Chapter 264: Defecting From The North
At the feast of fine food and drink, there was no clinking of wine cups or wild revelry. Attendants used long-handled measuring cups to carefully pour wine into the wine jugs in front of each person’s table.
“Relax a bit, no need to be nervous.” The Marshal looked at the uneasy Xuan Chong and offered him comfort.
However, as Xuan Chong followed his gaze and swept his eyes around, everyone nearby was trembling with fear.
As for Qin Tianyi playing chime bells on the side, Xuan Chong discovered after measuring that within her chime bells group, everyone’s movements were standardized; this meant that such practice might have been done thousands of times. Xuan Chong took a deep breath: How much effort would this take?
Xuan Chong couldn’t help but recall his time in the North; perhaps because Dongtu was a small place, there were no such complex rules there; or perhaps there were—but none of them weighed on him.
Xuan Chong did not know that now, ritual law did not weigh on people like him either. —As long as one had a legitimate profession, was not lewd, not evil, diligent in tasks, and did not slander the able. In the ritual and law system, they were all sitting in the stands.
If Xuan Chong had stayed in the North, preparing to lie on the oil fields collecting money; then over in Xian Han, they would properly educate Xuan Chong to abide by all sorts of ritual laws. Eating, clothing, utensils, travel—all would be criticized by censors.
Even when participating in various rituals every year, the rules to follow might not be any fewer than those for these musicians striking chime bells.
And the sailor queue honor guard standing in the distance, like cast iron, this also couldn’t let Xuan Chong relax!
Xuan Chong: “This is just like in a previous life flag-raising ceremony, where you can’t relax and eat KFC.”
…Rules are not evenly distributed…
Ritual law systems, like a pyramid, exert the greatest pressure on the lower levels, bound by all sorts of rules, especially those with “weak ability.”
Like children, newlywed women, during Chinese New Year every year, they are crushed dead by the rules.
Qin Tianyi: The founders who designed this set of ritual law rules naturally felt that the words and deeds of “weak ability” people were too free, possibly interfering with the actions of “strong ability” people. That is, building a “cage” before “committing a crime.”
There will always be people in certain eras who feel this “cage” is too conservative, then break it. Granting the weak, such as children and women, equal freedom.
However, precisely after a few decades, later people feel “ritual law” is too advanced. Strongly believing naughty children should follow rules, as for women…
Xuan Chong was not only a country bumpkin from the North, but also from an era of “collapse of ritual and music.”
Right now, he was really like an elementary school student, knowing nothing. Sitting in the main seat, Xuan Chong mechanically followed the music, sitting ramrod straight, not daring to touch his chopsticks.
Because when he had prepared to move his chopsticks earlier, everyone raised their wine cups; Xuan Chong quickly changed his action, also picking up his wine cup, and after following the General to raise wine cups in a toast, he was obviously quite embarrassed.
Speaking of which, Xuan Chong only then dug out from the inherited Liu Haoxing’s memories these “family education” contents for royal banquets. Such as keeping one’s back straight at banquets, toasting words following metrical patterns.
It could only be said that usually Xuan Chong didn’t think about this in his head! He was busy adjusting his body, then supplementing this era’s scientific and technological tasks.
Before transmigration, as an only child, he didn’t need to think about this either; as long as exam achievements were good, he could snatch meat from under old dad’s chopsticks.
This was the value of being the only seedling; Father hoped he understood rules, but only gently guided him.
Of course, in places with many rules and not enough benefits, he (Xuan Chong) would directly slip away.
With a “hong” sound, the ritual ended.
Suddenly, Xuan Chong discovered a pencil case appearing in front of him; looking at this abrupt stationery placed on his table, Xuan Chong swallowed, glanced around, but the people nearby seemed unable to see this thing.
Immediately after, after Xuan Chong quietly touched it with his hand, the pencil case seemed to flicker, then subsequently turned into a two-dimensional screen and decomposed.
Just as Xuan Chong was stunned, thinking his golden finger had disappeared, the long-absent system prompt appeared: “Please reconstruct the operating system.”
Xuan Chong was slightly stunned, carefully asking in his mind.
A few minutes later, in Xuan Chong’s view, the pencil case turned into an “operation software.” Just like drawing software in a previous life computer, able to draw directly, and the eraser also became a direct tool.
Xuan Chong felt his ability had become more convenient.
Little did he know, the Marshal beside Xuan Chong was slightly stunned, silently reciting in his heart: “Awakening? Wait! No!”
The Marshal thought of a possibility: that Liu Haoxing was already near awakening state in the North’s Dongtu, and when he came to the South, he encountered the second wave of Thick Earth’s favor, causing Dragon Power to complete stacking!
Originally, the Marshal had some regrets that local Thick Earth favor fell on an outsider’s head. But now, a person favored to the extreme by heaven and thick earth, the awakened ability grade was also high grade. Coming to the South, that was a gain for the locals.
After the etiquette ended, the Marshal said meaningfully: “Mm, this way, you really are one of us.”
Xuan Chong was confused but soon understood in a few days what these words really meant.
Xuan Chong, half-understanding: “Yes, sir.”
Marshal: “Call me sir during work. My name is Liu Kehua; normally when you come find me, call me Uncle Hua.”
…Family…
Fifteen days later, Dragon Group arrived. These were people from the Capital City. Not riding a train, but boarding a silver-gray airship; this airship suddenly disengaged stealth at three hundred meters high altitude. Then a group of warriors wearing exoskeletons came down.
Xuan Chong was stunned, touching the kerosene lamp in his room, complaining: In this steam age, you guys pulling off such a future style is a bit ridiculous.
However, the army high command seemed to know the situation of this group, calmly docking with them. Xuan Chong was very surprised! And what surprised him even more next was that they actually knew his “cheat,” no, it should be called “Dragon Power.”
Xuan Chong couldn’t help but feel alarmed; in front of Xian Han’s unprecedented ruling machine, where did any transcendence come from—everything had “grades.”
This group said to be Dragon Group big shots, due to these people’s Capital City accent being condescending, stirred up some rebellious emotions in Xuan Chong’s “Liu Haoxing” memory bank.
“This child has suffered deep bullying harm!” Xuan Chong cut off the memory search of Liu Haoxing regarding this, negative emotions immediately shielded, but his “broad-minded” self surged with vigilance.
Because there is no love without reason, nor hatred without reason! When Liu Haoxing didn’t get along with people from the Capital City, more or less it was a bit of cultural gap.
After the Dragon Group representative carefully inquired about Xuan Chong’s supernatural ability, he immediately took Xuan Chong to the test field, meticulously calibrating on the test field, asking for detailed data, as if afraid Xuan Chong was impersonating a Dragon Power User. And during this process similar to escorting, Xuan Chong still learned from bystanders that the Dragon Group representative’s name was Liu Ling. He didn’t introduce himself.
“How many times a day can your ability be activated, what happens each time it’s used?”
When the other side asked this question for the third time, as if interrogating a criminal, trying to nitpick and find loopholes, Xuan Chong judged this guy’s tone was too aggressive.
Thus Xuan Chong used officialese: “Sir, my ability has just awakened, currently I can’t say for sure.”
Liu Ling: “Then test slowly.”
Xuan Chong: “Mm, it’s mealtime now! Test again tomorrow afternoon!”
Liu Ling: “Don’t waste my time.”
Then glanced at his watch: “Come back with us to test slowly.”
At this point, Xuan Chong confirmed something. Because the other side didn’t show the reasonableness of the process. Thus Xuan Chong also seized the chance to flare up: “Since you don’t want to waste time, then explain the process clearly. Don’t make it up as you go. Some questions you repeat asking is really wasting my time.”
This person stared at Xuan Chong, then his pupils turned white.
Xuan Chong felt he was doing something to him, immediately not polite either: first step, close eyes; second step, torque densely deployed around himself, forming a protective field; third step, torque wrapped the other side.
This questioning Dragon Group member had his ability interrupted in an instant, eyes becoming clear.
In this instant clash, Xuan Chong’s Dragon Power level and quality completed suppression.
Actually from the beginning, Xuan Chong was on guard.
Speaking of which, possessing a sharp weapon, killing intent arises; after Xuan Chong awakened ability, while “listening more and watching more” to others, he realized other ability users would one day use abilities on him.
This supernatural user in front had the ability to distort optics, trying to plunge Xuan Chong into darkness.
This darkness here was not just visual darkness, but freezing signals of whole body neurons. However, after signal congestion suddenly released, it would cause the victim extreme pain!
Of course Xuan Chong unhesitatingly: “If you dare make me perceive pain, I’ll make your whole body shatter with fractures.”
…Xuan Chong: I am a well-mannered person, won’t hit people easily…
Just as it seemed a fight was about to break out, a fair-faced person ran over, first persuading the Dragon Group people to leave, then squeezing out a smile, apologizing to Xuan Chong: “Heir, we were just doing routine procedure.”
After confirming, Xuan Chong knew the mustached one in front was an eunuch.
Xian Han’s eunuchs had further abolished “palace castration,” replacing it with vasectomy.
Fifty years ago, when Zong was still reigning, pitiful elderly palace servants without heirs were allowed to leave the palace, using syringe surgery to delay. Then, the old eunuch’s son, after adulthood, froze sperm, vasectomy, ran to the palace to continue inheriting his father’s work. Could be called generationally passed down.
The Son of Heaven’s family slaves are still family slaves; scholar-officials emphasize the “political rights” everyone should have, which does not include eunuchs; eunuchs are “permanently deprived” upon entering the palace.
Industrial Age, public opinion increasingly fierce, government offices and Son of Heaven cannot directly kill or seize common people, but eunuchs are not among common people.
After popular enlightenment, common people feel “better to have descendants,” unwilling to accept rulers killing at will.
Common people also didn’t include “palace eunuchs.” And think “this group of rootless people” should be killed casually. —As for why? No one empathizes with this group of “closest to power core” idlers without legitimate profession.
Although not like previous dynasties, where Son of Heaven could casually beat eunuchs to death.
But this dynasty’s Son of Heaven and imperial kin’s family laws override national law.
Eunuchs in the imperial palace must also show manners to vassal king’s heirs. —Because although Dongtu is small, it is also a kingdom enfeoffed by Son of Heaven, one of the few that can use eunuchs.
Xuan Chong’s understanding of this group of now “eggless” people was: they quite had the flavor of black butler housekeepers in previous life Japanese anime, courteous, strictly adhering to vassal way.
On the principle of not hitting smiling faces, Xuan Chong also politely responded to the eunuch, explaining his recent daily routine was very strictly self-disciplined. Besides necessary military tasks, many tasks could not be interrupted. (Xuan Chong used the most pretentious tone to introduce himself)
Xuan Chong: “I felt my time being trampled.”
The reasonable eunuch then expressed understanding, saying “Liu Ling was too anxious.” —Xuan Chong heard the eunuch’s tone seemed to be covering something, mobilized memories in his mind, instantly knew the situation of the name “Liu Ling.”
This was someone he hadn’t met before, but had heard of. Because when he was bullied in Yandu, it seemed Lin Yang described a powerful cousin in the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Good grief, no wonder just now it was like interrogating a criminal.
Then the eunuch’s next process made Xuan Chong’s “street smarts” increase.
The eunuch seemingly casually said: “Heir, you’ve been in the South less than half a year, do you plan to return to the North?”
Xuan Chong looked at this eunuch, after a long time, seemingly very cautious: “I’m studying here, arranged by Father at home, dare not act on my own.”
Xuan Chong thought to himself: “Go back? Back to Liu Haoxing’s old environment? I’m doing well here, just adapted to the environment, established interpersonal relations, why give up?”
In Xian Han, Confucians underwent multiple reforms, but “loyalty” and “filial piety” remain unchanged to this day; kicking the ball to the distant father thousands of kilometers away was correct.
The eunuch was slightly stunned, then nodded. No longer persuading. However, he knew Liu Haoxing really didn’t want to go back.
Xuan Chong also realized: whether he went back or not was very important to certain people.
The eunuch silently recited in his heart: “Yandu’s Lin family young master has thoroughly offended Dongtu’s heir Liu Haoxing!”
Regarding Liu Haoxing’s past mess, Xuan Chong didn’t keep it in mind; but now Xuan Chong realized this incident was equivalent to “Han Jing Emperor smashing chessboard at Wu King heir.” Actually serious, serious to the point he had to transfer to the South.
He could forget this matter himself, but couldn’t be demanded by others to forget.
Just like in previous life’s Little Japan, always demanding others let go of hatred; but unbeknownst, Little Japan’s arrogance is built on the basis of wanton slaughter back then. He wants you to let go of hatred, but he enshrines past glory in shrines. After you unilaterally let go, it just equals becoming lowly people in his mouth.
Boys in society, first step is to value oneself, avoid the clown role.
As a clown, pleasing others won’t get respect, only make others think you should please him.
So now, when the palace eunuch advised Xuan Chong to “be magnanimous,” Xuan Chong instead started bringing up old accounts.
…Cannot forget…
Xuan Chong began analyzing from geoeconomic perspective: On our side, my family Father’s side, originally hoped to rely on North land power group; result after that incident, had to turn to South sea power group. Dongtu originally supported Northern mining industry, now labor transfer became rough processing factory supporting South steel mills.
Dongtu and Jiangnan cooperation, up to now, already paid massive costs.
I, as the existence meaning “next generation to host Dongtu,” if so easily accept North overtures, would make the South big shots who invested in my family feel “uncertain risk.”
And from the perspective of Xian Han’s two major political factions, father and son stepping on different boats, Dongtu imperial clan also devalued due to “fickle” performance.
In his previous life, Xuan Chong saw many small countries “abandon righteousness for small gain,” finally becoming cheap consumables in great power games.
After the eunuch left, Xuan Chong immediately picked up pen to write a telegram, inquiring after Father’s health, also saying he was doing “very well” here, no need to worry.
Soon after, North replied: “Jiangnan though good,” but to adapt to “sea waves.”
…Matter settled…
Hang Fu, Clear Sea King Liu Kehua was in the office, communicating with South Zhili Provincial Governor about this year’s maritime transportation.
At this time, the eunuch outside delivered a letter; he opened it to look, revealed a smile: “Hehe.”
Provincial Governor asked: “Patrol Heart brother, what joy?”
Clear Sea King put away the letter: “Nothing, a relative’s child from the North came to me, his family now sent a letter asking me to take good care.”
Provincial Governor: “Seems this child is very good, bring him to see me another day, my family has a niece. (How could Provincial Governor not know; Dongtu’s steel mill was approved through his hands, sent to the North.)”
Liu Kehua: “Far from it, far from it, this child lacks manners, still needs proper education to be presentable.
