Chapter 1286 - 317: Marching to War

Chapter 1286: Chapter 317: Marching to War

Meng Shou picked up the brush and wrote down this passage, then handed it to the servant beside him.

At this moment, a rider came in from outside to report that the Chu people had arrived to escort Meng Shou’s entourage.

As the author of the four states’ histories, Meng Shou’s reputation and standing were indisputable. Every country hoped to have such a "treasure," and even Yan, which was generally perceived as not valuing education and culture, hoped to keep him.

But the phrase "falling leaves return to their roots" weighed heavily, so heavy that not even the Yan Emperor could force him to stay.

"Teacher."

"Sit for a while longer, let them wait, and give them a chance to peek into the reality of your Yan Army."

Tian Wujing nodded.

Of course, that was said as a joke.

The real reason was that Meng Shou also knew his days were numbered; this farewell might be the true farewell between mentor and student.

"Apprentice, in my lifelong work of writing history, do you know which realization struck me the deepest?"

"Please enlighten me, teacher."

"History is written for the people of the past, but it is used by those of the present. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ

When I was compiling the Chu History, since the influential families from those times still existed, people would often visit to request a kind word, an accolade, or the covering up of an error.

While compiling the Jin Dynasty History, I was unfortunately trapped in the Wenren Family. Every mention of the Wenren Family faced hindrances. Everyone knows that I coined the phrase ’Three Families Split Jin,’ and was imprisoned by the Wenren Family for three years;

But, misfortune can be fortunate. Because I was in the Wenren Family, I could address Situ Family and Helian Family, including Emperor Jin of the capital, without concealment or embellishment, which was rather liberating.

When writing the Qian History, even though I recorded Emperor Mao Tzedong as ’plundering’ his land, from Emperor Taizong’s crushing defeat in the northern expedition, Emperor Renzong’s folly of asking for divine guidance, Renzong’s seemingly kind-hearted yet utterly incompetent nature—all these things were recorded but inevitably restrained, not seeking true insight, merely seeking mediocrity.

When compiling Yan History, in earlier years, I was also hindered by various powerful families, but after the Yan Emperor trampled the elites, it was grand in spirit and flowed freely like water.

Nowadays, if I were to re-edit Jin Dynasty History, it would be exceedingly smooth.

And, regarding Xia History, in every state’s compilation of Xia History, the first half praises the wisdom and valor of emperors through generations; while the latter half mentions how the Xia Dynasty produced incompetent rulers in abundance, filled with treachery, and the people lived in misery.

The reason is in part because the founders of the Yan, Jin, and Chu Empires were once officials appointed by the Xia emperor, hence the first half of Xia needed embellishment; and later, when the three lords established their kingdoms and ascended as emperors, to legitimize their rule, they had to paint the latter half of Xia as increasingly chaotic, thereby justifying the rise of the three lords to divine mandate.

Over eight hundred years ago, the Xia collapsed, Yan, Jin, and Chu, although not as powerful as today, still faced threats from barbarians, wild people, and Shanyue, but when the Xia imperial capital fell into chaos, why did not the three states rush to save it?

Such a story remains unclear in history.

Apprentice, I have said so much, do you understand my meaning?"

Tian Wujing nodded and shook his head.

He nodded because he knew, he shook his head because he did not care.

Meng Shou suddenly got angry,

and said:

"My intention is merely to remind you, without descendants to embellish and extol, no matter how miraculous your achievements, history can still erase and distort it beyond recognition!

No matter the infamy that remains forever, no matter the dullness and incompetence, if your descendants remain in power, the historian’s pen as sharp as a knife is a saying about historians, historians may not fear death, but the historian’s family does fear death. Historians can live in poverty, but the historian’s family still has to eat!

Moreover, since the Xia’s collapse, the hereditary historians of the Xia Dynasty have become official roles in various states, supposedly appointed by the monarch as virtuous and capable, but how are virtue and talent measured? How are they weighed? This discretion is entirely at the monarch’s whim.

Apprentice, I know your inner bitterness, I also know that you no longer care about these so-called honors and reputations;

But you may not care,

then,

what about them?"

Meng Shou pointed at the knights responsible for security outside the pavilion.

"The history books are thin, yet they must record the ages. Most of them are destined to be nameless in history, so their legacy actually rests upon you.

Apprentice, if you don’t think about yourself, that’s your own business, can you not think about them?"

Tian Wujing’s gaze remained calm, a hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"My words are not asking you Tian Wujing to rebel, people are puzzled why the two marquises of Yan don’t rebel, but I know, you all have boarded the ship, it’s impossible to rebel!

My intention,

is to urge you to leave a legacy.

You, Tian Wujing,

in this lifetime, right and wrong, achievements and mistakes, can be left for others to discuss a thousand years later;

But you can be carefree, you can let go,

these Tiger Guards who fight alongside you,

they,

The best security,

is in history books,

A kind word in history, will make the living conditions not too harsh."

"Teacher, I understand."

"Don’t blame me for being nagging, once I return to Chu, I will become a Chu person again. You are Yan people, I won’t say nonsense like our mentor-student relationship ends in such absurdity, but until I take my last breath, I hope not to see you."

"Then I’ll try to disappoint you."

"Haha, by the way, in Yan History, not only did I write a biography for you and Li Liangting, I also did one for Lord Pingye, but biographies, after all, aren’t as stable as noble clans."