Chapter 7: Kill if You Must, But I Will Never Betray the Country!
The commotion outside didn’t affect the Imperial Palace.
After all, the Imperial Palace was built by the founding emperor of Great Zhou and had its own mystical qualities, especially the court.
It was the most solemn place in the world, and it couldn’t tolerate any noise from the outside, completely isolating itself from the outside commotion.
If it were at other times, the eunuchs and guards outside might come to report.
But on such an occasion today, who would dare to be presumptuous?
So the people inside the court had no idea what was happening outside.
But that didn’t matter.
What mattered was that all the literati in the court were now boiling with literary fervor after Ye Ning’s words.
“My name is unknown.
“My righteousness will endure through the ages!
“Moreover, even if nameless, history will be my witness, and the vast mountains and rivers will be my name!”
These three sentences kept echoing in their minds, shaking their literary courage and stirring their literary fervor endlessly!
These were words of righteousness!
The literati couldn’t describe the shock in their hearts with words.
They looked at Ye Ning with an involuntary sense of reverence in their eyes.
Thousands of years ago, the founding emperor of Great Zhou rose from the grassroots, dominated the world, and had a broad mind.
Except for the Immortal Sect, which he regarded as the root of calamity and suppressed, other traditions did not suffer any impact.
Thus, thousands of years ago, there was a brilliant era of contention among a hundred schools of thought.
Later, after the founding emperor passed away, each generation of Great Zhou was inferior to the previous one, and the Immortal Sect rose again, seeking revenge against Great Zhou and suppressing other traditions as before.
What they wanted was only one thing: the supremacy of the Immortal Path!
The Confucian school was one of their main targets of suppression.
During the time of the founding emperor, there were many Confucian scholars, upright in character and speech. With a stroke of a pen, they could determine life and death, and with a poem, they could vanquish demons and evil spirits.
How glorious it was!
But two thousand years ago, with bloody means, the Immortal Sect killed the current Confucian scholars and their students. They shattered the literary courage of countless scholars, and most notably, sealed off the Holy Academy where numerous sages and great Confucians were trained in the past.
As a result, the path for literati was cut off!
This also led to the current literati being far inferior in overall level compared to the founding period.
In terms of integrity, virtue, or personal cultivation, they were not enough to compete with the Immortal Sect.
Gradually, the Confucian school naturally declined.
The reason why the literati of the court were so unbearable was rooted here.
They had forgotten how long it had been since they last heard words that could stir their literary fervor!
Since the Immortal Sect cut off the Confucian school, the Confucian school lacked not kowtowers and soft-headed individuals, but true heroes who dared to speak out for justice.
And today, such a hero appeared!
“This young man’s future is limitless. He can speak words of righteousness at a young age. Perhaps he can change the predicament of our Confucian school for the past two thousand years!”
Those literati with uncorrupted consciences had a glimmer of “light” in their numb eyes once again.
They looked at Ye Ning as if they had seen hope.
The thoughts of the literati were naturally not felt by others, but Cao Meng still felt a huge shock.
He looked at Ye Ning and couldn’t speak for a moment.
This was a true hero!
Cao Meng had also been young and passionate, but now, he was already indifferent. However, what Ye Ning said stirred up his long-lost passion.
At this moment, he no longer had a trace of killing intent.
Cao Meng’s sword would not kill a true hero!
He silently gazed at Ye Ning and spoke again after a moment.
“The momentum of Great Zhou, like yesterday’s time, is irreversible. The integrity of Sir Ye makes Cao Meng admire.
“There will probably never be a figure like Sir Ye in the world again. If you were to die, it would be a loss to the world.
“So why accompany Great Zhou to its burial? If Sir Ye is willing, why not come to my Wei Kingdom? I will definitely welcome you with open arms and treat you with high positions!”
Cao Meng’s love for talent swelled unprecedentedly.
Obviously, he had a new idea.
His words were sincere, and he even bowed to Ye Ning!
This scene moved everyone.
The other five kings had different thoughts, but they could also understand Cao Meng.
Who wouldn’t want a true hero like Ye Ning as their own?
But Ji Mingyue, sitting on the dragon throne, didn’t feel this way.
He was so angry that his silver teeth clenched tightly.
“How dare he poach someone from me!”
His anger even exceeded that of the previous palace coup!
Cao Meng was too arrogant. He even said in front of him that Great Zhou was already declining and would sooner or later be finished.
Although this was a fact, to say it so openly was simply outrageously bold!
If this were to spread, people all over the world would certainly curse him.
After all, although everyone knew these things in their hearts, they were not things that could be said in public.
Didn’t Cao Meng realize the consequences?
He did!
But he still said it.
What was this?
This was sincerity!
In order to recruit Ye Ning, he could be said to be sincere to the fullest.
After all, it was not easy to have a loyal minister and righteous man. Shouldn’t they be treasured?
Ji Mingyue felt pessimistic.
With Great Zhou’s current situation, he had no confidence at all. He couldn’t promise Ye Ning anything.
He nervously looked at Ye Ning, waiting for his decision.
All eyes were on Ye Ning.
No one had expected that a mere seal official would become the protagonist of this court session.
However, Ye Ning’s mood was not good at all.
It could even be described as terrible.
He stared at Cao Meng, and ten thousand grass mud horses galloped through his heart.
What’s going on, buddy?
You’re not going to kill me anymore?
Are you sick?
I’ve been pretending to be cool for so long. I was pointing at you to give me a good time, but now you don’t want to kill me, and you even want to recruit me?
Ye Ning felt that Cao Meng was simply toxic!
No way!
You have to kill me!
What Wei Kingdom, what Great Zhou, what use do they have for me?
I had long given up trying hard and just wanted to hurry up and kick the bucket, then happily become the Heavenly Emperor.
As such, Ye Ning didn’t hesitate at all and directly shook his head to refuse.
“I won’t go to Wei Kingdom. You might as well kill me!”
Cao Meng was anxious and said, “Why be so stubborn, Sir? The Emperor is weak and cowardly. Where can he compare to me, the King of Wei?”
Hearing this, Ye Ning sneered and turned to look at the Emperor.
“I come from a humble background, studied hard for more than ten years, passed the imperial examinations, became a Jinshi scholar, and entered the court as an official. This is the grace of the sovereign!
“I will repay the Emperor’s kindness with my life if necessary!
“Therefore, if you want to kill me, go ahead. I will never betray my country!”