Chapter 29 What is the name of dadâs dad? This is the simplest form of filial piety.
âOld Lin, donât tell me youâre dating Mu Qianqian, the school beauty from our university!â
Gao Yi cried out in disbelief.
Lin Ming suddenly became a millionaire, which was one thing. But now he was dating the school beauty? This was like the life of a protagonist from a novel!
Lin Ming found it a bit amusing after hearing Zhi Mengmengâs words.
âZhi Mengmeng, do you know why I answered your video call?â
Lin Ming didnât answer directly but asked her instead.
Zhi Mengmeng was taken aback, âWhy?â
âBecause when we were in college, you often volunteered at nursing homes and orphanages. Others might not know, but I do. One time, I was delivering vegetables to the nursing home and saw you there.â
âSo, youâve left a good impression on me. If youâre here to talk about Mu Qianqian, Iâll hang up.â
âOh, by the way, tell Mu Qianqian that I donât like her and have no intention of pursuing her. We didnât interact much before, and we wonât in the future. Itâs better if we go our separate ways. Please stop disturbing my peaceful life.â
After finishing, Lin Ming decisively ended the call.
âWTF!â
Gao Yi, who was beside him, stood stunned. He slapped his face hard, making sure he wasnât dreaming.
âOld Lin, are you telling me that you just rejected Mu Qianqian, and even spoke to Zhi Mengmeng in that tone?â
Gao Yi had once chased after Zhi Mengmeng, doing everything a âdogâ could do, but still didnât get any attention from her. Seeing Lin Ming act like this was simply unbelievable. He treated her like something to be discarded, yet he couldnât understand how Lin Ming could remain so unaffected.
Lin Ming rolled his eyes.
âBecause of guys like you, those women start thinking too highly of themselves.â
âSo, you really rejected her?â
Gao Yi screamed again.
âYes. I donât like her. Even if she threw herself at me, Iâd dodge and suggest she see a psychiatrist.â
ââŠâ
Gao Yi was left in awe, feeling like he was watching a sci-fi movie in real life for the first time.
âDry land gets drought, wet land gets flood.â
Just then, Zhi Mengmeng called again. Lin Ming rejected the call again, but she called back. Lin Ming frowned, but answered the call.
Before he could speak, Zhi Mengmeng beat him to it.
âLin Ming, are you on the seventh floor of the Bay Mall?â
Lin Ming nodded.
âYes.â
He was just getting off the elevator and walking out with Gao Yi. Lin Ming held his phone and snapped a few pictures. At that moment, the entire mall scene was displayed on the sky screen. People from different eras were shaken.
In the atrium of Bay Mall, a massive crystal chandelier was hanging, and below it, seven floors of shops were filled with dazzling lights, uniquely styled posters, and exquisite architectural designs.
At that moment, people from all dynasties were completely stunned. This was even more shocking than seeing highways. The display on the sky screen showed a commercial world that they had never heard of before.
Emperor Liu Che of Han.
âWhat is that huge crystal? Itâs translucent and shines with a light brighter than the moon.â
Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang.
âI didnât expect that not only the infrastructure is amazing in the future, but even the daily life is so luxurious. Could this really be reality, not a fairyland?â
âŠ
In the Qing Dynasty, Empress Dowager Cixi looked at the brilliant crystal chandelier in the sky, her eyes flashing with greed.
â
Hmph!
These ministers are so deceitful, I knew that there must be treasures in the world that are better than the night pearls.â
âGo, quickly find this, or bring me their heads.â
Before, she had never been impressed by âA Bite of China,â as she had 108 dishes for one meal, and rare delicacies meant nothing to her. But this treasure made her itch with desire.
In the present world, Lin Ming and Gao Yi walked past a childrenâs rocking car area, where several kids were playing and singing.
âWhatâs your dadâs dadâs name? Your dadâs dad is called grandpa!â
âWhatâs your dadâs momâs name? Your dadâs mom is called grandma!â
âŠ
These words echoed through the sky. Scholars from different worlds were stirred. Confucius, who was traveling across the states, paused when he saw these words on the sky screen. His disciples also stopped and gathered around.
Zi Lu stepped forward and bowed.
âMaster, whatâs wrong?â
Confucius said, âWhat do you think of this way of teaching filial piety in the future?â
Zi Lu sneered, âI think this is too simple, even somewhat crude, like the teachings of a country bumpkin, not worthy of being discussed in the halls of the learned.â
Confucius looked back at Ran You. Ran You, after greeting, nodded as well.
âI agree with Zi Lu.â
Zi Gong and Zi Gao also bowed and nodded, expressing similar thoughts. Confucius, however, shook his head in disappointment.
âI travel to spread my moral principles, and in this chaotic era, someone must uphold the core values.â
âAs for filial piety, I think the most important thing is to respect oneâs parents.â
âMaster, do you have a new insight?â Zi Lu asked.
Confucius nodded.
âThe words on the sky screen, while seeming childish and even laughable, have a power that we donât understand. We complicate filial piety too much, what use is that?â
âGreat principles are simple. These simple words are the most powerful and can be accepted by the common people.â
âThose we interact with, the royal families and nobility, all want to project themselves, to shape public perception. Simple words are effective in achieving this.â
If Confuciusâ teachings had a term for âbrainwashingâ in later generations, he would be the greatest âbrainwasherâ of all.
His disciples fell into deep thought.
âLetâs set off again. I have a new way to achieve my goals.â
Confucius looked up at the sky with gratitude in his eyes. At the same time, scholars from other worlds were also deeply pondering the same question. Meanwhile, ordinary people, including emperors, treated this as a form of entertainment.
Emperor Li Shimin looked at the commercial scene on the sky screen and exclaimed, âThe future business world is so advanced, and there are many strange symbols that donât look like our characters.â
Even though the future Chinese language was simplified, the ancient scholars still recognized it as Chinese, while the unfamiliar symbols clearly belonged to foreign cultures.
âCould the future China have already merged with foreign nations?â
Li Shimin was startled.
âCould it be controlled by foreign powers?â
At that moment, Zhangsun Wuji said, âYour Majesty, judging from the previous highway scene, Chinaâs national strength is powerful. Thereâs no sign of foreign invasion.â
Fang Xuanling suddenly had a realization.
âYour Majesty, I believe that future Chinaâs trade must have become open to the world, allowing foreign nations to enter and trade freely.â
Li Shimin nodded.
âWe could build a similar mall in Changâan, making it an economic hub, welcoming foreign nations for trade!â
âYour Majestyâs vision is far-reaching, and our Tang Dynasty will surely last for eternity!â
Zhangsun Wuji delivered another dose of flattery.