Mythical Three Kingdoms

Just as Ji Xiang had anticipated, her school of thought had never manifested in the mortal world before, but wisdom and thought have commonalities.

Just as when Confucius sought the Tao from Laozi, the Confucian School never existed before then, and Laozi wasn’t a Confucian, but their wisdom shared common ground, and the philosophy of life had mutual aspects to learn and ponder.

Ji Xiang directly approached Zheng Xuan, because at that moment, Ji Xiang viewed Zheng Xuan, though a Confucian, now being somewhat indistinct from the Miscellaneous School, and after that wave of counterattacks, the next generation of Confucians had been crushed, and such people as Zheng Xuan were now interpreting the Six Classics according to themselves.

Since it was about interpreting the Six Classics personally, to put it simply, there had to be a unique ideology, only being explained through the lens of the Six Classics. Having reached this stage, there’s no need to say that these people were no longer simply Confucians.

Or, it should be said, they were no longer merely token Confucians or Meng Ru, coupled with the collapse of the next generation of Confucians, allowing leading figures of the Confucian school the opportunity to transform their school of thought, based on their beliefs and knowledge, establishing their own ’Tao’.

Zheng Xuan was not too concerned by Ji Xiang’s arrival, as he was aware of her identity, and understood how her educational methods lacked gender concepts, thus entering here was not seen as overstepping propriety at all, for the notion of ’propriety’ differed between them.

At Zheng Xuan’s level, he no longer compelled others to do anything. Though he was born a Confucian, traces of Huang Lao could be seen too, allowing everything to proceed naturally.

Ji Xiang came to inquire, and Zheng Xuan would naturally clarify. Zheng Xuan did not mind Ji Xiang learning his ideas or disputing them, as thought would only become clearer through debate.

The two conversed for an entire day, with Ji Xiang questioning in the morning and Zheng Xuan understanding Ji Xiang’s intentions by the afternoon, stop viewing her as a mere girl, and started discussing not what others said, but their personal observations and theories.

The two spoke from morning till evening, and in the end, Zheng Xuan signed for Ji Xiang, jokingly noting that Ji Xiang was treading an unconventional path, which proved that Zheng Xuan no longer saw her as a junior but regarded her as someone poised to establish a new school of thought.

Tao does not adhere to a sequence; the accomplished are Masters. Although Ji Xiang walked an unconventional path, besides possessing some unorthodox ideas, she indeed had some legitimate philosophical thoughts, and having reached Zheng Xuan’s level, nothing remained elusive, and he saw Ji Xiang’s ideology as something worth referencing, despite its extremities.

"I had thought among you women, it would be Miss Cai who would take this step first, yet you took the lead," Zheng Xuan remarked with a slight sigh as Ji Xiang prepared to leave.

For people like Zheng Xuan, Cai Yan was rated more highly, yet unexpectedly, someone had become a dark horse, which was not too surprising though.

Thereafter, Wang Lie was even more affable than Zheng Xuan, though he had fewer remaining disciples, unlike Wang Lie’s frequent engagements in education. He had already written the Book of Virtue, and for him, other thoughts weren’t so necessary; his core lay in moral education.

Wang Lie and Zheng Xuan viewed Ji Xiang as a novice seeking knowledge, yet Wang Lie discovered her potential earlier, not implying he surpassed Zheng Xuan, but Zheng Xuan’s thoughts leaned towards moderation, whereas Wang Lie’s focused more on ethical education.

Concerning Ji Xiang’s School of Mind or Psychology, despite having a core idea, she hadn’t followed an orthodox path from the beginning, from divination to indoctrination to brainwashing, holding the heritage of Xuanyuan’s Chief Priestess, with no emphasis on good or evil, advocating nature.

Originally, if not encountering the latter things, Ji Xiang would have remained unbiased, but those later subjects carried some skewed nature, steering her thoughts from natural non-action to a somewhat deviant path.

Yet such deviation was normal; Confucians have debated inherent goodness, inherent evil, and even the Doctrine of the Mean, nothing incomprehensible or detestable to a Great Confucian Scholar. Though Wang Lie was a righteous figure, he was not unacquainted with Xunzi’s theory.

Consequently, the discussions mainly led to debates, and compared to Zheng Xuan, the encounter with Wang Lie was more challenging, yet as dusk fell, Wang Lie ceased, signing and handing over to Ji Xiang, acknowledging that a younger generation was indeed formidable.

Ji Xiang then spent half a month organizing before seeking Sima Hui, as Wang Lie’s thoughts were far too stimulating for someone with deviant inclinations, revealing many gaps in her philosophy.

Sima Hui’s meeting was the simplest for Ji Xiang. To explain, the other two’s thoughts originated from Confucianism, their core couldn’t change regardless of deviation, that being propriety.

Therefore, neither Zheng Xuan nor Wang Lie engaged in Ji Xiang’s theories. Instead, they analyzed the philosophy of conduct as deduction rather than disputation from within, then debated.

Sima Hui was completely different, as a Miscellaneous Scholar; this meant simply favoring aspects of various schools and assimilating them.

This was the weakest aspect of the Miscellaneous School, for every leader would absorb different doctrines, resulting in no discernible core despite belonging to the same school.

In simpler terms, the Miscellaneous School resembled a new computer installing software, where each individual’s perception isn’t universal, producing different results.

Sima Hui’s interest in Ji Xiang’s school made his situation particular, intending to graft elements from Ji Xiang’s school onto his own; true to Miscellaneous School fashion, embracing everything good, thus asking wasn’t required.

Ji Xiang did not mind Sima Hui adopting her school’s ideas, allowing them to easily communicate, with Sima Hui even assisting Ji Xiang to rectify her thoughts; the leaders of the Miscellaneous School were adept at complementing strengths with weaknesses, and such being the case, Sima Hui had many resources at his disposal.

Every aspect of various doctrines was well-covered; understanding that Sima Hui mingled with Confucians without using others’ beliefs showcased his formidably, naturally providing his aid allowed Ji Xiang’s previously frail ideas to thicken.

The core Classic Books were naturally recompiled. As a strong supporter, Sima Hui successfully acquired the core scriptures of the School of Mind, crafted by Ji Xiang’s own hand.

Sima Hui was exceedingly satisfied to receive a school’s primal scriptures, desiring more opportunities like this. With this possession, Sima Hui thought, he might even pose as a major figure within the School of Mind eventually.

Feeling satisfied, Sima Hui signed Ji Xiang’s prepared Silk Manuscript; for him, signing approval was immaterial compared to the benefit he gained; even signing defeat wouldn’t lessen his satisfaction.

Having this, Ji Xiang spent more time reorganizing until no gaps or short-term criticisms could be found before approaching Lub Su to request land for establishing a mountain gate; she had passed in substance; the rest was procedural.

"How is this possible?" Lub Su was taken aback, looking up at Ji Xiang beside him, suddenly sensing an academic hegemony radiance emanating from her. She was only twenty, yet she had truly accomplished it.

"I confronted each one individually; Lord Kang Cheng’s session went better, but Duke Yana Fang was almost insurmountable; if the questioning had persisted a few more hours, I would have failed. Master Shuijing taught me much," Ji Xiang spoke with a bitter expression, noting Wang Lie’s session would’ve ended similarly had night not fallen, and if he hadn’t acknowledged her ability, she would’ve failed then.

Accurately, Ji Xiang also noticed the gap between herself and those renowned great figures—alright, not just these three but those legendary figures—in a direct comparison, the disparity was substantial. Luckily, her school was an unorthodox path with extensive validation, or she truly couldn’t match their theorizing.

The reason she passed was largely the unrelated nature of her school to others, coupled with the last three leaders’ leniency, evidently not intending to challenge her severely; if she endured a day, they let it pass.

But this differed too much from Ji Xiang’s initial aim of singlehandedly overwhelming everyone. Reality, however, dictated otherwise; completing her aspiration to establish her school took precedence, and the prospect of having disciples invoked a strange joy.

"Regardless, having passed those three, there should not be much issue; even if anyone obstructs, it would merely be procedural," Chen Xi remarked, somewhat speechless at the situation after examining the Silk Manuscript, amazed at Ji Xiang’s achievement.

"Hengheng, I am quite capable, quickly allot me a space, I must build my mountain gate; soon I shall be Principal Ji!" Ji Xiang stated with slight triumph.

"Zijing, provide her with academy guidelines," Chen Xi turned to Lub Su, saying there was no sense in blocking her accomplishments at this point; desiring to establish a school, she should proceed; even if Ji Xiang taught basic subjects, it would aid in spreading education, ensuring no loss.

"Yet by her establishing a mountain gate, won’t others become dissatisfied?" Lub Su frowned, worried about Ji Xiang’s mountain gate’s stability; several concerns loomed, and he preferred Ji Xiang’s return to Medical Academy.

With Hua Tuo and Zhang Zhongjing detached from the Medical Academy, lacking those two, Ji Xiang became its head. Moreover, unlike other colleges, medicine didn’t lack subsidies or personnel; for her new mountain gate, despite establishment, it only possessed fundamental conditions.