Only after unifying the world did I realize that immortals existed in this world.

The air is filled with the fragrance of books and the aroma of tea.

Xie Cangrong, holding the teacup, smiled and said to Cui Che, "Since Teacher misses Song Qing, I will have him return."

Upon hearing this, Cui Che waved his hand and said, "Enough, enough! Loyalty to the emperor and love for the country are what Zhao Wen wants to achieve. He wants to realize his ambitions and aspirations. Don't let my few words of advice hinder his path."

"A man like Song Qing can be loyal to the emperor and serve the country, and realize his ambitions, no matter where he is."

Cui Che picked up his teacup, gently blew on it, and asked Xie Cangrong, "Why did Your Majesty decide to come to this old minister's place?"

"It's been a long time since I last sent my greetings; I've been missing my dear teacher."

Cui Che glanced at him: "Alright, His Majesty doesn't come to the palace without a reason! Tell me, is it because of those overseas guests?"

Although the old man did not attend court, he was not completely out of the loop.

"Yes and no."

Xie Cangrong didn't refute anything, but simply asked with a smile, "Teacher, do you also know about cultivators? Do you believe in them?"

It's been a while since I've seen this stubborn teacher, and he seems to have changed a bit.

The old man leaned back in his chair and sighed softly, "Your Majesty has done too many strange and supernatural things. I don't know whether to believe them or not, but now it seems I should. I only hope that Your Majesty will not be so obsessed with cultivating immortality that you neglect the affairs of state."

Xie Cangrong smiled and retorted, "Don't you know me, teacher?"

Choi Cheol simply sighed: "How many people in this world truly understand you?"

He thought he knew this student he had watched grow up very well, but it turned out he didn't know him well enough.

Xie Cangrong shrugged, neither confirming nor denying.

"What does Your Majesty wish me to do? While these old bones of mine can still move, you might as well speak frankly."

Upon hearing this, Xie Cangrong put down his teacup and toned down his previous arrogance: "Teacher, I intend to hold a grand ceremony to worship Heaven after the New Year, to announce to the world that the Great Xia Dynasty is about to undergo a change."

"Change?"

Cui Che frowned.

This student has too many ideas, they're wildly imaginative and unpredictable. He's also incredibly restless; ordinary people simply can't keep up with his thinking.

Although the current Great Xia is not what Cui Che had hoped for, it is already very good. He doesn't know how Xie Cangrong wants to change it.

"Teacher, you should know what the appearance of cultivators means for the Great Xia Dynasty?"

"The Great Xia possesses what they covet. If we do not change, we will only be able to take whatever we want, be enslaved, and be exploited! The hearts of the people will also be swayed by the allure of cultivating immortality. At that time, the nation will cease to exist, and we will never be united again."

"I will do everything in my power to enable Great Xia to have the strength to protect itself and the confidence to develop its culture as quickly as possible."

"The Great Xia is neither immortal nor demonic; we must have the qualifications to engage in dialogue with them on an equal footing."

Even... conversely, to swallow them up.

Xie Cangrong's eyes shone brightly as he spoke to Cui Che.

The young monarch was like the sun on the horizon, full of energy and vigor.

In a daze, Cui Che seemed to see the child who used to argue with him, full of vigor and pointing out the world's secrets.

"How do you want it to change?"

Xie Cangrong leaned forward slightly, his eyes reflecting his teacher's image, and clearly described his imagined vision of a bright future: "At the sacrificial ceremony, I will proclaim to Heaven and Earth, spreading the seeds of power, and establishing a system to change the mindset of the Great Xia people from top to bottom. You should know what I said in court a few days ago; that was just the beginning. My goal is to reform everything—the economy, culture, education, the legal system…—to bring Great Xia onto the path of cultivators' knowledge, liberate national production, and propel Great Xia forward by leaps and bounds. At that time, our dynasty will be able to control the timing and location of events, satisfy the most basic needs for food and clothing, and no one in the world will starve to death. A strong and prosperous nation will surely take a leap forward beyond what we are now."

A surge of new forces, a wealth of knowledge, and countless technologies... This is an allure, an impact, a challenge, but also an opportunity—an opportunity to propel the Great Xia to new heights.

This is a production revolution even more powerful than the Industrial Revolution.

Seize the opportunity and you live; miss it and you die.

Even someone as learned and wise as Cui Che, who had read countless books and grasped countless insights, couldn't help but feel his mind go blank upon hearing this.

He couldn't imagine what the world Xie Cangrong described was like.

Xie Cangrong is too bold, too daring to think, and too outspoken.

He's absolutely insane.

Throughout history, how many reformers have perished on the path of change?

Abandoning the current stability and innovating in so many aspects could easily lead to a fall into an abyss and shattering into pieces.

But do those who are complacent, complacent, and confined to the past have the right to criticize this monarch who dares to move forward and take bold steps?

The future is unknowable, so we can't say he's right, but he's certainly brave.

Courage is one of the finest qualities of humankind.

A brave person forges ahead with a pure heart, and even if they are shattered to pieces, they can pave a bloody path for those who follow.

A group of brave individuals, one after another, will propel civilization toward a bright and promising future.

As expected of him?

This child has been a gifted debater since childhood. He can always persuade people to do things according to his ideas and win over a group of people to follow him in realizing his crazy ideals.

The old man licked his dry lips, feeling his heart pounding and his veins throbbing in his aged body. He let out a soft breath, pulling his gaze away from the beautiful vision Xie Cangrong had described: "What does Your Majesty wish for me to do?"

"educate!"

"The influx of new forces will drive the rapid development of Great Xia, and production efficiency will also increase accordingly. Many things that cannot be achieved now can be achieved in the future. I intend to promote education and improve the ideological and cultural quality of the people."

Xie Cangrong stared at him intently and said in a deep voice, "Teachers are the best educators in the world, the most learned scholars, and the wisest sages. In Great Xia, only you are qualified and have the prestige to sit in the highest position in the hall of education. I hope you can pass on your ideas."

Choi Cheol looked at him with great interest, and kept smiling, "Oh?"

"Doesn't Your Majesty disagree with my governing philosophy?"

"If the monarch studies Confucianism, the country will perish; if the people study Confucianism, the country will thrive."

Xie Cangrong shook his head: "A monarch cannot be a Confucian scholar, but scholars can be Confucian scholars, civil officials can be Confucian scholars, and ordinary people can be Confucian scholars. A shared ideology and culture can unite all forces into one, and propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame can constitute a person's cultural essence."

"However, governing a country requires the use of law and strict rules; governing the country with etiquette and morality is not feasible."

Confucianism guides thought, while Legalism regulates behavior.

A monarch should not follow any particular sect, but rather rationally utilize the essence of each sect's ideas and place them in their appropriate positions.

Upon hearing this, the old man immediately stopped smiling and glared at him with a stern face.

Very well, this brat hasn't changed at all.