Li Qingxian looked at the Destiny Star, Meticulous Scrutiny. Jia Da was undoubtedly after this star.
In his youth, Zhou Furu had forged this Human Destiny Star through sheer, unceasing effort. After many years of refinement, it had reached the very pinnacle of what an artisan could achieve.
’This Destiny Star is a classic example of a Diligent Study and Advancing Fate Grid. It’s also a Gold Destiny Star, which pairs perfectly with A Drop of Water Becomes a Lake. Both Fate Grids are rooted in diligence. A Drop of Water Becomes a Lake emphasizes long-term accumulation, while this one focuses on extreme precision. They have their own unique strengths, and they’re mutually reinforcing.’
Leaving his Life Mansion, Li Qingxian looked at Zhou Furu and said, "If you’re sincere, we’ll sign an agreement, and I’ll get your granddaughter into the Night Guard. The Patrol Bureau has an independent Women’s Room. Once she’s in, as long as she doesn’t make any mistakes, she’s guaranteed a stable life."
"I... I can really get out?" Zhou Furu’s lips trembled.
"Jia Da is a prolific evildoer. Lord Guo Xiang, the Deputy Disciplinary Officer of the Black Lamp Department, said he will personally step in if Jia Da provokes you again. Fann Xing, spread Lord Guo’s words around the Imperial Prison. We don’t want anyone without eyes getting ideas about betraying their own."
"Rest assured, sir. By the end of the day, the entire Imperial Prison Department will know that Lord Guo Xiang saved Zhou Furu and intends to punish Jia Da," Fann Xing said.
"Good, good..." Tears welled up in Zhou Furu’s eyes.
The two signed the agreement. Since Li Qingxian didn’t have a spare, ordinary Fate Grid to use for luring, he first went to Han Anbo and bought one. Using it as bait, he lured away Zhou Furu’s Meticulous Scrutiny.
After placing Meticulous Scrutiny in his Youthful Life Land alongside A Drop of Water Becomes a Lake, the Life Land now possessed two Diligent Study and Advancement Type Destiny Stars.
Li Qingxian tried reading for a whole day but didn’t feel any obvious change.
’That’s to be expected. Diligent Study and Advancement Type Destiny Stars are all Human Destiny Stars, unlike Celestial Destiny Stars, which take effect the moment you acquire them. This kind of star is more like an exceptionally skilled teacher, constantly guiding me and helping me improve. Only when I reach a certain level will I truly merge with it and become one. If you acquire a Human Destiny Star like this but let it go to waste, it will actually cause the star to weaken or even be destroyed.’
Closing the book, Li Qingxian stood up and walked outside, stretching his limbs.
Han Anbo hurried in, his expression sober. "Li Ke," he said, "the Celestial Hand Gang won’t release her."
"They wouldn’t release her even though you were wearing your Night Guard uniform?"
"The Celestial Hand Gang frequently fences stolen goods, and they have an intricate network of powerful backers. Many pawnshops, Money Shops, and other factions are in collusion with them. Their current Gang Leader is a successor from Baijian Mountain, and you should know that Baijian Mountain is a major sect vassalized to the North Xuee Family."
Li Qingxian said, "The South Xuee Family and the North Xuee Family... You mean the ones from the saying, ’The North and South Xuee Families fleece the north and south’?"
Han Anbo chuckled. "That’s the one. It’s the top line of the famous couplet that ends with, ’Pawnshops east, pawnshops west, pawning things from east to west.’"
"The South Xuee Family are merchants, while the North Xuee Family are officials. Is their power in the Divine Capital really as great as the rumors claim?"
Han Anbo’s smile vanished. He nodded firmly, saying nothing.
Li Qingxian frowned. ’The fewer the words, the bigger the problem.’
"But there don’t seem to be many high-ranking officials in the Imperial Court with the surname Xuee. Even the ’Minister of Chives,’ Xuee Ziliao, is just from a side branch of the South Xuee Family."
"But the North Xuee Family has many sons-in-law and protégés," Han Anbo said. "They also have a great number of those seemingly insignificant Middle Grade and Seventh Grade junior officials in non-leadership positions. On top of that, one of the Imperial Consorts is a Xuee."
"I understand. You have to know the master before you beat the dog," Li Qingxian said. "I’ll go find Uncle Zhou."
Li Qingxian went into the Chunfeng Inn and explained what had happened.
Zhou Chunfeng nodded. "Very good. You weren’t rash or reckless. Wait a moment."
Zhou Chunfeng took out a Communication Talisman Disc and sent a message.
A moment later, Zhou Chunfeng said, "They will deliver her to the Patrol Bureau’s Women’s Room today. I’ll notify Matron Liu and have her arrange the placement. Remember, if you run into the South Xuee Family in the future, you can afford to be a bit forceful. But with the North Xuee Family, no matter how big the issue—even if it’s over a single Wen—you come to me. Understand?"
"Understood. But I don’t like it," Li Qingxian said with a frown.
"You’re still young. You’ll get used to it when you’re older," said Zhou Chunfeng.
"I don’t want to get used to it. Are the North Xuee Family really that tyrannical?"
"It’s a double-edged sword," said Zhou Chunfeng. "On the one hand, they help maintain relative stability in various regions. On the other, they grow too powerful to control and end up causing calamities. The higher-ups rebuke them, they lie low for a while, then they cause trouble again. This cycle has repeated itself for hundreds of years without a break."
"Yes, it’s just like the dynastic cycle. It’s certainly not a problem I can solve," Li Qingxian sighed.
"Oh? The dynastic cycle?" Zhou Chunfeng’s gaze sharpened, and he stared intently at Li Qingxian.
Li Qingxian remained calm. "It’s a term I overheard when my father and grandfather were talking. I was young back then and only half-understood most of it, so I just remember a little."
"What does it mean?"
"It roughly means that throughout history, the rise and fall of nations and the change of dynasties seems to follow a repeating pattern, a vicious cycle that can never be broken," Li Qingxian explained.
Zhou Chunfeng mulled this over for a moment, then nodded. "Gangfeng always loved to get to the root of things. Did the two of them ever mention how to solve it?"
Li Qingxian’s head was spinning. ’I just casually dropped a term, did he really have to put me on the spot like this? This is a problem countless great sages and men of virtue haven’t been able to solve!’
Li Qingxian thought for a long time, wracking his brain before slowly saying, "My grandfather’s and my father’s opinions on it were somewhat different."
"Oh? Tell me. Sit!" Zhou Chunfeng’s interest was piqued, and he sat up straighter.
While cursing himself for his big mouth, Li Qingxian slowly sat down and began to speak. "My father said that the failures of the Human Race’s nations throughout history were, in fact, defeats at the hands of an unbeatable enemy. But he also said that disaster brews within one’s own walls—that defeat comes mainly from internal enemies."
"Elaborate," said Zhou Chunfeng.
"My father said that many dynasties appear to be conquered by external forces or foreign races, but in reality, it only ever happens in one situation: when the Old Dynasty’s power has already become weaker than that of the new one. This itself can happen in two ways. First, the Old Dynasty develops major internal problems and is crippled by immense internal strife, making it weaker than the new dynasty. Second, the Old Dynasty isn’t necessarily weak, but the new dynasty’s development accelerates, causing the power gap between them to widen."
Zhou Chunfeng nodded. "Good point. But if there are two scenarios, why did he say defeat is mainly due to internal factors?"
"The reason is simple. If a country is united from top to bottom, finds the right path, and strives together to build itself up, then even if it suffers temporary decline, temporary defeat, or even the loss of territory, its people will endure the humiliation and shoulder the burden to slowly catch up to their enemies. It wouldn’t face annihilation. Any nation that is utterly destroyed has something rotten at its core. The cause is never simply external enemies, natural disasters, or accidents. The annihilation of a nation is always, ultimately, a man-made disaster from within. My father used to say that blaming a nation’s decline on its enemies is like a baby crying for milk. People who think that way are no different from children."
"An interesting theory. Did Gangfeng ever say who the primary internal enemies were?"
Li Qingxian thought for a moment. "My father never said so explicitly, but he implied that whoever holds the most power and possesses the most wealth in a country also bears the greatest responsibility. Moreover, it’s never just one group that’s to blame. He said, for example, that the fall of the previous Anx Country was the collective responsibility of multiple factions: the Emperor, the Scholars, the Military Generals, and the Gentry. These factions and these people were the nation’s greatest enemies. Everyone but the common folk."
"But isn’t there a saying that in an avalanche, not a single snowflake is innocent? What do you think of that?" Zhou Chunfeng asked with a smile.