Chapter 487 - 435: A Scholar is Good for Nothing

Chapter 487: Chapter 435: A Scholar is Good for Nothing

"Situ, what is the meaning of this?!"

Yang Fangyu bellowed from the side.

Situ Nan’s question was a clear trap. No matter how Bai Yuan answered, he would lose.

If he answered "Li," it would mean Bai Yuan had to be loyal to the Li Family. If he answered "Bai," it would be tantamount to declaring rebellion.

Bai Yuan waved his hand at Yang Fangyu.

"Shuofang belongs to the people of Shuofang. A Saint once said that the people are precious while the ruler is insignificant. Lord Situ, for a Grand Scholar, your reading appears to be insufficient."

"..."

Situ Nan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Lord Bai, you are truly a man of great talent. Your mastery of the Martial Dao is profound, and I am surprised to find your poetic and scholarly abilities are just as outstanding."

He still clearly remembered the line: "A time will come to ride the wind and cleave the waves, to hoist my cloud-sail and cross the deep, blue sea."

"Lord Bai, a wise bird chooses the tree on which it perches. Li Wei has committed patricide and fratricide, crimes intolerable to the heavens. The Eldest Prince is the firstborn son; according to the laws of the imperial clan, he should be the new emperor. This is the law and the principle. If you are willing to support the Eldest Prince, I will gladly serve at your command."

Li Huan and Yang Fangyu were both rather taken aback by Situ Nan’s words.

That single statement carried a wealth of information.

Far away in the Northern Territory, they were unaware of the situation in the Capital City. However, the Eldest Prince had been in the capital at the time, so Situ Nan’s words essentially confirmed that the Third Prince had colluded with Xuankong Temple to commit patricide.

This was an incredibly grave accusation.

It would be one thing if the Third Prince managed to seize this opportunity to secure the throne and suppress all opposition.

The key was that dissenters were now springing up like mushrooms after a rain, wave after wave, impossible to stamp out completely. This justification for rebellion would soon spread throughout the land.

Moreover, to win Bai Yuan over, Situ Nan had even offered to become his subordinate.

Although the Grand Scholar’s martial prowess was inferior to Bai Yuan’s, and his official rank carried less direct power, he was still a genuine Mingxin Grandmaster. His decision was truly startling.

Bai Yuan replied, "Grand Scholar Situ, you jest. I am but a humble Jiedu Envoy, tasked with keeping the peace in Shuofang for the good of the realm. As for other matters, my heart is willing, but my strength is insufficient."

Situ Nan detected the rejection in Bai Yuan’s tone. "Surely Lord Bai doesn’t believe he can remain uninvolved in all this?"

"Let me be frank. Li Wei is a tyrant. The Sixth Prince has already been beheaded, and many other members of the Imperial Race have been slaughtered. The Eldest Prince was forced to rebel. Do you really think Li Wei and Xuankong Temple will spare you?"

"And don’t forget, you have your own feud with Xuankong Temple."

Bai Yuan’s eyes narrowed.

’Patricide and fratricide?’

’Why does this plot seem so familiar?’

As for Situ Nan’s claim about his feud with Xuankong Temple, that was an exaggeration.

For one, he and Buddha’s Divine Dust hadn’t even fought that day. And with Li Chengyuan now dead, there was practically no enmity left between them.

Situ Nan was clearly exaggerating to push Bai Yuan into joining the Eldest Prince’s faction.

"Lord Situ, you and I are both subjects of Xuan Yang. We must adhere to our duties."

"..."

Hearing Bai Yuan’s response, Situ Nan knew it was impossible to sway him with mere words today.

Bai Yuan now controlled the territory of four provinces, and his foundation was terrifyingly solid.

If not for his location on the fringes of the Xuan Yang Northern Territory, the major factions would have long been fighting to claim him.

If they couldn’t persuade Bai Yuan, the only way to take Shuofang’s territory was by force. But the Eldest Prince’s army was already tied down in the Central Plains; if an attack had been an option, Situ Nan wouldn’t have had to come in person.

Situ Nan said gravely, "Since that is the case, I will take my leave."

With that, he turned and left without a backward glance.

’That’s it?’

Li Huan and Yang Fangyu exchanged a look, each seeing the confusion in the other’s eyes. They had thought Situ Nan wouldn’t give up so easily.

They knew he wouldn’t resort to violence on Shuofang’s home turf, but they expected him to argue for much longer.

But they hadn’t expected Situ Nan to stay for barely the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before departing.

’Something’s wrong!’

Li Huan was instantly on guard. "Ah Yuan, how about I follow him? I want to see what trick he’s trying to pull."

Bai Yuan shook his head. "No need."

Shuofang’s greatest weakness at the moment was its lack of top-tier experts.

Although Martial Artists in Shuofang had been sprouting like mushrooms since the shattering of destiny’s fortune, producing one wave after another, Bai Yuan was the only expert at the Mingxin Realm. At most, you could add Yue Xiaobai, who never made a move.

Situ Nan had already broken through the Mingxin Pass. Anyone beneath the Mingxin Realm who tried to trail him would certainly be discovered.

"Alright."

Li Huan understood Bai Yuan’s reasoning.

In the end, it all came down to a lack of strength.

...

Li Huan hadn’t been wrong.

After leaving the Prefecture Magistrate’s Office, Situ Nan didn’t return to the Central Plains. Instead, he brazenly took up residence in a city inn.

They had no justification for taking action against him.

On the surface, Shuofang was still Xuan Yang territory. Openly attacking a Third-Grade Official was not a wise move. If they did, their enemies could use it as the perfect pretext to launch an attack of their own.

At first, Situ Nan was rather well-behaved.

He was no different from the traveling scholars who journeyed north, simply wandering among the mountains and rivers near Huanglong Prefecture, looking quite at ease.

Of course, with Situ Nan’s fame, he was naturally recognized by many scholars. It became common for groups of scholars from the Confucian Family to gather with him in the mountain forests for scholarly debate, and these events became celebrated local tales.

But gradually, they realized something was amiss.

Situ Nan paid a visit to the academy outside Huanglong Prefecture City.

This in itself wasn’t strange. In fact, Situ Nan’s arrival prompted all the old masters of the academy to come out and give him a grand welcome.

The Grand Scholar of the Wenyuan Pavilion was, ostensibly, the most learned man in the Imperial Court.

For a small prefectural academy to be graced by the presence of the Grand Scholar of the Wenyuan Pavilion was a blessing they couldn’t have earned in eight lifetimes.

And Situ Nan did not disappoint the hopes of these old Confucian scholars, delivering lectures at the academy for three days.