Chapter 20: The Ta'a Taoist Canon

  Whether Confucianism intentionally opposed Qin or not, at least for now, Confucianism cannot stand in opposition to the entire empire.

  So, Yao Guang was not surprised that the Confucian family's master, Fu Nian, had a solemn expression and presented the Tai Ah sword on the case.

  Yao Guang's gaze lingered for a moment on the faces of the three Confucian masters, before finally settling on the Ta'e sword on the case.

  At such close range, she could clearly feel Ta'a's sword energy.

  In the Records of the Grand Historian, it is written that Qin Shi Huang had "the jade of Kunlun Mountain, the treasures of Sui and He, the pearls of the luminous moon, wearing the sword of Tai'a, riding the horse of Fenliu, raising the banner of the green phoenix, and planting the drum of the divine alligator".

  Yao Guang saw that Xiang Yu wore a sword named "Tian Wen" instead of "Tai E", so she had the intention to test the Confucians with this. Now that she has really seen Tai E, she understands that an empty hole can bring wind for no reason, and later generations' legends have their basis.

  This Ta'A sword indeed has the majestic aura of swallowing mountains and rivers, its powerful and domineering sword energy is undeniable. It can be said that it's a naturally formed sword, not a single mistake. Such momentum cannot be imparted by even the most skilled swordsmiths. Even if the greatest swordsmith in the world were to try, they could only condense the already existing sword intent and momentum between heaven and earth into the sword, relying on their mortal body and spiritual light to imbue it with life. Just like the Upper Clearness Breaking Cloud in her hand, it was first born from the sword intent, then took shape later, thus this naturally formed sword is not something that can be created by human effort.

  Yao Guang didn't even need to draw the sword out of its scabbard to determine whether it was genuine or fake, and she also believed that the leader of the Confucian family wouldn't be foolish enough to use a fake sword at this critical moment.

  "The sword of the Way is not in vain, this sword should be held by the feudal lords and kings who have the aura of fortune, it is harmful but not beneficial to ordinary people. Mr. Fu Da does not need to grieve for losing the balance."

  He bowed his head and body in salute, with a very respectful attitude.

  "The Emperor's intention is beautiful, and I am deeply moved. This sword is a king's sword, and it is only right that it be presented to Your Majesty."

  Yao Guang looked at Fu Nian with some surprise, and said in wonder: "I thought Mr. Fu was an upright and unyielding person, but he actually made such remarks..." She thought for a moment, as if she had gained some insight, "It's true, Mr. Fu has to take responsibility for the entire family, so it's inevitable that he would be more cautious in his words, unlike your younger brother who is arrogant and reckless. If I hadn't seen someone I shouldn't have today, perhaps I could have really spoken beautifully on behalf of Confucianism in front of His Majesty, what a pity."

  These few words were like a sharp blade that struck home in an instant, and the three masters of Confucianism were all startled, their hearts skipping a beat.

  She would say "what a pity", of course because she had already decided that she would never speak well of Confucianism, and might even say the opposite.

  Zhang Liang thought for a while, seeing his two senior brothers having to bow their heads in front of such a young girl, thinking about the meaning behind her words, suddenly felt a pang in his heart, he clenched his fist tightly and took a step forward, just as he was about to speak, but unexpectedly the other party spoke first.

  "Your Majesty is rich with the world's wealth, and it is only right to offer the world's goods to Your Majesty. However, Tai'a was after all not a tool for worldly gain... Master Fu lost Tai'a... can't help but feel regret."

  Yao Guang pondered for a moment, then continued, "My original intention was to exchange Tai'a for several years of peace with the Confucianists. Now that it cannot be achieved, as fellow members of the Hundred Schools of Thought, I still have a sense of solidarity. The other day, casting the sword also exhausted my mental and physical strength. Now, wanting to cast another sword to return to Master Fu is also impossible. In this case, I will exchange the Dao Cang with Master for Tai'a."

  The three masters of Confucianism were all stunned for a moment.

  Is it worth exchanging Taoist scriptures for a few pieces of silver?

  Giving Taoist classics to Confucians...?

  Among the three, Zhang Liang was the most intelligent, but at this moment his mind was already in a mess, and for a while he couldn't figure out the situation. Yan Lu had roughly understood Yao Guang's meaning, while Fu Nian, who carried the fate of the entire Confucian family on his shoulders, suddenly realized it after a few breaths.

  It's not hard to imagine the attitude of the King of Qin towards Taoism, given his current honor and prestige towards Emperor Shi. In the future, if the King of Qin takes action against Confucianism, he will not implicate Taoism, and if he obtains the true scriptures of Taoism, it will be a way out for him in the end.

  Yao Guang looked at Yan Lu with a hint of intention and said calmly, "The Taoist school is different from the Confucian school. Although there is a tradition of masters, it does not rigidly demand such a tradition. Whatever door or sect you have practiced before is irrelevant. If you have a heart that inquires about the Tao, then you are my fellow student. If you enter the door and comprehend the Tao, then you are my friend on the path. My own cultivation is limited, and I have not yet comprehended the Tao. I am not sufficient to expound upon subtle words and great principles or the true meaning of the classics. All I can do is repeat the words of the sages. Now, as I speak about the Tao, I will not record it on paper or pen. I will only speak without discussing, only lecture without explaining. The Taoist Canon is a collection of all the Taoist scriptures in the world, categorized into three classes: Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Dongshen, each with twelve sections, totaling 5,700 volumes. I am familiar with 134 volumes, and I have thoroughly researched one volume. Let us start from this one volume."

  The three masters exchanged a glance in secret and sat up straight individually.

  No matter what they think of Taoism, Yao Guang or Qin Wang, the opportunity to hear the authentic scriptures of Taoism is also extremely rare. Although Confucianism has many classics, it does not collect various sects' classics as widely as Taoism. Nowadays, all the philosophers who have appeared in the world are connected with Taoism in thousands of ways, and the founder of Confucianism, Confucius, was also a student of Laozi.

  From Fúniàn's offering of the sword to Yáoguāng's words, this day's events can be said to be completely unpredictable.

  The sun rises and sets, and the twilight is seen in the sky. Only then did he stop, looking deeply at Yan Lu with a profound gaze.

  "My revered teacher once said, 'It is easy to enter the Confucian school, but it is extremely difficult to master it. It is hard to enter the Taoist school, and it is also hard to make progress. However, once you have entered, there is no turning back, and one must advance. In learning, one gains more each day; in the Way, one loses more each day, losing until one reaches non-action.'"

  Yan Lu nodded thoughtfully as if she had something on her mind.

  Yao Guang stood up and stretched slightly, smiling at Fu Nian.

  "Master Foda, doesn't the Shengxian Villa always have guest rooms?"

  "Nature."

  "That's good... Also, I'd like to trouble Mr. Fu with one more thing, if someone comes to visit me, please make it convenient for him and open a small door."

  Fu Nian somewhat surprisingly agreed, but in his heart he was indeed a bit strange.

  Soon, Fu Nian completely understood the meaning of Yao Guang's request.

  The sky was slightly dark, and countless civil and military officials from Sanghai and nearby counties came to visit Xiaoshengzhuang with thick gifts. The carriages and pedestrians were almost blocked outside Xiaoshengzhuang, making it impossible for water to flow out.

  What left the three leaders of Confucianism and all the scholars aghast was that Yao Guang did not decline to see anyone, nor did he decline any gifts. He quietly accepted countless compliments and generous gifts until night fell and the moon rose, at which point the officials who had not yet paid their respects could only send in their visiting cards and come again the next day.

  Yao Guang was unwrapping the gifts one by one, putting aside those that caught her eye and tossing away those that didn't. She wasn't paying attention when a box flew a bit too far and almost hit Zhang Liang as he entered the room.

  Zhang Liang looked at the girl who was like a fairy in the house, surrounded by piles of colorful gifts, and suddenly felt an inexplicable complex emotion.

  "......Yao Guang Dao Chang, these gifts......"

  "What's wrong?" Yao Guang said casually while unpacking the box, "They are willing to give it away, why can't I accept it?"

  "This is bribery."

  Yao Guang gave Zhang Liang a disbelieving look.

  "I receive money and goods from people, and help them resolve their troubles. This kind of behavior is considered 'bribery', but I only accepted the goods, without making any promises or intending to exert effort for these fools, how can this be considered 'bribery'?"

  Zhang Liang was shocked on the spot and couldn't speak.

  Yao Guang means being bribed by someone and doing things for them. That's bribery. Now she just takes things without working, that's not bribery.

  Although it sounds reasonable at first, thinking carefully seems to be somewhat wrong?

  Yao Guang couldn't be bothered with Zhang Liang and continued to unwrap the gift.

  "They would be happy to send, and if I don't accept, they will worry instead. Mr. Zhang San should not worry about these people, but think about what to do in the future. Your Majesty will arrive at Sanghai in no more than a few days."

  Zhang Liang's heart skipped a beat.

  "...aren't you worried I'll take action?"

  Yao Guang lightly laughed once.

  "Now, Your Majesty is just short of an excuse. If something happens to me in Sang Hai, who will be unlucky in the end? No need for me to say it. Lord Han has time to consider cutting the grass and eliminating the roots, but it's not as good as trying to kill those few Mohists. Perhaps Your Majesty will still be a little more at ease with the Confucians... Those outside don't have to be so anxious either, let's discuss it with Lord Han first."

  Zhang Liang's face changed color, and after a moment he said in a low voice: "How did Master Yao Guang know?"

  Yao Guang blinked her eyes, "How did you know there was someone lurking outside? All I can say is... the killing intent was too piercing. As a cultivator, we are naturally attuned to the heavens and earth, and our senses are extremely sensitive. Mr. Zhang's martial arts skills are exceptional, so he could see that my footsteps were light and my internal energy was empty. But if I didn't have anything to rely on, how would I dare to enter the Sanghai alone?"

  Yao Guang turned around and looked at Zhang Liang with a hint of a smile.

  "Mr. Zhang San, the Clearing Clouds and Breaking Through the Mist sword has just been forged but hasn't left its scabbard yet, do you have any intention of taking a look at it?"

  The moonlight shone on Yao Guang's body, making her appear even more ethereal and coldly proud. The long sword behind her back hummed softly, its aura piercing and chilly, like a layer of frost covering the ground, causing people to feel a creeping chill from their toes without realizing it.

  Zhang Liang couldn't help but be cautious, carefully examining the jade light for a moment, thinking about how she had used an astonishing sword move in the same way when she was heavily injured in the Mechanical City. Now that she wore the Taoist crown, it was naturally not just for aesthetic purposes, even if she looked weak inside, perhaps there was another mysterious mechanism at work.

  Zhang Liang took a few deep breaths and regained his usual humble appearance, cupping his hands in salute.

  "The teachings of the emperor's teacher today, Zifang will never forget for his whole life."

  Yao Guang smiled and shook his head, "As for clever strategies, I am naturally inferior to Mr. Zhang San, what I rely on is only Your Majesty."

  Jade Light is in the upper hand today, not because Jade Light is more excellent than Zhang Liang or other two masters of Confucianism, but because of the great momentum it relies on. In front of the emperor's power, no matter how talented and beautiful a person is, they have to bow their heads.

  Zhang Liang understood the meaning of Yao Guang, although he felt unhappy in his heart, he had no more grievances. After thinking for a moment, he couldn't help but ask: "The Taoist school has always avoided the world, and the predecessor Xuan wants to save the world and rescue people. Why did Master Yao Guang assist King Qin?"

  Yao Guang stared at Zhang Liang for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh and ask in return: "How does Mr. Zhang know that what I'm doing now is not 'saving the world and rescuing people'? Now that the world is unified, it's time to rest and recover. If we were to rise up against Qin at this moment, wouldn't that be leading the common people into a sea of flames? What is wrong with Your Majesty compared to the rulers of the six states who perished in the past? You are opposing His Majesty simply because you are the 'son of the Prime Minister of Han'."

  These words are extremely severe, directly pointing out that Zhang Liang's plan is not for the people to ask for their lives, but purely for personal gain.

  Zhang Liang's face changed color, and he suppressed the various feelings in his heart. He asked in a low voice: "What if Master Yao Guang is a descendant of the six nations?"

  Yao Guang was taken aback by the question.

  She was able to firmly accuse Zhang Liang, partly because she did not suffer the pain of national subjugation and family destruction under Qin Shi Huang. At her birth, the nine provinces had been unified for several years, even if they were divided and reunited, they were still one body. She never forgot that her parents and relatives died at the hands of An Lushan, and finally took revenge after coming down from the mountain. Suppose she was born in the Seven Kingdoms period, and her country was destroyed by Qin, how would she be now?

  Yao Guang's firmness wavered, her face slightly flushed, and the gaze she had once considered "narrow-minded" now made her feel a stinging pain.

  Jade Light calmly admitted her mistake: "Sorry, Mr. Zhang San, it was my fault for speaking without thinking... national hatred and family resentment are indeed unforgettable, what you did is reasonable."

  Zhang Liang originally thought that Yao Guang would not apologize, but unexpectedly heard her apologize twice today, one of which was to him. He couldn't help but think that perhaps he hadn't really understood what kind of person Yao Guang was.

  If it is a person who admires vanity and respects power, how can he show such an age-transcending calm and devout expression when preaching?

  Yao Guang thought for a moment and added: "Even so, I still think... Your Majesty's achievements will be remembered for eternity."

  After a thousand years, the merits of Qin Shi Huang still stand like Mount Tai in the annals of history, unshakeable and unsurpassable. His achievements are not without flaws, but they do not obscure his brilliance.

  Zhang Liang smiled but did not answer, and quietly retreated.

  Yao Guang quietly saw Zhang Liang off until he felt the other faint killing auras also leave before letting out a sigh of relief.

  What a close call.

  She is not like she used to be. After re-cultivating her internal energy, her internal power is less than one-tenth of what it was in her heyday. If Zhang Liang or the assassins from Liu Sha were to really make a move, she would probably have to ascend early.

  Zhang Liang and the others from Inverse Flowing Sand, who were deceived by Yao Guang's aura and retreated without fighting back, would probably be furious if they knew that she had used an empty city tactic today.

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