Chapter 1204 – The Death of Zhao Shao (Part 2)
Han Yu had yet to speak when the audience in the live stream was already bubbling like a pot of boiling water.
【Secret Sour Plum Soup】: Everyone, move aside! The host is about to unleash her ultimate move. Warning, high energy ahead, target Han Yu is about to be caught!
【Stowaway Non-Money】: As an old-timer in the live stream, it’s every time that I get to witness the host entangling with various talents. Can I even venture to say my luck is good enough to buy a lottery ticket? According to the host’s usual style, Han Yu will probably be snatched up too—
【Little Pig Peppa】: Gather seven wise talents to summon the divine dragon and ascend to the throne?
【Genius Guo Fengxiao】: After years of streaming, has the host ever missed the chance to gather the talents she wants?
【Musician Zhuge Qinmo】: You dried fish are just being silly; it’s not that easy to reel in Han Yu! Ancient elites have their own tempers and aspirations; they each have standards for choosing a lord. If the host can’t hit Han Yu’s soft spot, how could she expect him to submit? Just because Han Yu used to be in Xu Pei’s camp, he’s still Mr. Yuanjing’s disciple—a high-tier SSR character, show some respect!
【Free Lemon】: The esteemed one above is playing the same game, hugging tightly onto the Han Yu SSR I pulled last night!
【Purple Seaweed Soup】: Same here! Waiting for the game’s official release for more detailed character cards of the great Han Yu!
Jiang Pengji’s live stream had spawned a whole series of fan creations. Not long ago, a card-collecting (money-eating) game based around it was just released. Players are invisible newcomers transported to another world, spending money to pull cards. Each card has different attributes and can unlock various game branches, with different strategy subplots attached, like street parades, flower fairs, poetry meets, hunting…
As long as the favorability is high enough and money is spent generously, after reaching a certain level of good feelings, players can even marry and hold ceremonies.
What’s crazily absurd about this game is that there are no limits regarding the number or gender of characters to be courted.
In other words, as long as you spend enough and possess good luck, players can even achieve a total marriage ending with everyone.
Previously, Han Yu was part of Xu Pei’s camp, and although he is one of Yuan Jing’s four disciples, his character cards are far fewer compared to Wei Ci and others. This makes it harder for players to build Han Yu’s favorability quickly, hence can’t progress to court him. As they watched Han Yu about to be acquired by Jiang Pengji, who would fear the game officials lacking materials to refresh favorability? A bunch of fans smitten by Han Yu’s looks could barely contain their excitement.
Due to a few players “leading the charge,” the entire vibe of the live stream shifted toward a more idle fantasy.
Meanwhile, Jiang Pengji wasn’t bothered by the chats as she focused intently on Han Yu, waiting for his reaction.
Han Yu wasn’t a naive young lad, easily fooled by her!
Anyone can spout sweet words, but in terms of this skill, even if she gave herself turbocharged feet, she couldn’t catch up to Xu Pei.
Han Yu wouldn’t be swayed, instead coldly sneering, “Who sets the ‘law’? Executing ‘law’ requires absolute power. There’s nothing in this world that holds more power than a king. To let the ‘law’ set by the king to judge the king is like letting a monkey guard a peach orchard—what’s the difference?”
“Law, from the ancient beast, the Qilin. The Qilin can discern right from wrong, fair and impartial.” Han Yu continued, “A king orders people to set the ‘law’ to restrain ministers and the common people, but he can’t restrain himself. Once the ‘law’ harms his own interests, he can command revisions. I ask, how can such a ‘law’ be impartial? This is the greatest injustice! Furthermore, it has been said for ages that ministers and commoners face the same punishment for crime—how many cases actually achieve this? It’s just a delusion for the populace; how many examples are real?”
What use are sweet words?
Back when Xu Pei persuaded Han Yu to enter public service, wasn’t that speech just as charming?
And what was the result?
Years later, Xu Pei and he drifted apart, and though Han Yu showed little surface reaction, deep down he felt profoundly disappointed.
After being fooled once, Han Yu naturally wouldn’t fall for it again.
This is akin to how a girl who’s been hurt in love becomes indifferent to romance; it’s hard to be deceived by a scumbag a second time.
As soon as Han Yu finished speaking, the idle viewers in the live stream showered Jiang Pengji with countless “233”, constantly cheering for Han Yu.
Though they all stood by the host, they couldn’t help but feel delighted to see her at a disadvantage.
Jiang Pengji chuckled, “So then, what does Wenbin wish to hear from me?”
Han Yu replied, “What did Lan Ting just say, and I want to hear that.”
Jiang Pengji pondered for a moment, crossing her arms, “You want to hear a ‘law’ that can restrain kings, but sadly, that cannot be achieved today. It’s not that I don’t want to provide you with such a ‘law,’ it’s simply because the timing isn’t ripe yet. Have you heard of a mirage?”
“A mirage? Naturally.” Han Yu nodded, “Why does Lan Ting claim the timing isn’t ripe? Framing it differently, when would it be considered ripe?”
Jiang Pengji replied, “To my view, it primarily involves three aspects: land, the people, and technology.”
Han Yu’s brows furrowed as he listened; what she was saying was far from what he sought. Just a moment ago, she spoke of needing means to restrain kings and regulate the populace with a ‘law,’ and now she says the timing isn’t ripe—isn’t that contradicting herself? Yet, he patiently continued to listen.
“What do these three aspects entail?”
Jiang Pengji scratched her head; coming from a military background, her cultural grades were far from stellar. She disliked this kind of cultural exam question. However, this person was someone she intended to win over; unless she could thoroughly do so, where would her pride stand?
Being belittled and mocked by others was one thing; would she let herself be ridiculed by over 850,000 viewers? No way!
Jiang Pengji stated, “First, land. Whether it’s the nobility or the royal family, acquiring and annexing land has everything to do with profit, seeking the value produced by that land. When land’s value is insufficient to attract them, it stops becoming a delicacy and turns into a bone they can gnaw on until only scraps remain—something dispensable. However, for the common people, land is their lifeline and the foundation of their sustenance.”
Han Yu followed her line of thought, asking, “Is that possible?”
“Naturally, it’s possible,” Jiang Pengji replied. “Merchants aren’t one avenue?”
“Nobles, farmers, and merchants—the merchant is deemed lowly by nature, pursuing profit at the cost of others, dooming the nation.”
Han Yu felt some disappointment; could it be that his expectations of her were too high?
Jiang Pengji shook her head, smiling, “Not at all. Merchants pursue profit, but you also cannot deny that the prosperity of a region is inseparable from merchants. This group is a double-edged sword; if utilized well, they can connect two places to trade, bringing life to the most impoverished areas. Supporting them isn’t without conditions. To forge merchants into the sharpest weapons, a proper ‘commercial law’ is essential. It’s likely that the taxes merchants pay to the state could surpass those from farming by dozens or hundreds of times—”
Han Yu replied coldly, “If merchants are so wonderful, everyone would become merchants—wouldn’t the fields fall into disarray?”
