Chapter 110: Setting Another Trap to Deceive

Kong Ne’s disdain for Zhang Yi stemmed from his misplaced resentment toward Mount Longhu, as well as the long-held contempt the Kong family harbored for the Taoists residing there. To the members of the Kong family, the Zhang family were merely another lineage with a long history, one that had stumbled upon sheer luck, allowing them to be mentioned in the same breath as the Kongs.

Although the ancients held gods and spirits in awe, the earthly representatives of those deities were never afforded high social status. Monks and Taoists were, at best, considered second-tier figures. This was precisely why, even when the Emperor suppressed the Kong family, some chose to vent their frustrations on the Zhang family instead. No matter how revered the Zhang family might be, in the eyes of scholars, they remained outside the mainstream.

However, while transcribing this scripture—especially after realizing it was likely a pseudo-scripture—Kong Ne began to ponder a question. If one relied solely on gods and immortals, the Zhang family was nothing extraordinary. But if the smallpox inoculation method had truly been researched by Mount Longhu, then perhaps they were more than just charlatans playing with spirits!

Copying a model of calligraphy a hundred times was not difficult, but Xu Cunren’s requirement that Zhang Yi write with genuine quality made it arduous. Kong Ne, meanwhile, found his own transcription of the *Supreme Secret Scripture of the Microscopic World* slowing down significantly as he struggled to contemplate the principles contained within.

The sound of reading outside had quieted, but the noise from outside the Imperial Academy remained ceaseless. Zhang Yi frowned; the academy’s location in the bustling city center was far from ideal. Yet, when Zhu Yuanzhang captured the Jiqing Circuit, the school was already situated there. The old Emperor himself recognized it was ill-suited for study, but moving the academy would not happen for several years. At this moment, however, Zhang Yi felt that the bustling city had its own advantages.

Zhang Yi looked back and saw Kong Ne diligently copying the scripture, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

"How are you both coming along?"

Xu Cunren, having finished punishing them, had returned to his lessons, but he had reappeared as silently as he had left. Zhang Yi and Kong Ne stopped their pens and hurriedly bowed to their teacher.

"Do you still think this book is utterly worthless?"

Ignoring Zhang Yi, Xu Cunren directed his question to Kong Ne. His tone was gentle, but his words pierced straight to the heart. Kong Ne’s face flushed slightly; he knew his teacher was nudging him to cast aside his prejudices. Although the pseudo-scripture used strange grammar and its contents were unrelated to the sacred teachings, to claim it had no value whatsoever would be a lie.

Searching for the microscopic "insects" in the world and deriving knowledge from them—this was a path that the medical profession would inevitably follow in the future. The inoculation method was merely a simple experiment on this road. Furthermore, from a religious perspective, the *Supreme Scripture* actually filled many theoretical gaps in the Taoist canon.

Things evolve, and theories cannot remain stagnant. While both Confucianism and Taoism tended to exaggerate the importance of their founders—a practice known as "revering the ancients"—Kong Ne and his ancestors in Qufu had also witnessed the evolution of theory, most notably in the form of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism. The *Supreme Scripture* followed the same logic.

Seeing Kong Ne fall silent, Xu Cunren nodded with satisfaction. He was not the type of teacher who demanded blind agreement; if he could spark a student’s capacity for thought, his job was largely done. He then turned to Zhang Yi.

"And you?"

Zhang Yi grinned. "I think everything the teacher said makes perfect sense!"

Xu Cunren chuckled. "You monkey, your mind is never settled. You speak of the unity of knowledge and action, yet you cannot achieve it yourself. I know your people on Mount Longhu do not necessarily seek fame or rank, and I do not demand that you read extensively. Just practice your calligraphy well and temper your temperament; it will serve you well."

Hearing this, Zhang Yi set aside his playful demeanor for a rare moment and bowed respectfully. Although he seemed unruly, it was merely a facade he wore because he held little regard for his surroundings. Because Xu Cunren taught him with genuine care, the man was worthy of his respect.

"I have business to attend to. I will have someone send food over later. You are not to return until you have finished your copying!" Xu Cunren paused, then added, "By the way, regarding Wang Mingyang..."

The old scholar remained obsessed with the theories of the School of Mind that Zhang Yi had hinted at.

"We shall discuss it with you later, Teacher!"

"Very well, continue writing." Satisfied with the answer, Xu Cunren turned and left.

"What is the unity of knowledge and action?" Kong Ne could not help but ask. First knowledge, then action; the investigation of things to extend knowledge—these were the principles Kong Ne was learning. The phrase "unity of knowledge and action" sounded simple, but it had already overturned his understanding of the world. Even though he didn't want to engage with Zhang Yi, he couldn't help but speak up.

"Why do you ask so many questions? Hurry up and get ready!" As soon as Xu Cunren was gone, Zhang Yi ran over to close the door of his small courtyard.

"What are you doing?" Kong Ne looked bewildered. Zhang Yi rolled his eyes at him.

"You promised to help me with something so I wouldn't call your family traitors anymore, didn't you? Let's go. I’ve already scouted it out; we can climb over the wall using that tree in Master Xu’s courtyard."

"Go... go... out? You want to skip school?" Kong Ne was thunderstruck. In his life, he had never experienced such a thing.

"Don't be a fool. A Taoist has business to attend to, so naturally, I must leave. The punishment the teacher assigned will take until sunset to finish anyway, so let’s get our business done first!"

"I’m not going, unless you tell me what you’re doing!" Kong Ne refused righteously, determined not to fall for the foul Taoist’s tricks.

"Ne-Ne, you wouldn't want the truth about your grandfather to be exposed, would you?" Zhang Yi played his usual card. Kong Ne’s fury erupted.

"Don't call me Ne-Ne! My name is Kong Ne... And don't threaten me, you foul Taoist! I have dirt on you too!"

"Yes, yes, of course!" Zhang Yi dismissed the boy’s protest with a wave of his hand. "Then I beg you to help me, will you?"

Kong Ne was speechless. Was this boy truly seven years old? His lack of shame was the greatest Kong Ne had ever witnessed.

"No. Tell me what you are doing first." Kong Ne remained cautious, determined not to walk into the boy’s trap.

Zhang Yi sighed, defeated, and pulled a piece of jade from his robes. "I just want to sell something. I need someone to watch my back and give me some courage!"

"Fine jade!" Unlike the ignorant Zhang Yu, Kong Ne recognized at a glance that the jade in his hand was a precious treasure. "Where did you get such a fine piece of jade?"

"My family gave it to me, naturally. I’m just a bit short on cash lately, so I want to sell it. I was afraid to go alone, which is why I asked you to come along..." Zhang Yi lied through his teeth. Kong Ne looked at him with skepticism.

"Don't look at me like that. This thing has a clean origin. If alchemy weren't so expensive, I wouldn't be willing to sell it! You think everyone is like your Kong family, just reading books and saving money? Alchemy burns through fortunes. As the Master once said: 'Alchemy ruins three generations, and becoming a monk destroys a lifetime'..."

"My ancestor never said that!" Kong Ne felt a headache forming just by talking to this guy.

"That was Lu Xun, then. It doesn't matter..." Zhang Yi smoothly changed the subject, and Kong Ne was successfully led astray. He lowered his head, thinking deeply. The foul Taoist knew about his grandfather, so he had to be cautious. If this was just a small errand, then perhaps... no, he couldn't!

"Ne-Ne, let's go!" Seeing Kong Ne’s resolve waver, Zhang Yi grabbed his hand and led him to the tree. Kong Ne stared at the tree, utterly lost.

"What are you waiting for? Climb! We’ll go over the wall. I’ve checked—it’s easy to jump, and we can make it back and forth. Honestly, we should thank the man in the palace; he’s quite the expert at cutting corners..." Zhang Yi scrambled up the tree, not forgetting to take a jab at the old Emperor.

"Wait for me!" Seeing Zhang Yi already on the wall, Kong Ne clumsily followed suit. Finally, with Zhang Yi’s help, both of them sat atop the wall.

"Jump!" Zhang Yi expertly braced his hands on the wall and leaped down, quickly vanishing from the academy grounds. Kong Ne stood on the wall, trembling with fear. He had never done anything like this in his life.

"Are all the Kongs such softies?" Zhang Yi called out from below, taunting him. Kong Ne’s fear vanished instantly, replaced by indignation. He gritted his teeth and jumped, nearly tumbling over as he landed.

Zhang Yi sighed. This guy was hopeless.

He pulled Kong Ne up, scanned his surroundings, and led him through a small alley into the bustling center of Nanjing. One advantage of the Imperial Academy was its location deep within the city; it was convenient for Zhang Yi to reach anywhere. His goal was to find a large jade shop to sell the piece.

Zhang Yi knew that as a child, if he went to a pawn shop, he likely wouldn't get a fair price. A jade shop would likely be the same, but... he glanced back at Kong Ne. This guy could be put to good use.

Kong Ne followed Zhang Yi, feeling completely out of place in the chaotic Nanjing streets. "Where are we going?"

"Right ahead. That jade shop looks decent!" Zhang Yi wasn't familiar with Yingtian either, so he had taken a few wrong turns. Fortunately, they had spotted a reputable-looking shop and hurried inside.

"Welcome, young masters. How may I..." A shop assistant, seeing the two children, hurriedly stepped forward to greet them. Zhang Yi and Kong Ne looked around curiously; the shop was lavishly decorated, clearly a sign of significant wealth. As they observed the shop, the assistant observed them.

"We... we would like to sell something," Zhang Yi replied. "Does your shop buy?"

"There is a pawn shop four hundred meters away," the assistant said calmly, trying to brush them off.

Zhang Yi revealed a corner of the jade. The assistant’s expression changed instantly. He lowered his head, whispering, "Please wait a moment, young masters. I will go fetch the manager!"

Before long, the assistant returned with a slightly plump, amiable-looking old man. Upon seeing the two, the man bowed. "Forgive my lack of hospitality, esteemed guests. Please, take a seat! I am Chen Ke, manager of this Jade Grace Hall. May I ask your names?"

"My... friend’s surname is Zhang, and I am also surnamed Zhang."

The manager offered them tea and invited them to sit. "I hear you have something to sell?"

"My friend... well, yes, we have something to sell. Do you buy or not?"

"If it is a fine item, we naturally buy. However, I must appraise it. If it is convenient, perhaps we could speak in the back room?"

"I'll go with you," Zhang Yi said, nodding. He whispered to Kong Ne, "You stay out here and keep watch. Don't come in!"

Kong Ne, completely bewildered by the situation, nodded mechanically. Chen Ke was no fool; he had seen their whispered exchange but ignored it, leading Zhang Yi into the inner room.

"Young master, you may bring the item out now," Chen Ke said with a smile once they were alone. Zhang Yi handed over the jade. The moment Chen Ke took it, his expression shifted. He didn't speak, but instead studied the piece meticulously.

After a long while, Manager Chen set the jade down, his face unreadable. "The quality is decent, but there are flaws. The most this shop can offer is thirty taels of silver."

Zhang Yi gasped. He had expected them to haggle, but he hadn't anticipated such a cutthroat opening offer. This wasn't just shaving off the price; it was skinning the deal alive. He jumped up, looking toward the door in alarm. "Impossible! Young Master Kong explicitly told me that this was..."

"Kong?" Manager Chen couldn't help but glance toward the outer room, his eyes narrowing with intrigue. "I recall you saying he was surnamed Zhang just a moment ago?"