Chapter 660 - 103: A Scheme for the Ages, Gu Xuan Passes Away
It is precisely because of this fervor that the saying "Man can triumph over heaven," through the fertile soil of the Academy, has subtly spread across Kyushu like ripples.
——The magnitude of this matter is beyond imagination.
In the past, when Gu Xi uttered this phrase, it was to demonstrate his steel will to overcome natural disasters.
Yet under this glorious era,
This phrase has been interpreted by many to mean another possibility: that is to challenge the "heaven" of the present age—the Emperor Li Yu!
This no longer pertains merely to the dignity of imperial authority,
but deeply touches the very foundation of Confucian orthodoxy.
The tumultuous waves it stirred can be well imagined.
Over time, those with differing views gradually formed two distinct factions, engaged in constant verbal duels within the Gu Academy.
The Gu Clan, however, remained silent on this matter, letting it take its course.
Even when voices of doubt arose, only when the old stories of Gu Xi were mentioned would someone come forward to reference them lightly.
At least for now, this matter ultimately does not affect the Gu Clan.
It is worth mentioning——
The Great Tang is now entering an unprecedented peak.
Li Yu adhered to his original intentions, did not target the Imperial Censorate, and ensured the continuation of what Gu Xuan’s past reforms had left behind, letting the wind continue to blow.
Though there were also unexpected events and natural disasters during this period.
For the current Great Tang, however, these were never considered significant issues, unable to affect the greater situation.
It is precisely because of this.
Gu Yi clearly discovered that the Gu Clan was becoming increasingly frail beneath its strong facade.
Not only the twenty-second-generation descendants.
Even the talents of the successive twenty-third-generation descendants were severely restricted, just like when the Yan Han dynasty rose and fell three times; throughout the entire family, there was no one who could carry the banner.
No, not only that.
The impact this time even surpassed the past.
Gu Yi could distinctly feel that the character of the family descendants had also deteriorated considerably.
Even though the Gu Clan had provided everything and even had the advantage of unparalleled education, the behavior of the family descendants became increasingly uncontrollable.
The number of those who violated family rules and were punished by family law increased day by day.
Even Gu Xuan’s health was deteriorating.
Although he had let go of everything and merely spent his days writing books, the rate of his physical decline far exceeded before.
Gu Yi knew well what this meant—it was the invisible shackles tightening, the increasingly heavy backlash of fate against the "defiers of destiny."
But what could he do?
The path the Gu Clan had taken in recent days was already a series of defying fate itself!
Even if the resistance ahead was as vast as mountains, even if the cost was as deep as the ocean, it was impossible for the current Gu Clan to retreat.
From the moment the Gu Clan took this step, there was no turning back!
...
Year eight of Dayan, September.
Luoyang.
Under the watchful eyes of thousands, the white-haired Gu Xuan personally delivered a package containing his life’s work to the guards, instantly causing waves of exclamations.
Countless people paid attention to those packages.
Likewise, countless people noticed the increasingly aged Gu Xuan.
Gu Xuan was indeed too old.
Writing books was not a simple task, and although Gu Yi had continually reduced Gu Xuan’s workload, the effort he put into it was still unimaginable for others.
Gu Yi couldn’t manage everything.
As a modern person,
many things he subconsciously regarded as common sense were seen as worth exploring by the ancients.
Gu Yi could only follow his own ideas and then have Gu Xuan write various things.
Most critically, as knowledge deepened, Gu Xuan’s cognitive expansion brought about an increase in the effort he expended daily.
Take for example the "Initial Exploration of Things" delivered this time.
The topics covered were no longer just fundamental knowledge; they spanned many fields.
"Why does water condense into ice when cold, and become vapor when hot?"
"Why do metals and stones sink while feathers float, differing in buoyancy in water?"
"When wood burns into ash and iron rusts into powder, can their properties change? How much can they change?"
"When two stones strike, they create fire, as does drilling wood for sparks. Where does the heat originate?"
"A round stone rolls on a slope, while a square stone stalls; how does shape dictate its movement?"
"..."
As he wrote each question, the cognitive struggles constantly puzzled Gu Xuan.
For someone like him, this was ultimately a drain.
But Gu Yi could not stop it.
The desire to explore is also one of human instincts, especially for someone like Gu Xuan with remarkable talent.
He did think about stopping, having already left enough behind this time.
However, a few days later——
Gu Xuan quietly entered the ancestral hall in the dead of night.
In the dim candlelight, he knelt devoutly before the spirit tablets of his ancestors.
The white hair drooped, highlighting a face even more withered, yet his voice carried an almost fervent resolve: "Unworthy descendant Gu Xuan, beseeches the spirits of the ancestors!"
"Pray to the heroic spirits of forebears, bestow divine thoughts once more!"
"For the sake of the family’s eternal legacy, for the welfare of the people of Kyushu, continue the supreme archives!"
"The decrepit body of Xuan is not worth mentioning; but ancestors...do not spare compassion!"
This was Gu Xuan’s extraordinary quality.
He clearly sensed that those earth-shattering ideas were beyond his own capability.
He attributed all this "enlightenment" devoutly to——
The manifestation of his ancestors’ spirits.
Gu Yi originally intended to ignore this, but in the following days, Gu Xuan’s health visibly worsened, and he persisted in nightly ancestor worship.