Chapter 670 – Alliance at Huangshui (Seven)
Of course, there is reason behind it.
Cheng Cheng is not some hot-headed young pup; he didn’t fall for it easily, but he couldn’t deny that he was intrigued.
“Virtuous nephew, do you know what you’re doing?”
Cheng Cheng fell silent for a quarter of an hour, while Jiang Pengji calmly awaited his response.
“I understand, uncle.”
Jiang Pengji always relied on her intellect when handling matters, especially those concerning her life and legacy.
Cheng Cheng showed a hint of anxiety on his face. “Since you understand, why proceed this way?”
Jiang Pengji scoffed, disdain clear in her voice as she bluntly pointed out the flaws.
“Why? Telling lies, sweet nothings, grand hollow speeches—it’s all to fulfill your lifelong ambition, Uncle Cheng! To ensure that countless books, tens of thousands even, are passed down for future generations to know. Speaking the truth, the real thoughts in my heart, is about changing the world, reforming the flaws, and cleansing the filth! This world ultimately belongs to the common people, not to any one family, and certainly not as a toy for those who manipulate power and govern as they please. The aristocrats hold onto power, shying away from the practical, living luxurious lives that lead to decay. Uncle Cheng, a man of great knowledge, do you truly think that this chaotic world is solely the fault of the royal family? Those pulling the strings behind the scenes bear no responsibility?”
Cheng Cheng listened for a long while, dazed and struggling to respond. “Lan Ting, you also hail from an aristocratic family.”
Even if Cheng Cheng occasionally agreed with her sentiments, he didn’t have the courage to voice it.
“For me, the common people and the masses matter far more than my own self or family. If I can sacrifice the latter for the sake of the former, I’m willing to give it all up.” Jiang Pengji stated calmly, “If the troubles of the aristocracy are not curbed, this world will only grow more chaotic. Has Uncle ever considered what happens when the Central Plains remain weakened while the barbarian tribes grow stronger? It’s not out of the question that the day may come when we no longer bear the clothes of the gentlefolk.”
Cheng Cheng’s face turned pale, his internal conflict worsening to the point that even his fingers trembled.
Jiang Pengji pressed forward step by step, and the audience in the livestream sensed the shift in atmosphere.
【Quiet and Reserved Huang Shaotian】: Uh… can anyone tell me what’s going on? If my memory serves me right, the host was just recommending printing techniques and xuan paper to Cheng Cheng, right? How did the topic leap so dramatically? It feels like the air just froze.
【Gentle and Charming Han Wenqing】: To the one above, less chatter, less gaming, more reading. For now, printing techniques seem trivial; money can buy a photocopier. But back in the host’s era, using printing challenged the entire social system, do you understand?
【Quiet and Reserved Huang Shaotian】: Not really… Aren’t you also playing games, using a series of IDs? Who doesn’t know who!
【Skilled and Talented Yu Wenzhou】: To put it simply, in the host’s era, education was a significant luxury. Most books were unique copies, leading culture to be passed down only within a small social class—this is the strength of the aristocrats, a bit like class solidification. Therefore, whenever a great disaster occurs, if the aristocracy suffers, it also means that the civilization of the entire era is impacted.
The viewer seemed to type slowly, taking quite a while before sending another message.
【Skilled and Talented Yu Wenzhou】: Nowadays, normal-income families can afford to send their children to school; if one seizes opportunities, they can climb the social ladder—each generation doing better than the last. But in ancient times? It’s different. Here, I seriously critique the “study is useless” argument. Can the wealthy opportunities of twenty years ago in Huaguo be compared to today? Peasants’ children remain peasants, while aristocratic children are aristocrats. The aristocrats hold superiority, and books serve as an important medium. If books are no longer a privilege of the few, what do you think would happen? The host faces tremendous pressure.
Just like in gaming—being skilled is less important than forming a good team.
In this era, it can be summed up as—learning well is less important than your beginning circumstances.
No matter how talented or smart you are, just relying on “background” can overshadow a whole batch of talent.
Take Xu Ke, Qi Guanrang, and Yang Si, who are under Jiang Pengji.
Xu Ke had once been enslaved, bearing the permanent marks of branding—a shameful mark on his life.
Qi Guanrang is of mixed blood, born from a barbarian tribe in the north and a woman from the Central Plains, his origins are also heavily criticized.
As for Yang Si, his mother likely came from a brothel, raised on scraps from others’ tables.
Were they in a peaceful era, the three would likely have lived in silent despair, regardless of their mentality; they would never rise to prominence.
Wei Ci and Feng Zhen belong to the declining gentry, barely managing to hold onto their aristocratic status, tracing their lineage back to an ancestor of some renown.
And then there’s Feng Jin, a different story altogether, with an affluent, established background.
What Jiang Pengji aims to do is shatter the shackles of “background,” allowing education to no longer be the privilege of the select few—merit alone should open doors. Many cannot change their birthright, but they can shape their futures.
From farm laborer to the Emperor’s hall!
Though commoners and aristocrats may never stand on the same starting line, at least there’s hope for equality or even surpassing them.
Books, printing techniques, xuan paper?
These three are not to be feared. What’s truly frightening is Jiang Pengji leveraging them to dismantle the existing structure.
That’s what Cheng Cheng fears.
After a time, he stammered, lips quivering.
“You’re crazy…”
Jiang Pengji appeared calm, “Without the people, where’s the state? Without the state, where’s the family? Throughout history, how many have shouted for the nation and the people, only to settle back to satisfy their own self-interests for ‘the family.’ I aspire to compete for the nine provinces’ divine tripods; this is the awareness a future emperor should possess. I do not seek a perfect world, but rather a unified nine provinces, a time of peace and prosperity.”
Powerful yet arrogant, it elicits both fear and tremors!
Cheng Cheng’s first reaction was to deem her too arrogant and reckless, but his second thought was that it felt entirely justified.
A person who dares to challenge and even completely upend the existing social order is naturally labeled a madman—arrogant and reckless!
“Uncle Cheng, you are a scholar.”
In an instant, Cheng Cheng fell silent, as if someone had pressed the mute button on him.
“I thought you bore an indomitable spirit, unbreakable, nothing in this world could bend it.”
Cheng Cheng lifted his eyelids, his voice muted.
“Do not try to flatter me. Just speak your mind; what do you want to do?”
Jiang Pengji’s lips curved upward, “The primary materials for xuan paper are cypress and sandalwood; Chongzhou has plenty of that stuff, producing it thousands of times more than bamboo paper, and at a lower cost. Wooden printing for mass book production. I don’t wish to do anything grand, just want to gather books from around the world to fill the library. Once we reach stability, establish a book house, institute a school, leaving aside the barriers of entry and backgrounds, widely recruiting suitable students…”
Cheng Cheng smiled, though there was a hint of mockery.
“Just that? You want me to be a printing carpenter?”
“How could that be?” Jiang Pengji blinked, speaking earnestly, “I hope Uncle Cheng will oversee the grand plan, compile enlightening reading materials, amend the history of books, organize the ancient texts lost over the past centuries, carry forward the legacy… Your responsibility is far greater and much more daunting than mine.”
Cheng Cheng shivered at this moment, unaware of the profound impact her words had on his soul.
