Preaching in the streets was Ye Su's self-redemption, and he would lead the world to self-redemption. For the Haotian doctrine that had been maintained for tens of thousands of years, this change seemed small, but it was actually a revolutionary change. The worship of Haotian would be replaced by the new doctrine, and the yearning for the Divine Kingdom would be replaced by the love for the world. That was why Ning Que was shocked.
Ye Su looked at Ning Que and said, "Preaching is actually the process of gathering people's hearts and unifying their beliefs. I'm still trying to figure out how to do it. There are more precedents in the Classics of Haotian Taoism. If you are interested in this, you can go to the Book Hall of the Divine Halls of West-Hill. There are many books there."
Ning Que stayed in Linkang and discussed and studied with Ye Su. The more they talked, the more he admired Ye Su. He found that this man who lived in a shabby house was like a whetstone that had been sharpened countless knives. He was gentle on the surface and firm on the inside. There were many rough edges that could not be seen by the naked eye. He ground the scriptures in the Classics into powder and turned them into his own ideas.
During the discussion these days, Ye Su did not express his opinion on how Ning Que could write that word. Just like at the beginning, he calmly talked about what he had learned in this life and what he had learned from traveling around the world. Ye Su was well-read and had studied the Classics since he was a child. Ning Que had learned the Taoist theory systematically.
During the discussion, Ye Su proposed an interesting hypothesis. If Haotian was the rule of the world as the Headmaster had said, then how did the cold and objective rule come to life and power? He thought it was most likely from the people's belief. Ning Que thought it was reasonable, but it did not make sense when he thought of the Everlasting Night that would appear every tens of thousands of years.
Apart from the discussion, Ye Su taught the children in the streets every day. He taught them carpentry, weaving, and wine-making. He also told them some stories from the Classics.
It was midsummer, and it rained frequently in Linkang. The street was full of temporary buildings and old houses that had not been repaired for a long time. Under the heavy rain, houses collapsed every day.
Ye Su took the children everywhere to save people, helped repair the eaves that had been damaged by the rain, and even began to plan a comprehensive renovation of the street's drainage system after winter.
Because the disciples of the Sword Garret would come occasionally, Ning Que seldom walked out of the shabby house. Naturally, he did not help with these things. He just quietly observed the whole process and gradually learned something.
In the end, the rainstorm lasted for three days. Just when everyone was exhausted and on the verge of despair, the rain suddenly stopped and the sky suddenly cleared up.
Countless cheers resounded in the rain-soaked streets. Ye Su carried the medicine box and walked back and forth between the houses. There were too many mosquitoes after the rain, so he was very vigilant about diseases.
Ning Que emptied the three broken bowls in front of the bed and looked up at the sun through the hole in the ceiling. He thought silently, "Why did you suddenly stop crying?"
When Ye Su returned to the shabby house, he was already very tired. He handed the bowl of vegetable rice to Ning Que and said, "I don't feel well today. You eat first."
Looking at his pale and thin face, Ning Que thought that his current body was even weaker than that of an ordinary person. If he persisted in this way, he would probably die before becoming a sage.
"I don't want to eat anymore." He looked at the porcelain blue sky through the broken roof and said, "I have to go."
Ye Su said, "I have nothing else to teach you. You really should leave."
Ning Que looked back at him and frowned slightly.
Ye Su smiled faintly and said, "Don't worry. Pity is a delicious poison to you right now. I won't hate you just because you wanted to kill me."
Ning Que thought for a while and said, "I still think it's a pity to kill you."
Ye Su said, "If I spread the news that you left Chang 'an, then no matter how smart and studious you are, you can only write the word' death 'in the end."
Ning Que said, "I hope that you can live, and I think you should also hope that I can live."
Ye Su asked, "Why?"
Ning Que said, "What you are doing and what you will do is very interesting. Of course, you will face very difficult situations in the future, so you should need me."
Ye Su didn't say anything and just smiled.
Ning Que looked at his eyes and said seriously, "You need the Tang Empire and the Academy."
Ye Su still didn't answer him and said, "Since you don't want to kill me, then pay the tuition fee before you leave."
Ning Que didn't take it as a joke. He took out a banknote, counted one and handed it over.
Ye Su took it and saw that it was a banknote with a denomination of 100 taels of silver. He said with a smile, "The rumor that you and that person are as greedy as your life seems to be true."
Ning Que said, "The tuition fee for those students is just a few bowls of green vegetable rice. Isn't it enough for me to pay 100 taels of silver?"
Ye Su said, "A bowl of green vegetable rice with oil dregs is more important to those children than 100 taels of silver to you. Don't forget that it's white rice."
Ning Que thought about it and found it reasonable. He said, "Then I'll pay more."
Ye Su said, "Help me buy something."
…
…
Ning Que returned to this street from the market. He stepped on the broken bricks in the sewage and squeezed through the crowded shacks like he was dancing. He came in front of a house.
A few muddy monkey-like little boys were holding bowls of sorghum rice and eating happily. His mother stared at the thinning skin tied on the stove and was worried. The curtain in the corner was lifted and the girl walked out with her pants up. She looked at her mother and said, "The teacher said that he wants you to buy me a belt."
Her mother said angrily, "Didn't he just cut a cloth belt for you last night? You are wild on the street every day. Even the strongest cloth belt will be broken by you. Where else can I buy one? "
Ning Que stopped the girl who looked unhappy and handed the things in his hands to her.
The girl was still very young, but she seemed very sensible. She took the things and asked, "Who are you?"
Ning Que looked at the little girl's messy hair and said, "I am a friend of your teacher. He asked me to buy this belt and the hair flower that he promised to give you."
…
…
In Linkang in midsummer, the heavy rain had just stopped and the heat came. The air was so humid that the sewage on the ground couldn't be evaporated in a short time. It gave off an unpleasant smell.
Ye Su saw Ning Que off to a secluded place outside the street. Ning Que turned to him and said, "The little girl is very happy. Do you have other ideas?"
"She is Huan Zi. She is a girl." Ye Su said.
Ning Que said, "Why so serious? I was just joking before I left. "
Ye Su said, "I don't know you very well."
Ning Que said, "I know her very well."
Ye Su asked, "Who is she?"
Ning Que said, "Your sister."
Ye Su felt that he had heard the two words before. Then he remembered that he also heard the two words when he asked Mr. First where Ning Que learned the Dahe Sword many years ago in the Snow City of Chang 'an.
"People in the Academy can be really annoying sometimes."
He looked at Ning Que and said, "So I still don't understand why you don't want to kill me."
"You used to be annoying too. But you are fine now. Although I have never been afraid to kill, I need a reason or emotion to kill. "
Ning Que told him what he had done in Qinghe Prefecture and then said, "I asked Wudao to kill Zhong Dajun to help Guanhai solve some problems. At the same time, I wanted to intimidate Qinghe Prefecture and vent my anger. Most importantly, I wanted to tie the Buddhism Sect … or at least the Lanke Temple to the Academy. But when I met you in Linkang, I thought of another possibility. Maybe the future of Haotian Taoism lies in you. Then why should I kill you? "
…
…
Ning Que didn't go far before he heard the sound of children reading in the street. To be more precise, they were not reading, but reciting the method of knitting hair flowers.
He turned to look at the street and saw mist rising in the twilight. The sound of children's voices could be heard. He couldn't smell the stench from a distance. He could only see the picture, which was beautiful in a different way.
Ye Su had integrated some ideas of the Buddhism Sect and the Academy. Coupled with his experience in the small Taoist temple, he had his own view of the world. But he had betrayed Haotian.
Before the Verdant Canyon, he had already betrayed Haotian. In Chang 'an, the Abbey Dean had also betrayed Haotian. Truly powerful people, even the most devout believers of Haotian, would find their own way one day as long as they were willing to think.
"Everyone will leave you."
Ning Que looked up at the sky of Linkang and said to her.
He didn't get any direct wisdom from Ye Su these days. But he at least understood one thing — to become a sage in the human world, one couldn't ask for help from sages.
…
…
After leaving Linkang, Ning Que didn't enter the city again. He only walked in the mountains. It was peaceful all the way until he was close to the West-Hill Divine Kingdom.
He used a cloth belt to make a hammock between the sturdy branches. When night fell, he rested sideways on the hammock. Accompanied by the cool summer breeze, he soon fell into a sweet dream.
All of a sudden, the crackling of firecrackers came from afar. He woke up with a start. He rubbed his eyes and looked down at the foot of the mountain. He saw firecrackers everywhere in the small village.
He was confused. It wasn't the New Year, nor was it a festival. The Rite to Light would take many days. Why were the villagers setting off firecrackers? Could it be that someone had died?
Even if someone died, it was impossible for every household to set off firecrackers.
When the faint sound of firecrackers came from afar on the mountain ridge, Ning Que knew that something must have happened. His expression gradually became solemn.
He suddenly noticed that the moonlight in the forest was a little dim. Or maybe it was just a little dim compared to the usual moonlight. Ordinary people wouldn't notice it, but for him and those from the Academy who often looked at the moon and scolded the Headmaster, it was very dazzling.
Ning Que looked up at the night sky, and then he couldn't move his eyes away.
One of the bright moons in the night sky was missing at some point.
…
…
(I hope I can come back tomorrow night, but it's unlikely. The day after tomorrow at the latest.) (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian.Com to vote for me. Your support is my biggest motivation.)
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