“It’s still hard for me to imagine.”
Zhang Shunyi was shocked. "There is a secret passage in the Hanlin Academy, and Lord Yan is actually your man..."
Lou Youzhi smiled calmly and returned to the main seat and sat down. "Sit down, we still have a lot to talk about."
"yes."
Zhang Shunyi nodded and walked into the guest seat with a serious look.
"Have you ever calculated how long it will take for you to join the cabinet?"
Lou Youzhi asked.
"I have never thought about the future."
Zhang Shunyi shook his head. " It is more important to do well in the present."
"oh?"
Lou Youzhi raised his eyebrows and said, "Let me calculate it for you."
"You have already stayed in the library once, and have been promoted from editor to lecturer."
"Three years later, he became a fifth-rank lecturer."
"In another three years, there are two directions."
"One is to stay in the academy and be promoted to the fifth-rank Hanlin scholar. After working for three years, he will be transferred to the fourth-rank junior secretary of the Zhanshi Palace. After working for another three years, he will be promoted to the third-rank secretary. After that, he will be transferred to the six ministries and serve as a minister."
"The second is to join the Tongzhengsi, starting from the fifth-rank councilor, and working your way up to the third-rank Tongzhengshi, and then transfer to the six ministries and become a vice minister."
"Whichever it is, it will take at least ten years."
"As for the position of assistant minister, if he wants to be promoted, he must wait until the minister makes a mistake and is dismissed, or retires due to old age."
"Once you actually take a position in a ministry, you will be qualified to be recommended to the cabinet."
"But even if it was your first day as a minister, you would be at the very end of the list."
"You need to live long enough, be cautious enough, and be patient enough to outlast all the ministers including Lü Zhong and me before you can finally take the position of Prime Minister."
“How many years will it take?”
"And this is only the case when everything goes well. If there is even the slightest mistake or someone is offended, it is very likely that the opportunity will be lost forever."
"Of course, you can be like me."
At this point, Lou Youzhi pointed at himself and said, "Forming alliances and using all kinds of conspiracies to stir up conflicts in the court, thus greatly shortening this process... However, I don't think you will do this."
"Your Excellency has a good eye."
Zhang Shunyi nodded calmly.
"But now, you have another option."
Lou Youzhi said calmly, "I will help you become the next Prime Minister after I retire."
"this……"
Zhang Shunyi frowned, and after a brief thought, he politely declined: "I don't intend to take any shortcuts. I appreciate your kindness, sir."
"You are not such a pedantic person. Are you rejecting me because you are afraid that I will ask you to change your job?"
Lou Youzhi laughed, "Don't worry, I didn't mean that... Besides, when Lu Zhong just accepted you, he took the initiative to find me and asked me to help you a little."
"Master Lu?"
Zhang Shunyi was stunned.
"The Lu family has a wide network of connections and a very good reputation, but they lack a member of the clan who can cultivate the Dao. However, this depends on fate, so Lu Zhong can only settle for the next best thing and find a disciple who can cultivate the Dao."
Lou Youzhi explained, "What he meant was that when he first accepted you, he believed that you were capable of cultivating the Dao, and that you would provide protection for the Lu family in the future. So, whether it was out of interest or responsibility, he had to protect your career and cultivation as smoothly as possible."
"Is that so..."
Zhang Shunyi thought about it, but still didn't rush to agree. Instead, he asked, "What do you want me to do, sir?"
"The prince should have come to see you, right?"
Lou Youzhi did not answer but asked, "Do you remember Du Qianchuan?"
Zhang Shunyi's face darkened slightly, and he nodded: "Exposing the natural disaster, impeaching the late emperor, and finally staining the Tianji Palace with blood."
"What do you think about this?"
Lou Youzhi asked again.
“You can’t not believe it, but you can’t believe it completely either.”
Zhang Shunyi looked at Lou Youzhi with an inexplicable look in his eyes, "It's a pity that those files have been destroyed. If we want to verify it, we can only wait for the next natural disaster."
"You don't need to test me. Du Qianchuan impeached the late emperor, and the Imperial Household Department destroyed the files. It was all under my instruction."
Lou Youzhi waved his hand and said, "There are copies of those files here. If you want to see them, I'll ask Yan Fang to take you there later."
"Is that really the case..."
Zhang Shunyi's heart tightened, and he couldn't help but ask, "Why?"
"You'll know after you read this."
Lou Youzhi pointed to his side, and a thin booklet flew towards Zhang Shunyi. "This is the whole story, including why I and a few others suspected that there was something wrong with the natural disaster, how we found evidence, how we responded, and finally, the results calculated based on the natural disaster."
Zhang Shunyi immediately became serious, took the booklet and began to read it carefully.
Soon, he saw a familiar name in it.
Xu Chong.
In addition to Xu Chong, there are some other names that I have seen but am not familiar with, or have heard of but have not seen.
Jiang Zhihong, Yuan Shouyi, Dou Tianyuan, Du Qianchuan... and so on.
After seeing the end, Zhang Shunyi was completely shocked and couldn't utter a word.
After the shock, there was uncontrollable grief and anger.
Born in Canglong and grew up in Canglong.
Compared with Xu Chong, Zhang Shunyi made many friends in the same subject at Zhang Huafu during the provincial examination.
Among them, only a very small number of them passed the imperial examinations and stayed in the capital after winning the subsequent joint and palace examinations, while the vast majority remained in or returned to Yongzhou.
And these people are basically ordinary people who have not embarked on the path of martial arts.
If Lu Zhong had not stopped him, he might have returned to Yongzhou and done his part when the locust plague hit Yongzhou.
The subsequent "Yongzhou Bandit Suppression" made Zhang Shunyi feel unbearable grief every time he thought about it.
But when he suspected that Lou Youzhi was the murderer, Lu Zhong immediately denied it.
"For just some food, Lou Youzhi doesn't even need to ask for anything. As long as he shows his intention, the whole of Daqing will have a steady supply of food delivered to wherever he wants. How could he possibly destroy the entire Yongzhou for such a small amount of food?"
"It's fine for those ignorant people to think so, but you have already entered the court and seen a lot of things, how can you be so stupid?"
"What's more, I have already seen through Lou Youzhi's character over the past few decades."
"Master believes that Lou Youzhi really intends to provide disaster relief in Yongzhou."
"As for why disaster relief turned into bandit suppression..."
'You must improve yourself as much as possible, both in realm and status.'
'Because only in this way can you possibly touch the real truth in the future.'
This is what Lü Zhong said at the beginning.
Although Zhang Shunyi was persuaded, he did not go looking for the truth, but just made his own guesses.
But even if he guessed a thousand times or ten thousand times, he could not have guessed that the truth would be like this...
Jiang Zhihong, who instigated refugees to rebel and was labeled a traitor by the imperial court, was actually the savior of Yongzhou?
Lou Youzhi, who was regarded as a traitor by the people, could actually be the savior of Yongzhou?
But the real executioner is the Emperor of Daqing, who is admired by millions of people in the world?
Just to extend your life?
in addition.
Although the entire booklet did not mention Xu Chong's plan at all, Zhang Shunyi already had the answer in his mind.
Because he clearly remembered what Xu Chong had done in Canglang.
"No wonder Brother Xu came to the capital but never came to see me once."
Zhang Shunyi didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "So, he was afraid of involving me. Forty-five years..."
“Forty-five years is just speculation. We can’t be sure if it will come sooner.”
Lou Youzhi finally spoke, "Letting you take over from me is just a precaution."
Having said that, Zhang Shunyi no longer hesitated and quickly made a decision: "How should I cooperate?"
"The first step is that at the next court meeting, Lv Zhong will write a letter to ask His Majesty to grant you marriage."
Lou Youzhi said lightly.
As soon as he opened his mouth, Zhang Shunyi was shocked.
Weren't they talking about entering the cabinet? Why are they suddenly talking about a marriage...
Lou Youzhi saw Zhang Shunyi's doubts, shook his head and said, "It's not like it was back then."
"Back then, if you wanted to become the Prime Minister , besides realm, skills, and ability, you just needed a clean background."
"I have been playing everyone off one another all the way, and I have proven these points, so I became the Prime Minister."
“It’s different now.”
"With the Yongzhou incident in mind, Your Majesty will definitely think twice before choosing the next Prime Minister."
"You have all the other elements, but your background doesn't seem suitable because of the Lu family."
"But it only looks that way."
"During this sensitive period, the Lu family's background will actually add some value to you."
"Because the Lu family does not have a leader, even if they have considerable financial resources and connections, no one in the entire capital will really be afraid of them."
"Lü Zhong had repeatedly asked Your Majesty to grant marriage to a younger generation in his family in order to seek protection from the royal family, but he never got what he wanted."
"But this time, His Majesty will agree."
“After all, in the eyes of outsiders, you are very clean except for your Lu family background.”
Lou Youzhi paused and said meaningfully, "It depends on whether you can accept marrying a princess you have never met and whose appearance and character are unknown."
"Your Majesty will definitely not make things difficult for me if he wants to subjugate me. I don't need to worry about my appearance and character."
Zhang Shunyi lowered his head slightly and said thoughtfully: "The only problem is this princess... If she brings His Majesty's order, I'm afraid I'll have to be on guard everywhere in the future ."
"I was right about you."
Lou Youzhi suddenly chuckled, "In fact, the princess has already been chosen."
"?"
Zhang Shunyi looked up in surprise.
Decide on the candidate in advance...
Can Lord Lou already influence the opinions of the royal family?
"You already know the necessary conditions to become the Prime Minister. Next are the necessary conditions to become the powerful minister."
Lou Youzhi did not directly respond to Zhang Shunyi's doubts, but instead began to dissect the court's institutions.
"In the folk, the Ministry of Personnel is usually regarded as the head of the six ministries, and the Minister of Personnel is called the Heavenly Official."
"In fact, it never was."
"The Ministry of Personnel is in charge of the appointment, dismissal, examination, promotion, honors, and transfer of civil servants throughout the country. It does have great power."
"But among the six ministries, there is another one that is even more important than the Ministry of Personnel."
Another one?
Zhang Shunyi was stunned for a moment, then he quickly came up with an answer in his mind: "Is it the Ministry of Revenue?"
"That's right."
Lou Youzhi nodded, "To be more precise, it should be the household registration, which is what Xu Chong called the obstacle of knowledge and perception."
"To be honest, I have never understood why such an important thing is not directly in the hands of Your Majesty."
Zhang Shunyi frowned.
"History is too long ago, and the specific reasons are no longer known, but the current situation is the most reasonable."
Lou Youzhi explained with a smile, "The Ministry of Revenue is only responsible for the entry and change of household registration. What really makes the household registration system effective is called the 'Six Agreements', which are controlled by the clan leader... The clan leader is a member of the royal family. His status is noble, but his duties have nothing to do with government affairs. With the clan leader in charge of the Six Agreements, the Minister of Revenue dare not mess around, and it will be useless if he does."
"I see."
Zhang Shunyi seemed to be thinking about something.
"That's what you were wondering about just now. Your marriage has been approved by His Royal Highness Prince Qian."
Lou Youzhi continued.
"Prince Qian...his relationship with Your Majesty?"
Zhang Shunyi couldn't help but guess.
"I don't know, but Prince Qian told me that the clan orders of all generations have respected the great ancestor more than your majesty, and valued the royal family's inheritance more than the government and people's livelihood."
Lou Youzhi explained, "You must be aware of this."
"I will keep this in mind."
Zhang Shunyi nodded solemnly.
"In addition to the Ministry of Revenue and the Imperial Clan Court, there is another government office that is also of the utmost importance."
Lou Youzhi narrowed his eyes and slowly uttered three words: "Duchayuan."
Zhang Shunyi looked puzzled.
The Censorate is in charge of supervision, impeachment and advice, and has always been the isolated party in the court.
If it is so important, why is it isolated?
"Because of Taizu's edict."
Lou Youzhi gave the answer.
"The Great Edict of the Great Ancestor?"
Zhang Shunyi opened his mouth wide, "Doesn't every household have this?"
"You mean the printed version."
Lou Youzhi smiled faintly, "The printed version is just like the early stone-carved version and bamboo slip version, they are just ordinary things, and the Taizu Dagao in the hands of the Censorate is the original copy written by Taizu himself... Think about it, the local government offices can gather public opinion and become a sacred place, what about the original copy of Taizu Dagao?"
"this!"
Zhang Shunyi was startled and asked, "Has the Great Edict of the Great Ancestor become a cave?"
"No."
Lou Youzhi shook his head. "The birth of a spiritual land can be traced, but the existence of blessed land and cave heaven, which contain rules, cannot be created after birth."
"Even if the Great Edict of Taizu has condensed the will of the people for countless years, it only has a stronger spiritual energy, but it has not become a cave heaven."
"Its true power lies in those 330 laws."
Lou Youzhi looked at Zhang Shunyi deeply and said, "If you can obtain complete evidence and details, as long as you write to me, the Taizu Dagao will make its own decision and judgment."
"!!!"
Zhang Shunyi's scalp suddenly felt numb.
Autonomous ruling, autonomous judgment? !
"There was a record in the Censorate that once the Emperor Taizu issued a great edict to punish the clan leader who arbitrarily manipulated the Six Covenants."
Lou Youzhi continued, "As a result, the clan leader, whose status was only below that of the emperor, was instantly stripped of his Taizu bloodline and his royal status."
"...This is another way to restrain the emperor."
Zhang Shunyi took a deep breath and asked, "Did that old man Taizu have already predicted something?"
"Perhaps."
Lou Youzhi was noncommittal. "Unfortunately, there must be solid evidence with details."
"Don't worry, sir."
Zhang Shunyi's expression was complicated, but his eyes were sharp. "If there is a chance..."
"You misunderstood what I meant."
Lou Youzhi waved his hand and interrupted Zhang Shunyi. "I'm not asking you to find evidence of your majesty's guilt, but to make you understand that if you want to become a powerful prime minister, you should try to subdue the Minister of Revenue, the Right Censor-in-Chief, and the Chief of Imperial Clan, and try your best to make friends with those who cannot be subdued."
"As for the others..."
As he spoke, Lou Youzhi narrowed his eyes, his calm tone filled with murderous intent: "Shun Chang, go against and die."
Zhang Shunyi was silent for a while, then suddenly asked, "Why don't you establish your own family?"
"I originally wanted to, but before I could do so, I was frightened by Emperor Wenchang."
Lou Youzhi smiled and said, "After a long time, I no longer have that thought."
“…”
Zhang Shunyi couldn't help but admire him.
Such a person with means, power and status can, as long as he wants, live the most comfortable life in the world.
However, they chose to live in crisis and hard work.
"Okay, let's stop talking nonsense."
Lou Youzhi waved his hand and said, "Get ready to marry the princess. After the wedding, you will be transferred to the Ministry of Revenue, and then go to Yongzhou as an imperial envoy to preside over the restoration of people's livelihood."
"Three years later, the Minister of Rites will retire, and you will return to Beijing to take over..."
…
…
Spring and Autumn Tomb.
A seemingly ordinary tomb is actually protected by several Taoist artifacts.
Because this is where Fang Shuyue, the head of the Fang family, lives alone.
Fang Manxia and Fang Lezhong stood outside the tomb, bowed and clasped their fists.
"Brother, Le Zhong said there is something important and must be reported in person."
"In music?"
An old and steady voice came from the tomb.
"Uncle, this matter concerns the survival of our family. I dare not be careless in the slightest."
Fang Lezhong lowered his voice to a very low level and glanced at the empty mountain path where no one was walking.
"Come in."
The tomb slowly opened.
Soon, the two saw a figure sitting cross-legged with his back to the ground.
"Please use the Taoist tool to isolate the movement inside and outside."
Fang Lezhong said in a deep voice.
"oh?"
Fang Shuyue turned around, his face was old, but his body was strong and powerful.
A little surprised, but didn't ask any more questions.
With a wave of his hand, the entire underground space was dyed with a faint blue light.
"You can say it now."
Fang Shuyue raised his hand to signal.
"The matter of supernatural power is my fault, but I suspect..."
Fang Lezhong said in a cold tone: "Lin Kuang is not dead at all!"
"What?!"
Fang Shuyue and Fang Manya exclaimed at the same time.
"Didn't Le Tian see it with his own eyes? And Jing Yan too."
Fang Manxia narrowed her eyes, "Could it be that he hid Lin Kuang?"
"Won't."
Fang Lezhong shook his head, "Lin Kuang must have really deceived Fang Letian."
"So, you are still bothered by the fact that there is no remaining flesh and blood?"
Fang Manya looked surprised.
"Aunt, please forgive me."
Fang Lezhong quickly explained, "If it was just this time that he committed suicide in front of Fang Letian, with our understanding of the incarnation, we really couldn't tell whether it was a real death or a fake death. I really believed it at the time."
"But afterwards, the more I thought about it, the more I felt something was wrong."
"Aunt should know that I have been in charge of Lin Kuang's affairs, including the purple lightning cage outside the pool on the mountainside, which was maintained by me, and the initial arrest was also carried out by me personally."
"I clearly remember that when I bound him with purple lightning, he was really hurt. His hair was curled and yellow, and his flesh was burned and gave off a meaty aroma..."
Speaking of this, Fang Lezhong's face became solemn.
Fang Manxia frowned and asked, "What does this prove?"
"In other words, even if he is just an incarnation, he still has a real body of flesh and blood!"
Fang Lezhong's eyes flickered, "No matter how they died, it's impossible for there to be no ashes left."
"Do you suspect that Lin Kuang's death was just an illusion? Is the real Lin Kuang still hiding in the Spring and Autumn Tomb?"
Fang Manxia's eyes lit up, and she stood up eagerly: "I will gather the whole clan and find this Lin Kuang..."
"Aunt, you must not do that!"
Fang Lezhong hurriedly stopped him.
"What's wrong?"
Fang Manya was puzzled.
"I suspect that not only is Lin Kuang's death fake, but even Lin Kuang's identity is fake!"
Fang Lezhong said in a deep voice.
Fang Shuyue's eyes were stern: "Go on."
"yes."
Fang Lezhong nodded and spoke slowly.
"When I first learned that Lin Kuang had approached the side branch of the building ship, I did not question his identity."
"Because I believe in Fang Ren's loyalty and I also believe in Fang Ren's judgment."
"The entire clan elders council was also influenced by me and believed that Lin Kuang had a huge secret, a secret that was enough for Emperor Qing to keep him alive until now."
At this point, Fang Lezhong's tone was full of self-blame, "That's why I was able to figure out the supernatural powers based on the clues later on."
"You mean, the so-called magical powers are completely fictitious?"
Fang Manxia said depressedly, " This fake Lin Kuang made it up completely?"
"No, I think the magical power thing really exists."
Fang Lezhong shook his head, "Otherwise, he wouldn't have known so much about the magical powers and could match them with the Tianxuan Chronicle and completely deceive us."
"Exist? That's good..."
Fang Manxia's mood improved again.
Obviously, she didn't think the Fang family couldn't deal with this person.
As long as the other party is still in the Spring and Autumn Tomb, they can find him and capture him, and then do the same thing as before.
"You said he is not Lin Kuang, what is your basis?"
As the patriarch, Fang Shuyue saw deeper problems.
"Because, the matter of supernatural powers was something I figured out myself."
"From the beginning to the end, Lin Kuang acted in front of me as if he was reluctant and had to admit the existence of magical powers."
"This has led us to be completely immersed in our desire for supernatural powers and to ignore, or rather, to neglect, a crucial issue!"
Fang Lezhong's eyes were filled with fear: "Lin Kuang, how did you get out of the Imperial Prison?"
"Imperial Prison..."
After thinking for a while, Fang Shuyue's face turned pale: "You mean?!"
Indeed, after they completely believed that Lin Kuang possessed a magical power, the clan leader and the elders' council all voluntarily gave up their quest to escape from the imperial prison, fearing that this would provoke Lin Kuang's rebellion.
So until now, no one knows how Lin Kuang escaped from the imperial prison.
It would be fine if Lin Kuang really died.
And if this Lin Kuang is not dead, but hiding in the Spring and Autumn Tomb...
So here comes the question.
Who is this person?
"I guess that supernatural powers really exist and are indeed incarnations, but Lin Kuang is not Lin Kuang..."
Fang Lezhong said with difficulty: "It was the Emperor Qing who obtained the power of incarnation from Lin Kuang, used it to create an incarnation, and used the formless clothes to transform into the appearance of Lin Kuang!"
Fang Manxia: “!!!”
Fang Shuyue: “!!!”