Therefore, Xiao Duozi was even more delighted: "No problem, no problem. If you can entrust this matter to me, I will definitely handle it properly for you."
"Okay, okay." Qiu Yizi was amused and angry when she saw his money-grubbing look. "It's not certain yet. If you serve us well, you will get the reward. Don't say too much. Go down and prepare a banquet for us, okay?"
Little Duozi nodded repeatedly and ran downstairs with a jump.
That night, everyone had their meal and went to bed early.
The next day, Qiu Yizi got up early but was not in a hurry to go out. After having a leisurely lunch, he led Lin Shuhan and Wen Lingjiao to Baoqing Temple under the protection of Yuchi Jiming.
Following Xiao Duozi's instructions, they searched along the Yong River towards the northeast sea. Sure enough, they saw a very dilapidated temple in the middle of a mudflat. After looking far away, they could barely recognize the three vague words "Baoqing Temple" on the plaque.
Seeing this, Qiu Yizi said, "Regardless of whether this leader of the Tianzun Sect is real or fake, the place he chose is quite deliberate. Please look at this—"
He pointed and continued, "The Baoqing Temple is located on a slightly higher ground, dividing the Yongjiang River into two parts, forming a pattern of being surrounded by water on all sides, which makes it inconvenient for internal and external transportation. Moreover, this place is extremely remote, some distance away from Mingzhou City; it does not lead to any other destinations, and there are very few people coming and going. It can be said to be a place with few people and quiet in a bustling city. It is indeed a good place to handle confidential matters!"
Lin Shuhan waved his paper fan and said, "Your Excellency is indeed a man of military experience, and your vision is indeed sharp. I, a scholar, am not as good as you. But I would like to remind you that for this operation, we should not only think about how to get in, but also how to get out. This is the perfect plan!"
Seeing Qiu Yizhi nodded sincerely, he turned to Wen Lingjiao and said, "Miss Wen, I have a few more words to say to you. I wonder if you would condescend to listen to my nonsense?"
Wen Lingjiao frowned and her face darkened for a moment, then she returned to normal and said, "Mr. Lin has some advice for me, and I am all ears."
Lin Shuhan didn't care how much ridicule Wen Lingjiao had in her words, and said to himself: "In that case, I'll just say it clearly - I don't actually trust Miss Wen!"
Wen Lingjiao was surprised when she heard this, and smiled: "We just met for the first time, and we have different beliefs. Mr. Lin's words are reasonable. He said this to me in person, which shows that he is upright and honest. He is far from being comparable to those self-important corrupt scholars..."
Lin Shuhan did not respond, but continued along his own train of thought: "Lin is on my side. If I ask myself, I only know that Lord Qiu is a friend, not an enemy; and the fake leader of the Tianzun Sect is an enemy, not a friend; and what about Miss Wen—"
"Then they are both enemies and friends, right?" Wen Lingjiao continued.
"Yes, they are both enemies and friends. Although Miss Wen is a woman, she is also quick-witted and outspoken." Lin Shuhan praised, and then said, "In fact, I have been observing Miss Wen these past few days. From my perspective, Miss Wen is definitely not that kind of evil person. And if she hadn't mentioned it to me more than once, it seems that Miss Wen has quite a bit of affection for Lord Qiu..."
Before Lin Shuhan finished speaking, a blush had already appeared on Wen Lingjiao's cheeks: "Mr. Lin, if you have something to say, please speak directly. Why beat around the bush?"
After hearing this, Lin Shuhan continued to ponder, "Similarly, Miss Wen is a smart person. I'm sure you have understood Lin's temper more or less in the past few days! With Lin's temper, why am I willing to come to the small Shanyin County to serve as a legal advisor to Lord Qiu, a mere seventh-rank official? Is it just because Lord Qiu is interested in talking to me?"
"No, that's not the case." Lin Shuhan answered himself, "I've always been good at judging people. Mr. Qiu is both strategic and decisive. He is upright but not pedantic. If God helps him, he can accomplish great things. A hundred years from now, historians may praise him as 'a peerless national hero'."
After hearing this, Qiu Yizhi said modestly: "Sir, you are too kind..."
"That's not the most important thing." Lin Shuhan raised his folding fan, interrupting Qiu Yizi's words, and continued, "There's no one here, so I might as well speak frankly. Although the Han Dynasty seems stable at the moment, there are many hidden problems inside. Take the Jiangnan officialdom as an example. If the previous major case is investigated in depth, more than 300 officials will be dismissed? I'm afraid that nine out of ten officials will be swept away. With the thundering means of the current emperor, he has to consider the face of the Jiangnan scholars and has to be cautious. However, this is not the most terrible thing. The most terrible thing is that the newly transferred officials may follow the footsteps of the corrupt officials before within a year or two - if what I said is even a little bit alarmist, please cut off my tongue!"
Qiu Yizhi heard Lin Shuhan getting more and more excited, and quickly interrupted, "What's wrong with you today, sir? You're talking at length. I can hear that, no matter if you think highly of me or not, you are speaking from the bottom of your heart. So, why don't we finish this matter and talk about it another day?"
"No!" Lin Shuhan refused firmly. "I am speaking to you, my Lord, as well as to myself and Miss Wen. If I cannot finish my words today, I am afraid I will not have the opportunity or energy to speak again in the future."
Lin Shuhan took a deep breath and continued his previous thoughts: "The Han Dynasty actually has many drawbacks. If one of them is not good enough, the whole country will be in chaos. The Han Dynasty has lasted for more than two hundred years. It is not to say that it has run out of luck, but it is already difficult to reverse the situation. Even with a wise and capable ruler like the current emperor, there is no guarantee that he can turn the tide..."
Qiu Yizi was sweating all over after hearing this, and hurriedly looked around to see if anyone was eavesdropping. Seeing that there was a wasteland with an end in sight, he was slightly relieved, but then he quickly looked into Lin Shuhan's eyes and said, "Mr. Lin, this is extremely treasonous, please don't mention it again in the future."
Lin Shuhan's triangular eyes gave off an unfathomable look. "That's right. I'm only saying this today, and I'm only saying this to you two. I won't mention it again in the future. So whether you believe it or not, whether you listen to it or not, please listen to me patiently."
Seeing that Qiu Yizhi had no other objections, Lin Shuhan sighed and said, "In fact, the overthrow of the Han Dynasty is nothing great. Throughout history, even the longest reign of the three previous dynasties was only 800 years, and most of that time was in name only. However, the change of dynasties will inevitably cause great suffering to the people. As the saying goes, 'When the prosperity lasts, the people suffer; when the prosperity is over, the people suffer'. Moreover, the longer the chaos after the prosperity lasts, the more difficult it will be for the people. It is even possible that the Five Barbarians will invade China and people will wear their hair loose and wear the left lapel."
Lin Shuhan took a breath, raised his eyebrows, and continued, "In Lin's opinion, in troubled times, there are not many people who can make a difference, and Lord Qiu is one of them! Lin has already made up his mind to use all his life's knowledge to help Lord Qiu achieve great things, whether it is to rise high in the temple, or to become a hero in troubled times, or even to ascend to the throne of the emperor. In short, anyone who overestimates his own abilities and wants to stop a chariot with a mantis arm, Lin will never let go!"
After finishing this long article, Lin Shuhan finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Wen Lingjiao with cold eyes.
But Qiu Yizhi, who was standing by, wiped the sweat off his head with his sleeve and said, "Mr. Lin really thinks too highly of me. I only want to live a peaceful and stable life. How can I have such lofty ambitions?"
Lin Shuhan had a stern expression on his face. He turned his head and looked directly at Qiu Yizi: "You don't have to disbelieve what Lin said, but you don't have to believe it completely either. It will come true in the future."
Wen Lingjiao was actually moved by Lin Shuhan's words, but she still wanted to show off. She smiled unnaturally and said, "Everything in the world is unpredictable. Even if Mr. Lin has extraordinary talents, how can we be so sure that only Mr. Qiu can achieve success? You must know that there are many talented people in this world..."
Uncle Lin sneered, "Miss Wen, are you talking about your brother? The four words 'loose hair and left-side lapel' that I just mentioned are referring to him. Haven't you heard that 'the rise and fall of a country is planned by meat-eaters; the rise and fall of the world is the responsibility of every man'? Although I am just a humble man, I cannot bear to see the evil cult from the Western Regions take over the Central Plains!"
Believers in Tianzun Sect hate it most when others call it a cult.
Wen Lingjiao, the Saintess of the Tianzun Sect, was somewhat indignant when she heard Lin Shuhan sternly say the word "cult". However, she was gentle after all, so she calmed down and said, "Why do you have such a preconceived prejudice, Mr. Lin? Why don't you read more of the scriptures of our sect before making any comments?"
Lin Shuhan replied, "To be honest with you, Miss Wen, Master Qiu has brought a lot of Tianzun Sect scriptures with him. I have read your Bible, hymns and several sacred teachings several times in the past few days, and I think what your predecessor Su Luzhi said is not entirely unreasonable." He smiled to himself, "In fact, your predecessor is a truly wise man, and I also admire him. However, his teachings are not in line with China's national conditions. Miss Wen, are you interested in listening to what I have to say?"
(Zoroastrianism, please see the first volume of my works for details.)
Wen Lingjiao certainly couldn't show weakness, so she nodded and said, "Sir, that's a good idea. Please feel free to give me some advice."
Lin Shuhan pondered for a moment, then slowly said: "The national conditions of the countries in the Western Regions are very different from those of China. The area of the Western Regions is similar to that of China, but the land is barren and the agricultural products are weak. In addition, there are many countries, ranging from dozens to hundreds. Therefore, most of these countries are established on trade. And trade emphasizes mutual equality. Even between father and son, it must be clear that one hand pays the other hand and the other hand delivers the goods. Everything else is secondary. Therefore, the Tianzun Sect emphasizes that everyone in the sect is brothers and sisters, and there is no distinction between superiors and subordinates."
Although Wen Lingjiao had studied the teachings of Tianzun Sect since she was young, she always thought about problems within her own theoretical system and never reflected objectively from a high position. Therefore, she felt refreshed when she heard Lin Shuhan's impartial analysis today. She held her breath and listened attentively as Lin Shuhan continued:
"In principle, farming is the basis of our country, supplemented by fishing, woodcutting, weaving and hunting. From reclamation, irrigation, planting, transplanting, fertilization, loosening the soil, pest control, to harvesting, if one step is not careful, or the farming season is slightly delayed, there will be no harvest, and I am afraid we will starve next year. However, the meticulous cultivation of a piece of land is far from being completed by one or two people. If there is no old patriarch in the family to organize, it is probably difficult to continue. This is true for a family and a clan, and it is also true for a country and the world. Therefore, the political system of the Central Plains is that one person serves the world, and the world serves one person. This is the way to long-term stability."
Seeing that the smile on Wen Lingjiao's face gradually disappeared and her two willow-shaped eyebrows gradually locked, Lin Shuhan knew that his words had worked. He was very proud and continued, "Even your sect, after being introduced to the Central Plains, how much of the original appearance of the Western Regions has been preserved?" (To be continued)