Daqin Zhentiansi

Chapter 642 It's precisely this heroic spirit that's terrifying!
Marquis Qingyang summoned 30,000 personal guards.

The news spread from the Donghan County Prefectural Government, causing a stir in the martial arts world and among powerful families, with countless martial artists gathering in Donghan County.

At this time, Confucianism and Taoism were also in full swing in Donghan County and even the entire Eastern Territory.

As Confucian officials and scholars in the eastern border impeached the Marquis of Qingyang for his autocratic rule and unauthorized handling of the surrendered people of Eastern Wei, a struggle between Confucian and military forces began to spread throughout the eastern border.

Donghan County.

Thirty li south of Yuntai County.

The lights in the post station beside the official road were dim.

A scholar in a blue robe sat crookedly on a long bench, his book box leaning against the corner of the table, his hair disheveled, as he ate a hard biscuit while drinking cold water.

The wooden door was suddenly flung open by a strong gust of wind, and armored soldiers filed in, their iron boots clattering on the ground, startling the sparrows under the eaves into fluttering flight.

"Zhou Lin, the instructor of Donglin County?" The leading Black Ice Guard captain pushed aside his goose-feather saber with his thumb, revealing a half-inch of cold light.

The scholar hastily rose, his book box clattering over, bamboo slips scattering everywhere: "You uncouth warriors, how dare you address me, an official, so directly—"

Before he could finish speaking, two soldiers had already pinned his arms behind his back and pressed him onto the square table, causing the ceramic bowl to fall to the ground and shatter.

The captain tore open the book box's inner layer, revealing a sealed letter with sealing wax beneath the three-finger-thick cover of the "Book of Rites".

"Let go! This is a secret memorial directly submitted to the Censorate!" Zhou Lin struggled and shouted, veins bulging on his forehead: "Is the Marquis of Qingyang trying to silence the world's gossip?!"

The captain unfolded the letter, glanced at it, and sneered: "Liu Yu, the magistrate of Guang'an County, colluded with the censor Yang Pingju to fabricate eighteen charges against the Marquis, even considering the diversion of the Jiuchuan River to disturb the ancestral graves as an overstepping of authority?"

He slapped the letter between two fingers onto the scholar's pale face: "Take him away! Marquis Qingyang will see you in person."

The sound of horses' hooves swirled away in the dust, and the postmaster, trembling, crawled out from behind the counter. He caught a glimpse of the words on a tattered letter: "I have heard that the Marquis of Qingyang accepted 300,000 taels of gold from Wu Daoling, which is an insult to the nation." He hurriedly kicked it into the stove.

As the flames leaped up, the sound of the third watch gong could be heard outside the post station.

West of Donghan City, Bailu Lane.

The morning dew dripping from the eaves of the green-tiled house dampened the pine and crane patterned robe. When Song Huai-ren, the scholar of the prefectural school, fastened the jade belt hook to the third bamboo joint, his fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly.

The bronze mirror reflected his gaunt face, and the "Seal of Righteousness" hanging between his forehead had faded like dusty ancient jade.

"Sir, is it really absolutely necessary to go?"

"The Marquis of Qingyang is the garrison commander, holding both military and political power."

The old woman clutched a worn indigo handkerchief to her lips, the sunlight filtering through the window piercing the panic in her eyes: "The other day, when Instructor Xu was dragged out of the academy by the Black Ice Guard, they stripped him of his scholar's cap in the street..."

"Zheng——"

The bamboo-ribbed, oil-paper umbrella landed heavily on the bluestone bricks, startling the bamboo leaves under the eaves.

Song Huai Ren smoothed the tassels of the jade pendant at his waist and tapped the four characters "Li Zheng Ren Xin" (meaning "propriety rectifies people's hearts") on the umbrella handle with his knuckles: "If Marquis Qingyang dares to use the Black Ice Platform to tear apart the dignity of the literary tradition, then I will use the Qin Law to tear off his fig leaf."

Suddenly, the clanging sound of armored vehicles approached from the alley entrance.

Six Black Ice Guard soldiers stood with their hands on their swords in the morning mist. The leader bowed slightly and said, "Lord Qingyang said that Song Jixue does not need to get involved in this matter."

"The scholar's cap may be broken, but the spine must not be bent." Song Huai-ren spoke loudly, holding up his umbrella as he walked out of the alley.

The soldiers of the Black Ice Guard silently made way for them.

As Song Huai-ren stepped over the scattered bamboo shadows, he heard his wife's suppressed sobs behind him.

He looked up at the Zhen Tian Si banner with its black background and gold patterns in the direction of the prefectural governor's mansion, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.

……

Yunming Prefecture.

The curtain of the main tent in Yunming Prefecture's military camp was lifted by the wind, and the light inside the tent suddenly increased by a third.

Zhou Chang's withered knuckles traced the faded vermilion characters "Fengtian County" on the yellowed military report, while sparks bursting from the brazier reflected the deep, pool-like shame in his eyes.

"Teacher!" Han Xiao's hand, gripping the sleeve of his official robe, bulged with veins, his voice urgent. "Three days ago, Marquis Qingyang broke the writing brush of the Xu family's eldest son in the street. You know best his unyielding nature..."

“When the cession of Fengtian County was agreed upon, Zhang Qingyang was in Fengtian County.” Zhou Chang shook his head. “In his eyes, we Confucian and Taoist officials who signed the cession document were more hateful than the Northern Yan scimitars.”

Zhou Chang's words made Han Xiao lower his head. He had personally participated in what happened back then.

He went to Fengtian County and even personally rescued Zhang Yuan.

Back then, he couldn't comment on whether Zhou Chang's arrangement was right or wrong.

“But His Majesty just issued an edict not long ago, praising the Marquis for his ‘heroic spirit’!” Han Xiao looked up, his expression solemn.

Over the years, Zhou Chang and Marquis Qingyang have actually maintained a cooperative relationship and have always been quite close.

Before the rise of Qingyang Marquis, he and Zhou Chang helped each other and each benefited from the other's efforts.

Originally, Zhou Chang shouldn't have stepped forward at this moment.

This time, many officials and scholars from the Confucian and Taoist circles in the Eastern Territory impeached the Marquis of Qingyang because he sent 100,000 people from Eastern Wei to Yuncang City and also accepted 300,000 taels of gold from Wu Daoling.

You know, there's so much to be done about those 100,000 people.

Many prefectures and counties are already making arrangements on how to resettle these surrendered Eastern Wei people.

If this is done well, even if he doesn't get promoted, he'll at least receive a commendation from the Ministry of Personnel.

However, Marquis Qingyang sent these people to Yinma Plain and also accepted gold.

Such actions aroused dissatisfaction among Confucian scholars and Taoists, and Marquis Qingyang refused to back down, even ordering the Black Ice Guard to arrest those Confucian scholars.

This led to a fierce conflict between Confucian and martial arts factions that swept across the eastern region.

“It is precisely this heroic spirit that is terrifying…” Zhou Chang sighed, looked up, and strode out of the military tent.

“In his eyes, the soldiers who defended the city were heroes, and the civil officials who abandoned the land were treacherous villains. I know he harbors resentment, and now he wants to use force to punish the Confucian scholars. I cannot stand by and watch him make a mistake.”

Han Xiao stood there, his expression shifting.

————————————————————

The Great Qin Imperial City.

Qianyang Palace.

Today is not a grand court assembly; there are no military officers in the hall, only seven or eight civil officials dressed in crimson and purple robes.

Wang Anzhi, Minister of Rites; Cao Yue, Grand Censor of the Censorate; Zhang Hengqu, Headmaster of the Imperial Academy; Sima Qingguang, Minister of Personnel; Feng Lun, Privy Councilor…

Each and every one of them is the head of the Confucian and Taoist officials of the Great Qin Dynasty.

Such a gathering was enough to determine the general trend of Confucianism and Taoism in the Qin Dynasty.

At this moment, even Yu Kuizhen, who was walking in front of the hall, came out of the hall to guard outside.

Textures appeared on the walls of the main hall.

That was a great formation that isolated heaven and earth.

In the main hall, Emperor Yuankang sat upright, his face unusually solemn.

Wang Anzhi and the others stood with their heads bowed, their bodies radiating a powerful and righteous aura.

"This is a letter from Zhang Qingyang to me."

Emperor Yuankang picked up the scroll of paper from the long table and glanced at everyone in the hall.

His gaze fell on Zhang Hengqu, his eyes revealing endless depth.

"To establish a heart for Heaven and Earth, to establish a destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of the past sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations—Zhang Hengqu, tell me, is there anyone in the world who can live up to these four words?"

Emperor Yuankang's voice echoed in the main hall.

Wang Anzhi and the others slowly turned their heads to look at Zhang Hengqu, who was still standing in the same spot.

Zhang Hengqu raised his head, his expression calm.

"If you can't do it, then you shouldn't do it?"

(End of this chapter)