Facing the camera, the students began to speak one after another, each expressing their thoughts with growing confidence, their voices no longer hesitant like beginners but steady, as if they had already rehearsed these ideas countless times in their minds.
One student stepped forward and spoke first, his tone calm yet filled with conviction.
"The Emperor is ultimately just a person, and as long as he is human, he will inevitably have flaws. It could be a lack of knowledge, or perhaps defects in character, but no matter the case, he can never be perfect. Yet such an imperfect individual stands in a position that demands perfection. With a single thought, a single word, he can decide the politics, economy, military, and diplomacy of an entire nation. When you think about it carefully, does that not seem strange?"
Another student followed immediately, picking up the argument with a more serious tone.
"No matter how wise or capable an emperor may appear, there will always come a day when he makes a wrong decision. The real problem is that once such a mistake is made, there is no one who can correct it, and so that mistake becomes amplified without limit, eventually leading to consequences that are far more severe than anyone could have imagined."
A third student raised his voice slightly, bringing the discussion to its core.
"That is why the topic of our debate is this. A system ruled by a single individual will inevitably produce countless problems, and what we truly need is governance by the many."
Another added without hesitation, his words sharp and direct.
"The best way to deal with a foolish ruler is not to remove him, nor is it to replace him with another emperor. The real solution lies in changing the system itself, transforming it from one where a single person holds absolute authority into one where power is shared among many."
Nearby, Gu Yanwu listened quietly as his students spoke their minds, a satisfied smile spreading across his face, because everything he had been teaching at Luoyang University about collective governance had begun to take root, and not only that, it had evolved beyond his own expectations.
These students were even bolder than he was.
Their criticism of imperial authority was sharper, more daring, and far less restrained than anything he himself had ever openly expressed.
As their discussion was broadcast through the Immortal Treasure Mirror, their voices spread rapidly across every city within the Liberation Zones of Dao Xuan Tianzun, reaching audiences of all kinds.
For the new generation of intellectuals who had grown up studying the Heavenly Books provided by Li Dao Xuan, these ideas were not particularly shocking, as they had already encountered similar concepts before.
However, for ordinary people who had never received formal education, these words struck them like thunder, shaking the foundations of everything they had taken for granted.
In the past, common folk had never really thought about such matters, nor did they have the opportunity to discuss them with scholars, as no one had ever bothered to explain these concepts to them in a way they could understand.
Now that someone had finally done so, it felt as though a door to an entirely new world had been opened before them.
Using their simplest and most practical way of thinking, the people began to interpret these ideas through their own experiences.
"When the militia first came and promoted new crops, my father refused no matter what we said. If our family had been run entirely by him alone, without my uncles stepping in to argue and reason with him, we would have ended up in ruin. It was only because the whole family discussed it together and outvoted him that we decided to follow Dao Xuan Tianzun's guidance and plant corn, and that is how our family finally became prosperous."
Another person nodded repeatedly, clearly convinced.
"That is exactly right. If one person makes all the decisions and happens to be wrong, then what are we supposed to do?"
Someone else added, his tone full of common sense.
"When it comes to important matters in a family, everyone discusses it together before making a decision. That is the only reasonable way."
A different voice hesitated slightly.
"But since ancient times, has it not always been the emperor who makes the decisions?"
That question was quickly met with a blunt reply.
"Since ancient times? Back in ancient times your ancestors were living in caves. Are you planning to go back and live like them too?"
The crowd burst into laughter.
Another person chimed in, pushing the argument further.
"Forget your ancestors, let us talk about your father. He spent his entire life as a craftsman, struggling day after day. Now you work in a factory as a blue-hat engineer. Tell me honestly, would you go back to living the same life as your father?"
The man was momentarily speechless before shaking his head.
"…No, that would not be necessary. Some things really do need to change."
The response was immediate.
"Well then, that settles it."
The people within the Liberation Zones of Dao Xuan Tianzun were already more open-minded than those in other regions, and given enough time, they were fully capable of keeping up with the pace set by Gao Family News.
Meanwhile, the group of Jinyiwei who had just been beaten at Luoyang University were rushing angrily toward a nearby Shanxi garrison, their faces filled with humiliation and frustration.
"Who is in charge here? Someone has assaulted the Jinyiwei. Mobilize your troops immediately and follow us to suppress those criminals."
However, before they could finish speaking, they found themselves surrounded by a large group of militia soldiers.
"So there really are Jinyiwei sneaking in here."
"Beat them."
"Lock them up first."
The militia surged forward as one, and in a matter of moments, the Jinyiwei experienced firsthand what it meant to walk straight into a trap of their own making.
…
In the Jiangnan region, beyond the reach of the Liberation Zones of Dao Xuan Tianzun, vast territories such as Nanzhili, Guangxi, Guangdong, and Fujian remained outside direct influence.
However, while the power of Dao Xuan Tianzun had yet to fully extend into these areas, the scholars from Gao Family Village had already begun to arrive.
At a marketplace in Nanjing, a young scholar stood holding a thick stack of manuscripts, reviewing them carefully as he memorized each line with intense focus.
This scholar was Li Yan.
Since joining the Gao Family Village faction, he had devoted himself wholeheartedly to study, gradually realizing the foolishness of his past beliefs and beginning to understand what truly needed to be done to save the nation.
After thoroughly committing his script to memory, he stepped onto a wooden platform in the center of the marketplace, reached into his sleeve, and pulled out a pouch filled with copper coins.
Without hesitation, he grabbed a handful and scattered them into the crowd.
The effect was immediate.
People rushed forward from all directions, scrambling to grab the coins, and within moments, a large crowd had gathered, their attention fully captured.
Only then did Li Yan clear his throat and raise his voice.
"Everyone, please lend me your ears."
The crowd, having just benefited from his generosity, naturally turned their attention toward him with great interest, their eyes filled with expectation, as if hoping he might throw out another handful of coins.
However, Li Yan did not repeat the gesture. Instead, his tone grew firm.
"A foolish ruler harms the nation and delays critical opportunities. The country now stands before a rare chance to reclaim the lost lands of Liaodong, yet because of Zhu Youjian's personal stubbornness, this opportunity has been delayed. The army remains stalled at Dalinghe, unable to advance, consuming supplies day after day without progress. If this continues, the nation itself will be in danger."
The moment these words were spoken, the crowd erupted into commotion.
Some quick-witted individuals immediately slipped away, heading toward the local authorities to report the situation.
Li Yan noticed this from the corner of his eye, yet he showed no concern, as he knew full well that the officials would take time to arrive, leaving him with a window to continue speaking.
Raising his voice, he pressed on with urgency.
"To the gentry, merchants, craftsmen, and farmers of Jiangnan, do you not wish to have a greater voice in the affairs of the nation? Those with greater ability should be able to speak more, while even those with lesser ability should have the chance to express their views. A country cannot be governed by the will of a single person alone."
These words struck deeply among certain members of the crowd.
In Jiangnan, the early signs of emerging capitalism had already begun to take shape, and with it, new social classes were quietly forming beneath the surface. These emerging groups were often suppressed by the old order, particularly the smaller merchants, who possessed their own political aspirations but lacked any means of expressing them.
Now, hearing Li Yan's speech, many of them felt something stir within their hearts.
At that moment, a shout came from the edge of the crowd.
"The Jinyiwei are here!"
Li Yan smiled faintly, as if he had been expecting this all along. He stepped down from the platform and slipped smoothly into the crowd.
Hidden among the people, agents from the Divine Shield Bureau immediately moved into position, surrounding him and guiding him out through another side of the crowd with practiced efficiency.
Meanwhile, the approaching Jinyiwei found themselves blocked by another group disguised as ordinary onlookers, who deliberately crowded together, slowing their advance.
By the time they finally forced their way through the dense crowd, Li Yan had already disappeared without a trace.