By the time Alexandros and Wuzhi were finished with their morning training, almost half a day had passed. By the end of it, both initiates felt so much pain in their bodies that they felt torture would have been a better fate.
Nonetheless, as the emperor, Alexandros did not show his weakness. And as the emperor's teacher, Wuzhi could not show his weakness either. Somehow, by some divine miracle, they ended their physical training, took baths to wash off their sweat and accumulated grime, performed a change of clothes and retired to the emperor's study.
Physical training was over for today. It was now time for studying lessons.
As tired as he was, Alexandros was also excited. Finally! He would begin his imperial tutorship under Wuzhi's lead.
Recognising the emperor's excitement, Wuzhi did not delay. On the contrary, he was determined to finish today's lessons as soon as possible so that he could return to his bedchambers and lie on that divinely soft bed.
Wuzhi now understood why the palace was fitted with such overly soft mattresses. After a day like today, he would also choose the company of clouds.
"Your Majesty, starting today, I shall begin imparting to you the chapter titled 'Governance' from the works of my teacher."
"Your teacher's work? The young emperor asked. "Can you impart your teacher's personal work to me, Wuzhi? It was my understanding that such personal teachings aren't to be shared with outsiders."
Alexandros' words were based upon the fact that the cultivation world had very strict policies regarding the inheritance of their knowledge. Most cultivators, especially those of higher ranks, do not share all their personal research and studies with the public. Instead, they adopt a student or a disciple, to whom they then pass on their life's work.
This cycle would continue until, at some point, an inheritor down the line decides to share their generation's worth of research with the public in exchange for honour and academic recognition.
It was very rare to find schools or institutions where knowledge was shared freely; the Heavenly Spirit Tower was one such example.
Hearing the young emperor's words, Wuzhi moved to reply. Just as he was about to ask the emperor to stay his worries and reassure him, a certain memory floated up to Wuzhi's conscious mind.
Immediately, the young scholar found himself sinking into the events of a certain day, and the warnings that he had been made to etch into his mind.
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On a certain afternoon, in the past.
Inside his teacher's manor. Oakwood Town.
"Etch these words into your mind, Wuzhi. 'Schemes and Strategies' is the culmination of my life's journey. It is the crystallisation of me, and that of my enemies, blood, sweat, and tears. To call it a Supreme Art worthy of being remembered across the endless Eras would not be an understatement."
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"The only reason that I'm even allowing a snot-nosed brat like you to breathe in its presence, is because I do not want it to be forgotten to the ages. And given my current circumstances, the only person capable of learning this art is you. Talk about fate being a cruel mistress."
"Under NO circumstances should my work be imparted to another individual. If I ever come to learn, nay, if I ever come to even suspect that you were unable to keep it in your pants and shared my Supreme Art with some unworthy, conniving, licentious b*tch— I promise to hunt you down to the ends of this earth!"
"I promise that I will not even spare you in the afterlife! To spend the rest of my natural, and unnatural, existence in hunt of you! I will capture you, flay your skin, separate your flesh, rend your bones, and grill your soul in inextinguishable hellfire!"
"With your flayed skin, I shall create a book onto which I will inscribe every known and unknown curse!"
"With your separated flesh, I shall personally cook a minced meat soup that I will then proceed to feed to all the vermin underneath the heavens!"
"With your bones that I have ground into dust, I shall trap it in a jar and store it in the deepest, most inaccessible corner of this earth, so that it may not stain the lands of creation!"
"And finally, your soul that will burn in hellfire, I shall personally watch it scream, shudder, and dissolve into nothingness; unable to ever reincarnate into this world or any other!"
"Etch these words into your mind and never forget them!!"
So spoke his teacher in a single breath.
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"Wuzhi. Wuzhi! Are you alright?" Wuzhi awoke from his reminiscence. Turning his gaze down, he found the young emperor looking at him with a worried expression. "You look a little pale, Wuzhi. Are you alright?"
Wiping the non-existent sweat gathered on his forehead, Wuzhi replied. "I'm alright, your majesty. It seems that only now are the pains of today's training, rearing their ugly heads."
Shaking his head, Wuzhi then continued to speak. "Concerning your majesty's question from earlier; there are no problems with me imparting a part of my teacher's work. It is, after all, only a part and not the whole."
"Oh, I see," Alexandros shook his head. It would be a lie to say that he wasn't disappointed.
Sensing the young emperor's disappointment, Wuzhi severely said, "Do not underestimate the effectiveness of this 'part,' your majesty. For this chapter titled 'Governance' took me a whole 4 years to completely grasp!"
"The rest of my teacher's work, titled 'Schemes and Strategies,' is not appropriate for your majesty's learning. For knowing them will not improve your ability as a ruler and might even hinder them."
The instant he heard these words, the young emperor immediately had a change of heart. He understood the saying 'Not all medicine is good medicine.' There were things that were suitable for some people and unsuitable for many.
Hearing his teacher say that those other parts were unsuitable for him, Alexandros chose to wholly trust his words and place his faith in Wuzhi.
"I was mistaken, Wuzhi. Please instruct me on the chapter titled 'Governance.'" Alexandros promptly apologized and wholeheartedly requested.
Nodding his head, satisfied by Alexandros' change of heart, Wuzhi quickly adopted a serious moniker and solemnly began his instructions.
"The chapter titled 'Governance' is split into twenty-six lessons. Each lesson tackles one aspect of 'governance,' and by the end, will allow the reader to truly rise into their position as a monarch."
"Remember, 'it is not titles that honour men, but men that honour titles.'"
Taking a deep breath, Wuzhi spoke.
"Lesson One: On the Topic of Principalities, and by What Means They are Acquired."
"All states, all power, that have held and hold rule over men have been and are either republics or principalities. Principalities are either hereditary…"
Wuzhi's droning, even voice laced with his [Speech Path] attainment, immediately drew Alexandros into their contents; prompting the young emperor to understand their meaning and decipher their mysteries.