allonlinenovel Chapter 271's main theme is "It's better to die than to die, my fellow Daoist."
Chapter 271's main theme is "It's better to die than to die, my fellow Daoist."
Lady Wei, suppressing her sobs, said, "My lord, you mean..."
"Isn't Zhai Jiqing about to take the imperial examination?" Duke Wei sneered. "Since he looks down on my Duke Wei's mansion so much, then let him take his writing brush and go to jail with him!"
"Go and fetch Qiao Jingyuan," he instructed the servant.
An hour later.
Qiao Jingyuan: "Greetings, Your Excellency the Duke."
"I wonder what important matter the Duke has summoned me for?"
Duke Wei turned around, smiling, and said, "The imperial examination is just around the corner. How are your preparations going? Are you confident?"
Qiao Jingyuan was taken aback.
He cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Excellency. I will do my best and leave the rest to fate."
He glanced at the Duke of Wei.
"If the Duke has something to say, he may speak frankly."
The Duke of Wei laughed, "Good! I knew I hadn't chosen the wrong person."
"I knew you were a smart person, someone who could be of great use!"
He gave a wink, and a servant placed a stack of documents on the chair next to Qiao Jingyuan.
Qiao Jingyuan glanced at it. "Your Excellency, Duke, what is this?"
The Duke of Wei slightly raised his chin. "Let me see."
Qiao Jingyuan opened it and was immediately shocked!
Inside were this year's imperial examination questions!
He hurriedly knelt down, "Your Excellency, although I, Qiao, am not learned, I am not such a person without integrity! This..."
“Eh,” the Duke of Wei waved his hand to interrupt him, “What are you saying, young friend Qiao?”
"Who doesn't know that in this school, you are the most learned?"
"Young friend Qiao, why be so modest?"
He walked over and helped Qiao Jingyuan up. "But do you know why you were always overshadowed by Zhai Jiqing in school?"
Qiao Jingyuan lowered his eyes, his gaze flickering slightly. "He is exceptionally talented in literature and has his own unique strengths."
The Duke of Wei chuckled.
"When you're an official in the court, what need is there for literary talent?"
"It's just that he's the eldest son of the Minister's family, so the teachers and your classmates are all willing to flatter him. What real talent does he have?"
"If you also have powerful backers, why worry that you can't compare to Zhai Jiqing?"
Qiao Jingyuan clenched his fists and lowered his head.
"Qiao comes from a humble background, so where does he get any social standing or powerful connections? Naturally, he can't compare to him in any way."
The Duke of Wei smiled, suppressing the gloom in his eyes.
"Social standing is something you earn yourself."
"As the saying goes, all's fair in war. You've lived your whole life following the rules, while others have risen to the top overnight by relying on their family connections. Are you willing to let all your years of hard work go to waste?"
"You don't want to take shortcuts, but plenty of others do."
He looked at Qiao Jingyuan meaningfully and said, "Young friend Qiao, when an opportunity comes, you must know how to seize it. Otherwise, you will be a subservient person for the rest of your life, and others can crush you as easily as crushing an ant."
"The struggles in the imperial court have always been brutal, unlike the gentle and benevolent, peaceful life depicted in the book."
The Duke of Wei smiled dismissively.
"Let me ask you this: do you want to be a scholar, or a person superior to others?"
Qiao Jingyuan clenched his fists, struggled for a moment, and finally reached for the stack of test papers.
The Duke of Wei slowly curled the corners of his mouth.
*
Yunshan, Baopu Taoist Temple.
Zhai Rongyu landed on the roof, staring at the densely packed crowd below, her mouth agape.
[So many people?]
“Miss Zhai.” Hua Ying flew to her side.
Zhai Rong hugged her arm, her voice sweet and coquettish, "Sister Huaying, thank you so much for watching over the Taoist temple for me these past few days~"
She shook the Starry Moon Shadow Bracelet on her wrist.
Hehe, I knew poaching would be useful!
Hua Ying glanced at the top of her head, resisted the urge to ruffle it, and looked away with some difficulty. "Miss Zhai, you're too kind. I'm just here to find some peace and quiet."
"Seeking some peace and quiet?" Zhai Rongyu blinked.
After a long while, he suddenly realized.
"You're hiding from your dog, aren't you?" She raised an index finger and clicked her tongue in approval. "Your dog is indeed a bit clingy. You should hide from it."
What kind of well-behaved dog likes to gnaw on its owner's mouth?
She suddenly leaned closer to Huaying and said pleadingly, "Sister Huaying, could you please stop calling me Miss Zhai the Second?"
"It sounds rather unfamiliar."
His tone was rather aggrieved.
Hua Ying coughed lightly, glanced at her, and uttered two words, "Rong'er".
After speaking, he quickly turned his head away, his expression somewhat unnatural.
"Hey hey hey~" Zhai Rongyu chuckled and grabbed her arm, nuzzling her around.
Hua Ying couldn't help but smile.
After the two bickered for a while, Zhai Rongyu finally remembered his important business.
"I almost forgot, I'm here today to help people resolve their troubles and answer their questions."
"To accumulate merit?" Hua Ying asked.
Zhai Rong nodded vigorously.
Hua Ying immediately helped her move a table and placed it in a small room next to the main hall of the Taoist temple.
"This room was specially reserved for unforeseen circumstances."
"Now it comes in handy."
Zhai Rongyu strolled around the room with satisfaction, then plopped down on a chair, and soon welcomed her first worshipper.
"Master Daoist—"
A young man with a sorrowful face entered, wiping away tears, and knelt down upon seeing Zhai Rongyu.
"Hey, hey, hey! It can't be that bad!"
"You can sit here." She gestured for the young man to sit down.
Just kidding, she's not invincible now. If everyone had to kneel before her, I'm afraid we'd lose all our merits.
The young man had no choice but to get up and sit down opposite her.
What difficulties are you facing?
The young man said with a bitter face, "I have a good friend, and I treat him sincerely, but I don't know if it's just my imagination, but I always feel like he's deliberately targeting me..."
"Targeting? How exactly are you targeting us?"
The young man spoke eloquently.
After listening to the young man's description, Zhai Rong immediately understood.
[Isn't this just a modern-day version of "You pick up food, I turn the table; you drink water, I brake; you take the microphone, I change the song?"]
None of these things are major issues.
But it was truly frustrating.
"Master, do you think I'm being too petty? He always says that friends shouldn't be so calculating about these things... Could it really be my problem?" The young man was very distressed.
Zhai Rongyu clicked her tongue. "How could it be your fault?"
"How can cultivators engage in internal strife! Our main principle is to sacrifice a fellow cultivator rather than sacrifice ourselves!"
The young man was greatly shocked and stared blankly at Zhai Rongyu.
"Then... what does the Taoist priest think I should do?"
"Here's what we'll do: go and beat him up."
"Beat him up?!" The young man's tears dried up in fear. "But... is that appropriate?"
"Why is it inappropriate?"
Zhai Rongyu turned on the table and said in a serious tone, "He provoked you, which means he deserves a beating. If you go and beat him up, it will fulfill his wish. This way, both of you will be satisfied. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"
The young man stood up excitedly, clasped his hands in thanks, and said, "What the Taoist priest said makes sense! I'll go beat him up right now!"
"I'll beat him to a pulp!"
"Go ahead, go ahead, I wish you success."
Zhai Rong smiled and saw off the first pilgrim.
The corner of the Boundless Divine Turtle's mouth twitched.
This woman... she really knows how to spout off without thinking.
“Next!” Zhai Rongyu called out.
A woman entered, sobbing, "Master Daoist—"