Chapter 671 - Alliance Meeting at Huangshui (VIII)

After Jiang Pengji finished speaking, the scene descended into suffocating silence.

Cheng Cheng had to admit one fact.

He was emotionally affected.

Jiang Pengji’s words were on target, pinching at Cheng Cheng’s lifeline. Even though he’d been born into an aristocratic family, he could not refute a single word she had said. They sounded like authoritative words spoken by a sage. The future would prove the veracity of her words. This was a prophecy. How could mortals refute it?

Just as the livestream viewers started to suspect that the two of them were frozen because they’d accidentally paused the stream, Cheng Cheng asked her hoarsely, “Aren’t you afraid of dying horribly?”

Jiang Pengji laughed. “Would that be a big deal? Even if I was nailed to the historical pillar of shame for it, no one can stop me from doing what I want to do! Our lives are short, only a century, and I don’t want to be full of regret when my hair has turned white. If my name is entered into the annals of history, great. If it goes down in history as a footnote of infamy, that’s okay too. No one can live their life without desire, but what they desire all comes down to rank and fortune. Ordinary people pass on their family heirlooms and traditions for two or three generations. Future generations will always forget the names of their ancestors. But if they live in history, they are immortal for thousands of years. No matter who mentions my name in the future, they’ll have to remember that there was such a person.”

She had reached her peak in her previous life. How could she be content with being mediocre and obscure in this one?

If one wanted to make trouble, they should make bigger trouble. Not only did she want to influence the current decades, but she also wanted the coming hundreds and thousands of years in the future to change because of her.

Unifying the nine divisions of ancient China and taking the throne?

That was not enough!

Cheng Cheng could not help but give a pained smile. “A young man is really like a newborn calf who is not afraid of tigers.”

He’d originally thought Liu Xi would follow in Liu She’s footsteps after living in his shadow for so long. Now it seemed that he had long ago reached ideological realms that were difficult for any other beings to reach. No matter how arrogant he was, he was the only one who dared to use his own life to stir up the unstable situation of this era.

Jiang Pengji calmly said, “The future will prove that I am correct, whether it is ten years, one hundred years, or one thousand years. I can wait.”

Cheng Cheng was astonished. He knew the real meaning of Jiang Pengji’s words. It did not mean that she could live for such a long time, it meant that she believed that she was right. It was because, no matter how far away the future was, future generations would prove her right… What degree of confidence was this?

“Stop!” Cheng Cheng calmed down and realized too late that his hands were still shaking. His breathing was as chaotic as if he had run a long distance. The lining of his clothes was already wet with sweat. “I’m old, I don’t have the energy to play with crazy young people. ”

These words meant that Jiang Pengji had not persuaded Cheng Cheng. The livestream audience could not help but post comments on the bullet screen as they wailed in anguish.

The host’s hot-blooded and idealistic words made them feel warm all over. They were so fired up! Why was Cheng Cheng still being so indifferent?

The scheming Yang Xixi: Oh, the host’s always-successful-and-impressive method of conning people has finally hit a wall. It’s a day of celebration for everyone.

The honest Ye Buxiu: Tsk, young man, you’re wrong. I bet a pack of cigarettes on the host.

Old drivers’ cute alliance: To the users above me with those IDs, can you change? You can’t be that ruthless even if you’re completely black-hearted! It makes my heart ache!

The glib Zhou Zekai: I’m keeping up with the times and closely following the trends. Not changing.

Expert of quick hands Yu Wenzhou: #gentlesmile I’ve changed.

Super talented Guo Fengxiao: To the user above, you should change back to your original state. Your ID this time around is even eviler.

Jiang Pengji didn’t understand what was funny about their conversations, but by looking at the bullet chat screen, she could more or less guess that these IDs were the worst of the worst.

Host V: @The honest Ye Buxiu, you guessed it.

She had just finished sending out this comment when Cheng Cheng, who she’d suspected would refuse her, spoke again.

“As a young man, you’re somehow not afraid. As an old man with one foot in the grave, what do I have to fear?”

Except for the real literati, no one else would not be able to understand the attractiveness of the blueprints Jiang Pengji had laid out before Cheng Cheng.

He would sacrifice his life for someone who could appreciate and cultivate them.

No doubt, this half-boy was the one who understood and trusted Cheng Cheng, the one whom he had pursued half his life.

Cheng Cheng said with a complicated expression, “I just hope that you will live up to your original intentions and not forget the words that you have spoken today.”

The journey from a humble station to an emperor was very long, and the temptations that would be experienced along the way were too many. Cheng Cheng did not know if the future Jiang Pengji would look back on the present one and think that he had lived up to his original intentions. Could this young man withstand all those kinds of temptations? Would his original heart remain unchanged from the beginning to the end?

Jiang Pengji laughed. “Of course.”

She would not change. That was Jiang Yanji’s strongest belief.

From the moment when she first saw Cheng Cheng to when she had successfully persuaded him, only an hour passed. Her record was as glorious as ever.

Xu Ke could not help but add a teasing remark when he heard the news. “There can only be a victory when my lord takes action.”

Qiguan Rang secretly rolled his eyes. He didn’t think it was something to brag about.

Jiang Pengji threw something to Xu Ke and said indolently, “Don’t be too happy yet, account manager.”

As the document dropped lightly into Xu Ke’s arms, his expression turned a little doubtful.

The overtime team had a newcomer, was he not allowed to be happy about it?

Xu Ke untied the bow on the scroll of bamboo writing slips with curiosity. When he unfolded it and took a look, his expression almost cracked into pieces.

“My lord…”

Hearing that Xu Ke’s voice had an added trace of grief and indignation, Qiguan Rang could not help but become curious. He moved forward, stretching his head to glance at the document.

“What is this?” he asked as he looked it over. He very quickly scanned it from beginning to end and silently lit a row of prayer candles for Xu Ke in his heart.

“A program manuscript,” Jiang Pengji said. “I want to hire Master Cheng to oversee the general situation… Whether we are opening an academy or a library, books will be the most important asset. I’ve separated the newly designed printing technology into two types. One is ‘movable type printing’ and the other is ‘woodblock printing’. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. ‘Movable type’ is more convenient, faster, and more flexible. ‘Woodblock printing’ is more exquisite and clear. As for how a decision will be made between the two, Master Cheng will decide.”

Xu Ke’s expression was one fit for a funeral.

He’d thought that Cheng Cheng was here to share the stress with him, but instead, he had thrown him a task that was as heavy as a mountain.

Whether it was the “movable type” previously mentioned by Jiang Pengji or the “woodblock printing” that was being recounted now, both would be costly projects.

Once this aspect was involved, everything would eventually be piled onto him. Well, he was the “housekeeper.”

Xu Ke was quite sensitive regarding numbers. After calculating the costs a little, he couldn’t help but swallow his tongue.

Jiang Pengji saw the pain on his face. With a flat and confident tone, she said, “I know that it costs a lot of money, but this plan is the same as post-war welfare. I have to complete it even if it means risking all my family’s wealth on it. I’ll fully support Master Cheng regardless of cost, money or otherwise.”

No one knew better than her how many economic benefits and political influence the popularization of books would bring to society. It would reverse the social structure and tear up the last semblance of the aristocratic families. Even if it caused carnage and hundreds of thousands of lives to be sacrificed, she would still do it.

The work they did now and the benefits they produced would still be felt 1,000 years later.

In her opinion, anything that could move the whole of society forward was worth a try.

Even if, as a pioneer, she had to pay the ultimate price by giving up her life, they could come and take it!

Xu Ke’s expression suddenly became solemn. He answered in a clear voice, “Yes, my lord!”

Jiang Pengji rubbed her brow. She had rushed back as quickly as possible after receiving the news about Cheng Cheng and had not taken a rest yet.

“I’ll rest first…”

Jiang Pengji lowered her eyes and was about to leave when a messenger came in to make a report.

Cheng Yuan was there to visit her.

“Cheng Yuan? Master Cheng’s second son?”