Confucianism under Heaven

Chapter 16 Assassination

Chapter Sixteen Assassination

"There are always people better than you, and mountains beyond mountains. Please don't slander me like that, sir. If someone with ulterior motives hears this, they might think I'm a madman."

Upon hearing Fang Zifeng's assessment, Ye Ru remained noncommittal. As the saying goes, there is always someone better, and perhaps there are those who understand the principles of the classics better than him but have not yet revealed themselves.

"Madman? I'm afraid you've already been identified as Madman Chu by now. It seems that both the Heaven and Earth classes want to test their skills against you."

Fang Zifeng shook his head, folded the exam paper, and then joked with a smile.

"A wise man does not contend. I should devote myself to studying the classics of the sages so that I can contribute to the frontier in the future."

Ye Ru was speechless and coughed lightly.

"Alright, I will leave this exam paper unsigned and submit it to the bulletin board for all students to study and display."

Seeing Ye Ru's stiff expression, Fang Zifeng became serious, waved his hand, and said.

"Alright, please make yourself at home, sir. I'll take my leave for now."

Ye Ru cupped his hands in greeting, then left to return to his room and continue his studies.

The preliminary examination for the imperial examination is just around the corner. Although I have achieved the first degree and entered Wenxing Private School, I cannot let my guard down.

As the saying goes, learning is like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you fall behind.

boom!

"Ye Ru, how have you been?"

As Ye Ru was engrossed in reading "The Collected Works of Li Bai," the door was suddenly kicked open, and Wang Xiaoyang and an attendant walked in.

"Speak quickly, don't delay my studies."

Wang Xiaoyang came here without even knocking, and just kicked the door open, which made Ye Ru's face turn much gloomy.

This is an act of rudeness.

"Ye Ru, I'll give you one hundred taels of silver. You just need to lose to me in the preliminary imperial examination, how about it?"

"This hundred taels is enough for you to live a lifetime in a small town."

Wang Xiaoyang sneered, then threw a silver note on the ground. He didn't feel offended or rude at all, but instead looked down at Ye Rudao.

"One hundred taels? Isn't that a bit too little?"

Ye Ru raised an eyebrow and said sarcastically.

"One hundred taels is not enough? How about two hundred taels? You just need to lose to me in the preliminary imperial examination and the minor imperial examination, and I will forgive and forget your past offenses."

Wang Xiaoyang's face stiffened slightly before he spoke in a deep voice.

"I'm sorry I can't comply. If there's nothing else, I won't see you off."

Ye Ru pushed the silver note to Wang Xiaoyang and dismissed him.

"Ye Ru, don't be so stubborn. The imperial examinations have always been monopolized by our aristocratic families. There are very few scholars from poor families in the court. Are you sure you want to make an enemy of my entire aristocratic family?"

Wang Xiaoyang's gaze suddenly turned sinister, and he threatened sharply.

"To be an enemy? Under heaven, all land belongs to the king; on the shores of the earth, all people are subjects of the king. Is the land of the Yan and Huang people your aristocratic clan's domain? Su Shi, Confucius, Mencius—weren't they all from humble backgrounds? Do you, a mere member of the lowest rank of the aristocracy, really think you can act with impunity?"

Ye Ru sneered, his words filled with even more sarcasm, showing no fear whatsoever.

"Ye Ru, if you continue to be so stubborn, your life may be in danger!"

"You can't possibly be a match for the aristocratic families, so you'll have to compromise. I can plead for you."

The attendant's gaze was cold as he spoke in a chilling voice.

Ye Ru was somewhat surprised by the attendant's talent; he had probably already reached the rank of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations).

"Wang Xiaoyang, let me tell you, Confucius said to achieve benevolence and Mencius said to uphold righteousness. You can send people to kill me all you want. I, Ye Ru, am a seven-foot-tall man, a mere scholar. If I live, I will surely fight my way into the world of wicked people and exterminate the inhuman!"

"Please leave, gentlemen. We won't see you out!"

Ye Ru suddenly looked up, his courage rising, and shouted sharply.

Although Wang Xiaoyang was from a noble family, Ye Ru, as a scholar, was by no means a spineless coward.

"Good, good, good! You've got guts. I'd like to see whether your resolve to follow the sage path is stronger, or your courage to rely on books is more powerful!"

When Wang Xiaoyang saw that neither coercion nor bribery had worked, he became furious and, with a flick of his sleeve, left a message and departed with his follower.

"You treacherous villain! If I become a student, I will avenge this humiliation."

Ye Ru took a deep breath, sat down again, and began to read.

Before he knew it, night had fallen, but Ye Ru, full of talent, felt no drowsiness at all.

Huhu~

The night wind was biting, a fierce gale was blowing, and there were vague signs of an impending storm, but Ye Ru paid no attention to what was happening outside the window and carefully studied the words of the sage.

boom!

However, at this moment, a powerful aura of talent permeated the world, startling Ye Ru. Just as he was about to open the door, a streak of talent suddenly shot out from outside.

Although Ye Ru had not yet obtained a literary rank, he was already a student of the first level of the imperial examinations, and his agility was much stronger than that of others. He dodged the attack.

boom!

The chair was shattered by the force of the attack, sending wood chips flying everywhere.

"The drums beat loudly, and the soldiers eagerly went to war. The Tu Kingdom fortified its city, while I alone marched south."

A powerful voice rang out, followed by a figure in black appearing, holding a brush and ink, writing rapidly on the paper.

With each stroke of his pen, a black soldier materialized.

This is an ancient war poem from the Book of Songs (Shijing) during the pre-Qin period, and it possesses immense power.

As the brush fell and the characters were formed, the surrounding silence suddenly surged with talent. The talent and the words merged and transformed into dozens of ink soldiers. Each ink soldier held a long spear, and the sound of drums resounded. A chilling feeling arose spontaneously.

"Today, no one will come to save you!"

Ye Ru was shocked. He hadn't expected Wang Xiaoyang to act so quickly, sending assassins that very night. Moreover, the assassins seemed to be scholars.

boom!

"When will I be able to adorn myself with a golden bridle and gallop swiftly through the clear autumn!"

Ye Ru also chanted incantations, his speed suddenly increasing, as if he were riding the wind, turning into a series of afterimages as he ran towards the door.

"Want to go?"

The man in black gave a cold laugh, and the ten ink-clad soldiers instantly burst forth.

In the rush, Ye Ru was caught up by a soldier of the Black Swords. The soldier used his long spear to strike Ye Ru hard, sending him flying. The immense force sent Ye Ru crashing into the wall.

Instantly, several deep grooves, each as thick as an arm, appeared in the wall.

If he weren't a novice scholar, this attack would likely have killed him.

puff!

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Ye Ru knelt on the ground, his face grim as he stared at the man in black on the roof.

Based on this talent alone, he should be a scholar who has reached the first level of poetry and prose, capable of writing with effortless elegance!

Perhaps it's that attendant from earlier in the day!

The term "falling paper and drifting smoke" refers to the ability to transform the poetic imagery in poems into a means of murder.

Jiang Wei also employed the imagery of clouds and mist when composing his swift-moving poems.

If the opponent were a student who had just completed his studies, Ye Ru would almost certainly win, but he would have little chance of fighting back against the opponent.

"go to hell."

The man in black glanced at Ye Ru, and his aura instantly blocked all of Ye Ru's escape routes. Then, with a wave of his hand, ten black-clad soldiers, carrying a murderous aura, fiercely thrust out.

Under the control of the man in black, these soldiers in black charged out, their spears and halberds appearing particularly chilling in the moonlight.

Ye Ru stared intently at the ten ink soldiers, quickly mobilizing his inner energy. However, just as he was giving it his all and preparing for a desperate fight, the ten ink soldiers' long spears suddenly stopped an inch away from Ye Ru, and their bodies exploded into black mist, dissipating into the world.

Along with this, a voice brimming with rage quietly spread out:

"Kill one person in ten steps and leave no trace in a thousand miles!"