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A Prophet - Chapter 14 (Part 2)

Chapter 2 - The Emperor's Imperial Edict I Ching Debate Conference 

Two months later, right in the dead of summer, Yoshiko Nishida sent a secret telegram to the secret societies nationwide, gathering nearly two hundred secret society leaders in the Japanese-occupied zone of Shanghai.

"I have already strongly recommended Grandpa Zu to the military, but the military's plan is that the selection of the 'Grand Master of Chinese I Ching' this time must be conducted through a public debate. At that time, scholars from the Japanese military's Bureau of Imperial Religion and masters from the Japanese I Ching community will personally be present at the scene. The top three will be taken as the final candidates. As long as Grandpa Zu squeezes into the top three during the debate, the grand enterprise can be achieved!" Yoshiko Nishida said to Grandpa Zu.

Grandpa Zu nodded. "Rest assured, Miss Nishida, I will certainly exert my utmost effort."

The next day, the "Emperor's Imperial Edict I Ching Debate Conference" was held secretly in the Japanese-occupied zone of Shanghai. All the secret society leaders were divided into ten groups, and the tournament format was as follows: after the conclusion of the first round of debate, each group would select one winner; in the second round, the ten winners would take the stage in turn to accept challenges from the more than two hundred people present. Challengers could ask all kinds of I Ching questions, and the remaining nine candidates could also join the ranks of the questioners. Any candidate who failed to answer even a single question or whose answer was irrelevant would be eliminated from the competition. In the end, the three individuals who answered the greatest number of questions and gave the most brilliant answers would be designated as the final candidates, and the Japanese military would comprehensively weigh and determine the emergence of the "I Ching Grand Master."

The group debates lasted a full day before concluding, and the ten winners were as follows:

Group Jia: Fujian "Tai Chi Gang" Abbess Ruolan

Group Yi: Jiaodong "Jade Ruler Dao" Half-Immortal Zheng

Group Bing: Shanghai "River and Image Faction" Grandpa Zu

Group Ding: Shanghai "Plum Blossom Society" Mei Xuanzi

Group Wu: Peiping "Heavenly Saint Dao" Blind Liu

Group Ji: Henan "Central Plains Five Tigers" Three Sovereigns Feng Shui Successor Tong Huaixiu

Group Geng: Tianjin "Yaochi Dao" Long Yufeng

Group Xin: Baoding "Imperial Pole Dao" Pei Jinglong

Group Ren: Manchuria "Zixia Hall" Ding Zixia

Group Gui: Manchuria "Shuntian Cult" Jiang Tiancheng

That night, Grandpa Zu summoned Huang Farong, who was accompanying him on the trip, to make preparations for the top-ten-to-three match the following day. For this debate tournament, Grandpa Zu had only mentioned it to the wharf bosses of the hall and issued a strict order: anyone who leaks secrets dies!

Participating in an I Ching debate tournament organized by the Japanese left the wharf bosses feeling utterly bewildered. At the confidential hall meeting, the Second Wharf Boss could not help asking: "Grandpa Zu, what on earth are you trying to do?"

Aside from Jiang Feiyan, everyone else within the "River and Image Faction" was completely in the dark about Grandpa Zu "defecting" to the Japanese. Nor did Grandpa Zu want them to know too much.

"Everyone just needs to work with one heart and mind to secure the title of 'Grand Master of I Ching'; there is no need to delve too deeply into other matters!" Grandpa Zu replied.

The First Wharf Boss shook his head and said, "Grandpa Zu... hasn't Grandpa Zu defected... defected..."

Grandpa Zu glanced at him sideways, and the First Wharf Boss was so frightened he fell silent.

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, the Third Wharf Boss hurriedly said, "Grandpa Zu has his own arrangements. So many years of experience tell us that as long as we follow Grandpa Zu, we will not walk the wrong path."

Zhang Zijian opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but after Huang Farong tugged at the corner of his clothes from behind, he made no more sound.

The Fifth Wharf Boss, Zhang Qiling, gave a cough and said, "I only recognize Grandpa Zu. Wherever Grandpa Zu goes, I will follow."

The Second Wharf Boss glanced at him and said, "Anyway, I won't be a traitor to my country!"

The atmosphere of the hall meeting instantly grew tense.

Huang Farong, serving as the bound-foot woman designated by Grandpa Zu to attend the hall meeting, now exerted her prowess:

"The mud is deep and the Buddha is large, the water rises and the boat goes higher; Su Qin acted as the vertical alliance and Zhang Yi as the horizontal alliance. Horizontal makes the ruler of Qin, vertical makes the king of Chu. Securing the title of 'Grand Master of I Ching' to save the nation through a detour is vastly beneficial for the 'River and Image Faction' and for uniting the strength of China's secret societies! With a single command from the master, mountains topple and the earth shakes; we take blood with golden needles to make a joint oath, and brothers with one heart must fulfill the pact. Have all you lords forgotten the oath you made upon entering the 'River and Image Faction'?"

Grandpa Zu raised his eyes to look at her, then said to everyone, "Are there any other doubts?"

Grandpa Zu's remark was equivalent to "dismissing the meeting." In truth, everyone still did not understand at all; they were muddle-headed, seemingly understanding a little yet seemingly not understanding. Just like that, everyone left with doubts in their hearts.

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