Chapter 1263: Chapter 1230: Out and Back Again
Zhao Hanzhang also looked at him, and after a moment spoke with heartfelt sincerity: "Uncle Cheng, one cannot be too greedy in life. Are you still hoping for the Zhao Family to last forever? If I establish a unified dynasty that can last peacefully for three hundred years, I would be very satisfied."
"Guo Pu said the Zhao Family succeeded due to the people’s hearts, indicating that the people are with me. This is a very good start," just like Wei and Jin, they cannot say they succeeded because of the people’s hearts. Every dynasty that succeeded with the people’s hearts lasted at least two hundred years; she was very content.
Of course, Zhao Cheng didn’t have any historical comparisons, after all, only the Han Dynasty before managed to surpass a hundred-year period.
But when compared with the four hundred years of the Han Dynasty and the eight hundred years of the Zhou Dynasty, it really is insignificant, hence why going back to the past is often mentioned.
The world always wants to replicate the prolonged rule of the Zhou Dynasty; she understands and expresses her understanding.
Yet she knows even more, "We must admit that every family will have a few unworthy descendants, and that is something that cannot be stopped. You and I have seen how bitter life can be for ordinary people during tough times, so truly, when that time comes, I hope the people’s hearts will prevail, and if future unworthy descendants truly stir up chaos again, let the people’s hearts destroy them."
Zhao Hanzhang looked at Zhao Cheng and sighed, "Oh, Uncle Cheng, I didn’t expect you to have ambitions for eternity."
In the era she lived in, there were not only Qin, Han, Wei, and Jin before her, but also Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing after, all as references. Thus, she never thought a dynasty could endure for a thousand years without falling.
What she needs to do now and in the future is to ensure more people’s interests and the unity of power.
She reversed the encouragement to Zhao Cheng, "Rising and falling are like tides, there is a time for rising, and there will certainly be a time for falling, this is indeed fate. Uncle Cheng said I am acting immorally and setting a bad example, I acknowledge this and am willing to take responsibility, and in the future, I’ll strive to make amends. I am also confident that morality can be rebuilt, and can be made better than it is now."
Zhao Cheng looked at her in astonishment, "You didn’t think about a dynasty lasting forever? Only hoping for three hundred years, do the elders of the clan know your thoughts? Does Zi Nian know?"
Zhao Hanzhang tilted her head, seriously sizing him up, "Uncle Cheng, do you oppose me because I am unfaithful and unrighteous, destroying morals, or because you think I will harm the clan?"
Zhao Cheng: "Both."
Zhao Hanzhang’s lips curled upwards, and she said to Zhao Cheng: "Uncle Cheng, I just met Guo Pu before coming. He said there will be winter thunder tomorrow, and when you proceed to the eastern suburbs, coincidentally a thunderbolt will strike and fell a large tree, blocking your path, potentially injuring someone, so why not stay one more day, wait for this disaster to pass, and then set out."
Zhao Cheng thought she didn’t want to continue this topic, to avoid arguing with him, hence he could only let it slide. He furrowed his brow, "Did they say what time, and which route? Perhaps I could leave a bit earlier and avoid it."
Zhao Hanzhang: "Guo Pu is reputed to be like a god, but he is not a real deity, to have calculated this is already pretty good, how could he be so precise? Besides, even a real deity may not know."
Zhao Cheng then fell silent.
After thinking it over, he was still unwilling to change his plans, and prepared to set out the next day, albeit by changing the city gate and taking a different route.
He discussed with the students, intending to exit through the South City Gate, then detour eastward, after all, they were going on an academic journey, the schedule wouldn’t be too tight, and they could afford some flexibility in the itinerary.
Zhao Cheng left quickly, so when Zhao Hu wanted to argue with him after recovering, he couldn’t find him.
For the consecutive two days, the weather was clear; not to mention winter thunder, not even a flake of snow was seen.
Even though they took the South City Gate, far from the East City Gate, if there was winter thunder, it should have been heard within a hundred miles.
Zhao Cheng felt it was strange, doubts arose in his heart, Zhao Hanzhang’s prior performance and inquiries were even more abrupt, so he immediately led people to detour eastwards, intercepted a caravan leaving Luoyang, "Did you hear about a thunderbolt striking a tree in the eastern suburbs when you left the capital?"
The caravan manager was rushing home for the New Year, and initially didn’t want to respond to Zhao Cheng, but upon hearing this, he immediately said: "What time did this happen? How come I don’t know about it?"
Zhao Cheng: "On the 26th."
The manager exclaimed: "Impossible! I left the capital in the afternoon of the 26th, stayed at the post station in the eastern suburbs until evening, not to mention thunder, not even a single dark cloud was seen. The sun was shining brightly, and the weather was extremely fine."
He suspiciously looked at Zhao Cheng, "Who are you, where are you coming from, where are you going? Could it be you intend to spread rumors of winter thunder, to harm the Great General?"
Zhao Cheng: ... You think too much, but the one spreading rumors wasn’t him, it was Zhao Hanzhang herself!
Zhao Cheng said: "I am from Yu State, and heard it from others. Since it’s hearsay, I didn’t dare believe it, hence why I asked you."
Caravan manager: "No such thing, the Great General is regent, the world is stable, even heaven is being generous, the weather is nice these days, it should be good during the New Year too."
Zhao Cheng promptly acknowledged this, bid farewell to the caravan manager, but stood in the road unsure of where to go next.
The accompanying students were very obedient, they didn’t know why their teacher was hesitating, but they were willing to wait.
Zhao Cheng turned to look at the students, a bit defeated, sat on the grass dazed, he wasn’t like this before.
Before, he distanced himself from the court, disdained the Jin Dynasty, and would curse openly, he had firm beliefs, insisting on what he thought was correct.
But after entering the court, the family didn’t allow him to act like that. If it were before, he would naturally ignore it.
But before, ignoring it would only harm himself, not others.
Now it was different, if he insisted, harming himself was secondary, the clan’s young members, students of the Imperial College, even teachers and students in schools nationwide, because he was the libationer, the teacher of all students in the nation, so his actions would directly or indirectly harm them.
Now he realized his previous understanding of being out of control was too shallow, the higher the position, the more he was out of control.
He couldn’t understand whether the prophecy Zhao Hanzhang gave him was fabricated to deceive him or Guo Pu calculated wrongly and gave a wrong prophecy?
If she deliberately deceived him, what was her intention?
If Guo Pu calculated wrongly, then were the other words he said possibly wrong too?
Zhao Cheng felt that if he didn’t figure this out, the subsequent journey of academic study would be very unpleasant.
Should he write a letter to ask?
No, asking face to face, fearing she would deceive him again.
That’s right, Zhao Cheng had already leaned towards the first speculation, this was most likely Zhao Hanzhang’s fabrication to deceive him.
Zhao Cheng sat on the grass thinking for ages, finally made up his mind, stood up and said: "We are going back to the Capital!"
The accompanying students and servants couldn’t hold back upon hearing this and burst out cheering enthusiastically.
Zhao Cheng: "... What do you mean by this?"
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