Chapter 202: Old Stories

Seeing someone with such a clear and transparent demeanor, the old tortoise knew he wouldn't be able to fully comprehend it, yet he couldn't resist trying to examine the scholar's destiny in detail.

However, the outcome was somewhat beyond the old tortoise's expectations. The scholar's destiny was not vague; at least, it wasn't impossible to discern at first glance. Instead, he could perceive a deep aura of good fortune, though he couldn't pinpoint the specific highs and lows of his life.

If it were anyone else, the old tortoise wouldn't have given it much thought, as some people simply live ordinary lives. But this scholar was clearly not ordinary. Yet, the old tortoise didn't dare look further. He was there to listen to someone read, and he couldn't let his priorities get mixed up.

Yin Qing read "Weizhiyi" bit by bit, savoring the profound meaning his father had inscribed years ago. He would interject his own feelings while reading.

It wasn't just because his father had written the book that Yin Qing could grasp more meaning. In fact, this was how he read all books. It was as if he could trace the thought processes of the original authors and perceive their state of mind when they wrote.

In fact, many scholars had similar feelings, using them to distinguish the essence of books. Some books were merely narrative with little emotion, while others expressed ideas, often with passionate fervor.

But Yin Qing's state was different from simply understanding the meaning the book intended to convey. It was a kind of spiritual perception, as if he could empathize with the author and thus discern what kind of person they were—whether their nature was aloof or passionate, or merely pretentious.

Therefore, for Yin Qing, some books, even those considered essential classics, would make him feel very uncomfortable after reading for a while. He would still force himself to memorize them to pass examinations, but he certainly couldn't say he liked them.

Yin Qing's favorite articles were those written by people like his father, Yin Zhaoxian. He could clearly perceive the ideals the book sought to promote and even more clearly sense the author's dignified posture and the imposing aura of someone ready to wield their brush to purge impurity. This feeling of knowledge and action in unity was what made him most comfortable.

So now, when Yin Qing read, he naturally released this feeling along with his reading voice. Sometimes he would explain a few sentences in his own words, striving to help listeners grasp the key points as he did. This made the large green fish and the old tortoise listen in fascination without even realizing it.

Even the few people who had been standing by watching Ji Yuan fish found themselves listening intently without realizing it. They thought the scholar must be very learned, and upon seeing that he might be wearing the robes of Huiyuan Academy, they reacted as if to say, "Of course."

When Yin Qing read like this, he could finish and understand a book quickly by himself. But when conveying it to others, he would want to say much more, far more than what the text itself expressed. As a result, he lectured on "Weizhiyi" for an entire day without finishing it.

During this time, Ji Yuan even specifically went to buy some food for the lunch of the two people and one fox, trying not to interrupt Yin Qing's first public performance.

By evening, passersby in the vicinity had all gone home or boarded their boats.

Ji Yuan saw that it was getting late and reeled in his fishing rod, which hadn't caught a single fish all day. He then said to Yin Qing,

"Alright, that's enough for today!"

As Ji Yuan's words began, Yin Qing's reading voice also abruptly stopped.

"Mr. Ji, how do you think I did today?"

Yin Qing asked Ji Yuan with a slight hint of anxiety. Seeing that there was no one around, he followed up with another question, also looking towards the river.

"Can the large green fish understand?"

Seeing his demeanor, Ji Yuan, who had just walked to the bank and put down his bamboo rod, took two steps closer to him and patted his right arm.

"You explained it very well. Even your father might not have done as well as you, let alone me."

Hearing Mr. Ji's praise, Yin Qing felt quite embarrassed.

"Mr. Ji, you're praising me too falsely. Don't I know what kind of people you and my father are? Hu Yun, am I right?"

Yin Qing asked the red fox beside him. The latter's eyes flickered, but it didn't agree immediately, only speaking after a moment.

"If it's just about reading aloud to people, then perhaps Mr. Ji is telling the truth."

Seeing Hu Yun unusually utter such a thoughtful remark, Yin Qing was visibly taken aback for a moment, but receiving praise still made him very happy.

At this moment, Ji Yuan finished winding the fishing line onto the newly made emerald bamboo rod and looked towards the distant city gate.

"In another half an hour, the city gates will close. It's almost time to go back. Hmm, before we go back, let's exchange greetings with them."

Yin Qing followed the direction of Ji Yuan's finger. On the river surface, the large green fish was bobbing up and down, blowing bubbles and looking at him. Its fins couldn't close, so it could only nod up and down. And beside the large green fish, what was originally thought to be a black rock in the water was also surfacing, eventually revealing a huge tortoise.

"This... such a huge tortoise?"

Yin Qing was startled. And the tortoise actually raised half its body out of the water, bringing its two forelegs together in a bow.

"I am the old tortoise Wu Chong. Thank you, Mr. Yin, for your valuable teaching!"

"You are too kind, I don't deserve such praise. I am Yin Qing, a student of Huiyuan Academy."

Yin Qing quickly returned the bow, but being called "Mister" for the first time still felt quite novel to him.

"Oh, and by the way, this large green fish will be called Luo Biqing from now on."

As Ji Yuan's words fell, the large green fish by the river blew a series of "bop bop bop bop..." bubbles in the water, as if in response.

Yin Qing then smiled and bowed to the large green fish. After packing up his books, he spoke to Ji Yuan with a hint of reluctance.

"Well then, Mr. Ji, I'll be heading back now?"

He knew that once he left, Mr. Ji and Hu Yun would likely depart from Chunhui Prefecture.

"Go on, go on."

Ji Yuan deliberately didn't say much. After seeing Yin Qing turn and walk a few steps, he silently counted to three, and sure enough, he saw Yin Qing turn back around.

"Mr. Ji, aren't you going to ask how I'm doing at Huiyuan Academy, and how I'm getting along with my classmates and teachers?"

Ji Yuan smiled mischievously.

"Oh, I almost forgot. How are you getting along with others over there?"

"Mr. Ji, you're being too perfunctory..."

"Hahahaha... Chunhui Prefecture has well-developed waterways. A letter to Ning'an County takes only ten days, and since it's the provincial capital, it even saves a lot of time with post station processing for letters going to Wanzhou. Write when you have time!"

Only then did Yin Qing smile again. After nodding, he finally turned to leave, and after walking for a while, he stopped looking back every few steps and instead jogged into the city.

After Yin Qing left, Ji Yuan withdrew his gaze and sat down cross-legged on the bank, saying to the old tortoise,

"Wu Chong, I told you last time that if there were any incidents among the people you've met in your life that deeply moved you, you could tell me about them. I think today is quite suitable. Go ahead and speak."

Ji Yuan had finished reading "Legends of Heresy" a long time ago and hadn't come across anything similar for a while. Listening to stories from direct participants now would certainly be more interesting.

"As you command, Master!"

The old tortoise bowed in the water. From Mr. Ji's conversation with Yin Qing, he could tell that Mr. Ji might be leaving. After careful consideration, he thought of something from a very, very long time ago.

Its body slowly sank into the water, with only its head remaining above the surface. The old tortoise's voice carried a hint of emotion.

"That must have been about one hundred seventy or eighty years ago. The Great Zhen Dynasty had only been established for twenty or thirty years. I can't quite recall the exact year, and many details have become blurred..."

Seeing that Mr. Ji did not interrupt because he mentioned "many details have become blurred," the old tortoise felt at ease and continued.

"That year was a little over fifty years after I refined my transverse bone. Near Chunhui Prefecture, a scholar named Xiao came to visit; he seemed to have quite the appearance of good fortune... One time, on a pleasure boat, a drunkard forcibly accosted a courtesan, and this scholar Xiao, in a fit of righteous anger for the lady, extended a helping hand..."

The old tortoise smiled before continuing.

"He was then kicked into the river by the drunkard. Although he was quickly rescued by the pleasure boat's manager and crew, he ended up disheveled and embarrassed. However, that incident also led me, the old tortoise, to consider him an upright person."

The old tortoise slowly recounted, describing how he had "accidentally" met Scholar Xiao in a way that wouldn't startle him too much, how they gradually became acquainted, how he helped him divine his destiny, and how he guided him on the timing for handling certain crucial matters.

"Originally, I merely wanted to forge a good connection, guiding him to where he might find some unexpected wealth, or where there was a desperate need for certain goods at an opportune moment. If he was willing to engage in commerce, he could make a small fortune. However, after the scholar's family became somewhat wealthier, he still yearned to become an official, a great official..."

"Hehe, the fate of a dynasty and the path to officialdom are no small matters. How could fortune-telling determine a person's official career? One must rely on genuine talent and learning. Although he had some talent, it wasn't enough. So I told him frankly that if he wasn't willing to study diligently, there would be no path to officialdom, and especially warned him that resorting to demonic or sinister powers was a great taboo. For a long time after that, Xiao Jing never came to see me again..."

Ji Yuan listened quietly, naturally not believing the story ended there.

"When I, the old tortoise, next heard news about Xiao Jing, for some reason, he had already risen to the position of Imperial Censor in just six or seven years..."

Ji Yuan's brows furrowed. He looked at the old tortoise, who squinted its eyes, looking towards the river. This action indicated that the old tortoise's emotions were stirring.

As he narrated, some details that had almost been forgotten were recalled, and the old tortoise's thoughts became much clearer.

"That year was the thirty-second year of Liyuan. The founding emperor of Great Zhen was already in his twilight years, and the chronic illnesses he contracted from establishing the dynasty through warfare were frequently flaring up in his later years and were hard to suppress. It was time to pass the throne to the Crown Prince. However, although the Crown Prince was already an adult, his prestige was still shallow. And most of the founding elder statesmen in the court were still alive, with their contributions to the founding of the dynasty and their peerless military achievements..."

As the old tortoise spoke, its eyes narrowed further and further. In Ji Yuan's mind, at that moment, it was as if he could sense a wave of bloodshed about to surge.

"Alas... I, the old tortoise, was quite unlucky. My small help to Xiao Jing in his early years brought no reward. Instead, when blood stained the Censorate, ill karma followed!"

Without saying anything specific yet, this single sentence basically made Ji Yuan understand the tone of what was to follow.

Executing meritorious officials—a deed that founding emperors of feudal dynasties across all eras might commit.

And Xiao Jing, who held the position of Imperial Censor overseeing criminal law in the court, must have played an inglorious role in this matter. The merit of having served the founding emperor was a great contribution to the establishment of the dynasty, and executing such esteemed and loyal elder statesmen would undoubtedly bring about enough ill karma for the old tortoise to bear.

Ji Yuan's right hand tapped slowly on his knee. While feeling sympathy for the old tortoise and some of the innocent elder statesmen, he was also deep in thought.

'Xiao?'