Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 159 Literary Qi Exhausted, Conferring Titles upon Mountains and Rivers
Inside the city of Shazhou, in the court of the Hao Kingdom, King Hao looked at the empty ranks of military officers before him, trying to project an air of authority, but his heart was filled with fear. He had established the court in Shazhou to dilute Zhao Cheng's influence, but now he had suddenly found himself being held hostage.

His familiar uncles and elders in the court had, within two years, first lost Bozhou, then Gushou Pass, and now they had failed in the war in Yan. Dewdrops, like tears, appeared in the eyes of the dragon patterns on the bronze pillar.

In the Battle of Yan, the two full-strength armies mobilized by the Hao Kingdom have been reduced to mere remnants. As battle reports continue to arrive from the front, the two Wu brothers seem poised to sweep through from east to west, annihilating the kingdom in a single battle.

The Dragonborn officials were also discussing the two generals who had recently appeared in the Yao Kingdom, and couldn't help but look back on the past.

Thinking back to the former Haotian Realm of the Dragonborn, during the final moments, that planet witnessed a brutal war, and various races produced powerful generals. Some of these generals possessed individual combat strength comparable to demigods, while others were blessed by the heavens and wielded armies with divine skill. Many Dragonborn have already compared the Wu brothers to those legendary generals of the Haotian Realm.

King Hao wanted to send someone to hold them off, but among the military generals in the main hall, only Zhao Cheng's faction remained.

Looking at this group of military generals, King Hao finally regretted making things so tense with Zhao Cheng.

…On the other side, the time travelers were busy…

In the first year of the Tianyou calendar, from August to October, Wu Fei's side transported grain and farm tools, barely managing to settle the prisoners in Yan. Shallow irrigation canals were also planned. These canals were too shallow to flow water, and their excavation at this time was to stabilize the farming areas for the following year.

After a series of calculations, Wu Fei matched the serfs with the officers who had made outstanding contributions in this battle and granted them fiefdoms.

These recipients of fiefdoms were mainly boatmen and soldiers who had been conscripted.

For these poor people, the prospect of cashing in their war merits in Yan, becoming a master, and controlling such a large piece of land was quite attractive.

For the royal relatives and aristocratic families from Yaodu, the fiefdoms here were irrelevant; they would exchange them all for wealth and manors within the pass. They did not oppose Wu Fei's city governance plans in Yan, but of course, they did not support them either.

For the generals from the wealthy and powerful families of Yaodu and the eight thousand sons of Wu Hengyu who brought them from the south, they were content as long as these lands could supply soldiers and provisions, and the people here held ranks below their own. They were not concerned with the governance of the Yan region.

Xuan Chong: It's like when I play a game, I hope there's a spot where resources can be automatically farmed; the kings of the Age of Exploration also hoped that their colonies would be like cows that would provide trade benefits without complaint.

However, from a governance perspective, the output of Yan region depends on governance, and those with governing abilities in Da Yao would not bother to exile themselves here.

The value of the Yan region over the next ten years will be due to the system that Wu Fei built in this harsh and cold land.

But what if Wu Fei leaves next? Wu Fei looked at the "rogue" soldiers celebrating his newfound status as a master, and at the indifferent attitude of the soldiers from the scholar class within the pass, and fell into deep thought.

The cultural and administrative system of Yan region lacks the ability to generate its own resources!
Nowadays, "civilian talents" are monopolized by aristocratic families, for a simple reason: the clans are large enough to involve all walks of life; children who can hear about "all sorts of novel things such as agriculture and commerce" at home will have a broad perspective.

Children raised in this environment, when reading articles and doing things, are able to consider things from a holistic and multi-faceted perspective because they possess this intangible resource.

Production in Yan currently relies on serfs. No matter how large the serf groups are, discussions among them lack a clear framework. And the masters above the serfs also do not organize production discussion and exchange meetings.

Xuan Chong connected this to his past life, noting that the Liao Dynasty's rise to power was due to several instances where either the Central Plains' path to power was blocked, leading to an outflow of talent, or wars raged in the Central Plains, causing some families to flee north, or even the Song Dynasty's weakness and suppression of the Wu forces, resulting in raids and captures of people, including scholars. Only in such circumstances could a legitimate imperial system be maintained.

Once such an empire entered the pass and established its capital within the pass, the most outstanding governing talents all fled back to the pass. Then, essential tasks such as land surveying, household registration, and river planning were left unattended.

It can be said that a hundred years from now, the grassroots governance that was once built on the black soil will inevitably collapse and civilization will regress due to the loss of talent.

Wu Fei: If I were to govern Yan, I would definitely strengthen the direct port connection between Thang Long City and the cities of Bo, turning Thang Long City into a metropolis that accommodates all walks of life, nurturing culture, and maintaining grassroots governance. But—Wu Hengyu doesn't seem to care much about the land he conquered.

Wu Fei patted his face and smiled bitterly. He had forgotten that he was also an exception; the "civilian system" he created was unsustainable.

From a cultural perspective, Wu Fei is a person who has received modern education: under modern education, his observation of the development and changes of things follows a habit of "constantly" establishing plans and adjustments.

Wu Fei's approach—where he conquers a territory and immediately plans it in five-year increments, compiling a list of potential conflicts of interest and contradictions in various parts of the region every year, and then making targeted adjustments—is something that is impossible in this era.

Even the most outstanding scions of prominent families today wouldn't be so "constantly troubled by worldly concerns."

To describe Xuan Chong's governing mindset in a positive sense, one would say "exhausting all his energy and effort."

Wu Fei exhaled a puff of white breath: "Let's leave this place aside for now; it won't be under my control in the future."

The land of Bo and Yan was where Wu Fei practiced his civil administration skills. After summarizing his experiences, Wu Fei planned to return and establish schools to compile textbooks based on the fundamental principles of the "scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants" social structure.

…Autumn arrives, the harvest is gathered, and celebrations follow…

In October, in Shenglong City, Wu Fei stood outside the city lord's mansion, watching the bustling streets. A temple fair was being held, and the most prominent feature of the fair was the Taoist priests performing rituals.

As a stream of sweet rain fell from the altar, amidst chants of "May the gods bless us," the crowd knelt in worship, including many soldiers whom Wu Fei had appointed to govern the regions. With everyone kneeling, Wu Fei stood out, especially with a wisp of magical power in his hand.

Wu Fei watched from the sidelines, confirming that these individuals were indeed skilled in Taoist practices. Promoting "feudal superstition" on their own turf, causing a large-scale gathering—this matter wasn't insignificant, but it wasn't trivial either. It all depended on how it was defined.

After the three Taoist priests finished their rituals and jumped down from the altar, Wu Fei walked straight over to them. However, before he could speak, a soldier beside him introduced him: "General, this is a disciple of the Cixin Sect."

However, Wu Fei's murderous aura flashed, and both the Taoist priest and the soldier who had spoken sensed danger. The soldier, covered in sweat, knelt down.

The three Taoists also looked embarrassed, because they found that the area several feet around them was covered by a wave-like aura of malevolence, leaving only a ten-foot radius around them.

Wu Fei looked at the three Taoist priests without any expression of joy or sorrow and asked, "Are you all permanent residents, or are you wandering travelers?"

The leading Taoist priest, as if under the gaze of a ferocious tiger, replied, "General, my junior brothers and I are simply traveling here—"

Wu Fei's expression was unfriendly: "Huh?!"

The Taoist priest quickly replied, "I am an outer disciple of the Cixin Sect."

Wu Fei stared at him: "I don't know where your sect is. Do you have a base here?" He then prompted, "There's a temple north of Shenglong Mountain—(This temple doesn't exist yet, but it might in the future)."

The Taoist priest quickly replied, "Yes, I am preparing to establish a Taoist temple here."

Wu Fei's expression brightened, and he quickly put his arm around the Taoist priest and patted him, saying, "Taoist priest, that's right. According to the laws of the Great Dao, this general cannot allow any immoral worship in the local area. You must establish a Taoist temple here and stay for thirty years."

The Taoist priest behind him was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly tried to say something, but was pulled back.

Wu Fei said, "I will definitely process your ordination certificate, so that the believers in the city can offer incense every month." Then he turned to everyone and shouted, "Everyone, welcome, Daoist, to establish your sect here!"

Wu Fei raised his hands in greeting, and immediately the crowd cheered and jeered as if it were a great event.

…And so the temple fair continued, but the prestigious lineage could not “lose its faith”…

Wu Fei opened a fast track with the government to issue local ordination certificates to the three Taoist priests. The official documents on the certificates stipulated that the three of them were required to work and clock in locally.

During holidays, they would stay behind to participate in blessing ceremonies such as those for the beginning of spring and the harvest.

The fact that these Taoist disciples collect incense offerings, leading to large numbers of people kneeling and worshipping, poses a certain threat to the rule of the military group.

However, the most foolish thing to do would be to execute Yu Ji directly, just like Sun Ce did, as this goes against the majority opinion.

As a result, Sun Ce, despite his robust physique, suddenly died.

This brings us to another story, still about the Sun family. The Buddhist monk Kang Senghui came to China to spread Buddhism. Coincidentally, a Buddha statue was unearthed behind the palace of King Sun Hao of Wu. This fool of the Sun family placed the statue in the latrine and urinated on it to prove that Kang Senghui's concept of karma and retribution was a lie. As a result, Sun Hao suffered excruciating pain, especially in his groin, which caused him to writhe on the ground. His servants told him he had insulted a deity, and Sun Hao kowtowed before the Buddha statue in repentance. Only then did his pain subside.

Putting aside these superstitious elements, Xuan Chong said, "It's clear that the Sun family couldn't control the people around them. Whether it was Sun Ce's sudden death or Sun Hao's, it shows that the people around them had done something underhanded to the Sun family, but they couldn't find out, so it turned into a ghostly retribution."

Wu Fei wasn't worried about karmic retribution, but he was concerned that the Taoist priests were using the name of deities to organize their followers in secret. (Zhang Jiao, Taiping Dao, Eastern Han Dynasty)
Therefore, the standard way that later regimes dealt with religious beliefs was based on Qianlong's experience: they would not conflict with you, but all aspects, such as the legitimacy of the belief, had to be in my hands.

Firstly, a Taoist priest cannot transmit a message without a temple.

Furthermore, you cannot deliver messages haphazardly, doing it only when you're in a good mood and then causing trouble the next day. All your legitimate rituals require you to be present like clockwork. If you fail to be present, it means you are neglecting your duties! In Eastern beliefs, neglecting one's duties is also punishable by Heaven.

Wu Fei: As long as these key points are controlled by secular rulers, what does it matter if Taoist priests accept secular worship?

They all had to stay obediently on the shrine.

On the other hand, Wu Fei wanted to preserve the Taoist temple for the sake of civilization. The local cultural environment was too weak to foster complex social conditions, and the austere conditions made it difficult to retain people. Therefore, he could only emulate the Western church system and establish a "knowledge transmission" system based on the Taoist temple.

Wu Fei felt he had gotten a good deal…

After Wu Fei processed the ordination certificates for the three Taoist priests, unexpected ripples occurred throughout the world.

At the river's mouth, several groups of disciples looked up at the changing terrain and celestial phenomena. One of the Daoist masters exclaimed, "They've actually gotten there first!" Another Daoist master, while calculating, said, "Don't be discouraged; there's still hope."

Wu Fei had no idea that his act of giving the manual to the three Taoist priests and temples had now made the various immortals grit their teeth.

The "human way" is the fundamental principle in this world, and significant changes in territory will lead to the flow of mountains and rivers.

Although the rich riverine areas fought over by military strategists seem to be a bustling, mundane world unrelated to immortal cultivation, the spiritual veins in the surrounding remote mountains and rivers change according to human behavior.

Currently, all sects and factions are trying to support the most favored military strategist, provided that they can intervene.

If a celestial being could see the malevolent aura emanating from Wu Fei, it would appear as a massive sea of ​​fire gathering near Shenglong City, and Wu Hengyu's malevolent aura would be a giant dragon capable of churning the seas within that fire.

When the leader of the Cixin Sect in the north heard that his disciple had easily obtained control of the Taoist temple on the dragon vein of Yan, he stroked his beard and exclaimed, "The disciple I sent down is truly blessed. Without any fighting or struggle, he obtained permission to build the temple from the local government."

The major sects are now paying close attention, and several of them have used their most precious treasures to divine who will be the one to face this great calamity.

Military strategists don't have a "ranking of masters" like those in the cultivation world, just as generals in the 21st century don't participate in wealth rankings. There's only a hierarchy; when military strategists of the same hierarchy clash, victory or defeat is a matter of fate, while a stronger military strategist defeating a weaker one is defying destiny.

Without a doubt, Wu Fei and Wu Hengyu's journey from Bohai to Yan was a miraculous turn of events that defied fate.

In the mountains behind Thang Long City, just after three Cixin sect Taoists built a thatched hut there, ten fellow Taoists came under the stars and moon at night, asking to stay overnight.

The Cixin sect Taoist priest naturally wouldn't allow it, because if he stayed there, he would have to give up his temple's space. The peach wood sword and the banner faced each other.

The two sides engaged in a magical duel, but the Cixin Sect Taoist was ultimately defeated. He revealed his ordination certificate, which borrowed power from the City God. Lightning flashed across the sky above the city, unleashing a terrifying wave of malevolent energy that swept away the other Taoists. The duel ended.

When the malevolent energy in the city was mobilized, Wu Fei also sensed it, since the malevolent energy was his own, and he felt as if two or three hairs on his body were plucked out.

The next day, Wu Fei's soldiers captured those "wild Taoists" who had no ordination certificates and whose magic had failed.

These Taoist priests were in a terrible state, their hair disheveled, and they convulsed when they saw Xuan Chong, like a monkey trying to be an electrician and touching the wrong wire.

Through interrogation, Wu Fei learned that these Taoist priests had been traveling hundreds of kilometers on cranes to conduct their business. He then inadvertently learned a lesson from reality, which led him to his current predicament.

Wu Fei complained, "I used to think that cultivating immortality was about playing around in the mortal world. How come you outer disciples are having such a hard time?"

These Taoist priests revealed a harsh reality: "Their outer disciples run errands in the countryside. They do hard and tiring work, collecting merits and investigating the earth's veins."

The inner disciples, on the other hand, dealt with the business of the big clients, namely, when kings and nobles had a need for "longevity" and "good fortune," the inner disciples would respond by exchanging righteous teachings.

Wu Fei took out a map of mountains and rivers and casually pointed to the six hundred miles of mountains and rivers.

There weren't even any herbalists in these mountains, so Wu Fei waved his hand and bestowed this mountain upon these cultivators.

What is the validity of Wu Fei's investiture?
The mountains and rivers of this prefecture can only be recorded in the "prefecture annals" of the humanistic system if endorsed by the governor.

Now, the "Prefectural Annals" are in Wu Fei's hands, and the legitimacy of the Annals comes from the contracts reached between the various prominent families and powerful clans in this prefecture and the local landscape, establishing their own states here. Once Wu Fei has designated various areas for farms, planned irrigation canals, and settled some soldiers here, Wu Fei will become the prefectural official.

Wu Fei wrote down the names of these mountains, one copy of which was kept in the state annals, and the other was engraved on a stele. The cultivators then transported the stele to the mountain, where the mountain gate was built. The cultivators, who had unexpectedly received Wu Fei's promise, showed unexpected joy and expressed their intention to establish branch temples here permanently.

After learning from the Taoist priests' ramblings that his investiture had supernatural effects, Wu Fei understood that his investiture had a magical or supernatural quality.

Wu Fei, who did not believe in ghosts and gods, scoffed, but couldn't help thinking about the Southern Frontier. Were there ghosts and gods waiting for him to bestow titles upon them there?

(End of this chapter)