Chapter 13: Changing the World with a Turn of Hand

Xuanjing City, Zhuangyuan Building.

A group of scholars gathered together to look at the ancient books that had recently caused a sensation in the world.

Since the ancient books appeared a few days ago, the bookstores in the city have been reprinting them non-stop. Even so, the books published are in short supply. These scholars also bought a few volumes with great difficulty today, so they invited a group of friends to come here to enjoy them together.

"The highest good is like water. Water benefits all things without contending. Wonderful, wonderful!"

"Tao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things. Just a few words, and I suddenly feel infinite mystery after reading them. This scripture is really extraordinary!"

"In my opinion, these three thousand words are worth all the articles I have read before!"

"I feel the same way!"

"No, no, no, in my opinion, the exquisiteness of that volume of "Yi" is even higher than that of "Daode". Although the text is obscure and difficult, every word is a pearl, as if it contains the truth of heaven and earth."

"That's right, the heaven is vigorous, and the gentleman is self-reliant! It speaks out the voice of our generation!"

The scholars were discussing enthusiastically, looking intoxicated.

At this moment, one of them suddenly sighed and said, "I didn't expect such exquisite texts to be buried deep underground for thousands of years without anyone knowing. Every time I think of this, I feel heartbroken!"

This statement also aroused the echo of everyone.

"Yes, the master loved reading the most when he was alive. If he could read these scriptures, I wonder how happy he would be."

"It is unfortunate that scholars in the world could not read these scriptures in the past!"

"But, are these scriptures really written by the predecessors, lost due to wars, and only fragments are preserved in ancient tombs? I read "Nanhua" and "The Analects of Confucius", and the people and events in them are not recorded in the history books." Among the crowd, a voice was a little abrupt.

Everyone was silent at first, and then they came to a decisive conclusion.

"It must be so. Such texts cannot be forged by modern people. The existing history books have only a history of nearly 3,000 years. There were basically no detailed records 3,000 years ago. I think these classics are the products of that time."

"I heard that the Visiting Antiquity School said when meeting the emperor that in ancient times, there were hundreds of schools of thought, and the classics that were born were as numerous as the stars in the sky. The few volumes of scriptures we read now are just a tiny part of them."

As soon as these words came out, there was an exclamation in the restaurant.

"Is this true!"

"When I think of so many classic articles buried deep underground, I feel extremely heartbroken and can't sleep at night!"

"I don't know what the other classics look like."

...

"But after all, these ancient books are hidden deep in various ancient tombs. The Visiting Antiquity School's claim of excavating ancient tombs and searching for lost classics is really against human ethics."

The scholars instinctively wanted to agree, but when they thought of the countless classic articles still waiting to be excavated underground, their tone became less resolute.

"Didn't the leader of the ancient school say that they are doing protection and rescue excavation. They are not destroying."

"Yes, I heard that every time they excavate an ancient tomb, they don't destroy it wantonly like the tomb robbers in the past, only taking gold and silver. Instead, they carefully take out all the objects and preserve them properly. If there is any damage, there are people responsible for repairing it."

"Indeed, they can't be simply compared with tomb robbers."

However, there are still many people who hold opposing opinions.

"It's just a nice thing to say. What's the difference? Who among you doesn't have ancestors? If your ancestral tomb is excavated like this, how would you feel?"

"This matter must not be opened in advance, otherwise it will cause endless disasters. We should try our best to dissuade it."

"That's right."

...

Some people did not express their opinions and acted as peacemakers.

"The emperor and the ministers in the court must have made a judgment on this matter long ago, so we don't have to worry too much."

"Let's wait and see."

...

As "Tao Te Ching" spread throughout the world, fierce debates broke out in various places in Daxuan.

There are countless scenes similar to the scene in the Zhuangyuan Building today.

Li Fan knew that it would be impossible to change the thoughts of the people in the world in a short period of time.

Now, it's just the beginning.

But Li Fan is not worried at all that things can't be done.

After all, the scholars hold the right to speak in the world.

With countless classics as bait, Li Fan is not afraid that these scholars will not submit.

What's more, Li Fan does not ask for the support of these people, as long as they don't jump out to oppose.

...

While secretly seeking the world, Li Fan is also gradually promoting the influence of the Visiting Ancient School in the secular world.

Six years after the anchoring, the emperor suddenly fell seriously ill and was bedridden. All the imperial doctors were helpless. At this time, the Visiting Ancient School held a pill to meet the emperor. It is said that this elixir was found in an ancient tomb, and it is suspected to be left by an immortal, and it has the effect of reviving the dead. Taking it may save the danger.

The emperor ignored it at first, but as his health deteriorated day by day and he was about to die, he took the elixir with the mentality of trying his best.

Who would have thought that the elixir was really effective, and the emperor recovered in just a few days.

The court was shocked, and the ministers talked about it.

The emperor even summoned the leader of the school of ancient studies to the palace at night to ask about the immortals, and did not attend court for several days.

Since then, the emperor has firmly believed in the existence of immortals. He secretly instructed the military confidants to cooperate with the school of ancient studies to look for traces of immortals in the ancient tombs.

In the ninth year of anchoring, the School of Visiting Antiquities held an exhibition in Xuanjing City, inviting ministers and nobles in the capital to watch.

Although these people were also very rich and knowledgeable, they were all immersed in the rare treasures in the exhibition and lingered.

After that, the School of Visiting Antiquities relaxed the restrictions, and ordinary people could enter one of them as long as they bought tickets.

Xuanjing City was immediately in an uproar.

Countless people lined up to enter the exhibition to take a look at the treasures. The large number of people caused the road in the capital to be blocked. Fortunately, the emperor issued an order, and the garrison camp maintained order with armor, so as not to cause greater unrest.

The grand occasion lasted for more than half a month.

After that, the exhibition not only did not stop, but began to tour around the country and unfolded one by one in various places in Daxuan.

In the eleventh year of anchoring, Jianghuai Prefecture cracked a vicious tomb robbery case and arrested a tomb robbery team of hundreds of people.

This group of people excavated ancient tombs in the mountains, causing immeasurable losses.

According to the law, this group of people should all be sentenced to death.

However, the number of people involved in the case was so large and the case involved too many people. Li Fan, the governor of Jianghuai Prefecture, did not dare to make a decision on his own. He wrote a letter and sent it to Xuanjing City in an expedited manner, asking the emperor to make a decision.

Some ministers were extremely angry when they heard it, and wrote to ask for immediate execution.

However, strangely, most of the court officials remained silent at this moment.

The emperor also suppressed a bunch of memorials and did not express his opinion.

It took a full month for the emperor's order to come late.

He did not sentence them to death, but only sentenced them to be slaves and taken to the capital.

Almost no ministers in the court wrote to oppose it.

Li Fan looked at the edict and smiled slightly, knowing that the general trend was set.