Chapter 37#

The moment these words left his mouth, the air in the tent solidified. Everyone’s expression shifted. Even “Li Ping,” who was kneeling, abruptly ceased the faint trembling in his throat and fell silent.#

Jun Dingyuan’s expression flickered. He raised his hand to dismiss the guards outside the tent. The heavy curtain fell with a shuā sound, sealing off the night breeze and the clamor.

The four people inside the tent were enveloped in the flickering candlelight, each harboring their own thoughts.

“What does the Chancellor mean by this? What have I concealed?”

“Since I am waiting here in peace, rather than silently returning to the capital to report to His Majesty, the General should know that I am not here to make trouble.” Wen Zhuo lowered his gaze and drooped his eyes, his face adorned with the warm glow of the candlelight, like a statue gilded with human sentiment and compassion. “Just now, when I knocked over Li Ping, two objects fell from his embrace. One was a blue-white glazed ink line marker, an essential tool for measuring timber and manufacturing equipment. The other was the bowstring lock buckle of a city defense crossbow. Am I correct?”

At this, Jun Dingyuan fell silent. Even “Li Ping,” who had been humbly kneeling, now raised his head and looked at Wen Zhuo.

The fear and trembling in his demeanor had completely faded. His eyes were as calm as stars, exuding a formidable presence like thunder and lightning.

Shen Zhi, listening from the side, gradually wore an expression of intrigue.

Modern manufacturing was already highly developed. He loved visiting various museums and strolling around. When he saw unearthed parts from ancient times with strange shapes, he couldn’t understand their use. Some even the experts hadn’t figured out.

Was the crossbow used on the battlefield such a common thing?

Wen Zhuo, a scholar who spent his days dealing with classics, could recognize a small part like that at a glance in the darkness?

But obviously, Jun Dingyuan and Mo Shu did not have the leisure to ponder this question. They were like two cheetahs trapped in place, unable to move, waiting for Wen Zhuo’s “judgment.”

Wen Zhuo was unhurried. His gaze swept over “Li Ping’s” shabby coarse cloth clothes and the rough cloth tie binding his hair: “Your demeanor is refined, quite scholarly. But your attire is even shabbier than that of the ordinary guards. I suppose the General, though honest, would not treat his personal attendant so shabbily. If I am not mistaken, you are a disciple of the Mohist school, correct?”

Shen Zhi’s eyebrows shot up. Mohist?!

That school which rivaled Confucianism during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, known as the two great prominent schools of thought, and then gradually disappeared after the policy of ‘banishing all other schools of thought and solely revering Confucianism’?

Wen Zhuo spoke even more bluntly: “It is said that in the past, the Mohist Grandmaster Meng Sheng led all his disciples to die defending a city, and the Mohist school vanished without a trace. Later, the remaining disciples split into three branches: Chu Mo, Qi Mo, and Qin Mo. The first two vanished without a trace, but the third branch, Qin Mo, evolved into the ‘Mohist Lingyin Sect,’ which has been passed down in secret to this day.”

“In the seventeenth year of the Shunyuan era, the Cao family of Qianzhou oppressed the people, causing heaven’s wrath and popular indignation. The Mohist disciples could no longer tolerate it. They rose up in resistance. However, the court was under the control of the Cao family, and the Crown Prince’s power was strong. Thus, the ‘Mohist Lingyin Sect’ was designated by the government as a heretical cult and was vigorously suppressed. The Mohist Grandmaster Mo Xuli resolutely chose to die. The officers searched his house and found a large quantity of weapons. You must know that our dynasty strictly forbids the common people from forging and hiding weapons. Those who violate this are charged with treason. Therefore, Mo Xuli was sentenced to execution and his entire family was implicated. I heard that he also had a son who was studying abroad, and he has since vanished without a trace.”

Having said this, Wen Zhuo’s eyes met those of “Li Ping” at the same level. His expression added a layer of solemnity: “You work in General Jun’s tent, assisting him in the campaign at Nanping. If I am not mistaken, you are the current generation’s Mohist Grandmaster, correct?”

Hearing this, Shen Zhi immediately sat up straight as well, stopping his fidgeting.

He had heard that the selection conditions for the Mohist Grandmaster were extremely strict. Modern scholars said that Mozi’s achievements were equivalent to the entirety of ancient Greece.

A Grandmaster selected under such rigorous standards, even if he couldn’t catch up to Mozi’s achievements, would still be far beyond the reach of ordinary mortals.

So this “Li Ping” in front of them, dressed shabbily and extremely humble, was actually a top-tier talent who combined a mathematician, philosopher, physicist, master craftsman, and contemporary mercenary into one person?!

Jun Dingyuan finally let out a long sigh. He turned from behind the desk, walked to “Li Ping,” bent his knees, and supported his arm: “Senior Brother, get up.”

“Li Ping” stood up with his help, brushed the dust off his coarse clothes, and when he bowed to Wen Zhuo and Shen Zhi again, it was neither humble nor arrogant: “I am Mo Shu. Greetings to Chancellor Wen and His Highness.”

He knew that Wen Zhuo had no intention of harming him. He also knew that Wen Zhuo’s fall was very clever, as if it had been deliberately aimed at him.

But he had no evidence, so he would not make reckless accusations.

Since it had all been exposed, Jun Dingyuan decided not to hide it any longer. He walked to the tent entrance, lifted the curtain, and ordered loudly: “Bring the medicine chest! The rest of you, move further away!”

After a moment, a medical officer handed over the medicine chest and then hurriedly withdrew.

At this moment, Jun Dingyuan had none of the airs of a great general. He personally carried the medicine chest, helped Mo Shu sit down on a stool, then knelt on one knee and reached out to lift the hem of Mo Shu’s trousers to examine his wound.

Mo Shu quickly stopped him: “Huai Shen!”

“Enough, Senior Brother. Since we’ve been exposed, I can put on the general’s airs in public. But in private, it’s only natural for me to attend to your wounds, isn’t it?” Jun Dingyuan was indifferent. He was naturally proud and scorned formalities.

Having fought in battles for years, minor injuries like sprains, bruises, and sword wounds were nothing to them; they could handle them themselves.

Mo Shu couldn’t refuse in front of others. He had to let Jun Dingyuan untie his trouser leg, revealing the red and swollen ankle.

“Senior Brother, Junior Brother?” Shen Zhi was very curious about these two. How could the young lord of a marquis’s mansion be a martial brother with the Grandmaster of the Mohist Lingyin Sect?

He turned to look at Wen Zhuo, hoping to get a similarly surprised expression from his little cat.

Instead, he saw Wen Zhuo sitting upright, watching the scene before him with a calm and expressionless face.

Wen Zhuo’s peripheral vision caught Shen Zhi’s stare. Seeing his expression shift from surprise to inquiry, and finally to a hint of playful amusement, Wen Zhuo suddenly realized he had revealed a flaw.

He quickly opened his eyes wide, feigning surprise.

“General Jun and Mo Shu are actually martial brothers?”

What an acting little cat.

Shen Zhi chuckled inwardly. Fine, you’re doing a pretty convincing job. I won’t expose you.

Shen Zhi turned back: “What Teacher is curious about is exactly what I want to ask.”

Wen Zhuo thought to himself, I managed to fool him. That was close.

In the future, he would have to remember this. He must listen again to things he had already heard in his past life, even if it was torture for someone with a photographic memory.

Jun Dingyuan took out the powder for reducing swelling and dissipating blood stasis from the medicine chest, unscrewed the cap, and poured some into his palm.

“You hadn’t been born yet at that time. My sister and I were still in Mobei. Although Mobei was poor and remote, it was a place where dragons and tigers were hidden. My sister was exceptionally talented and her martial arts were extraordinary. The strong men in the military camp were no match for her. I was mischievous as a child and was always being chased and beaten by her. I was unconvinced and wanted to find another teacher.”

“At that time, I heard that there was a hermit nearby, a man of great talent. I was bold and reckless, and went into the mountains alone to find him. Unexpectedly, I got lost in the forest. But my luck was good, and I was rescued by a person. That person was Mo Xuli.”

Mo Shu added: “Mo Xuli was my late father.”

Jun Dingyuan poured some clean water onto a piece of linen cloth, then spread the medicine powder evenly on the cloth. Then he wrapped the cloth around Mo Shu’s ankle. His movements were clean and efficient.

“As for me, although I went for the hermit, I was spoiled and proud in the military camp. If the hermit couldn’t show some real skill, I would have turned around and left, and outside, I would have denounced him as unworthy of his reputation.”

“In the end, I compared myself with Mo Xuli’s disciples. I lost thoroughly. I realized that there was always a sky beyond the sky, and a person beyond the person. I finally learned to be in awe.”

“Initially, my master was unwilling to take me as a student. But when he heard that I was the son of Jun Guangping, he made an exception and taught me his skills for the sake of the old man. However, he didn’t allow me to publicize it, nor did he allow me to call myself his disciple.” Jun Dingyuan smiled. “I didn’t care whether he was willing or not. I would call myself whatever I wanted.”

Mo Shu sighed softly: “My father was afraid of implicating Huai Shen. Just as the Chancellor said, this dynasty strictly forbids the private manufacture of weapons. But this is impossible for my Mohist school. Huai Shen’s status is special. It is best for him not to have any connections with us.”

Jun Dingyuan wrapped the cloth around Mo Shu’s ankle several times, then pressed on the injured area to confirm that no bones were broken. Then he pulled over a stool and sat down, continuing: “I secretly went into the mountains every day to learn skills. I didn’t tell anyone. A year later, I could already spar with my sister on equal terms.”

Shen Zhi couldn’t help but imagine that young, jade-faced general in Mobei, being beaten and howling by his sister. So his martial arts were all forced out by his mother.

“It seems that my uncle is also naturally gifted.”

“Far from it.” Jun Dingyuan recalled the past and snorted with a laugh. “Among all Master’s disciples, Senior Brother was the most outstanding. No matter how hard I tried, even if I studied until I was ready to hang myself by the beam and stab myself in the thigh to stay awake, I couldn’t catch up to him. So at that time, I disliked him the most. I challenged him every day, even though he was a year younger than me.”

Mo Shu shook his head helplessly: “Huai Shen is being modest. I just studied with my father longer. I am not smarter than him.”

Wen Zhuo looked around the tent again, feeling that time was flying. He couldn’t help but want to fast-forward the progress.

“How did you end up in Nanping, and how did you conceal your identity and stay in the army?”

This time, Mo Shu explained on behalf of Jun Dingyuan: “Huai Shen had to return to the capital when he was ten years old. But his studies were not complete. My father believed that everything should have a beginning and an end. Moreover, the Mohist school needed to develop and grow. So he took us out of the deep mountains and built a thatched cottage on the outskirts of the capital to teach. Huai Shen often rode there to continue his studies. Seven years passed in a flash, until…”

Shen Zhi calmly continued: “Until Liu Kangren was defeated in the southern border, and the Emperor wanted to send me as a hostage. My mother knelt until she fainted and had a miscarriage, but it was hopeless.”

Seeing that Shen Zhi was not overly grieved by this matter, Mo Shu nodded and continued: “Huai Shen was young and hot-blooded. That night, he mounted his horse alone and rushed straight to the southern border. He knew that only by winning at Nanping could he bring you back and reunite you with your mother and the Consort Liang. My father worried that he would act rashly, relying on his extraordinary talents, so he ordered me to go and assist him.”

Wen Zhuo pretended to be deep in thought but was actually speeding up the process: “So from then on, you stayed in the southern border to help him. And Mo Xuli, upon hearing of the great flood in Qianzhou, wanted to lead the Mohist disciples to help repair the levees to ensure the people’s safety. He never expected that Cao Fangzheng was not sincerely repairing the levees. He embezzled the disaster relief funds, lined his own pockets, and oppressed the people. Mo Xuli, adhering to the principle of ‘promoting the world’s benefits and eliminating the world’s harms,’ could not tolerate him, so he rose up in resistance.”

A flash of pain passed through Mo Shu’s eyes: “We did not intend to rebel. We had no way to plead our case. I did not die with the other Mohist disciples because I wanted to one day clear the Mohist school’s name and allow us to stand with integrity between heaven and earth. When that day comes, I will die without regret.”

Shen Zhi asked: “Do you really have a special method to repair the levees?”

Mo Shu: “Yes. It is cumbersome to explain, but it can save the people’s finances and labor by more than three million taels of silver.”

Shen Zhi was shocked. The Mohist inheritance is truly this miraculous.

How could such talent speak of dying without regret? Does he know how fierce the global competition is right now? He should contribute to China’s industrial revolution!

Shen Zhi also began to imitate Wen Zhuo, searching his mind for good words and phrases. He found that this trick worked very well on ancient people. It was no wonder that those who got along well in the court were those who had memorized the most books.

A flash of inspiration struck him, and he smiled: “I recall Sima Qian wrote in his ‘Letter in Reply to Ren An,’ ‘I regret that my private ambitions have not been fulfilled, and to pass away in obscurity without my literary achievements being known to later generations.’ That is why he endured humiliation and completed the Records of the Grand Historian. Dying for righteousness is admirable, but living also has great meaning. I hope you will live and leave something for future generations.”

Mo Shu looked at Shen Zhi with slight surprise. But they were not familiar enough to speak openly and sincerely. So he only paused for a moment, then clasped his hands and said, “I am honored by your instruction.”

Wen Zhuo looked at Shen Zhi, also startled. He asked incredulously: “All the emperors throughout the ages have exclusively revered Confucianism. Does Your Highness not know why? The Mohists believe that ‘all the hundred craftsmen in the world—wheelwrights, carriage makers, tanners, potters, smiths, carpenters—should each do their work according to their abilities.’ Can Your Highness accept that as well?”

Great Qian valued scholars and farmers above merchants and artisans. Since the founding of the dynasty, it had been extremely strict in guarding against the common people. It was only in the generation of Emperor Shunyuan, who was timid by nature and liked to avoid trouble, that the restrictions gradually relaxed, and he even imitated the Song system by abolishing the curfew.

But this move had also caused endless criticism from the court.

No matter how amiable and good-tempered Shen Zhi was at this moment, he was still a prince. If he ascended the throne, he might also worry about the people developing freely, and the imperial authority being challenged.

Wen Zhuo dared not even expect a liberalization of speech, let alone hope that Shen Zhi would accept Mohist doctrines.

“Why not? I have said that people, whether noble or lowly, high or low, all have their integrity. If dignity is important, then freedom, individuality, innovation, and personal rights are equally important. Teacher, is this not the reason why you chose me from among the many princes?” Shen Zhi countered.

He thought to himself, Isn’t this just reform and opening up? As a well-educated university graduate from a nine-year compulsory education system, how could he not support it?

Wen Zhuo was speechless, staring at him in a daze.

Could there really be some mysterious power in Nanping that could mold a Great Qian prince into such a form?

Jun Dingyuan and Mo Shu were also lost in thought.

For people of the Great Qian era, this kind of discourse was nothing short of a fantasy, yet it stirred something in their hearts.

Shen Zhi changed the subject and started talking to the stunned little cat who was rushing through the plot.

“But unfortunately, I am only a prince right now. For now, it’s still the Emperor who has the final say. It would be very difficult for Mo Shu to plead his case and overturn the verdict. Moreover, he is currently a convicted criminal wanted by the court.”

Jun Dingyuan immediately said: “Don’t worry about that. In my army, Mo Shu’s identity is absolutely secret. No one knows about it.”

Wen Zhuo had to temporarily pull himself out of his astonishment and get down to the day’s business.

“There are no walls that don’t leak. I discovered it today. Can the General guarantee that no one else will discover it in the future?”

Mo Shu struggled to his feet, smoothed out the wrinkles in his coarse clothes, and solemnly promised: “If one day it is exposed, I will definitely not implicate anyone.”

Mo Shu said this, and in the previous life, he had done the same.

At that time, the Third Prince reported him. Emperor Shunyuan was furious, and the entire Jun family was thrown into prison.

Wen Zhuo had just breathed a sigh of relief when the Crown Prince was deposed and the Virtuous Prince was losing power. This incident was like a bolt from the blue, hitting him when he wasn’t prepared.

A remnant of a heretical cult, the son of a rebel, a convicted criminal wanted by the court—the evidence was conclusive. Jun Dingyuan had hidden it for more than ten years. Wen Zhuo couldn’t think of any way to avert the danger. The excellent situation was about to be destroyed in an instant.

In fact, Shen Ting didn’t give Wen Zhuo any time to plan. Shen Ting had to turn this case into a closed one and eliminate Shen Chen. Therefore, the three judicial departments urgently interrogated Mo Shu overnight. All kinds of torture instruments were used on him. He fell unconscious several times and was revived with cold water.

Wen Zhuo could only sit numbly on a cold stone bench, waiting for the sword hanging over his head to fall.

If Mo Shu couldn’t bear the torture and confessed, the Jun family would surely die. Yibin and Shen Chen, as adopted daughter and adopted grandson, would also be implicated. And Wen Zhuo was about to lose everything.

But Mo Shu endured all the torture and insisted that he had deceived and misled Jun Dingyuan, and that the Jun family knew nothing about it.

Shen Ting wished he could grab Mo Shu’s finger and force him to affix his seal to the confession. But because Xue Chongnian was present, he didn’t dare go too far.

That same night, Mo Shu pierced his own neck with a wooden sliver in the cell and committed suicide.

Even so, Jun Dingyuan was demoted to the lowest rank and spent a whole year in prison. Later, Jun Guangping starved himself to death to prove the whole family’s innocence. Only then did Emperor Shunyuan soften his heart and release Jun Dingyuan, Consort Liang, and Yibin.

“Isn’t it a bit too late to think about fixing things after they’ve gone wrong?” Wen Zhuo raised his injured hand, his tone suddenly heavier. “Today, I was injured. According to military law, you should be punished with seventy lashes. General Jun couldn’t bear to give the order. Do you really think the court’s three judicial departments are just playing games? The various cruel tortures they have would make anyone wish they had never been born into this world! Even if you can withstand the torture and refuse to confess, can General Jun cold-heartedly watch you die?”

He hadn’t seen Mo Shu being tortured, but he had been tortured himself.

Just thinking about those scenes from the past made his chest surge and he wanted to vomit.

These words rendered Mo Shu speechless.

Shen Zhi hadn’t noticed Wen Zhuo’s trembling at this moment, because he had thought of Wen Zhuo’s end in the Qi history—that brief line of words sent a shiver down his spine.

Now, when Wen Zhuo cut his palm and dripped two drops of blood, Shen Zhi’s heart ached slightly. The whole month behind those words, he dared not even think about it.

Jun Dingyuan supported Mo Shu, his voice pained: “Chancellor Wen, is there no other way but for my Senior Brother to hide himself for the rest of his life, never seeing the light of day?”

“If this were the only way to avoid disaster, then I would be unworthy to be Your Highness’s advisor.” Wen Zhuo slowly raised his eyes. In the flickering candlelight, his robes were stunning, and he was filled with confidence. “Misfortune is where fortune depends. Fortune is where misfortune lurks. I want to eliminate this weakness of the Jun family. I want Mo Shu to stand in this world openly and honorably, and become His Highness’s minister of state.”