The streets of the capital were already crowded, with people bustling in every direction. Since the Immortal Sect had suppressed the Confucian tradition, the Sacred Academy had been sealed off, and great scholars had been hunted down. Those who held any scholarly reputation were either stripped of their standing or had given up the Confucian path altogether. As a result, the Confucian tradition had sunk to an all-time low.
Although Da Zhou was still governed by scholars, and officials at court held the titles of Confucian scholars, today's scholars were a shadow of those in the past. Some even lamented that "the Confucian way is dead!"—an expression of profound sorrow. The backbone of the Confucian way had been broken, and for years, no outstanding scholars had emerged. Yet now, someone had spoken words that resonated with the sages, creating phenomena that shook the entire city.
"What an awe-inspiring line, 'Who says I have no name? History shall testify, as mountains and rivers bear witness!' Who could utter such words?"
People mulled over the sentence, the more they pondered, the more they realized the grand spirit behind it.
In the prosperous days of the Confucian tradition, such words would have stirred people but not to this extent. But today, as the Confucian tradition faced its greatest decline, for someone to utter these words was nothing short of miraculous.
"Look, everyone! The light of the sages envelops the entire city, yet the palace remains untouched. This must mean that the one who spoke these words is within the palace!" guessed a young scholar with sharp insight.
"That's likely... But who could it be?"
"Rumors say that the Immortal Sect is pressuring the emperor to establish a seventh kingdom. Could it be...?"
"Shh, we should not speak rashly of the Immortal Sect!"
These scholars were not fools; on the contrary, they were astute and quick to connect the dots. But even so, they didn't dare think too deeply. Today's scholars had long since become accustomed to bending under the Immortal Sect's authority. Even gossiping in whispers required courage.
The silence was long and heavy, tinged with deep sadness. The very scholars who should have been wielding words boldly, shaping the nation, now lacked the courage to speak. It was a tragic sight, and they felt the bitterness of this realization. Just then, several beams of light suddenly shot through the sky.
Boom!
Bright white beams ascended, filling the heavens with a chorus of ancient scholarly verses:
"Confucius said: 'In ritual, harmony is key. The path of the ancient kings was perfect, and we must follow in their steps.'"
From the Analects.
"The cries of the ospreys, by the river islet, sing for the graceful lady."
From the Book of Songs.
"Heaven's movement is strong; the noble person strives continuously. The earth's virtue is to support life; the noble person carries others with grace."
From the Book of Changes.
"To reach understanding, one must investigate things; after that, intentions become sincere, the heart becomes righteous, and then the self is cultivated."
From the Book of Rites.
The resounding scholarly verses seemed to echo from ancient times, crossing the river of time and bursting forth with radiant glory in this era of decline. How could the scholars not be moved to tears?
Many sobbed, lost in a dream of ten thousand years past, when scholars had once been passionate and shaped the landscape of the world. The heavenly phenomenon, however, did not end with their tears. Among the sacred beams of light, figures of sages began to emerge—some old, some middle-aged, each holding symbols of knowledge: a ruler, a scroll, a writing brush...
"Projections of the sages!"
The sight drove the scholars mad with reverence, and countless people knelt in awe. These were the ancient sages, appearing once more. Could it mean that a new era for scholars was on the horizon? If this was a dream, may they never wake.
The projections of the sages filled the air with a fragrant scholarly aura, invigorating the spirits of scholars across the city, breaking their barriers and bringing them new inspiration.
"First, the classic verses resounded, then the sages' projections appeared. With these dual phenomena, could it mean that a grand scholar has emerged?"
An elderly scholar, with tears in his eyes, cried out, his voice trembling with excitement.
Ding! Ding!
Then, a third phenomenon unfolded as every piece of jade and metal in the capital began to tremble, creating a melody not of this world.
"Resonating jade and metal—a third phenomenon!"
The scholars were on the verge of hysteria. Was the ancient age of the sages returning? Were the long-lost sages coming back to save the world?
With the triple phenomenon shaking the capital, the projections of the sages all turned toward the palace. One slightly hunched elderly figure held a scroll, pointed toward the palace, and recited:
"Who hasn't faced death since ancient times?"
On the other side, another elder projection straightened his back, his voice ringing out like clashing metal:
"Let my loyal heart shine in history!"
The people recognized these figures as none other than the Prime Ministers of Emperor Zhou's early reign. Both were renowned scholars who had helped lay the foundations of Da Zhou, becoming semi-saints after death, thus immortalized in the Hall of Sages.
These semi-saints had been awakened by a single line of poetry:
"Who hasn't faced death since ancient times? Let my loyal heart shine in history!"
The scholars recited the lines over and over, like men possessed, imagining a righteous and unyielding figure standing tall, with no fear even if the sky itself fell.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]