Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 586 Heaven is Round and Earth is Square?

When Kiyama Ao asked the question, everyone looked at her strangely.

She knew that Mr. Song's name was Song Jiang, but she didn't know that Song Jiang was very famous?
Han Tong and Fei Biao quickly understood.

After all, they knew that it was normal for Mushan Qing to be unfamiliar with the prominent figures in Changzhou when he first arrived.

However, what was most unbelievable was Zhongli Han!
His rugged face was filled with disbelief, as if he had heard the most absurd joke in the world.

His eyes, as big as copper bells, widened in surprise, and his voice, booming like a bell, carried an almost heart-wrenching astonishment:

"The name of 'Timely Rain' Song Jiang is renowned throughout Changzhou, known to every woman and child! You...you've never heard of him?!"

He excitedly took a step forward, and the ground seemed to tremble slightly.

He pointed at Liang Jin, his tone filled with sincere admiration and respect, as if recounting a living legend:
"Hero Song! Before he joined Yanshan Stronghold, he was already a renowned hero in Changzhou! A true hero who works for the people!"

"He's not like those bandits who only know how to rob and plunder! He specializes in robbing government granaries and stealing government silver! He doesn't rob for his own enjoyment, but for what? To distribute grain! To save those poor people who are about to starve to death on the roadside!"

"On my journey, I have personally witnessed how many villages and families survived the great drought thanks to the life-saving grain that Song Yingxiong robbed! He robbed the rich to help the poor and was generous with his money! He didn't keep a single copper coin of the silver stained with the blood and sweat of corrupt officials for himself, but distributed it all to the starving people who were crying for food!"

Zhongli Han became more and more excited as he spoke, his chest heaving, his voice carrying the passionate fervor unique to those who roamed the martial world:

"Later, he went to Yanshan stronghold! He led his brothers to target the local bullies and tyrannical officials who preyed on the people! He acted on behalf of Heaven to punish the wicked! The money he robbed was distributed to the poor and those in need!"

"Throughout the entire Green Forest Road of Changzhou, when you mention 'Timely Rain' Song Jiang, who wouldn't give him a thumbs up and call him a 'true hero'?! He was truly righteous and upright!"

He abruptly waved his hand, his tone resolute and carrying undeniable weight:
"To be honest, even Yin Leiling, the chieftain of Yanshan Village, is far inferior to Song Yingxiong in terms of prestige and the people's trust!"

"Chief Yin is a ruthless and cunning man, while Hero Song is a benevolent and chivalrous one! That's the difference!"

Zhongli Han's resounding and heartfelt words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, creating huge ripples.

Surprisingly, even Han Tong and Fei Biao, who are usually arrogant and haughty, did not utter a word of rebuttal at this moment.

Han Tong pursed his lips, which was taken as tacit agreement.

Fei Biao nodded heavily and said in a deep voice:

"That makes sense!"

Clearly, even these notorious figures harbored a deep, unspoken respect for Liang Jin's actions.

This has nothing to do with stance; it's purely an acknowledgment of that true "chivalrous" spirit.

Kiyama Sei was completely stunned!
Her usually cool eyes were now filled with disbelief and astonishment, as if she were seeing this dark-skinned, ordinary man for the first time.

She originally thought Liang Jin was just an extraordinary person with extraordinary talent.

But to everyone's surprise, he had such a profound reputation among the people and such a pure sense of chivalry!

The combination of "extraordinary talent" and "concern for the people" instantly stirred up a tidal wave in her heart!

The gaze directed at Liang Jin now held not only the previous admiration, but also a deep respect and... a hint of inquiry.

at this time!

"Pfft!"

A muffled sound!
It was Zhongli Han, a man as tall and imposing as a mountain, who knelt heavily on one knee in Liang Jin's direction!
He clasped his hands in a fist salute, bowed his head deeply, and spoke in a loud and sincere voice, filled with the most basic respect of a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person of the martial arts world):
"Hero Song! Although Zhongli Han is a rough and uncouth man, your esteemed name and chivalrous deeds have long been renowned! To see your true face today is truly an honor! Please accept Zhongli Han's bow!"

"This prayer is for nothing other than the countless lives you saved! It is for your pure heart that 'acts on behalf of Heaven'!"

His bow was one of complete and heartfelt submission!
Seeing this, Fei Biao hurriedly composed himself, straightened his greasy clothes (though they were still greasy), bowed deeply to Liang Jin, and said in a deep voice:

"Hero Song! I, Fei Biao, may be a rough man, but I know right from wrong!"

"This is what you've been doing!"

He gave a thumbs up once again.

Han Tong's expression became extremely interesting.

Embarrassment, regret, and a hint of barely perceptible awe shifted and changed across his childlike face.

He gritted his teeth, finally swallowing his pride, and bowed deeply to Liang Jin. His voice, though still high-pitched, lacked its usual harshness and was more sincere.
"Song...Song Yingxiong! Han Tong was blind and spoke rudely before!"

"I...I apologize to you! I hope you will be magnanimous and not hold it against me!"

Making him bow his head and apologize is harder than killing him.

But faced with a figure like Song Jiang, he had no choice but to swallow his pride.

He was indeed cruel, but not without humanity.

Having witnessed firsthand the widespread famine during this year of great disaster, he harbored a complex feeling deep within his heart for those who could truly save people from suffering.

Moreover, Song Jiang's status and influence in the bandit world forced him to consider the consequences.

Kiyama Sei was utterly shocked by the dramatic scene before him.

She knows Han Tong too well!
This person is vindictive, ruthless, and has an almost pathologically strong sense of pride. Getting him to admit his mistakes is harder than climbing to heaven!

But now, he has actually bowed his head and apologized to Liang Jin!
This is not merely because of force or status, but because of Liang Jin's "righteousness" and "reputation" that are enough to win people's hearts!
This instantly elevated her opinion of Liang Jin to a completely new level, even making her feel somewhat uneasy.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and looked at Liang Jin with the gaze of someone looking up at a towering mountain, her voice filled with unprecedented solemnity and emotion:

"So Mr. Song... is not only a man of great wisdom and profound knowledge, but also a chivalrous man who cares for the common people and benefits all beings! I... was disrespectful before! Your virtue should be a model for the world!"

Faced with the praise and worship of the crowd, Liang Jin simply smiled faintly.

His gaze swept calmly over Zhongli Han, Fei Biao, and Han Tong, finally settling on Mu Shanqing, his voice steady and powerful:
"You all flatter me."

"It's just a false name, not worth mentioning."

He changed the subject and got to the point:

"Since everyone knows Song, they are willing to give Song some face."

"Then, would you be willing to let Mr. Song mediate between you two and resolve this grievance?"

He paused and added:

"Of course, before mediation, we need you all to explain the whole story to Mr. Song."

"The truth must be clarified."

This time, no one voiced any objection.

Liang Jin's identity and his immense prestige are the best guarantee in themselves.

Although Han Tong still had resentment in his eyes, Fei Biao curled his lips, and Zhong Lihan clenched his fists, they all chose to remain silent, which was considered as tacitly agreeing to Liang Jin's suggestion.

Mediation is acceptable, but whether it will ultimately succeed remains a big question mark in everyone's mind.

then.

On the edge of the ruins of Jinxi City, in the deepest darkness before dawn, the two sides began to recount that bloody feud.

Zhong Lihan spoke in a somber voice, recounting how his junior brother had died tragically.

Fei Biao and Han Tong, speaking casually and even with a hint of disdain, described the cause and process of the conflict.

Liang Jin quickly figured out the situation.

The core conflict is simple yet cruel: Zhongli Han's junior brother died at the hands of Han Tong and Fei Biao.

The dead cannot be brought back to life; this is the most difficult knot to untie.

Liang Jin frowned slightly and pressed for an answer:

"Why...why did you kill his junior brother?"

He needs a deeper motivation.

Strictly speaking, it really was a chance encounter between the two parties, who then disliked each other, had some arguments, and eventually resorted to violence, resulting in a death.

Mediation of such conflicts is obviously more difficult.

However, Liang Jin also noticed a detail:
"Are you saying that Zhongli Han's junior brother killed a family of three civilians before he attacked you?"

Han Tong said:

"That's right, one of the children in that family accidentally bumped into him and he killed him."

"The child's parents came to confront him, and he killed them as well."

Han Tong spoke casually, as if he were talking about something perfectly ordinary.

For a martial artist like him, he already considered himself superior to ordinary people, so he didn't care about the life or death of ordinary people.

Therefore, in Han Tong's view, this was not a big mistake, so he hadn't bothered to describe it in detail before.

Liang Jin's heart skipped a beat; he had grasped the key point!

He immediately looked at Mushan Qing, his gaze seeking confirmation.

Kiyama Sei nodded slightly, his cool voice carrying a hint of disdain:
"It is true, I saw it with my own eyes."

"Therefore, I did not intervene in their feud, because those who indiscriminately kill innocent people do not deserve to die by my sword."

Her attitude confirmed Fei Biao's statement.

We've found the breakthrough!

Liang Jin's sharp gaze turned to Zhong Lihan.

really.

On Zhongli Han's rugged face, an undisguised embarrassment, helplessness, and even a hint of... shame instantly appeared.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something in defense of his junior brother, but ultimately couldn't utter a sound.

Clearly, he was not entirely unaware of his junior brother's character.

Liang Jin's voice deepened:
“Zhongli Han! Your junior brother disregards human life, cruelly murdering innocent children and their parents, treating human life as worthless. Such behavior is worse than that of a beast!”

"He deserved to die!"

He paused, his gaze sharp as lightning, and stared directly at Zhong Lihan:
"If I, Song Jiang, had encountered this matter that day, I would certainly have taken action, taken his life, and rid the people of this scourge!"

Zhong Lihan was startled by Liang Jin's gaze, his face burning as if he had been slapped in public.

He stubbornly argued:

"Song Yingxiong! I admit... my junior brother's actions were indeed inappropriate!"

"If...if you kill him and rid the people of this scourge, I, Zhongli Han, will have no complaints whatsoever! On the contrary, I will respect you as a hero!"

He suddenly pointed at Han Tong and Fei Biao, his voice rising abruptly, filled with anger and resentment:

"But! It was these two who killed him! 'Thousand-Machine Child' Han Tong, infamous for his ruthlessness and merciless killing! 'Gluttonous Chef' Fei Biao, cruel by nature, is no better!"

"Their killing of my junior brother wasn't about upholding justice! It was just personal grudges! It was about venting their anger! The innocent blood on their hands is probably no less than my junior brother's!"

"They killed my junior brother, I... I can't swallow this insult!"

His words were filled with frustration.

"fart!"

"you wanna die!"

Upon hearing this, Han Tong and Fei Biao were instantly enraged, like cats whose tails had been stepped on.

Han Tong gripped the throwing knife pouch with his small hand, while Fei Biao's eyes flashed with a fierce light. If it weren't for Liang Jin's calm and unfathomable gaze sweeping over them, the two of them would probably have already pounced on Zhong Lihan again.

Just as another conflict was about to erupt, Liang Jin suddenly spoke up:

"it is good!"

“Since both sides have their own obsessions, your junior brother deserves to die, and Han Tong and the other two did not kill out of justice.”

"Then, let me think of a way to settle this grudge."

His gaze swept over the crowd, as if he were surveying a chess game.

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

Throughout history, the most famous story of resolving grievances is undoubtedly Lü Bu's shooting the halberd at the gate.

With enough power and an unbelievable result, we can silence both sides.

Sufficient power?
The power of knowledge, and an immense power!

An unbelievable result?

The most impactful result is thinking ahead of its time!
He already had a plan in mind.

Liang Jin suddenly lifted his foot, gently tapped the solid ground beneath his feet, and asked a question that left everyone speechless:

"Gentlemen, what do you say—" He looked around at the crowd and asked, enunciating each word clearly:

Is the land beneath our feet round or square?

what? !

Kiyama Sei's expectant gaze froze instantly, turning into deep astonishment and confusion.

She had considered that Liang Jin might propose a martial arts arbitration, offer huge compensation, or even use his prestige to force her to submit...

But to everyone's surprise, he asked such a completely unrelated and almost absurd question!

This was completely different from the "method" she had envisioned.
She blurted it out instinctively, her voice tinged with confusion:
"The heavens are round and the earth is square; this has been the principle since ancient times."

"The earth... is naturally square."

This is common sense ingrained in our bones.

Zhong Lihan, Han Tong, and Fei Biao looked at each other in bewilderment.

Zhongli scratched his head, looking completely bewildered.

Fei Biao blinked his small eyes, wondering if there was something wrong with his ears.

Han Tong scoffed, wondering if Liang Jin was joking.

Liang Jin was not surprised by their reaction at all. His smile remained unchanged as he presented his "bet":
"If I could convince you that the earth is round!"

"So, are you both willing to put aside your grievances and turn hostility into friendship?"

The scene fell silent instantly.

"puff--!"

Han Tong was the first to burst out laughing.

He clutched his stomach, laughing so hard he almost fell over; his childlike laughter was particularly jarring in the quiet of the pre-dawn hours.
"Hahaha! Round?"

"Hero Song, are you joking?"

"If the earth were round, wouldn't we have all rolled off this sphere into the abyss and been smashed to pieces long ago?"

"Hahaha! Ridiculous! Utterly absurd!"

Fei Biao grinned widely, chuckling to himself, finding the bet utterly ridiculous.

Zhongli Han frowned, feeling that Liang Jin's method was simply childish and could not possibly resolve the blood feud.

Liang Jin looked at Zhong Lihan:
"Brother Zhong, what about you?"

Zhongli Han looked at Liang Jin's serious eyes. Although he found it unbelievable, out of the last shred of trust in Liang Jin's reputation, he still said in a deep voice:
"Hero Song, if you can truly convince me and make me believe such... such shocking words."

"Then I, Zhongli Han, will keep my word! I will abandon my revenge!"

He was ultimately a man of utmost integrity, and his promises were as precious as gold.

"it is good!"

That's exactly what Liang Jin was waiting for.

His gaze shifted to Han Tong and Fei Biao, who were laughing so hard they were almost crying.

Han Tong finally managed to stop laughing, wiping his eyes with a mocking and provocative expression:
"Alright! Hero Song! As long as you can convince me, Han Tong, that the earth beneath my feet is a sphere!"

"Not only did I shake hands and make peace with this big oaf, but I, Han Tong, also kowtowed three times to him on the spot to apologize!"

"A promise is a promise! Fatty Fei, what about you?"

Fei Biao patted his chest, oil splattering everywhere:
"me too!"

"If the earth were truly round, I, Fei Biao, would kowtow and admit my mistake!"

The bet is settled!
"Gentlemen, please follow me."

Liang Jin said no more, turned around, and strode steadily toward the outskirts of Jinxi City.

As dawn broke, his tall figure appeared very long.

The remaining four were completely dumbfounded.

Kiyama Sei's brows furrowed as she watched Liang Jin's departing figure, muttering to herself:

"How can you convince us that the Earth is round?"

"This...this is impossible! It's utterly delusional..."

However, deep within her cool and aloof eyes burned an unprecedented, almost obsessive, flame of curiosity.

She didn't believe Liang Jin could succeed, but she desperately wanted to know what methods this man, who had repeatedly overturned her understanding, would use to prove this "fairy tale"!
"I do not believe!"

She said it with absolute certainty, but her feet followed involuntarily:
"But I have to see! See how he 'points at the ground and makes it look round'!"

Han Tong still wore a disdainful sneer on his face, but deep in his eyes there was a hint of seriousness and inquiry that even he himself did not realize.

He snorted coldly:
"Hmph, trying to play tricks! Let's see what kind of schemes you can pull!"

Also followed.

Fei Biao scratched his head and muttered as he walked with Han Tong.

Zhongli Han, filled with suspicion and a last glimmer of hope, shouldered the giant bell and strode after him.

The group silently passed through the dilapidated city gate and stepped into the vast wilderness outside Jinxi City.

Changzhou is mostly plains, and they were currently in a wide open field outside the city.

The cracked, drought-ravaged land stretched into the distance in the dim morning light, a scene of devastation and lifelessness.

The air was filled with the smell of dust.

Liang Jin stopped, facing the increasingly bright dawn sky in the east, and slowly raised his hand, pointing to the huge, deep silhouette on the distant horizon, undulating like the spine of a giant beast:
"Gentlemen, you must all recognize it—Yan Mountain."

Everyone looked in the direction he pointed.

The famous mountain in Changzhou revealed its massive yet indistinct form in the pre-dawn light.

Those present had all, to varying degrees, set foot on Yan Mountain and were familiar with its outline.

Liang Jin's voice was calm and clear, as if stating a very simple fact:

“If, as you say, the earth is as flat as a chessboard, then we, standing here, should be able to clearly see the entire Yan Mountain from its base to its summit.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and posed his first question:
"Then, may I ask you all?"

"Can you clearly see the summit of Yan Mountain right now? And... can you see the foot of Yan Mountain?"

Om-!
This question struck everyone's mind like an invisible bolt of lightning!
Mu Shanqing, Han Tong, Zhong Lihan, and Fei Biao all froze at the same time!
An indescribable chill suddenly shot up up my spine!
They seemed to... vaguely grasp something!
An extremely ominous and subversive premonition, like cold vines, instantly entwined their hearts!

"impossible!"

Han Tong cried out, but his voice already trembled slightly.

Almost instinctively and frantically, he widened his eyes and stared intently at the outline of Yan Mountain in the distance!

The other three did the same thing, holding their breath and straining their eyes!
Right now!

boom--!
It was as if the greatest painter in the world had wielded a giant brush!

A magnificent, blazing golden wheel, burning with endless light and heat, suddenly broke free from the horizon and leaped out!

Its daybreak!
A beam of golden light, like molten gold, instantly splashed onto the earth!
It dispelled the last trace of darkness and illuminated the majestic Yan Mountain in the distance!
In the clear, unobstructed dawn light, everything became incredibly clear, incredibly cruel!

The mountaintop—clearly bathed in golden sunlight, with its peaks rising one after another, their outlines distinct.

On the mountainside, one can also vaguely see mineral-bearing rocks shimmering in the sunlight.

However... at the foot of the mountain!
The foot of the mountain, which should have been connected to the earth, was as if it had been forcibly wiped away by an invisible giant hand!
It disappeared below... that slightly raised horizon that stretched into the distance!

Everyone could see it clearly!

The foundation of Yan Mountain is completely obscured by the seemingly flat, but actually subtly curved "edge of the earth"!

"This this……"

Zhong Lihan opened his mouth wide and made an unconscious hoarse sound. His huge body stood frozen on the spot as if petrified, and the knuckles of his fingers holding the giant bell turned white from the force.

Fei Biao rubbed his eyes hard, then rubbed them again, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Mushan Qing's breathing suddenly became rapid, her face turned slightly pale, and a terrible thought began to grow wildly in her mind!
Han Tong's face instantly turned extremely ugly!
His proud knowledge of mechanical arts and spatial concepts collided fiercely in his mind!
But he was still unwilling to give up, as if grasping at the last straw, and retorted in a shrill voice:
"This...this can only mean that the land in front of us is uneven! It's hilly! It's blocking our view! There might be hills and depressions at the foot of Yan Mountain!"

"This...this proves nothing! It doesn't prove that all land is like this! And it certainly doesn't prove that the earth is round!"

His voice was clearly panicked and outwardly fierce but inwardly weak.

Liang Jin was not surprised by his rebuttal, and his face still wore that all-controlling smile:

"No problem, Changzhou has many mountains and rivers, we can verify them one by one."

"You're worried about the earth's movement, then..."

He changed the subject, his gaze sharp as a knife:

"Water surface! Shouldn't the water surface be perfectly level?"

"When there's no wind, there are no waves; the water surface is a symbol of 'calm,' right?"

Han Tong nodded subconsciously.

This is common sense; the water level is as smooth as a mirror.

Liang Jin's voice, like a resounding bell, struck the hearts of everyone present.
"So, may I ask you all, have you ever lived by the sea for a long time? Have you ever stood at the harbor and gazed into the distance at the ships returning home?"

When a ship comes from the horizon, do you see the top of the mast first, or the whole ship first?

Kiyama Ao was struck as if by lightning, her delicate body trembling violently!
Having lived by the sea for a long time, she was naturally familiar with the scene Liang Jin described.

She gasped in shock, her usually cool eyes flashing with an unprecedented light of awe!
"It's...it's a mast!"

Her voice trembled uncontrollably, filled with a shocking sense of cognitive upheaval:
"You always see the mast first! It rises little by little! Only then can you slowly see the hull!"

"I...I was also completely baffled back then! I only thought it was due to the refraction of sea fog or poor eyesight..."

"Sir! Could it be... could it really be..."

The look in her eyes as she looked at Liang Jin was filled with extreme horror and a kind of bewilderment that was almost like the collapse of her faith!

The long-held belief in the "round heaven and square earth" has opened a huge crack in her heart!

Han Tong's face completely lost all color at that moment!
It turned as white as paper!

It felt as if he had been struck hard on the top of his head by an invisible giant hammer!

She staggered back a step, her shrill voice filled with a desperate hoarseness:
"The mast... I saw the mast first... How could this be... How could this happen?!"

As someone who is an expert in mechanical engineering and has a deep understanding of visual principles, he knows better than anyone else what this phenomenon means!
That cannot be explained by fluctuations alone!

That's... curvature!
A visual phenomenon that only a sphere can create!
His worldview completely collapsed in that instant!
Liang Jin's voice, like a final judgment, calm yet powerful, rang out once more:

“You are all skilled in martial arts and have exceptional eyesight.”

"If the earth were truly as flat as a whetstone, you, standing atop a high mountain, should be able to see the outline of the capital city a thousand miles away—"

He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the stunned crowd with an almost tangible intensity:

"Which of you...has ever seen this before?"

Boom——!
This last question was like the last straw that broke the camel's back, or like dropping a devastating bomb on the already crumbling ruins of everyone's understanding!

Han Tong could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground, staring blankly at the cracked earth beneath his feet, muttering unconsciously to himself:

"Round...it really is round...impossible...how could this be..."

All his lifelong learning and the mechanical skills he was so proud of were shattered at this moment!

Mushan Qing stood frozen in place, as if transformed into an elegant jade sculpture.

The golden light of dawn shone on her pale face, but it could not dispel the turbulent emotions and unfathomable confusion in her eyes.

Her mind was in complete chaos, with countless preconceived notions colliding, collapsing, and reorganizing wildly...

The four characters "heaven is round and earth is square" shattered in her heart!
Although Zhongli Han and Fei Biao did not understand it as deeply as Han Tong and Mushan Qing.

But seeing the two of them looking utterly bewildered, as if they had seen a ghost, and combining that with what they had just witnessed and heard, an indescribable chill from the depths of their souls instantly swept over them!
They felt as if the solid, all-encompassing earth beneath their feet had become unreal, unfamiliar, and even... terrifying!
The dawn wind, carrying the warmth of the rising sun, blows across the silent fields.

Yet, it couldn't dispel the overwhelming, earth-shattering horror and bewilderment that shrouded the five people's hearts...

(End of this chapter)