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Chapter 852: The Immortal's Guidance

Gu Yanwu nodded. "I am currently traveling the world, observing wonders far and wide. Coming to Xi'an Prefecture, it was like a country bumpkin entering a city; I witnessed countless novel things, and I have recorded each of them."

Li Daoxuan said, "What you're recording, my friend, doesn't seem like a travelogue. It appears to be an analysis of matters that benefit the nation and enrich the people."

Gu Yanwu blinked. "Ah? You've seen the content, Brother Li? You must be laughing at me."

He noticed that this Squire Li wasn't discussing scenery or poetry with him, but rather "benefiting the nation and enriching the people." This immediately piqued his interest, and his conversational enthusiasm flared. He found it far more engaging than chatting with other scholars.

"Brother Li, during my travels in Xi'an this time, I saw numerous factories built in the city's outskirts, with a dazzling array of strange and wonderful things," Gu Yanwu said, growing excited. "And these factories have provided a huge number of jobs for the common folk, paying them generous wages. What a magnificent picture of a prosperous nation and a strong populace! This is how a nation should be run!"

Li Daoxuan replied, "Well, what a coincidence. I also believe the nation should be run this way."

Gu Yanwu rubbed his hands together excitedly. "I must write all of this down, organize it into a memorial, and find a way to submit it to the imperial court. If the Emperor could see it, perhaps it would be of some small use."

Li Daoxuan said, "Let the Emperor see it? I'm afraid that might not lead to a good outcome."

Gu Yanwu asked, "Oh? Brother Li, why do you say that?"

The moment he said this, Gu Yanwu froze.

As he pondered it more deeply, sweat began to pour down him.

Although he was only in his early twenties and had not personally experienced officialdom, he had certainly heard of the current Emperor's eccentric personality. Several years prior, when the Fushe gathered at Tiger Hill, Gu Yanwu had attended and heard the officials present discussing it.

The officials had all said that the current Emperor was harsh and ungrateful, suspicious and distrustful. His actions were unpredictable, changing like gusts of wind and sudden rain. To serve under him, one had to be diligent and cautious, as if treading on thin ice. Even a minor mistake could easily lead to dismissal and arrest.

This was no slander!

It was the truth!

Gu Yanwu had personally witnessed the Governors of Shaanxi and Shanxi being replaced as if in a revolving door, and the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet changed even more frequently, spinning like a top.

Li Daoxuan chuckled. "Have you ever noticed that relying on the Emperor alone to make momentous decisions on a whim... seems a bit off?"

Gu Yanwu gasped, startled by the words. "Bold!"

Li Daoxuan smiled. "Don't glare at me, it won't do any good. I know you're a person of insight; you've thought about what I just said, haven't you?"

Gu Yanwu was speechless for a moment, even feeling a tremor of fear in his heart.

He realized that his innermost thoughts had been seen through by the man before him.

He harbored an idea, hidden deep in his heart, one he had never shared with anyone: the concept of "collective governance."

He had even secretly penned a short essay long ago, which stated: "The ruler of the realm cannot govern alone. If he governs alone, punishments will multiply; if he governs collectively, punishments will cease."

But he knew full well that if this essay ever saw the light of day, he would likely be beheaded.

So he kept this little essay tightly guarded, absolutely refusing to show it to anyone. Not even the elders or old friends of the Fushe knew that such a notion was turning in his mind.

It was utterly treasonous!

Seeing him completely stiffen, Li Daoxuan said no more. "Slowly, slowly," he thought.

Fishing was about waiting for the fish to bite willingly; you couldn't forcibly impale them on the hook.

He gently patted Gu Yanwu's shoulder and smiled: "Let me recommend a few places for you to visit. However, whatever you see and hear along the way, it's best not to write about it for the Emperor, or you might very easily lose your head."

Gu Yanwu asked blankly: "Where?"

Li Daoxuan replied, "Gao Family Village in Chengcheng County, Shaanxi; Puzhou, Hedong Circuit in Shanxi. After visiting these two places, you can head north to Taiyuan, Shanxi, where the new Governor of Shanxi, Wu Shen, is preparing to vigorously develop the province. If you go quickly, you'll discover a wealth of practical knowledge that benefits the world and enriches the people."

Gu Yanwu asked, "Huh?"

With that, Li Daoxuan turned and walked away.

Gu Yanwu quickly stood up. "Brother Li, don't leave! I still have something I want to ask you, how exactly did you..."

He wanted to ask how Li Daoxuan knew he was contemplating "collective governance."

But Li Daoxuan didn't answer. He instantly switched his co-sensing connection back outside the box. Without donning his golden gauntlet, he reached into the diorama, picked up "Mass Production Model 3," and with a wave of his hand...

What Gu Yanwu saw, however, was the "Squire Li" before him shimmer, as if teleporting, instantly appearing dozens of yards away. With another shimmer, he moved dozens of yards further, and then, with a final shimmer, vanished without a trace.

Gu Yanwu gasped, "Ah? Shrinking the ground to an inch?"

His heart pounded with fright. "Who exactly was that person talking to me just now? An immortal? A demon?"

He was terrified!

Truly, utterly terrified.

Gu Yanwu immediately took off running, desperate to find someone to talk to.

Just then, a group of new tourists approached from Xi'an. They were all burly men, with bulging muscles, dressed in matching uniforms. It turned out they were workers from Xi'an Baimei Factory No. 1, on a team-building outing.

Gu Yanwu immediately noticed that embroidered on the chest of each man was a strange human figure. Though stitched with thread and somewhat abstract, its outline was eerily familiar. Had he seen it somewhere before?

"Ah? The Squire Li from just now!" Gu Yanwu gasped in shock. "It's that very face!"

The embroidered face and the lifelike silicone face were slightly different, which was why he hadn't made the connection when he first saw Li Daoxuan.

Now, upon closer thought, he realized: the one who had spoken to him earlier was none other than Dao Xuan Tian Zun himself! Could a mere mortal truly possess the immortal art of shrinking the ground to an inch?

Sweat streamed down Gu Yanwu's face.

Astonishment, panic...

After a long moment, he swallowed hard and made a decision: "Gao Family Village in Chengcheng County, Shaanxi; Puzhou, Shanxi; Taiyuan, Shanxi—I must visit these three places."

When an immortal points the way, how could a mortal not go and uncover the truth?

Gu Yanwu sprang to his feet, crying out to his fellow scholars: "Gentlemen, I suddenly have urgent business and must depart. Enjoy yourselves!"

The group of scholars called out, "Eh? Brother Gu... don't be in such a hurry."

Gu Yanwu ignored their pleas for him to stay, took off running toward the train station, and in moments, vanished from sight.

The scholars watched his retreating figure, shaking their heads in unison: "Brother Gu, it's no use rushing to the train station. The boarding time is fixed, isn't it? You'll still have to wait for us to finish our fun and come back before we all go together."

That evening, Gu Yanwu sat awkwardly on a waiting bench at the train station, watching as his traveling companions returned... the group staring wide-eyed at each other...