Finest Servant

Chapter 412 Equal to Heaven? Equal to Man?

Xu Zhiqing's heart trembled, and she involuntarily raised her head, only to see Xiao Qingxuan's face composed, her eyes shooting an incomparably determined look, gazing at Lin Wanrong with a tender smile. This Miss Xiao, whose background was unknown, possessed such grace that she outshone all the women in the world without even saying a word. Xu Zhiqing sighed softly and grasped her hand.

Lin Wanrong was not shy, quickly taking Qingxuan's little hand and rushing outside. In those few short steps, peach blossoms fell, brilliant and colorful, landing on the heads and bodies of the two women, as if they had become the flower goddesses of the peach garden, incredibly beautiful.

"Don't look back," seeing him continuously looking behind, Qingxuan shyly smiled and softly said, "Keep an eye on the path ahead so Miss Xu doesn't trip."

"Miss Xiao is joking," Xu Zhiqing's face reddened slightly. Seeing Xiao Qingxuan's clear eyes, she somehow felt uneasy and quickly lowered her head.

Once they were out of the garden, a scattering of fine rain fell on the three people's hair, giving a cool sensation. Situated atop an isolated peak, the cold air was biting. Looking into the distance, the mountains and waters were hazy, illusory, further enhancing the fairyland-like environment, a paradise on earth.

Gazing at the distant scenery, Xu Zhiqing was spellbound and only after a while did she sigh, "I've spent so much time in the capital, but I never knew that such a wonderful fairyland existed here. If it were me, living a lifetime in this peach blossom paradise would not be a problem."

"Fairy mountains are indeed fairy mountains," Lin Wanrong laughed, "but they lack a lot of human warmth. In my opinion, living in the city is better with taverns and teahouses, graceful dances and melodies, gossip and diverse cultures, everything to make you cry or laugh. That is the earthly paradise for us mortals."

That was crass to the extreme. Miss Xu shot him a glance, his words ruining her good mood. Xiao Qingxuan softly sighed, "Retreating from the world or embracing it is a great wisdom in itself. Some prefer the mundane, some prefer the fairy mountains; the paths may be different, but they all eventually converge."

"My wife is the clever one, cutting through the complexities of life with a single sentence," Lin Wanrong chuckled, glancing down the mountain to see the scattered white tents at the foot. Needless to say, they must have been the troops brought by Du Xiuyuan. With a strong army backing him, Lin Wanrong was even more energized. He held onto Miss Xiao and said, "Down the mountain, down the mountain, quickly, Qingxuan, let me carry you!"

Xiao Qingxuan's face was like powdered makeup, and she punched him lightly, whispering, "Don't be foolish, or Miss Xu will laugh at us."

"How is this foolish!" Lin Wanrong said earnestly, "You are pregnant now, and the mountain is steep and slippery. If you twist your waist carelessly, that would be a disaster. No, no, I must carry you."

Xiao Qingxuan, with her strong martial arts, didn't need his help at all. His righteous words made her both amused and touched. Xu Zhiqing, who knew medical principles, gave him a stern look and said, "Miss Xiao is five months pregnant, a stable period. Walking a few more steps is beneficial for the fetus. If you carelessly drop her while carrying, that would be the real disaster. Just admit you want to take advantage, don't make up so many excuses."

Miss Xiao's face turned a shade redder, and she tightly clutched Lin Wanrong's hand, her eyes filled with tenderness. Lin Wanrong's face was thick enough to not mind being exposed by Miss Xu, and he chuckled, "Is that so? Miss Xu seems to know a lot about this. Perhaps you can become a doctor specializing in childbirth in the future."

The three of them quickened their pace, with Lin Wanrong leading the way, and in a blink of an eye, they arrived at the fork in the road where Li Xiangjun had led the two of them up the mountain. Seeing that there was no one to stop them, Lin Wanrong felt more at ease. He was about to turn the corner with Xiao Qingxuan when Miss Xiao suddenly halted, listening intently for a moment. Her expression darkened as she said softly, "What was destined to come has finally arrived."

"What has come?" Lin Wanrong asked, puzzled.

Xiao Qingxuan gave a slight smile and took Lin Wanrong's hand, leading him around the corner. Xu Zhiqing followed the two, glancing ahead, and was suddenly stunned. In the clearing at the fork in the road, hundreds of people had already gathered. At the forefront sat several scholars over fifty, all appearing as learned men of great substance. Behind the scholars were young students and young ladies, their eyes filled with envy, jealousy, and indifference as they gazed at the three. Judging by the formation, they had been waiting here for quite some time.

"Miss Xiao, what is this?" Xu Zhiqing hesitated to ask.

Xiao Qingxuan shook her head with a bitter smile, sighing, "These are the elite of my Fairy Hall. Those sitting at the front are the teachers of the Fairy Hall, great scholars of the Literature School, renowned throughout the world, not inferior to your esteemed father.Grand Academician of the Wuying Hall, Yanzhai Recluse Yan Ne, Shengan Recluse Yang Shen, Shen Shitian from Yunnan, Taoist Xuanzhen Song Jinglian, Mr. Cangming Li Panlong, Zhongxi Recluse Li Yuanyang—"

Xu Zhiqing was horrified upon hearing these names. It was not only that she had heard of them; any scholar of the time would know them. These men were renowned scholars, not inferior to Xu Wei by much, and some were even Xu Wei's seniors. That these men were teachers of the "Jade Virtue Fairy Hall" explained the school's immense reputation. They were all gathered here; could Lin San handle them?

"What's wrong? Are these people very famous?" Lin Wanrong laughed, "What 'Sheep Kidney Yuanyang' or something, I don't recognize any of them."

Even these people were unknown to him? Was his knowledge simply dropped from the sky? Xu Zhiqing gave him a helpless look and whispered, "These are scholars on par with my father. Any one of them is hard to meet, and I didn't expect to encounter so many today. You must not take them lightly."

‘Me, take them lightly? My cannons are stationed at the foot of the mountain; whoever blocks me, I'll blast.’ He snorted, patted Qingxuan's little hand, chuckled, and shouted, "Wow, so many people! Are you all holding a convention here?"

A man in front with white hair and beard, dressed in a grey robe, stroking his long beard, looked at him sternly and shouted, "Who are you? Why have you trespassed the gate of our Fairy Hall?"

"Who are you? Why do you question me so rudely?" Lin Wanrong raised an eyebrow and laughed aloud.

Such a response was a first for the old man, who paused, then proudly said, "I am Shen Shitian from Yunnan, former Scholar of Hall of Literary Brilliance in the previous Emperor. Who are you?"

Xu Zhiqing saw that Lin San truly did not recognize this person, and hurriedly tugged at his sleeve, urgently saying, "This Mr. Shen is an old minister from the time of the late Emperor, a generation senior to my father."

An old minister from the previous Emperor? Wasn't that a retired position? Lin Wanrong laughed and said, "I am Lin San, the number one servant of the Xiao family mansion in Jinling Prefecture, also known as the Exciting Master of Seduction."

Shen Shitian shook his head, the man before him who was calling himself the Exciting Master of Seduction was frivolous and impetuous, truly disgraceful. He snorted, "You slick-tongued little thing, daring to play tricks with your words in front of me. If you explain yourself well today, then that's fine; if not, I will report to the head of the court and punish you for trespassing the Fairy Hall."

Lin Wanrong burst into hearty laughter, "Trespassing the Fairy Hall? What a serious crime! You rely on this so-called Fairy Hall to privately enforce punishment, accusing me of a crime, under the broad sky and bright sun. Have I somehow wandered into a foreign land?"

Shen Shitian proudly said, "It is not that we privately enforce punishment, but the Founding Emperor once granted our Fairy Hall the title of 'Equal to Heaven.' You trespassing the Fairy Hall is disrupting the order of Heaven. Why can't I accuse you of this crime?"

Xu Zhiqing listened and sadly shook her head. Indeed, the older the ginger, the spicier it gets. By invoking the Founding Emperor's decree and charging with the crime of "disturbing Heaven," even the current Emperor would not dare object. Worried, she was about to speak, when Xiao Qingxuan gently shook her head, softly saying, "Sister Xu, trust my husband. There is nothing in this world that can stump him."

"What a great claim to be 'Equal to Heaven,'" Lin Wanrong said with a cold smile, "Esteemed Mr. Shen, may I ask, who is the Heaven of our Great Hua?"

Shen Shitian bowed and replied, "The Heaven of Great Hua, of course, is the reigning Emperor, the exalted one known as the Son of Heaven."

"Excellent, excellent!" Lin Wanrong clapped and laughed, "You are charging me with disturbing Heaven, thus treating the Fairy Hall as Heaven itself, aren't you?"

"That is naturally so." Shen Shitian said, "Our Fairy Hall is 'Equal to Heaven,' and your trespassing the Fairy Hall is naturally a disturbance to Heaven."

Lin Wanrong's face suddenly changed, shouting loudly, "You, Shen Shitian, dare to plot treason? Seize him!"

Shen Shitian's face turned pale, pointing at Lin Wanrong and stammering, "You, you are fabricating things! My loyalty to the Emperor is clear for all to see!"

"What a claim of 'clear for all to see.' I wonder which Heaven you are referring to?" Lin Wanrong said, his lips curling into a smile.

"This—" Shen Shitian hesitated, unsure how to respond, finally forcing out after much thought, "Both apply; both are considered Heaven."

Lin Wanrong burst into uproarious laughter, a sound that could shatter stones. Suddenly, he stopped, pointed a finger, and yelled, "You, Shen Shitian, despite being well-read in the classics, dare to proclaim the Fairy Hall as Heaven. As the saying goes, 'A country has one ruler, and the people have one Heaven.' By treating the Fairy Hall as Heaven, where do you place our Great Hua Emperor and our Great Hua citizens? Your treacherous heart is truly exposed!"

Shen Shitian's face turned ashen. He never dreamed that this seemingly unimpressive young man could speak so eloquently, securely pinning a traitorous label on him. He regretted his momentary lapse, which allowed his opponent to seize the advantage.

"Look, what is this—" Lin Wanrong suddenly pulled out the imperial golden medallion from his bosom, sneering slightly. Shen Shitian, being a former court official, naturally recognized the object, and a shudder ran through his heart. He staggered back two steps, pointing at Lin Wanrong and stammering, "Is, is this sent by the Emperor?"

Seeing Shen Shitian not kneel upon seeing the imperial golden medallion, Lin Wanrong was annoyed, and coldly snorted, "Could it be that you invited me here instead? The Emperor said that there are some people on this mountain who, sheltered under the grace of the Founding Emperor, know not right from wrong, are arrogant, and regard the common people as nothing. He specially instructed me to come here and punish them. Mr. Shen, since you are so loyal and devoted to your 'Fairy Hall Heaven,' it seems I may have to start with you."

A taboo for the royal family, Shen Shitian, a seasoned court official, was certainly aware of it. However, generations of Emperors of Great Hua had tolerated the situation, allowing the Fairy Hall to flourish, and Shen Shitian had not taken it to heart. He never expected to capsize in the gutter today. Regardless of whether this envoy was genuine, just the fact that he dared to say such words meant he was no ordinary character. Perhaps he was indeed sent by the Emperor.

The more Shen Shitian thought about it, the more frightened he became, his face pale, slumping into a chair, gasping for breath. A man next to him shook his head and snorted, standing up and loudly declaring, "Even if you are the Emperor's envoy, what of it? Our Fairy Hall has the sacred Founding Emperor's personally inscribed 'Equal to Heaven,' which everyone must admire and bow to, even the current Emperor must bow his head."

"What's your honorable name, sir?" Lin Wanrong asked with a playful smile. The man who had stood was a few years younger than Shen Shitian, but still over fifty.

The man snorted, "Ignorant youth, I am known as Cang Ming!"

Xu Zhiqing hurriedly said, "This is Mr. Li Panlong, also known as Cang Ming. His calligraphy and painting are second to none, even the Emperor would pay a thousand gold pieces for one of his works. He is highly respected among the people."

"Oh," Lin Wanrong sighed, bowing his fist, "So it's Brother Li. Why, instead of selling your calligraphy and paintings, are you hiding in this Fairy Hall to teach?"

Li Panlong angrily retorted, "Who is your brother? The three words 'Equal to Heaven' were personally inscribed by the sacred Founding Emperor. Even the reigning Emperor must pay his respects, and no one can deny it. Brother Shen's respect for Heaven means respecting both the current Emperor and the sacred Founding Emperor. To say that you are disturbing heaven is accurate; where is the mistake?"

Damn, this guy indeed has a background in art, concocting a concept of two heavens. Lin Wanrong, who had only dealt with conflicting elements, had no interest in learning about these two heavens. He pulled Xu Zhiqing aside and whispered, "They say that the Founding Emperor inscribed those three characters; have you ever seen them?"

Xu Zhiqing was taken aback and shook her head, "Great Hua has been established for hundreds of years. Where would I see the handwriting of the Founding Emperor? Not even my father has seen it."

"Qingxuan, have you seen it?" Lin Wanrong whispered.

Xiao Qingxuan shook her head, "I've only heard of the Founding Emperor's handwriting; I've never seen it."

"So it means that none of us have seen those three characters?" Lin Wanrong smiled triumphantly, "Could it be fake? Nowadays, there are more fake things than real ones!"

Xu Zhiqing gave him a sidelong glance, "If it were fake, wouldn't the Emperor investigate it rigorously? It's just that the writing of the Founding Emperor has been lost for many years, and everyone doesn't know where it is stored."

"Who cares if it's real or fake? If they can't produce it, then it's fake." Lin Wanrong's eyebrows danced with joy as he stood up, pointing at Li Panlong and saying, "Brother Li, you say that the Founding Emperor personally inscribed the words ‘Equal to Heaven’ (与天齐,) is this true?"

Li Panlong laughed heartily, "Such a fine saying has been passed down for a hundred years, known to all, even women and children. You alone are ignorant of this matter, yet you dare to disturb our Fairy Hall gate? Ridiculous, absurd."

"Ha ha ha ha--" Lin Wanrong laughed uproariously, overwhelming Li Panlong with his presence before abruptly stopping. Calmly, he said, "It's not that I've never heard of it, but that I've never seen it. There are stories of the Horse King having three eyes; do you believe it? Ah, it's just a street tale. Believing it makes it real; disbelieving makes it vanish. I have always been diligent and inquisitive in my studies, and I won't easily believe in something I haven't seen with my own eyes. Since you claim there's the Founding Emperor's inscription, why not produce it for us younger generations to admire, to satisfy our yearning?"

"This—" Li Panlong was momentarily stunned, then his face changed, snorting, "The Founding Emperor's gift is not something you youngsters can see at whim. If I say it's there, it's there!"

Seeing Li's blustering appearance, Lin Wanrong was certain in his heart, laughing, "I'm strict in my studies. Since you can't produce it, I'll consider it nonexistent. Since the Founding Emperor didn't bestow the 'Equal to Heaven' inscription, you all must be deceiving the Emperor—"

"Silence—” Li Panlong yelled angrily, "If I produce this inscription, I'll have you charged with disrespect for the law!"

Disrespect for the law? Lin Wanrong smiled slightly, with the Emperor's gold medal in hand, not even the Emperor's golden seal could touch him. He opened his hands, giggling, "Disrespect for the law? Such a grave charge; I'm so scared."

A victorious smile spread across Li Panlong's face, "Lin San, is this all you've got? Where's the talent you showed in the Jinling poetry competition? Today, I'll show you something."

Lin Wanrong was startled, "You know me?"

Li Panlong gave a cold smile, "Mei Yanqiu, whom you humiliated in Jinling, is my grand-disciple. I heard of your sharp words long ago, and today I set this trap to lure you in. The Founding Emperor's inscription hangs in the private chamber of the Head of Jade Virtue Fairy Hall, and I've sent people to fetch it. The Emperor's handwriting will be revealed, and we'll see whether you'll win, or I'll win!"

"No—really?" Lin Wanrong jumped a step back, his face showing great astonishment, "You really have this inscription? Wow, it's been hundreds of years, has it not turned to ashes? Brother Li, Brother Li, let's step aside and talk. Earlier, it was just a misunderstanding. I came to buy paintings from you. I'll pay ten wen for a painting, and you can give me an inscription as a gift—"

Li Panlong's sleeves flicked, his voice filled with anger, "Today's matter cannot end well; I will avenge Yanqiu's past disgrace."

Xiao Qingxuan pulled Lin Wanrong aside, whispering, "My Dear, are you confident?"

"I'm not entirely confident, but if you'll kiss me, then I'll be absolutely certain." Lin Wanrong said with a mischievous grin.

Miss Xiao's face turned pink, and she scolded, "Be serious, don't set a bad example for our child."

From a distance, two young boys came running at full speed, holding a scroll of painting in their hands. Judging by the wooden roller and paper's color, the scroll seemed quite ancient.

Li Panlong's face lit up with pride, and he bowed respectfully to the scroll before carefully unrolling it.

This was the Founding Emperor's personal inscription, a treasure preserved for several hundred years. Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the scroll. As it slowly unfurled, the three majestic characters "Equal to Heaven" appeared, causing the people of "Jade Virtue Fairy Hall" to erupt in unified cheers.

"Hold on, hold on—" Lin Wanrong walked over to Li Panlong, smiling, "I was too far away earlier, and couldn't see clearly. Brother Li, let me have a good look."

Li Panlong nodded haughtily, and Lin Wanrong took hold of the scroll, turning it over carefully to admire it. Li Panlong grew impatient, calling out loudly, "Have you admired it enough? Do you have anything else to say?"

Lin Wanrong giggled, "I've finished admiring it. The Founding Emperor's authentic handwriting is indeed extraordinary. Brother Li, your learning is vast; can you read these three characters for me?"

Li Panlong gritted his teeth, huffed, and shouted, "Equal——to——Heaven——"

"No way?" Lin Wanrong stepped back a few paces, shouting, "Brother Li, you're quite old, and you don't even recognize these characters? Allow me to teach you. These three characters read Equal——to——Man!'"

[TL: Heaven = 天; Man = 夫. The difference is very small.]

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