Chapter 194 - Embracing the World
Chapter 194 Embracing the World
The capital was extremely lively today.
Emperor Zhou had left the palace in his ceremonial outfit..
Accompanying him were Su Changqing, Wu Kunhu, the Empress, and the old eunuch.
“Hehe, my Great Zhou is peaceful and prosperous. I am very comforted.” Emperor Zhou chuckled.
“Your Majesty is right.” Su Changqing bowed and said, “Your Majesty’s achievements have surpassed the past and present. Your might has shaken the four seas. You can truly be compared with a Saint Lord from the ancient times.”
By the side, Wu Kunhu pursed his lips.
This bootlicker!
He cursed in his heart.
However, seeing that Emperor Zhou was smiling so widely that his mouth could not close, he did not dare to say anything.
At this moment, they came across a few long lines!
“What’s happening?” Emperor Zhou asked curiously. Su Changqing naturally knew what was going on. His smile was a little stiff as he stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, it’s fine… Some citizens seem to be queuing up to buy something… There’s nothing to see.”
Emperor Zhou asked curiously, “What is it? Why are so many people buying it?” “This…”
Su Changqing didn’t want to answer, so Wu Kunhu continued, “What else could it be? It’s that Liang Zhu that Su Wen wrote!”
At this point, he couldn’t help but ridicule, “Su Wen’s book is really boring. I took a look at it too. It’s between a man and a woman talking nonsense. I wonder how good it really is!”
To be honest, what Wu Kunhu said was not wrong… For someone like Wu Kunhu, he was completely uninterested in such novels. He originally thought that Su Changqing would retort!
However, he did not expect Su Changqing to agree. “That’s right! Su Wen’s writing is like dogshit! It’s simply unsightly!”
“Eh?”
Everyone looked at Old Su. One had to know that this fellow had always been protective of his own people. If anyone were to say anything about Su Wen, they would definitely find a way to rebut him. Why was he acting like this today?
However, hearing their words, the Empress was not happy. Her beautiful brows furrowed slightly as she said, “I’m not happy with what the two of you are saying. That Liang Zhu was written very well, so why are you so disdainful? I like it very much! When the second book comes out, I must read it. Changqing, quickly get a few books and send them to the palace. There are many sisters in the harem who are also looking forward to it!”
Su Changqing’s expression was conflicted as he muttered, “This book is really not good to read. It’s better not to give it to you!”
At this moment, the Zhou Emperor said unhappily, “You, Su Changqing, are old and wise. It’s fine if you’re a little petty and cautious usually, but can’t you even bear to part with a few mere books? Look, your Su family has sold countless books today. Is sending a few into the palace so troublesome?”
Wu Kunhu teased from the side, “Your Majesty, Minister Su is used to being meticulous. He’s not like this subject who is extravagant. If Minister Su sells a few less books, he will go home and cry…”
“Alright, it’s settled then. Are these few books worth being so stingy?” Emperor Zhou casually said.
To him, it was a small matter…
Su Changqing sighed and said, “Your Majesty, it’s not that I don’t want to send the books into the palace. It’s just that the second book is very different from the first! I’ve already seen it, and it’s completely nonsensical… so to prevent tainting Your Majesty and the Empress’s eyes, it’s better not to send it!”
Emperor Zhou smiled and said, “Oh? Now that you say so, I want to see it even more. Before tonight, send them into the palace!”
Su Changqing looked at Emperor Zhou and the Empress. He could not imagine their expressions after reading the book…
As everyone walked away, at this moment, someone suddenly rushed to the front of the line!
This person’s eyes were red as he roared, “F*cking Su Wen! Return my money! What did you write! Return me my Zhu Yingtai! Return me my Liang Shanbo!”
This person rushed straight to the bookshop, grabbed the books that were being sold, and started tearing them apart! How could the people who were queuing to buy the book be willing to let him do so? They started punching and kicking him!
Soon, the patrol guard came to take the fighting men away… However, Emperor Zhou and the others did not notice…
This was only a miniature version!
The troublemakers in the city… was not just one person.
The entire city was filled with curses at Su Wen…
At this moment, Su Wen, who was lying at home, was grinning from ear to ear!
Indeed, such anger was easier to obtain Emotional Value from.
Make them happy? What was the use?
Now that his Emotional Value was soaring, Su Wen felt extremely comfortable…
That night, in the palace, Emperor Zhou finished reading the book. His hand emitted a blast of Qi and the book instantly turned into powder.
“It’s just as Su Changqing said! The writing is nonsense!” Emperor Zhou said hatefully, “Disgusting brat! Disgusting!” It was fine on his side, but the saddest thing was the women in the Royal harem…
Originally, there was nothing to pass the time for, and it was very interesting to read such a good book. However, who would have expected that the situation would suddenly take a turn for the worse? They watched as the pair of mandarin ducks were broken apart and tortured… It was so stifling that they could barely breathe.
The next morning, the Empress ordered for Su Wen to enter the palace…
Another person was even more depressed, and that was Fei Chi!
This old fellow was originally happy when he saw the overwhelming praise for the Liang Zhu’s first book. After all, it was his foreword that was written there.
But from the second book onwards, he also started to get implicated!
“What literary expert? Is this the work he spoke of?”
“That’s right, what is this writing? Elder Fei has also fallen!” “Sigh….”
How could Elder Fei, who valued his reputation, accept such insults?
After the court session, he went to complain to the emperor!
“Your Majesty! My reputation has been ruined by that Su Wen! Please let me return to my hometown, Your Majesty. I have no face to stay in the capital!” Emperor Zhou was also furious. “Send Su Wen here!”
At this moment, Su Wen was looking at his Emotional Value at home and smiling foolishly. In just a day, it had increased by more than 700,000!
And it was still growing!
What a euphoric sight. If it could continue increasing like that for the next few days, wouldn’t he become rich?
Just as he was fantasizing, Ning Shuang came to report, “Young Master, there are people from the palace. One is His Majesty’s subordinate, and the other is the Empress’s subordinate. Both of them want you to enter the palace to meet them!”
Su Wen sighed faintly.
If there’s good news… then there must be bad news!
These two, summoning him into the palace… was definitely not for something good.
However, he still had to go. Su Wen left the house and got Zhao Jin to prepare the car before leaving with the eunuch.
At this moment, a trace of joy flashed through Xue Qianxun’s eyes!
The opportunity had arrived!
In her opinion, the ones who were more threatening in this family were Zhao Jin, Su Wen, and Yan Luoying! But now, everyone had left!
She planned to take the chance to escape! As she worked… she shifted towards the wall! Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, she leaped and climbed up the wall!
Freedom was right in front of her!
Xue Qianxun was extremely excited. “Come down.” Suddenly, a cold voice rang from behind her. Xue Qianxun turned around and saw Ning Shuang standing under the wall, looking at her. Shocked, Xue Qianxun ignored her and jumped out of the wall!
“Chu He!”
Ning Shuang called out. Xue Qianxun tried her best to escape. With her cultivation sealed, she could only rely on her physical strength to run away!
But all of a sudden, a strong gust of wind blew and Xue Qianxun stopped.
She felt a sword being placed at her throat! Xue Qianxun gulped with some difficulty.
“Go back!”
Following Chu He’s orders, she obediently returned.
During this period of time, Chu He’s cultivation was in the midst of a breakthrough, thus he cultivated in the residence and rarely followed Su Wen out.
Xue Qianxun never expected that there would be another expert in the residence! She could only obediently follow Chu He back to the residence.
When they arrived at the backyard, Ning Shuang coldly glanced at her and said, “Follow
me!”
Chu He sheathed his sword and left!
Xue Qianxun followed behind Ning Shuang in fear.
For some reason, although Ning Shuang was only a maidservant in the backyard, Xue Qianxun was most afraid of her. Ning Shuang brought her to an isolation chamber.
She only coldly remarked, “Wait for Young Master to return!” Finished with her words, she prepared to leave.
Right at this moment, an uncontrollable urge arose in Xue Qianxun’s heart!
Kill this woman!
As long as she killed her then escaped immediately, no one would know!
That Chu He only stayed at the outer residence area. As long as she pressed down on her throat in time, with her strength as a warrior… even if she only possessed physical strength, it would definitely not be a problem!
Thus, at the moment Ning Shuang turned around, Xue Qianxun moved. She pounced forward like a female leopard!
Bang!
Xue Qianxun was sent flying back in a very anticlimactic manner. She hit the wall hard and landed on the ground. She spat out a mouthful of blood and her body seemed to have been disassembled. Xue Qianxun’s eyes widened as she looked at the maid in shock!
She could not believe it!
This maid was so powerful!
Even if her cultivation was not sealed… she might still have trouble! Ning Shuang coldly glanced at her and said in a deep voice, “You are not allowed to go out. Wait for the Young Master to come back and punish you!” Xue Qianxun laid on the ground… not daring to move.
Ning Shuang’s casual strike just now had inflicted injuries that were not light either. As the door closed, Xue Qianxun laid on the ground, despair filling her heart. Within the Su Residence, there were crouching tigers and hidden dragons! Su Wen did not know what had happened at home, but even if he did, he was not surprised.
At this moment, he was in the palace. He stood obediently in front of Emperor Zhou and was being scolded by him. “Tell me, why didn’t you cultivate properly? Why did you go write a book? It’s fine if you write a book, but look at what you wrote! You even tricked Fei Chi into arranging the foreword for you?”
Fei Chi stood by the side and stared deeply at Su Wen.
Su Wen pursed his lips and said, “What do you mean by trick? He only wrote it after reading the original text!”
“You only showed me half!” Fei Chi roared.
Su Wen sneered. “So I have to write a book according to your thoughts for you to leave a foreword? Then next time, you can just write the book yourself!”
“You! You! You…” Fei Chi was so angry that his hands were trembling.
At that moment, a palace maid walked in. Emperor Zhou could tell at a glance that this was the Empress’s personal palace maid. This palace maid knelt on the ground and didn’t dare to raise her head. She said, “Your Majesty, the Empress wants you to hurry up… She and the other consorts are waiting to reprimand Su Wen…” Emperor Zhou pulled Fei Chi and said, “Let’s go! Let’s see how we reprimand this little bastard!” He immediately got Su Wen to follow the maid to meet the royal harem.
When he arrived at the royal garden, Su Wen looked over and saw more than ten beautiful women angrily awaiting his arrival. For a moment, he felt like he was back in the Hundred Flowers Pavilion!
He couldn’t help but glance sideways at Emperor Zhou as he inwardly cussed, “What an old pervert…” “What are you looking at me for? I can’t save you today!” Emperor Zhou looked at Su Wen and sneered.
He still thought that Su Wen was asking him for help. Su Wen walked over and bowed obediently. The Empress and Royal Consorts also bowed to Emperor Zhou at the same time. The Empress couldn’t help but say, “Your Majesty, it’s not that I want to be rude today, but this brat is really too infuriating!” “Speak! Why did you write such a disgusting ending?”
Sigh… Su Wen naturally could not say that he did it to disgust the readers.
He could only explain, “Reality is always like that!”
“Bullsh*t!” Upon hearing this, the first person who was unhappy was Emperor Zhou. He rebuked angrily, “Under the rule of Great Zhou, the four seas are peaceful, and the commoners live in peace. The law is strict, so how can it be as dark as you say?”
“Hehe…” Reality was often a hundred times darker than what the novel could even describe.
However, Su Wen could not say it directly and could only laugh it off. Following that… was a series of criticisms and bashings.
In the end, the Empress sternly said, “I don’t care what you think, but this ending has to be changed for me!”
Su Wen smiled bitterly. “How can I change it? It has already been published and sold.” “I don’t care what happens outside, but there has to be another version in this palace!” Su Wen was reprimanded and scolded until the crowd all vented their anger. However, in Su Wen’s opinion, weren’t they just being trolls? They were like online readers who were unhappy with what the author wrote, then proceeded to go and find him and curse and swear at him. Why did such people exist…
It was just too bad that the system did not have a function to restrict cursing and swearing… otherwise… Su Wen did not reject the scolding, however. He also felt that he had forcefully written a disgusting ending in order to harvest his Emotional Value. It made this book, which was supposed to be a classic, feel a little ruined. His heart ached for it. Perhaps even spreading another version in the palace was a good thing. Anyway, it would not affect his harvest of Emotional Value.
According to Su Wen’s estimates, this book would soon become infamous.
However, after the readers experienced their initial anger, he would not be given any more Emotional Value. To put it simply, as long as a period of time passed, even if a second version was released, it would not affect his harvest of Emotional Value. This was because what he needed to harvest was almost done.
He thus agreed to the Empress’s request. At this moment, the consequences caused by Liang Zhu were still fermenting!
For example… the Su family’s bookstore was splashed with feces…
Or like… countless people complaining about Su Wen in the teahouse tavern… However, Su Wen was still very generous towards these people. After all, this was also a form of promotion and helping him gain Emotional Value.
Throwing sh*t at him, cursing and swearing… so be it. After all, Young Master Su was very thick-skinned…
In front of the capital, Dou Beiming appeared with a bag on his back and a sword in his hand. As a loyal bootlicker, he decided to rescue his goddess after her arrest!
However, Dou Zhan didn’t agree and forcefully locked him up for a few days. In the end, he found an opportunity and secretly ran down the mountain.
The moment he entered the city, he heard someone scolding Su Wen! “This Su Wen is simply a bastard!” “I really want to kill him!”
“I hate me to death. I won’t read this fellow’s books again.”
Dou Beiming was a little confused.
What was going on? Why was Su Wen’s reputation so bad in the capital? Then wouldn’t it be easier for him to save people?
This was Dou Beiming’s first time in the capital. As the youngest son of an Elder, he had excellent cultivation resources. He was only 27 or 28 years old, but his cultivation was already at the 6th Grade Earth Rank. He rarely left the mountain, but he knew very well that a 6th Grade Earth Rank cultivator could be considered a top-notch expert in the martial world.
At this moment in Su Wen’s residence.
Su Wen had just returned to his residence. In the isolation chamber, Qianxun was lying quietly on the ground. Ning Shuang did not restrict her freedom, but she did not dare to run. She could already tell that even though the area looked defenseless, there was actually someone watching her! Suddenly, the door to the chamber opened.
Ning Shuang held a cross in her left hand and a chair in her right as she walked in.
After fixing the rack on the wall, he looked at Xue Qianxun and said coldly, “Take off your clothes!”
Xue Qianxun bit her lower lip, not daring to disobey.
Soon, a female version of Jesus appeared in the room.
“What are you doing?” Xue Qianxun could not help but ask.
“Young Master’s instructions, just wait! Young Master is coaxing his wives, and will come over later!” After Ning Shuang said that, she left. Xue Qianxun was tied to the cross, her long hair flowing down her fair skin.
Unexpectedly, it revealed a trace of holiness and purity.
After an unknown period of time, the door opened again and Su Wen appeared.
Su Wen leisurely sat down on the chair.
Looking at her calmly, their eyes met and she lowered her head again.
“Slave Xue, you disappoint me.”
Su Wen said softly, “I can understand you escaping, but you shouldn’t have attacked Ning Shuang…” “Slave Xue knows her mistake…” Xue Qianxun whispered.
Pa!
A whip appeared in Su Wen’s hand at some unknown time, and he lashed out without holding back! As the whip landed, a red mark appeared on her snow-white skin!
“Ah!”
Xue Qianxun could not help but cry out. “I told you… if you run… you have to be prepared to be punished…”
Within the isolation chamber… The punishment began.
Su Wen only came out at dawn.
As for Xue Qianxun, she followed behind obediently, but her legs were already trembling as she walked. After a night of torture, even the body of a martial artist at Earth Rank could not withstand it.
Su Wen looked at the system and saw that Xue Qianxun’s loyalty had increased a little.
He shook his head slightly at the slow process.
There was no hurry… There was plenty of time.
The effects of Liang Zhu were still brewing, and Su Wen’s infamy spread throughout the capital.
At this moment, something that Su Wen never expected happened! The students he had taught at the Profound Language Pavilion… They actually formed a group and arrived at the capital’s busiest street. They then pulled up a huge banner! “How can a shallow person read and comprehend Liang Zhu?”
This slogan was too provocative. What was going on? One had to know that this was the time for everyone to criticize Su Wen. A person dressed in the robes of a scholar came to their stage and shouted, “Do you all still have a trace of the culture of a scholar? In order to flatter the Su father and son, you actually did such a shameless thing. Could it be that you are really going to ignore the teachings of the sages for the sake of your future?”
At this moment, one of the scholars from Profound Language Pavilion stood out and sneered, “Do you think you are worthy of commenting on us? Do you think you are worthy of commenting on Master Su? Can you understand Master Su’s essays?”
“Hehe! What’s there to not understand? It’s completely written to disgust people!” That person spat angrily. “Originally, they were a good couple, but they were separated by that bully. One died and the other went crazy, but that bully was completely fine! How can this
be?”
“Hahahaha!” The scholar from Profound Language Pavilion laughed maniacally. “How can there be such a logic? Is this the first day you were born in Great Zhou? There are many commoners in the world, and they are even more miserable than this! Master Su has only written the true life of people in the book, yet you are already so angry. Go and take a look, those aristocratic families, let’s not talk about anything else!
Just look at the Li Prefecture’s disaster, how many commoners have died in it? Right now, the Court is settling the accounts of the officials of Li Prefecture and governing the aristocratic families of Li Prefecture because of Master Su’s hard work! In this book, Master Su is projecting the aristocratic families in the real world! They are bullies, and we are like the couple in Liang Zhu. If no one controls them, we can only be bullied and humiliated! This is Master Su speaking up for the commoners!” “You shallow people can only see the surface when you read books. So what if Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai get together in the end? Will you feel happy? Then what can the world understand? What’s the meaning of sending out a warning?” That Pavilion Scholar said righteously, “In my opinion, if Master Su really decides to write like the other works outside, then it would be incomparably superficial. It’s unbearable to look at, but now, it’s a genuine work that can be passed down from generation to generation!”
If Su Wen was here, he would definitely have a face of question marks. What the f*ck was this ridiculous plot twist! This daddy just wanted to disgust people… The scholar from Profound Language Pavilion took out a Liang Zhu book and said, “From the first chapter onwards, Master Su has already given us a hint! Look, Master Su wrote at the start: “It’s autumn now, and dark clouds are densely covering the sky…” What does it mean? This means that Master Su is insinuating that the world is unfair and that the world is dark! Can’t you all see such an obvious hint?”
“Then take a look at this sentence…”
This fellow fully displayed Su Wen’s ‘comprehension through reading’ and began to analyze and explain the book! The more they explained, the more reasonable the listening audience felt!
The scholarly outsider who had reprimanded them at the beginning was already standing at the side with a face full of shame! He suddenly understood! He had misunderstood Su Wen! The scholars of Profound Language Pavilion only stopped after they had finished recounting the entire book.
Only then did he say, “Master Su wrote this book to warn us that as an official, we cannot be partial to the law. Such a tyrant relies entirely on us to punish him. It is also to warn the Royal Court about the deeds of those aristocratic families! It’s laughable that you shallow people actually cursed Master Su about the deaths of the fictional characters in the book, when this book is actually a teaching to be passed down like the ancient Sage’s Records!”
Looking at his respectful expression, those who had scolded Su Wen before felt ashamed! That person continued, “Master Su’s family is rich and has never lacked money. Why would he do such a thankless task? It’s precisely because he is magnanimous that he wants to warn the world and not hesitate to use his own name as the gambling stake! What kind of noble sentiments does this contain? These few days, all I’ve been hearing is just cursing and swearing at Master Su. It’s really hard to bear! That’s why I came out to explain things. I hope that everyone can understand the deeper meaning in the book and live up to Master Su’s painstaking efforts!” A thought popped up in everyone’s minds. So that was why Young Master Su wrote this book! Su Wen never expected that the comprehension he imparted to them back then would backfire so spectacularly on him instead. Furthermore, they even managed to forcefully explain such vague logic. This twisted logic… unknowingly spread.
Especially among scholars, such a noble behavior was simply a role model they pursued! Soon, a strange scene appeared. As long as someone said that Su Wen’s book was disgusting, a scholar would immediately jump out. They would immediately begin to explain the “deeper meaning” in the book to the others… to refute their unfavorable remarks…
In an instant, this argument spread throughout the capital.
In the royal palace, Zhao Wanrou listened to the palace maids talking about the rumors on the streets.
He could not help but sigh. “I was wondering why Brother Su wrote such an ending. Now that I see it, he indeed has a heart that embraces the world. As expected of the person I like.”
Meanwhile Emperor Zhou and the Empress listened to the report with twisted expressions. After hearing it, Emperor Zhou couldn’t believe his ears.
“That kid has so many deeper thoughts?!”
The Empress sighed. “This Empress is too shallow. I shouldn’t have forced Su Wen to rewrite that Liang Zhu.”
Emperor Zhou instead raged, “Nonsense! That Su Wen definitely doesn’t have such thoughts.”
The Empress only looked at Emperor Zhou as she asked, “In Your Majesty’s opinion, Su Wen is not lacking in money. Furthermore, he just won a war and immediately gained military merits. Why would he write such a book?”
“This…”
Emperor Zhou had no answer to that!