Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 879 Fertile Soil of White Lotus
His research encountered an inexplicable "outlier".

"The data for Qiantang, and even the entire Wu County... has increased rather than decreased in the past two years."

This goes against the general trend. It even goes against common sense.

……

Xu Xuan glanced at the old professor with a smile, his expression unchanged, but alarm bells were ringing in his mind.

"Are you trying to manipulate my big data?"

"It's pretty accurate."

As expected of someone who studies mathematics and physics, he is closer to the "Way of Heaven" than those Confucian scholars who only talk about principles.

If he continues his calculations, he might even be able to deduce the conclusion that "Bao'antang controls the economy of Jiangnan".

When it was Professor Sheng's turn... before he could even utter a word, a murderous aura emanated from him.

The other professors quietly moved a little further away, afraid of getting splattered with blood later.

This old scholar, who majored in law, was usually cold and taciturn, but once he opened his mouth, it was like a knife to the bone.

Perhaps it was the atmosphere that was so good today, or perhaps it was Xu Xuan's excellent performance as the straight man.

Professor Sheng surprisingly let go of his inhibitions.

The legal experts started with a "peak" that other professors could hardly reach.

"The entire city of Luoyang is a mess!" he sneered, his gaze fixed directly on the central government. "The head of state has allowed the court to descend into a quagmire of power struggles!"

"From the highest officials to the lowest clerks, very few are clean!"

Then, he started calling out names. This was an incredibly domineering move.

"The Wang family of Langya appears noble on the surface, but in reality they form cliques and pursue personal gain!"

"The Xie family of Chen Commandery used literature to cover up their greed and embezzled farmland!"

"The Yu family, as relatives of the emperor, interfered in politics and disrupted the imperial court!"

"The Huan family has amassed a large military force and is too powerful to be controlled!"

"The Pei family holds positions without contributing anything, and has achieved absolutely nothing!"

They didn't even spare several of the maternal relatives, scolding them one by one.

Professor Sheng, who has left the system, has lost power but gained the freedom to "speak freely".

Without having to worry about colleagues holding them back or weighing the pros and cons, they could rant and rave to their hearts' content!
Even the Emperor of Jin was mentioned in passing, but he still saved face by not citing any specific examples.

Xu Xuan listened with great interest and even wanted to applaud him. This was much more exciting than the storytelling in the teahouse!

There's a lot of crucial information!
I must compile the "Complete Collection of Scandals about Powerful Figures in Luoyang" later; it might be of great use.

The other professors were immediately displeased upon hearing this.

"Isn't this too arbitrary?" "There's still humanity beyond the law!" "Brother Sheng, your words are rather extreme!"

Then they got flamed.

Professor Sheng sneered and immediately activated the "one against many" mode.

He had seen more case files than these old scholars had read books, and could casually dangle several old cases from years ago.

"Old Master Gu, do you really think no one knows about your protégé who is now the prefect of Kuaiji forcibly seizing farmland last year?"

"Master Liu, your nephew was lending money at exorbitant interest rates in the West Market of Luoyang, driving three families to their deaths. The case file is still being held by the Ministry of Justice!"

"Mr. Qin, would you like me to help you recall the disaster relief grain funds that the Ministry of Revenue 'miscalculated'?"

The old men immediately blushed and fell silent.

Who doesn't have a dark past?
Even if you don't have it yourself, how could you not have it from relatives and friends?
Professor Sheng pressed his advantage, slamming his fist on the table and angrily rebuking, "You people are only able to sit here peacefully thanks to the 'Eight Deliberations' and 'official positions'!"

The "Eight Deliberations" system allowed relatives and nobles, as well as virtuous and capable individuals, to be exempted from punishment for crimes.

Officials are bound by rules; using one's official position to atone for one's crimes is a matter of course.

Furthermore, with the scholar-official class protecting each other, major issues were downplayed and minor issues were ignored... Apart from the unlucky losers in the power struggle, who would actually be punished?

This set of unspoken rules, inherited from the Han and Wei dynasties to the present day, has long been the lifeblood of the ruling class.

Xu Xuan sat to the side, slowly sipping his tea, his mind completely clear.

Professor Sheng's criticism was scathing, but ultimately it was still "one of his own criticizing one of his own."

Are we really going to change this system?
That would be tantamount to overturning the table of the entire scholar-official class.

When it was finally Professor Taishi's turn, the entire room fell silent. His status and age were undeniable; he could criticize however he pleased, the kind of person who wouldn't even fear the emperor.

Xu Xuan's spiritual sense stirred slightly, and he realized that the old man's life force was still weak, like a candle flickering in the wind, almost the same as it had been three years ago.

But it was precisely this seemingly extinguishable flame that carried more weight than the words of anyone else present.

"The alternation of separation and union is like the alternation of day and night."

Professor Taishi only said this one sentence before closing his eyes to rest.

The others immediately feigned sudden realization: "You're right!"

In reality, he was thinking to himself, "Doesn't this mean he didn't say anything at all?"

Okay, let's keep arguing!

The old professors soon started arguing again.

You say "corrupt officialdom," I say "power dictates by aristocratic families"...

In summary, it can be summed up in four words: The Great Jin Dynasty is doomed.

Xu Xuan sat to the side, listening and taking notes, and his first impression of Luoyang gradually took shape.

Political factional strife at court? Yes.

Infighting among powerful families? Yes.

The law has collapsed? Yes.

Public discontent is boiling over? Of course.

This is hardly the capital city.
It is clearly a fertile ground naturally suited for the White Lotus Sect to flourish!

When Xu Xuan left the office, he had another stack of letters in his arms.

Students, former officials, close friends, classmates... a rough estimate suggests that most of the court could be connected through these letters.

Before he even crossed the Yangtze River, he already carried nearly a hundred letters with him, demonstrating his thorough preparation.

No wonder the "Handong University Department of Political Science and Law" produced a "Handong Clique" back then. The network of relationships between teachers, students and alumni is really easy to form into factions and cliques.

Of course, there is another important reason why the results are so encouraging:
In this world, there is probably no scholar like Xu Xuan who could study for the imperial examinations while secretly weaving a web.

This doesn't even include the group of students he trained at the academy, or the friends he made through social channels.

Others study hard for years to pass the imperial examinations, but he studies hard for... to become a good person.

Satisfied, he put away the letters and turned to start preparing for the annual meeting of Baoantang.

Next year, the organization's development will embark on a new journey.

As the person in charge, he needs to organize a team-building activity to unite everyone.

After all, heading north to Luoyang is not a solo endeavor; he needs to keep his righteous partners motivated.

Just then, a drop of water flew through the air.

"hiss--"

Xu Xuan's fingertips trembled, and half a drop of tea spilled out.

He hasn't been to West Lake lately, deliberately keeping his distance so that she can calm down.

But this drop of water... is clearly Bai Suzhen's "message".

There's no escaping it now.

The water droplets dissolved in the palm of her hand, revealing several lines of neat handwriting: "Xiao Qing is about to complete her evolution and needs someone to protect her."

Lady White Snake far surpasses Xu Xuan in both spiritual attainment and knowledge, so she naturally doesn't really need a protector.

So, to translate: "Although you're just a beginner in the cultivation world, your outrageous characteristics are too much to handle. Come and be my insurance agent."

Xu Xuan sighed and got up to walk towards the thatched hut.

"Senior brother, I have something to do at West Lake."

Ruoxu had already calmed down and was copying scriptures at the moment. Without even looking up, he said, "Go."

After Xu Xuan descended the mountain
Ruoxu suddenly put down his pen, went outside, and gazed at the direction of West Lake.

The monk's robes fluttered without wind, and a faint light of Buddha shone from his palms.

If the situation changes... be ready to provide assistance at any time.

(End of this chapter)