Every position is a coveted post, and everyone wants to place their own people in it.
"Once the Fangshi magistrate falls into a disadvantage, you can turn toward him and have him grant you greater benefits, which will also prevent him from lashing out in desperation like a cornered dog.
"The greater the turmoil, the safer you will be."
His explanations of power and influence were exceedingly thorough and penetrating, marked by a shrewdness beyond ordinary men. Even across the gulf of centuries, the old Taoist could still see through to the essence of things at a single glance.
Lu Zhao committed every word to memory.
Having spoken to his heart's content, the old Taoist stroked his beard and asked, "Have you attained comprehension?"
"I have."
"What have you comprehended?"
"Unworthy though I am, I would borrow the words of Taizong."
Lu Zhao's gaze was calm and unwavering.
"To command the world's Martial Marquises, and safeguard the peace of our Shenzhou."
The old Taoist froze. He had merely been talking of political maneuvering, yet his student spoke of the realm under heaven.
A lone individual, standing entirely by himself, yet daring to speak of the realm.
Memories of his own youth surged forth—the lessons taught by his tutor of how emperors throughout the ages had carried themselves in their early years.
There was one passage the old Taoist remembered to this day:
*Bearing the posture of dragon and phoenix, the countenance of heaven and sun; as he nears twenty, he shall surely deliver the world and bring peace to the people.*
The old Taoist regained his composure, his tone turning somewhat cool. "Stretch out your hand."
Puzzled, Lu Zhao extended his hand. The old Taoist traced strokes across his palm.
"From ancient times to the present, all who achieved grand enterprises possessed immense fortune. If we speak of the enlightened rulers across dynasties, your origins are only slightly better than those of our Great Ming's Taizu."
With that, the old Taoist released his hand. Lu Zhao saw the character "Three" stamped into the palm of his right hand.
"The fortune you lack, Master will make up for you. These are three chances to save your life. Be sure to use them with great care."
The old Taoist's face showed neither sorrow nor joy.
Within eyes as placid as still water, a handsome countenance was reflected.
Without even pinching his fingers to divine, the destiny was already manifest:
*Sun and Moon Dragon-Tiger Bones, Ziwei Bathed in Blood; whether dragon or baneful calamity, only through nine deaths will the outcome be revealed.*
A countenance both supremely noble and supremely perilous. Of the nine deaths, three had been averted, leaving six.
Fate was a calculation of heaven and earth, bound yet unbound.
Just how far Lu Zhao could ultimately go, not even the old Taoist could foresee.
Originally, all he had wanted was an obedient, good disciple.
If Lu Zhao failed, then all his efforts would come to nothing.
If Lu Zhao succeeded, then a second "Emperor Guangwu of Han" was not someone he could command either.
Yet as his teacher, he still hoped Lu Zhao could reach the summit.
-----
June 19.
Lu Zhao continued leading his men into Fangshi. Today's mission was not strolling the streets; they had a clear target.
A person suspected of being one of the robbers had left the Foreign District.
Upon receiving the intel, Lu Zhao led his men in pursuit. Due to the scarcity of surveillance cameras and delays in communicating with the traffic police department, they spent a substantial amount of time verifying the target's location.
Finally, at two in the afternoon, they located the suspect.
West of Fangshi, at an intersection.
A nervous-looking young man of the Hua ethnic group was walking down the street when a van suddenly sped up to him. Before the vehicle even came to a complete halt, its side door was already pulled open.
A large hand reached out. The Hua youth turned to run, but a psychic white worm had already darted into his skull.
*Thud!*
The Hua youth fell flat on his face.
Lu Zhao stepped out of the vehicle, hauled the man inside, and slammed the door shut. The van sped away.
The surrounding onlookers erupted into murmurs at the sight, and some were already dialing the police.
Chapter 60