Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 198: Diplomatic Mission
Chang Lin walked out of the palace with his group. He looked up at the dimming sky and smiled silently. Liu Guo did not give an immediate answer but mentioned that they would discuss it further. Chang Lin did not mind. Currently, An Yang’s production capacity was limited and unable to fully open up to foreign trade. Therefore, whether the Liu Kingdom agreed to trade was not important.
What mattered was that, using this excuse, he could enter Liu Kingdom for an investigation and further plan to recruit talent. That was his only purpose for coming to Liu Kingdom!
However, just as Chang Lin was walking out of the palace, a disheveled person with hair in a mess and clothes in tatters appeared in front of him, asking, “Are you from Anyang? The An yang where Li Xian, who advocates business and industry to strengthen the country, is from?”
“Yes.” Chang Lin answered without thinking, because the idea of “business and industry to strengthen the country” was very popular, and people from Anyang were proud of it.
The disheveled person immediately looked up, revealing a pale face. “Can I go to Anyang?”
Chang Lin furrowed his brows slightly but remained calm. “Anyone can go to Anyang now. We welcome anyone.”
“Really? Can I travel with your big ship?”
At this moment, Chang Lin felt that the person was getting bolder.
Seemingly noticing Chang Lin’s hesitation, the disheveled person immediately took out a jade pendant from their chest. “This jade pendant is a low-level magical artifact with the ability to calm the mind and reduce heat. It’s worth a hundred taels of gold. I’ll use this as my travel fare.”
Chang Lin looked at the person and pushed their hand back. “If you have the ability, I can send you for free. But if you don’t, then I’m sorry, you don’t have the qualifications to board the ship!”
Upon hearing this, the disheveled person suddenly made a move. They held up their hand, casting a spell, chanting a mantra, and a gust of wind swirled around them. After a moment, a pale-faced young man appeared in front of Chang Lin. The person’s clothes were still somewhat ragged, and there was blood in their hair, but they looked much better than before. At least, they no longer looked disheveled.
The person then recited a purification spell, and the dirt and blood stains on them disappeared without a trace.
This transformation made the person go from a beggar to something resembling a noble young man. If it weren’t for the pale face, the bloodstains, the slightly sorrowful expression, and an indescribable sense of despair, along with the ragged clothes, they might have looked like a graceful young nobleman.
After tidying up, the person seriously introduced themselves, “Hello, my name is Gongsun Wushang. I think, with a name like mine, I am qualified to board your big ship!”
Chang Lin furrowed his brows slightly. “Sorry, I just arrived here and haven’t heard of your name.”
Gongsun Wushang pointed to the crowd around them. “You can ask anyone. With so many common people here, you’ll surely find someone who knows something.”
Chang Lin was not polite and immediately asked people on the street. However, not a single person was willing to say a word! As soon as “Gongsun Wushang” was mentioned, everyone’s eyes started flickering.
This situation felt odd. Chang Lin quickly changed his approach and asked an old man, “Old man, there’s no one named Gongsun Wushang in Liu Kingdom, right?”
The old man’s answer was interesting. “No, there wasn’t anyone like that. Not even two hours ago.”
This answer was too interesting. Chang Lin, being a general and a skilled cultivator at the Golden Elixir stage, wasn’t dumb. He quickly turned and looked at the person who claimed to be “Gongsun Wushang” and made a decision. “Let’s go. I’ll send you to Anyang. But let’s make it clear, if you are not Gongsun Wushang, or if your abilities are insufficient, you can still change your mind.”
Gongsun Wushang, however, walked forward arrogantly. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to take special care of you in the future.”
Chang Lin did not return to the ship that night but stayed in the accommodation arranged by Liu Kingdom. However, he had his men send Gongsun Wushang to the ship. Since it was confirmed that this person might be a talent, Chang Lin certainly wanted to keep him under control. Gongsun Wushang looked like he was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, and even if he wanted to cause trouble on the ship, he wouldn’t be able to do much.
Not mentioning Gongsun Wushang’s astonishment upon seeing the ironclad ship, let’s talk about Chang Lin, who finally understood in the evening how Liu Kingdom and Legalism governed the country. Orders were to be strictly followed, and the nation was ruled by law—but these were harsh laws!
For example, in the afternoon, a single decree was issued from the imperial palace: “No one is allowed to discuss Gongsun Wushang.” As a result, not a single person dared to talk about him. Those who disobeyed would be punished—at best, beaten with wooden planks, at worst, their tongues cut out. The most severe offenders could even be executed!
“Is this kind of law really suitable for Anyang?” Listening to the bloody and cruel legal provisions, Chang Lin was utterly shocked. This wasn’t governance—it was the rule of a prison! The laws were so strict and detailed that even cursing was explicitly prohibited.
“They might as well regulate whether to step with the right foot or the left foot first when walking!” a guard commented.
Chang Lin remained silent, quietly flipping through the legal code. These laws were publicly available and even printed by the state. Perhaps this was one of the few merits of Legalist philosophy.
However, after finishing the legal texts, Chang Lin sighed, “These laws are truly strict. The Legalist philosophy treats common people like livestock, raising them in captivity! Such laws are… far too harsh.”
The surrounding guards all agreed, expressing their pity for the people of Liu Kingdom. But soon, they began to wonder—wasn’t their young master also recruiting Legalist scholars? Would Anyang become like this in the future? They had heard that the young master was very fond of something called “standardization.”
“What are you all thinking about? Get some rest; tomorrow will be a busy day!”
After dismissing the guards, Chang Lin remained deep in thought. The Legalist philosophy was simply too extreme. It allowed only three types of people to exist in the country, yet in the end, all power was concentrated in the hands of the emperor alone, turning the entire nation into his personal playground.
The next day, Chang Lin met the Prime Minister of Liu Kingdom again—more precisely, the Prime Minister took the initiative to visit him. This took Chang Lin by surprise. As the saying goes, “When someone is overly attentive without reason, they either have ulterior motives or are up to no good.” For the Prime Minister to visit in person, he must have a request.
Sure enough, the very first thing the Prime Minister said upon meeting was: “I want to accompany you to Anyang and take a look.”
He wants to visit Anyang? Chang Lin frowned slightly, unsure of what the Prime Minister was plotting. However, since both sides were seeking cooperation, it was normal for Liu Kingdom to send someone to observe Anyang. He had no reason to refuse.
Once the decision was made, the Prime Minister of Liu Kingdom immediately smiled and said, “General Chang, I will be in your care from now on. By the way, my name is Han Yuanchang—just call me by my name.”
“Then I won’t stand on ceremony. When do you plan to depart?”
“How about tomorrow? Today, I’ll prepare a small gift.”
“Alright.”