Zhao Rong raised his eyebrows.
Just then, Gu Yiwu nodded in agreement with his colleague’s question, but he was puzzled as he said,
"Moreover, Ziyu, why did you accept the company of both Mrs. Su and Mrs. Luo tonight? While it’s romantic, it’s also irresponsible to enjoy their company without any commitment. According to what you just mentioned about our role, doesn’t this tarnish the image of being upright and handling affairs impartially?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Rong looked around, his lips slightly curling into a smile.
He first glanced at the student who had raised the concern, with a look of appreciation, yet his expression was somewhat sarcastic. He countered,
"Who said that as students being assessed, in regards to the Fengshan ceremony, we cannot maintain an attitude of impartiality? Is scoring high on the exam a must? Can it be that not caring also means something?"
It’s clear he had never been a poor student. On this point, Brother Yushu did it very well. Ah, those days of idling with Brother Yushu are truly memorable; I miss his fortieth day...
Zhao Rong narrowed his eyes and leaned forward slightly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd:
"And precisely because we don’t care, that’s why we’re not in a rush for the Fengshan ceremony of Great Li. Let those who want to hurry do so; we certainly won’t be the most anxious ones. Under the watchful eyes of the various forces of Great Li, we slowly make our way, leisurely taking detours to Xingzi Town for fun, visiting the Zuixian Building to drink flower wine...
"The unhurried ones of us, will just leisurely wait and see who becomes anxious first. On the contrary, if we rush on our way to Hanjing, it’d expose our hands, distinguishing friend from foe—all naturally separated—and moreover, those lurking in the dark, we’d definitely be confused," he shook his head.
At that moment, Zhao Rong became the focus of everyone in the room. His words were like an invisible hand, firmly gripping their gaze, unblinking.
"...Moreover, a great man once said, ’Human nature is cheap; things easily obtained are seldom valued.’
"The more eagerly you help them, the more they become suspicious or indifferent. But if you keep them hanging and make them come to you, begging, and you just refuse to relent until they’re scratching their heads and pleading, then once they finally receive help, they will treasure it even more cautiously. When things are done, they will be all the more grateful and never forget the favor," he said with a light laugh, tilting his body to one side and supporting his chin with the other hand.
His voice paused, and he took a moment to look around the room. People like Gu Yiwu were either deep in thought with furrowed brows or had sudden realizations.
"Hiss, that makes sense. Ziyu, which great sage or gentleman uttered these wise words?" Gu Yiwu’s eyes widened with surprise.
"Uh, to be honest, it was I," Zhao Rong said with a slightly embarrassed expression.
Everyone in the room: The great man turns out to be yourself!
"You flatter me too much, Brother Gu. I don’t dare to accept such praise," Zhao Rong said, clasping his hands together in a modest gesture.
Don’t dare to accept? You’re calling yourself a great man, what else is there that you dare not accept...
Gu Yiwu was covered in sweat.
After letting everyone digest his words for a moment, Zhao Rong, calm as a Three-foot Green Blade, cast his tranquil gaze onto Gu Yiwu and intriguingly asked again,
"And who said that a person who handles public affairs must maintain an upright demeanor and cannot enjoy benefits without recompense?
"We strive to be seen as upright gentlemen in their eyes, tirelessly maintaining so-called justice and authority, which is rather a cumbersome and counterproductive burden, making the various forces feel that we are too just and incorruptible, hard to engage with. This goes against our ultimate goal."
Gu Yiwu sat up straight, "Ziyu, are you saying..."
Zhao Rong turned and looked at everyone:
"As I said earlier, whether it’s enjoying favors or maintaining an initial stance of impartiality, these are all just means to an end.
"As envoys of the Academy, we are the neutral authority of the Fengshan ceremony. Why should we foolishly take sides in public?
"And in private, no matter how many forces there are, no matter what grievances they have, we don’t care and moreover welcome them to seek us out and present gifts, to express their interests and demands.
"Those who wish for the Fengshan ceremony to succeed, those who wish for its failure, or seek any other peculiar outcomes, they may speak openly. We will simply smile and listen, whilst figuring things out; we can also drop vague hints or ’tentative words’ to them, but until the ceremony is successfully completed and the outcome is clear, we will not fully side with any party."
Zhao Rong extended his hand, reaching into the air and snapping his fingers as if grasping something.
"Just , balancing all the forces, keeping them from causing trouble. During this process, we should just prepare thoroughly for the ceremony. Whether the Fengshan succeeds or fails, we leave it to fate. That is the true purpose of our journey.
"But they do not know this; as far as the Fengshan is concerned, they are laymen, while to them, we, the Confucian Scholars versed in rituals, are the experts. Well, actually, even we are not entirely certain.
"Whether it’s the Dugu clan, Zhou Dufu and Li Mingyi, or any other miscellaneous forces, to avoid offending us and having us fully side with their enemies, they dare not cause trouble as we prepare for the ceremony.
"As for their constant private gifts and emotional talks, we’ll act based on the situation, giving some light and airy hints or promises. Who knows, they might even volunteer to offer some help to us, ensuring the Fengshan proceeds more smoothly."