Chen Chuan followed the secretary into the Civil Administrator's office. Zhu Xian was already waiting inside, and upon seeing him enter, smiled and greeted him, "Supervisor Chen, please have a seat."
He instructed his secretary to bring out his prized personal tea. Once seated, he remarked, "Supervisor Chen, two years have flown by in a flash, haven't they?" With a nostalgic sigh, he added, "I still remember the scene when I first invited you here. I had only just assumed office back then. Time truly flies."
Chen Chuan said, "Yangzhi is certainly doing much better than it was two years ago."
Zhu Xian smiled. "Speaking of which, I really picked up a bargain when I took this post. You cleared the house clean for me before I moved in. If Molan Company were still around, could I have done any better than my predecessor?"
He continued with conviction, "It would have been nothing more than having ambitions blocked and talents suppressed. It's like an actor on a stage: if the stage isn't set up, or set up poorly, no good show can be put on."
Looking at Chen Chuan, he smiled and said, "I've read through the case files from back then. You played a part in taking down Molan Company, Supervisor Chen; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say you fired the first shot. Some people think you rose too quickly, but I find it entirely fitting. Great Shun needs capable young people like you.
"And what people like us can do is pave the road for you, tamping down the path ahead until it is firm and smooth, so that you can move forward even faster."
Chen Chuan replied, "If the road is too flat, I fear one won't appreciate the hardships endured by our predecessors."
Zhu Xian chuckled. "Supervisor Chen makes a good point. Uncut jade cannot be fashioned into a vessel, after all. Come, have some tea. This is Yunge tea, brought from my hometown. The best time to pick it is only when the rhythmic tapping against the rocks echoes from the mountains. That's when tea pickers sing mountain folk songs as they climb through the sheer cliffs and mist. I've been away for so many years that it's been a long time since I've seen that sight."
Saying so, he tapped the armrest of his chair and recited softly:
"Mountain streams strike stone,
Zen stillness winds through evening woods.
A stranger leans on a pine to listen,
To the melodies born amidst the clouds."
Chen Chuan lifted his teacup and took a light sip. The tea Civil Administrator Zhu brought out was indeed exceptional—crisp and sweet, refreshing the palate with a lingering, rich aftertaste.
After taking a sip himself, Zhu Xian wore a reminiscent look. "Speaking of my younger days, I was full of hot blood, fearless, and headstrong. I did plenty of things back then, but I also offended many people. My colleagues always complained about me, and my superiors rarely gave me a pleasant look."
He let out a self-deprecating laugh. "A colleague once joked that my forehead had been battered plenty of times, but pity the direction was wrong—I shouldn't have struck upward, but downward.
"I refused to accept that back then, and so I wasted many years, watching many people inferior to me rise step by step. Looking back now, the feeling is still hard to describe. Most of the time, having outstanding ability doesn't guarantee you will rise. You need someone to appreciate you, someone to support you, someone to give you a hand.
"Fine steeds are common, but those who recognize them are rare."
His voice dropped slightly. "Without someone to lift you up, no matter how much skill or talent you possess, it remains difficult to put to use."
Chen Chuan asked, "Does Civil Administrator Zhu think those people can help me?"
Zhu Xian looked at him. "Supervisor Chen, I watched you step out from here. I'm willing to speak candidly with you. Whether those people can help you, I don't know. But in this world, no one gives freely without expecting something in return. If they offer you benefits, they will certainly demand a far greater return from you.
"You refused them this time. If they simply ignore you from now on, that might be a blessing. But what's truly frightening is if they set their sights on you. Many people are incapable of accomplishing great things, yet they are remarkably skilled at ruining them. So, you must be careful yourself."
Chen Chuan nodded. He took another sip of tea, set the cup aside, and stood up. "Thank you for sharing this with me, Civil Administrator Zhu. I understand what you mean. And thank you for the tea. I believe it's time for me to take my leave."
Zhu Xian smiled and stood up. "Supervisor Chen, take care." He then instructed his secretary, "See Supervisor Chen out for me."
Chen Chuan gave him a nod and walked out. Zhu Xian watched him leave, returned to his desk, put on his glasses, and picked up the documents on his desk to continue reading.
After a long while, the secretary returned. "Administrator, he has been seen off."
Without looking up, Zhu Xian merely said, "Understood."
The secretary hesitated for a moment, then leaned in slightly and whispered a reminder: "Is Administrator really that optimistic about Supervisor Chen? But those men might belong to the Center City Council."
Zhu Xian penned a note of approval on the document before taking off his glasses. "You just don't see it. What kind of world are we living in right now? Fighters are being promoted everywhere. Those who command martial might have never been valued as much as they are today. That shows which way the tide is turning, and naturally, we should go along with it.
"The Center City Council? A capable person like Supervisor Chen might suffer temporary setbacks, but it won't stay that way forever. Once an opportunity arrives, he'll soar straight to the sky. How could anyone truly keep him down? Staying on good terms with him carries no harm."
Realization dawned on the secretary, who adopted a look of genuine admiration. "Administrator truly thinks far ahead."
After leaving the Municipal Administration, Chen Chuan had his motorcade take him back to the family quarters. Since it was the afternoon, Instructor Wen was likely at the constabulary, so he did not rush to disturb him. Instead, upon returning home, he took advantage of the free time to call some acquaintances and former classmates, arranging to meet up after some time.
Afterward, he performed some simple daily training to keep himself in peak condition.
By evening, around ten o'clock, he figured Instructor Wen should have been home for a while. Only then did he head out to a public telephone booth and dial the number. Once the call connected, he said, "Instructor Wen, it's me."
Pausing for a beat, he added, "Instructor, Kenwa has been dealt with."
Instructor Wen was somewhat surprised. He had expected this assessment wouldn't pose much difficulty for Chen Chuan, but resolving it this swiftly was still unexpected—it had barely been two days, hadn't it?
He replied, "Supervisor Chen, I'll call Mr. Zhuan right away. However, Mr. Zhuan is quite busy and might not be able to come over immediately. Once he arrives, I'll notify you."
Chen Chuan thought it over and said, "I'll come over anyway. It wouldn't be proper to make Mr. Zhuan wait for me. Besides, I have a few questions I'd like to ask you, Instructor Wen."
Instructor Wen chuckled. "All right. Come on over first, then, Supervisor Chen."
Chen Chuan hung up the phone, changed his clothes, brought along the items recovered from Kenwa, and headed out.
In less than ten minutes, he arrived at Instructor Wen's residence. After being welcomed inside, Instructor Wen smiled and said, "Mr. Zhuan is staying at an inn not far from here. I just called and informed him. We just need to wait; he'll come eventually."
Chen Chuan nodded. After taking a seat in the living room, he said, "Instructor Wen, someone from the Refinement School approached me today."
"The Refinement School..."
Instructor Wen was slightly caught off guard. After a moment of thought, he said, "For a capable and outstanding young man like you, Supervisor Chen, it's not surprising that other schools have taken notice. But chasing you all the way to Yangzhi City means it must have been an order from the higher-ups of the Refinement School.
"Still, you can rest easy. There are mutual understandings between schools. As long as you join the Purist Faction, they won't disturb you again. Even if trouble arises, the faction will handle it for you."
Chen Chuan asked, "Do you know much about this Refinement School, Instructor Wen?"
Instructor Wen replied, "Like our Purist Faction, the Refinement School is a martial discipline passed down from the old era. This school holds substantial influence among the upper-middle class.
"In the old era, they selected talented candidates from among the children of high-ranking officials and nobility to train and educate. That tradition spanned several old dynasties.
"They left behind many heritages and legacies, and their foundation runs deep. However, during the old dynasties, although the imperial house employed them, it was equally wary of them. Thus, dynasty after dynasty, while courting them, the rulers also continuously suppressed and weakened them.
"In the new era, the Refinement School continues to take the elite and upper-class route, possessing extensive connections within the government and corporations. With the backing of their school, they have woven a massive web of interests.
"The Refinement School frequently recruits individuals with potential as reinforcements, absorbing them into their ranks to serve them.
"Their attempt to recruit you was likely meant to make you a peripheral vassal—a vanguard to run errands for them.
"Because to this day, what determines a member's standing within the Refinement School is not their strength, but their pedigree and status. Only those of sufficiently high status receive greater favor and guidance; only a very select few are accepted through marriage or being taken in as sons-in-law.
"Yet you must not look down on their martial power because of this. When it comes to truly talented individuals, they do not hesitate to invest resources. Many fighters in their school possess formidable strength."
Chen Chuan pondered and said, "From what you're saying, Instructor Wen, has this school existed by clinging to power from ancient times to the present?" If it was only that, it sounded like the typical practice of traditional martial arts schools.
Instructor Wen said, "That is how they appear on the surface, but it's very likely just their external objective. They should have deeper pursuits, though that is beyond what I know."
Chen Chuan asked again, "Is there conflict between the Refinement School and the Purist Faction?"
Instructor Wen said with a faint smile, "As long as they do not collude with entities from the other side, nor become corrupted by the forces from the other side, cooperation between schools is possible.
"The Great Impact is right around the corner. While friction and contradictions between schools have always existed, and clashes are unavoidable due to differing ideologies, large-scale internal strife is strictly forbidden from top to bottom. That is also a consensus shared by all parties."
Chen Chuan understood. He then asked more questions regarding various schools, and Instructor Wen patiently explained them one by one, giving him a preliminary grasp of the current landscape.
Although Mr. Zhuan took his time arriving, neither of them seemed in a hurry. They drank tea and chatted until around two or three in the morning, when distinct footsteps sounded from the street outside the courtyard.
Instructor Wen smiled. "Mr. Zhuan has arrived."
Chapter 618