Chapter 729: Chapter 729: The Boss Has Been Outwitted

The next day.

The Marquis Gu came again to invite Mr. Songshan and Qin Yuan to the jail to act as persuaders.

Mr. Songshan clicked his tongue: "Realized it so soon?"

Next to him, Qin Yuan smiled without speaking.

The Marquis Gu was somewhat puzzled: "The jailer said Wang Zichuan was in the cell, crying and laughing, shouting he figured out why he was caught."

He looked towards Qin Yuan: "This Wang Zichuan is a bit strange, only realizing now why he was caught."

Though he didn’t say it, his expression betrayed him — is the chief of Black Wind Village out of his mind?

Mr. Songshan laughed: "He had a sudden epiphany! Just like Zen Master Zhiting suddenly laughed in the middle of the night, shouting that he understood, waking up the entire monastery. The next day, the abbot asked him what he realized. Want to guess what he said?"

"What did he say?" The Marquis Gu quietly reached to hold Qin Yuan’s hand, yet his face appeared sincerely eager.

Mr. Songshan was very talkative: "He said he couldn’t conveniently say."

"..."

Mr. Songshan continued: "The abbot advised him, saying, ’Buddha descended to the world to demonstrate teachings, it should be convenient to say something.’ Only then did Master Zhitong softly reveal his realization — it turns out the master is a woman. The abbot nodded repeatedly, saying he indeed understood."

The Marquis Gu was stunned: "Does that even need a realization?"

Isn’t it obvious, isn’t the master a woman, or is she a man?

What does the Zen master’s mind linger on all day?

Could there be some profound mystery hidden in this?

The Marquis Gu glanced at Qin Yuan, hoping she would give a hint.

But Qin Yuan remained silent.

Mr. Songshan kept it a mystery: "Let’s go see if Wang Zichuan truly figured it out or if it’s just an act. Marquis, you should listen in too."

The Marquis Gu felt quite sympathetic towards Wang Zichuan, after all, he was the chief of Black Wind Village, yet got swayed by these two scholars.

These scholars were indeed impressive.

The Marquis Gu must witness this.

"Listen, we’ll listen."

Inside the jail.

Wang Zichuan stared blankly at the narrow window on the high wall, while others either sat or lay on the musty, hard straw piles, afraid even their breathing would disturb him.

The plump guy, unable to hold back any longer, whispered: "Wasn’t it just getting caught as thieves? What happened to the boss? I can’t quite understand it."

"If you don’t understand, that’s right. If we all understood, wouldn’t we all be the boss?"

The plump guy patted his belly, frowning, not feeling consoled.

"Those two scholars indeed have a smooth tongue, full of deceitful words. No wonder the boss says the superior kills with words, turning the boss into... this with just a few words."

Suddenly, there were two "bang bang" sounds.

The plump guy quieted down, looking towards the bars,

"Bang bang"

The jailer knocked a few more times, leaning on the water and fire stick, shouting: "You with the red mole on your face, calling you, stop daydreaming, the person you want to see is here, hurry up, don’t dawdle."

"Boss, boss," someone went forward to call.

The previously absent-minded Wang Zichuan finally returned to his senses, slowly getting up and walking to the bars, saluting the jailer, saying: "This brother, I am also a person of some renown in the Jianghu, named Wang Zichuan. If we ever meet outside in the future, I will definitely treat you well."

Upon hearing this, the jailer carefully examined Wang Zichuan for a moment, then slowly grinned, saying: "Wang Zichuan, my surname is Xue, known as Xue Laoer. The noble one has arrived, been waiting for a long time, follow me now."

Wang Zichuan said: "Thank you, Second Brother Xue, for leading the way."

Watching Xue Laoer escort Wang Zichuan away, only then did the plump guy retract his gaze, angrily slapping the straw beneath him: "Those two scholars came again, finished, finished, the boss will truly be fooled."

The Marquis Gu thought he only needed to sit there.

Unexpectedly, as soon as Wang Zichuan saw him, he spoke.

"Marquis Gu, today you are an official, and I am a bandit, it is the situation that makes it so. But if you go to Black Wind Village, you wouldn’t be able to say that."

The Marquis Gu did not respond, just sat calmly.

But Wang Zichuan was relentless, questioning directly: "Could it be that the Marquis Gu does not agree with what I said?"

Qin Yuan smiled and mediated: "It seems Brother Zichuan has not truly figured out why he was captured."

Wang Zichuan said: "No, it is precisely because I figured it out that I say this. Marquis Gu was born noble, while we were born humble. Thus, Marquis Gu can lead troops to great feats in battle, but we, though skilled in martial arts, unwilling to be beneath others, become bandits.

Being a bandit means being caught by officials, a fate determined at birth."

Qin Yuan said: "Brother Zichuan’s words have a resemblance to the discussion on causality between Xiao Ziliang and Fan Zhen."

Wang Zichuan nodded with satisfaction, feeling a sense of camaraderie.

Qin Yuan continued: "Fan Zhen said that flowers from the same branch and stem are blown by the wind, some fall on the brocade, like the Crown Prince Xiao Ziliang, while others fall on filthy ground, like Fan Zhen, without visible cause and effect. But since Brother Zichuan knows this allusion, he should also know the fate of Xiao Ziliang."

Wang Zichuan bowed his head in contemplation.

"What was Xiao Ziliang’s fate?" The Marquis Gu finally spoke.

Qin Yuan said: "Xiao Ziliang was originally the legitimate second son of the Emperor of Qi, befriended Confucian scholars, gathered talented individuals from across the land. After the legitimate first son died of illness, he should have been made the Crown Prince.

But the Emperor of Qi never decisively chose between the Imperial Grandson and him, and a certain supporter of his defected at the critical moment, causing him to lose the throne, thereafter he was despondent and died young. And this friend of his later became King Liang Wu, who overthrew Southern Qi, Xiao Yan."

The Marquis Gu said nothing.

This story made him very uneasy.

Wang Zichuan said: "What does Young Master Nantang wish to say?"

Qin Yuan said: "Even though history is a mirror, what one sees depends on what they wish to see. I am merely lamenting that even petals fallen on brocade experience the pain of being ground into dust."

Wang Zichuan nodded: "This is the unpredictability of destiny."

Qin Yuan spoke eloquently.

"The destinies of the noble princes are as fickle as floating duckweed because the emperor’s mind is unpredictable.

Clearly, Xiao Zhaoye was licentious and unfit to rule, yet he ascended the throne.

Xiao Ziliang was talented and favored by the people, yet died in frustration.

Southern Qi was overthrown, and Xiao Yan gained the realm.

Tying one’s life and fortune to the princes is indeed somewhat unwise.

For instance, Wang Rong, who supported Xiao Ziliang with the full power of the Langya Wang Family, was ultimately executed in the prison.

Brother Zichuan, what do you say?"

Wang Zichuan opened his mouth to speak, but didn’t know what to say. By now, he had long lost his initial vigor, and merely stammered: "Oh."

Mr. Songshan was very moved, like a teacher who had high hopes for a student.

"After Zen Master Zhiting attained enlightenment, he once composed a poem: ’Raise my hand to climb the Southern Dipper, turn my body to lean on the North Star. Outside the bounds of heaven, who is like me?’ I thought Your Excellency had already realized why you were captured, intending to gift this poem. Unexpectedly, you are still within this mountain."

"Raise my hand to climb the Southern Dipper, turn my body to lean on the North Star. Outside the bounds of heaven, who is like me?" Wang Zichuan repeated the Chan poem over and over until the narrow window above no longer even allowed in moonlight.

In the jail, only the dark autumn night remained, with the snores of his brothers around rising and falling.

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