Chapter 471 - 287: To Carry on the Lost Teachings of Past Sages

Chapter 471: Chapter 287: To Carry on the Lost Teachings of Past Sages

Well-fed and content, Lin Chu sat in the back of the car as it drove through the streets of the Imperial Capital, smoking with the window down.

One by one, the buildings lining the road came into view, each one more intimidatingly prestigious than the last.

’Come to think of it, this is my first time in the Imperial Capital. I’ve always had this instinctive resistance to coming here.’

’It’s a subtle, deep-seated feeling that has nothing to do with being rich or poor. If I had to sum it up, it would be... the closer you get to power, the farther you are from freedom.’

’I’m someone who loves freedom more than anything.’

’And because of where my wealth came from, I’ve always felt a strange sense of... insecurity. Guilt, even.’

’Like I’ve done something wrong.’

’It’s like that insight I had back in Xiangjiang—the true nature of the panel is that it plunders the wealth of the masses.’

Lately, Lin Chu had found himself thinking about that old saying: what made Tang Monk who he was wasn’t the Western Scripture he obtained, but the journey to get it—the eighty-one trials he faced along the way.

’But I’ve already taken a somersault cloud straight to the Western Heaven. I can’t just turn back and walk the whole path again, facing all those trials, can I?’

’Wouldn’t that just be making things needlessly difficult?’

Taking a final drag and extinguishing the cigarette, Lin Chu couldn’t help but shake his head and smile. ’I’m overthinking things. Overthinking again.’

’When you’re idle, you tend to overthink.’

’Most of this thinking is pointless, though. It just creates unnecessary stress.’

’Most of the time, my philosophy is just to live in the moment, to eat, drink, and be merry.’

"Old Hu, do you have any aspirations?"

Lin Chu asked abruptly, his voice a little distant, almost like he was talking in his sleep. He’d had a fair bit to drink, and his words were slightly slurred.

Startled by the question, Hu Ping’an froze for a few seconds before letting out a chuckle.

"Of course I do. When I was a kid, I wanted to marry Liu Yifei. I’m not gonna lie, when I started my first business, right after the company was founded, I really felt like I was one step closer to making it happen."

Lin Chu was speechless.

A moment later, he couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

’Now that’s one hell of an aspiration,’ he thought.

"I’m asking about now!"

Lin Chu said, his tone more forceful. ’Don’t bring up those dumb middle-school fantasies, they’re completely out of date.’

Of course, Hu Ping’an was being perfectly honest.

"Now... I want to build up our retail business, turn it into a top global luxury brand, and make our traditional culture shine on the world stage."

"It’s like you said—Lc, LV, it’s just a one-letter difference. If other people can do it, there’s no reason we can’t. And things are going more and more smoothly for me. I’m off to a great start, and the more I work at it each day, the more I find I actually enjoy it. I’m liking it more and more."

"Sometimes I even think that fate had you save me just so I could complete this mission. ’Heaven blessed me with talent for a reason,’ right? Everyone has their own unique purpose in life."

Hu Ping’an spoke with deep emotion, his words coming straight from the heart.

His life was very disciplined now, incredibly orderly. His primary standard was to do good work. It wasn’t even about the money anymore—he felt money had become meaningless. Besides rent and essential expenses each month, he had almost no other material desires.

Even though he had been working overtime every day recently—researching, drafting plans, and hashing out details until two or three in the morning—he was still thriving on it.

He was completely in the zone.

Lin Chu glanced at him, smiled, and nodded. He lit another cigarette, exhaled a long plume of smoke, and said no more.

’This is actually one of my goals, too.’

’But...’

’I just want to reap the rewards. I want to see the final result, and I’m happy to fund it, but I don’t want to deal with the day-to-day grind.’

’Besides, it’s not like I’m really needed for it anyway.’

Lin Chu was well aware of his own limitations. He knew it was better to be a hands-off boss and just provide the funding than to meddle and get in the way.

’And a lot of the time, I’m just too impatient. I lack perseverance.’

’You could say I was born with this personality.’

’If I were still just another corporate drone, getting beaten down by society for another few years, maybe even a decade, I might have gradually accepted my lot in life and settled down into a steady, practical person.’

’But now... I’ve never been beaten down, and I’m worth billions...’

’I’m like one of those second-generation rich kids with no talent or skill, just sky-high ambitions.’

Tsk.

At the thought, Lin Chu couldn’t help but puff out his chest in "pride."

’I’m just lucky!’

’Fuck!’

’Even if I’m a useless fool, at least I’m a rich useless fool.’

’As for aspirations...’

’Still, a part of me has this itch... this urge to do something big, something like ’the prosperous should help the world.’’

’What do you call that?’

’It’s called ’sitting on the earth and dreaming of the heavens; being a man and longing for immortality.’’

Scratching his head, Lin Chu shook it with a smile. ’That’s me, all right,’ he thought, summing himself up.

"Brother Chu, what about your aspirations?"

Hu Ping’an asked with a casual laugh. It was normal for men to talk about their aspirations, especially after a few drinks. Take away all the bullshitting, and what’s left is what they truly desire most.

Lin Chu was still smiling. When he heard the question, he was suddenly struck by a fit of grandiloquence. "To establish a conscience for Heaven and Earth, to secure a destiny for the people, to perpetuate the lost teachings of past sages, and to bring peace to all future generations."

The Four Goals of Zhang Zai. You could call them the most badass lines in history.

No matter how much the times change, these goals are what Chinese people, deep down in their bones, consider the most incredible achievements possible.

Hu Ping’an chuckled and drew in a sharp breath. "Hey, what we’re doing with intangible cultural heritage could count as ’perpetuating the lost teachings of past sages.’ As for the other three... well, those are a bit beyond our reach. But even achieving one of them is pretty damn amazing."