lovenovelstory Chapter 179 The Land of Cherry Blossoms: Why Did Xu Fu Disappear?
Chapter 179 The Land of Cherry Blossoms: Why Did Xu Fu Disappear?
perhaps!
Should we also try to send them a set of "ideologies"?
Send those time-tested classics?
Sending the spark that could ignite self-transformation in that era?
As the cheers subsided, everyone looked at their leader with lingering excitement.
Zhu Feng raised his head, his eyes regaining their sharpness and determination.
"Comrades!"
He said in a deep voice
"The celebration can take a break for now!"
"The first phase of goals has been achieved, but this is just the beginning."
"Everyone, immediately begin assessing the potential long-term impact of this imperial examination reform on the course of history!"
"Build all the models that can be extrapolated!"
"I need to know where our world is headed."
……
The land of cherry blossoms.
Inside the National Central Museum.
An elderly man with gray hair was leading a group of students in front of a specially made glass display case.
He is Yuichi Watanabe, one of the top ancient history experts in Japan!
He dedicated his life to studying the origins of the Yamato people.
At this moment, he proudly gave a live explanation to his students:
"Students, look this way!"
"In the origins of our Yamato people, Xu Fu holds an extremely revered position. He is not only the 'God of Agriculture' in our mythology, but also the 'Ancestor of Medicine'."
"It was he who led three thousand boys and girls across the waves, bringing advanced agricultural techniques, traditional Chinese medicine, and the seeds of civilization to this land."
Yuichi Watanabe pointed at the yellowed ancient book in the glass cabinet, his eyes gleaming with fanaticism.
"And the earliest written record of all this comes from our nation's sacred text—the Kojiki!"
"It is the source of our history!"
"Please look here. This section records the story of Xu Fu's eastward voyage, bringing with him various crafts and grain seeds..."
He confidently extended his finger, pointing to a specific spot on the page through the glass.
however.
The next moment, his voice stopped abruptly.
Watanabe Yuichi's smile froze instantly. He took a step forward and pressed his face almost against the glass.
wrong!
He rubbed his eyes violently, thinking that his eyesight was failing due to old age.
He was not only a historian but also an expert in ancient writing, and he knew every single character in the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters).
But now, the passage in his memory that should have recorded Xu Fu's achievements was...
gone!
That page wasn't blank!
Instead, it is filled with other unimportant texts describing ancient rituals, seamlessly connected!
It seems that's been the case from the very beginning.
"No...no! This can't be!"
Watanabe Yuichi's face turned deathly pale instantly, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
"Baka yarou!"
A furious growl erupted!
The group of students behind him were startled.
They looked at their teacher in horror, the same gentle and learned scholar who had just been there.
In an instant, he seemed like a trapped beast whose bestial nature had been exposed, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins and his expression terrifyingly ferocious.
Yuichi Watanabe has completely disregarded his students and his image.
Or rather... his true nature was revealed!
He muttered to himself,
"Disappeared... How could it disappear..."
Suddenly, he did something that shocked everyone!
"Clang—!"
He grabbed a nearby metal pillar and, with all his might, smashed it against the glass display case!
The alarm blared throughout the entire museum!
Amidst the terrified screams of the crowd, Watanabe Yuichi acted like a madman, ignoring the cuts on his hands from the broken glass.
He snatched the national treasure-level Kojiki and frantically flipped through it with trembling fingers.
No!
Still no!
All records about "Xu Fu", all texts about "Eastward voyage", "artisans", and "grain seeds".
They've all vanished without a trace!
It's as if that person and that event never existed in this history book at all!
"Our roots...our roots...have been severed..."
Yuichi Watanabe collapsed to the ground, utterly dejected, his eyes vacant.
A moment later.
As if remembering something, he suddenly pulled out his phone from his pocket and quickly dialed a mysterious number.
The moment the call connected.
He screamed into the microphone:
"Something's happened! A state of emergency!"
"In the Kojiki... Xu Fu... disappeared!"
……
Night was falling.
Inside a secluded side hall of Xianyang Palace.
Steam rose from the enormous wooden barrel, which was filled with precious spices.
The warm, moist air, mixed with the fragrance of grass and trees, dispelled the fatigue of the past few days.
Zhang Fan leaned comfortably against the tub, closed his eyes, and enjoyed this rare moment of leisure.
A pair of soft, delicate hands were gently kneading her shoulders, applying just the right amount of pressure.
"Master..."
A maid's timid voice came from behind, tinged with a hint of confusion.
"Why...why do I always have to refer to myself as 'Technician Number Thirty-Two'?"
"This name is quite strange..."
The girl's cheeks were flushed, and she added softly:
"And... actually, you don't need to give me any reward money each time. It's my blessing to serve the Immortal Master..."
Zhang Fan hummed comfortably, his eyes still closed, but a smile played on his lips.
"Hehe, it's all about the sense of ritual; we still have to go through this process."
He answered lazily,
"As for why, don't ask. You wouldn't understand even if you did."
The maid gave an "Oh" that sounded like she understood but didn't quite.
He dared not stop working, but his curiosity about Zhang Fan's strange behavior only grew stronger.
Zhang Fan completely emptied his mind.
The matter has finally come to an end.
Today's great debate has resulted in the Wu family being raided and exterminated, with all their assets confiscated and transferred to the national treasury!
An unexpected bonus was that during the investigation of the Wu family's businesses, they also followed the clues to find more!
In the Wu family's secluded manor, many children who had been abducted and gone missing were found.
His Majesty has entrusted the Black Ice Guard with a thorough investigation of this matter!
The imperial examination system set the tone for this event!
The next step is to discuss the specific implementation details, which requires Li Si and others to discuss carefully; it cannot be accomplished overnight.
And finally, I can get some rest.
Just as Zhang Fan was enjoying this moment of peace and was almost asleep—
"Squeak—"
The palace door was gently pushed open a crack from the outside.
A curious gaze pierced through the crack in the door, landing squarely on Zhang Fan in the wooden tub, and behind him, a rosy-cheeked maidservant diligently massaging his shoulders.
The person who came was Ying Zheng, who had finished dealing with government affairs and came specifically to see Zhang Fan.
Ying Zheng's face immediately darkened.
However, he did not make a sound to disturb them, took a deep breath, and suppressed his emotions.
Ying Zheng gently closed the door, restoring silence to the hall.
He whispered an instruction to the other maid standing guard at the door:
"Once the immortal master is finished, have him come to see me."
Done.
He then turned and left with his hands behind his back.
Inside the room.
The fragrance still lingers, like a touch of snow and dew.
Zhang Fan waved his hand, signaling the maid to leave.
The maidservant bowed and took her leave.