Chapter Fourteen: Does a Gentleman Uphold the Way?

Not to mention the Wang clan of Danling, even the Yinluo clan, despite holding high positions of power within the Chengtian Dao, still hedge their bets, don't they? They have young disciples who do not participate in the affairs of the Chengtian Dao at all.

The patriarch of the Luo clan is a man of great resourcefulness. He once feigned submission to the cultivators of Fog Valley, only to scheme and incite them into marching to their own doom. His perspective differs from those of the divine envoys. He thought to himself, "Although our Dao is currently cooperating with the Emperor, sooner or later, we will likely have to raise an army and reshape the heavens. This will require all kinds of talent. I previously felt I lacked useful subordinates, but now it seems Wang Zhenling is quite promising..."

After a moment of calculation, he smiled and said, "Envoys, calm your anger. What is so difficult about dealing with that child, Wang Zhenling? There is no need to dispatch any experts. Since Wang Zhenling has such ability, we should simply force him to serve our Chengtian Dao!"

Before the Martial Envoy could speak, another envoy, the Five-Precepts Envoy, retorted in anger, "You do not know the nature of that Wang Zhenling; he holds our Dao in total contempt. How could we force him to serve us?"

Commander Luo smiled slightly, showing no sign of anger, and replied, "It is simple. It was previously suggested that we report this man to the Emperor and have him summoned to the Hongdu Gate Academy. It was only because of your opposition that it was not implemented. Since Wang Zhenling possesses such talent, he surely qualifies for the Hongdu Gate Academy!"

"What?" The Martial Envoy was furious. "You want to recommend him to the Hongdu Gate Academy? Such a reward—do not even think about it!" In the Martial Envoy's view, failing to punish Wang Zhenling and instead sending him to the prestigious academy was clearly meant to reward him. How could this be tolerated?

Commander Luo smiled and said, "Report this to those above and see what they say..."

"They certainly will not agree!" the Martial Envoy sneered loudly.

Commander Luo smiled and remained silent. Those who aspire to great things do not let such trifles weigh on their minds. As it turned out, the situation developed beyond the expectations of the Martial Envoy and his peers; those above actually approved Commander Luo’s plan and truly intended to recruit Wang Zhenling into the Hongdu Gate Academy. The Martial Envoy could not fathom why, and he was filled with rage, yet the decision had been made, and it was no longer something he could oppose.

Of course, these are stories for another time. How could Wang Zhenling have known that while sitting quietly at home, disaster would strike from the heavens? He had been the County Commandant for only ten days when an envoy arrived from Shenluo, reading an imperial decree summoning Wang Zhenling to study at the Hongdu Gate Academy.

Upon hearing the decree, Wang Hu and the others were overjoyed, believing that Wang Zhenling’s reputation had soared to the point where even the Emperor had taken notice. Everyone knew that the current Emperor valued the Hongdu Gate Academy above all else. Those who graduated from there were known as the Emperor's disciples, ensuring a brilliant future where appointments as county magistrates or governors were within easy reach. They were all ecstatic, for as people attached to Wang Zhenling, they naturally hoped to ride his coattails to success.

However, Wang Zhenling did not accept the decree. He looked up at the sky, feeling a sense of deep trouble. This was no favor; it was being set upon a fire to be roasted! Who could have devised such a vicious scheme? Was this the retaliation of the Chengtian Dao? It was truly ruthless.

"Wang Zhenling, this is the Emperor's grace. Will you not accept the decree?" the envoy demanded arrogantly.

"I am a man of the Confucian school," Wang Zhenling said proudly. "As a Confucian scholar, I wish to enter the Imperial Academy, not the Hongdu Gate Academy!"

The envoy flew into a rage, shouting, "Do you dare to resist the Emperor's decree?"

"I dare not, but as a Confucian scholar, I shall remain one even in death. The study of mere phrasing and carving of sentences is a trivial path; I will not pursue it!" Wang Zhenling declared loudly.

The envoy was furious, itching to strike Wang Zhenling down on the spot. However, he knew that with these words uttered today, the entire Confucian world would cheer. If he were to harm Wang Zhenling now, he would surely be drowned by the public outcry of the entire world.

"How ungrateful! Let us go!" The envoy left in resentment, already marking Wang Zhenling as a dead man in his heart.

"My lord, my lord, how could it come to this?" Wang Hu and the others were bewildered and terrified, never imagining that what seemed like good news would turn into such a disaster.

Wang Zhenling replied, "A gentleman stands by his principles without hesitation." Yet, in his heart, he sighed; if circumstances were different, he would not have chosen this path. But having committed to a course, he had to see it through to the end. On the surface, this was merely a choice between the Hongdu Gate Academy and the Imperial Academy, but in reality, it was a matter of choosing sides.

Having accepted the recommendation of Chen Bushi, Wang Zhenling had to stay on his ship. To be fickle or waver would only lead to a more miserable end. The Emperor’s power was vast and posed a threat to him, but the power of the Chen clan of Hezhong was no less capable of killing him. A traitor is always more detestable than an enemy. If Wang Zhenling were to truly betray the Chen clan of Hezhong, his fate would likely be far more wretched. Conversely, by maintaining a firm and clear stance now, he might actually gain the support of the Chen clan.

Still, he had clearly offended the Emperor's envoy, and perhaps the Emperor himself; if things went wrong, his life would be in peril. In such times, one must rely on oneself rather than others. He had to find a way to navigate this crisis. Fortunately, he still held a trump card he had yet to play, and he could only hope that this card would save his life.

The news of Wang Zhenling’s refusal to accept the imperial summons spread quickly, and soon every person of note in Danling County knew of it. Even Chen Bushi received the news quickly; he remained silent for a long time before saying to Mr. Feng, "I did not expect Master Wang to be so steadfast!"

Mr. Feng replied, "Commandant, we are currently preparing for a great undertaking; it is not the time to directly clash with the Emperor!" Chen Bushi remained silent at these words.

Following this incident, Wang Zhenling became a pariah, avoided by all. Everyone in the county government shunned him, fearing association. In such a situation, deprived of the support of his subordinates, he could complete no official business and was effectively sidelined. If it were anyone else, they would have resigned their post as County Commandant and returned home immediately. However, since the previous events, the relationship between Wang Zhenling and his clan had changed. Since one should not put all their eggs in one basket, they needed to maintain a distance. Since returning home was not an option, Wang Zhenling simply thickened his skin and remained in the county office. With no official business, he stayed behind closed doors, practicing his cultivation day and night. As for Wang Hu and the others, they now acted more like his personal retainers and guests, clinging to his side.