Chapter 0049: Willing to Be Lowly

Chapter 0049: Willing to Be Lowly

Mi Jing said he would select some Buddhist scriptures before sending them to Xiao Rong, and naturally, Xiao Rong had no objections. He leisurely returned to his quarters.

Sitting in a chair, Xiao Rong's posture was relaxed. With one hand supporting his head, he began to review his plans in his mind.

In front of Gao Xunzhi, he said he wanted to use the name of the God of Literature to promote the library, while in front of Mi Jing, he said he wanted to print Buddhist scriptures first, using the Buddha’s name to make it easier for people to accept this idea.

Of course, he did not want to offend believers on either side; rather, he wanted to please both.

Outwardly, he would say that building the library was an idea brought by the God of Literature in a dream, and printing the Buddhist scriptures was a benefit Mi Jing had secured for their Buddhist community.

This way, the introduction of printing technology wouldn't be too conspicuous. The conflict between Buddhism and Daoism would escalate, especially since from the moment these two religions met, neither would yield to the other. This wasn’t the later period when Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism merged; at this time, monks and Daoists were like salespeople competing for customers, engaging in open and covert battles, slandering each other behind their backs, and denying any wrongdoing if caught.

At this time, all scriptures were handwritten, so they didn’t circulate widely. Many people couldn’t afford the texts and could only listen to them being read aloud at temples or Daoist monasteries. Monks and Daoists should be the most anxious about this situation, but they had no solutions. Monks assigned novices to copy scriptures daily, yet demand still outstripped supply. Daoists compiled new scriptures every day but lacked references.

Xiao Rong printing Buddhist scriptures would naturally prompt Gao Xunzhi to contribute some Daoist scriptures as well. When monks and Daoists from other regions heard about this, they would come to investigate. Upon arrival, they would find not only their own people but also those from the other side, making the scene incredibly lively.

Taking advantage of this situation, Xiao Rong could print more scriptures and distribute them for free. The literati managed literature but ignored these texts. By the time they realized they were being slowly encircled, the bookshop would already be operational.

However, these were just surface benefits.

The true, and absolutely secret, benefit was that Xiao Rong hoped both religions would need him, developing within his constraints and balancing each other, with neither overpowering the other.

Xiao Rong was neither an atheist nor a theist; he kept an open mind, willing to accept all different voices. He truly believed that existence is reasonable, even if something seems useless to humans, it might be vital to another species.

Neither Buddhism nor Daoism could be banned; they had developed for too long and had very complete theories. Forcing a ban would only drive people to secretly practice, which would not eliminate them and would cause public resentment. The importance of public opinion needs no explanation.

Since banning them was not an option, let them develop properly. This was part of cultural heritage, after all, there were no entertainment activities now. Incense burning and participating in religious festivals were already the favorite pastimes of the common people.

Therefore, despite his apparent emphasis on the Buddhist disciple, Xiao Rong not only planned to invite a Buddhist disciple but also some Daoists. One Buddhist disciple was enough, and his reputation surpassed a hundred famous Daoists. In Daoism, Xiao Rong didn’t plan to invite celebrities; instead, he intended to lead Daoism down a different path.

A path that was grounded, with low short-term returns but long-term benefits lasting a thousand years. Well, okay.

Though he wanted to treat both religions objectively, Daoism was native, so Xiao Rong couldn’t help giving it a little preference.

There was no rush. Recently, the phrase Xiao Rong used most often was "We'll deal with it later." He had done most of the preparatory work, and now he just needed to wait for his subordinates to complete their tasks. During this process, he could leave for a while without worry.

Putting down his hand that had been supporting his chin, he tapped the table unconsciously, as if playing the piano. Xiao Rong narrowed his eyes slightly, then suddenly stood up.

After living in the mansion for so long, Xiao Rong visited the kitchen for the first time, startling the chefs so much that they dropped their scallions.

Looking at these all-male kitchen staff, Xiao Rong felt quite complex.

Even now, the Northern Pacification Army was still a bachelor army, without a single female cook. How miserable was that?

Qu Yunmie sat in the study, his gaze seemingly fixed on a document on the desk, but in reality, his mind had wandered for a long time.

He was calculating how long it had been since he last killed someone with his spear.

The last time he took a life with his spear seemed to be that damned Li Xiuheng, and that was two months ago.

Qu Yunmie didn’t know what a record was, but this was indeed the longest period he had gone without killing since leading troops.

How empty, how lonely, how he wished to feel warmth through others' blood.

Qu Yunmie's eyes gradually became distant. He was considering whether to go hunting outside the city. Actually, he never really liked hunting wild animals; hunting involved bows and arrows, but he preferred close combat with real weapons.

He regretted a bit that on the first day in Chenliu, Qu Yunmie had tasked Gongsun Yuan with dealing with nearby bandits and robbers. Xiao Rong usually asked him to spare captives’ lives, but this time he remained silent because these people were truly evil, killing innocent travelers and torturing them for pleasure. However, if the victims had guards, the bandits wouldn’t dare attack, showing cowardice.

These cowards with blood on their hands were worse than foreigners. Xiao Rong found it repulsive even to use them as laborers.

At the time, Qu Yunmie was busy, so he delegated the task to Gongsun Yuan. But the initial busyness had passed, and now the army was idle, as was he, the Northern Pacification King. Most city affairs were handled by Xiao Rong, and if he couldn’t manage, he would ask Gongsun Yuan and Yu Shaoxie for help, never coming to him.

If he had known, he would have done it himself. Gongsun Yuan excelled in defensive battles and waiting for opportunities but was not good at small-scale pursuit battles. It was said that due to unfamiliarity with the terrain, he had let a gang leader escape twice. If he had done it himself, he would have dismembered the leader on the first try.

Qu Yunmie was torn between hunting a mating bear in the mountains and going further to replace Gongsun Yuan. Suddenly, he heard a gentle knock on the door.

The only person who knocked on doors in this mansion was Xiao Rong. Others would just push the door open, and after Xiao Rong got angry once, they started shouting through the door.

He was taken aback because Xiao Rong had never visited his study. Qu Yunmie instinctively stood up and looked around the study.

Thankfully, the previous governor of Chenliu had set up the study according to his preferences. There were decorations on the antique shelves, and a few scrolls on the bookshelves for show.

Although Qu Yunmie had never touched them.

Feeling everything was fine, Qu Yunmie quickly walked over and pulled the door open.

He had delayed a bit, so Xiao Rong thought he hadn’t heard and raised his finger to knock again. Then the door opened.

Xiao Rong looked at Qu Yunmie in surprise, then smiled. "Your Majesty, you could have just said 'come in,' and I would have pushed the door open. Why trouble yourself to open it?"

Qu Yunmie: "..."

That made sense.

But he hadn’t thought about it and just did it. Admitting his mistake now would be even more embarrassing.

So he paused, then said nonchalantly, "That weak knock must be you. I wouldn’t open the door for anyone else, but if I let you push it open, I’m afraid you’d fall."

Xiao Rong: "............"

His smile froze. Qu Yunmie hadn’t noticed and looked at the food box in his hand, asking, "What is this?"

Xiao Rong wanted to answer, "Pig food."

But gathering his composure, he didn’t say it and instead smiled warmly. "I made some food for Your Majesty."

Qu Yunmie’s expression changed slightly, looking at Xiao Rong in surprise. "You made it yourself?" Xiao Rong nodded.

Qu Yunmie reached out, and Xiao Rong handed him the food box. As he took two steps forward, Qu Yunmie closed the door behind him very naturally.

The food box was normal-sized in Xiao Rong's hands, but it seemed miniature in Qu Yunmie's. Xiao Rong silently thought that perhaps he had made too little.

Qu Yunmie was still looking curiously at the reddish-brown food box. He didn't open it; instead, he looked up at Xiao Rong and asked, "Isn't it said that a gentleman stays far from the kitchen?"

Xiao Rong smiled. "Does The King think I look like a gentleman?"

Qu Yunmie glanced at him and then looked away.

He didn't answer, but in his heart, he thought that Xiao Rong wasn't a gentleman, yet he was the only true gentleman Qu Yunmie had ever met.

Fortunately, Xiao Rong didn't mind Qu Yunmie's occasional silences. For others, silence might mean many things, but The King was simple-minded. His silence was just silence, nothing more to ponder over.

Qu Yunmie swept everything off the desk and then opened the food box. While doing this, Xiao Rong was observing Qu Yunmie's study. Originally, Qu Yunmie wanted to turn it into an armory, but Xiao Rong vetoed the idea. An armory could be placed in the backyard, but an important room on the central axis, one that others would see upon entering, should remain elegant.

As for the scrolls of books, Xiao Rong picked one up casually and flipped through it. It was a military text.

Xiao Rong didn't read the content; he only examined the book's binding and format. Without doubt, it was a handwritten copy, but its size was much larger than what Xiao Rong was used to. This kind of book couldn't be held with one hand; it needed to be spread out on a table or held with both hands. It resembled an account book.

Xiao Rong held the book and asked Qu Yunmie, "Has The King read this?"

Qu Yunmie had just opened the food box when he heard the question. He glanced at the book cover and then looked back down. "No, because when I got this book seven years ago, I had already read it once."

Xiao Rong raised an eyebrow. Qu Yunmie had an excellent memory, able to recall events and their exact years effortlessly. Logically, such a person would be smart and efficient in reading, but Qu Yunmie preferred weapons over books. Despite his talent, he didn't use it, so he didn't make much progress.

Of course, having a good memory also meant holding grudges. Xiao Rong had noticed that whenever they argued, Qu Yunmie would bring up past insults, using different idioms each time. Xiao Rong even felt that Qu Yunmie would keep mentioning these things forever.

Putting the book back, he returned to Qu Yunmie and saw him frowning at a plate of golden-colored items.

Hearing Xiao Rong approach, he asked, "What is this dish?"

Xiao Rong replied crisply, "Fried platter."

Qu Yunmie: "..."

It contained fried chicken cutlets, wings, ribs, and lotus root patties.

As for potato chips, there was no need to think about them. There were no potatoes here, and their origin was too far away. Xiao Rong would never taste the deliciousness of potatoes again in this life.

Although potatoes were unavailable, there were many other delicacies he had never tasted before, balancing things out. To prepare this fried platter, Xiao Rong used up all the oil the kitchen had planned to use for a week. The chefs winced at the waste—how could anyone be so extravagant!

But the result was worth it. Although animal fat was used and some ingredients Xiao Rong loved were missing during the marinating process, some foods were naturally delicious. For instance, the chickens they could buy now were authentic free-range chickens, which were hard to come by in the future.

High-carb, high-fat foods are beloved by all humans, especially meat-loving men like Qu Yunmie. He sent a guard to fetch two pairs of chopsticks and then sat down in the study to eat with Xiao Rong.

Xiao Rong didn't eat; he disliked greasy food. He just held his chopsticks and watched Qu Yunmie eat.

Qu Yunmie first picked up a chicken wing, which looked familiar to him. After biting into it, the hot, tender white meat oozing with oil was revealed, and the aroma intensified.

Experiencing fried food for the first time, Qu Yunmie paused, put down his chopsticks, and called in the guard to bring him two jars of wine.

Xiao Rong laughed and put down his chopsticks, leaning closer to Qu Yunmie and asking softly, "Does The King like this?"

Qu Yunmie nodded modestly, "I didn't expect you to have culinary expertise as well."

Xiao Rong replied, "This isn't something I invented; it's a cooking method from another country. Though it's flavorful and delicious, it's too greasy to eat often. I only make it occasionally as a reward for myself."

Qu Yunmie looked up, "Reward?"

Xiao Rong pointed at himself, "For me, it's a reward."

Qu Yunmie raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Then what is it for me?"

Xiao Rong smiled, "It's gratitude. Mi Jing told me everything. That The King personally went to seek peace and resolve misunderstandings with him makes me truly happy."

Qu Yunmie: "..."

Though he knew the matter couldn't be hidden, he didn't expect it to leak so quickly. Instantly, his impression of Mi Jing dropped further.

He had acted after careful consideration. Although he still believed Mi Jing didn't care about Xiao Rong's life, Xiao Rong was right: Mi Jing was useful to the Northern Pacification Army. Moreover, Mi Jing was just a monk with no real power despite always being around. Therefore, he shouldn't get angry over Mi Jing's words.

Besides, Xiao Rong was determined to go to Jinling. Qu Yunmie suddenly understood the saying "the more friends, the better." In enemy territory, he and his army would be powerless, but someone like Mi Jing, who had influence without power, could sway public opinion in Jinling with a single letter, viewing Xiao Rong as a hero and protecting him.

However, understanding this didn't mean Qu Yunmie liked Mi Jing. He had reluctantly approached Mi Jing and didn't want others to know, fearing it would damage his manliness.

Qu Yunmie lowered his gaze, knowing what Xiao Rong would say next: praise like Gao Xunzhi's, encouraging him to continue such humble behavior.

But unexpectedly, Xiao Rong changed the subject, "The King should not do this again."

Qu Yunmie: "? ? ?"

He looked up in surprise. Could seeking peace have been wrong?

Seeing his puzzled expression, Xiao Rong found it somewhat endearing and chuckled. Then he explained, "When disputes arise with subordinates, The King going to seek peace might be fine once or twice, but if done too often, it can create inappropriate thoughts among subordinates and blur their sense of position. The correct approach is to avoid verbal conflicts from the start. Once a dish is broken, even if glued back together, it will still have cracks. This time, it's okay because Mi Jing is different. For his ideals, he can even serve someone like Huang Yanjiong if it means achieving his goals. So he won't hold a grudge over The King's harsh words."

Qu Yunmie: "............"

So, that bald monk stayed not out of trust but because he saw benefits here?

He knew that monk had ill intentions!

Qu Yunmie was shocked, as he hadn't known Mi Jing's character. He thought Mi Jing was righteous, but now it made sense why he never mentioned Xiao Rong's safety. Perhaps to Mi Jing, everyone was the same, with no distinction between close and distant.

While Qu Yunmie was reshaping his impression of Mi Jing, Xiao Rong continued, "Even without verbal conflicts, problems will arise in human interactions. When The King has a dispute with a subordinate, seeking peace is appropriate, but not in this manner."

Qu Yunmie frowned, "What manner?"

Xiao Rong paused, trying to find a gentle way to express it but eventually decided to be direct, "Sneaking around, hiding, as if afraid of being discovered."

Qu Yunmie: "…"

A hint of embarrassment flashed across his face. Xiao Rong chuckled lightly, "Why not let others know? If no one knows, who would realize how magnanimous The King is? If no one knows, wouldn't the peace-making be in vain?"

Qu Yunmie: "…"

So, in your eyes, making peace is just a show?

He couldn't help but say, "You just told me not to do this again."

Xiao Rong nodded, "Yes, but I also said that once or twice is fine. This time it's over, and for the next opportunity, The King must remember to find an occasion where everyone is present, call that person up, and speak some heartfelt words to them personally. But remember, don't directly apologize. The King is still The King; you can feel remorse but shouldn't formally apologize. Once you do, it means you owe them morally. Do you remember Huang Yanqin? Debts of gratitude are hard to repay."

At this point, Xiao Rong leaned back slightly, "As for the future, there's no need for The King to handle such matters personally. For similar situations, The King can have me or Chancellor Gao step in. Our words will suffice with just a nod from The King. As the Northern Pacification King, apologizing should be left to us."

Qu Yunmie looked at him with an indiscernible expression.

Xiao Rong tilted his head, thinking he didn't agree with what he said.

Qu Yunmie pursed his lips slightly and repeated, "Your meaning is that in the future, you'll apologize on my behalf, no matter who it is?"

Xiao Rong sensed something off in his tone but couldn't quite grasp what it was, so he carefully replied, "It's just a few words, which is part of my duty as an advisor."

Qu Yunmie: "…"

Suddenly, he stopped looking at Xiao Rong and picked up his chopsticks again, eating the snacks Xiao Rong had prepared for him.

Xiao Rong watched him devour the fried snacks without the previous enjoyment. It seemed more like he was eating out of spite.

However, after just a few bites, Qu Yunmie suddenly put down his chopsticks. With lowered eyelids, he said, seemingly out of nowhere, "I won't do it again."

Xiao Rong blinked and asked, "Not secretly make peace anymore?"

Qu Yunmie: "…Not engage in verbal sparring anymore."

This way, Xiao Rong wouldn't have to humble himself before others for his sake.