071 GUCCI

The roaring waves!

The surging tides!

The billowing waves!

At this moment, the inner turmoil within Shen Tang was beyond description, causing her CPU to overload with astonishment. She blinked bewilderedly, feeling an overwhelming urge to vent her frustrations.

"Ah... this... the path of the literati is indeed difficult to secure an offer," she remarked.

"Oh... What?" Qishan was taken aback by her unexpected response.

"It means a job offer, but that's not important." The offer is not the focus here; the crux of the matter is—"Forgive my lack of imagination, but I simply cannot fathom the utility of your literary skills. Who would idly recruit a retainer like yourself to plot their own demise?" Shen Tang expressed.

Qishan remained silent.

While he said nothing, Shen Tang, with her unceasing chatter, continued, "Let me think... Oh, I know! To act as a spy, a saboteur. Planted within someone's ranks, your literary prowess could silently eliminate the enemy's leader, wouldn't it?" 

Qishan's expression darkened. "You can even think of such a method. Young Master Shen, should I praise you for your quick wits?"

Seeing his reaction, Shen Tang gradually fell silent.

Amidst the awkwardness, she also realized that Qishan's concept of "deposing the ruler" was different from hers. The path of infiltrating the enemy as a spy was not feasible. She subconsciously composed herself, assuming a posture of attentive listening, which left Qishan at a loss for words.

Qishan sighed, "Actually, it's not that difficult when you think about it. As long as you earn the trust of your lord, it's a win-win situation. If the lord becomes suspicious, then 'deposing the ruler' comes into play."

Shen Tang asked, "...What kind of win-win situation is that?"

She thought to herself: Loyalty should be reciprocal between lord and vassal. Whether this path of the literati constrains only the lord or both parties is uncertain. Otherwise, if the lord entrusts trust unilaterally and the vassal harbors ill intentions, no one would feel at ease.

Noticing Shen Tang's focus on "win-win" rather than the latter's "deposing the ruler," Qishan's eyes flickered with complex emotions.

He sat down, adopting a more relaxed posture than usual.

"The path of the literati will continue to evolve, and its future remains uncertain, but the current 'win-win' situation is more advantageous for me. If any feudal lord invites me into his service, I will pledge my allegiance to him. From his side, I can borrow some of his wisdom, integrating it with my own literary skills, thereby gaining new abilities. The cost is that I cannot betray him. If the lord becomes suspicious, equivalent to breaking the pact, his literary mind will backlash against him."

Shen Tang remained silent.

Qishan chuckled, "Young Master Shen has nothing to say?"

Shen Tang sincerely remarked, "This path of the literati is truly domineering."

For Qishan, the price he paid was his loyalty; he couldn't betray the lord before suspicion arose. Once mistrust emerged, it would backfire on him. Though she wasn't sure of the severity of the literary mind's backlash, she could imagine it wouldn't be pleasant. No wonder he was feared—what company would hire such a person? Once the boss became suspicious, the company would collapse...

Qishan asked again, "Young Master Shen doesn't find it terrifying?"

Shen Tang replied, "Not particularly."

These were all future concerns for Qishan's future lord. Whether she knew or not wouldn't affect anything, so she naturally didn't care.

However—

Shen Tang teased him, wearing an expression of "I've discovered your big secret": "Yuanliang really yearns for others' trust, huh?"

It seemed like the longing of a child to be recognized.

Qishan's expression changed abruptly, and he sternly said, "You're speaking nonsense!"

"I'm just rambling! As I mentioned earlier, the path of the literati is related to the personality or certain qualities of the literati themselves. Yuanliang's path of the literati specifically requires absolute trust from those who serve him. It's understandable. However, the best state between lord and vassal is mutual trust. Your demand isn't unreasonable." Shen Tang patted his shoulder. "It's just a bit too overbearing, but I don't find it terrifying."

Qishan sighed, "You're indifferent because it doesn't concern you."

If it happened to her, she wouldn't be so relaxed.

Human nature is inherently complex, yet he hoped a naturally suspicious profession could be pure. Fundamentally, this demand was contradictory.

Shen Tang chuckled, "That's just how it is."

Qishan snorted.

The atmosphere completely relaxed.

The topic of the path of the literati should have ended here.

However—

Shen Tang suddenly said, "Yuanliang must have another card up his sleeve."

"What?" 

She grinned mischievously, "The path of the literati is so crucial, and you'd tell me out of nowhere? Given your temperament, you must still have something hidden. It's certainly detrimental to you but advantageous to your loyal subordinates—a fatal weakness for you."

Qishan neither confirmed nor denied it.

Shen Tang continued speculating, "Did I hit the mark? I've always felt that with the path of the literati, there's a give and take. The gains and losses should be roughly equal. For example, Mr. Gu, who can hear others' thoughts, suffers torment himself and has a shortened lifespan. However, Yuanliang's literary path is so domineering, forcibly constraining the lord. The gains and losses are not equal..."

Qishan's eyes flickered, a mix of anticipation and threat, even he couldn't describe his complex emotions: "So?"

Shen Tang shrugged, "I'm just guessing. Don't mind me."

"Deposing the ruler" binds the absolute trust of the lord with one's life.

This was Qishan's "gain."

Then, is his own life his "loss"?

Shen Tang speculated in her heart but didn't say it out loud.

She always focused on peculiarities.

"Yuanliang, I'm curious—"

Qishan rolled his eyes, "Just ask."

"Can the path of the literati grant two abilities?" 

She hadn't forgotten Qishan's statement about merging with the lord's "way of lords" and one's own "path of the literati" to gain new abilities. He seemed quite confident in this. Besides "deposing the ruler," was there a second ability?

"Usually, there's only one, with exceptions for special circumstances."

Shen Tang nodded, taking it seriously.

Another learning experience|ω｀)

Qishan resumed weaving the half-finished bamboo strips, saying, "The 'Mr. Gu' you mentioned, if I guess correctly, should be him. I didn't expect him to be in Xiaocheng..."

Shen Tang was shocked, "You really know him?"

Qishan downplayed it, "I wouldn't say I know him.

 At most, we've crossed paths and had some dealings. There are many literati surnamed 'Gu' in the world, and I know quite a few, but he's the only one who fits all the criteria—his name should be 'Gu Chi.'"

But Shen Tang misheard.

"Gu Chi? Gucci? This name..."

It had a touch of devilry.

Qishan thought Shen Tang had misunderstood due to her accent, but he didn't bother to correct her, continuing, "Gu Chi, with the courtesy name Wangchao, is quite a character. I only know that he excels at probing hearts and interpreting words, but I never expected that to be his path of the literati... Hmph!"

Shen Tang was still fixated on the name, "Wangchao, octopus??"

Qishan: "...".