Chapter 246: Arrival at Little Sage Village (Please Subscribe and Vote)

"However, the whereabouts of the master of the reaching-heaven tower have always been elusive. I am afraid it will take us quite some effort to find him!" Yan Lu continued.

Funian thought for a moment and said, "I will instruct the Confucian disciples to notify the shops affiliated with the reaching-heaven tower and contact the master of the reaching-heaven tower through them."

"Senior brother, there is no need to go to such great lengths. Xiao Xie is currently in Sanghai City. Zifang is willing to represent the Confucians and go invite him to be a guest at the Sage-like Worthies' Manor," Zhang Liang said quickly upon hearing this.

Zhang Liang was one of the few people who knew that Xiao Xie had succeeded as the Mohist Grand Master. Zhang Liang was also a man of Han, and his grandfather had even been the chancellor of Han back then. Having followed Han Fei, he naturally knew Xiao Xie, the former seventeenth prince of Han, and could be considered an old friend of that seventeenth prince.

Hearing Zhang Liang's words, Funian was overjoyed and laughed, "Good. Zifang, leave this matter to you. Be sure to invite Xiao Xie to the Sage-like Worthies' Manor as a guest."

"I will not let senior brother down!" Zhang Liang said, cupping his hands.

***

Three days later, Xiao Xie, having received Zhang Liang's invitation, brought Murong Feng and Murong Huang to the Sage-like Worthies' Manor. Regardless of the relationship between Zhang Liang and the Mohists, or his past relationship with Xiao Xie in Han, since Zhang Liang had extended the invitation in person, Xiao Xie naturally would not refuse.

When Xiao Xie arrived at the Sage-like Worthies' Manor, Funian led a group of disciples out to greet him personally, welcoming Xiao Xie, the distinguished guest, with the highest etiquette.

The three of them stayed at the Sage-like Worthies' Manor for half a day. Amidst the warm hospitality of Funian and the others, everyone conversed quite happily. Xiao Xie also agreed to Funian's request to print Confucian doctrines in the newspaper, on the condition that the Confucians maintained a friendly relationship with him. Furthermore, the poetry and prose section of the newspaper could not be entirely filled with Confucian teachings; only a portion would be printed, and the exact amount would depend on the circumstances.

The sky gradually grew dim, and a golden stillness enveloped the air. The distant mountains donned colorful garments of the evening glow, and the pristine white clouds at the edge of the horizon became as brightly crimson as a blazing fire.

"It is getting late; we should be heading back." Xiao Xie glanced at the sky outside and spoke up.

"Let us conclude for today. The gates of the Sage-like Worthies' Manor will always remain open for Young Master Xiao. Please, Young Master Xiao!" Funian rose, preparing to personally escort Xiao Xie and his companions out of the Sage-like Worthies' Manor.

"Mr. Funian is too polite. Just let Zifang see us off," Xiao Xie stopped Funian and said.

Hearing this, Funian said to Zifang beside him, "In that case, Zifang, you shall see Young Master Xiao off on my behalf!"

"Yes, Senior Brother. Young Master Xiao, please this way!" Zhang Liang nodded and led Xiao Xie and the others toward the exit.

"Yan Lu, I can already foresee the Confucians, under our guidance, walking toward a future of reaching their peak," Funian said excitedly to Yan Lu beside him, watching the departing figures of Xiao Xie and the others.

"Senior Brother, I have the same feeling," Yan Lu said with a validating expression. In this era, having Confucian doctrines promoted through newspapers had a promotional effect that exceeded other methods a hundredfold! Coupled with the numerous classical texts of the Confucian sages, the Confucians would undoubtedly become the most renowned school among the hundred schools of thought.

"Young Master Xiao, thank you very much this time. It has been a long time since I last saw senior brother as happy as he was today," Zhang Liang thanked Xiao Xie while leading the way.

Xiao Xie smiled and said, "Zifang, there is no need for such formalities between us! You can just call me Xiao Xie from now on."

"Then Zifang has been presumptuous, Xiao Xie." Hearing Xiao Xie's words, Zhang Liang was slightly stunned, and then smiled. It felt as though they had returned to the days in Han, and the distance between them vanished.

At that moment, a commotion broke out, catching Xiao Xie's attention.

Xiao Xie looked in the direction of the noise and saw a group of Confucian disciples surrounding two people. One of them was Tianming, and the other was Shilan, though it looked as if Tianming was helping Shilan.

Seeing this scene, Xiao Xie became thoughtful and strode toward Tianming's location, closely followed by Murong Feng and Murong Huang. Zhang Liang smiled bitterly and shook his head. He knew very well that Xiao Xie was the Mohist Grand Master, and Tianming was considered a member of the Mohist faction. Now that these Confucian disciples, Zimu and the others, were bullying Tianming and happened to be caught by Xiao Xie, if Xiao Xie grew angry over this and told Funian, Zimu and the others would be in for a rough time.

"You say she is a spy of the Yin-Yang School, but what evidence do you have?" Tianming blocked in front of Shilan, arguing forcefully against Zimu and the others.

"This spy is extremely cunning. As soon as we discovered her, she immediately wiped away the secret signal left behind. If you don't believe me, let her stretch out her hand and see if there is any red powder," Zimu pointed at Shilan and shouted viciously.

"Can you let them see?" Hearing this, to prove that Shilan was not a spy, Tianming turned around without hesitation and asked Shilan.

Shilan stared at Tianming for a moment, nodded, and slowly opened her right hand—yet there was nothing there.

"There is no red powder you speak of." Looking at Shilan's flawless white palm, Tianming said to Zimu rather smugly.

A Confucian disciple behind Zimu shouted, "It must be in the other hand!"

Shilan then opened her left hand, but the result remained the same as before—there was not a single trace.

Seeing this, Zimu still refused to give up and shouted, "It must be an illusion created by the witchcraft of the Yin-Yang School! Grab her!"

"Don't you dare come over!" Tianming hurriedly blocked in front of Shilan and shouted at Zimu and the others.

Zimu said with a look of disdain, "It seems your ability to take a beating is quite good. Catch both of these fellows! Hmph!"

"Hehe, is this how Funian teaches you? If that is truly the case, I must harbor doubts about Confucian doctrines!" At that moment, a mocking voice came from behind.

"Who dares to speak such wild nonsense here?" Upon hearing someone speak ill of the Confucians, Zimu immediately turned around and shouted.

"Third Master, Mr. Xiao!" After seeing clearly who had arrived, Zimu quickly bowed respectfully.

Zimu and his group secretly cursed their bad luck. In the morning, Funian had led a group of disciples to personally welcome Xiao Xie, showing an attitude even more eager than when welcoming Li Si and the others a few days prior. This showed how high Xiao Xie's status was in Funian's heart. If this scene had only been seen by Zhang Liang, it might have been easy to brush off, but having it fall into the eyes of Xiao Xie, a distinguished guest, meant that if Funian found out, they would be in serious trouble.

"Brother Xiao! Third Master! Sister Feng and Sister Huang, you are here too!" Tianming exclaimed in pleasant surprise upon seeing Xiao Xie and the others. Originally, he thought he was going to get beaten up by Zimu and the others; now seeing Xiao Xie, his formidable backer, arrive, he naturally felt as happy as if he had seen his own family.

"Zifang, the character and temper of your Confucian disciples still need some tempering," Xiao Xie smiled, nodded at Tianming and Shilan, and then said to Zhang Liang beside him.

Hearing Xiao Xie's words, Zhang Liang smiled helplessly. He knew that Xiao Xie was someone who fiercely protected his own people. If he were not given a satisfactory explanation, there was a high possibility that he would fall out with the Confucians. By then, leaving aside the matter of printing Confucian articles in the newspaper, it would already be fortunate if the Confucians weren't accused of bullying others with their influence.

"Zimu, I saw what happened just now; it was indeed your fault. Why don't you hurry up and apologize to Tianming and this young brother!" Zhang Liang said to Zimu and the others with a stern face.

Hearing Tianming greet Xiao Xie earlier, Zimu and the others knew they had completely messed up this time, and could only obediently bow and apologize to Tianming and Shilan.

"What we did just now was wrong. Ziming, I'm sorry; Shilan, I'm sorry. We were wrong."

"Alright, alright, forget the formalities, I forgive you." Tianming waved his hand at Zimu and the others with a smug expression.

Seeing Tianming put on such a fox-assisting-tiger's-might demeanor, Zimu and the others wanted nothing more than to slap him a few times. However, with Xiao Xie standing nearby watching, they could only suppress their grievances, thank Tianming, and express their gratitude for his forgiveness.

"Zimu, as punishment for this matter, go back and copy The Analects ten times. Do you understand?" Seeing Xiao Xie looking at him with a playful expression, Zhang Liang realized his punishment had been too light, so he said to Zimu and the others.