I play the role of Jiajing in Zongwu: What crime have I committed?

Among the various schools of thought in ancient China, the teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi were considered prominent, not only because of their doctrines, but also because of their dazzling and mysterious "miracles".

As the misty air in the hall gradually dissipated, a graceful figure appeared.

Xiaomeng held a whisk in her hand, her three thousand silver hairs loosely tied up with a single jade hairpin.

The blue Taoist robe he wore was quite different from the usual loose-fitting Taoist robes.

On the contrary, it was incredibly flattering, perfectly outlining her graceful figure.

When the wide sleeves cascade down, they resemble flowing clouds, and when the belt around the waist is tightened, it reveals that the waist is so slender that it could be grasped with one hand.

And her appearance was even more stunning than Qin Banruo's.

Her skin was as white as fresh snow and lychee leaves, her eyebrows and eyes resembled distant mountains shrouded in mist, and her eyes were as deep and unfathomable as a vast galaxy.

His entire demeanor clearly suggests he is not of this mortal realm.

Zhu Houcong gazed at the extraordinary Xiaomeng before him and couldn't help but clap his hands and laugh.

A deep, resonant voice echoed throughout the hall.

When Confucius visited Laozi, he praised him as being like a dragon, which people thought was just a humble remark.

"Having witnessed Master Xiaomeng's demeanor today, I realize that these are words from the bottom of her heart."

Xiaomeng said calmly, "One can observe its wonders by being free from desires, and observe its manifestations by having desires."

"That's because Confucius's understanding was not yet profound enough; otherwise, he wouldn't have made such a fuss."

"Well done, as expected of the head of the Taoist Heavenly Sect, daring to criticize Confucius so frankly."

Zhu Houcong laughed loudly.

"It seems that my decision to send someone from afar to invite you was indeed correct."

Xiaomeng's eyes were like water as she quietly observed Emperor Liang before her.

This Emperor Liang was over fifty years old. Although his face was majestic, it also revealed a hint of worldly impurity. He was just an ordinary and mediocre emperor.

Compared to the Qin Emperor Ying Zheng she had met in Xianyang, he was like heaven and earth.

She had assumed that an emperor who would send someone from afar to invite her to serve must be no ordinary person.

But Emperor Liang's appearance at this moment was completely different from what she had guessed before she came.

"I'm very curious, why is His Majesty so certain that I will come to Liang?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Houcong stood up, put his hands behind his back, and slowly walked forward, his dragon-patterned brocade boots making a steady sound on the gilded floor tiles.

"A young hero's ambition must be as high as the sky."

"Master Xiaomeng has taken charge of the Heavenly Sect at such a young age; she must also have the ambition to promote and develop the prominent Taoist teachings."

As he spoke, he brushed past Xiaomeng and arrived at the entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, looking up at the boundless sky.

"Looking at all the emperors in the world, I consider only Emperor Qin and Emperor Qing to be truly great rulers."

"However, the former follows the way of the king and the hegemon, conquering with iron and blood, while the latter advocates the way of the cunning and treacherous, scheming and plotting."

"Under their rule, your Heavenly Sect's principles of natural law and non-interference will find no place to stand."

Upon hearing this, Xiaomeng's eyes flickered slightly. He hadn't expected Emperor Liang's evaluation to be so insightful.

"And I received a dream from a golden-armored divine general who instructed me that from now on I should advocate governing by non-interference."

"Therefore, isn't the Kingdom of Liang the perfect stage for the master to display his ambitions?"

Upon hearing this, Xiaomeng slowly turned around, gazing at Zhu Houcong's back, her eyes gleaming with a clear, insightful light.

"Your Majesty the Emperor,"

She said calmly, "The Heavenly Sect has been passed down for hundreds of years; it's not so easy to fool them."

"Indeed, if a prominent school of thought wants to flourish, it must become a weapon in the hands of the emperor."

"But how does Your Majesty feel capable of wielding this sword?"

"Or rather, why should I believe that you can make Taoism the greatest school of thought in the world?"

"Master Xiaomeng always speaks so bluntly?" Zhu Houcong stood with his hands behind his back and chuckled.

"The Heavenly Sect transcends worldly affairs and naturally disdains petty scheming and roundabout ways."

Zhu Houcong nodded slightly and said to himself, "The general trend of the world is that after a long period of division, there will be unity, and after a long period of unity, there will be division."

"Now that eight kingdoms stand side by side, only Liang, Qin, and Qing are capable of unifying the world."

"Among the other states, Northern Qi is a harsh and cold land. Although its people are fierce, it is poor in resources and has little to offer."

"Dayu is located in the middle of the three kingdoms of Liang, Qing and Qin, a place of constant warfare. Although there are some minor actions, they are nothing more than the struggle of a cornered beast."

"The Great River in the southwest, though possessing natural defenses, is like a caged bird. Unless they can march north, conquer Xianyang, and annex the Qin state, they have no chance of turning the tide."

Zhu Houcong envisioned the landscape of the eight kingdoms under heaven, as well as the intelligence gathered by the Xuanjing Division from other countries.

Combined with the four TV series I watched in my previous life: "Qin's Moon", "Joy of Life", "Lotus Tower" and "Nirvana in Fire".

Continuous analysis is being conducted.

The voice gradually became more impassioned.

"As for Northern Yan and Southern Chu, these two small states lacked the strength to withstand being annexed by larger powers."

"Although the states of Qin and Qing occupy the Central Plains, which are rich in natural resources, they also face a common threat: the raids by the northern nomadic tribes."

"Whether it's the Xiongnu or the Western Barbarians, their strength is not weak."

Finally, he spread his arms wide and said with great pride, "My Great Liang not only possesses the fertile land of the Central Plains, which is rich in resources and prosperous in people, but also has the natural barrier of the Great River to the west, and the Southern Chu to the south is nothing more than a minor ailment. It can be said that we have a geographical advantage."

After listening to Zhu Houcong's analysis, Xiaomeng's eyes suddenly narrowed, and her heart was filled with shock.

This unassuming old emperor before us possesses such profound strategic wisdom.

Really, people cannot be judged by their appearance!

She gazed at Zhu Houcong for a long while, then opened her mouth and spoke in a voice that echoed like a secluded valley.

"Your Majesty has a thorough understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of the eight kingdoms' geographical locations."

"However, one must have the right timing, the right place, and the right people."

"Given the current global landscape, being a dominant figure is sufficient, but not enough to conquer the world!"

Chapter 61 Family affairs, state affairs, and affairs of the world—I dare not be ignorant of them.

After listening to Xiaomeng's words, Zhu Houcong calmly shook his head.

"Who said that Daliang only has a geographical advantage?"

His words echoed softly in the hall, revealing his confident and composed demeanor.

"Oh?"

Xiaomeng raised her delicate eyebrows slightly, her cool voice carrying a hint of inquiry.

"Does His Majesty the Emperor have a different opinion?"

Zhu Houcong calmly and slowly shared his insights.

"Geographical advantage only eliminates the possibility of the other five states vying for supremacy, but I also possess the advantage of popular support, which is enough to suppress the Qin and Qing states."

"Your Majesty, may you elaborate?"

"Let's start with the Qin state. Although Qin built upon the strength of six generations and swallowed up the other six states to become the most powerful state in the world, its apparent strength was actually like a taut bowstring."

"First, Qin law was strict. From Shang Yang to the current Qin prime minister Li Si, Legalism in governing the country was deeply rooted."

"As the saying goes, oppressive government is more ferocious than a tiger. How can such extreme and severe punishments be called a peaceful world?"

"Secondly, Ying Zheng's way of being a king and a hegemon does not allow him to compromise with the nobles of the six states in Shandong. After all, he destroyed all six states, so how could he possibly look down on these remnants of the six states?"

"Although the six states have been destroyed, the influence of these nobles is still considerable, especially the former state of Chu. If their interests cannot be guaranteed, trouble will surely follow in the long run."

"If I am not mistaken, the combination of these two factors will inevitably lead to constant internal strife in the Qin state."

"hiss!"

After listening to Zhu Houcong's analysis, Xiaomeng couldn't help but gasp.

Her pupils were almost shrunk to the size of pinholes as she stared at Zhu Houcong in horror.

Indeed, at this time, the Qin state appeared incredibly powerful on the surface, but in reality, undercurrents were surging and signs of trouble were beginning to emerge.

It's estimated that the situation will escalate again in a few years.

Firstly, someone is secretly manipulating the secrets of the "Seven Constellations of the Azure Dragon," intending to stir up trouble in the empire.

Master Beimingzi once analyzed that it was very likely the Yin-Yang School.

Secondly, there is the former Crown Prince Dan of Yan, who, now known as the Grand Master of the Mohist School, is secretly contacting the remnants of the six states and persuading various schools of thought, intending to rebel.

Thirdly, it is rumored that the renowned senior figure of the Yin-Yang School, "Chu Nan Gong," recently divined an eight-character prophecy: "Even if Chu has only three households left, it will surely be Chu that destroys Qin."

Even she was only able to glimpse these secrets thanks to the power of the Taoist Heavenly Sect.

But how did Emperor Liang, who was in the Liang Kingdom thousands of miles away, know that Qin was about to descend into chaos?

Could this person truly possess the ability to know the affairs of the world while residing deep within the palace?

At this moment, as Xiaomeng stared at Zhu Houcong's back, she felt a chill creep up her spine.

Although her time in the Taoist path was short, she had already transcended worldly affairs and remained calm and undisturbed.

But at this moment, she felt an unfathomable sense of oppression emanating from this seemingly old and frail emperor.

It was as if he were standing in a higher place, overlooking the entire chessboard of the world.

As for the Qing Kingdom…

Zhu Houcong did not turn around, nor did he see the change in Xiaomeng's expression.

His gaze was as deep and still as an ancient well.

"Emperor Qing ascended to the throne with the help of Ye Qingmei, but now he wants to personally erase all traces of her existence."

"He not only betrayed Ye Qingmei, but he also betrayed himself."

"A person who denies the past will eventually be trapped by it."

"Although Ye Qingmei is dead, her shadow will linger like a malignant tumor, haunting Emperor Qing forever and turning him into a sinister and treacherous person."

"Therefore, the Qing Kingdom rose because of Ye Qingmei, and it will also decline because of Ye Qingmei."

"And Emperor Qing will eventually bury himself in Ye Qingmei's shadow."

Xiaomeng could understand what was being said at first, but what followed was rather confusing.

But that doesn't stop her, because she also has her own analysis of Emperor Qing.

Although the various schools of thought in the pre-Qin period each had their own doctrines, the vast majority of them hoped to spread their ideas by supporting an enlightened monarch.

Because it is more efficient than a bottom-up rebellion.

It's somewhat like someone who has mastered both literary and martial arts skills and is now serving the emperor.

Therefore, while it cannot be said that all the successors of the various schools of thought were exceptionally intelligent, most of them were courageous and resourceful.

As the leader of the Heavenly Sect, she was naturally not only skilled in wielding swords and staffs.

Xiaomeng's eyes flickered slightly when Ye Qingmei was mentioned.

Even she herself was well-known for her extraordinary reputation.

If we're talking about the title of "the most extraordinary woman in the world," Ye Qingmei truly deserves it.

Her proposition that "all men are created equal" caused a huge uproar among the various schools of thought in ancient China.

But the root of this storm is not just these six words.

After all, Confucius once said something similar, namely, "universal harmony".

But Confucius was just talking nonsense.

Not only that, he also used "rites" as a shackle, firmly imprisoning everyone in the world in the cage of "rank and status".