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Chapter 152 The Confucian Master

Cui Shulin frowned and stared at Li Ye without a word. His old turbid eyes were now shining scarily. His hands, which he usually placed across his belly, were now hanging down with his fingers slightly bent.

Cui Hucheng’s accomplishment was second only to that of Cui Shulin in the Cui family. He had come to Level 5 in Qi-refining. In the discipline of knife art, he had almost reached the level of master as well. If he did his best, even Cui Shulin who was at Level 6 in Qi-refining could not defeat him easily. It could even be said that the student has surpassed the master.

When Li Ye got down to fight Cui Hucheng, Cui Shulin felt something was wrong, because Li Ye looked too young. If it were not for Cui Keli’s confidence, Cui Shulin would’ve persuaded them. However, at Li Ye’s age, how high could his cultivation be? After all, he was not from the Immortals’ sect of Penglai, with their remarkable people like the Senior and Junior Secretaries.

In the third move, as Cui Hucheng triggered the spirit of the knife preparing to execute his killer shot towards Li Ye, Cui Shulin had already secretly prepared his corresponding rescue move. Whatever it was, this young man who managed to survive two of Cui Hucheng’s attack was definitely the best among all his peers, just a little short of those in the 5 big Taoist sects. He could not let Li Ye die in the hands of the Cui family.

However, after his ingenious maneuver, as Cui Shulin was getting ready to launch out again, he unexpectedly discovered that it was Cui Hucheng who lost the battle. Moreover, he lost quickly. Cui Shulin jumped up in shock, the Spiritual Qi he was about to use almost bursting out uncontrollably.

At this moment, the Cui family patriarch was in utter shock.

As one of the four prominent families in Pinglu, the Cui family was a well-established noble family. Cui Shulin’s education was as high as that of the former commissioner of Pinglu. Both of them were on Level 6 in Qi-refining. When Kang Chengxun used to rule Hedong and held power over the three vassal states in Hebei for the imperial court, his skill was also at Level 6.

Such qualification was rare in the world. However, Cui Shulin couldn’t help being amazed as he realized that the skill of young man with a perpetually tranquil expression on his face, was not only on par with his but could even be more superior.

This was no ordinary feat.

Highly skilled disciples of Qi-refining were few and far between in the over fifty vassal states. They could only be found in the Capital Chang’an and the 5 major Taoist temples where the fate of the world was gathered. If not for this, why would the Taoist sects assist the vassal states in seeking hegemony?

The Penglai Taoist sect called itself the Immortals’ sect. Its purpose was to conquer the land and make the commissioner of Pinglu its puppet. It was not solely relying on its chief who had reached the foundation-building Stage. There were so many master hands in the Penglai Taoist sect, among which were the Senior and Junior Secretaries. They were the geniuses who appeared once in a hundred years, having reached the high-level at a very young age.

Penglai was not well-known because it deliberately laid low so as to shock the world by suddenly showing up. With its ingrained powers in Pinglu, the Cui family had heard through investigation that the twin sisters as the Senior and Junior Secretaries were not only upgraded to the high-level. They might have already reached the peak of the high-level!

Cui Shulin watched Li Ye go back, thinking that if the young man had really reached the high-level in Qi-refining, he could become head of the disciples of the 5 big Taoist sects. If that happens, then could he be not far from the Senior and Junior Secretaries?

Cui Shulin’s mind was working fast as if he’d just been enlightened. Everyone knew that it was during the Taoist sects’ time when the world was in chaos. But why did the sects show themselves? No one had thought about it. Some ideas came to Cui Shulin’s mind at this moment.

Men of talent come out in succession during troubled times. That was because the nation’s luck scattered from the capital to maintain the emperor’s majesty due to the collapse of the dynasty. The luck scattered all over the land to the prominent figures who had no chance to establish their business in a peaceful world.

Similarly, it was also the time of the experts. Ever since the establishment of the Tang Empire, few people had reached the Spiritual Master Realm during peaceful times. Nowadays, it was said that this generation of disciples of the 5 Big Taoist sects was better than the former masters in terms of achievements. If it were true, there was greater possibility that the Senior and Junior Secretaries had long ago reached the Spiritual Masters Realm!

During the last years of the former dynasty, each of the feudal princes was supported by one or more cultivators of the Spiritual Master Realm.

Thinking of this, Cui Shulin couldn’t help but glance at the young man not far away.

Li Jing?

The name was unfamiliar. He was not supposed to be unknown with his skill level. It must be an alias.

Then what was his real name? Judging from his power, he might be one of those who emerged as the situation required, whatever his real name was.

The so-called “person who emerges as the situation required” was supposed to be before the emperors, the imperial luck of which should assist the emperors to rule the world and conquer the people. But in troubled times, luck would fall on some of the prominent people who emerged from the grassroots and overthrow the corrupted dynasty.

Cui Shulin fell silent. He stared hard at Li Ye a few more times, deciding that no matter what the results, he would have a talk with the young man to at least find out his identity and background.

Li Ye returned to the courtyard as the Cui’s family looked at him oddly. Wei Xiaozhuang approached him immediately and gave him a thumbs up with great admiration and non-stop praises. Su Emei was far more tactful. She just smiled at Li Ye while standing behind Wei Xiaozhuang. Though she didn’t say much, her happiness showed on her face. To say nothing of them coming down the mountain at their master’s command to help Cui Keli.

“There are three battles. The champion will be decided with two wins. Now that I’ve won the first round, we are sure to win as long as Mr. Cui wins the next round.” Li Ye looked towards the room. If Cui Keli wins the next round, it won’t be necessary to have the third one at all, “Let’s go take a look.”

In the room, Cui Keli and Cui Hucheng’s assistants, also the managers of the Cui family, had already begun the second round.

The first round was to argue about the strategies of family management.

Cui Keli had not been devoted to the details of family management in recent years, but he had always been focusing on using the knowledge for reference instead of studying. He was not only familiar with family matters, but also about the current events of the state and the county and could write pages of suggestions for improvement.

So even though he said he only devoted himself to farming and reading the last twenty years or more, he said that only in modesty. It’s just that the “farming” was not about agriculture. In this round, Cui Keli was a notch above his rival because the elders truly appreciated his suggestion of improvement to the family. On the other hand, Cui Hucheng’s assistant could only follow the prescribed order. It would be beyond to him to suggest any improvement.

In short, Cui Hucheng’s way of family management was maintaining the status quo without making mistakes, while Cui Keli’s was exploring more opportunities.

The second round was about the comparison of the two men’s written works. Being a noble family, the Cuis scholars who valued literary skill. If Cui Keli won this round again, he will be the final winner.

While Li Ye and others were watching outside the room, Cui Shulin came to them and laughed in a kind manner, “Little three let his assistants deal with the specific problems in the family. He only stepped out to decide major matters when necessary. Little three had been raising the power of the family by way of leveling up his own cultivation and fighting for more treasures and benefits for the family with higher cultivation. So he was not making improvements from within the family.”

“This is also a way of doing things. However, if he cannot unite with the family members, how could he fight for the family’s benefit from outside? Once the mighty family patriarch is no more, members of the family will fight one another for their own selfish motives and the unity will be destroyed. What then will be the point of owning a huge family property? I’m not happy with little three’s management all these years.”

Cui Shulin, who suddenly became talkative, noticed that Li Ye and the others were looking at him and explained, “In fact, we don’t need to continue. Little three had no intention of beating little two at literacy. Since he lost the martial competition which he relied on, he has no chance to be the patriarch of the family.”

As he was talking, Cui Keli finished his article and handed it to the elders in the room. No surprisingly, with the accumulation of more than twenty years of farming and reading experience, his article amazed everyone.

One of the elders handed Cui Keli’s article to Cui Shulin and let him read it.

“You are the judges. I don’t need to read it,” Cui Shulin waved his hands.

With a serious expression, the elder said, “You have to read it because little two has reached the realm of a Confucian Master!”

“Master?” Cui Shulin was shocked. He took the article hurriedly and began to read it carefully.

Li Ye’s expression also changed slightly and he became serious.

Not getting it, Wei Xiaozhuang asked, “What is a Confucian Master?”

Li Ye looked at Cui Keli who was sitting on the ground behind the bookcase in the room and said slowly, “Confucianism categorizes 3 realms for the intellectuals, namely Scholars, Masters, and Grandmasters. The Scholars at the beginner’s level. They should be familiar with the classics and understand them well enough to speak eloquently to form their words into good essays. Their writing should be as elegant as that in the Book of Songs.”

“The Master realm describes the scholars of Confucianism who are getting genuine enlightenment from the teaching of the sages. Moreover, they would have established their own “ideas for literature” so as to convey truths by writing. Reaching this realm, their articles can enlighten the people!”

“Simply put, as long as there is enough food and clothes, just one of the masters’ articles can teach people to be kind to one another, fathers to be loving and children to be obedient, brothers to live in harmony, neighbors to be friendly, so that thieves and rascals would go extinct! The Confucian school seeks for a world where no one picks up lost articles and doors are unbolted at night. This can be achieved through the literary works of the masters!”

Wei Xiaozhuang opened his eyes wide, “Can this be done? Then with masters in this world, why wouldn’t there be peace?”

Li Ye shook his head, “How can it be so simple? People will only behave if there’s enough food and clothes. You have to make sure the people have no worries over these things first. But which of the past dynasties had really accomplished that? Besides, the Luck in the Masters’ articles is only effective in one state or county. Which means, if a master wrote an article of enlightenment in Hu County, he cannot write it in other counties. Moreover, he has to keep writing this kind of articles to maintain the status quo of Hu County... at least one article a year.”

Wei Xiaozhuang was still admiring it, “Even so, it’s still awesome!”

Li Ye laughed, “Awesome it is! It is very difficult to reach the realm of a Master, which equals to the high level in Qi-refining in the Taoist sect. Besides, one has to keep on conducting self-examination without any regress in his virtues. That means one will lose his “ideas for literature” and the Master realm once he changed his mind because of entering the officialdom or being corrupted by fame and fortune, no longer caring about the people as they keep studying.”

Wei Xiaozhuang came to a realization, “The cultivation will regress? That’s so hard!”

Li Ye nodded, “Therefore, the real Confucious scholars are rare, not to mention some of those who give it up to study the techniques of the Taoist sect after getting in the officialdom.”

Su Emei asked, “What about the Grandmasters?”

Li Ye thought about it for a while and said slowly, “They’ve got the awe-inspiring righteousness through studying. They share the emperor’s burden by advising the imperial court and ease the hardship of the people through enlightening articles. And the effectiveness of their articles is not limited to one place but the whole world. In short, the Grandmasters are establishing the core value for the world, establishing the lives of the people, continuing the lost studies of the past sages and creating world peace for generations to come!”

Su Emei and Wei Xiaozhuang were stunned. Imagining the scenario, they couldn’t help but be awed.

Cui Shulin was reading Cui Keli’s article. His eyes were brightened up when hearing Li Ye’s words. He stared at Li Ye for long, “Establishing the core value for the world, establishing the lives of the people, continuing the lost studies of the past sages and creating world peace for generations to come... My young friend, your words will rouse even the apathetic. You can even be rated as a Confucious scholar. You have impressed us not only by your high cultivation but also by your broad range of knowledge.”

The words of “establishing the core value for the world” had not been spoken thus far. Cui Shulin heard it for the first time. So no wonder he was astonished.

Li Ye smiled modestly, “I heard the words from someone else, so I don’t really understand the true meaning of them.”

Cui Shulin smiled touching his beard, not commenting on that.

Su Emei looked at Li Ye with shining eyes. This guy who was about her age, kept surprising her.

Looking away, Cui Keli folded the article and said to the elder opposite him, “As such, it’s not necessary to announce the result of the literature competition. Little three is the winner.”

When Cui Shulin said that, it was clearly an announcement of their choice of the Cui family’s next patriarch.