Three days later, the world was shocked!
The national preceptors of five countries fell on the same day, and the one who killed them was none other than the contemporary Literary Sage, Ouyang Ji.
As soon as this news spread, the first reaction was disbelief, but as more and more details emerged, the news became undeniable.
In the imperial palace of the Southern Xiang Kingdom, Emperor Gu Wanshi held a piece of intelligence in his hand, detailing how Ouyang Ji had killed the national preceptors of the five countries. The name of the sender was his son, Gu Li.
Gu Wanshi's first reaction was also disbelief. He would rather believe that his son had suddenly exploded with power and killed the national preceptors of the five countries, but after reading the detailed intelligence, he had to believe it.
"National Preceptor, take a look."
Gu Wanshi casually tossed the intelligence. An old man with white hair and a white beard steadily caught it. He was the national preceptor who had guarded the Southern Xiang Kingdom for two hundred years.
The National Preceptor opened the intelligence and frowned.
"Is there something wrong?" Gu Wanshi asked. Although he believed what the intelligence said, he was, after all, just an ordinary person. The National Preceptor was the expert in this field, so when the National Preceptor's expression changed, he quickly asked.
The National Preceptor said, "According to what Li'er wrote, if it's not an exaggeration, the Literary Sage is a cultivator who has surpassed the Mortal Realm, but it is impossible for such a strong person to appear in the mortal world, so I find it a bit strange."
"I believe Li'er wouldn't exaggerate in this regard," Gu Wanshi said.
The National Preceptor nodded slightly. Gu Li was his only disciple, and he knew Gu Li's character better than Gu Wanshi. After all, Gu Li had spent more time cultivating with him than with Gu Wanshi.
But precisely because he knew Gu Li wouldn't exaggerate, he found it strange.
He himself was a cultivator at the peak of the Mortal Realm, and he still had hundreds of years to live, but he couldn't break through the current constraints. It wasn't because he lacked talent, but because in the mortal world, one could only cultivate to the current realm. To continue breaking through, one would have to go to the legendary Immortal Cultivation World.
However, not to mention whether he could find the legendary Immortal Cultivation World, even if he did, the National Preceptor didn't want to leave. He had promised the founding emperor of the Southern Xiang Kingdom to protect it, and he was not a person who broke his promises.
Gu Wanshi didn't know what the National Preceptor was thinking. He said, "National Preceptor, I don't understand some of the things Li'er wrote in the letter. Do you know what they mean?"
Hearing this, the National Preceptor looked down at the intelligence in his hand. In addition to describing how Ouyang Ji killed the national preceptors of the five countries, there was also a passage.
After reading it, the National Preceptor's expression changed drastically.
"National Preceptor, what is it?" Gu Wanshi quickly asked.
"The Literary Sage wants to use his own infamy to create lasting peace for all generations."
The National Preceptor said with a solemn expression.
Gu Wanshi's expression was uncertain. He had actually seen through Ouyang Ji's idea, but he wasn't sure, so he sought the National Preceptor's opinion. But now that the National Preceptor had said so, he also realized Ouyang Ji's determination.
"Teacher, why do you have to do this?"
Gu Wanshi smiled bitterly. As the Emperor of the Southern Xiang Kingdom, Ouyang Ji's actions undoubtedly aligned with his ambition to expand the territory, but Gu Wanshi was not only a ruler of a country, but also Ouyang Ji's student, although few people knew about this.
As a student, he didn't want his teacher to bear the infamy, but unfortunately, he was still the ruler of a country. Now, all he could do was fully support Ouyang Ji.
"Pass down the order!"
Gu Wanshi said in a deep voice.
A eunuch hurried in and knelt respectfully before Gu Wanshi.
Gu Wanshi took out a blank imperial edict and, rarely, personally drafted it.
He wrote a command with great flourish, then stamped it with the imperial seal and said, "Deliver this to Marshal Ouyang Ji as quickly as possible."
"Yes!"
The eunuch respectfully accepted the edict and left.
After the eunuch left, Gu Wanshi continued to issue edicts.
A total of nine edicts were issued, each based on "supporting Ouyang Ji's crusade against the five countries," providing full support from political, military, and economic perspectives.
The National Preceptor listened from the side, his expression calm, but his heart was turbulent.
Two hundred years ago, the seven countries divided the world, but a commoner from the lowest level broke this situation, led an uprising, destroyed two countries one after another, and established the Southern Xiang Kingdom. From then on, the seven countries became six.
Two hundred years later, there would no longer be "countries" in the world, but an era, an era of great unification.
The National Preceptor had already foreseen the era of the Southern Xiang Kingdom unifying the world, but he lamented in his heart, because that meant a generation of Literary Sage would completely fall, and what would rise instead would be a generation of God of Slaughter!
This is a true sage; I am not his equal!
The National Preceptor, who had lived for more than two hundred years, finally admitted that he was not as good as Ouyang Ji.
...
Three months later, Ouyang Ji led his army and flattened the imperial city of Northern Zhao. The nobles of Northern Zhao were massacred, with millions of corpses and rivers of blood, shocking the world.
The literati of the other countries denounced Ouyang Ji as a demon of the world. Articles circulated, all accusing Ouyang Ji of his evil deeds.
Even the scholars of Tianrao City didn't know how to evaluate their City Lord for a while.
For a time, Ouyang Ji's title of Literary Sage was removed, and the name of God of Slaughter gradually spread.
Two months later, the imperial capitals of Wu and Yue were successively breached by Ouyang Ji's army. As with the Northern Zhao Kingdom, all nobles were killed.
Ouyang Ji's title of God of Slaughter was completely confirmed.
After conquering the three countries to the north, Ouyang Ji did not stop. He led his army to attack the two countries south of the Southern Xiang Kingdom, shocking the world!
"What happened to the City Lord?" a scholar from Tianrao City asked, confused.
The literati and scholars of the Southern Xiang Kingdom were alright, but the literati of the three countries of Northern Zhao, Wu, and Yue kept writing articles denouncing Ouyang Ji's demonic behavior, saying that Ouyang Ji violated the laws of nature, was addicted to killing, and would not die well.
Gradually, some literati in the Southern Xiang Kingdom were also affected by this trend, believing that Ouyang Ji had killed countless people, had become a demon, and some even wrote to the Emperor of the Southern Xiang Kingdom, asking Gu Wanshi to send troops to suppress the demon.
Even some civil officials spoke about this during court, and some civil officials who were at odds with Ouyang Ji even suggested that Ouyang Ji's merits were so great that he might rebel.
Gu Wanshi could ignore the accusations of those literati and scholars, but he couldn't tolerate these civil officials trying to take this opportunity to attack Ouyang Ji. He immediately ordered the man to be stripped of his official robes and thrown into prison.
Gu Wanshi even scolded, "How can you understand the Literary Sage's aspirations?"
The civil and military officials trembled. They could see from this that the Emperor was extremely supportive of Ouyang Ji's actions. If they continued to oppose him, it might not be as simple as being stripped of their official robes; their families might be destroyed.
Tianrao City, Longevity Tavern.
Recently, business at the Longevity Tavern had been dismal, and Gu Changsheng was happy to have some free time.
At this moment, Yao Xian walked back angrily. Seeing this, Gu Changsheng asked, "Who provoked you?"
"It's still that group of bookworms. It's one thing for the scholars of other countries not to understand Ouyang Ji's actions, but they don't understand either. It's infuriating," Yao Xian's chest rose and fell, obviously really angry.
"Chirp chirp!"
The little phoenix in the birdcage chirped and was about to leave, but Gu Changsheng stopped it.
"What are you joining in on? Do you want to destroy the entire mortal world with your attack?"
Gu Changsheng glared at the little phoenix. This little guy was thinking of taking action for Yao Xian to vent her anger, but as Gu Changsheng said, if the Supreme Realm little phoenix took action, it might really sink the mortal world.
After stopping the little phoenix, Gu Changsheng comforted Yao Xian, saying, "You said they are bookworms, how could they understand Ouyang Ji's ambition?"
"Hmph!" Yao Xian harrumphed and sat aside without speaking.
Gu Changsheng said helplessly, "Don't worry, some people won't understand, but there will always be people who understand."
As soon as Gu Changsheng finished speaking, noisy voices came from the street outside. The two of them had excellent hearing and heard someone trying to prove Ouyang Ji's innocence.
"Listen, aren't there people who understand Ouyang Ji's thoughts?" Gu Changsheng laughed.
Yao Xian also breathed a sigh of relief. She came to the door and found that the person who was proving Ouyang Ji's innocence was Qian Jiahao, the playboy who had offended Gu Changsheng three years ago. Not only Qian Jiahao, but also several young men and women were standing next to Qian Jiahao.
Li Wanyun, the daughter of the Li family, Chun Chun, the courtesan of the Red Flower Building, and the rest were also children of wealthy families in Tianrao City. They were explaining the reasons for Ouyang Ji's actions in their own way.
Even if the effect wasn't very good, it was good as long as someone was doing it.
A smile also appeared on Yao Xian's face.
"I heard that kid also established a poverty relief station," Gu Changsheng came to Yao Xian's side and said.
He was naturally talking about Qian Jiahao.
"I know about that. Many poor people have received his help. It seems that letting him go wasn't a bad thing after all!" Yao Xian smiled.
Although Tianrao City was rich, it was impossible to completely eliminate the poor. Some families were struggling to survive for various special reasons, and Qian Jiahao's poverty relief station gave them the right to continue living.
Yao Xian was one of the people who was most touched, after all, she had witnessed Qian Jiahao's change.
...
