Chapter 217: The Wise Above, The Foolish Below
Niu Family Depression, north wind howling.
In the small hut, the cold air was biting, and no matter how fiercely the stove burned, it was useless. Just like Zhou Huang and Huan Daoji, no matter how generously and passionately Boss Shang spoke, they remained unmoved.
To put it bluntly, although the two had now fallen into trouble in the jianghu, they had both come from the top great aristocratic families back then. They understood the insurmountable chasm between scholars and commoners all too well. Their deep-rooted notions made it impossible for them to believe that this so-called Han Society, composed of commoner landlord merchants, could contend with the immensely powerful noble clans.
“The sage said, only the highest wisdom and the lowest stupidity cannot be changed.” Zhou Huang looked at Boss Shang and slowly shook his head. “The gulf between aristocrats and commoners cannot be changed.”
“The sage did say that only the highest wisdom and the lowest stupidity cannot be changed.” Boss Shang resolutely shook his head. “But I do not believe he meant the distinction between scholars and commoners. Rather, later generations twisted his meaning to maintain the rule of the aristocratic noble clans!”
“Then what did the sage really mean?” Huan Daoji asked with keen interest.
“Highest wisdom refers to the utmost wisdom, and lowest stupidity refers to the most worthless stupidity!” Boss Shang’s gaze was resolute as he said, “People do differ greatly from one another and will never be the same. But this difference should come from whether the person themselves possesses wisdom or stupidity. It should not be determined solely by their birth!”
“But reality is what it is. As long as you are born into a noble clan, no matter how stupid you are, you will be lofty above others. As long as you are born into a poor commoner family, no matter how much wisdom you have, you still cannot rise.” Zhou Huang said in a deep voice.
“Reality may be so, but the highest wisdom always strives upward. No matter which class we are in, people like us must resolutely refuse to accept this unfair reality! We must unwaveringly strive to change it and never allow that worthless stupidity to lord over us!” Boss Shang’s chubby face trembled with agitation, his cheeks quivering, which looked rather comical. But his words were generously passionate.
“What upward-striving wisdom,” Zhou Huang sneered. “Boss Shang wants to change it because he can’t climb up no matter how he tries, right?”
“Village Master Zhou…” The man who had brought the two frowned upon hearing this. This time, the Han Society had a chance to recruit two Heavenly Rank Grandmasters—it was truly great fortune. They couldn’t let the two fall out with Boss Shang right upon meeting.
“No harm done.” Boss Shang smiled faintly and looked candidly at Zhou Huang. “Indeed, I wanted to take a seemingly simpler path, but they didn’t give me the opportunity, so I can only take the longer road.” He then said word by word, “But none of that matters. What matters is, I will not stop my upward steps!”
“Boss Shang’s ambitions are truly admirable.” Zhou Huang was not so easily persuaded, but he had not come this time to argue with Boss Shang. Thus, he smiled faintly and changed the subject. “Whether we two understand or not is unimportant. As long as Boss Shang can help rescue my clan members, I am willing to serve with all my might.”
“Bai Liu Village’s misfortune arose purely because of His Highness,” Huan Daoji said solemnly. “Although His Highness has now passed away, we cannot fail to repay Bai Liu Village’s kindness. I will stand with Village Master Zhou.”
The two had made their meaning abundantly clear: although we disagree with your views, as long as you help us rescue the people, we have no problem giving our lives for you.
What kind of person was Boss Shang? Understanding their intentions, he no longer wasted effort trying to persuade them. With a self-mocking smile, he cast aside his inner displeasure and, as if nothing had happened, said to the two with a troubled expression, “The ones you want me to rescue aren’t just one or two people, but several thousand from Bai Liu Village. That’s no easy task…”
“Otherwise, would we need to seek your help?” Huan Daoji sneered. This former marshal who once made the northern dynasties tremble could certainly see that Boss Shang was starting to bargain.
“The Han Society does have the ability to do it, but before that, you two must first offer a pledge of allegiance.” Seeing this, Boss Shang was straightforward. “Once this matter is done, you two will be our own people, and your matters will naturally be the Han Society’s matters, with no shirking of responsibility.”
“Say it, what matter?” Zhou Huang nodded. To rescue his clan members, he was willing to do anything.
“These past few days, the Capital City has been abuzz with rumors that the Imperial Family treasure has reappeared,” Boss Shang said in a deep voice. “According to reliable news, the Investigative Bureau has already captured the grave robber who discovered the treasure. The various clans are all closely watching the Investigative Bureau. As soon as they make a move, the grandmasters of the various clans will surely spring into action.”
“Does Boss Shang also want a piece of the Imperial Family treasure?” Zhou Huang’s tone carried some mockery.
“No, the Imperial Family and various clans will surely go all out. Even if there is treasure, we won’t get it.” Boss Shang said calmly, “But we can destroy it and bury them all within.”
“That would indeed be easier than obtaining the treasure.” Huan Daoji slowly nodded. The Han Society not overreaching for the treasure made him feel this organization had some sense.
“Eliminating several Heavenly Rank Grandmasters in one fell swoop would be an immense blow to the noble clans.” Boss Shang’s eyes flashed with cold light. “And foreseeably, once this happens, the various clans will fall into mutual suspicion and severe infighting, which will be great news for our Han Society.”
“The reasoning is sound, but how could it possibly be done?” Huan Daoji thought for a moment and slowly shook his head. “With just us two grandmasters, it’s far from enough.”
“Personal martial prowess is important, but what decides success or failure is highest wisdom.” Boss Shang smiled faintly, wisdom pearl in hand. “I already have a plan. As long as you two act accordingly, success is assured!”
With that, he laid out his strategy fully to the two. Zhou Huang and Huan Daoji listened attentively, then exchanged a glance and slowly nodded.
.
Boss Shang’s news was indeed extremely well-informed. When he told Zhou Huang and the other that the Investigative Bureau had captured the grave robber, Zuo Yanqing had only just reported the matter to the Initial Emperor.
In the sleeping chamber of Changle Hall, the Initial Emperor had a thick blanket over his legs, seemingly very fearful of the cold. His face was full of sternness as he stroked the ice-cold yellow jade ruyi while listening to Zuo Yanqing’s report.
“Your Majesty, the Investigative Bureau has captured that grave robber. After overnight interrogation, he confessed that this item came from a certain princely tomb on Mount Mang.” Zuo Yanqing said softly, “According to him, five people entered together. They had not gone deep inside when the other four died to mechanisms. Only he escaped, and his sole gain was this token.”
“I see…” The Initial Emperor’s suspended heart eased somewhat, and he asked the old eunuch coldly, “Do you think that grave robber’s words are credible?”
“Hearing is false, seeing is real.” Zuo Yanqing said softly, “We still need to go to Mount Mang for an on-site inspection.”
“Mount Mang?” The Initial Emperor slowly nodded and asked again, “What location?”
Zuo Yanqing then took out a map of Mount Mang’s terrain and pointed out the location confessed by the grave robber for the Initial Emperor to see.
“It’s very close to the Founding Emperor’s Imperial Tomb.” After seeing it, the Initial Emperor frowned slightly. But he believed even more that the treasure was hidden there… The Imperial Tomb had a vast underground palace, built by 200,000 laborers underground for a full ten years, still unfinished when the Founding Emperor passed. It was indeed possible that the Founding Emperor had used the construction of the underground palace as cover to build the treasure vault deep underground near the Imperial Tomb. This fully explained why no one knew where or when the treasure vault had been built.
Thinking of this, the Initial Emperor looked up at Zuo Yanqing and said, “No time like the present. Tomorrow, take men to investigate.”
