335 The Vigilance from the Secular World (2/2)
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In the Mansion of the Defender-general of the State—
Xu Shi looked at the plum flower outside the windows indifferently. His gray hair was combed tidily and the wrinkles on his face were like an array formation. The coughing sounds from time to time behind him could not distract him at all.
As a grand general with the most outstanding military achievements in the Tang Empire, he could fearlessly face many things. However, when he really did so, he found that the situation was different from what he had envisioned.
”Mr. Twelve from the Academy intervened, so I couldn't make the maidservant stay there. I still don't know how Wei Guangming has hidden in Chang'an City for so long or what the real relationship is between him and that maidservant. It is not clear what kind of responsibilities the Imperial Center Administration and Southern Gate Temple should bear in the death of Master Yan Se.”
Wang Jinglue looked at the mottled blood marks on his handkerchief and could not help frowning.
Xu Shi looked back at him and said, ”You'll cough blood for half a month.”
Wang Jinglue put his handkerchief into his sleeves and said calmly, ”It seems worthwhile for me to cough blood for six months as long as I could see the legendary Natural Stream Magical Finger of the Zhishou Abbey and experience the no-boundary spirit of the Academy.”
Upon hearing this answer, Xu Shi felt somewhat satisfied and slowly nodded.
Wang Jinglue looked at the old general beside the window and slightly smiled.
As a nominal disciple of Mountain Dragon Tiger, he was actually a self-cultivator who depended on self-enlightenment for breaking the realm or cultivation. He heard from Xu Shi about the Unknown Place skills, including the no-boundary spirit of the Academy and the Natural Stream Magical Finger.
In the past two years, His Majesty had commanded him to follow the old general battling in the south of the Tang Empire. Though dull and stubborn, the old general had carefully educated and cultivated him. After living together for a long time, he actually respectfully regarded the old man as his master and father.
”An Unknown Place like the back of the mountain is so powerful.” After a brief silence, Wang Jinglue decided to confess to the general his true thoughts. ”If they don't intend to interfere in the court administration, I don't think we should offend them.”
After Xu Shi listened to the words, the wrinkles on his face grew deeper. He said, ”Who is the most powerful person in the world? It is not His Majesty or the prime minister, but a cultivator. I'm also a cultivator and have seen the Headmaster once. From my decades in the military, I'm more aware of the power of the Academy than anyone else. But as a soldier of the Tang Empire, I must be wary of those powerful cultivators and the Academy. If not, I'll fail to do my duty as a soldier.”
Wang Jinglue whispered, ”I think it's not appropriate if you want to use this to see whether the Academy still respects the law of the Tang Empire. Because we can hardly prove that the little maidservant has sheltered an escapee according to the existing evidence.”
”I really want to see the attitude of the Academy.”
Xu Shi turned around and looked at the faint sky outside the window. He said in a slightly cold voice, ”But I prefer to know why the Academy did nothing to Wei Guangming, who had spent so long in Chang'an City. What's the relationship between this little maidservant and Wei Guangming? Does Ning Que have anything to do with this matter?”
Wang Jinglue slightly frowned and shook his head, saying, ”This kind of vigilance... seems very unreasonable.”
Xu Shi said, ”As a Tang, no one wants to offend the Academy. But this time, so many people want to offend it. Because that maidservant's background is humble. Even if they troubled her, they would not make the Academy furious, so she is the best object. Besides, the officials and some nobles in the palace began to be wary of the Academy like I have.”
Wang Jinglue still could not understand why they were wary of the Academy.
Xu Shi said, ”Why are so many people in the Imperial Court vigilant against the Academy? Because the world is composed of the supermundane and the secular world. And everything in the secular world has always been under the control of the supermundane. The emperor in the Yuelun Kingdom must go through with the head touching of the Elder in the White Tower Temple before ascending the throne. And the emperors in the other countries must get the permission of the West-Hill Divine Palace. Therefore, the Taoist hierarch on Peach Mountain and the Three Gods are the true masters of this world. Behind them are the Unknown Places of Buddism and Taoism. If one could connect the two Unknown Places, he would be a sage... For the connection, one needs to enter the Human Realm. But why did the Academy enter the Human Realm?”
Wang Jinglue finally understood the words. In the cold winter, his back was instantly soaked with sweat. There was no real so-called supermundane in the world. And the cultivators were in charge of all the countries, except for the Tang Empire. If the Academy entered the Human Realm and interfered in the secular world like the West-Hill Divine Palace, who could stop it?
”The Academy must not interfere in the court administration. That is the golden rule made by the Headmaster.” He seemed to suppress his uneasiness in his heart and said in a hoarse voice, ”If the Academy really wanted to act like the West-Hill Divine Palace, it would have already done so.”
Xu Shi looked at the bleak sun above the clouds with his shimmering eyes and said slowly, ”I never doubted the Headmaster. But you have to know that even the greatest man will die in the end. What if the people in the back of the mountain revolt once the Headmaster leaves the world? If they started to interfere in the court administration, there would be no imperial power. Do you think that the Tang Empire... would be the same?”
”Now we've confirmed that Ning Que was the person entering the Human Realm for the Academy. Otherwise, the Academy would not allow him to go to the frontier fortress and the Wilderness. I've seen this person's resume in the Military Ministry. I must admit that he's a very good soldier. But I became more vigilant toward him after knowing about it. Because a good soldier must be cold-blooded and ambitious. Whether for military achievements or opening up territory, that kind of ambition is like a wildfire and cannot be extinguished.”
Xu Shi said in a low voice, ”The Tang Dynasty has been prosperous for a thousand years. Because, unlike those poor guys who kneel under the Divine Hall, we feel reverent as well as vigilant toward the supermundane people. And we have never surrendered.”