When Gu Yuandao put down his brush, the characters on the scroll gradually faded, dissolving into the mountains and rivers painted behind it.
He took a deep breath, his gaze shadowed as he looked at the scroll.
The winding, endless landscape painted upon it was none other than the sacred paradise of scholars across the world, Mount Yao.
Upon Mount Yao stood the academy founded by the only living first-rank cultivator of the present age, Sage Xie Qian.
It was he who reestablished the Confucian Dao that had governed Great Wei for over thirteen hundred years.
After the fall of ancient Zhou, the three succeeding dynasties suffered two thousand years of chaos. Wars ravaged the land, order collapsed, and monstrous powers rose unchecked, atrocities against humanity were beyond counting.
Now the barbarian tribes merely harassed the borders on occasion, but before Great Wei's rise, the Central Plains had once been forced to retreat south to the Thirteen Circuits of Jiangnan.
At present, Great Wei was divided into twenty-eight circuits: five in the southwest, thirteen in Jiangnan, four in the Central Plains, and six in the northern frontier.
Those Thirteen Circuits of Jiangnan marked the southernmost edge of the realm, beyond them lay the Sea Kingdoms.
A glimpse through a narrow tube showed the peril of those times.
One could truly say the world then hung upside down, in dire straits.
Until thirteen centuries ago, countless peerless figures arose from desperation. Within ten short years, they forced the barbarian front back by two hundred thousand li.
Then Xie Qian established the "Half the Rivers and Mountains" boundary, forever sealing the barbarian cultivators' advancement, so that their strongest could no longer ascend to the first rank.
Only then could the people once again call themselves sons of the Central Plains.
Many cultivated scholars served as teachers in that academy, but only Xie Qian was seen by all as the one worthy of being called "Master."
In the eyes of scholars, he was the true "Paragon of All Ages."
A true Sage.
On the day of the Imperial Examination, Gu Yuandao had written a single essay on the people's livelihood, through which he grasped the Sage's true teachings and established his Dao, becoming the focus of the empire and the pride of the capital.
"Just one more step..."
Gu Yuandao's face remained expressionless, but the breath caught in his chest refused to settle. He could not swallow this injustice.
That bastard Gu Fangchen had usurped his rightful title of heir for so many years, committing every kind of evil.
Shouldn't he repay his debts?
And yet that wretch dared show no remorse, still shamelessly trying to take what was not his!
Ridiculous!
He, Gu Yuandao, was Ning Caiyong's true-born son. He had endured years of hardship, studied under bitter winters and blazing summers, and waited for the day they would finally be reunited, only for his mother to defend that degenerate again and again!
Why?
Because Ning Caiyong's soft heart, dulled by years of misplaced affection, blinded her from seeing Gu Fangchen's true nature.
She thought him merely ill-tempered, but without her restraint, he would have long since turned murderer and arsonist.
A petty villain left unchecked would become a great evil!
Gu Fangchen understood well the trick of "the crying child gets the milk," constantly deepening Ning Caiyong's emotional investment until she could no longer extricate herself.
If he did not cut this mess cleanly now, Ning Caiyong would only sink deeper, aiding the tiger in its cruelty.
And that was only assuming the one standing here was still Gu Fangchen himself. If even that had changed... there was nothing left to say.
Now that Emperor Yong'an had summoned Gu Fangchen, it was almost certainly to endorse him publicly, to confirm his identity as the heir.
Once the imperial decree was issued, even if Master Juehui confirmed that Gu Fangchen was an impostor, it would no longer matter.
If Gu Fangchen continued living in the Prince of Northern Garrison's residence under the title of heir, Gu Yuandao's position would become awkward indeed.
What should have been rightfully reclaimed, what had been a deathtrap for Gu Fangchen, had been turned on its head. That little bastard had managed to pull out a bargaining chip and return to the board as an equal.
For Gu Yuye's plans, this was a disastrous blow.
Therefore, the only remaining solution was for the Sage himself to question the heart by the law of the "Rule."
Once the Rule was invoked, the truth could not be hidden!
If Gu Fangchen was wicked rather than righteous, an impostor in league with the Demonic Sect, then even Emperor Yong'an himself would have to uphold the law that had preserved Great Wei for thirteen centuries, and execute him.
That would be an open, righteous strategy, an upright conspiracy.
Gu Yuandao sneered softly, set down his brush, and waited in silence.
A moment later, a line of text appeared upon the scroll:
"One, not two."
That was the Sage's restoration.
Gu Yuandao's expression grew solemn as he bowed deeply toward the scroll.
"Thank you, Master, for your aid."
He straightened and exhaled slowly.
Now, all that remained was a chance...
His gaze lifted toward the crimson-gold invitation resting on the desk.
After placing first in the examinations, he was entitled to two honors.
The first was riding his horse down the long street of Huangtian City, basking in glory.
The second was attending the Qionglin Banquet, an imperial feast celebrating the new scholars, a grand literary gathering after the examinations.
He and his father were to be reunited after his triumphal procession.
But because of that episode, the Qionglin Banquet had been postponed until tomorrow.
In his original plan, he was to attend the banquet as the heir of the Prince of Northern Garrison. All the young talents of the capital, the literary luminaries, the high officials and nobles, would come to congratulate him for restoring rightful order, double blessings in one day.
But now, because of the chaos caused by Gu Fangchen, everything had become awkward, neither up nor down.
"Tomorrow will do just as well."
Gu Yuandao lifted the invitation, examining it in the candlelight before giving a cold laugh.
Before the eyes of all, let the Rule question the heart.
Gu Fangchen, how will you answer this time?
I'll watch as your true self is exposed, cast into endless ruin.
...
"Well then, Your Majesty," Gu Fangchen asked, "since you've read it, what conclusion did you come to?"
He hadn't forgotten that his most pressing issue right now was his identity.
Emperor Yong'an smiled.
"I'm just a mortal emperor, what could I possibly discern? Only the State Preceptor can decide that."
"But the State Preceptor isn't even here..."
"Flap-flap, "
Before he could finish, the sound of wings echoed outside.
He looked up and squinted into the distance, seeing a white crane radiating multicolored auspicious light, soaring through the wind with a scroll held delicately in its beak.
The crane had flown from the Pillar of Silence, crossing half of Huangtian City, drawing countless gazes and murmurs along the way.
Below, two young cultivators in white scholar's robes watched and spoke casually.
"Isn't that the State Preceptor's mount?"
"Looks like it's heading toward the Purple Extremity Hall... Strange. There hasn't been any matter of national importance recently."
"I'd wager it has to do with the Prince of Northern Garrison's false and true heirs. Word is the Preceptor even gave his personal seal to Gu Fangchen..."
"Hahaha! You actually believe that rumor? Absurd beyond reason. If that were true, I'd hand my congratulatory gift to Gu Fangchen myself at tomorrow's banquet!"
Inside the Purple Extremity Hall, Gu Fangchen reached out and took the scroll from the white crane's beak.
He unrolled it. On the paper were five words:
"Was it fun to tear?"
"..."
Uh...
Gu Fangchen broke into a cold sweat, quickly straightened his expression, and rolled the scroll back up as though nothing had happened.
To be fair, it *had* been quite fun.
But then he remembered he had not only torn apart the Preceptor's personally transcribed scripture but had tossed it into water to wash, half of it had dissolved before he noticed.
Yes. Better play dead.
Gu Fangchen tucked the scroll away and said to Emperor Yong'an,
"Your Majesty, I'll be leaving now."
Then, on impulse, he looked at the white crane beside him, paused, and asked,
"Your Majesty, is flying forbidden within Huangtian City?"
Emperor Yong'an: "?"
...
Down below, the two scholars who had watched the crane fly past and return were just turning away when they froze.
One of them gaped, pointing a trembling finger at the figure riding the crane's back.
"Am I seeing things? Is... is that Gu Fangchen?!"
The other rubbed his eyes, confirming he hadn't imagined it.
"It really looks like him."
They watched as the radiant white crane circled toward the State Preceptor's mansion and descended, exchanging stunned looks as their hearts roiled.
Exclamations spread through the streets, especially among the city's cultivators, the spectacle was even livelier than Gu Yuandao's parade had been.
That crane was the State Preceptor's mount!
"Could it be that this wastrel *stole* it?"
The first speaker's voice faltered as the thought sank in.
Who would dare steal the State Preceptor's mount, unless the Preceptor himself allowed it?
Could the rumors truly be real?
His companion couldn't resist asking,
"So... are you still sending your gift? I remember you said it was from the academy's 'Poet Immortal.'"
The man's face darkened as he gritted his teeth.
"A gentleman keeps his word. I'll send it!"