First-Year Internship—And You Went to Site 749 to Contain Monsters?!-Chapter 832: Different Stances, Different Minds—A Contest of Supremacy and Life or Death

"If it weren't for my hypocritical ways, there would be no such thing as recommending the virtuous for official posts in the Great Jing court!!!"

The situation for the scholars of Great Jing wasn't exactly terrible, but it was far from good.

Lu Feng stepped forward, his gaze fixed intently on Han Yu:

"In the past, aristocratic families and powerful clans held the power."

"Students from humble backgrounds had no chance to rise. After studying the classics of sages all their lives, they found it difficult to serve the country and the people. To get ahead, they could only choose sides and become dogs. With paper coffins and words for lids, using ink treasures as weapons of judgment, whichever person the aristocratic families said was wrong, we scholars had to write about that person being wrong!!!"

"It was me, it was I, Lu Feng, with my hypocritical actions, who established this Listening Rain Pavilion, to shelter all the impoverished scholars under heaven!!!"

"It was I, Lu Feng, who, through hypocritical actions, befriended officials below and flattered the imperial family above, exchanging for annual quotas to recommend students to enter the court as officials, allowing them to stay away from most forced alignments!"

"To let them avoid being tainted by association!!!"

"To truly allow them to use all they have learned for the people!!!"

"I just wanted the Listening Rain Pavilion to reach greater heights before, what was my mistake!"

Lu Feng turned around and then back, grabbing an inkstone from the table and hurling it fiercely at Han Yu: "You tell me, what was my mistake!!!"

"I sacrificed myself so you could shut out worldly affairs and focus solely on studying the classics. Do you think I really wanted to engage in political maneuvering!?"

"Do you think I really wanted to do these hypocritical, two-faced things!!"

"I had no choice, I couldn't choose. If I didn't do it, the Listening Rain Pavilion wouldn't be what it is today. If I didn't do it, the scholars of Great Jing wouldn't have their situation today!!!"

Lu Feng's eyelid trembled, his beard quivering: "If the Listening Rain Pavilion doesn't block Lu Ding, we lose our reputation. If the Listening Rain Pavilion blocks Lu Ding, given his formidable strength, how many casualties will be caused!?"

"Negotiating isn't right, fighting isn't right. You tell me, what should I do!!!"

Lu Feng pointed at himself: "You're impressive now. You have achievements now. You're a God Ascension powerhouse now. You can stand here and criticize me now."

Saying this, he used the finger that was pointing at himself to firmly jab Han Yu's chest, enunciating each word: "But don't forget, Han Yu, Master Han, back then, you were just a cowherd boy for the village magnate's family!!"

"If it weren't for my hypocritical rise to power, could you have studied? Could you have today's cultivation? Could you have today's status!!!!"

Han Yu fell silent. Although Lu Feng's actions were something he couldn't accept from the bottom of his heart, the words Lu Feng spat out were the most piercing and truthful facts, each and every one.

This was reality.

The premise of most people's peaceful, uneventful lives was the heavy burden carried forward by a small minority.

Outsiders could curse Lu Feng for being hypocritical, because they hadn't benefited from what Lu Feng had created and had been schemed against by Lu Feng's two-faced demeanor.

But only, the people of the Listening Rain Pavilion could not curse Lu Feng!

Many scholars also could not curse Lu Feng!

Because everything he did was for the Listening Rain Pavilion, for the scholars.

In the meeting hall, several people remained silent.

Lu Feng also didn't continue the argument.

He simply straightened his robes: "The Listening Rain Pavilion is my life's work. The current situation of the scholars in Great Jing is also my life's work."

"I cannot accept my life's work, painstakingly built by my own hands, being destroyed in an instant."

"Today's incident was my mistake. I didn't anticipate Lu Ding having a backup plan, actually releasing what Yu Zhen said."

"Now, facing the court of public opinion and countless others' views, any further explanation is futile. Rumors and gossip are bound to rise with the wind."

"I am old. From now on, the Listening Rain Pavilion will depend on you. The reputation of the Listening Rain Pavilion cannot fall."

"I will personally take action against Lu Ding. If I can win, blocking Lu Ding's southward journey, then so-called negotiations are nothing but rumors."

"If I lose, my life will be the greatest cover for the Listening Rain Pavilion's reputation. Though I am not noble, everything I have done was for the Listening Rain Pavilion, everything was for the scholars of Great Jing!"

"I can die, but the Listening Rain Pavilion cannot fall. The sheltering bricks and tiles protecting the impoverished scholars of Great Jing cannot shatter!!!!"

Lu Feng was not afraid of death. What he feared was dying without value!

He took a step.

Several calls came from behind: "Master Lu!"

"Teacher Lu!"

"Brother Lu........"

Lu Feng paused slightly, half-turning his head: "Do not be tainted by association with me, unless you wish to see the Listening Rain Pavilion destroyed in an instant. If I die, the Listening Rain Pavilion remains. If we all die, the hope of the Listening Rain Pavilion and the impoverished scholars of Great Jing will perish today!"

"Remember my words. Lu Ding is not an eternal enemy. It's just the current time, place, situation, choices, and stance that determine the opposition. Actually, the Great Han is quite good too........ the nine-year compulsory education........"

The trailing tone of Lu Feng's voice revealed a thread of yearning.

Han Yu grew somewhat anxious: "Teacher Lu, we can relocate to the Great Han. You don't actually need to go to such lengths."

Lu Feng looked at him, smiling with a kindness that still faintly showed the sternness from when he taught Han Yu to read and study logic in the early years: "Then what about the scholars of Great Jing?"

After posing the question, he moved his feet.

Walking outward with unwavering determination.

Leaving only Han Yu rooted to the spot, unable to regain his composure for a long time.

Yes... If they left to seek fortune and avoid calamity, rushing towards a better life for themselves, then what about the scholars of Great Jing?

If the Listening Rain Pavilion left, the scholars of Great Jing would once again be at the mercy of the torrent of aristocratic families and powerful clans.

The so-called 'hypocritical' person thought of everyone, while those who considered themselves noble and refined thought first of themselves.

Thinking of oneself is not wrong; people will always act for themselves.

But those who can think of everyone are absolutely worthy of respect. Yet Lu Feng also schemed against his own country, placing the position of scholars high in his heart. Human nature is just so complex.

The waters of Clear Bright Lake were too cold, too cold to contain Lu Feng's stubborn, passionate blood for the Listening Rain Pavilion and for the scholars of Great Jing.

Han Yu bowed deeply, performing a salute: "We respectfully send off... Teacher Lu."

"We respectfully send off Teacher Lu...."

"We respectfully send off Brother Lu...."

The advancing Lu Feng let out a great laugh as he strode forth, releasing his full aura. The literary energy of heaven and earth suddenly gathered. Righteous Aura manifested a Listening Rain Pavilion, pacifying the area of Clear Bright Lake.

"Hahahahahaha..... Lu Ding! The words and actions spoken by Yu Zhen were all his own doing, unrelated to the affairs of the Listening Rain Pavilion. I, Lu Feng, am absolutely not that hypocritical sort!!!"

"In the footage, Yu Zhen said my Listening Rain Pavilion was unwilling to start a fight. Now, more words are useless. Only actions reveal the truth. Do you dare to fight me with your full strength!!!"

He did not turn and bite back at Lu Ding. Instead, with his own tough attitude, he pushed all problems onto Yu Zhen. If he won, the merit of blocking Lu Ding's southward journey would be enough to erase everything. If he lost, his attitude of dying to prove his resolve would be enough to resolve future rumors and gossip about the Listening Rain Pavilion from the outside world.

After all, this was the life of a God Ascension Ninth Layer cultivator!

Lu Ding listened to these contradictory words, sensing a boldness that didn't seem feigned.

A smile appeared on his face as he praised: "What magnificent spirit!!!"

At this moment, he finally rose from the dragon-tail coiled chair.

Having witnessed too many characters defined not by good and evil but by their stance, Lu Ding could tell at a glance that the person before him was a true character.

Of course, apart from subjective judgment, there was also rational analysis: the result inferred from the fact that this old man didn't bite back and his current fearless demeanor.

Coupled with his God Ascension Ninth Layer realm.

All these factors deserved Lu Ding's serious attention.

He extended a hand, clenched it into a fist, and aimed it squarely at Lu Feng: "Then let us determine superiority!"

Lu Feng shook his sleeve in return salute: "And also determine life and death!"