Chapter 547: You in Me, Me in You

Chapter 547: Within You, Within Me

"You eat the taste, I eat the aroma. Surely you can't be so domineering as to insist I must eat the same flavor as you?"

Liu Jinxun said with a laugh, then picked up his chopsticks, took a bite, and brought it to his mouth.

Pei Xingjian, on the other hand, was unrestrained, his chopsticks flying up and down, his beard stained red with chili oil.

Only when a plate of oil-absorbing potatoes fell into the pot, calming the boiling broth, did Liu Jinxun set down his chopsticks and ask.

"It's been many years since we last ate together like this, hasn't it, since leaving the New East Forest Academy?"

Pei Xingjian grabbed a cloth soaked in cold water beside him, wiped his face, then said in a teasing tone, "What, reminiscing about the glorious years?"

Liu Jinxun said with a smile, "Back then, you were a prominent figure in the academy. The 'Fifty-Year Development Plan for the Great Ming Empire' you proposed is still a must-read classic in the academy."

"A plan that has never been implemented even a step—what point is there in reading it? Those people in the academy are probably reading Pei Xingjian's official position, not my plan."

Pei Xingjian curled his lips disdainfully, then shifted the topic with a smile: "But speaking of that, I remember you had strong objections to my plan back then. Not only did you publicly oppose it within the academy, but you also tore me to pieces on the Yellow Millet Forum, almost putting the words 'ruinous to the nation and the people' on my head."

"As expected of you. You can remember such a distant matter so clearly."

"That was my graduation policy essay that I wrote with all my heart and soul. Being criticized as worthless, of course I remember it."

Pei Xingjian raised an eyebrow: "You, Senior Liu, wrote a commentary of over ten thousand words back then, refuting my arguments one by one. Now it seems we were both wrong."

"Yes."

Liu Jinxun sighed: "In the end, the empire's development took a path neither of us anticipated. Looking back now, it is truly a cause for sighs and reflections. Do you still remember 'The Great Ming Prologue—On the Influence of the Twelve Sequences on the Historical Process of the Great Ming Empire'?"

"Are you referring to the policy essay written by Zhang Fengyue, the former academy head and now the empire's Premier?"

Pei Xingjian nodded: "It is still vivid in my mind; I haven't forgotten a single word."

"That policy essay caused an uproar throughout the entire academy and even the Confucian Sequence. The idea of the Grand Confucian Sequence makes one's blood boil."

"You're boiling? I'm not, anyway."

Pei Xingjian snorted coldly: "I only saw an aging man who is nearing his end yet still stubborn and autocratic, unchanged in his nature."

Liu Jinxun teased: "He's alive and well now; perhaps his lifespan will be longer than yours or mine."

"What's the use of a long life? Only the wicked live a thousand years!"

"With that mouth of yours..." Liu Jinxun shook his head helplessly: "I really don't understand why the Premier can still tolerate a thorn like you to this day."

"Because I can do things for him that his subordinates cannot. That's why I'm still here eating hotpot with you."

Pei Xingjian said seriously: "And one more thing: people like me are beneficial to the empire, not harmful."

"Then by your words, I am harmful to the empire?"

Liu Jinxun smiled: "Without the support of the great clans, the Confucian Sequence would never have attained its current position of rule over the realm."

"With this attitude, are you preparing to debate policy essays with me again? At our age, I have no interest in engaging in such meaningless word battles."

Pei Xingjian waved his hand, grabbed his chopsticks, and fished into the pot, picking up a slice of potato, and looked at Liu Jinxun, asking: "Do you eat them soft or hard?"

"You go first, I'll eat the soft ones."

Pei Xingjian twitched the corner of his mouth and started eating on his own.

"I heard you took on a final disciple named Yang Baize?"

Pei Xingjian hummed in acknowledgment without lifting his head: "He is now serving in Songjiang Prefecture."

"Rumor has it that he has a deep connection with Li Jun? A life-and-death friendship?"

"Whether the connection is deep or shallow is a matter for the younger generation. I can't interfere."

Pei Xingjian paused his actions of stirring the dipping sauce, looked up at the smiling Liu Jinxun, and said slowly: "But the matter in Jinling has nothing to do with Yang Baize."

"Don't worry. If I had intended to vent my anger on your student, I would not have stopped in Chongqing Prefecture."

Liu Jinxun raised his hand to signal the other to calm down, and said with a bitter smile: "I'm telling you this only to remark that the younger generation today are not simple. Whether he intended it or not, I have suffered a considerable setback at his hands this time, one that hurt me to the bone."

"Is it that serious?"

Pei Xingjian frowned, was silent for a moment, then sighed: "Each generation produces its own talents. Perhaps the 'division of military power under heaven' back then was a complete mistake."

"I don't think it was a mistake."

Liu Jinxun retorted: "Even if it was, the mistake was not finishing the job cleanly and decisively."

Pei Xingjian had no desire to argue. His expression solemn, he asked in a low voice: "Are you really going to be his pawn?"

"The victor is king, the loser a bandit. I lost one step, and now I have no choice."

Liu Jinxun seemed very philosophical about it, his tone relaxed.

"Since you knew there was such a big risk, why did you still bet on both sides? Wouldn't it have been better to be content as the head of your clan?" Pei Xingjian asked, puzzled.

"A boat sailing against the current; if it doesn't advance, it retreats. That was the warning carved at the academy's gate back then, and I have always remembered it clearly."

Liu Jinxun said calmly: "Now the momentum of the empire has become a rolling torrent. If the Liu family does not want to be swept away, they must sail against the current and strive for a bit of initiative."

Pei Xingjian said coldly: "Initiative or not, don't cloak yourself in so many grandiose justifications. It's simply your own insatiable greed, wanting to take another step forward from your high position!"

"Even if you're right, can you say that what I did was wrong?"

Pei Xingjian suddenly fell silent, not knowing how to answer.

"Different positions naturally lead to different views."

Pei Xingjian was silent for a long time, then said dejectedly: "From your standpoint, you are not wrong either."

"When the birds are gone, the good bow is put away. Others might not understand, but I can see that there is no place for the great clans in the conception of the Grand Confucian Sequence."

Liu Jinxun smiled: "But I've made peace with it now. Perhaps this isn't so bad; at least there's a chance to earn the merit of supporting a new emperor. Maybe years later, there will still be a Liu family in Jinling."

"How can he be worthy of being called a dragon?" Pei Xingjian said discontentedly.

"I don't mean the true Son of Heaven dragon, but the dragon that means 'every person can be a dragon'."

Liu Jinxun said softly: "If he wins, he will deserve that title."

The red broth in the pot gurgled, and the two sitting on opposite sides of the square table were lost in thought.

"It's already boiled soft. It's your turn now."

Pei Xingjian gestured.

Liu Jinxun picked up his chopsticks and, while fishing out the food that had boiled until soft and tender, said: "Actually, the reason I made a detour to Chongqing Prefecture this time, besides mooching a meal from you, Pei Xingjian, is that there are two matters on which I'd like to hear your opinion."

"What two matters?"

"First, regarding the current action in the vassal territories, what do you think?"

"I am just the magistrate of Chongqing Prefecture, struggling to keep myself afloat. Does my opinion matter?" Pei Xingjian said somewhat dispiritedly.

"It matters. At least to me, it matters."

There was even a hint of pleading in Liu Jinxun's words: "Although we share only a former classmate relationship and no other personal friendship, this time I am not asking for your advice for personal gain, but because this matter might affect the empire's future."

"This was bound to happen sooner or later."

Pei Xingjian's voice was very low: "If Zhang Fengyue wants to continue implementing the new policies, he must overcome the two great mountains of Buddhism and Daoism. Once he makes a move, the Buddhists and Daoists will naturally move. The three teachings move, and the entire empire will naturally follow. The old two capitals and thirteen provinces are everyone's base; no one wants to fight on their own doorstep until the last moment. So they have to use outsiders in the vassal territories to test the other side's response. That's why I say Zhang Fengyue's move against the vassal territories was only a matter of time."

"The forces assembled by the court haven't even left the southern region yet, but the neighboring Chengdu Prefecture has already started responding. You should have heard about this: the earthly Daoist kingdom—this is a move that truly shakes the nation's foundation!"

Liu Jinxun mulled over Pei Xingjian's words carefully, then asked, "So you think the Grand Secretary was wrong in this matter?"

"No, I think it was very right."

Contrary to Liu Jinxun's expectations, Pei Xingjian firmly expressed his agreement.

"Why?"

"When Emperor Yizong established the Twelve Sequences, he said that Sequences are no different from people—they are fluid, not static. This saying refers not only to genes but also to the instinct of Sequencers. As water flows downhill, people strive upward; the pursuit of strength inevitably leads to conflict. If the Confucian Order does not take the initiative, it will be forced onto the defensive."

Pei Xingjian said solemnly, "Although I dislike the current Confucian Order, and even despise the actions of the New Eastern Forest Party in recent years, I have even less faith that the Buddhist and Daoist schools can govern this empire well. Therefore, suppressing Buddhism and Daoism is a necessary course of action!"

"In recent years, I have been in the southwest of the empire, and my understanding of the Fan lands is deeper and more real than yours. The Fan lands are merely a paradise for the Buddhist Sequencers, but for the common people, they are an eternal Avici hell from which there is no escape. According to the doctrines of the Fan Buddhist Order, low-ranking Sequencers are 'Buddha's Walkers,' while those Sequence Four and above are direct incarnations of the Buddha in the mortal world. As for the mortals who cannot break their locks to advance in Sequence, they are sinners guilty of unforgivable crimes."

"In the Fan lands, the mountains and forests belong to the Buddha, the rivers and streams belong to the Buddha. The duty of mortals is to offer tribute, yet they have no right to enjoy a single bit of it. They are merely prisoners bound to the Buddha's land, with their genes being the shackles they are born with. Even in death, their consciousness is stripped away to become karmic computing power, continuing to atone for sins in the Yellow Millet Buddha Land."

Pei Xingjian's voice carried an irrepressible anger: "These people are all subjects of the Great Ming Empire, yet they are enslaved at the feet of a pack of despicable charlatans who manipulate faith. This is a disgrace to the empire! Therefore, the Fan Buddhist Order must be killed, and even the entire branch must be uprooted!"

Liu Jinxun said thoughtfully, "So your current stance is one of support?"

"Isn't this precisely the brilliance of our Grand Secretary?"

Pei Xingjian said with a bitter smile, "But I only support the Confucian Order taking action against the Fan lands; it does not mean I will support his New Policies."

"I understand."

Liu Jinxun nodded. "Then what reaction do you think the Fan lands will have?"

"If I were them, I wouldn't let you set foot half a step into the Fan lands, let alone accept any so-called investigation," Pei Xingjian sneered.

Liu Jinxun frowned. "But the current situation is not like that."

"That is precisely why you must be even more cautious. We are not the only ones who understand the principle that when the lips are gone, the teeth feel cold. With three Buddha mountains in the Fan Buddhist Order—Dazhao, Sangyan, and Baima—I do not believe the other two will be so obedient. Their current submission is surely only temporary forbearance. When they believe the time is ripe, they will undoubtedly launch a fatal strike against you!"

"Then how should I deal with it?"

"Kill!"

Pei Xingjian said categorically, "The Supreme Sage and Foremost Teacher understood reason, but he also mastered the bow and horse. This was so that when he could not reason with someone, he could find another way to achieve his goals."

"Where did you read such heretical nonsense from unofficial histories?"

Liu Jinxun chuckled despite himself, but his expression gradually grew grave. "But this time, we are in someone else's territory after all. If we act too forcefully, I worry—"

"There are people covering your back. What are you afraid of?"

Pei Xingjian raised his hand and pointed into the distance northward, speaking clearly: "If I were you, I wouldn't worry so much. I would simply lead with swords and spears, back them with guns and cannons, hack down mountains and destroy temples along the way, first slaughter one or two of their Living Buddhas, and then ask them whether they admit their faults or not!"

"And if they do not admit?"

Pei Xingjian answered without hesitation, "Then keep fighting!"

"And if they do admit?"

"Since they are wrong anyway, what is there to say? Of course, we must strike even harder!"

Pei Xingjian sneered, "After you have finished fighting, you will naturally see what malicious intentions they have been hiding."

"It seems you are more suited to this task than I am."

Liu Jinxun nodded, his face full of emotion.

"I cannot take your place. I am merely an armchair strategist; anyone can wag their tongue. If I were really sent, I would not dare."

Pei Xingjian tapped his temple and laughed. "I do not want to be captured in my old age and taken to the Buddha Land to serve as a novice monk pouring tea and water—how disgraceful."

"You—"

Liu Jinxun's expression faltered, and he shook his head helplessly.

"There is a second matter, the Springs and Autumns—"

Thump!

The wine bowl landed heavily on the table, the dull sound cutting off Liu Jinxun's words.

Pei Xingjian wiped his mouth with his sleeve, squinted his eyes, and said, "I have no interest in this matter, nor can I do anything about it. If you insist on speaking of it, I will have no choice but to see you out."

"If you do not listen, can you avoid it?"

Liu Jinxun tapped the table. "They are among us, following like shadows."

"You have me within you, and I have you within me. This is where the affairs of the world go wrong!"

His words carried weight. Pei Xingjian had lost his appetite, and he threw down the chopsticks in his hand.

"Lord Liu, it is time for you to take your leave."

Pei Xingjian raised his hand in a gesture of farewell. "Allow me to offer you one last saying: The myriad lives' humble fates cannot all be calculated; looking back, the mixed flavors of life leave one helpless before heaven. Do not let your finite body constantly bear endless sorrows."

Liu Jinxun gently laid the chopsticks across the bowl, stood up, and clasped his hands in a respectful salute. "Tomorrow is the first day of the eighth month. I hope that you and I can still meet again this day next year."

"Let's wait until we both live to see that day to say more."

"Yes, indeed."

Liu Jinxun sighed deeply, hesitated no further, turned, and walked out of the courtyard gate.

Outside the Chongqing Prefecture office, a vehicle produced by the Ministry of Revenue, a 'Dilu' with superior specifications and performance to the 'Wuzhui', was already waiting there.

Liu Jinxun sat in the back seat, leaned back, closed his eyes, and sank into thought.

By now, the sky had darkened. The vehicle glided slowly amidst the brilliant neon lights, gradually leaving Chongqing Prefecture.

"Elder Liu."

A gentle call came from the front of the vehicle.

"He is not a problem for now."

Liu Jinxun opened his eyes, the depths of them filled with heavy fatigue, and said softly, "Keeping him is beneficial and harmless."

"Siyuan understands. You have worked hard."

Inside the prefecture office, the bubbling hotpot had cooled and congealed.

Pei Xingjian rolled up his sleeves and personally cleared away the leftover dishes on the table.

When he gathered the chopsticks that had been laid across the bowl, a cold gleam suddenly shot from Pei Xingjian's eyes.

"Unable to bite Zhang Fengyue, so you turn to bite me, Pei Xingjian? Liu Jinxun, you truly are a fine dog!"