Chapter 419 - 381: Compassion

Chapter 419: Chapter 381: Compassion

A secluded and serene mountain valley, entirely different from the outside world, appeared before Chen Shouheng without warning.

The valley wasn’t large, but it was brimming with life. Strange flowers and exotic plants vied to bloom in a riot of purples and reds, their rich fragrance refreshing the heart and soul.

In the center, a pool of turquoise water was so clear you could see the bottom, reflecting the blue sky, white clouds, and the surrounding greenery.

This place was as warm as spring and brimming with spiritual energy, as if it were a different world from the one outside.

’To think there’s such a paradise hidden in the mountains?’

Chen Shouheng marveled inwardly, his gaze sweeping across the valley that resembled a paradise on earth.

Soon, his eyes were drawn to a wooden cabin built against the mountain deep within the valley.

In front of the cabin, a rice paddy of about two mu had been cleared. The rice ears were just beginning to turn yellow, nearing harvest time.

On a ridge between the paddies, an old man dressed in coarse, brown short clothes, with his trouser legs rolled up and his feet bare, was bent over, meticulously picking out weeds and barnyard grass from the field.

The old man was thin, his face dark and weathered, and his palms were rough. He looked no different from any hardworking old farmer, possessing none of the imposing aura of a Martial Dao expert.

But Chen Shouheng knew in his heart that the only person who could live in this place, and whom Duan Mengjing would lead him to with such reverence, was the mysterious Dean.

Duan Mengjing led Chen Shouheng to the edge of the paddy, stopped, and bowed to the old man in the field. "Dean, Chen Shouheng is here."

Hearing this, the old man slowly straightened up, placed the few ears of rice in his hand on the ridge, and then washed his hands in a nearby wooden bucket of clear water before finally turning around.

He had a gentle smile on his face, and his eyes were clear, showing none of the imposing presence of an important figure. Instead, he radiated a sense of peace that was as comforting as a spring breeze.

"Thank you for your trouble, Mengjing."

The Dean nodded to Duan Mengjing, who understood and silently took a few steps back, standing to the side with his hands clasped behind his back.

His gaze fell upon Chen Shouheng, looking him up and down. He then pointed to the golden expanse of the field. "Do you recognize this?"

Chen Shouheng answered respectfully, "Dean, it is rice."

"Mm."

The Dean bent down and picked up a grayish-black ear of rice he had culled. He asked, "This one-point-eight mu of land of mine, how many catties of rice do you think it can produce this year?"

Chen Shouheng was taken aback, not expecting this to be the Dean’s first question.

He looked at the two-mu rice paddy.

The ears of rice were full, and there were almost no visible weeds or diseased plants in the field. It was clearly meticulously cared for.

He calculated quickly in his head before speaking. "For good farmland in a normal year with favorable weather, the yield is about three stone of unhusked rice per mu. One stone is equivalent to two hundred and sixteen catties, so three stone would be six hundred and forty-eight catties. After drying, that yields about five hundred and fifty catties of dry grain. After husking, the rice extraction rate is about sixty percent, for a final yield of around three hundred and thirty catties of milled rice."

He paused, then continued, "The Dean’s field is far superior to ordinary good farmland. In this student’s humble opinion, an increase in yield by ten or twenty percent should not be difficult. By that calculation, you could probably get between three hundred and sixty and three hundred and ninety catties of rice."

The Dean listened very attentively. When Chen Shouheng finished, a hint of satisfaction appeared on his face. He nodded and said, "Your calculations are good. With favorable weather, this old man’s two-mu plot produced a total of seven hundred and twenty catties of unhusked rice, making it the best harvest in recent years. After paying the Land Tax, drying, and husking, the final amount of milled rice left was two hundred and forty-four catties."

Chen Shouheng listened quietly without responding, but he thought, ’You planted this field yourself. Which Government Office in Jiangzhou would dare to collect taxes from you? Of course, I can’t say that out loud.’

The Dean seemed to see through his thoughts and chuckled. "Do you find it strange? This old man calls you here, not to discuss scholarship or Martial Arts, but to calculate crop yields with you?"

Chen Shouheng bowed. "This student is slow-witted. I ask for the Dean’s guidance."

"In the Jiangzhou region, if you exclude the great clans and Scholars and Gentry who own tens of thousands of acres of fine land, the average commoner family has no more than one-point-eight mu of land per person."

The Dean sighed softly. The sound was not loud, but it carried immense weight. "Even with a field like this old man’s, which is considered top-quality land, during the bountiful harvest two years ago, with two meals a day, each person only got five taels and three mace of rice per meal."

He paused, his gaze turning to Chen Shouheng. "Five taels and three mace of rice. Is that enough to eat?"

Chen Shouheng’s heart sank. He lowered his head and answered, "It is not."

"That’s right, it’s not enough." The Dean gave a self-deprecating laugh. "And those are old numbers from ten years ago. I’m afraid it’s even less now."

Chen Shouheng said in a low voice, "The common people have many trades, and they don’t eat only rice. There are also coarse grains..."

The Dean waved his hand. "But eating is not their only expense. Clothing to cover their bodies, housing to shelter from the rain, traveling to the market, falling ill, weddings and funerals... which one of these doesn’t depend on the meager output from their land?"

He paused again, then asked, "The suffering of the people is already unbearable. This old man asks you, when the people’s livelihood is so difficult, what is to be done?"

Chen Shouheng fell silent for a moment.

He knew the Dean wasn’t just asking about simple farming matters; the question had a much deeper meaning.

He pondered for a moment before answering, "We could increase the yield per mu. If the yield increases, the common people will have more surplus grain, and their lives might become a little easier."

The Dean seemed to grow interested and pressed, "Then tell me, how would you increase this yield?"

Chen Shouheng collected his thoughts and replied, "This student believes that increasing the yield cannot be achieved by a single method. A comprehensive approach is needed, such as selecting superior seeds, accumulating fertilizer to enrich the soil, diligently eliminating pests, and building water conservancy projects to ensure irrigation... If all these methods are used together, perhaps the yield per mu could be increased to five stone."

"Sifting seeds, composting manure, pest control... these methods you speak of, most old farmers already know them. It’s just..."

He bent down, picked up an ear of rice from his feet, and rubbed it gently in his palm. "This old man once traveled far and wide, even going to An Nan myself and seeing the Champa rice there. Even with perfect weather, the maximum yield per mu in a season was just over four stone. Five stone... that’s easier said than done."

Hearing this, Chen Shouheng closed his mouth and said no more.

His own family’s high-grade paddy fields had long ago surpassed a yield of six stone per mu.

’But how could I speak of such a shockingly high yield to an outsider?’

’Revealing it wouldn’t be seen as an auspicious sign, but more likely as a cause for disaster.’

He had already taken a risk by mentioning five stone. Now, seeing the Dean’s disbelief, he took the opportunity to remain silent.

Fortunately, the Dean didn’t press the matter and changed the subject. "This old man has read your essay. You support converting rice paddies to mulberry fields. Why is that?"

Chen Shouheng answered frankly, "At the time, this student was afraid that my Master, Zhang Luyan, would use the opportunity to retaliate, so I dared not write anything critical of the current political situation."

This blunt admission clearly startled the Dean. He glanced at Duan Mengjing beside him with some surprise.

Duan Mengjing’s lips moved almost imperceptibly, obviously using the Secret Transmission Skill to add some information for the Dean.

A moment later, not only was there no anger on the Dean’s face, but a smile that seemed both resigned and understanding appeared.

He waved his hand and continued to press, "So, in your heart, you believe that converting rice paddies to mulberry fields should not be implemented?"

Chen Shouheng fell silent. In the end, he suppressed all his thoughts and answered cautiously, "The Court has its own profound considerations for promoting the conversion of rice to mulberry. This student’s knowledge is shallow; I dare not presumptuously discuss the rights and wrongs of court policy."

The Dean watched him quietly for a moment, then, after a long while, sighed softly, a trace of disappointment in his voice.

"So be it."

The Dean did not pursue it further, his tone returning to its previous calmness. "You plan to go to the Capital for the examinations?"

"Yes," Chen Shouheng replied respectfully.

"Since you are a student of my He Niu Martial Arts Academy, this old man meeting you before your departure can be considered fulfilling our teacher-student bond."

The Dean said, "This journey to the Capital holds an uncertain future. Where this old man is able, I might be able to help you a little. Do you have any difficulties, or is there something you desire? Feel free to speak."

The situation took an unexpected turn. Chen Shouheng’s heart leaped, and a wave of joyous surprise washed over him.

He had never imagined that being summoned by the Dean would lead to such an opportunity.

He immediately bowed deeply and laid out the Martial Dao problem that had been troubling him for so long. "...I earnestly request the Dean’s guidance to clear my confusion."

The Dean nodded. "The Venerable Dragon Suppressing, amidst a great flood and the plague of a vicious dragon, once subdued the Dragon King, saving the people of the Jie Kingdom from their dire plight. The Venerable Tiger Subduing once fed a fierce tiger with his own vegetarian meal, transforming its ferocity and ultimately achieving a good result. Both of them attained the Arhat Fruit Position because of these acts of compassion and merit.

"Suppressing Dragon and Tiger Subduing—on the surface, they are about strength, about combat. However, suppressing a dragon is not for showing off strength, but for salvation; subduing a tiger is not for demonstrating power, but for resolving conflict. If one has no compassion for the common people in their heart, and only possesses the power to suppress dragons and the ability to subdue tigers, how is one any different from a vicious dragon or a fierce tiger?

"Zhang Luyan’s words, ’In me, the tiger sniffs the rose,’ are closer to the Confucian idea of restraining oneself to restore propriety. This differs from the Mahayana Buddhist Sect, and even more so from the Theravada Buddhist Sect’s principle of liberating oneself before liberating others. However, among the three, none stray from the concept of ’love.’

"But the great love spoken of by the Buddha requires acts of great kindness and thoughts of great compassion. Regardless of Mahayana or Theravada, whether cultivating strength or cultivating the mind, if you lose your loving-kindness and compassion for all living beings and for heaven and earth, then all Divine Abilities and martial power will ultimately be illusory, like castles in the air or the moon’s reflection in water."

These words were like a sudden enlightenment, like a clap of thunder that violently shattered the barrier in Chen Shouheng’s mind.

"A heart of compassion..."

Chen Shouheng trembled violently, frozen on the spot.

The scene from the True Intent of Dragon Suppressing Palm flashed through his mind.

The rampaging Golden Dragon, the figure locked in combat, and the images of the common people struggling and wailing beneath the great flood...

He had been there nine times, but all his attention had been captivated by the incredibly fierce battle, by that tyrannical and unmatched power.

But he had never once considered: why did that person want to suppress the dragon?

To suppress (降): to subdue violence to bring peace to the good.

To subdue (伏): to transform hostility into harmony.

With one thought understood, a hundred thoughts become clear!

In an instant, the fog that had plagued him for so long suddenly dispersed, and the path ahead became crystal clear.

"Thank you, Dean, for your guidance in clearing my confusion!"

Chen Shouheng bowed deeply to the Dean.

The Dean accepted his bow calmly and waved his hand. "It is good that your thoughts are clear. The Great Dao is simple; do not be attached to appearances. Go."

"Yes, this student takes his leave!"

Chen Shouheng bowed again, gave another salute to Duan Mengjing, and only then did he turn to walk back the way he came, heading out of the valley.

After Chen Shouheng’s figure disappeared, the valley returned to its previous tranquility.

The Dean shook his head. "Mengjing, this student you’ve brought... he is quite knowledgeable about farming. But his temperament is a bit weak and overly cautious. He’s also a heavy thinker, with too many worries... It won’t do. Find someone else."

Duan Mengjing was not disappointed. Instead, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders, he quietly let out a sigh of relief and asked, "What kind of person is the Dean looking for?"

The Dean crumbled the broken ear of rice in his hand, letting the chaff drift away. He uttered two clear words: "Straight shooter."

Duan Mengjing mused, "Someone with an upright and unyielding character, who can’t hide things in their heart, who speaks their mind... In the Martial Arts Academy, I’m afraid there’s only one person left like that. But... must we really do this?"

The Dean said calmly, "The Holy Emperor sent that boy from the Xu Family to Jiangzhou with no other intention than to continue forcefully implementing the conversion of rice to mulberry. Some things must be done, and someone has to do them."

Duan Mengjing sighed. "Dean, this disciple dares to say, the tide of events is set. Neither you nor I can stop it."

The Dean was silent for a long time. In the valley, only the sound of the wind and the chirping of birds could be heard.

After a long while, he finally raised his head and looked toward Kyoto.

"The sage said, ’To know that something is impossible and yet still do it.’"

"The former emperor, on his deathbed, entrusted the fate of the empire and its countless people to me. Although things have changed and people are no longer the same, and this old man has long since left the court to live as a carefree hermit..."

"But as long as this old man still has a breath left in my body, I absolutely cannot stand by and watch those people, for their own selfish interests, throw Jiangzhou into chaos, and throw the world of my Great Qi into chaos."

...