Divine Yan Hall, Divine Farmer City:
Carrying a box, Gu Hai walked into the assembly hall at a measured pace.
All the civil and military officials quieted as they watched Gu Hai enter the palace hall.
Upon stepping into the assembly hall, Gu Hai sensed the awe-inspiring air of the palace hall. The imperial-robed-clad Jiang Lianshan sat on a throne in the north, emitting an intangible pressure.
If Gu Hai had not reached the Lower Heavenly Palace Realm, such pressure might have shaken his heart.
However, Gu Hai endured the pressure from the Yan Nation’s sovereign and officials as he walked to the middle of the hall.
The White Emperor looked at Gu Hai with a faint, cold look in her eyes. Clearly, she still blamed him for refusing to meet her not long ago.
The Azure Emperor also showed a sullen expression as he looked at Gu Hai.
Aside from his hatred for Gu Hai, there was also what the black-robed man in his residence said. An alliance between the Yan Nation and the Qian Nation? I need to stop this. I must!
Although Jiang Lianshan showed a dignified expression, he actually watched Gu Hai quite cautiously.
“Qian Nation envoy, Gu Hai, greets Yan Heavenly Emperor,” Gu Hai said with a slight bow.
“Gu Hai, how goes your Classic of Changes?” Jiang Lianshan asked indifferently.
“Yan Heavenly Emperor, this humble one has something I want to verify before that. Do the words that Yan Heavenly Emperor declared before the world ten days ago count?” Gu Hai countered.
Ten days ago, Jiang Lianshan said that if Gu Hai’s Classic of Changes managed to overthrow the Lianshan Classic, he would agree to Long Zhanguo’s proposal of alliance.
“How audacious!” The Azure Emperor suddenly glared.
“Huh? Azure Emperor, I represent the Qian Heavenly Emperor right now. How are my words audacious?” Gu Hai glared back at the Azure Emperor.
“What is the purpose of Long Zhanguo sending you here? To think that you are going to the extent of holding His Holy Eminence hostage by his words? Why don’t you clearly say what it is? What if Long Zhanguo wants everyone in my Yan Heavenly Dynasty to kill themselves? Is everyone in my Yan Heavenly Dynasty going to commit suicide?” the Azure Emperor said coldly.
Although Gu Hai knew why Long Zhanguo sought an alliance with the Yan Nation, he could not say that. The moment it was brought to light, he could face boundless resistance from the officials, the citizens, and the various factions of the world. It would bring endless trouble to the Yan Heavenly Dynasty.
Thus, this rebel alliance could only be known to those involved, not announced to the world, especially when the alliance had not been formed yet.
The Azure Emperor wanted to force Gu Hai to divulge it. Then, all the other officials would object and stop this alliance without him needing to do anything else.
Gu Hai glanced at the Azure Emperor and revealed a cold smile. Then, he turned to look at Jiang Lianshan. “Yan Heavenly Emperor, do your words still count?”
When Gu Hai ignored him, the Azure Emperor’s face sank.
“A sovereign always keeps his word!” Jiang Lianshan said coldly.
“Excellent!” Gu Hai nodded.
“Where is your Classic of Changes?” Jiang Lianshan said.
Not saying anything more, Gu Hai extended his hand to open the box.
The box looked ordinary. It had two pieces of large paper in there.
Then, he slowly laid out the paper.
The first sheet had a diagram of the sixty-four hexagrams arranged in a ring. The second sheet was the Classic of Changes itself, the Classic of Changes that Gu Hai read on Earth.
When the Classic of Changes appeared, everyone stared at the two pieces of paper.
“First: Qian Hexagram. Second: Kun Hexagram. Third: Tun Hexagram… Fifty-first: Zhen Hexagram. Fifty-second: Gen Hexagram. Fifty-third: Jian Hexagram…”
When the officials saw this order, their expressions changed.
“How impudent! Why is the Gen Hexagram only fifty-second?” The Azure Emperor’s eyes turned cold.
“Why can’t the Gen Hexagram be fifty-second?” Gu Hai said indifferently.
The Azure Emperor turned his head to look at Jiang Lianshan. “Your Holy Eminence, the Qian Nation envoy is deliberately humiliating my Yan Nation—”
Jiang Lianshan raised his hand, stopping the Azure Emperor’s words.
Most of the people did not understand this sequence, but Jiang Lianshan’s pupils constricted.
During the past ten days, Jiang Lianshan had tried rearranging the sixty-four hexagrams using the Qian Hexagram as the leading hexagram. The longer he did so, the more interesting it got. However, it was extremely difficult to rearrange the sixty-four hexagrams. There were many possible combinations. Even so, the arrangement he managed to accomplish had the same first ten hexagrams.
Didn’t that mean that Gu Hai’s Classic of Changes followed a certain principle?
“Gu Hai, this is the Classic of Changes you arranged?” Jiang Lianshan asked.
“Yes. As for the specifics, I believe that Yan Heavenly Emperor is a wise man. You can tell whether it is right or not and whether it is more orthodox than the Lianshan Classic. You should understand that better than me,” Gu Hai said.
“Then, explain this Classic of Changes,” Jiang Lianshan said.
The White Emperor and the Azure Emperor looked at Gu Hai in surprise, as Jiang Lianshan did not get angry. This proved that this Classic of Changes was truly complete and not utter nonsense.
“The Classic of Changes? Changes also refer to transformation. The Classic of Changes is a scripture that describes the transformation of all phenomena in the world. The Qian Hexagram, the Kun Hexagram, the Tun Hexagram, the Meng Hexagram…the Zhen Hexagram, the Gen Hexagram, the Jian Hexagram…. This is a natural process of transformation and change.” Gu Hai gave a simple description.
Everyone waited for Gu Hai, but Gu Hai did not say anything more.
“That…that’s it?” the White Emperor said with a strange expression.
Gu Hai nodded.
The White Emperor: “…”
Jiang Lianshan: “…”
Gu Hai had a limited understanding of the Classic of Changes. While he might have some comprehensions of it, he did not dare speak too much lest he say the wrong thing. Hence, he just gave the most superficial description of the Classic of Changes. However, the most superficial description was also pointless.
When the officials in the assembly hall looked at the sequence of the arrangement, they could also offer this superficial description. What was the point of saying it? This was something that could be figured out with one glance.
Everyone looked at Gu Hai strangely. Only the Azure Emperor narrowed his eyes. Did Gu Hai really not write the Classic of Changes? Otherwise, he would not have offered such a shallow description.
If it were before the black-robed man gave that explanation, the Azure Emperor would still think that Gu Hai was just pretending to understand. However, while the others found it strange, they did not think anything was wrong.
“The Lianshan Classic has the Gen Hexagram as the leading hexagram. Why is it fifty-second in your Classic of Changes? Would Envoy Gu explain it?” the White Emperor said indifferently.
The officials looked at Gu Hai. Jiang Lianshan merely looked at Gu Hai as well, not saying anything.
“The Qian Hexagram is the first. Going by this sequence, the Gen Hexagram is naturally the fifty-second. Before the Gen Hexagram is the Zhen Hexagram. The Zhen Hexagram refers to all things shaking in an upheaval. However, they cannot be in such a state forever. So what would be the upcoming transformation?” Gu Hai looked at the White Emperor.
“Be it an earthquake, the upheaval of war, or wandering thoughts, the next transformation of all things shaking would be calm. There would be calm after an earthquake. There would be calm after a chaotic war. There would be calm after wandering thoughts,” the White Emperor said.
“That’s right. That is the change of the Classic of Changes. The Gen Hexagram is the mountain. To be immovable like the mountain. The immovability of mountains refers to stopping. All movements quiet down, and the shaking stops. Gen refers to stopping. After things undergo massive upheaval, they inevitably reach a state of extreme quiet and stillness. As the Lianshan Classic says, ‘Gen is formed by two mountains over each other. In accordance with this, the superior man’s thoughts do not venture beyond his place.’ So, the Gen Hexagram has to follow the Zhen Hexagram. That’s why the Lianshan Classic is wrong. The Gen Hexagram can never be first,” Gu Hai said.
“Preposterous!” The Azure Emperor glared.
On the throne, Jiang Lianshan’s face sank as well.
As Gu Hai’s Classic of Changes describes, stillness happens after shaking. This is an indisputable fact of the world’s transformations. In that case, is the Lianshan Classic wrong?
“My Classic of Changes illustrates the supreme truth of the world; it even explains the changing of dynasties. The Yan Heavenly Dynasty has Gen as its foundation. What came before the establishment of the Yan Heavenly Dynasty?” Gu Hai looked at the officials.
The White Emperor’s face sank.
“Relentless, chaotic war and restless upheaval, right? I have looked into history. Before the Yan Heavenly Dynasty was established, the east was a greatly chaotic land. The five imperial lords used to rule an imperial dynasty each, and there was the Yan Imperial Dynasty. The chaos lasted for not just one year but more than a thousand years. Such chaotic war and upheaval are the Zhen Hexagram of the Classic of Changes. After that, who stilled the east? After the Zhen Hexagram is the Gen Hexagram. Naturally, the Yan Heavenly Dynasty brought calm to everything. The Gen Hexagram replaced the Zhen Hexagram,” Gu Hai said seriously.
“Oh? According to what you say, the Classic of Changes can also explain the change in dynasties. So, the Yan Heavenly Dynasty can be replaced as well?” the Azure Emperor said coldly.
The Azure Emperor had an ulterior motive for asking this. Talking about replacing the Yan Heavenly Dynasty would raise the topic of rebellion. Would Gu Hai dare to say that the Yan Heavenly Dynasty would collapse?
“If you understand the Classic of Changes, you will understand that nothing is permanent in the world. The Yan Heavenly Dynasty will have changes sooner or later.” Gu Hai nodded.
“How audacious! Gu Hai, how dare you humiliate my Yan Nation?! Even saying that the Yan Nation will collapse? Why don’t you say that the Qian Nation will collapse as well?” the Azure Emperor said with a furious glare.
“Did I say that the Qian Heavenly Dynasty will never change?” Gu Hai said with a faint smile.
“Huh?” The Azure Emperor narrowed his eyes.
“The Qian Hexagram is the first, and the Kun Hexagram is the second. Qian is Yang, and Kun is Yin. When Yang is in the extremes, it births Yin. I believe that is not a secret. When Qian changes, it will transform into Kun. Hum? The Qian Heavenly Emperor has never installed a female ruler of a fief. There is not a single woman controlling a large faction around the Qian Nation. There is not even an empress in the Qian Nation. Thus, the Qian Heavenly Emperor has already wiped out all potential seeds of trouble. I wonder if Azure Emperor has noticed that my Qian Heavenly Dynasty has already made its preparations?” Gu Hai smiled.
“Huh?” Everyone felt slightly startled.
Gu Hai spoke about a situation that was normal for many dynasties. However, when he put it this way, it seemed like Long Zhanguo had done it on purpose, so that the Qian Heavenly Dynasty would last forever by cutting off all Kun at the roots and eliminating them.
What Gu Hai said were just his misrepresentations. However, anyone would have their own interpretation of the Classic of Changes when they read it. No one could say that Gu Hai’s explanation was wrong.
“Oh? The Qian Heavenly Dynasty has cut off all development for any Kun factors? What about my Yan Heavenly Dynasty?” the Azure Emperor said with a cold smile.
The Azure Emperor hoped that Gu Hai would speak more, as he was confident that Gu Hai did not compose this Classic of Changes. He believed that Gu Hai could not say much about it. As long as Gu Hai slipped up, he could refute this Classic of Changes and stop the alliance.
Furthermore, even if Gu Hai got it right, who could topple the Yan Heavenly Dynasty? This would offend everyone in the Divine Yan Hall. Naturally, everyone would reject Gu Hai.
What the Azure Emperor could not understand was why Gu Hai was beating about the bush, waiting for people to ask him. He just needed to speak his understanding of it and some twisting of logic. As long as he spoke in a way no one could refute him using the Classic of Changes, it would do.
“The Zhen Hexagram is the fifty-first, the Gen Hexagram is the fifty-second, and the Jian Hexagram is the fifty-third. The hexagram after the Gen Hexagram is the Jian Hexagram. Jian will replace Gen,” Gu Hai said.
“Jian Hexagram?” the Azure Emperor said, feeling puzzled.
“The Gen Hexagram means stillness; everything stops. However, is that the end of transformations? No, it is still changing. However, the change is very minute, imperceptible—but that does not mean there is none. It is changing slowly, a transformation from a quantitative change to a qualitative change. That is what the Jian Hexagram means. Azure Emperor, don’t you think that I am right?” Gu Hai smiled.
[TL Note: Jian means gradual, and the Jian Hexagram symbolizes gradual progress or development.]
“Humph! I don’t know anything about quantitative change transforming into qualitative change. Speak clearly. What minute changes?” the Azure Emperor said coldly.
“Immovable like a mountain. The Gen mountain does not move, so what change can there be? That would be the grass and plants on the mountains. It is minute and gradual, but it truly exists. It is written in the Classic of Changes. The Jian Hexagram [䷴] consists of the trigram for trees above the trigram for mountains. The superior man attains to and maintains his extraordinary virtue and makes the manners of the people good,” Gu Hai said with a smile.
The White Emperor pondered this, then said, “The trees on the mountain grow by relying on the mountain, growing slowly. The superior man observes this and accumulates extraordinary virtue, slowly changing backward social customs.”
The officials thought about what the White Emperor said and felt it made sense.
“So what? I am asking what will replace the Yan Nation?” the Azure Emperor said, his voice sinking.
“You!” Gu Hai said indifferently.
Gu Hai’s “You” made the expression of everyone in the palace hall change. What? Did I hear wrong?
“Gu Hai, how dare you make such accusations of us?” the Azure Emperor said while glaring.
After taking a deep breath, Gu Hai said gravely, “The Jian Hexagram consists of the trigram for trees above the trigram for mountains. So, it is trees on the Gen mountain. Among the five imperial lords, isn’t the Azure Emperor the wood-attributed imperial lord? Then, the Azure Emperor in the Yan Heavenly Dynasty is the tree on the Gen mountain? After the Gen Hexagram is the Jian Hexagram. It would be the Azure Emperor’s turn to flourish after the Yan Heavenly Dynasty passes.”
Gu Hai had studied the Classic of Changes for a long time. Perhaps there were some misrepresentations here, but so what? How many people understood the Classic of Changes? Gu Hai beat about the bush that way to bring out this scene before everyone.
When the Azure Emperor heard what Gu Hai said, he suddenly thought of the black-robed man in his residence for some reason. I will replace Jiang Lianshan and establish a heavenly dynasty. I will flourish? Can that be true?
However, the Azure Emperor suddenly felt flustered. Who knew whether it was out of worry about Jiang Lianshan’s rage, concern that word of the black-robed man in his residence would leak, or the forceful repression of the excitement in his heart? He immediately glared.
“Gu Hai, how dare you try to drive a wedge between my Yan Heavenly Dynasty’s sovereign and officials, causing trouble here? You deserve death!” Glaring, the Azure Emperor threw a palm strike at Gu Hai.
Chapters for July: 27 / 30
