Chapter 431: Chapter 430: Very Effective

In the past few days touring the Gentleman’s Country, Jiang Li’s biggest impression was its rigidness.

People lived in a predetermined manner, and everything they said and did was according to the teachings of the Confucian sage, with very little room for freedom.

It’s like a carriage traveling on a main road. The main road seems wide and leads in every direction, but that’s all there is, the carriage can only travel on the main road, not nearly as free as the pedestrians.

Pedestrians could play around in the roadside bushes, streams in the mountains, or the open farmland; they have more freedom than the carriage.

Jiang Li didn’t know if the Gentleman’s Country in the Confucian saint’s mind was like this, but the Gentleman’s Country in his mind definitely wasn’t.

There were too many rules in the Gentleman’s Country. Buying something took a great deal of back-and-forth negotiation, and people’s actions were strictly regulated. If one deviated from these norms, they would not be considered a gentleman.

Jiang Li and the others felt that this was too troublesome.

A few days of sightseeing was fine, but if they had to stay for months or years, it would be too boring.

Just like the overall atmosphere of the Gentleman’s Country, Dong Zhongshu, who was about to make an appearance, was just as rigid.

When Dong Zhongshu appeared, he seemed more solemn, serious, and proper than ever before.

He was originally a serious man, dressed meticulously and traditionally. None of the Ministers of Rites from the major dynasties could understand as much as he did.

Just as many countries have unwritten rules that the Justice Supreme Minister should go to the Great Zhou Dynasty Family Academy for further study, the Minister of Rites must also have spent some time studying Confucianism.

Dong Zhongshu proceeded according to the unchanging rule of the Confucian saint’s birth, orderly and without chaos.

Firstly, he praised the birth of the Confucian saint. It was a happy event for all beings in the Ten Thousand Realms that occurred due to many coincidences stacking up.

Then he looked back at the legends of the Confucian saint’s actions so that people could understand his greatness.

Of course, Dong Zhongshu did not mention the legend of the Confucian saint asking the Taoist ancestor for guidance.

Following this, he described the relationship between Dong Zhongshu, the founder of the Confucian school, and the Confucian saint. As they were several generations apart, Dong Zhongshu strove hard to align his own identity with the saint’s.

Jiang Li had to admire Dong Zhongshu’s imagination.

Originally, Jiang Li thought Ji Zhi’s opening speech at the martial arts conference was boring enough, but he hadn’t expected someone to be more boring.

It was to be expected. Ji Zhi’s opening speech was prepared by the Department of Rites, and those in the Department of Rites all had spent time in Confucianism. Given the connection, it was normal for it to be boring.

After the long recollections, it was time for a carefully prepared performance, such as poetry recitals and drama performances.

Was the performance on the stage enjoyable? Yes, it was. Did it reflect the cultural depth of the Kyushu Continent? Absolutely.

But it was just so boring.

If Bai Hongtu went to the stage to perform a personal comedy routine…

Jiang Li suddenly realized there was something wrong with his train of thought.

Jiang Li glared at Bai Hongtu furiously, convinced that prolonged company with such idiots had influenced his thinking.

Bai Hongtu looked innocent, not knowing why Jiang Li was staring at him with such wide eyes.

“Pure Heart, you’re here too?” Jiang Li casually noticed the sacred woman, Pure Heart, with Bai Hongtu between them.

Pure Heart nodded in agreement, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s: “I’m here on behalf of Red Dust.”

Gathering courage, Pure Heart started a conversation: “Jiang Li, what do you think of the Confucian performances?”

“Quite boring.” Considering that this was Confucian territory, no matter how low he kept his voice, all the practitioners in the Body Integration Realm would be able to hear him, so Jiang Li opted for telepathic communication, audible only to Pure Heart.

“I feel the same way, life in the Red Dust may be plain, but we have books to keep us company, which is better than watching a performance,” she replied.

Initially, Pure Heart was a bit annoyed since she had been sent here by her master. Her master must have known that the Confucian performances were boring, which is why she was sent here.

But when she saw Jiang Li, she felt that the trip was worthwhile.

“What book have you been reading lately?” Jiang Li was curious. He didn’t remember Pure Heart having a keen interest in reading.

In his memory, Pure Heart in the Red Dust was either playing games, practicing cultivation, or staying in her room for half a day after hearing that he was visiting; there were very few times when she was reading.

Pure Heart hesitated to admit that she was reading the novel she wrote: “It’s a book about the Mahayana Realm.”

Jiang Li thought it was a book about her cultivation experiences, so he joked: “Why not just say you’re reading a book about me?”

Getting Jiang Li’s approval, Pure Heart showed a happy smile: “Yes, reading a book about you.”

Speaking of her own novel “The Dominant Mahayana Fell in Love with Me,” Pure Heart had a mix of feelings.

Initially, she was worried that her writing wasn’t good, so she anonymously printed and distributed copies to all the disciples in the Red Dust, one for each person, to see their reaction.

The reaction was excellent; everyone fell in love with Jiang Li after reading the book.

“Why did I create more rivals for myself?” Pure Heart felt an impulse to find Ji Zhi and send herself back to a few years ago.

Pure Heart secretly asked Su Wei if there was a potion for regret.

Su Wei looked at her strangely, saying there was no such potion, but there was a potion that could make one forget their regrets, which was almost the same thing.

Naturally, Pure Heart didn’t take it.

“This person looks somewhat unfamiliar.” Jiang Li noticed a stranger sitting at their table. He was only at the Nascent Soul Stage and seemed to be quite old.

The stranger replied respectfully: “Greetings, Human Emperor. I am the Monarch of the Gentleman’s Country.”

Jiang Li understood; this was the Gentleman’s Country, so of course, the Monarch had to sit at the main seat.

Bai Hong asked: “Given your low cultivation level, how did you become the Monarch of the Gentleman’s Country?”

“Greetings, Sect Master Bai. The Gentleman’s Country does not rank people based on their strength, but according to their character. Although I admit I’m far from meeting the standards of the gentleman set by the Confucian saint, everyone asked me to be the Monarch.”

“You look familiar. Are you Dong Zhongshu’s junior fellow?” Yu Yin seemed to recognize the Monarch of the Gentleman’s Country.

“Greetings, Empress. Dong Zhongshu is my senior fellow.”

Bai Hong looked surprised. With his mediocre talent, how could he become Dong Zhongshu’s junior fellow?

As if to address Bai Hong’s curiosity, the Monarch of the Gentleman’s Country said: “Our Master only looked at our temperament when selecting disciples, not how talented we were. I was lucky enough to catch our Master’s eye.”

“Considering your status in the Confucian school, it should be easy for you to get some resources to help you cultivate,” Jiang Li commented.

The Monarch of the Gentleman’s Country said shamefully: “I’m just average. How dare I waste the rare resources that my senior fellows have painstakingly accumulated.”

“You’re just creating trouble for yourself and for others. You’re only at the Nascent Soul Stage, with no more than a few hundred years to live. Do you intend to simply pass away when your lifespan runs out, leaving Dong Zhongshu deeply sorrowed?”

The Great Confucian Word Post always spoke candidly, without mincing words.

“Of all the people in Confucianism, you’re the most rigid. Even Dong Zhongshu isn’t as difficult as you.”

“Greetings, Great Confucian Word Post,” the Monarch of the Gentleman’s Country said, bowing respectfully.

“Here we go again. Every time you see me, you have to go through this tiresome ritual. Do you find it meaningful?”

“It’s the custom.”

“You’re stubborn and won’t listen. Do as you please.” The Great Confucian was at his wits’ end dealing with the Monarch of the Gentleman’s Country.