Chapter 429 Breaking the shackles
The peach blossoms in Hibiscus Garden bloomed seven times and withered seven times.

The tiny petals were blown by the spring breeze across the bluestone pavement of Zhuque Street, and Daxia entered the seventh year of Datong.

Seven years is neither too long nor too short.

Seven years is enough for a baby in swaddling clothes to grow into a young boy, for a middle-aged constable patrolling the streets to have gray hair at the temples, and for a young girl to get a few more wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. But for this thousand-year-old capital, seven years is just a few muffled sounds of the bronze bell on the palace wall.

Before the establishment of Daxia, this place was called Chang’an.

The people of Chang’an have lived here for generations.

The wheat ripened seven hundred times, but there was no obvious change in the lives of the people in this land.

However, in the past seven years, this country has been completely transformed.

During the seven years, the court’s various reforms were successfully implemented, and the lives of the people underwent earth-shaking changes.

The aristocratic families that once dominated the mainland have all ceased operations and withdrawn from the world.

For the first time in history, the principle of “land to the tiller” has been truly realized, and the court’s taxes are extremely low. It is said that the cabinet’s proposal on whether to abolish land taxes has already been put on the agenda.

The Great Harmony described in the Book of Rites, where the world is shared by all, the virtuous and capable are selected, trust is upheld and peace is cultivated, people not only love their own relatives and their own children, the elderly have a place to live, the strong have a place to work, the young have a place to grow, and the poor, widows, orphans, the lonely, and the disabled are all taken care of, has been realized.

Changan.

Chang’an ordered Zhang Mu to put on his official uniform, tightened the belt inlaid with white jade around his waist, and strode out of the room.

“Master Zhang, please go to the yamen.”

Old man Wang, who was smoking a pipe in the yard, raised his hand and greeted him, smiling brightly with his missing front teeth.

The indigo clothes on the old man were washed so much that they turned white, but there was not a single patch on them. Since the Ministry of Industry promoted spinning machines, ordinary people could also wear fine and strong cloth.

“Yes, how is the old man?”

“I’m fine. The old man has lived too long and caused trouble for the court. The court has to pay him money every month to support him. Last time he got sick, he cost the court a lot of money again…”

“What are you talking about? If the imperial court doesn’t take care of its people, what is the point of the imperial court? If you have any difficulties, come to the county government to find me… I won’t talk to you any more. I’m going to be late.”

……

Zhang Mu came out of the courtyard house he shared with others and just in time to catch a bus. Since there was a bus at the doorstep, going to the yamen became much more convenient.

“Master, wait a moment!”

Before he had time to eat breakfast, Zhang Mu waved to the bus driver, and then said to the woman at the roadside breakfast stall: “A tube of soy milk and two buns, thank you!”

He took the bamboo tube of soy milk from the woman, held a steaming bun in his mouth, and fumbled for change in his arms with his other hand. The woman smiled and said, “Your Excellency is in a hurry to go to the government office. It will be the same next time…”

Zhang Mu took out five copper coins and threw them into the wooden cash box in front of the woman just before the bus started.

The court enforces strict discipline. He doesn’t want the news “The Chang’an magistrate doesn’t pay for breakfast. How can it be easy for the lower-class people to earn a few hard-earned dollars” to appear in tomorrow’s Chang’an Daily.

On the bus, Zhang Mu was flipping through the latest issue of Chang’an Daily. Next to him, a young man dressed as a scholar was holding a thick copy of Journey to the West, reading it with great interest. Opposite him, a peasant woman was carrying a wicker basket with half a dictionary sticking out of it.

Taking the bus from home to the government office is faster and more comfortable than taking a horse-drawn carriage. As early as five years ago, horse-drawn carriages were eliminated in Chang’an.

After getting off the bus, Zhang Mu just stepped into the government office when several figures waiting in the courtyard knelt down. One man said excitedly, “Thank you, Lord Qingtian, for giving us justice!”

Zhang Mu was startled and immediately helped everyone up one by one. Seeing that they were still kneeling, he could only use the authority of a county head, put his hands on his hips, and shouted: “No kneeling!”

Just a month ago, the imperial court issued a new decree that officials and civilians in Daxia were equal and common people did not need to kneel when seeing an official.

If this were seen by the censor or reported by someone with ulterior motives, he would be in trouble.

To put it simply, this is called showing off one’s official power.

To put it in a broader sense, this is called feudal restoration. If he is not careful, his future will be ruined.

He looked at everyone and said seriously, “Remember this, from now on, no one except your parents is allowed to kneel, especially not to me. Do you hear me?”

A moment later, when Zhang Mu came to the yamen and was about to deal with today’s official business, he heard the sound of someone reading from the school next door.

“The rise and fall, everyone is responsible.”

“If one rejoices in the people’s joy, the people will also rejoice in his joy; if one worries about the people’s worries, the people will also worry about his worries.”

“Poverty cannot change him, wealth cannot corrupt him, might and power cannot bend him.”

“Being poor cares themselves, being wealthy cares the world……”

“Establish a mind for heaven and earth, establish a destiny for the people, inherit the lost knowledge of the ancient sages, and bring peace to the world for all eternity…”

……

Inside the school, the little boys were reciting before class. The teacher in a gray cloth gown wrote the four words “天下为公” (the world belongs to the public) on the blackboard with chalk. Plaster foam fell on the newly published “Introduction to Arithmetic” and “Initial Exploration of the Study of Things” by the Imperial College beside the podium.

In the government office, Zhang Mu opened a document and a faint smile appeared on his face.

Although these children are young, they are the future of Daxia.

In recent years, the imperial court has invested heavily in education. All children of school age can receive nine years of compulsory education. In addition, the imperial court has also opened free literacy classes for illiterate people. Among ten people in Daxia, six are literate.

In Chang’an, the proportion is even higher.

Even the old farmers in the countryside and the vegetable vendors on the street can speak a few words of this and that.

As the cultural level of the people improves, the cultural and entertainment industry will flourish.

In recent years, bookstores in Chang’an city have sprung up like mushrooms after a rain. Classic novels published by some bookstores, such as “Journey to the West”, “Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio”, “The Story of Erlang”, “The Legend of Nezha”, etc., are even more popular in mainland China.

Zhang Mu himself was also reading Journey to the West, and he admired the fearless monkey.

He didn’t know who wrote this book. He wanted to use his position as an official in Chang’an to ask the author for a copy of the manuscript, but he couldn’t find out the author’s identity…

In Ningxin Garden, the crabapples are in full bloom.

The rouge-colored petals were blown into the study by the wind and landed on Nightingale’s moon-white skirt. Her pregnant belly pushed the gauze into a gentle arc, which trembled slightly as she ground the ink.

Li Nuo looked up at her and said, “Zhi’er, go and have a rest. I can do these things myself…”

Nightingale ground the ink and said coquettishly, “No, only at this time can I be alone with you.”

Li Nuo stood up, held her waist, let her sit in his seat, and said: “Then you sit down and practice, I can think more smoothly while standing.” He paced beside the table, and the bead curtain in front of him was lifted by a pair of bare hands.

In the past seven years, Gu Yanran has changed her double-blade bun to a lily bun, which makes her look less girlish and more gentle.

She looked at Li Nuo and said softly, “Master, Senior Dongfang is here.”

After so many years, she is still used to calling Li Nuo “Young Master”.

Li Nuo walked out of the study quickly. This was the first time Dongfang Xuan had returned to Chang’an in seven years. In the past few years, he had been in the former capital of Zhao State, studying Yin-Yang arts with his best friend. His granddaughter, the only remaining bloodline of the Dongfang family, was also left to Li Nuo to take care of…

When Li Nuo came outside, he saw Qing’er holding her grandfather’s hand, smiling and chattering non-stop.

Dongfang Xuan’s smile seemed forced after not seeing his granddaughter for seven years.

Li Nuo walked over and said with a smile: “Senior Dongfang, long time no see.”

Dongfang Xuan patted his granddaughter’s head and said, “Qing’er, go play over there first. Grandpa has something to talk to your big brother Li.”

Dongfang Qing frowned and said, “It’s so mysterious. What can’t I hear?”

Although she muttered something, she still left obediently.

Sensing a strange aura from Dongfang Xuan, Li Nuo chuckled and said, “Congratulations to Senior Dongfang for becoming a saint.”

Dongfang Xuan sighed and said, “If I had known this, I would rather never enter the Saint Realm.”

Li Nuo asked, “Did you see it?”

Dongfang Xuan saw his indifferent expression and sighed again: “You really know it…”

He has reached the highest realm that the Yin-Yang School has been pursuing all his life, but he just can’t be happy.

If he had not been mentally prepared, he would have probably gone crazy long ago.

When he was touring with Li Nuo, he said something casually, but he didn’t expect it to come true…

The Yin-Yang School believes that they are the most special among all schools and can spy on and change fate at will. However, they don’t know that all destinies have already been written and their lives are just following the routine.

He came to Li Nuo just for an answer.

This seventh-level Yin-Yang Saint seemed a little uneasy at this moment. He looked at Li Nuo nervously and asked, “Is our world just a story written by others?”

Li Nuo nodded slightly.

For these top powerful people in the world, the cruel truth is better than a white lie.

His guess was confirmed, and Dongfang Xuan no longer had any hope of luck. His face turned extremely pale, and even the breath in his body fluctuated violently.

Li Nuo was silent for a moment, then said, “This world is fictional, but it is also real. Everyone can write their own destiny…”

If this world was completely fictional, Li Nuo would not have come here.

The third-rate author who gave up writing and switched to being a carpenter has ended the story he created, but the world has not stopped running.

The strong people born in the world of the book can set up a huge plan and deceive their creator – that third-rate author did not write this story.

When Li Nuo breaks the shackles of this world, he will be able to erase all so-called destinies. At that time, everyone in this world will be able to write their own lives to their heart’s content.

And this day is very near.

Just as this thought arose in Li Nuo’s mind, the sky above Chang’an suddenly changed color.

The clouds seemed to be kneaded by an invisible giant hand and instantly gathered into a black curtain covering the sky.

A black cloud large enough to cover the entire Chang’an appeared above his head.

Countless silver thunders brewed in the dark clouds and gradually condensed into a thousand-foot-long thunder dragon. The huge dragon head poked out of the dark clouds, and the spiritual pressure it released was so intense that even a saint in the seventh realm would feel creepy as if doomsday was coming.

And this scene can only be seen by saints.

Under the saint, the sky of Chang’an is still clear.

Prince Chun’s Mansion.

A figure who was cooking soup in the kitchen suddenly raised his head with a look of horror on his face.

In the back garden, two figures who were admiring the flowers suddenly raised their heads and looked up into the sky.

In a mansion in Chang’an, a handsome young man was playing chess with himself. The chess piece in his hand suddenly fell to the ground. He looked up at the sky and said in horror: “What is this!”

Ningxin Garden.

A smile appeared on Li Nuo’s lips, and he whispered, “Is it not allowed for the birth of calligraphers of the eighth level?…”

Li Nuo was not surprised by the devastating scene before him.

The seventh realm is the upper limit of each family’s practice, and is also the upper limit of strength in the story setting.

The only person who can break through this limitation is calligrapher.

But the one who created this world would not allow such a thing to happen.

Because to the world he created, he himself is a calligrapher of the eighth realm.

A pen can rewrite a person’s life, make a beggar an emperor, make an emperor a beggar, make a saint lose his cultivation, make an ordinary person become a saint in an instant, make a living person die, and make the dead resurrect…

This is the ability of a calligrapher of the eighth realm.

Whether you are an ordinary person without any cultivation or a saint standing at the top of the continent, it makes no difference to a calligrapher in the eighth realm.

No matter how hard the souls born into this world try, they cannot break free of this shackles.

Not even the protagonist’s father.

But Li Nuo’s soul was not created by him, and his rules are not applicable to Li Nuo.

Li Nuo raised his head, looked at the ferocious thunder dragon, and said calmly: “Disperse.”

The huge body of the thunder dragon, which was thousands of feet long, suddenly collapsed, and the dark clouds covering the entire Chang’an dissipated in an instant. The sky returned to calm again, as if nothing had happened.

(End of this chapter)