Chapter 61

Yufu Residence

Yu Fan stepped down the stairs but did not leave immediately. Under the watchful eyes of several servants, he walked slowly, stopping and moving at irregular intervals, sometimes fast, sometimes slow.

The sky had turned overcast. Yu Fan had passed the examination today and was ranked first, which should have filled him with joy, but at this moment, he was preoccupied with heavy thoughts and a heavy heart.

As he pondered, he reached a lake. A small bird was startled and flapped its wings, flying away. Yu Fan subconsciously saw his reflection in the lake and shuddered as if electrocuted.

Yu Fan's face immediately turned grim. He realized that he was still thinking about Ye Qing and that reflection.

He slowly left the pond and stood in the pavilion, his brows furrowed, his heart pounding, unable to calm down. He watched the rain begin to fall outside the pavilion, closed his eyes, and breathed deeply, trying to dispel the feeling, but to no avail.

"What's wrong with me?" Yu Fan muttered to himself. A sense of oppression and emptiness spread in his heart, the feeling of losing something important, hollow, oppressive, and anxious.

"Master, Master!" At that moment, a maidservant holding an oiled umbrella ran over, her footsteps splashing on the ground, creating ripples.

The maidservant was dressed in a bright red robe, her face somewhat beautiful. She did not show the fear that servants usually had when seeing their master; instead, she seemed somewhat close and proud. She skipped to Yu Fan and whispered in his ear, "Why are you alone here? Father and Mother miss you very much. Would you like to go see them?"

The rain continued to fall, a steady, unending drizzle, cold and silent, typical of early spring.

Yu Fan did not answer the maidservant but made up his mind, shook his head hurriedly, and said in a low voice, "I feel something is wrong. I need to go see Uncle. You go back."

As he spoke, he pushed the maidservant aside and headed towards the hot spring garden.

The maidservant, pushed off balance, fell to the ground, watching helplessly as Yu Fan ran away, unable to even hand him the umbrella. She bit her lip, her eyes inexplicably moist.

Upon reaching the pavilion, as usual, the area near the hot spring was shrouded in mist, making it hard to see clearly. Yu Fan felt a deep sense of emptiness, dragging his feet towards where his uncle was.

Yu Fan felt that something was amiss. He was born with great fortune, and his family had nurtured him with all their resources, protecting him with various blessings. He had never faced any disasters or difficulties, and even when he did, they were always resolved. But this situation was unprecedented, and he felt it necessary to consult his uncle.

Although his uncle's condition had reportedly worsened, given their close relationship, he believed his uncle would not hesitate to help.

"Who's there?" A voice called out from thirty paces away from the hot spring pavilion.

"Hey? What are you doing here?" Yu Pingzhi said. In the few days since they last met, his originally half-gray hair had turned almost completely white, but his skin still looked youthful and elastic.

"Stand up." Seeing Yu Fan bow, Yu Pingzhi waved his hand and instructed him to rise, then entered the pavilion.

Yu Fan, troubled, said, "Uncle, please forgive me. Today was a celebration, but after it ended, I felt something was amiss. Could you help me understand?"

Since the destruction of the life-saving doll, Yu Pingzhi had been unable to muster his usual spirit. The sect had only given him three, and he had been reluctant to use them for years, each one a last resort. Now they were all gone.

Every time he thought about it, he felt a deep pain. Seeing his nephew come for advice, he felt a sudden wave of aversion, but he did not show it. Instead, he smiled and said, "I don't know everything, but go ahead and tell me, and we'll figure it out together."

Yu Fan then recounted everything that had happened and his thoughts.

Yu Pingzhi listened without responding, carefully observing. On the surface, Yu Fan showed no change, only a faint green aura, a sign of his good fortune.

Moreover, he had just passed the examination and ranked first, and had also planned the establishment of the Lost Pearl Pavilion, making him even more prosperous than before.

But even as Yu Fan spoke, Yu Pingzhi could still sense a subtle foreboding.

In the world, there are always people born with great fortune, overcoming obstacles and enjoying continuous luck, achieving success and prosperity.

If Yu Pingzhi were in his prime, he could have used divination to determine the situation, but now he was helpless. However, he could still sense that Yu Fan's fortune had shifted.

The subtle changes in fortune can be felt by ordinary people, and Yu Fan's unease was understandable. Seeing Yu Fan finish speaking and look at him expectantly, Yu Pingzhi smiled bitterly and said, "Fan, your feelings are understandable, but you shouldn't take them too seriously."

"For hundreds of thousands of years, the rise and fall of emperors and ministers have been recorded in history, and the reasons are clear. What is 'Qi'? It is the essence of all things. What is 'Yun'? It is the force brought by the flow."

"Going with the flow is like sailing downstream, achieving twice the result with half the effort. Going against the flow is not impossible, but it is fraught with danger."

"But no matter which way, the boat is the foundation for you and me."

"To put it simply, we live in a world where the flow of all things creates countless winds, big and small, which is what we call fortune."

"Living in the world means being in the flow of fortune. No matter how strong one is, without the wind, one cannot sail far, unless one reaches the supreme realm."

"You are naturally intelligent, but one should not rely solely on talent. In the wild, there are many dragons and snakes. In terms of intelligence and ability, they are numerous. Uncle is not saying you lack talent, but compared to them, you are far from exceptional."

Yu Fan listened intently, initially confused, but gradually began to understand.

"Fortune is made up of countless small fortunes, but ultimately, they are governed by a greater destiny, just as many rivers converge into a major river."

"If one refuses to converge, unless one can reach the sea on one's own, one will become a tributary, and no matter how talented, one will wither and die, unable to achieve a good end."

"Our family has been a prominent clan for generations, not because of individual talent or ancestral blessings, but because we have a boat and occupy the main river, forcing others to converge and follow our path. This is what we call the true trend."

"This boat and this river are our lifelines!"

As these words sank in, Yu Fan suddenly understood, feeling as if a veil had been lifted from his mind. All the confusion and anxiety vanished.

Yu Fan looked up and saw his uncle's icy eyes, which made him shiver.

"Your Lost Pearl Pavilion is the boat you are building. It aligns with the great path, and with it, you can harness the wind, which is your fortune!"

"Your melancholy and the people Ye Qing has gathered may be like pearls, but pearls are not boats or sails. You must focus on building your boat, occupying the main river, and making others converge. You need to be less cunning and more regal."

"These words are taboo, and I should not have said them, but seeing you so troubled, I couldn't bear it."

"Also, sending people to use petty tricks is not without effect, but it damages your path and your regal aura. You should not do it yourself."

Hearing this, Yu Fan was deeply moved. He looked at his uncle and said, "Nephew was troubled today and came to seek your advice. I did not expect to hear such profound words. I am truly grateful and will not trouble you with trivial matters again."

Yu Pingzhi nodded, reflecting on his life. He sighed inwardly, "It's a pity that understanding the path is not enough. One must have a boat to ride the waves and occupy the river. My intelligence and character are far superior to Yu Fan and his father, but I am just a discarded piece in the Yu family. Who can I tell this to?"

"If I still had the life-saving doll, I would not have said this. This is my final investment in Yu Fan. If he truly understands, losing some fortune is nothing."

"Still, the winds will come from all directions!"

He did not say that as an emperor, he would not tolerate a clan monopolizing the path to advancement, for that would undermine the state.

As the Heavenly Way, it would not tolerate anyone monopolizing the river for long.

Unless one merges with the Way or transcends it!

Official Road

Leaving the city gate in the spring rain, the cool breeze and the driver's call made the ox cart move faster.

The ox cart, more spirited than on Earth, was slower than horses but had endurance and could travel long distances. In the continuous spring rain, there were almost no pedestrians on the road, only the sound of hooves splashing in the mud.

Two ox carts were hired. One carried Ye Qing and Qianqian, and the other carried Lü Shangjing. At this moment, Ye Qing and Lü Shangjing were in the same cart, talking.

Lü Shangjing was discussing the Lost Pearl Pavilion.

"Yu Fan, taking advantage of his success in the examination and ranking first, established the Lost Pearl Pavilion. It is said that the Yu family contributed 130,000 taels of silver for the first establishment, causing a sensation in the entire county. Many people flocked to join, and the news spread here in just half a day."

Ye Qing smiled, looking at the drizzling rain. In his previous life, the Lost Pearl Pavilion had indeed attracted many people, and Lü Shangjing, who had gone through the system, had eventually been recognized and risen to become the prime minister of the Yu family.

"However, while there are many talented people in the common folk, true geniuses are rare. Without Lü Shangjing, the Lost Pearl Pavilion, even if not full of pebbles, is mostly pearls—mere grains of sand!"

"Those who think that without one butcher, there will always be another, truly underestimate talent. Talents like the Three Heroes of the Han Dynasty, if killed or lost, cannot be replaced."

Ye Qing, unaware of Yu Pingzhi's grand theories, had his own plans: "The Dragon Palace gifted 100 taels of gold, which I exchanged for 1,200 taels. I gave 300 taels to Lü Shangjing, and the remaining money is sufficient for the 300-acre plan, but it is far from enough to accumulate fortune."

"Money is the lifeblood of society, and I will not underestimate it. Where can I get more money to solidify my foundation and increase my fortune?"

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