Taiping Inn

Compared with Taoism, the biggest disadvantage of Confucianism is the lack of successors. The emergence of the sage of the School of Mind allowed Confucianism to suppress Taoism again and directly defeated the Ning Wang Rebellion. In the following decades, Taoism no longer dared to compete with Confucianism. However, the century-long prosperity brought to Confucianism by the sage of the School of Mind was like a last gasp. Until now, Confucianism is still living off its old capital. The old people are in high positions and the young people are unable to continue. The entire Confucianism is like an old man who is about to decay.

On the other hand, although Taoism has been fighting internally, it is precisely this kind of fighting that has made Taoism produce talents, far better than the Confucianism that is stagnant and self-contained. The older generation includes Li Daoxu, Xu Wugui, and Zhang Jingxiu. The younger generation includes Tan Taiyun, Qin Qing, Song Zheng, and even Situ Xuance. The younger generation has Li Xuandu, which can be said to be an orderly inheritance. Naturally, Taoism has more stamina.

These old Confucianists have spent most of their lives bathed in the glory of the saints of the School of Mind. It is no exaggeration to say that they are "high-minded". Now, they are old and it is difficult for them to change. It is also the most stubborn time in their lives. Although they are pressed step by step by the Taoists and have to give in, they are still superior in their bones. In their eyes, the emperor is just a child. Even Li Xuandu, although he is powerful and difficult to control, cannot convince them. He is just a "bad boy" who is difficult to compete with.

These white-haired old people are only respectful to the emperor on the surface, but they don't agree with it in their hearts. The impromptu intention of Emperor Tianbao this time just happened to hit the mark and met their wishes, so they did not stop it. If Emperor Tianbao did not meet their wishes, they would let the young emperor know what it means to be helpless.

The young emperor mistakenly thought that he had obtained power and freedom. In fact, his power was fake. He just came from the small cage of the palace to the big cage of the imperial capital. From birth to adulthood, he had never left the Imperial Capital, so he didn't know what the sky was high and the earth was vast. He just sat in a well called "Imperial Capital" and saw only the narrow sky above his head.

Li Xuandu understood this, so he didn't have any expectations for this "audience" with the emperor. He took the initiative to meet Qin Qing, because his father-in-law could decide the direction and future of Liaodong. He asked Qin Su to meet Li Daoxu, because his father-in-law could also control the situation in Jiangbei. But he didn't think that Emperor Tianbao could decide or change anything. The real decision-making power was still in the hands of the Confucian sect. However, Li Xuandu still came. As he said, after all, he was the emperor. Although he might not be able to make things happen, he would definitely make things bad. He still had to give face, so he came to the appointment with a mentality similar to that of the Confucian elders.

Along the way, Li Xuandu walked slowly, and even gave Lu Yanbing the illusion that Li Xuandu was looking at the street scene, but she couldn't urge Li Xuandu, and she was used to it, so she could only accompany him and walk slowly.

It was like when they were little and went hiking together. When they were going down the mountain, Li Xuandu always walked very slowly, saying that the scenery was different when going up and down the mountain, and asked her to wait for him patiently every time.

Later, Lu Yanbing was not willing to go hiking with Li Xuandu.

From childhood to adulthood, the two of them hated each other for a long time, and then attacked each other, but there was no deep hatred. After a while, they gradually reconciled. Just like real brothers and sisters, they get along casually, quarrel and fight, and occasionally get along.

When you get older, perhaps it is true that premature insight into human affairs and worldly wisdom indicate a mediocre nature. Lu Yanbing understood these worldly wisdom earlier than Li Xuandu, which also made her swaying character. At that time, Li Xuandu was still a teenager, black and white, and even a little impulsive and reckless, so she once thought that Li Xuandu was very naive. Whenever Li Xuandu preached, she was very impatient. In her opinion at that time, Li Xuandu was only one year older than her. A young man kept saying things that everyone knew. Isn't it annoying? But Li Xuandu's cultivation was higher, so she could only listen obediently.

But Lu Yanbing never thought that one day, she would be willing to listen to Li Xuandu's preaching. The truth is still the same old truth, but Li Xuandu's identity is different, and the weight of the truth is also different. This made Lu Yanbing begin to reflect on herself. Are these truths that she disdained really useful?

It was not until the morning that they arrived at Yanzi Lane, where Shi Hengbo's private residence was located.

It was very quiet here, and Lu Yanbing could not help but pull out a small nine-fold folding fan from her sleeve, unfolded it with a "snap", and gently waved it.

It was early winter now, and fans were needed everywhere, but she had developed a habit of making some harmless little movements when walking, such as pressing the sword, holding the fan, or playing with the belt, jade pendant, etc. It was really strange that a woman with a thorn hairpin and a cloth skirt waved a folding fan like a young man, and it was still in early winter.

The two came to Shi Hengbo's front door, and Lu Yanbing handed over her name card.

The housekeeper guarding the door was a little stunned. He knew that two unusual groups of guests would come today. The first group of guests had already arrived, and the leader was considered their real master, half of the male owner of this mansion, but were the two people in front of him the second group of guests? They looked like an ordinary couple. However, he did not dare to make the decision himself, so he just asked the two to wait for a while, and then took the name card back to ask for instructions.

After a while, Shi Hengbo came out in person, followed by the housekeeper who looked terrified and obviously reprimanded.

When Shi Hengbo saw the outfits of Li Xuandu and Lu Yanbing, he was startled and immediately realized that he had wronged the housekeeper. Although clothes make the man, it was difficult for her to associate the scholar in front of her with Mr. Qingping, let alone the housekeeper. Lu Yanbing, on the other hand, could still be recognized at a glance, although she changed her clothes.

Li Xuandu did not change his appearance, but changed his aura. He looked like an ordinary scholar with Li Xuandu's face but a completely different situation. This was something Shi Hengbo had never heard of or seen before, and he could only regard it as the magical power of a high earthly immortal.

In fact, it was true. Human immortals could change their body shapes, and earthly immortals could change their auras at will, which was a true return to nature. Earth Master, Old Heavenly Master, Old Man Long, Tan Taiyun and others had all used similar methods to hide their identities and walk around. Especially Elder Long, who has been hiding in the Hanlin Academy and the Imperial Observatory for these years, gives people the impression of being an old fool who is about to die. But as a half-leader of the Confucian school, how could he be an old fool?

Shi Hengbo personally led Li Xuandu and Lu Yanbing into the house, so naturally he couldn't go to her boudoir to talk. At this time, Emperor Tianbao had already gone to the study, and the two Confucian hermits were sitting in the living room. After seeing Li Xuandu, they stood up to greet him.

Li Xuandu bowed in return, walked through the living room, through the corridor, and came to the door of the study.

Shi Hengbo stopped outside the door and made a gesture of invitation. Lu Yanbing naturally stopped as well. She didn't show it on her face, but she was dissatisfied in her heart. She felt that the little emperor was too arrogant. What kind of emperor's airs did a "dog-footed emperor" without real power put on? Did he really think he was Emperor Shizong? To put it another way, even if the word "dog-footed" could be removed and he had real power, he could control the heavens and the earth, and could he still control the immortals of the earth? Since ancient times, there have been many emperors who died at the hands of immortals.

However, Li Xuan didn't care about these small gifts, let alone Emperor Tianbao's attitude towards him, or Li Xuan didn't intend to argue with a half-grown child, and he pushed the door open directly.

The study is not big, but very exquisite. The door is opened on the wall facing the sun, and on the side opposite the door is a large sandalwood red sandalwood Fugui couch and a Dalbergia odorifera top horizontal table against the wall, on which is placed the Yaoqin that Master Hengbo often uses. On the east side is a bookshelf, stacked with books, including rare and unique books, and on the west side is a multi-treasure lattice, where various ingenious items and precious antiques are placed, including blue and white porcelain from the official kiln of the previous dynasty, and a copper gilded self-ringing clock shipped from the Anxi Daqin Kingdom. In the middle is a desk, with a chair in front and back, where two people can sit opposite each other. Emperor Tianbao sits in the main seat behind the desk, and the guest seat opposite is naturally reserved for Li Xuandu.

As for the desk, there were no four treasures of the study, only a chessboard, but it was not the go that elegant people liked, but the chess that rural peasants preferred, and Emperor Tianbao was playing the score.

Li Xuandu did not salute, but no longer pretended to be an ordinary scholar, and sat directly opposite Emperor Tianbao.

Emperor Tianbao showed the self-restraint that an emperor should have this time. Perhaps he adjusted his mentality. In short, he did not get angry, but said: "Mr. Qingping made me wait so long."

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty." Li Xuandu said.

Emperor Tianbao did not comment, and said: "I will not call you 'I', and Mr. Qingping should not call you 'Your Majesty'."

"Okay." Li Xuandu followed suit.

Emperor Tianbao glanced at the chessboard in front of him and said, "Some people often say that the world is like chess, but I don't think so. The number of chess pieces on both sides of the chessboard is the same, how can it be the same as the real situation? Mr. Qingping has more chess pieces, so he is confident. But I have fewer chess pieces, so I have to be a little aggrieved."

Li Xuandu glanced at Emperor Tianbao. Although there was extreme anger in his eyes, there was also a spirit in his eyes. He suddenly felt that he had underestimated this young emperor.

Emperor Tianbao asked, "Mr. Qingping, do you know why I play chess?"

Li Xuandu shook his head and said, "I don't know."

Emperor Tianbao pushed a pawn across the river and asked, "Mr. Qingping, what role do you think you are on the chessboard?"

Li Xuandu glanced at the chessboard and replied, "Probably the 'chariot'."

"Roaming freely and invincible. It really fits Mr. Qingping's identity." Emperor Tianbao nodded in agreement and asked, "Then who is the 'general'? Which 'general' can drive a 'chariot' like Mr. Qingping?"

Li Xuandu answered directly, "You are the 'general'."

Emperor Tianbao pushed the pawn again and killed the old general. He said softly, "The 'general' can only be confined to the nine-square grid. The most dangerous enemy may be right next to him, and even his own chess pieces may trap him. Then he will be the 'general' and lose the whole game."

Li Xuandu said, "Being trapped inside and outside."

"That's right." Emperor Tianbao looked at Li Xuandu deeply.