Chapter 1175: This Line as the Finale
The official residence compound had only three main courtyards, but it occupied a vast area. In the center of each of the three courtyards stood a lush parasol tree, none of which were ancient immortal relics. It was said they were as old as the government offices themselves. By the golden autumn season, occasionally some leaves would drift with the wind, pass through the windows, and gently land on the young people's desks. They would be collected, some used as bookmarks, just to seek good fortune.
An old pine tree, transplanted from some immortal mountain peak, had branches like coiled dragons and bark like dragon scales. It was verdant and lush. The gusts of wind passing through its dense leaves seemed to be cooler than elsewhere. Beneath the tree, a circle of long green stone slabs served as benches, convenient for the officials from various departments in the courtyard to go out, rest, and chat. In the shade, there was also a stone table engraved with a chessboard. Whenever golden sunlight filtered through the layers of shade and shone upon the table, it was like an immortal placing a chess piece.
In the back courtyard, there was a peach tree that had been personally planted by Cui Chan about ten years ago. Rong Yu at that time was just a little girl who would cry when she missed home.
By the time Rong Yu gradually grew into a graceful young woman, she had also read many beautiful poems about peach blossoms in books.
Putting down his brush on the celadon brush rest shaped like three mountains, Chen Ping'an closed a dossier. He called over Fu Qing and wanted to retrieve a confidential file: Cui Chan's specific itineraries for inspecting various capital departments in the last twenty years, and who he met each day at this official residence, the duration of those meetings, and ideally also any specific records of the discussions.
Unexpectedly, Fu Qing said that the National Preceptor's Office had no such files.
Chen Ping'an probed, "What about the Ministry of Punishments over there?"
Fu Qing shook his head and said, "There definitely wouldn't be any such archived records."
Chen Ping'an had a bit of a headache. Leaning back in his chair, he put his hands in his sleeves and looked up at the ceiling.
A country is like a human body. The number of registered households on paper, the total military force, and the total tax revenue, etc., are like a person's appearance—visible to the naked eye. Additionally, there are things like the ceaseless flow of private money in commercial circulation, the constant traffic on official roads and post stations—these are like a person's blood and energy. The real combat power of frontier troops on the battlefield is like the muscles and bones beneath the skin. As for lectures in academies, village schools for children, and the hearts of the common people, etc., when summed up, they form the crucial spirit of a person.
So a country also has its own pulse. The clues Chen Ping'an wanted to find were like studying how Cui Chan took the pulse of the Great Li Dynasty.
Fu Qing reported, "Reporting to the National Preceptor, Rong Yu has a good memory. She came here when she was six years old. Should I call her over?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Have her come here."
Rong Yu soon lightly knocked on the door, crossed the threshold, walked with light steps, and silently chose a position to stand on a specific green brick.
Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "I hear from Fu Qing that you have a very good memory. How good is it?"
Rong Yu said, "Reporting to the National Preceptor, at least for the past ten years, everything I've seen and heard, I can remember clearly. I can write it down, draw it, and even imitate the accents and speak it."
Chen Ping'an was taken aback.
Rong Yu explained, "It's not some bestowed divine power or immortal secret technique, just purely a good memory."
She pointed to her head and said with a smile, "When National Preceptor Cui brought me here, I was probably still young, so I had quite a bit of freedom. Moreover, for things National Preceptor Cui didn't warn me about beforehand or explicitly forbid, they were generally considered tacitly allowed and I could do them. Therefore, I can recall National Preceptor Cui's schedule for the past ten years, who he met in the study, how long they talked, whether he sat still or stood up to welcome them, whether he had the officials stand while talking or moved a chair for someone, whether he saw them off after the discussion, how far he escorted them—to the door, to the corridor entrance of the second or third courtyard, or all the way to the main gate of the official residence. Whether National Preceptor Cui kept them for a meal, what dossiers he requested from various departments each day, the back-and-forth of various transcriptions between this residence and the government offices along the Thousand-Step Corridor. As long as I handled them, I didn't dare to record them privately on paper, but I've kept them all here."
Chen Ping'an said with a smile, "Then please work hard in the near future and copy it all out."
Rong Yu asked, "National Preceptor Cui often paced in the yard outside. What he ate every day, the casual chats he had with one or several literary secretary lang when he occasionally ate outside, the content of the officials' replies, their subtle expressions, and their respective expressions after National Preceptor Cui finished eating and got up—should I write all these down too?"
Chen Ping'an couldn't help but laugh, waving his hand. "These can be omitted."
Rong Yu took her leave and left. Fu Qing was still guarding by the covered corridor, occasionally pacing to patrol the first two courtyards of the National Preceptor's Office.
Previously, the young officials from various departments regarded the beautiful sight of Fu Qing slowly passing by outside their windows as a kind of eye candy that allowed them to relax a bit.
Not anymore.
Xie Gou sat quietly by the threshold, listening to the rustling sound of the brush tip moving across paper from the desk.
Without looking up, Chen Ping'an continued writing and said casually, "With the jade token given by the National Preceptor's Office, you can freely wander around the capital of the Great Li. There's no need to waste time cooped up here. You can go look for books to read. The Imperial Observatory, the Hanlin Academy, and the Imperial Academy all have libraries with many excellent rare editions and unique copies. Remember to peek, not steal."
Xie Gou said, "Not interested."
Chen Ping'an remembered something and said, "Send a flying sword message to Jise Peak. Have the Fox Kingdom's Pei Xiang transfer someone over—her personal disciple Luo Fumei. Keeping her in the Fox Kingdom as a cultivator of the Law-Keeping lineage is a waste of talent. Gouzi, go tell Fu Qing to go to the Ministry of Punishments and reserve a third-grade offering tablet. Also give Luo Fumei the lowest official status, file her records, and settle her household registration. She will gain experience in the Ministry of Punishments from now on."
Xie Gou asked doubtfully, "Mountain Master, isn't that little fox spirit Luo Fumei traveling in Tongye Prefecture with Sun Wanyan, Cao Ni, and Yuan Huang?"
Chen Ping'an's expression didn't change. "Then send a flying sword message directly to Cui Dongshan, and have him remember to inform Pei Xiang."
Xie Gou sighed. She knew this was the aftermath of that great battle. Certain "forgetfulness" that was originally used to imprison "divinity" had scattered like falling flowers, crushed into mud, and truly disappeared. Xie Gou was, after all, Xie Gou. She wouldn't be troubled enough to sigh in distress over this, but she did feel some slight regret.
After Xie Gou hopped away, Chen Ping'an stopped his brush, shook his wrist, rubbed his brow, then picked up an uncarved white jade hand piece from the table and held it in his palm. This item was a seed material he had jabbed out from the rapids of a river with his walking staff during a journey.
Regarding the selection of the Minister of Personnel for the Great Li Dynasty, Chen Ping'an had previously sought the opinions of two people. Emperor Song He, and Lin Zhengcheng, the first chief official of the Imperial Lumbering Bureau in Yuzhang Commandery, Hong Prefecture.
Lin Zhengcheng's reply was very simple. The best strategy: the National Preceptor should long-term personally assume the role of the Minister of Personnel.
The middle strategy: either choose one person from the ministers of the six ministries in the auxiliary capital, preferably not over sixty years old. Or select one person from among the frontier military generals. Since the civil official Shen Chen could be in charge of the Ministry of War, it wouldn't be unusual for a meritorious military general to take the lead in the Ministry of Personnel and make bold progress. Otherwise, the Vice Minister of Personnel in the capital, Fan Xie, could be promoted locally. This man followed the rules rigidly and could barely be used for a few years.
The worst strategy: pick any current family head from among the pillar state surnames, or the predetermined next family head. Even a lottery draw by the National Preceptor would be fine.
The best candidate for the Minister of Personnel in Emperor Song He's mind shocked Chen Ping'an.
It was Lin Shouyi.
However, the Emperor also had several transitional candidates. Ma Yuan, Cao Qiao, Yuan Chong, Zhangsun Mao, Wei Li. Each had their pros and cons.
Chen Ping'an made a list of a batch of civil and military officials of the Great Li Dynasty he wanted to meet soon.
He had Rong Yu and Fu Qing handle the coordination with the various ministry departments.
Wang Yifu, a peak mountain realm martial artist. Once the number one military general of the Lu Dynasty. After the fall of that state, similar to the current Grand Canal Marquis of Eternal Spring, Yang Hua, he had served as a bodyguard to the Empress Dowager Nan Zan. Later, he became a military secretary and attendant to Liu Qingfeng, traveling to various places and serving as a county commandant several times. After Liu Qingfeng passed away, Wang Yifu resigned from his post and did not return to the former territory of the Lu Dynasty to "retire." Instead, he lived in seclusion in the auxiliary capital as a commoner.
Wei Li, an official from the former Sui Dynasty's vassal state of Huangting. Served as the Governor of Long Prefecture in the Great Li Dynasty. Over about thirty years, he was promoted step by step until he became the Minister of Rites in the auxiliary capital.
Wei Liang, a Legalist cultivator. Assisted Cui Chan in establishing the mountain rules and compiling the divine registry. Former Grand Governor of the old Qingluan Kingdom, and Left Vice Minister of Personnel in the auxiliary capital.
Liu Xunmei, a descendant of the Chilie Street military aristocrats. Had outstanding military achievements. One of the Grand Canal overseers. Currently the Right Vice Minister of War in the auxiliary capital.
Cao Wu, General of Yu Prefecture. A military general from the Shihao Kingdom, original name Xu Mao. Married a legitimate daughter of the Yuan family, one of the pillar states.
Great Li's Ministry of Rites Office of Worship, and the Daoist Registry in the capital. Hong Fengxia, Capital Daoist Orthodox. His Daoist name was "Yufeng". A Golden Core realm Daoist official, also a sword cultivator.
Han Yi. A Prefecture General stationed in the capital region. He was once the defending general of the Yefu Pass bordering the Huangting Kingdom.
Additionally, there were three Directors of various bureaus, from the Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Personnel, and Ministry of War.
Guan Yiran, Director of the Qingli Department of the Ministry of Revenue. It was said that the entire Ministry of Personnel of the Great Li was his family. The Ministry of Personnel had been surnamed Guan for many years. Guan Yiran was also one of the three Grand Canal overseers. The oldest, Liu Qingfeng, had become the Minister of Rites in the auxiliary capital. Liu Xunmei was also Vice Minister of War in the auxiliary capital. Yet Guan Yiran, who had the best family background, had an ordinary official career. Not exactly bumpy, but not stellar.
Song Hanhong, Director of the Ritual Sacrifices Qingli Department of the Ministry of Rites in the capital. When leaving the capital on official business, he used many pseudonyms, changing the "order" of his name and surname. An old Director who had stayed in this position for many years. He was an old acquaintance of Li Jin, the River God of Chongdan River, who enjoyed opening a bookstore in Hongzhu Town. He had participated in a "hunt" in his early years, had also visited the mansion of that bride ghost lady, and had traveled through Shujian Lake. He had only recently met Chen Ping'an. The Minister of Personnel was called the Heavenly Officer, so this Director was the Little Heavenly Officer of the landscape officialdom.
From the Ministry of War's Bureau of Military Appointments, Chao Baoxiang. He also managed part of the Jianghu affairs of the Great Li Dynasty, secretly accepting Jianghu masters into various departments of the Ministry of War.
Those who were in the capital were prioritized for placement in the National Preceptor's Office. Chen Ping'an specifically circled Guan Yiran to be seen first. The others could be seen casually.
Guan Yiran set foot in the legendary National Preceptor's Office for the first time in his life.
The Ministry of Revenue had eighteen Qingli Departments, managing the Great Li Dynasty's money bags.
Fu Qing waited at the gate, leading this first person among the officials formally received by the National Preceptor into the office's main gate. Guan Yiran passed by the parasol trees, reached the second courtyard, saw the old pine tree, and the heads peeking out from the windows of the side rooms—these were the materials for high officials. Then, following a covered corridor, he saw a peach tree whose flowering period was over, only green leaves remaining. Next to the tree stood a young man in green clothes, hands clasped behind his back, holding a jade bamboo fan in his palm.
Guan Yiran had been a military general and a civil official. He still chose to make a bow and salute, suppressing a smile, and announced in a loud voice, "Guan Yiran, Director of the Qingli Department of the Ministry of Revenue, pays respects to the National Preceptor."
Chen Ping'an moved towards the house and said with a smile, "Busy, very busy. I can only spare a quarter of an hour to chat with you casually. I'll have to meet Han Yi and the Directors of the Bureau of Military Appointments and the Ritual Sacrifices Qingli Department right after. I'll have to discuss serious matters with them."
Entering the house, Chen Ping'an moved two chairs near the door. Guan Yiran sat down, shook his official robe, and crossed his legs.
Good heavens, brash as the sky—wasn't this reversing roles and acting like the master?
Chen Ping'an also did the same.
Guan Yiran's peripheral vision caught sight of a woman at the entrance of the covered corridor. With just one glance, Guan Yiran felt guilty and silently put down the unruly crossed leg.
There were too many clever people in officialdom who were good at discerning others' intentions. For the few superior figures one could approach, it was necessary to truly understand what they didn't want, and the similarities and differences between what they said and what they thought—these couldn't be confused. As for the large group below, what they wanted, what one could give, and what one couldn't—all had to be clearly distinguished.
In Yichi Lane and Chilie Street, truths that ten-year-old teenagers understood, many officials might need twenty or thirty years to grasp, or even a lifetime to comprehend.
Guan Yiran belonged to the "dull" category.
So he crossed his legs again.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to the Great Li frontier army as a military attendant cultivator, instead of becoming a local official like Cao Gengxin and Yuan Zhengding to accumulate experience and steadily advance.
Old Master Guan was also ruthless. This great-great-grandson said he would use a pseudonym and not the surname Guan, wanting to rise in rank by his true ability, amassing military merit, and especially forbidding the family from secretly contacting the frontier army. Old Master Guan truly didn't make any contact. When Guan Yiran first arrived at the border, especially in the first five or six years, he was in a few fierce battles against the Lu Dynasty, which was like a centipede dying but not stiffening. On the battlefield, Guan Yiran saved the lives of many soldiers and colleagues, and also had his own life saved.
When the Great Li Iron Cavalry finally crushed the Lu Dynasty's state mandate, at a celebratory feast, Guan Yiran, hidden in the crowd, was recognized by a grand general with the title "Zhen" who had been a capital official. One of Guan Yiran's superior officers originally thought this young man was promising and wanted to arrange a marriage for him. When he learned Guan Yiran's true identity, he was both shocked and terrified, breaking out in cold sweat. If this kid had an accident in this army...
That officer first pretended not to know Guan Yiran's identity, clapped the young man's head heartily, and spoke a few words of encouragement. Then, enraged beyond measure, he sent a letter to an old subordinate in the Ministry of War who had risen faster in the capital. The letter was short, just three words: "F**k your mother!"
He had only asked to select a few good seedlings with family backgrounds who knew military tactics and wouldn't cry when stabbed—not to send a little ancestor!
Earlier, the Ministry of Revenue office hadn't told him anything, only that he should go to the National Preceptor's Residence. Guan Yiran instantly understood. The National Preceptor's summons meant Chen Ping'an was formally taking over the position.
Tsk, that kid Jing Kuan had such good luck! When official fortune comes, it can't be stopped! That drink at Changpu River earlier wasn't wasted.
Chen Ping'an said with a smile, "When discussing the selection of the Minister of Personnel, His Majesty and I happened to discuss Director Guan's route of official promotion."
Guan Yiran suddenly felt his head was as big as a winnowing basket. Damn it, Chen, this was called casual chat?! Don't "happen to"—just don't talk about it!
Dejectedly, Guan Yiran put his legs down again and sat up straight.
Chen Ping'an held the bamboo fan, gently rubbing it in his palm, and said, "I told His Majesty that Director Guan is a man with extremely little craving for officialdom. That's both good and bad. People with a strong craving for officialdom will stop at nothing to climb up. Of course, they can also do practical work, but deep in their hearts, their little plans and ledgers are always colored by selfish desires. They delude themselves thinking, 'When I'm such-and-such an official, I'll do this and that.' But having too little craving for officialdom is also not good. Either one day, disgusted by something, they'll give up halfway, or they'll drift with the tide in the official sea, muddling along. Though they have a clear mind, they lack courage to act, never becoming a prominent nail. A long time ago, I read or heard about some 'backroom jargon' revered as golden rules in officialdom, like: To be a high official, either be born into the right womb, or do the right thing and attach yourself to the right person. Practice has proven it indeed has some truth."
Guan Yiran sighed. "Chen Ping'an, you shouldn't wade into this muddy water. It's better to be a cultivating immortal and achieve the Longevity Dao."
Chen Ping'an laughed. "Isn't the Mountain Lord of the Fallen Mountain an official? Isn't the Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall an official? My craving for officialdom is greater than yours."
Guan Yiran couldn't refute that.
Chen Ping'an said, "So I suggested to His Majesty that in the next ten to twenty years, Guan Yiran should rotate through various ministries and at least tour all nine chief ministers, completing a remarkable feat in officialdom. After that, with experience and age, whether he wants to take an academic title and retire, or take one more step upward, it's up to Minister Guan of some ministry in the capital or Minister Guan of some ministry in the auxiliary capital."
Guan Yiran's eyes lit up. "If it's such a promotion map, that's really something!"
As long as he wasn't thrust by family expectations or factional feuds into some high position in the near future, Guan Yiran didn't mind slowly rising in rank and steadily doing more practical work unrelated to high-level political policies. Even now, as one of the eighteen Directors, he had already refused how many official banquets? Quietly offended how many relationships and youthful friendships?
Chen Ping'an teased, "Alright, casual chat is over. So take it slow. A mere fifth-rank Director—coming to see the National Preceptor again won't be easy from now on."
Guan Yiran breathed a sigh of relief, quickly stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "I'm off, I'm off. I wouldn't dare delay the National Preceptor from meeting officials like spinning a top."
Chen Ping'an said, "Stay for lunch here. I have a small kitchen. Don't worry, it's deducted from the National Preceptor's salary."
Guan Yiran didn't look back, striding towards the covered corridor, waving his hand. "Next time, next time. Talk about it next time."
Fu Qing led him out through a side gate of the front courtyard, then moved to the main gate to bring Han Yi here.
Once the court publicly announced the National Preceptor's identity, such formalities wouldn't be necessary.
Among the standing Prefecture Generals of the Great Li Dynasty, Han Yi, who managed the capital region's army and part of the capital's military preparations, was unequivocally the number one.
Fu Qing noticed that this powerful old general was very nervous. While waiting at the office entrance, he kept secretly pulling at his collar.
Leading Han Yi to the back courtyard and into the study, the old general, with sweat oozing from his forehead, hesitated noticeably, but still helped close the door gently. Fu Qing kept guard outside. Soon, inside came Han Yi's hearty laughter. He said in a loud voice, "The National Preceptor is right! Fighting is easy, being an official is hard."
In less than a quarter of an hour, Han Yi slid sideways out of the room, his expression relaxed, still reminding the National Preceptor not to see him out.
Han Yi had received a secret decree from the National Preceptor. In the next few years, matters he could either handle or not, he should try to handle and see.
Before coming, he didn't acknowledge any sword immortal, nor even the junior fellow apprentice of National Preceptor Cui. But the title "Hidden Official"—Han Yi acknowledged it!
Next was Chao Baoxiang, the chief of the Ministry of War's Bureau of Military Appointments. A burly man. Although he had been promoted, even two levels above the norm, his expression was gloomy when he left.
However, Chen Ping'an escorted him all the way to the gate of the central courtyard, then stopped there. Fu Qing quickly led over Hong Fengxia, the Capital Daoist Orthodox. They didn't go to the back courtyard but sat on the long green stone benches under the shade of the old pine tree. They had met once before, back then Chen Ping'an had taken Xiao Mo and Xian Wei to visit Hong Fengxia proactively.
Hong Fengxia, who managed all the ordained Daoists in the capital, was actually quite curious. Why didn't the National Preceptor summon the larger Daoist official, Han Jingling of the Great Li's Ministry of Rites Office of Worship, who was also in the capital, but instead summoned him? After chatting casually for a while, the young National Preceptor with a warm expression only said that he would visit the Office of Worship within the near future and disturb Han Zhenren's secluded cultivation. Learning this, Hong Fengxia was instantly in a great mood and felt honored.
Song Hanhong, the Director of the Ritual Sacrifices Qingli Department. This old man was also one of the Seven Souls of the Two Military Ancestors.
The atmosphere was relaxed. Chen Ping'an talked about some landscape officialdom matters and finally asked, "Did Senior Fellow Apprentice Cui give you a Lingxi Pearl?"
Song Hanhong was slightly surprised but nodded. "Yes. But he told me to keep it and not use it."
Chen Ping'an said, "Now you can use it."
Song Hanhong nodded. "I obey."
At the door, Chen Ping'an took a jade token from Fu Qing and handed it to Song Hanhong. "Feel free to come here anytime to discuss matters."
Song Hanhong took his leave and left.
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment and said, "Fu Qing, notify Lin Shouyi to come here when he's free. Tell him I have something to discuss; it's really not about debt collection. Also, have the Ministry of Rites pull out the original copies of the examination papers from the last three metropolitan and palace examinations."
Fu Qing nodded. Of course, she knew Lin Shouyi—he was the same age and from the same hometown as the National Preceptor. She'd heard that he had recently broken through to the Upper Five Realms in seclusion at the Eternal Spring Palace. He had once served as a Grand Canal temple priest in the auxiliary capital. Original copies of the examination papers? Meaning they wanted to check the handwriting? Did the National Preceptor intend to suggest that Lin Shouyi participate in the imperial examinations, earn merit, and become an official?
In the heart of Emperor Song He himself, the future candidates for the Six Ministers had long been decided.
They were Lin Shouyi, Guan Yiran, Cao Gengxin, Yuan Zhengding, Zhao Yao, and Wu Wangcheng.
South of the Thousand-Step Corridor, the Ministry of Revenue office in Nanxun Ward faced the Court of State Ceremonial across the street. The former's office facade looked shabby, while the latter was magnificent.
It was also a sight in the capital's officialdom, often said that one pretended to be poor while the other showed off wealth.
Minister Ma Yuan called Guan Yiran over. He didn't ask many questions or say much, only told Guan Yiran to be more diligent in the future and talk less.
Guan Yiran nodded vigorously while rummaging through various drawers, eventually successfully swiping a can of tea.
This made Ma Yuan laugh angrily and call him a brat, saying, "You're really my father."
Ma Yuan's civil examination mentor was none other than Old Master Guan from the Ministry of Personnel—Guan Yiran's great-great-grandfather.
Back then, Ma Yuan's three promotions in seven years in the Ministry of Personnel, despite his Poyang Ma clan identity, still left the entire officialdom incredulous.
No matter how you looked, Ma Yuan's features didn't resemble Old Master Guan in his youth.
The Great Li Dynasty had eight overt or covert promotion maps. The other official routes were ultimately not as clear or solid as these.
The frontier army's Song Changjing. The auxiliary capital's Prince Luo, Song Mu. Empress Dowager Nan Zan. The Ministry of Personnel's Guan family.
The pillar states' Yuan and Cao. The Zizhao Yan family, who managed all the military attendant cultivators of the Great Li. And Ma Yuan, who had served as Minister of two ministries.
Guan Yiran carried the tea can, walked to the door, and said flippantly, "I don't really dare to go to Grandpa Mao's place to get scolded. Help me ask if he's healthy. Minister, get on it—don't be careless."
Ma Yuan looked disgusted, laughed and cursed a few times, telling him to get lost quickly.
Among the Nine Chief Ministers in the court, besides the Six Ministries, the other three were the Censorate, the Office of Transmission, and the Grand Court.
The chief officials of the Censorate and the Office of Transmission were both Grade 2a. For nearly a century, these had been held alternately by the Yuan and Cao families.
Those who participated in small court discussions were Yuan Chong, the head of the pillar state Yuan family, who was currently the Censor-in-Chief, and Cao Qiao, the Chief Minister of the Grand Court.
Zhangsun Mao, a native of the Great Li capital. His family was just a middle-ranking scholar-official clan. He previously served as the Chief Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial and had just been transferred to the relatively more ceremonial Office of Transmission, concurrently awarded the title of Grand Academician of the Wenhua Pavilion. The capital officialdom thought that the old gentleman was going to retire and that the court was paving the way for a posthumous title. Whether posthumous titles were decided by the Ministry of Rites or by the Emperor personally, there were a few hard rules. Zhangsun Mao was of the same generation as Shen Chen in the Great Li officialdom, but his official hat was a bit smaller. The Chief Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial was one of the Nine Junior Ministers, ultimately not as good as the main hall official of the Ministry of War. After being transferred and promoted to the chief of the Office of Transmission, the gap narrowed. Being able to retire from this position was quite good for Zhangsun Mao.
After Guan Yiran left, Ma Yuan understood.
He didn't dare to hope to fill the position of Heavenly Official of the Ministry of Personnel himself, but he never expected it would be Zhangsun Mao as a transition before being promoted again.
Inside the National Preceptor's Office, Fu Qing quickly returned to the door and said softly, "National Preceptor, His Majesty has arrived."
Chen Ping'an couldn't help but laugh. So His Majesty had come right at meal time.
Only one eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial accompanied His Majesty here.
With His Majesty's arrival, Rong Yu temporarily set down her brush and, together with Fu Qing, deftly carried the dishes to the back courtyard. After finishing, Rong Yu smiled at Fu Qing and said that cleaning up was her turn today. Fu Qing nodded. She turned her back to the back courtyard, looked up at the old pine tree inside the courtyard, and, because of National Preceptor Cui's arrangements, she came to know a secret unrelated to the Haoran World.
In the Qingming World, Yu Dou, the Headmaster of the White Jade Capital, sat in charge of the Yujing Mountain, reaching the pseudo-"Fifteenth Realm." He killed four Fourteen Realm Cultivators and one Flying Ascension Realm Sword Immortal in succession.
The first to initiate a sword challenge against the White Jade Capital was Sun Guanzhu of the Xuan Du Temple.
Then came Wu Shuangjiang of the Suichu Temple, Gao Gu of the Difei Mountain, the monk Jiang Xiu—three Fourteen Realm Great Cultivators—and the female sword immortal Baolin.
Based solely on this battle record, it was unprecedented and would have no successor. Indeed, he was truly invincible.
---
At noon, taking advantage of the Mountain Master eating a private meal, Xie Gou returned to the Sword Worship Platform.
Xie Gou had recently shifted the focus of her teachings from the Tiaoyu Mountain back to the Sword Worship Platform. On one hand, she had accepted a proud disciple. On the other hand, the cultivation seedlings from the Huaying Peak were truly just seedlings. Being a chief instructor or a grand master were all empty titles. Let Gan Yiban put in some effort.
Previously, Xie Gou had given a jade slip to Chai Wu and made it clear to the young girl that this item could be freely passed around for reading, and not to be bound by narrow sectarian views.
Jiang She and Wu Yan, that Daoist couple, only stayed in the mountain for one night. They had already gone down the mountain at noon, saying they wanted to travel through the Nine Provinces of the Haoran World. Before going to the Lotus World, they might come back to Baoping Prefecture. They didn't directly mention the Fallen Mountain. When they descended, Pei Qian did not show up.
Before going down, Jiang She had been blocked at the gate early morning by a young boy in green and was dragged off for a drink. At the table, they competed, and the boy ended up spinning under the table.
He said some drunken words he didn't remember afterward. Waking up and forgetting the drunken words, that was probably real drinking.
Jiang She had a new respect for this honest little river snake. Both inside and outside the drinking table, he was decent.
"The river and lake are deep, and people's hearts are treacherous. My Mountain Master is too honest, too good a person. That's why I, Chen Lingjun, Old Man Chen! Whenever I see an unfamiliar face on the mountain, I have to probe their depth and width, so the Mountain Master can know their methods and temper! If they are kind-hearted, naturally they won't argue with me much. If they are evil, I have a natural talent, thick-skinned and tough, so I'll take a punch or two first... I'm stupid, I can't do much more."
After descending the mountain, Jiang She silently stood for a long time at the mountain gate archway, watching the Daoist with a wooden hairpin licking his fingers to turn the pages of a book.
The Daoist Lin Feijing returned from the busywork at the Incense Fire Mountain and called out "Master" from afar. Only then did Xian Wei change to a different book.
Xian Wei then noticed Jiang She and a woman not far away. Xian Wei, having cultivated some Dao heart, remained calm and started polite conversation with the man. Learning that the Daoist couple was about to go down the mountain for a long journey, the young Daoist perfunctorily tried to persuade them to stay, but failed. So he could only watch them walk away on the road, their figures gradually fading.
At the Sword Worship Platform, the girl in the sable hat and Chai Wu were sitting around a stone table with a few others.
On this mountain top, aside from the top dog, Alliance Leader Guo, who was on a mountain patrol with Xiao Mili. The old deaf man had also moved to Tiaoyu Mountain, and his disciple, the Golden Core realm Sword Immortal You Yu, followed to build a thatched hut there, balancing listening to teachings and cultivation. Deng Jianping cherished this hard-earned karmic opportunity.
Yao Xiaoyan, a young girl with three natal flying swords. She was the least anxious about sword forging. The Hidden Official said nothing, her master didn't rush, and even Ning Yao told her not to worry, so she really wasn't polite! She wasn't in the mountain at the moment. The girl had learned a stealth technique from her master. Hanging a sword talisman at her waist, whoosh, she went to the Qilong Lane in town, standing at the door eating pastries with her master, saying they were celebrating.
Nalan Yudie liked traveling by ferry boat. Next to the small accountant Zhang Jiazhen, she became a little accountant herself. Would sword forging be delayed? Her own master had given her several bags of Guyu coins, piles of spiritual books and secret manuals, several magical artifacts, and a miniature Daoist temple. Her breathing and energy cultivation was extremely fast.
Sun Chunwang was in closed-door cultivation again. She dreamed of becoming a Jade Pu Realm. It wasn't to compete with her good friend Chai Wu, but because Ning Yao had promised that as long as she reached the Upper Five Realms, she could become Ning Yao's nominal disciple!
As for Bai Xuan, who was sitting at the table drinking goji berry tea, you couldn't say he was working off and on. He was diligent enough in sword forging. But comparison is odious. With Sun Chunwang at the Sword Worship Platform, and the recent addition of Chai Wu, who was breaking through realms like a string of firecrackers, he looked like a waste.
Earlier, he heard from the big white goose that a martial artist named Jiang had come to the Jiling Peak. His boxing skills were frighteningly good, clearly an expert. Bai Xuan got excited, rushed over early in the morning to test the waters. He was experienced enough not to mention that "Heroic Chronicles" lightly.
When he thought the time was right, Bai Xuan brought up the idea of joining forces to teach Pei Qian a lesson. The burly man looked at him like he was an idiot, reached out, grabbed the little brat by the head, turned him to face the gate, and kicked him flying out of the house.
Despite this setback, Bai Xuan wasn't discouraged. While flying in the wind, he rubbed his butt and returned to the Sword Worship Platform.
Xie Gou, Chai Wu, Bai Xuan, and a young female sword cultivator named Wu Chen were now sitting around a table.
The jade slip was a gift from Fellow Daoist Bixiao. The content recorded on the jade slip was the last sermon by Gao Gu of Difei Mountain at the Huayang Palace.
There were three lectures: on the similarities and differences between mortal souls, on how to construct a Longevity Bridge using the three hundred and sixty-five qi mansions, and on swordsmanship.
Xie Gou removed the restrictions from the jade slip and gave it to her personally taught disciple Chai Wu, a girl less than ten years old who was a Jade Pu Realm sword cultivator.
The girl sat at the table, holding a bowl in one hand and the jade slip in the other. She enjoyed both drinking and reading with relish. Slightly drunk, the little lush.
After about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, Xie Gou asked with a smile, "Chai Wu, can you understand the 'three lectures' on it?"
The little girl belched, poured herself another bowl, and nodded. "I understand. It's a bit shallower and easier to grasp than our Mountain Master's teachings."
Xie Gou nodded. "You have average aptitude and are still young. It's normal that you can't hear our Mountain Master's subtle and profound explanations of the Dao."
Chai Wu hesitated as if to speak, then felt it necessary to be honest with her master. She said doubtfully, "The Mountain Master said my aptitude is too good, that he can't teach me."
Xie Gou squinted. "So you believed him?"
Chai Wu frowned. "He was lying to me?"
Xie Gou sneered. "Your aptitude is too good? In the past, I saw so many with your aptitude, a vast number. Among ten people I crossed swords with and hit, at least half had your aptitude. Within that half, about half of them were even better than you."
"Besides, is the Mountain Master's aptitude bad? Go ahead, go out now and shout a few lines, see if you get beaten up, or if any cultivator scolds you?"
"Chai Wu, you accepted me as your master, and now your tail is wagging."
Hearing this, Chai Wu was half convinced. She looked up and downed a large bowl of wine, then stood up abruptly. "Master, I'm going inside to cultivate."
Xie Gou waved her hand. "Be neither arrogant nor rash, continue to strive. You can go to Tiaoyu Mountain, but don't go often."
You are my personally taught disciple, Xie Gou. Going to Tiaoyu Mountain to listen to the lectures of that common elder, the old deaf man? Aren't you afraid he'll lead you astray?
Still, Chai Wu occasionally went there to sit, mainly to listen to the lectures of a few Daoists from Taofu Mountain.
Seeing how small she was, and learning she was less than ten years old, a few older sisters would rub her head and pinch her cheeks. Chai Wu didn't like it, but wasn't annoyed.
When teasing, they asked, "Girl Chai, have you reached the Cave Abode Realm?" More serious ones asked, "Second realm? Third realm? Do you have a Daoist name yet?"
No one dared to casually ask who her master was.
Among the cultivation seedlings at Huaying Peak, there was a girl named Wu Chen. Her personality was innocent and straightforward, pretending to be bold, nicknamed Xiao Tu by her friends. She had become quite familiar with Chai Wu, often sitting together to listen to lectures. The old deaf man, seeing she was a sword cultivator, told Wu Chen to visit the Sword Worship Platform, but didn't directly say it was to "seek an opportunity." If she were an ordinary girl, she might take it as an official phrase not to be taken seriously. But Wu Chen really did come to sit here whenever she had free time. She was simple, but not stupid; otherwise, she wouldn't have gone to Tiaoyu Mountain. She kept what she saw and heard here to herself, not spreading it outside. For example, she learned that Chai Wu was actually the personally taught disciple of the chief instructor "Bai Jing." When she returned to Tiaoyu Mountain, she kept it a secret, tight-lipped. But at the Sword Worship Platform, occasionally she would share insights she gained from listening and asking questions, without being selfish, telling her friends.
Her only worry was that the Grand Master Bai Jing always liked to ask her face-to-face about Zheng Dafeng, about how he looked, whether he was handsome or something.
Bai Xuan finally couldn't help but voice his confusion. Frowning, he said, "Listen? Isn't a jade slip for reading? Listen, my ass?"
Chai Wu stopped. She didn't know how to explain it either. The jade slip's text she could read a hundred times without getting tired. Having read it so much, she had some strange sensations, like someone speaking in her ear or in her heart. Chai Wu didn't overthink it, just thought it was like "reading a book a hundred times, the meaning appears."
Xie Gou was cracking melon seeds and said with a chuckle, "Bai Xuan, you should go listen to Gan Yiban's lectures more. His Daoist teachings you can understand."
Bai Xuan said angrily, "Bai Jing, stop talking to me in innuendos about this and that. We both have the surname Bai, why are you helping outsiders?"
Xie Gou pretended to realize. "Ah, yes, yes. I'll definitely teach you a few powerful sword techniques in the future! Why learn life-saving techniques? Let the guys you challenge with your sword learn to save their own lives!"
Bai Xuan asked, "Really?"
Xie Gou rolled her eyes. "Nonsense. You said it yourself—we both have the surname Bai, so of course I'm willing to teach!"
Bai Xuan was anxious. "I was asking if you really have those kinds of profound sword techniques?!"
Xie Gou squinted and shot back, "Why didn't Jiang She beat you into a clever kid?"
The girl Wu Chen laughed out loud beside them. Bai Xuan felt he had lost face, so he grabbed his teapot, slammed the door heavily, and went inside to practice swordsmanship.
Wu Chen also returned to Tiaoyu Mountain.
Xie Gou lazily turned around, leaned her back against the stone table, placed her sable hat on the table, and crossed her arms. Haha, heaven helps me!
Xiao Mo first gave Chai Wu a natal flying sword, and now I teach swordsmanship to my legitimate disciple—isn't this a perfect match!
Standing up, Xie Gou took out a stack of counterfeit "Three Mountains" talismans from her sleeve. There was nothing interesting to see at the National Preceptor's Office. Sister Rong Yu was too busy writing something, and she didn't get along with Fu Qing. So Xie Gou went to the capital of the State of Qiu in Han Prefecture again.
---
A large banner fluttered noisily in the strong sky wind.
On a sword boat, yet to be named, stationed at the border between Han Prefecture and the State of Qiu, the atmosphere in the conference hall was grim.
Governor Situ Xiguang, General of Han Prefecture Lu Song. Each of these two great lords commanding a region stood with their civil and military subordinates around them.
They were inconspicuous here, but if they returned to their respective offices, according to the literati of the State of Qiu, "any fart they let was like thunder in the officialdom of a commandery in Han Prefecture."
In the Great Li Dynasty, commanderies were on par with prefectures, situated between the prefecture and county levels. However, most prefectures were directly governed by the capital or the auxiliary capital. So local commanderies all wanted to be elevated to prefectures, but a prefecture's governor might not agree.
The Great Li Dynasty was known as the "Hundred Prefecture State," but had fewer than thirty standing Prefecture Generals, stationed in strategically important places. Each often commanded military affairs of several prefectures. Of course, these Prefecture Generals competed among themselves, each keeping their own accounts. For example, one might have the Huangtian Dang shipyard within their jurisdiction, while another might have the renowned Niujiao Ferry.
A military general's promotion route was relatively simple. If one was lucky enough to become a Prefecture General, the next step up was to become one of the twelve "Zheng, Zhen, Ping" generals at ranks 2, 2a, and 3, or to transfer to the Ministry of War in the capital or auxiliary capital to serve as Vice Minister or Minister. The highest rank was the Grand Inspector at Grade 1b.
There was also a group of officials from the Ministry of Works' shipyard who came aboard to monitor the voyage of six sword boats.
Of the six sword boats, three were under construction, actually not yet completed. That didn't matter—as long as they could take flight, it was considered an early trial.
Before a sword boat "launched," by regulation, it belonged to the Ministry of Works. Once it took flight, it became a treasure of the Great Li frontier army.
One side felt like they were marrying off a daughter, reluctant to part. The other side was like marrying a daughter-in-law, overjoyed.
Thus, the officials in charge of sword boats and mountain ferry boats from the bottom-ranked Ministry of Works occasionally had their moment of arrogance. Before the handover, they would jokingly say a line to their colleagues in the Ministry of War whom they had good relations with: "Hurry up, call me 'Daddy!'"
The Ministry of War officials responsible for acceptance and takeover didn't care about face and called it.
Over time, it became a custom.
Han Prefecture was a large prefecture, so an additional Deputy General was appointed. The Deputy General of Han Prefecture was a woman, Huang Meixian, with a background as a military strategist cultivator.
She was nearly fifty, with unusually long eyebrows, dark skin, and a stern expression. At the moment, she was clad in armor but not standing next to Lu Song at the sand table studying the State of Qiu's troop deployments. Instead, she stood beneath a massive topographical map of the State of Qiu that was two spans long. Naturally, it was drawn by mountain cultivators using supernatural methods. If one's realm was high enough and eyesight good enough, upon close inspection, even the narrow paths in the countryside were clearly visible.
Great military strategists of old often had a quirk, or rather a common trait: they memorized maps.
She had a career similar to Minister of War Wu Wangcheng in the capital. Both were meritorious generals who had distinguished themselves in the battles at Old Dragon City and the auxiliary capital.
Huang Meixian wore an ordinary talisman armor. Looking up at the map, she habitually placed her hand on her war saber. Her hand was covered in scars.
She had been a military attendant cultivator from the Dayu Gully lineage of the Wind and Snow Temple. But she had grown accustomed to the Great Li frontier army and preferred commanding troops. She couldn't bear to part with it, so she simply abandoned her immortal registry status.
Except for a very few woodcutters who entered the mountains, the common people in the surrounding counties and commanderies to this day had no idea there was a garrison in the mountains!
The young prince of the State of Qiu, Han E, stood next to Zhao Yao, the Vice Minister of Punishments.
As the only "foreigner" on the sword boat, a "hostage prince," Han E's awkward situation was easy to imagine.
The sharp gazes of some Great Li generals felt like needle pricks.
Intelligence reports from various regions were constantly being gathered here. Some were from landscape gods nearby, and some were secret reports from Great Li agents and spies.
The General of Han Prefecture, Lu Song, appeared calm.
But the Ministry of Punishments officials intervening directly, even recording each intelligence report in a register, like a military overseer, inevitably displeased the General of Han Prefecture. In the past, when the Great Li was still a vassal state of the Lu Dynasty, and even earlier, the military had "supervisors."
If Zhao Yao could provide secret records from the Ministry of Punishments, his presence along with his officials and accompanying cultivators could barely be tolerated. But what was Cao Gengxin from the Ministry of Personnel doing here? To promote someone on the spot, or demote someone?
During the march, this guy was actually drinking?!
He had a worn purple gourd of wine hanging at his waist. He hid in the corner of the room, turning his back, sneaking a few sips.
But many officials present were surprised by another matter: Zhou Haichao, one of the Four Great Grandmasters of Baoping Prefecture? Why was she here?
Had she become a swallow before the hall of a noble family? A personal bodyguard for a child of a pillar state family? Was it necessary?
Cao Gengxin lifted his chin and said with a mental voice, smiling, "See that? This Deputy General of Han Prefecture is the real ruthless one."
Over the years, Huang Meixian had repeatedly reported to the Ministry of War in the capital, requesting permission to lead her troops to slaughter the capital of the State of Qiu, to massacre the palace and all the government offices. Afterwards, her troops would be stationed there. Give her at most four to five months, no more than half a year—just let her kill all the hard bones in the capital and the local areas, and only the soft ones would be left.
Huang Meixian had her own concerns. This time the sword boats took to the sky; she hoped it wouldn't be "loud thunder with little rain." That would truly be a shameful farce.
---
His Majesty had already left the official residence.
In the back courtyard, Fu Qing watched the National Preceptor, hands in his sleeves, pacing in the yard for a while, occasionally looking up at the peach tree.
Then the middle-aged man more like a Jianghu green-robed traveler returned to the study to continue handling official business.
In a secluded room in the second courtyard, Rong Yu rubbed her eyes. She opened a booklet on her desk. Because National Preceptor Cui had personally planted a peach tree in the back courtyard, over the years, when she had nothing to do, she specially selected beautiful verses about peach blossoms, transcribed them by hand, and compiled them into this booklet.
The opening line was: "The mountain temple peach blossoms begin to bloom." Then: "The elixir furnace first lit, the immortal peaches are just falling."
The final line was written personally by National Preceptor Cui. So Rong Yu stopped transcribing further. Thus this line became the finale, the concluding phrase.
"A peach blossom seeks the sword guest."