Chapter 333: Chapter 56: Imperial College Sacrificial Officer
The scholar with the high crown and broad belt quickly walked along the lakeside, passed several willows, walked another hundred paces, and arrived in front of an ancient stone tablet.
The stone tablet was carved with four pictographic characters. The ancient script seemed to carry the traces of time, endowing the stone tablet with an unmistakable thickness and vastness, which unconsciously slowed the steps of the scholar.
He simply stopped in his tracks, straightened his clothes and hat, and then entered the majestic pavilion by the lakeside with a steady pace.
Inside the pavilion, rows of bookshelves were neatly arranged, filling the interior space and leaving only narrow pathways. Even the walls were composed of bookshelves, with countless books and scrolls placed on them from floor to over ten zhang high.
An old man in casual clothes hovered in mid-air, taking a bamboo slip from a bookshelf.
"Sacrificial Officer."
The scholar respectfully saluted the old man.
The identity of this elder hovering in mid-air was as numerous as that of a certain Dragon King’s Son-in-law. In court, he was the Feng Chang among the Nine Ministers; in the Imperial College, he was the head Sacrificial Officer; and within Confucian circles, some revered him as Master.
However, he himself felt that "Feng Chang" was too official, while "Master" seemed a bit too exalting—after all, the last person to be commonly addressed as "Master" was the founder of Confucianism. Thus, he only ever identified himself as the Sacrificial Officer of the Imperial College, neither acknowledging the title of Feng Chang nor accepting the title of Master.
After completing his salutation, the scholar continued, "Jiang Li, who was invited by Shen Xiu, was attacked at the foot of the mountain. Sensing that the safeguard bestowed to Ming Yang was used, I went to investigate. I found the assassin also possessed a Fourth Grade Technique, but before he could use it, he died under the Junzi Wind. Observing his qi, I suspect it’s from the Taiping Sect..."
"It’s the Ji Family’s Kui Niu Transformation."
The Imperial College Sacrificial Officer suddenly interrupted, saying, "The deceased must also be someone from the Ji Family, sent to send a message to Jiang Li."
With that, the elder slowly descended from the air, landing not far in front of the scholar, his eyes filled with spirit light, unlike ordinary people.
The Sacrificial Officer had an imposing presence; even in his old age, his dignity was undiminished. His long beard reached his belly, and his eyes each had double pupils—a sign of having four eyes. Beneath those double pupils were two other eyes, closed—a great anomaly among men.
Upon hearing the words of the Sacrificial Officer, the scholar’s face drastically changed, and he exclaimed in alarm, "What should we do?"
He harbored no doubts about the words of the Sacrificial Officer, for he knew that the officer possessed the anomaly of the Dao Fruit, with his four eyes and double pupils capable of discerning all things. Even now, with the Heavenly Mechanism around the Divine Capital in disarray, he could use the Qi Observation Skill to achieve the effect of the Yi Dao Mystic Technique.
It was precisely because of his belief that the scholar knew trouble was afoot.
The Imperial College had suddenly been thrust into murky waters, and furthermore, had killed someone from the Royal Family.
Indeed, lately, Jiang Li’s actions had been too bold—first killing the Heir of King Lu and then being linked to the death of King Lu. Now he was also entangled with the death of the Fourth Prince.
Although the Heir of King Lu’s death was deserved, and King Lu’s sins had already been sealed, there would certainly be many within the Ji Family who would have some words to say about it.
Perhaps they acknowledged that King Lu and his son deserved to die, but there were probably few who thought they deserved to die at the hands of the Jiang family.
Under such circumstances, Jiang Li being linked to the death of the Fourth Prince seemed like the Ji Family was merely knocking on the door with restraint—the scholar thought that the Royal Family was indeed broad-minded and tolerant. If it were another family, they would likely have sought direct revenge.
However, under such circumstances, the person sent to send a message was dead...
This was essentially slapping the face of the Ji Family.
Unfortunately for them, it seemed that the one who had slapped the face was not Jiang Li, but a scholar of the Imperial College.
"Indeed, what should be done?"
The Imperial College Sacrificial Officer said these words, yet his face showed no sign of urgency but rather a leisurely air, "Why not go and ask that child of the Jiang family."
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From halfway up the mountain to the summit, the mountain colors were misty with outstanding views everywhere. Among the mountains stood many pavilions, lofty palaces, all arranged in an orderly fashion. From time to time, white vapors formed mists, adding a touch of the Immortal Realm to the cluster of buildings.
This sight did not seem like a Confucian Academy, but rather like a Mystic Sect Holy Land.
Jiang Li was currently placed in a small building next to a palace.
Inside the elegant chamber, Jiang Li sat in a wheelchair, eyes closed in Breathing Control, seemingly healing his wounds, and a maid stood silently behind the wheelchair, like an invisible ghost, completely unnoticed.
After being brought into the Imperial College by Ming Yang, Ming Yang had rushed to report the situation. In addition, he had to invite a Doctor to treat Jiang Li.
Although Jiang Li had used Ming Yang to play a scheme, he had been attacked on his way to the Imperial College. The severe injury had happened at the foot of Qiong Mountain. In both sentiment and reason, the Imperial College had to take responsibility.
After all, Ming Yang now felt a great sense of responsibility.
[Seeing how responsible Ming Yang was, Jiang Li felt a bit of guilt... for a moment, he had felt guilty.]
The words were being refreshed on the Karma Collection, while the guilt-ridden person was in a state of barely clinging to life, healing his injuries using his energy.
Time ticked by in the wait, and roughly half an hour later, an aged voice suddenly came from outside the door.
"Is the Young Master of Jiang inside?"
There wasn’t the slightest movement, nor a hint of a forewarning; that figure appeared abruptly outside the doorway, making inquiries into the house.
Jiang Li opened his eyes, glanced at the text before him, pondered briefly, and responded with a weak voice, "Indeed, may I ask if the old gentleman is a doctor? What about Brother Ming?"
"I am not a doctor. On the contrary, I have come to seek medical help from Young Master Jiang."
The old man chuckled and said, "Young Master Jiang, you have truly given us a hard time. When you were assassinated at the foot of Qiong Mountain, an Imperial College Scholar stepped in to save you and inadvertently killed the attacker. Later on, it turned out that the person who attacked you was from the Royal Family, and now even the Sacrificial Wine Master is troubled."
"So the old gentleman has come to seek a solution from me?" Jiang Li’s voice was still weak.
"Indeed," said the old man with a smile, "all land under heaven belongs to the Emperor, and though the Imperial College holds a lofty position, it must still abide by the imperial law. Accidentally killing someone naturally requires a price to be paid. If Young Master Jiang cannot find a solution, then the Imperial College will have no choice but to apologize to Young Master Jiang and take you to the Zong Zheng to admit guilt, which seems quite feasible."
The old man’s voice held a hint of eagerness for trial, as if he were ready at any moment to smash a cup as a signal, summon five hundred axe-wielding soldiers, and capture Jiang Li to take him to the Zong Zheng Residence to be dealt with.
Jiang Li showed no hint of panic and said, "But the killer is not me."
"That’s not important. What’s important is that the Zong Zheng Residence thinks it’s you," the old man chuckled.
"Then I’m afraid the gentleman will be disappointed."
"Oh?"
"Because I and my fellow disciple Gongsun Qingyue are deeply in love with each other, and I will soon personally visit to ask for her hand in marriage. I recon that the Zong Zheng Residence would not invert right and wrong and falsely accuse me," Jiang Li said without any sense of shame, candidly disclosing his intention to rely on his relationship.
As his words fell, Tianxuan’s laughter rang out by his ear, but Jiang Li remained unfazed.
Outside the door, the old man was at a loss for words for a moment.
There was nothing he could do; Jiang Li’s reasoning was too sound.
If it had been Jiang Li who killed the person, the old man would have had a reason to press the issue. But the fact was, Jiang Li wasn’t the murderer—he was merely an injured person who had nearly come to the Imperial College alone, without the capability to kill anyone.
No murder was committed, and with powerful backing, framing him was out of the question.
The old man only mentioned it offhand, not expecting Jiang Li to actually have a response that turned his argument on its head.
And such a unique response at that.
The old man thought to himself that he had seen quite a bit in his lifetime, but someone like Jiang Li, who faced the prospect of being supported by a woman with such righteousness, was only the second one he had ever seen.
The first, he had already witnessed in the current Long Prince Consort.
Thinking this over, the old man felt even more bewildered.
How was it possible that such rare oddities could appear twice? Once could be passed off as a fluke, but twice?
"Nevertheless, the situation has arisen because of me, and it is indeed necessary for me to offer a solution," Jiang Li changed the subject and continued.
"How shall we resolve it?" The old man said, "Let’s get one thing straight first, Ming Yang acted out of righteousness and cannot be made to bear the blame."
"Brother Ming Yang saved my life; how could I possibly repay kindness with ingratitude?"
Listening to Jiang Li slowly speak, "The matter is simple, and there is no need to involve Brother Ming. It is sufficient for the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer to go to the Imperial Palace and plead guilty before the Emperor with branches in hand."
"That’s right. A genuine plea for mercy is needed, not just a show of attitude."
He meant literally baring the chest and carrying branches to plead guilty before the Emperor.
Jiang Li dared to say, achieving this extent, the Emperor would certainly let the matter drop lightly.
After a moment of silence, the old man outside the door finally spoke, "Isn’t that taking it a bit too far?"
"It is necessary," Jiang Li intoned, "after all, the mistake does not lie in killing someone."
The mistake was not the act of murder, but rather the Imperial College and Jiang Li’s interaction, an attempt to probe the effects of the Ginsengfruit and whether it would be of use to the Emperor.
Compared to this, the death of the Ji Family individual was utterly insignificant.
The Imperial College Sacrificial Officer personally begging for mercy with branches conveyed submission, which would truly put the Emperor’s mind at ease.
Sincerity had to be shown; otherwise, even if he pleaded guilty, the Emperor’s suspicions might not diminish. Once the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer pleaded guilty in such a manner, there would be no room for turning back; it would harm not only his cultivation as a Confucian scholar but would also utterly destroy his reputation.
Hence, it was necessary to plead with branches in hand.
But that was the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer, one of the Nine Ministers, the head of the Confucian School – how could it be possible for him to stoop to that?