Chapter 881: The Mohist Who Can Cultivate (Part 1) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

"The world is vast, and the journey is long. Ziyi often said, 'A good man's ambition lies in all directions.' My brother-in-law should not be confined to this small place," the young woman earnestly advised.

His words were so sincere and heartfelt that Chao Lian's eyes welled up with tears again.

Gu Ren's eldest son had no choice but to step forward and break the somber atmosphere.

"When did Uncle Chao become so sentimental? It's a rare occasion for us to reunite; we should be happy. I recently had the cook learn a few vegetarian dishes from the government kitchen; Uncle Chao, would you like to try them?" The funeral rites at the mansion are still in effect, and everyone is in mourning, so the diet can only be simple and vegetarian.

Qi Shan did not skimp on their treatment here. Even though they could not eat meat, he tried his best to provide them with the best food so that outsiders would not find fault. Chao Lian understood his nephew's intentions and showed interest.

The eldest nephew stood up and said, "I'll go to the kitchen and urge them."

Only Chao Lian and Gu Ren's widow remained in the hall.

"Sister-in-law, have you thought about the future?"

There are some topics he wants to avoid discussing with his eldest nephew.

The young woman immediately understood his implication.

Did Ziyi say anything before he died?

Chao Lian shook his head: "At that time, the war was urgent and there was no time to leave a last will. But my elder brother mentioned before that he said that my sister-in-law was in the prime of her life. If something happened to him in the Dragon Slaying Bureau, my sister-in-law should take advantage of her youth to find a good man and not waste her time."

It's quite normal for widows to remarry in this era.

Widows who have given birth are especially popular.

This proves that her ex-husband's birth chart was too weak to bear the good fortune of a widow; only someone with a truly noble destiny could handle it. If she wished, many prominent families would come to arrange a marriage for her. Chao Lian hoped his sister-in-law could live an easier life, but he would respect her choices even more.

The young woman smiled bitterly: "That sounds like something Ziyi would say, but he's only been dead for half a year. How could I possibly be thinking about remarrying? Even if I were willing to find someone else, it would be hard to find someone as upright and agreeable as him. Right now, all I want to do is raise Ziyi's three sons and two daughters well. They genuinely respect me as their mother; how could I abandon them?"

She had three sons and two daughters, but only her youngest daughter was her biological child.

Her two previous wives were both good people, and their children were kind-hearted and never made things difficult for her, their second wife. They were respectful and filial to her. Sincerity begets sincerity. As long as she raised them well, she would still be a respected old lady in the household in the future.

In comparison, remarrying is nothing short of a gamble.

If something were to happen to her in her new husband's family, Gu Ren's former subordinates wouldn't dare to stand up for her, simply dismissing it as a "family matter." But if she were still Gu Ren's widow, everything would be different. Even her father strongly supported this.

She appreciated her uncle's kindness.

Chao Lian: "I apologize for my slip of the tongue, sister-in-law."

The two then tacitly agreed never to mention remarriage again.

Chao Lian stayed at the mansion for three days.

On the fourth day, we packed our bags and prepared to set off.

Having confirmed that his sister-in-law and nephew were safe and that Shangnan had found a reliable new master, Chao Lian felt relieved. However, he was still worried about his sixth brother and thirteenth brother, and couldn't linger there too long. During this time, the Sibao County government did not inquire about Chao Lian's whereabouts.

Until the day Chao Lian set off to leave.

Gu Ren's children and widow went out of town to see him off.

Before Chao Lian mounted his horse, he noticed that his eldest nephew looked hesitant, as if he wanted to say something to him. He patted his nephew's back lightly with his palm-leaf fan and said, "A man should speak his mind. Don't be so hesitant. I'm not as coy as you."

My nephew mustered his courage.

When will Uncle Chao return?

“I don’t know. Your thirteenth uncle’s condition is a bit better than before, but there’s no sure when he’ll recover. In the past, other brothers would stop him from going crazy, but now only sixth brother is left. I’m worried that he might accidentally hurt sixth brother. But don’t worry, nephew, if I have time, I will definitely come back to see you.” Chao Lian was puzzled. His nephew had asked similar questions before, so why was he asking again today? Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he understood everything.

He hesitated: "Is this what you mean?"

The eldest nephew shook his head: "It was Registrar Qi who asked the question."

From Qi Shan's perspective, he naturally wanted to recruit Chao Lian. With Gu Ren's sworn brother joining his lord, it would be more legitimate for the lord to take control of Shangnan. Chao Lian was the key figure! However, Qi Shan also knew that Chao Lian would not easily submit to anyone other than Gu Ren.

Gu Ren's position is irreplaceable.

If Chao Lian has no intention of recruiting, Qi Shan's attempt to recruit on behalf of his lord will also be rejected, which will only make things awkward for both sides.

So he didn't show up himself, but let Gu Ren's eldest son probe his attitude.

Chao Lian's response to this was a single sentence—

“I met Shen Jun before I came to Sibao. Tell him these words verbatim, and he will understand what I mean.”

The eldest nephew nodded in agreement.

He took the bags from the servants one by one and stuffed them into his warhorse's saddlebags, which contained sets of men's clothing. These were all hastily made by his mother and the servants, taking into account the urgency of the situation and the fact that martial artists are impervious to heat and cold, so they were only prepared for spring and autumn.

Besides Uncle Chao's, there were also Uncle Liu's and Uncle Thirteen's.

Clothes, money, dry food, daily necessities...

Fortunately, Chao Lian's warhorse was of exceptional quality; despite the heavy load on its back, it didn't wobble once. He leaped onto the horse and settled firmly, gripping the reins tightly. Looking at everyone with reluctance, he repeatedly instructed, "Nephew, you are the eldest son of the eldest brother, and you must shoulder all the responsibilities of the household. If you encounter any difficulties, first seek out Lord Shen. You can maintain normal contact with your elder brother's former subordinates, but don't be too close, as it may arouse unnecessary suspicion. Remember that brotherly love and respect, harmony between brothers, are the way for the prosperity of the family. Never tolerate outsiders bullying our family, and remember to be filial to your sister-in-law!"

The eldest nephew, along with his younger siblings, clasped their hands in agreement.

“I have remembered everything Uncle Chao said.”

Chao Lian gazed into the distance, letting out a sigh: "My elder brother lived a life of integrity and uprightness. You siblings are his offspring. Whether you achieve great success or remain unknown, you must not dishonor the family tradition. If your uncles and I find out—"

He slightly raised the rolled-up horsewhip in his hand.

He lowered his voice, his expression serious: "Even if we are separated by thousands of miles, I will come back to clean up the mess for my elder brother!"

"Uncle Chao's teachings will be remembered by your nephew forever!"

The children spoke in unison.

Chao Lian clasped his hands in a fist salute to his sister-in-law and said, "May our friendship endure as long as the mountains and rivers flow on. Take care of yourself, sister-in-law, and we will meet again someday."

"I also wish my uncle Bufan good health and a safe journey."

All good things must come to an end. After seeing Chao Lian off for a while, his figure finally disappeared at the end of the official road.

Gu Ren's eldest son also relayed Chao Lian's words to Qi Shan.

Qi Shan simply said, "I understand."

Gu Ren's eldest son tried to say something, but Qi Shan raised his hand to stop him: "Your twelfth uncle has met the lord. Given the lord's fondness for talented people, it's impossible that he hasn't had the idea of ​​recruiting them. Either the lord spoke up but was rejected, or the lord knew the answer but didn't speak up. Alas, this matter still depends on fate."

At least for now, Chao Lian has no chance with his lord.

Between the two possibilities, Qi Shan leans more towards the latter.

"Perhaps one day in the future, our destiny will bring us together."

Qi Shan patted Gu Ren's eldest son on the shoulder.

This indicates that he can go about his own business.

This incident caused little stir. Qi Shan returned to the government office and pulled a letter from his lord from a table piled high with letters. This letter had arrived at the administrative office shortly after Chao Lian's, and unusually, it contained very little unnecessary information. Qi Shan immediately recognized that it had been ghostwritten. Had Gu Ren's eldest son not left, a glance at the contents of the secret letter would have revealed that this matter concerned him.

To be precise, it's related to Gu Ren's family.

Shen Tang wanted to bestow honors upon Gu Renrong, granting him an official title and a noble rank. Although the honors did not grant him any real power, they would look good on the surface. More importantly, the title could be passed on to Gu Renrong's children, allowing Gu Renrong's former subordinates and the common people of Shangnan to see that she had not treated the family unfairly.

This is considered basic operation.

Under normal circumstances, during dynastic transitions, the former royal family is often treated as mascots, a practice used to win over hearts and minds and appease former officials and subjects. Of course, some rulers simply exterminate the entire former royal family, a move that solves the problem once and for all, though its historical evaluation may be mixed. Gu Ren was not a ruler, nor was his family royalty, but he was upright and virtuous throughout his life. Shen Tang, having seized Gu Ren's political legacy without bloodshed, needed to establish a mascot to publicly silence dissent.

Normally, Shen Tang doesn't need to worry about this.

Those who deserve rewards should be rewarded, and those who deserve promotions should be promoted.

but--

The situation of Gu Ren's family is somewhat complicated.

He had three sons and two daughters. His eldest son, who was the rightful heir, was an ordinary man. If the title were passed to him, people might criticize him, saying that Shen Tang had malicious intentions and did not want the Gu Ren lineage to prosper. If he skipped the eldest son and passed the title to his talented youngest son, people would criticize Shen Tang for deliberately praising him to his detriment and sowing discord between the brothers, while also putting Gu Ren's eldest son in an awkward position.

If he were to give up and pass it on to his youngest daughter...

That would be even more troublesome; it would be better to simply say that Shen Tang ate up the last of his heirs until there was nothing left. In short, no matter what you do, it's not a good solution.

At the end of the letter, the lord added a complaint: "Are all these aristocratic families reincarnated argumentative types? How can they be so good at nitpicking and finding fault? Aren't they afraid Gu Ren will have a heart-to-heart talk with them in the middle of the night?"

Because all these concerns were raised by several prominent families.

Given Shen Tang's personality, she wouldn't care about such trivial matters at all. She wouldn't care what the world said about her, as long as she didn't hear it. But out of respect for Gu Ren, this matter couldn't be taken lightly, and she wanted to hear everyone's opinions.

Yes, everyone!

Shen Tang kept only Qin Li and Chu Yao by her side; everyone else had been sent on business trips to take charge of military and political affairs in various regions. To find out her subordinates' opinions, she chose to send this secret letter to everyone. Qi Shan sat down and picked up a pen to write a reply.

The reply was brief, containing only two words: 【Eldest son!】

This is the one that's hardest to find fault with.

Gu Ren's youngest son and daughter both possess talent for cultivation. If they have no interest in power, they can live a life of seclusion amidst nature, becoming renowned scholars in obscurity. If they desire fame and fortune, they can enter officialdom and serve in the court. They can earn whatever fame and fortune they desire themselves; there is no need for them to compete with their elder brother.

As for the gossip and rumors from those aristocratic families?

My lord need not worry about it.

They're talking nonsense.

Before we knew it, dusk had fallen.

Qi Shan rubbed her aching neck. There were still several unfinished scrolls on the table, and she missed Liao Jia, who had gone on a business trip after receiving assignments, even more. If Liao Jia were still here, she would have finished her work long ago. When the clerk came in to deliver something, Qi Shan casually asked a question.

What time is it today?

The minor official told us the date.

Qi Shan calculated the time with her fingers: "...Time flies. It's been ten days since Shao Mei left. I wonder if she's seen the lord yet. Whoever it is, please bring one back..."

Sigh, even Qin Li would be fine! Qin Gongsu is honest and simple; no matter how many official documents are thrown at him, he won't say a word.

Qi Shan loves to use official duties to "bully" Qin Li.

Meanwhile, within Yanzhou, in Xingyang Road.

A group of several hundred people hurried along, led by a young scholar dressed in red, a color even redder than the setting sun. The man in red sat on his horse, a vibrant red plum blossom adorning his hair ornament. The plum blossom swayed rhythmically with the slight movements of his body. He hummed an unknown southern tune in soft, gentle Wu dialect.

As the last rays of sunlight were about to disappear and the air temperature dropped, the red-clad scholar suddenly tightened the reins with one hand and raised the other to signal the troops behind him to stop.

His gaze fell on the end of the road, the slightly lewd smile on his lips vanished, replaced by an icy coldness. He shouted at the no-man's-land, "If you know what's good for you, get out here!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the air in front of him distorted.

A figure quietly appeared.

This man was dressed in a smart and capable outfit, carrying a snow-white spear in his arms, resembling a wandering knight. However, his demeanor was calm and composed, unlike the unruly nature of a wandering knight. Although he possessed a murderous aura, he did not have the air of a bandit or outlaw, but rather seemed to be from a military background.

The scholar in red clasped his hands in greeting: "Who are you?"

The young swordsman succinctly stated: "To pick them up."

He's not a highway robber, so there's no need to be wary.

The young man's gaze fell on the red plum blossom hairpin standing against the wind on the scholar's head, and he added, "They've come to pick you up."

This job had nothing to do with him.

He had only overheard that there was a female Mohist in the group, and since he happened to be recruiting soldiers and cultivating land nearby, he simply took her on. Because it was a secret operation, the other side couldn't display any distinctive flags. However, his lord had also said that the leader was easy to identify.

[If you see a scholar leading the group, dressed in either bright red or bright green, with flowers in his hair, and smiling like a human trafficker, that's your target, no doubt about it.]

The young man received news that hundreds of people had entered the country and rushed over immediately. The moment he saw the scholar in red, he fell silent—his lord was indeed true to his word; he was indeed very easy to recognize!

The scholar in red also fell silent for a while.

They exchanged a code word and realized they were on the same side.

He dismounted and said, "I'm ashamed to admit I didn't recognize the young general."

He couldn't help but mutter to himself.

Is our lord now recruiting people based on their looks?

This young military general is truly outstanding!

"My name is Yun Ce, courtesy name Yuanmou."

The scholar in red responded: "Liao Jia, Liao Shao Mei."

He noticed that Yun Ce's gaze was somewhat absent-minded, glancing absently behind him, so he asked, "Is there a problem?"

Yun Ce snapped out of his daze and felt a little embarrassed.

"I've heard that there's a female Mohist on this trip?"

Before Liao Jia could answer, the curtain of a carriage behind them was suddenly lifted, revealing a head with disheveled hair and red sleep marks on the face. The person peering out exclaimed, "Hey, I think I heard Yun Yuanmou's voice?"

Liao Jia looked at Yun Ce in astonishment.

Yun Ce gave an awkward laugh: "It's an old friend."

After saying that, he called out again, "Chirp chirp, over here!"

The female Mohist identified the source of the voice and shouted, "I told you to call me Zhoukou, chirp chirp chirp, do you think I'm raising birds?"

|ω`)

The Mohist school encompassed the technology and ruthless skills of both the literary and martial worlds.

The rules of this world changed after the cataclysm, and the technology tree will climb in a way that is more in line with the current context.

(End of this chapter)