Mr. Harris cleared his throat and said, "Young master, I know you're anxious, but don't be in such a hurry. Right now, the most important thing is for you to recover from your injuries. These matters can wait until later..."

Emily Thompson looked serious—was this a joke? After today, he would have only ten days left to live. What "later" could there possibly be?

He looked at Mr. Harris and said earnestly, "I know you're not in a hurry, but I am. Just tell me, right now, immediately..."

Chapter 8 Grace Miller

Mr. Harris had been thinking that once the young master regained his memory or learned about the family affairs, he would stop insisting on practicing the Legalist path. But seeing how persistent he was, he had no choice but to say, "Alright, if you want to practice the Legalist path, you must first pass the imperial examination and become an official to obtain the authority to enforce the law..."

With his persistence, Emily Thompson finally managed to ask about the cultivation method of the Legalist school.

Legalism, Legalism—if you want to practice the Legalist way, you must first have the authority to enforce the law.

Both commoners and nobles lack this authority; to obtain it, you must become an official.

Emily Thompson had hoped to rely on his father, that high-ranking third-rank official, to secure him a post, but Mr. Harris said that in Daxia, the only way to become an official is through the imperial examination. Without passing it, even if his father were the Minister of Justice or the Prime Minister, he couldn't conjure up an official position out of thin air.

Fine, the shortcut was temporarily out of reach, but Emily Thompson wasn't discouraged.

In his previous life, he had passed both the bar and the civil service exams. Although he didn't know how difficult the Daxia imperial examination was, if he put in the same effort as before, he still had a shot.

Passing the imperial examination would qualify him to become an official.

All he lacked was a stepping stone. With a father of proper third-rank status, as long as he could pass the exam, he might not rise to the top overnight, but his official career should at least go smoothly.

Thinking this way might not align with core values, but with his life nearly at its end, he had no energy to worry about such things.

The Legalist path is about upholding the law and safeguarding justice through the authority to enforce the law. Generally, one could start as a county constable or magistrate, and with advancement, serve in the Ministry of Justice, the Censorate, or the Court of Judicial Review.

Emily Thompson wasn't an official yet, but thanks to his status, before he was qualified to become one, he could still go to the county office to try some minor cases. The magistrate of Chang'an County probably wouldn't object.

Mr. Harris saw the young master's gaze growing more determined and his expression more impassioned, and couldn't help but ask, "Young master, do you really want to follow the Legalist path?"

Emily Thompson asked, "Why, is that not allowed?"

He noticed that Mr. Harris seemed to be subtly trying to dissuade him from practicing Legalism.

Mr. Harris sighed and said, "The power of the Legalist path, though above martial arts, is not easy to enter, and cultivation is extremely difficult. You might not make any progress for decades. Young master, you must think carefully."

Emily Thompson asked in confusion, "Why?"

Mr. Harris explained, "At first, practicing Legalism only requires handling some ordinary cases. In as little as a year or two, or as long as three to five years, you can begin to grasp the basics. But to reach true mastery, you must judge cases others cannot judge, execute those others cannot execute. Do you understand what I mean, young master?"

Emily Thompson himself had studied law, so he certainly understood the limitations of Legalism.

In another world, Legalism was the political voice of the common people, governing "according to the law," emphasizing "no distinction between close and distant, no difference between noble and humble, all judged by law," "rulers and subjects, high and low, all must follow the law," "punish the guilty regardless of rank, reward the virtuous regardless of status"...

Under the law, there are no privileges, which obviously threatens the interests of the privileged class.

Emily Thompson asked, "You mean, practicing Legalism will encounter resistance from powerful figures?"

Mr. Harris felt gratified—the young master really had become smarter, understanding the key point so quickly.

He nodded and said, "Exactly. Legalism is not like Medicine, which only requires mastering medical skills to heal and save people; nor like Mohism, which focuses on craftsmanship; nor like Agriculture, which is about farming and breeding for a lifetime. Practicing Legalism requires total dedication to the law—first judging commoners, then judging nobles and officials. Only then can you continue to improve. It's like a sharp sword hanging over the heads of all the officials in court. That's why Legalist disciples have always been rejected by the powerful. Since the end of the Warring States period, Legalism has gradually declined, and few practice it anymore..."

Emily Thompson thought for a moment and asked, "Which school does my father practice?"

Mr. Harris replied, "Confucianism."

Emily Thompson was a bit surprised. The Minister of Justice, standing at the pinnacle of Daxia's legal world, actually practiced Confucianism. It seemed Legalism really had declined.

Mr. Harris's words, Emily Thompson understood. He also knew that challenging an entire class as an individual usually ended in tragedy.

But if he didn't practice Legalism, he would die even sooner.

It seemed like he had a choice, but in reality, he had none.

Emily Thompson waved his hand and said, "I understand. Let's talk about it later..."

He knew very well that Mr. Harris was discouraging him from practicing Legalism for his own good. The Lolita Island incident was known to all; even in modern countries, it's impossible to bring all the guilty to justice. The court is still full of nobles, let alone in a feudal dynasty.

If halfway through cultivation you have to execute the powerful, wouldn't further cultivation mean executing the emperor?

No emperor would tolerate Legalism.

Nowadays, Legalism is mostly just a tool for managing the grassroots. It doesn't touch the powerful at all, so naturally, no one pursues Legalist cultivation to a profound level.