The thousand-year-old family began with King Wu's conquest of King Zhou.

Chapter 31 Family Conflict

Perhaps because he had been dead for so long, Zhang Zhao did not feel that time had passed very quickly.

From the time he began following King Wu in Mengjin to Zhang Shuo, seventeen generations had passed. Apart from Zhang Shen, the remaining heads of the family from previous generations were all gathered in the ancestral temple. Each of them had a unique posthumous title, and their posthumous titles brought different effects to the Zhang family and the Liang state.

The posthumous title of Wenzhao (Zhang Zhao) – Increases the cure rate of diseases for Zhang family descendants by 3% and their reputation by 3%.

Posthumous title: Lie (Zhang Chengsi) - Zhang family head/clan leader's prestige increases by 10 per year.

The posthumous title of the most honorable person is Zhuang Xiang (Zhang Buyi). — Zhang family descendants gain +3% health preservation and +3% martial arts skills (not referring to individual martial arts skills).

The posthumous title of Jingming (Zhang Shen) – currently has no effect.

The posthumous title of Zhang Gong (上平谥：靖（张功）) indicates that Zhang's descendants have a certain probability of living a carefree and peaceful life.

The posthumous title of Zhang Kai (声) – There is a certain probability that descendants of the Zhang family will be born with illnesses.

Inauspicious posthumous title: Yi (Zhang Zhong) – There is a 3% probability that descendants of the Zhang family will be born with the opposite quality.

Posthumous title: Chong (Zhang Xin) — There is a 5% probability that descendants of the Zhang family will die young.

The posthumous title of Zhang Lue (貞略) indicates a certain probability of fratricide among Zhang's descendants, leading to instability within the family.

The posthumous title of Zhang Quzhuo (文) – Zhang's strategies will have a 10% chance of being enhanced.

The posthumous title of Emperor Shangping: Qin (Zhang Yu) – The Zhang clan's prestige increases by 3 annually.

The posthumous title of Zhang Du was Cheng (成, meaning "successful" or "brilliant") – the strategies implemented by the Zhang family resulted in a stable increase of 18%.

Posthumous title: Huai (Zhang Ding) — The Zhang family's fortunes are likely to steadily rise/fall each year.

Inauspicious posthumous title: Li (Zhang Kang) – This name signifies a 3% increase in the annual incidence of illness among Zhang's descendants.

Infamous posthumous title: "Chu" (张知) – This title signifies an increase of 3% in annual unrest in the Zhang family's fiefdom.

Infamous posthumous title: Yin (Zhang Ke) – The Zhang family head/clan chief's reputation decreases by 3% annually.

The posthumous title of Zhang Lin (武) – Zhang clan prestige increases by 5% annually, and the reputation of the clan head/chieftain increases by 7%.

Of the deceased heads of the family, five were given infamous posthumous titles, one died young, most of the rest were given neutral titles, and seven were given honorable titles. Zhang Shen was not enshrined in the ancestral temple for unknown reasons.

Therefore, only six honorary titles can take effect.

This situation is already very good. If every generation had wise rulers, the Zhang family would have unified the world long ago!

Zhang Zhao then clicked on the family section to check the current status of the Zhang family.

Family: Zhang

Ancestor: Zhang Zhao (surname Ji)

Clan Chief: Zhang Shuo

Title: Marquis (King)

State: Bangzhou, Liang

Class: Noble (Initially, a family of sages)

Clan members: 182

Distinguished Scholars: 8

Clan Reputation: 23400

Status: None

Inheritance:

Family: A distinguished lineage with numerous achievements

Military: All's fair in war; military justice and law enforcement.

Scholarship: Confucian scholarship

Culture: Confucianism – Self-discipline and Restoration of Propriety

Across time and space – the same path in ancient and modern times

France - Head of State]

It continues to thrive.

The only thing that Zhang Zhao felt hadn't changed much was the props.

Shaole Palace, Hanzhong Palace, Ancestral Temple, and "Spring Breeze Blows Again" are all currently beneficial wonders for the Zhang family. The effects of the first three need no further explanation, but "Spring Breeze Blows Again" can be said to be an essential tool for being lazy.

What does it mean that even after an entire clan has been wiped out, there are still survivors?

This is equivalent to Zhang having a resurrection item that can be used indefinitely!

The remaining items, such as "Celestial Phenomenon Card", "Complete Works of Mr. Xiangshan", "Family Culture", and "Chart of Popular Support", are not needed for the time being.

The Celestial Card isn't entirely useless, but it's not applicable now either. Whenever a foolish ruler appears in Liang, a wise ruler always emerges to restore Liang's prosperity.

Zhang Zhao was at his wit's end with the repeated jumps.

Either the good will last for three generations, or the evil will last for three generations. The effect of this family's inheritance is just too strong!

Family Heritage: The probability of inheriting positive innate traits in descendants increases by 30%, and the probability of acquiring new positive innate traits increases by 30%!

At the same time, Zhang Zhao also discovered why the Zhang family could not break free from historical limitations, contend for hegemony in the Central Plains, and unify the world.

The reason is simple: either the Liang Kingdom has three generations of wise rulers who bring it to its peak, or it has three generations of incompetent rulers who bring it to the brink of collapse.

The endless cycles of rise and fall kept the Liang Kingdom in a constant state of prosperity and decline.

To break this cycle, one can only pray that the Zhang family will produce several generations of patriarchs like Zhang Quzhuo or Zhang Lin.

But how can this be done?

Unless the family heritage is fully realized, which would take forever!

Prosperity, decline. Revival, decline.

play?

"Fine."

Zhang Zhao withdrew his gaze, his expression returning to calm. He had been in this ancestral temple for far too long, long enough to have witnessed his descendants rise to power and fall from grace, long enough for the changing fortunes of the land to resemble the scenery outside his window.

Some things can't be rushed. If we can't conquer the world in this era, then let's try in the next era, and the era after that!

Zhang Zhao refused to believe that the Zhang family could not transcend the limitations of history!

Just then, a low murmur of discussion suddenly arose in the ancestral temple.

"Is this the new Confucianism that Confucius founded after he returned from his discussions with Zizhi?"

"The combined use of rites and laws... the ideas that Lin Xiaozi discussed with Zizhi back then have been carried forward and developed by Confucius!"

"This child truly deserves the title of 'Supreme Sage' praised by Duke Wenzhao."

Zhang Zhao looked in the direction of the sound and saw several former family heads gathered together, gazing at the State of Lu in the Nine Provinces.

That was the figure of Confucius teaching in the State of Lu, editing and compiling the Six Classics. Surrounded by three thousand disciples and guarded by seventy-two sages, the spirit of Confucianism and Taoism soared to the heavens, seemingly poised to overshadow all other schools of thought in the land.

The Confucianism transmitted by Confucius clearly incorporates Zhang Lin's core concept of "law based on rites, and rites supplementing the inadequacy of law." Furthermore, through the discussions between Zizhi and Zhongni over half a month, the principle of "outer Confucianism and inner Legalism" was integrated into Confucianism based on the foundation of rites, music, benevolence, and governance.

Zhang Chengsi stroked his beard and sighed, "I never imagined that Zhang Lin's methods would spread throughout the world through the hands of Confucian scholars."

Zhang Quzhuo was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "It's not so much that it was through the Confucian school. Zhang Lin first integrated Confucianism into Legalism, and then Zizhi supplemented Confucianism with Legalism. It was only in the hands of Confucius that it became a complete system. It took three generations and three schools of thought to achieve the right result."

Zhang Zhao remained silent.

He simply gazed quietly at the figure lecturing on the platform, at the thirst for knowledge in the eyes of those young students.

The visitor from Lu who once sat down and discussed philosophy with Zizhi in Hanzhong ultimately embarked on a path even greater than one that led him to remain in Liang.

He did not become a subject of the Liang Kingdom, but he became a teacher of the entire world.

Everyone has their own way.

Zhang Zhao suddenly felt that the ups and downs of seventeen generations were not so hard to accept.

The Zhang family, on this western land, has sown the seeds of rites and music, forged the sword of the rule of law, protected the flame of Confucianism, and witnessed the grandeur of the world. Even after falling to the bottom several times, they have always been able to rise again.

As long as the flame remains, it's not a loss.

Inside the ancestral temple, the discussions of the former patriarchs gradually subsided, and silence returned.

Zhang Zhao withdrew his gaze and opened the family panel again.

The screen lingered on Zhang Shuo's name for a moment, then slowly glided over the 182 clansmen, the eight famous scholars, and each inheritance and reputation.

Finally, it stops at the status bar.

Status: None

Nothing.

There are no negative states.

Zhang Zhao smiled, closed the panel, and looked out over the vast land of Kyushu beyond the ancestral temple.

There, the sun and moon revolve, and spring and autumn alternate.

The flag of Liang still flies in the western lands, just as the panel says, at this time the ideas of the Nine Provinces are exploding.

Zhang Zhao stood with his hands behind his back in the ancestral temple, his gaze piercing through the void, looking towards the vast land of the Nine Provinces.

After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke, his voice echoing in the empty hall of the ancestral temple.

"Let me see just how many remarkable figures this era has produced."

As he finished speaking, the deduction began, and the events of the Nine Provinces unfolded before their eyes.

The first thing that catches the eye is the soaring, mountain-like aura of Confucianism and Taoism.

On the Apricot Altar, Confucius sat upright, surrounded by three thousand disciples who stood like clouds, their voices reciting the texts so powerful they seemed to pierce the clouds and split the rocks.

Among the seventy-two sages, Yan Hui sat at the front, his face as fair as jade and his eyes as clear as water; Zilu stood with his hand on his sword, exuding heroic spirit.

Zigong, with his belt and hat fastened, looked every bit the part of a high-ranking official from a state. Confucius spoke at times and remained silent at others, while his disciples either wrote furiously or pondered deeply. The scene was solemn and dignified.

"Confucianism."

He then looked at another place—Hangu Pass.

Laozi, the founder of the Taoist school and the Supreme Taoist Ancestor, left the Zhou Dynasty and rode a blue ox westward through Hangu Pass. Yin happy, the gatekeeper of Hangu Pass, stopped him and earnestly requested him to write a book.

With a flourish of his brush, Lao Tzu completed five thousand words in one breath, each word profound and mysterious, like a celestial book descending to earth. On the day the book was finished, auspicious purple clouds appeared in the east, and good fortune descended from heaven. The old man threw down his brush and departed, riding the clouds westward, his whereabouts unknown.

Zhang Zhao's expression shifted slightly: "You said."

The State of Song was a gathering place for the Mohists. A man dressed in coarse cloth and short clothes, barefoot, with skin as black as iron, stood there; it was Mozi.

He was addressing hundreds of Mohists with a passionate speech, his voice like the clash of iron and stone: "When the world loves each other universally, there will be order; when they hate each other, there will be chaos! If the world loves each other universally, then nations will not attack each other, families will not quarrel, there will be no thieves, and rulers, ministers, fathers, and sons will all be filial and kind. If this is the case, then the world will be at peace!"

The Mohists present were all dressed in coarse clothes and straw sandals, their faces dark, yet each one was full of vigor. After Mozi finished speaking, he led his disciples out of the city gate with great strides, heading straight south. Chu was about to attack Song, and he was going to stop this war!

Zhang Zhao nodded: "Ink."

The scene changed again.

In the Qin state, a high platform is under construction, with three large characters inscribed on it: "Place for Talking About the Heavens".

Sitting cross-legged on the platform was a scholar in a wide robe and long sleeves, none other than Zou Yan from Qi.

He gazed at the celestial phenomena and surveyed the earth, explaining a grand doctrine to the onlookers: "Throughout history, the rise and fall of emperors have all corresponded to the Five Elements. The Yellow Emperor possessed the element of Earth, Yu the Great of Wood, Tang of Shang the element of Metal, and King Wen of Zhou the element of Fire. As the element of Fire declined, the element of Water was destined to rise, and the one who succeeded Zhou would rule the world with the element of Water!"

The audience members were either shocked, thoughtful, or shook their heads in disbelief.

But no one can deny that this idea of ​​incorporating the rise and fall of history into the cycle of the five elements has a fascinating and grand logic.

"Yin and Yang," Zhang Zhao murmured, then turned his gaze to another direction.

In the mountains and fields of the Chu Kingdom, a middle-aged man was working alongside a farmer. He held a plow and hoe, his feet treading on the mud, yet he possessed an extraordinary demeanor.

A disciple came to ask him about the way to govern a country. He wiped his brow and said, "The wise men till the land and eat alongside the people, and govern by cooking their own meals! Now, Teng has granaries and treasuries, which means it oppresses the people to support itself. How can it attract wise men?"

When this statement was made, Confucian scholars were in uproar, and Mencius, the second sage of Confucianism, even angrily denounced him as a "barbarian from the south with a hoarse tongue."

But the middle-aged man didn't care at all. He continued to work in the fields with his disciples, writing books and advocating that "the ruler and the people should farm together, and the market and merchants should not be separate entities."

Zhang Zhao said softly, "Farmer."

The scene shifts again to the Wu Kingdom, inside a military tent.

A general was writing furiously at his desk, each word as sharp as if carved with a knife.

Outside the tent, the sounds of battle shook the heavens, yet he remained motionless, his pen moving with the force of a dragon. After a long while, he threw down his pen, revealing a scroll of bamboo slips: "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu, thirteen chapters, every word a gem.

The opening sentence is: "The Military Strategy of Buyi states: War is a matter of vital importance to the state; it is a matter of life and death, a road to survival or ruin. It is imperative to examine it carefully."

He also wrote: "I do not doubt that war is based on deception. Therefore, when capable, feign incapacity; when active, feign inactivity."

He further wrote: "Bu Yi said: Attacking cities is the lowest form of warfare; attacking hearts and minds is the highest! Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated."

"Therefore, upon reading 'The Military Strategy of Bu Yi,' Bu Yi believed that: 'Military tactics change through division and combination; therefore, they are as swift as the wind, as silent as the forest, as fierce as fire, as immovable as a mountain, as unpredictable as the shadows, and as powerful as thunder!'"

This man was none other than Sun Tzu, the sage of war! King Helü of Wu appointed him as his general. He led the Wu army to the west to defeat the powerful state of Chu, captured Yingdu, and almost destroyed the state of Chu. He intimidated Qi and Jin in the north and subdued the Yue people in the south, and his power shook the world for a time.

Zhang Zhao's gaze turned serious: "Soldiers."

In the state of Zheng, in a simple inn, a man was engaged in a heated debate with a crowd. He was dressed in plain clothes, his face gaunt, and his voice like the clanging of metal and stone: "A white dog is black! Fire is not hot! Eyes cannot see! A tortoise is longer than a snake!"

Those who heard this were all astonished, thinking he was crazy.

But his next words plunged everyone into deep thought: "When names are correct, words will be proper; when words are proper, things will be accomplished. The word 'law' can refer to criminal law, rituals, or rules. When names and realities are confused, the affairs of the state are in chaos. To rectify the affairs of the state, we must first rectify names and realities!"

He was Deng Xi, the founder of the School of Names. He did not talk about benevolence and righteousness, nor about magic, but only focused on one word - name.

He believed that the world was in chaos because its names did not match its reality. Rulers were not rulers, ministers were not ministers, and the law was not the law! If these "names" could be clearly defined, the world would naturally become clear and just.

Zhang Zhao recalled the "name and reality verification" clause in Zhang Lin's "Criminal Law" and nodded slightly: "Name."

Within Ghost Valley, clouds and mist swirl.

Inside a secluded cave, an old man was instructing two disciples. The old man had a thin face, but his eyes could see right through people.

He taught both military strategy and diplomacy; he discussed both political maneuvering and persuasion. His two disciples were: one, who held the seals of prime minister of six states and skillfully navigated the complex relationships between them; and the other, who served as prime minister of Qin, who was at odds with his fellow disciples and vowed to help Qin break the alliance.

These two men were Su Qin and Zhang Yi, and their teacher was the mysterious Guiguzi, who, though living in seclusion in the mountains, taught disciples who stirred up the winds and clouds of the world.

"Vertical and horizontal," Zhang Zhao said in a low voice.

Another scene unfolds.

In Yongcheng, the capital of Qin, Shang Yang stood on a high platform, preaching his reforms to the dark mass of people.

By erecting a wooden pole at the south gate to gain the trust of the people, abolishing the well-field system and opening up the fields, rewarding military merit and punishing private feuds, Qin was transforming from a weak state in the west into a war machine under strict laws.

Shang Yang sternly declared, "Liang Ziyun said: 'The law is the balance of power in the state! If the law is not enforced, it is because those at the top violate it!'"

Turning my gaze, I saw a group of scholars gathered in an elegant room at the Hanzhong Academy, enjoying tea and discussing philosophy.

They came from different schools of thought; some talked about Confucianism, some about Buddhism, some about Yin and Yang, and some about names and realities.

At first, the argument raged on, with neither side willing to yield. But one of them suddenly laughed and said, "Gentlemen, hold on a moment—Confucians emphasize benevolence, Legalists value law, Mohists cherish frugality, and Daoists advocate non-action. Each school holds its own perspective, yet they cannot reconcile their views? Why must all learning in the world be reduced to either one or the other?"

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent. This man was a renowned scholar of the eclectic school, which rejects any particular school of thought and instead attempts to fuse the essence of various schools into a unified whole, forming a comprehensive strategy for governing the country.

Zhang Zhao looked at the scene thoughtfully: "This miscellaneous scholar... is quite interesting."

What finally emerged was a blurry image scattered across various corners of Kyushu.

In the countryside and in the city, there is always a group of people who travel around, collecting gossip, rumors, and anecdotes. They do not enter the halls of power or attend academies, but they have a very wide influence among the people.

Their scholarship was unsystematic, yet it was regarded by many as a window into understanding the lives of ordinary people.

“Novelists are mostly descended from unofficial historians…” Zhang Zhao murmured to himself, then shook his head. “Though it is a minor art, it has its merits.”

He looked away and closed the panel.

The ancestral temple was completely silent.

The former patriarchs had all fallen silent at some point, each lost in thought.

Zhang Zhao stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze once again turning to the vast land of Kyushu, where a hundred schools of thought contended and a hundred flowers bloomed.

Different ideas collide, blend, clash, and complement each other on this land.

Some have already grown lush and verdant, while others have just sprouted. Some will eventually become towering trees, while others will gradually fade into the distance in the long river of history.

But at this moment, they are all here. Each one shines with its own unique light.

"Confucianism, Taoism, Mohism, Yin-Yang, Agriculture, Military Strategy, Logicians, Strategists, Legalism, Miscellaneous Literature, Novels..."

Zhang Zhao read out the names of the Hundred Schools of Thought one by one, slowly and deliberately.

Then, a smile crept across his face, and he burst into laughter, "A hundred schools of thought contending, what a wonderful concept of a hundred schools of thought contending!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Wen Zhao: His wisdom encompasses the heavens and the earth, and his sagacity is far-reaching."

"Lie: Meritorious service in bringing peace and stability to the people"

"Zhuang Xiang: Strong will to defeat the enemy, unwavering determination to overcome rigidity."

"Jingming: Upholding righteousness and integrity, illuminating all directions."

"Jing: Gentleness and Virtue Bring Peace to the People"

"Sound: Not born in that country."

"易: Good at changing the old."

"Chong: Young Master is here"

"Caution: Be diligent and respectful in your work."

"Wen: Possessing profound knowledge and wisdom, embodying both virtue and compassion, and benefiting the people."

"Qin: Dignity and decorum are fully displayed."

"Success: To bring peace to the people and establish good governance"

"Huai: Upholding righteousness and promoting good."

"Li: Slaughtering the innocent"

"Out: The scholar abandoned the people, causing resentment."

"Hidden: The Unseen Corpse Kingdom"

"Wu: To quell chaos and disorder, to possess power and virtue, to be strong yet compliant, and to expand territory and open up new frontiers!"