Chapter 2: Fish-Dragon Transformation
Outside the inner city of the Great Li capital, there was Old Oriole Lake, a place destined to be written about in grand strokes by future historians.
The Earth Branch lineage was the first to return here. Song Xu went to the Imperial Study and gave the emperor a rough explanation of the cause behind this Heaven-Earth Connection. However, Song Xu also said that his own realm was low, and he only understood mere surface knowledge.
As for the real truth, only Minister Chen himself could be asked. But the emperor shook his head and said with a smile, "Of course I'm curious about the strange things on the mountaintops and even in the heavens, but I care more about the direction the Great Li court will take tomorrow."
The moment Chen Ping'an reappeared, the crowd in the garden had mixed feelings. Some finally breathed a sigh of relief, some had their hearts in their throats, some looked as if they had lost their parents, and some smiled like blooming flowers.
At the entrance of the Jia courtyard, Rong Yu said softly, "Prince Luo waited for a long time, so he went into the courtyard first to sit and rest."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "He's been like this since childhood. If he can lie down, he won't sit; if he can sit, he won't stand."
Rong Yu said, "Chen Xi is still at the waterside pavilion. Han Yi and Wei Qiu are both there, so there won't be any problems."
Chen Ping'an nodded and asked, "Since Fu Qing has just risen in the south, wouldn't it be better to let Chen Xi enter the Minister's residence?"
Rong Yu asked tentatively, "Does the Minister intend for Chen Xi to become someone like Fu Qing, or is it just to help her find a place to stay?"
Chen Ping'an said, "Of course the latter."
Rong Yu said, "Then I think the Minister's residence may not be the best choice. It would be too conspicuous. She would never be able to sever ties with the Minister's residence for the rest of her life. Chen Xi appears gentle, but she actually has a fiery personality. She will eventually marry someone. Being a maid in the Minister's residence would inevitably make her future husband and everyone else think too much."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Regarding Chen Xi's daily life in the capital from now on, you can discuss it with Cao Gengxin."
Rong Yu accepted the order, but she felt a strange sensation inside, as if the Minister who had returned after exorcising ghosts in broad daylight today... She couldn't quite put it into words.
Entering the courtyard, they saw that Prince Luo had already led several attendants out of the main hall, preparing to move elsewhere. Lu Jun winked and made faces. With so many outsiders present, he couldn't very well directly call him "master."
Chen Ping'an nodded and smiled in greeting to this unregistered disciple and the new Minister of the Great Yuan. Yang Houjue, whose Dao name was Tuanni, from the Chongxuan Bureau, performed a formal bow of greeting. Chen Ping'an accepted it calmly.
Then, looking at Song Jixin, Chen Ping'an asked, "Why are you running? Off to attend a minor court meeting? To earnestly advise His Majesty to kill Yin Ji, or to complain to His Majesty about what to do on the Barren Wasteland battlefield?"
Descending the steps, Song Jixin said irritably, "I can't stand watching you show off your authority here. Is that reason enough?!"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "That's your honest opinion. But you'd better not leave. A feudal prince ought to have some sense of responsibility."
Song Jixin had no choice but to return to the room. The wine and dishes on the table had already been cleared away and rearranged, giving it somewhat the appearance of an official hall.
It was clear that Song Jixin had deliberately arranged things this way for Chen Ping'an. As soon as the Minister returned, he could immediately "convene on the spot" without any delay in reaching a decision to the Minister's residence.
As for himself, this feudal prince naturally needed to avoid suspicion.
Song Jixin sat back down in his chair, slumped against the backrest, and tugged at his collar with force. Damn it, only you could say such strange words. I'll put up with it and won't argue with a Hidden Official. Try saying that to someone else and see what happens.
Chen Ping'an said, "Since you like putting on official airs, fine. Change to another courtyard and take charge of discussing matters with the officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonial."
Song Jixin frowned. "That's not appropriate."
Chen Ping'an asked, "What's inappropriate? In front of me, a feudal prince meeting a few capital officials—has any clan regulation explicitly stated that you, Song Mu, have overstepped? Tell me. If not, why don't I go discuss it with the Clan Affairs Office and mull it over?"
"Or are you worried that His Majesty, the Ministry of Rites, and the literary officials of the Court of State Ceremonial are plotting secret dealings, colluding in the dark to rebel?"
"If that were the case, shouldn't you first go to the Ministries of War and Justice to borrow crossbows and armor? If you really had that ability, then you, Prince Luo, would be more than capable of accomplishing things."
Song Jixin was rendered speechless. He pointed at this fellow who, the farther he left home from Mud Vase Alley, the more he seemed to become a hometown person.
Hold a grudge, just go ahead and hold a grudge. I, Song Jixin, only attended a private school and read more books than you, Chen Ping'an, so I won't stoop to a vulgar quarrel with you.
Otherwise, if I really let loose and started cursing, I might not necessarily lose to you.
Song Jixin stood up, intending to go to the Bing courtyard to "hold court and handle cases." As for that Yi courtyard, he really found it unlucky.
Gong Yan put away her round silk fan and performed a curtsey to the young Hidden Official. Jade Daoist Huang Man bowed farewell to the young Minister.
Xi Man was completely oblivious; his mind was still on that precious saber belonging to the Gao Shi brothers. But thanks to Cao Hao of the Great Duan dynasty interrupting and rambling on, the three of them had become familiar. Xi Man no longer felt comfortable thinking about picking up a precious saber for free on the ground. Borrowing the saber, playing with it for a few days—since they were all brothers now, it should be fine, right?
Only Li Ba felt like sitting on pins and needles. But it wasn't fear or awe towards Chen Ping'an before him; rather, it was a suffocating sensation, as if a cultivator were witnessing the Great Dao firsthand.
Chen Ping'an used sound condensation to transmit a private message to this Golden Armor Continent immortal. "After today, Daoist Cuizhang won't have this feeling anymore."
Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment, then pulled Song Jixin along to stroll by the lake. He told him about the peach tree in the Minister's residence and the secret concerning the number of peach blossoms.
Song Jixin frowned. "That makes sense."
Eighty-something peach blossoms meant that at that moment, the Great Li Song clan's "true dynastic mandate" was less than ninety years. The current emperor was the same age as the two of them. In the past nearly two hundred years, even if the successive emperors of the Great Li Song clan couldn't be called long-lived, they rarely died young. The late emperor was an exception, but that involved taboos from the mountains and the Confucian Temple. Emperor Song He, at best, still had twenty or thirty years as ruler. Assuming the Crown Prince Song Geng succeeded smoothly and ascended the throne, and this new Great Li emperor sat on the dragon throne for another twenty or thirty years...
The Great Li dynasty was the third-ranked dynasty in the Haoran world, at the peak of its national power. Such a behemoth could not possibly collapse and sever its mandate in just a few years. There would definitely be at least one generation, about twenty years, of turmoil both in court and among the people. From this inference, the problem lay with Crown Prince Song Geng. He, and the one he chose to inherit the throne, would bring an end to the Song clan's mandate?
Song Jixin rubbed his temples. "I did think Song Geng's personality had issues, but I didn't think they were this big. Don't get me wrong—earlier, when I was at Song Lian's place, I acted as if I had no familial affection at all, but I didn't actually think Song Geng was completely beyond saving. Song Geng is only inferior to his father and grandfather. If you compare him horizontally with the various dynasties of the Nine Provinces of Haoran, he's still top-notch."
Chen Ping'an said, "Use just one sentence to evaluate Song Geng."
Song Jixin replied, "A qualified emperor who can maintain the status quo."
Chen Ping'an said, "So don't just push all the blame onto Song Geng. If some feudal prince who has merits in defending the territory and even greater merits in expanding it returns to Vase Bottle Continent with extremely high prestige, with the court and the people only knowing about this feudal prince occupying the auxiliary capital, and if he believes the sweet talk of some or certain dragon-supporting ministers, thinking that dividing the territory by a river and governing separately would first split the Great Li Song clan in two, and then he pursues reunification, it would be good for him and even better for the Great Li Song clan. As you yourself said, Song Geng would be a qualified emperor who maintains the status quo. Facing the massive army of his uncle, Prince Luo Song Mu, pressing down on him, how could he maintain it?"
Li Ba and the others felt their Dao hearts shake with alarm. Was Minister Chen, or the young Hidden Official, practically naming names without saying them outright?
Song Jixin, hands in sleeves with fingers interlaced, said with a smile, "Now that's a truly wounding statement."
Chen Ping'an said, "Don't play it cool with me. I know your temperament and narrow-mindedness. I'm your neighbor; don't I know you well enough?"
Song Jixin said helplessly, "Fine, fine. Just keep your eyes fixed on me, this feudal prince who might rebel at any moment."
Chen Ping'an said softly, "Song Jixin, avoiding suspicion between us only arouses more suspicion. But from now on, outside the jurisdiction of Luo capital, if there are worldly matters on Vase Bottle Continent that you can avoid dealing with, then avoid them. However, if you truly encounter a situation, whether as the current emperor's younger brother or as the future emperor's uncle, the power to choose whether to intervene or not is something the Great Li Prince Luo will always have."
Song Jixin nodded. "That works. After all, managing the immortals on the mountains has been my aspiration since childhood."
What Chen Ping'an just said finally sounded like a few human words.
Chen Ping'an handed a letter to Li Ba. "Daoist Cuizhang, please trouble yourself to deliver this confidential letter to your Prefectural Lord. I've written clearly about the origins and details of the Great Shou dynasty ghost creature 'Xian'."
Li Ba took the envelope with both hands and nodded. "On behalf of the Prefectural Lord, I thank the Minister in advance."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "In the future, regarding the overall merging and closure of the Great River on Parasol Leaf Continent, I'm afraid Daoist Cuizhang will need to put in extra effort."
Li Ba said, "It's my bounden duty. I will do my utmost."
Chen Ping'an said, "Prince Luo, shall we each attend to our own matters?"
Song Jixin stretched lazily, glanced at the night sky with the bright moon hanging high, and asked seemingly casually, "Is it truly resolved?"
Chen Ping'an hummed in affirmation and said, "So the mountain affairs in the coming days will be quite heavy."
Song Jixin let out a "yo" and said, "I'll wait and see."
Strolling under the moon, night-touring Old Oriole Lake, they circled the willow-shaded lakeside path and returned to the vicinity of the Jia courtyard. The Minister and the feudal prince each had their own "court sessions to hold."
Song Jixin muttered to himself, as if talking to no one, "Willing to be a target for ten thousand arrows, aspiring to be a teacher for ten thousand generations."
Chen Ping'an laughed. "Song Banzhai, now that's a truly wounding statement."
Entering the courtyard, Rong Yu quickly summoned Hong Ji and a few others from the Capital Patrol Bureau.
Qin Biao was meeting the young Minister in person for the first time. He didn't sit but stood beside a chair. He didn't know how to start the conversation. He and Situ Dianwu both looked at Chief Hong.
Hong Ji clasped his fists, and they followed suit. If Hong Ji didn't speak, they didn't speak.
Chen Ping'an nodded in greeting to them, reached out to support the armrest of his chair, and asked with a smile, "Captain Qin, are you interested in going to Li Prefecture near the Great River? Although it's a barren place, becoming a deputy general wouldn't be a bad deal for you. Besides, it's closer to home."
Qin Biao's face instantly flushed red. He stammered and hesitated, at a loss for what to do.
Seeing Qin Biao acting like a girl, Situ Dianwu grew anxious for his colleague. Promoted two ranks, jumping straight to a fourth-rank deputy general of a prefecture! What are you hesitating for? If it were me, I'd already be bowing and expressing gratitude and indebtedness to the Minister. If I were really bold, I'd even dare to ask the Minister, "The sovereign's word is law... I overstep, I overstep! Minister, you can't fool people!"
Hong Ji clicked his tongue. You see? When it comes to me, you're a tyrant at home, looking down your nose. But when you see the Minister, you can't even speak. How embarrassing!
Chen Ping'an said, "Captain Qin, there's no hurry to decide. Go home and discuss it properly with your wife. Give me a definite answer tomorrow. If you decide not to go, have Commander Hong send a message to the Minister's residence. If you decide to leave the capital, come to the Minister's residence yourself."
Situ Dianwu gently elbowed Qin Biao. Don't be foolish. Forget about tomorrow. Agree to it immediately...
But Qin Biao still clasped his fists and said, "Your subordinate accepts the order. I will give an answer no later than the end of tomorrow's court session."
Chen Ping'an chuckled. "I heard that Captain Qin is under his wife's thumb?"
When this topic came up, even though the other party was the powerful Minister, Qin Biao immediately straightened his back and said without changing expression, "Anyway, when I go out drinking with friends, I can come home whenever I want. She doesn't stop me or say any harsh words."
She just waited for him every night, personally opened the door for him, and cooked him a bowl of hangover soup. After a few times, Qin Biao himself felt too embarrassed to go out drinking until late at night. Even if there was a drinking party he absolutely couldn't avoid, he would come home early, letting Chief Hong and his colleagues tease and mock him.
Currently, Qin Biao's official position in the Northern Bureau was the same as Situ Dianwu's, both fifth-rank. It could hardly be called high office and generous salary, but one had to remember they were still under forty years old.
The Great Li dynasty had over a hundred prefectures. A prefectural governor was an undoubted frontier official of the Great Li dynasty, a third-rank official. According to some private official maxims, he was like half an emperor of old.
And a prefectural general was a sub-third-rank official, the same rank as Commander Hong of the Northern Bureau. But not every prefecture had a prefectural general. Although it was half a rank lower than the governor, there were far fewer positions.
Above the prefectural general were the four garrison generals and four expedition generals of the Great Li standing army. Above them were the commanders of a border army. At the very top were the rare and few Patrol Envoys, even rarer than Pillars of State! A prefectural deputy general was a fourth-rank official, and crucially, it was a position with real power in the Great Li officialdom.
One drawback of the Northern Bureau was that the path of promotion was too "linear." The higher you went, the narrower the road became, with only a few seats available. For instance, Situ Dianwu didn't even dare to hope that he could succeed Chief Hong in this lifetime.
This was also the reason why Han Yi of Changle County, even though he was only a sixth-rank official, was regarded by the Great Li court as a reserve for high ministers. Han Yi had many paths upward; any of the nine ministries' yamen wouldn't be a problem. He could spend a couple of years here, a few years there, each time accumulating a thicker and thicker resume. For some official posts, if you missed one opportunity or lost a competition for one, you would be doomed to waste your whole life. But not so for Han Yi and his kind.
Chen Ping'an turned to look at Situ Dianwu, who was in charge of blocking the door. "Captain Situ."
Situ Dianwu perked up and clasped his fists. "Your subordinate is here!"
Chen Ping'an said, "Do your job well in the Northern Bureau and help Commander Hong out more."
Situ Dianwu slowly raised his head, his eyes blank. Minister, is there more to say?
Even if you don't give me a promotion like that henpecked husband Qin Biao, even a single rank up would be fine. If not a promotion, Minister, a few words of verbal commendation would also do! Then I could go home without getting scolded!
Hong Ji was also speechless. One Qin Biao who couldn't squeeze out a single fart, and one Situ Dianwu who was bold as brass. He lightly kicked Situ Dianwu's calf and whispered, "Go stand aside."
Situ Dianwu glumly moved away. But he soon caught on. After all, not just any captain could "help out" the Northern Bureau Chief. Fine. Later, at the drinking table, I'll make Chief Hong toast me and thank me properly for my help. Then I'll politely say to him, "Ah, we're all brothers, no need for formalities..." Just thinking about that scene makes me happy.
Hong Ji smiled slightly. This was probably one of the differences between children of general families and those from humble backgrounds—their temperaments were indeed different. But they were all soldiers from the Great Li border army, all captains of my Northern Bureau!
As they walked out of the room together, Hong Ji deliberately slowed his pace, stood one step higher than them, raised his arms, and put them around both captains' necks. He tightened his grip and said in a low voice, "Neither of you is bad. You didn't embarrass the Northern Bureau!"
Situ Dianwu grinned slyly. "Deputy General Qin, promoted two ranks. Why not share half with me? Feel your conscience. When we were blocking the door earlier, what did you say? I was the one doing all the cursing. Aren't you embarrassed?"
Qin Biao patted Hong Ji's arm, which was like an iron hoop, and said sternly, "How dare a mere Northern Bureau captain speak to a prefectural deputy general like that?"
Wang Yongjin, the magistrate of Yongtai County, was brought into the room by Rong Yu.
He was a bit tougher than that Yu clan member who served as a literary secretary in the Minister's residence, at least he didn't walk in with twitching limbs.
Chen Ping'an was silent for a moment, then asked, "What do you have to say?"
Wang Yongjin looked dejected. "Your subordinate's crime is immense. I await the Minister's punishment."
Chen Ping'an squinted and asked, "What do you have to say?"
Wang Yongjin's scalp went numb, his body began to tremble, his mind went blank, and he was completely unable to speak.
Rong Yu sneered. "The literary gall of the Great Li capital? A gutless bone!"
Wang Yongjin fell to his knees with a thud and lay prostrate on the ground, not getting up.
Chen Ping'an asked, "'Either become a high official, or get into big trouble. So if you want to be a high official, never think about making big money.' Who said those two sentences?"
Wang Yongjin sobbed uncontrollably. "I dare not hide it from the Minister. They were words from the bottom of my heart that I said to a junior fellow townsman whom I regarded as my own son, right after I was promoted to magistrate of Yongtai County. But I did not originate this saying. I read it in a book by Mr. Yulu and deeply agreed with it, taking it as my guiding principle."
Chen Ping'an said, "You like being an official?"
Wang Yongjin kept his forehead pressed to the ground and said in a muffled voice, "I do."
Chen Ping'an slowly said, "Such a good name."
Wang Yongjin was bewildered.
Chen Ping'an said, "Then I'll let you be the magistrate of Yongtai County for another thirty years."
Wang Yongjin lifted his head, puzzled.
Chen Ping'an said, "Stand up and answer."
Wang Yongjin stood up nervously.
Chen Ping'an said, "The day you get tired of it, feel like you've had enough and want to throw up at the thought of it, whenever you want to resign, you don't need to inform anyone. Just leave your official seal and go. This sixth-rank capital official under the emperor's nose—if you, Wang Yongjin, don't want it, there's a whole crowd of people who do."
Wang Yongjin walked out of the "hall" in a daze. Descending the steps and leaving the courtyard, the yamen clerks all looked at this man, unsure if he was still the magistrate.
Wang Yongjin composed himself, walked over to them, took the reins of his horse, and said calmly, "Back to the yamen."
Able to remain as the county magistrate—it was neither the worst outcome nor the best. And it seemed he was destined to hold this position until he retired and returned to his hometown. Mounting his horse, Wang Yongjin felt a mix of sorrow and joy. This trip to Old Oriole Lake had, for this once-favored young and powerful official, seemingly buried his promising career and bright future right in this garden.
When Rong Yu arrived at the waterside pavilion, only Han Yi was on high alert. As for Wei Qiu, who ran a restaurant on Calamus River, and the girl named Chen Xi, since they weren't involved in officialdom, they didn't have much sensation.
Rong Yu smiled. "All of you come together. But the Minister will have a few private words with Acting Han first."
Leading the girl ahead, Rong Yu asked, "Chen Xi, would you like to go rest first?"
Chen Xi shook her head, feeling it was better to stay by Sister Rong Yu's side.
The girl plucked up her courage and asked timidly, "Sister Rong Yu, is he really Minister Chen?"
Rong Yu smiled. "We wouldn't dare impersonate the Minister and swindle people, would we? Acting Han and the others are all shrewd; they're not easy to fool, right? Even Boss Wei, who runs the restaurant—although he doesn't speak loudly in the garden, on Calamus River, he's a smooth operator who's always calculating."
The girl covered her mouth and laughed. That was true. Earlier, while Sister Rong Yu had left the pavilion, Boss Wei had invited her to come help at his restaurant. She was still hesitating, mainly because the "position" Boss Wei had offered her was too big—managing over a dozen people, and the monthly salary really was too much. She was grateful to him, but also admired Boss Wei's boldness. Wasn't he afraid of her bad luck?
Walking behind with Han Yi, Wei Qiu whispered, "Han Liuer, does the Minister want to come to my restaurant for a drink?"
Otherwise, the fat man couldn't figure out why he would want to see a waste like himself.
Han Yi took a deep breath and forced a smile. "What do you think?!"
Wei Qiu said, "I think it's totally possible! I can personally go to the kitchen and show off a few skills..."
Han Yi reached out and grabbed the fat man's arm tightly, lowering his voice. "When you get inside, say as little as possible. Think about your father and your clan. Even if you can't bring glory to the family, don't cause them unnecessary trouble... Fine, just play it by ear. Remember one thing: every sentence you say, run it through your mind twice first..."
Wei Qiu shuddered. "Got it, got it!"
Rong Yu led them to the courtyard. Han Yi went inside to see the Minister first.
Wei Qiu watched his friend's back. Why did it look like he was marching to his death? The fat man's heart tightened. If it weren't for his invitation to drink here, how stable would Han Liuer's official career be?
Entering the room, the young Minister sat in the main seat. He gestured for Han Yi to sit, and Han Yi silently did so.
Chen Ping'an got straight to the point and asked, "Back then, regarding the matter of banning books on frontier studies in the Goldfish Ward, the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Academy each had their own opinions. Among them was the founding master of this field, Hong Chongben. The Ministry of Rites felt that strict control was necessary, that this gap absolutely could not be opened. Once it was imitated, it wasn't a matter of fearing the widespread circulation of a few books, but rather fearing that more and more unsuccessful scholars who failed the imperial examinations would use this to seek fame, intensifying the trend in local areas and the literary world. By then, if they tried to manage it, it would be too difficult to handle. They felt that the Imperial Academy had gained a good reputation, but the Ministry of Rites would have to clean up the mess together with the Ministry of Justice. As for the Imperial Academy side, they still felt it shouldn't be managed, believing that Great Li, which wasn't even afraid of the flood of barbarian monsters from the Barren Wasteland pouring into Vase Bottle Continent, shouldn't be afraid of a few sentences in a few books. If the gap was opened, what difference would a few hundred books make? To put it bluntly, if the hearts of the court and the people were truly swayed by a few books, it would only show that the Great Li court had problems everywhere. I imagine Prince Luo is discussing this with them in the Bing courtyard right now. Han Yi, as the acting magistrate of Changle County, you muddied the waters. Why?"
Han Yi said, "There were five people and nine books in total. I wanted to strictly control four of them and their seven works, completely banning them. Not only that, I also wanted to invite them all to the Changle County yamen... for tea. The reason is that regarding the Great Li vassal states and the countries south of the Great River, in their minds, in their books, and in their bones, they exuded a kind of ruling style reminiscent of the former Lu dynasty—both arrogant and weak. Things the court shouldn't say, they said in their books. Things the Great Li Ministry of War should have done, they thought were unnecessary."
Chen Ping'an's face was expressionless. "What, were you afraid that if you singled out Mr. Yulu's two works and banned the rest, you would end up with a reputation in officialdom for bullying the weak and fearing the strong?"
Han Yi's face was bitter. He nodded slightly. "Your subordinate dares not hide it from the Minister. Han Yi does have this selfish motive."
Hong Chongben was not only a guest of the Pillar of State Yuan clan but also a close friend of Yuan Chong of the Censorate. Moreover, he was a profound scholar with many works to his name, a great scholar of the current dynasty. To say that the old gentleman was one of the leading figures in the Great Li literary world was not an exaggeration.
Chen Ping'an was silent for a moment. Han Yi sat upright the whole time, not daring to explain anything. Explanations would only be excuses.
Chen Ping'an said, "Go call Wei Qiu in."
Han Yi immediately stood up. A moment later, Rong Yu brought the fat Wei into the room. She suppressed a smile and said, "Chen Xi says she dares not come in."
Chen Ping'an chuckled. "Go keep her company then."
Rong Yu left the room.
Chen Ping'an said, "Brother Wei, we meet again. Sit down and talk."
Hearing the address "Brother Wei," Wei Qiu wanted to laugh. But seeing Han Yi's nervous expression, the fat man immediately made a formal bow and said with feigned solemnity, "Commoner Wei Qiu pays homage to the Minister."
Chen Ping'an laughed. "Commoner? You, an official family son from Yichi Lane, and a childhood friend of Vice Minister Cao—does that make sense?"
Wei Qiu sat on the chair next to Han Yi and said cautiously, "Reporting to the Minister, I'm not bright in my studies and have no scholarly honor to my name. My father and uncles discussed it and said they were afraid the ancestors' coffin lids wouldn't stay down from anger, so they gave the only Imperial Academy student slot to a nephew of mine. I incidentally swindled him out of a few hundred taels..."
Han Yi's face turned red. He lowered his head, covered his mouth, and coughed.
Wei Qiu immediately changed his tune. "Calling myself a 'commoner' is already flattering myself. At home, they don't even consider me a proper person."
Wei Qiu hesitated, then decided to be honest. "When I was very young, I heard my grandfather say that truly high-ranking officials are all individuals. They have their own joys and sorrows. When you see them, you don't need to be overly restrained, because you can't fool them at all. They may have different temperaments, backgrounds, educational experiences, and official careers, but they share one common trait: truly knowledgeable, cultivated, and capable high officials read people like playing a game. They don't even need to hear what you say; they can see right through you. My grandfather also said that such top-notch formidable figures are rare in the entire Great Li dynasty, so he told me not to be afraid, because I would never meet one in my lifetime... My grandfather wasn't entirely right. Today, I met one."
Chen Ping'an nodded with a smile. "Leaving aside that last sentence, every other word is golden advice from an old official hand. 'Having an elder in the family is like having a treasure'—ancient people might have often lied, but ancient sayings never do."
Wei Qiu said softly, "Does the Minister even know who my grandfather is?"
Chen Ping'an retorted, "Your grandfather was the top official of the Office of Transmission for how many years? How could I not know him?"
Wei Qiu scratched his head and said quietly, "My grandfather said that when people leave, the tea cools—that's the way of the world. Once he retired, not to mention various capital officials, even his own disciples wouldn't recognize him the next day."
There was some sadness. When his grandfather passed away, the capital said he had the least grand funeral. There were pitifully few wreaths, elegiac couplets, and people keeping vigil.
He was, after all, the chief official with the seal of the Office of Transmission, a second-rank official who could participate in the small court meetings in the Great Li emperor's Imperial Study.
Chen Ping'an asked, "Wei Qiu, what kind of official do you think your grandfather was?"
Wei Qiu thought for a moment and shook his head. "I don't know. My grandfather said himself that he was a good official. In the capital, the occasional evaluation was probably that he was an honest official. There wasn't much more praise than that."
Chen Ping'an said, "Tell your father and eldest uncle to come to the Minister's residence tomorrow afternoon at the beginning of the hour of Wei [around 1 PM]. And relay a message to them: if they want to complain about something, they can write it down in a booklet."
Han Yi's eyes sparkled.
But Wei Qiu was terrified. He made a bitter face and asked, "Minister, did I say something wrong? My father and them are also honest officials, really. I can swear to heaven. Minister, please don't think that just because I'm an unreliable speaker, you'll misunderstand them as being muddled in their official duties... Well, they are a bit muddled, otherwise they wouldn't have ended up as such high officials..."
As he spoke, Wei Qiu's voice grew softer and softer, even taking on a tearful tremor.
Han Yi rubbed his brow. Damn it, listening to Fatty Wei talk to the Minister was a rollercoaster, terrifying...
Chen Ping'an laughed despite himself. "Stop your idle chatter. Just deliver the message. Remember, when you leave this room, have County Magistrate Han brief you again. I'm curious—we're both speaking the Great Li official language, aren't we?"
Wei Qiu didn't even need to glance at Han Yi out of the corner of his eye. The fat man was instantly relieved. Hear that? That tone was familiar! Smooth sailing, he had passed!
Leaving the courtyard, Wei Qiu, amidst his excitement, suddenly felt guilty. He looked at Han Yi. It seemed the Minister hadn't said anything about Han Liuer's "acting" position.
But Wei Qiu was surprised to find that Han Yi seemed even more excited than he was, only he had cultivated in officialdom for years and could hide his emotions well.
At this moment, Han Yi's heart was indeed extremely agitated. Acting or not acting was like fart—completely unimportant. Starting tonight, he had truly reached the heavens!
Rong Yu said softly with a smile, "Chen Xi, the Minister said that if you encounter any trouble in the capital in the future, you can go directly to the Minister's residence and complain to him."
Chen Xi didn't think much. She just said whatever came to mind. "It would be even better if finding an official like County Magistrate Han would work."
Rong Yu's eyes lit up at this. This girl seemed quite suitable for the Minister's residence after all.
Chen Ping'an stood on the steps, waiting for Mr. Yulu, Hong Chongben, and his student Xu Mi to arrive.
Entering the room and taking their seats, Chen Ping'an first asked the girl a question. "Clear Wind City lost a fox kingdom, and the city lord fell from the upper five realms to Nascent Soul—a severe blow to their vitality. As a member of the Xu clan of Clear Wind City, what are your thoughts?"
Xu Mi said, "I used to hate it quite a bit. Now I don't hate it as much. When I hated it, I always wanted to one day, when I had achieved something in my studies, to go out into the world and first thing, seek justice from Mountain Lord Chen and Sword Immortal Liu. But to be honest, I never thought about resorting to any means to get revenge on you. Some of that hatred and anger was put on for the elders of the Xu family to see. My teacher taught me some principles of life, and I keep them in my heart."
Chen Ping'an asked with a smile, "What principles did your teacher teach you? Tell me about them. Give an example."
Xu Mi was stunned for a moment, then said, "For example, the saying 'When actions fail, seek the cause in yourself' was my motto during my studies. It was engraved on my inkstone, folding fan, and jade pendant. If the Minister doesn't believe me, you can check easily."
The young Minister nodded and smiled. "Your family education is better than I imagined."
Xu Mi was quite pleased to hear that. But then she thought it over and finally caught on. Wait a minute, was that a compliment?! She was more of a student of the Yuan clan of Yichi Lane and the Xu clan of Clear Wind City, following her teacher in the mountain study to pursue scholarship.
Hong Chongben suppressed a smile. Trying to "play with words" against Mountain Lord Chen, the closed-door disciple of the Wen Sheng lineage, Xu Mi was indeed no match.
Chen Ping'an asked, "Mr. Yulu, is there anything you'd like to say? If so, maybe I won't have to invite Censor Yuan over for a chat."
Hong Chongben shook his head. "Allow me to observe a little longer."
Chen Ping'an was silent for a moment, then said with a slight smile, "Live and learn until you're old, doing scholarship your whole life, Mr. Yulu truly put that old saying into practice. Reading books until you're old."
No matter how good Hong Chongben's self-cultivation and self-control were, his expression still changed slightly. The young Minister had left half the sentence unsaid. The complete version was "Reading books until you're old, until you die!"
It was nothing less than a mockery that he only hid in his study doing scholarship, coming down from the mountain to watch the excitement from the sidelines. Or perhaps that other saying: "Idle away the time with hand-waving and heart-to-heart talks on human nature, and when danger comes, die for the sovereign"? In short, he was nothing but a walking bookcase!
Unexpectedly, the other party came with a "protesting too much" remark. "Mr. Yulu, don't overthink it."
Hong Chongben steadied his mind and said, "The Minister needn't use provocation on me. I'm old. Even if my composure is not as good as that of a former Hidden Official like the Minister, I still have a little. Not much, but enough to use."
Hong Chongben asked, "The Minister probably can't bring himself to say 'spend your whole life in your study and never come out until you die'... that kind of harsh words, angry words?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Indeed, I can't bring myself to say it."
Chen Ping'an waved his hand, dismissing him. After all, in the upcoming Great Li court and public, there would be no shortage of well-read gentlemen like Mr. Yulu.
The manuscripts in your study amount to just a few hundred thousand words. I probably know better than you, Hong Chongben himself, what is written in them, and where the wrong characters are.
Hong Chongben stood up. "I once held office at court. In recent years, living in the mountains, I feel there's no difference. In both cases, one must find a source of water, where one can gather herbs and identify the hundred plants."
Chen Ping'an nodded and stood up. "When I have free time, I'll go into the mountains and consult Mr. Yulu about frontier studies."
Perhaps because his mountain study and scholarly pursuits were mentioned, Hong Chongben suddenly became the one in control. The old scholar's demeanor was like a different person. "If the Great Li dynasty is content to hold onto just half of Vase Bottle Continent, then Minister Chen needn't waste his footsteps going into the mountains."
Chen Ping'an chuckled. "It seems that mountain isn't your private property either."
Hong Chongben was momentarily speechless.
Leaving the courtyard, Hong Chongben transmitted his thoughts to Xu Mi. "Xu Mi, it's inappropriate for me to go to Yichi Lane to see your grandfather tonight. Go home immediately and tell him to prepare early. That is the only message. Even if Yuan Chong, lacking composure, can't help but ask you something, just remember one thing: don't say a single word about anything, big or small. Just say it's Hong Chongben's reminder. And there's one more thing..."
Xu Mi asked curiously, "Teacher, what is it?"
Hong Chongben said, "Borrow some money from Yuan Chong. I want to buy that mountain."
Xu Mi nodded helplessly. Teacher, ah, why are you competing with the young Minister like this?
The next group included, besides Crown Prince Lu Jun of the Great Yuan dynasty and Minister Yang Houjue, Crown Prince Cao Hao of the Great Duan dynasty, and the martial artist Gao Shi, who had defected from the Great Shou dynasty to the Great Li border army.
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Lu Jun, Real Person Yang, you can send a letter back to your emperor immediately. Regarding the Zhongtiao Mountain matter, there's no need to continue planning. Although this matter has been dropped, Great Li and I are still grateful. So I will immediately suggest to the Great Li Song clan an alliance with the Great Yuan Lu clan. I hope your emperor's side will also give a 'no problem' reply."
Lu Jun said, "Master, as for the 'no problem' reply, there's no issue on my side. I don't even need to discuss it with my father. If my father doesn't agree, I'll make him understand what it means to sever the father-son relationship, and what it means that the Great Yuan dynasty cannot do without its crown prince for a single day..."
Yang Houjue listened and rubbed his brow.
Since it involved major affairs between two countries, Chen Ping'an looked at Yang Houjue. The latter nodded. "The poor Daoist also thinks it's no problem."
"Then it's settled."
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment and nodded. "We can make some slight modifications. For example, regarding the alliance: it is proposed by Crown Prince Lu Jun of Great Yuan, seconded by Minister Yang Houjue, approved by Great Li Minister Chen Ping'an, nodded by Great Li Emperor Song He, then passed through a small court meeting in the Imperial Study. Afterwards, a state letter will be submitted to the Great Yuan Lu clan. The Great Li Song emperor will affix the imperial seal, and the Ministers and the heads of the Ministries of War and Rites will stamp and sign."
Lu Jun scratched his head. All these twists and turns sounded "a bit troublesome."
But Yang Houjue agreed without hesitation. "It's settled then."
Chen Ping'an smiled knowingly. See? Dealing with someone from Northern Ju Continent was just refreshing.
Chen Ping'an rested his elbow on the armrest of his chair, sat sideways, and smiled at the Crown Prince of Great Duan, who used the alias "Cao Lue." "Is the Cao clan of Great Duan interested in joining the alliance? Or would you rather wait and see for a few months or half a year, let the Great Li dynasty and the Great Shou dynasty fight a few tough battles on the Barren Wasteland first, see which is the horse and which is the mule, and then decide after weighing the pros and cons?"
Cao Hao smiled. "Personally, I naturally lean towards allying with the Great Li Song clan and the Great Yuan Lu clan. But such a big matter, and I don't have as solid a father-son relationship as Lu Huan or Lu Jun. Minister Chen, would you allow me to send a flying sword message to my father, or even a letter?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "As it should be."
Cao Hao asked, "If Great Duan decides to wait and see before deciding, will we lose the opportunity to ally with Great Li too early?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head. "Of course not. Even if your father insists that I personally travel to the Great Duan dynasty to discuss the specifics of the alliance, I will go."
Cao Hao smiled. "I wouldn't dare, I really wouldn't dare."
Chen Ping'an said with a slight smile, "Besides, what your Great Duan dynasty is waiting for isn't the battlefield situation in the Barren Wasteland, but the attitude of the Central Confucian Temple. Who sends letters to whom, or how many letters need to be exchanged for replies—these are all hard to say for now."
Cao Hao's face showed embarrassment. He neither denied nor admitted it.
Lu Jun thought that scholars sure had a way with words. It was like fist-fighting with words. This was probably what they called "verbal sparring"? He was good at martial sparring, but verbal sparring... he was still lacking. He needed to read more books in the future.
Chen Ping'an turned to look at Gao Shi, the Grandmaster, sitting alone and silent.
Gao Shi, who had been keeping his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, instantly straightened up, awaiting judgment.
Chen Ping'an asked, "This saber?"
Gao Shi's scalp tingled at the question. What was this? Every single one of them had their eye on this precious saber? The problem was, couldn't they at least be a little subtle? All so blunt?
Gao Shi sighed. At this moment, he truly had the realization of "presenting the precious saber to a hero."
"Hidden Official Chen, this saber is a family heirloom. Once drawn, it can actively absorb the spiritual energy of cultivators. It's extremely domineering when used by a martial artist against mountain cultivators."
"It's also my fault. I loved the fame of the martial world. When I was young, I took it with me to roam the land. Over twenty years, to keep it safe, I nearly ran into trouble several times. So I had to find a powerful backer. The closest backer was Cai Yushan, who helped broker an introduction and recommended Prince Yin Miao to me."
Having said this, Gao Shi took off his saber himself, offered it with both hands, and said, "Hidden Official Chen, if I were to give it to anyone else, I'd rather die. But giving it to you, although it pains me, I can still bear to part with it."
Chen Ping'an waved his hand and chuckled. "A gentleman does not take away what others cherish. I'm just curious. I didn't mean to put you on the spot. I've seen plenty of good things."
To his surprise, Gao Shi became anxious instead. "Minister Chen, I'm willing to part with my beloved saber! If you reciprocate and give me a high military post in the Great Li court, that would be acceptable..."
Lu Jun's eyes went wide. This guy was brilliant. Cao Hao also thought Gao Shi would be better off in the Great Duan border army.
Chen Ping'an couldn't help but laugh. "Are you performing a storytelling session here?"
Gao Shi was speechless with shame.
Chen Ping'an thought for a moment and said, "Sending you to fight for your life on the Barren Wasteland would be forcing the issue. I reckon you'd weigh the two harms and choose the lesser. If you really went to the Barren Wasteland, you'd drop the saber and run overnight, treating it as paying for your life, right?"
Gao Shi's face showed sincere admiration. He nodded. "Hidden Official Chen truly has prophetic foresight."
Yang Houjue said with a smile, "Grandmaster Gao is sure to make a name for himself in officialdom."
Gao Shi frowned and looked sideways. I, a soldier of the Great Li border army, am discussing official business with my own Minister here. When did it become your turn, Real Person Yang, an outsider, to make sarcastic remarks?
"'Prophetic foresight'? I didn't foresee that Grandmaster Gao would be such a smooth talker."
Chen Ping'an laughed. "Alright, there's no war on the Great Li border for now. If you go, you'll just be wasting time. You now have three choices. One is what you said yourself—join the army. After ten years of idleness, you can go wherever you want. The second is to become a guest official of the Great Li Ministry of Justice. I can give you a third-rank trouble-free plaque in advance. After three years, if you've accomplished nothing, the Ministry will take it back, and you can join the army. The third choice is to serve in the Northern Bureau, starting as a minor clerk in the Capital Patrol Bureau. Within ten years, how high an official you become depends on your own ability."
Gao Shi said without hesitation, "I'll go to the Northern Bureau!"
He was really afraid that the Great Shou dynasty might panic and lash out irrationally. It was safer to loaf around in the Great Li capital.
He felt he had a rough idea of the young Hidden Official's general temperament and Commander Hong Ji's style of conduct.
Commander Hong was easy to get along with, a straightforward man. The former was hard to deal with, but as a minor clerk in the Northern Bureau, he wouldn't have much to do with him.
Thinking back to those days, Gao Shi had once been full of youthful ambition. As a youth, he had resolved to leave his hometown and make a name for himself.
He felt the entire martial world was waiting for him, waiting for him to win fame and fortune.
Chen Ping'an suddenly said, "If, after some time, you really find Great Li not to your liking, go to the Minister's residence and tell Rong Yu. Resign your post and continue your wanderings in the martial world."
Gao Shi was stunned. "Really?"
Chen Ping'an smiled. "If you want to 'fake it' yourself, what can I do about it?"
Gao Shi stood up abruptly. There was no longer any sign of the cowering attitude of someone living under another's roof. He was full of heroic spirit. He clasped his fists and said, "Chen Ping'an, thank you!"
Among the group of "Sixth Master" Huang Lian's people, only one was summoned: Liu Chang, the leader of a martial sect.
It wasn't Rong Yu from the Minister's residence who came forward, but a young official from the Capital Patrol Bureau who found Liu Chang.
When Liu Chang learned of this, he didn't dare speak. He could only look to "Sixth Master" for help with his eyes.
Even the body of the Great Shou emperor was just wrapped in a bamboo mat and casually thrown in a corner. So what was Liu Chang?
Song Lian hesitated for a moment, then asked the patrol official, "May I ask what the Minister's intention is?"
The young official said calmly, "I'm not sure."
Song Lian had no choice. He said to Liu Chang, "Go first. We'll see."
Liu Chang was even more helpless. He had to follow the patrol official to the Jia courtyard.
To put it bluntly, mountain personnel matters in the Great Li dynasty were handled by the Great Li Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Rites. But grudges in the martial world were determined by the Capital Patrol Bureau—they decided Liu Chang's honor, disgrace, life, and death.
In the spacious and bright hall, besides the main seat of the man in blue robes, there were two rows of official's hat chairs, separated by small flower tables.
One of the chairs near the door had a tea cup on the small table.
Given the word "sit," the dozen or so steps were like heaven and earth to Liu Chang.
Rong Yu left first after this perceptive leader sat down.
Chen Ping'an asked, "I heard that in recent years, you've done some things south of the Great River for 'Sixth Master'?"
After all, the Great Li court had ceded half of its territory south of the Great River, but many Great Li citizens, for various reasons, stayed behind to live in the south. As the years passed, new grievances arose. The Great Li court couldn't directly intervene in some matters. Mountain affairs were easier—the Great Li Ministry of Justice had ready-made rules and regulations to follow. But in the mundane world, whether in the martial world or the marketplace, things were more tricky. During this time, "Sixth Master" had Liu Chang, this "helper," use his status as a martial artist to resolve martial world matters. Leaving the Great Li border, the leader would take people or silver to settle some disputes.
From beginning to end, Liu Chang never dared to look directly at the Great Li Minister. Hearing the question, he immediately stood up, clasped his fists, and said softly, "Reporting to the Minister, it was all Sixth Master's idea. I was just following orders."
Chen Ping'an said, "She was just playing around, but you, Liu Chang, are genuinely navigating the martial world and getting things done. Running a large sect with three thousand subordinates, open and covert, is no easy task. Speak up. In all those trips south, what was the total expenditure? How much 'tea money' was given out?"
Liu Chang was completely stunned. The Minister actually knew about such trivial matters?
"Tea money" was a nice term in the martial world. In short, it meant I, Liu Chang, gave face to someone, spending money to avoid trouble.
But if someone didn't give me, Liu Chang, face, the sect would issue a death-or-life pursuit order. Among these, there were two instances where tea money couldn't be given, and the price paid was several lives.
Liu Chang quickly came to his senses and said, "Reporting to the Minister, it was all small sums, not worth mentioning."
Chen Ping'an said, "Report the number."
Liu Chang immediately lowered his head and bent his waist a little more. "The total was twenty-seven thousand five hundred taels of silver. Minister, the sect's books can be checked. Your humble servant neither spent an extra tael nor missed spending a single tael."
Just then, Rong Yu entered the room and said, "Minister, the accounts have just been checked. The Ministry of Justice archives, the Capital Patrol Bureau secret records, and the internal accounts of Liu Chang's sect have all been reviewed. Sixth Master Huang Lian gave Liu Chang fifty thousand taels of silver. Apart from the tea money Liu Chang personally handed out, there's no problem. As for the other five instances where sect members handled matters, they embezzled a total of three thousand two hundred taels. The margin of error shouldn't be too large. At first, they made a few hundred taels each time. The last time, they got bold and rounded it up to an even thousand taels."
Liu Chang broke out in a cold sweat instantly.
Rong Yu smiled. "Sect Leader Liu has good intentions, but his methods aren't clean."
Liu Chang said in a trembling voice, "Your humble servant will thoroughly investigate this after returning tonight."
Rong Yu said, "Thoroughly investigate? Haven't we already helped you investigate thoroughly?"
Liu Chang's face turned ashen. He muttered to himself, "Your humble servant deserves death."
Chen Ping'an said, "Address yourself as 'Liu Chang' from now on. If you have a thick face, you could even call yourself 'Leader'."
Liu Chang immediately said in panic, "Your humble servant wouldn't dare!"
Rong Yu laughed. "You don't dare to call yourself 'Liu Chang' or 'Leader', but you dare to reject the Minister's suggestion. Are you bold or timid?"
Liu Chang trembled like a sieve.
Rong Yu said, "Stand up straight when you speak!"
Liu Chang was startled and instinctively straightened his back and lifted his head.
Chen Ping'an asked, "Liu Chang, have you ever thought about establishing a branch sect in the south?"
Liu Chang's face was covered in sweat, blurring his vision. He didn't dare wipe it. He said softly, "I've had that idea before, but Sixth Master was afraid I would cause trouble and didn't give the nod, so I dropped it."
Chen Ping'an smiled. "Isn't it said in the capital that you are a confidant of a certain prince? Why would you be afraid of such things?"
Liu Chang said with a mournful face, "Minister, those are all dirty tricks by hostile forces to frame me, Liu Chang. There's absolutely no such thing. I can swear to heaven. If there's even half a lie..."
Chen Ping'an waved his hand. "Skip the poisonous oaths. I'm afraid you might actually get struck by lightning."
Liu Chang was completely bewildered.
Chen Ping'an said, "Liu Chang, today is the first time we've met. But I hope that in the future, when you go to the Great Li border or to places south of the Great River, you can stand up straight and speak to whoever you meet."
Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment, then said, "The court will soon arrange one or two personal attendants for you. Don't worry, it's not to put a wedge in or because we don't trust you. The sect you built with your own hands—it was yours yesterday and today, and it will still be yours tomorrow and the day after."
"It's just that I'm afraid that once you leave this courtyard, you'll stand too straight and mistakenly think the entire Great Li court is your backer. In the future, outside the Great Li border, you might lose your sense of proportion and speak too harshly to everyone. These one or two attendants have a limited number of times they can take action, but they won't tell you that. You'll have to guess. In short, Liu Chang, be restrained. Don't not use them and waste them, but don't squander them recklessly either."
Liu Chang was about to habitually address himself as "your humble servant," but immediately caught himself. He clasped his fists and said in a deep voice, "Minister, Liu Chang remembers and understands!"
Chen Ping'an asked, "Liu Chang, do you know why you are sitting here today?"
Liu Chang replied, "Because of Sixth Master?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head and smiled. "Because a veteran of the martial world said that you seem to be an okay person. 'Seem'."
Liu Chang entered the courtyard trembling with fear and left it as if walking on clouds and mist.
When he reached the lakeshore and walked farther away, Liu Chang suddenly slapped himself hard on the face. Why didn't he dare to be a little bolder and call himself "Leader"!
He couldn't brag about this to anyone, but couldn't he at least drink a toast to himself in private and pat himself on the back?
A squad of cavalry from the Capital Patrol Bureau had already "escorted" Wei Jia, the owner of the private garden at Old Oriole Lake, to the Wei family gate on Yichi Lane.
In fact, besides Wei Jia, all the guests who had been eating and drinking here today received this same honor.
Besides Yichi Lane, on several streets and alleys including Chi'er Street, there were unusual sounds of iron armor and horses' hooves tonight.
Rong Yu stood at the door, looking at the young Minister inside. She asked softly, "Minister, are there any more people to see?"
She knew very well that what the Minister truly wanted to cut down wasn't just ghosts, but the ghostly machinations in the hearts of people throughout the Great Li dynasty, even in broad daylight.
Chen Ping'an walked out of the room and asked seemingly casually, "What do you think of 'Sixth Master'?"
Rong Yu thought for a moment and said, "A bit rough in her methods, but... she has heart."
Chen Ping'an nodded. "That's not a low evaluation."
Because his realm was low, shrinking the earth's mountains and rivers was but a luxury, so he asked Song Yunjian for a favor. Chen Ping'an went to the city wall and once again looked at the official road outside the Great Li capital.
The scenery seen during the day and at night was different. At this moment, the road was a winding line of lights like a dragon.
How many people were willing to believe that as long as they entered the capital, they could make tomorrow better than today?
He didn't know how many people had silently left this city, having come with hope and left in disappointment.
Chen Ping'an adjusted his blue robe's collar and murmured to himself, "Senior Brother, Master Qi, please rest assured. The Great Li dynasty, Vase Bottle Continent, the Haoran world—this mortal realm—tomorrow will all be better."