Chapter 30: Knowing It Cannot Be Done

Chapter 30: Knowing the Impossible

"I have met him."

Qin Yuan thought to himself, not only have I met him, but I also owe my entire Indestructible Vajra Divine Art to him.

"Lin Yidong's real name was Lin Juemin. Juemin was my closest friend. We shared the same aspirations and pledged to forge a broad, prosperous path for the people of this land."

"Now that he is gone, I will carry on his legacy. I know that the things I propose now are not perfect and may even be twisted, but I believe that one day, it will be achieved."

Song Yufu spoke with complete confidence, a glow seemingly radiating from his eyes.

Another idealist.

Another person full of hope for the future.

This man was destined for a tragic end.

Because whether it was the Yuting, the Gentry Association, or even those currently standing by his side, they would all eventually view him as an enemy.

Why did Zhang Mazi's brothers eventually leave? They wanted an easy life.

After finishing his notes, Qin Yuan remained silent for a long while before asking, "Besides the Gentry Association and the recommendation system, does Chairman Song have any other major proposals?"

"The Cabinet. Major political affairs will belong to the Gentry Association, and internal affairs to the Cabinet."

So, the Yuting, having gone through the trouble of rebellion, would be nothing more than a figurehead.

Qin Yuan imagined the scene.

The Yuting, angry, saying: "Before the rebellion, I didn't have the final say; now that I've rebelled, I still don't have the final say. Didn't I just rebel for nothing?"

He felt a strange urge to laugh.

Next, Qin Yuan asked a few trivial questions, such as Song Yufu's age, his family background, his hobbies, and what had become of the children of the fallen martyrs...

Unexpectedly, he learned that Lin Yidong's eldest son—the child Qin Yuan had once saved from the Beggar Sect—was named Lin Dongze. He was twenty years old and currently studying at the Minzhou Academy.

Qin Yuan had a premonition that he would meet Lin Dongze in the capital in the near future.

A moment later.

"That will be all, sorry to have troubled you, Chairman Song," said Qin Yuan after recording the final word.

"Take care."

Song Yufu walked him all the way to the door before stopping.

Exiting the Huetong Hostel, many curious gazes fell upon Qin Yuan. Most of them quickly turned away.

Qin Yuan mounted his beloved little donkey and wobbled his way back home.

He immediately plunged into his training.

On one hand, he didn't know when this world had begun to change, becoming more suitable for cultivation, and his intuition told him this was not a good sign.

On the other hand, his colleagues who were getting on in years no longer went out to play, and with Lu Yunfei gone, there was no point in going to the pleasure houses or the Eight Great Alleys alone.

"Appear, Five Animals Frolic Scroll."

With a thought, the scroll appeared before him.

Focusing his attention, Qin Yuan quickly entered the world of the scroll.

This time, he chose an opponent perched in a tree: an ape wearing leather armor, chest bared with thick fur, a hairy face with a thunder-god beak, holding a staff.

With the dark, gloomy art style of the surroundings, one might think the Black Myth: Wukong had arrived.

Whoosh!

A shadow lunged from the tree with savage intensity.

It was like an unstoppable primordial beast descending upon the human world.

Qin Yuan threw a violent punch without hesitation, but the shadow shifted mid-air with extreme speed, launching an even more vicious side strike.

Bang! Man and ape retreated simultaneously.

The ape landed, scratched its ears and cheeks, and lunged again.

Aiming for the top—no, the bottom.

In the fifteen years Qin Yuan had spent in this world, among all the opponents he had encountered, the ape was definitely the most unscrupulous.

Bang!

He repelled the ape once more.

The creature bared its fangs, eyes glowing with malice, its body wreathed in black mist—it was every bit a demon.

After exchanging blows for a while, its temper became even more volatile; sand and stones began to fly as if it could alter the environment with a single thought.

Qin Yuan frowned.

This ape was no stronger than the Black Tiger he had fought previously, so why was he struggling so much?

Suddenly, it dawned on him.

He shouldn't be led by the ape's rhythm.

Its strength was agility; trying to out-maneuver it was just asking for a beating.

"Demon monkey, witness the power that shatters all techniques!"

Qin Yuan manifested his golden membrane.

A brilliant golden light erupted.

As the ape lunged again, Qin Yuan defended but did not attack.

Bang!

Qin Yuan grabbed the ape's leg and, like the Hulk, spun it around and slammed it into the ground.

The ape coughed up blood from its nose and mouth before its form turned ethereal.

Soon, it vanished from Qin Yuan's sight.

"Gone?"

Qin Yuan looked up to see another ape on the tree, eyes glowing with malice, ready to strike.

Come again.

Qin Yuan smiled and beckoned to it.

...

A month passed in a blink.

Damn, I forgot to report for duty.

Qin Yuan tidied up and mounted his beloved little—er, it was already an old donkey.

Qin Yuan only just noticed today.

A few more rides and it would have to be turned into donkey-meat burgers.

Better to walk.

It wasn't far anyway.

Arriving at the Left History Office, he entered his private room.

Not long after sitting down, someone outside called out: "Recorder Qin, the Head of the Office asks to see you."

The Head's room was not far from his own; a few turns and he was there.

Suddenly, he felt a bit hesitant to push the door open.

He had already outlived two bosses.

What if he outlived this one too?

After hesitating for a moment, he pushed the door and entered.

A civil official was sitting inside, quite handsome and lean.

This was a rare sight among the generally portly civil officials.

"Recorder Qin, please sit. You should have heard my name: Yang Huzhan."

"I have."

How could he not have heard of Tan Zhuangfei's friend and fellow townsman?

Ten years ago, he had even placed second in the imperial examinations.

Because he was suspected of being a remnant of the reformists, he had fled.

Over the years, Qin Yuan had heard his colleagues discuss him several times.

He hadn't expected him to return, let alone become the Head of the Office.

"Sit."

"Right."

Qin Yuan turned and realized he was being offered the main seat.

Just as he hesitated, "It's fine, sit."

It was natural, not the feigned casualness of someone who had lost their edge.

There was only one possibility: this man was incredibly flexible.

Qin Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.

This man would definitely live a long time.

As he sat down, Yang Huzhan's voice sounded again: "My position as Head of the Office is only a concurrent post; I spend most of my time with the Regent. Would you be willing to manage the Left History Office on my behalf?"

"I would not."

Qin Yuan answered bluntly.

Yang Huzhan paused, then laughed nonchalantly: "Then I shall manage it myself; it’s not as if there is much to do lately anyway."

Over the next half-hour, Qin Yuan witnessed Yang Huzhan's brilliance.

He seemed to possess an innate charisma, making people feel close to him without even realizing it.

Such a person would never stand at the crest of the era's waves, but they would certainly thrive wherever they went.

After chatting for a while, Qin Yuan was stunned to discover that this man actually belonged to the school of Imperial Statecraft.

No wonder he managed to get close to the Yuting.

As they continued, Qin Yuan was speechless.

No matter what they talked about, the man could analyze it thoroughly, making one wonder whose side he was truly on.

It wasn't without its benefits, though; at least Qin Yuan didn't have to worry about sending his boss to an early grave anytime soon.

"By the way, in a few days, the child of an old friend of yours is coming to the capital."

Yang Huzhan said suddenly, his expression showing a hint of sympathy.

The child of an old friend?

Qin Yuan couldn't recall who it might be.

There were simply too many "children of old friends."

Wait, what did that sympathy mean?

In all his years in this world, this was the first time someone had pitied him.

"Li Guangqian's son."

Who is Li Guangqian?

That was Qin Yuan's first reaction.

Immediately after, he remembered: the first friend he had made upon arriving in this world.

Later, relying on his father-in-law's financial support, he had bought a position as a county magistrate and left.

"How is Yuanfu doing now?"

Qin Yuan asked, feeling a bit nervous.

He was afraid of hearing that the man had passed away.