Chapter 42: Lost the Bet!

  Liu Buqian's words startled Jin: "Liu Guandai, what are you saying? Is the imperial court really going to war with Japan?"

  Liu Buxian said: "That official, let Zhou Xuanzhang finish speaking first. Zhou Xuanzhang, I ask you, how did you know the imperial court is going to war with Japan?"

  Cherry also added a sentence: "Also, why did your master want to kill you?" The girl was not interested in fighting, but she was very sensitive to the relationship between masters and apprentices.

  "It's all because of a bet between Teacher Feng and my master..." Zhou Xianzhang recounted the whole story from start to finish.

  Zhou Xuan Zhang finished speaking, Liu Bu Chan and Cherry Blossom couldn't help but smile bitterly.

  He rose to become a member of the Imperial Academy, a prestigious fourth-rank official in the imperial court. Yet, he made a bet with a minor instructor, and what's more, the stake was someone else's head! This sounds like an absurd fairy tale!

  "Is this true, sir?" Liu Buxian asked.

  Jin's face turned red as she nodded and muttered: "I didn't even lose the bet! Why are you running?"

  "Master is above, this bet of yours, you will definitely lose!"

  "Why?"

  Zhou Xuan Zhang wants to say that he is from the 21st century, and has foreknowledge that the First Sino-Japanese War is inevitable. Jin, Liu Bu Quan, and Sakura will definitely think that there is something wrong with his brain.

  "Master, let's first observe the overall situation. Although my Qing dynasty and Japan share a common culture and ancestry, we have been competitors since ancient times. In recent years, the British used cannons to open up my Qing dynasty's doors, while the Americans used cannons to open up Japan's doors. Both China and Japan have suffered at the hands of Westerners, but our enlightened scholars sought to adopt Western ways to save our countries, achieving some success and increasing national strength. We now possess Western guns and cannons, and Westerners no longer swagger about as they once did. However, the problem is that in East Asia, one mountain cannot accommodate two tigers!"

  "Nonsense!" Jin rebuked him: "China and Japan can join hands to deal with Westerners!"

  "Master, that's your wishful thinking! The Japanese would never think that way. Japan is an island nation with limited territory and scarce resources. To become powerful, they can only expand outward; otherwise, the dream of a strong country is just a fool's errand! If the Qing were strong enough, they would have submitted already. But now, the Qing is facing internal strife and external threats, which presents a rare opportunity for the Japanese. If they can defeat the Qing, they will be able to roam freely in East Asia!"

  Liu Buqian nodded: "So, Japan must launch a war at this time! If we miss this opportunity, once my Qing dynasty gets out of trouble, Japan will have no chance again, and they can only be our vassals!"

  Jin's face turned pale: "It won't be so quick to fight, will it?"

  "Master, the Japanese have been waiting for this opportunity! The brutal treatment of Kim Ok-gyun has aroused strong indignation among the Japanese people and international public opinion has completely turned against us. They now have the popular support and international backing to launch an invasion of Korea, which is a vassal state of our great Qing dynasty. If Japan goes to war with Korea, it will be equivalent to going to war with our great Qing! Now, all they need is a pretext that can stand up to scrutiny. I think the Japanese are racking their brains to find this pretext!"

  Liu Buqian nodded: "Moreover, they have found it!"

  "What?" Jin asked in surprise.

  Liu Buquan sighed and said, "A peasant uprising has broken out in Jeolla Province, Korea. The rebels, under the banner of Donghak teachings, have risen up and gathered tens of thousands of people, with a mighty momentum that has spread to the entire southern part of Korea, with their military might pointing directly at the capital city. The Korean court's army sent to quell the rebellion was defeated, and the situation is urgent. Just yesterday, the court received a report from Yuan Shikai, the minister in charge of foreign affairs in Korea, that the Korean government has formally requested our great Qing dynasty to send troops to suppress the peasant uprising. Three days ago, four warships from the Beiyang Fleet set sail for Tianjin's Dagu Port to transport officials and soldiers to Korea."

  "That's nothing! Chosun is my vassal state, and when internal disturbances occur, it is only right that I should send troops to assist. The Donghak teachings, I've heard of them before - a group of ignorant and foolish people who should have been suppressed long ago..."

  Liu Bu-chan said: "According to intelligence, Japan reacted extremely quickly to this Korean civil unrest. The General Staff has set up a wartime headquarters, and it is said that Emperor Meiji of Japan has already entered the wartime headquarters! 488 Japanese marines have landed in Incheon under the pretext of protecting the embassy and are rushing to the Korean capital! At the same time, a mixed brigade of the Japanese army has boarded ships and is heading to Korea, and will arrive soon!"

  Jin was desperate and shouted loudly: "They dare to send troops to invade my subordinate country, they are treacherous and unfaithful! They are as greedy as dogs, they..."

  "Master, they are going to declare war on our Great Qing!" Zhou Xianzhang shook his head and said.

  Jin's face turned pale, and he stared blankly at Zhou Xuan Zhang for a long time before letting out a mournful sigh: "Xuan Zhang, the master has lost the bet!"

  The armies of China and Japan simultaneously entered Korea, everyone knows what will happen!

  The two armies will never be having a party in Korea! The Japanese have made up their minds to drive the Qing army out of Korea!

  Jin was desperate and had lost the bet, so he would have to behead Zhou Xuanzhang!

  Jin Xin believed in Confucius and Mencius' teachings, attaching great importance to the two words "integrity" and was willing to admit defeat.

  If Zhou Xuanzhang is a voyeur who peeps at girls, then Jin Dao can also take advantage of the situation.

  It turns out that Zhou Xuanzhang ran to Gege's room and watched her take a bath all the way, although this is a lowly thing, but if you want to investigate it, it was Jin himself who forced him out!

  It was Jin himself who drove his beloved disciple into a corner!

  Liu Buxian saw the pain in Na Jin's heart and smiled: "Mr. Na, as people often say, those who act with great righteousness do not get bogged down in trivial matters. Your wager is a trivial matter, while seeking talent for the country is a great righteous deed. Zhou Xuanzhang is a talented individual, if you kill him to protect your own trivial reputation, wouldn't that be putting things upside down?"

  "Does this mean I can take back my words?"

  "Of course!" Cherry chuckled and said with a smile: "You're just too old-fashioned, stuck in the past."

  Jin was overjoyed, hastily got up, grasped Zhou Xuan Zhang's hand and urged: "Xuan Zhang, you hurry to run, the master will not kill you, but Li Zhong Tang still wants to kill you..."

  Liu Buqun's face was stern as he drank and said: "You, sir, are you going to let the culprit of Li Zhongtang go right in front of us?"

  That night, everyone was in a daze. A hemp rope almost led to Zhou Xuanzhang's hanging, and then he swung his sword to chop off his head. After finally figuring out the problem, they forgot again. Liu Buxian and Sakura were one of Li Zhongtang's students and one of Min Xiangge's personal maids. Just this morning, it was Li Zhongtang and Min Xiangge who joined forces to chop off Zhou Xuanzhang's head! Now, Li Zhongtang's student and the maid have joined hands again, visiting in the dead of night with unknown intentions.

  "General Liu, Miss Sakura, I beg of you on my knees, please spare my beloved disciple! The order issued by Li Zhongtang is a wrongful one!"

  Jin said, just about to kneel down, Zhou Xuan Zhang hugged him: "Master, don't ask them, let them cut off the student's head, the student will never make you lose face!"

  "Sakura scolded: 'You ran into Gege's room and have already lost face for your master!'"

  "Master Liu, Miss Sakura, I, Zhou Xuan Zhang, have unintentionally intruded into the princess's chambers and offended her. This is all due to my poor teaching. Please, Master Liu and Miss Sakura, consider my old face and spare him this once. If the princess were to blame me, I am willing to take full responsibility for the consequences."

  Liu Buxian shook his head and said: "Sakura, this matter is still up to you."

  Liu Buxian and Cherry arrived at Na Jin's residence in the dead of night, indeed for Zhou Xuanzhang, but they neither came to rescue Zhou Xuanzhang nor to kill him.

  Actually, until now, they still haven't decided whether to save or kill!