A particularly vivid analogy was once offered by an official in the Ministry of Justice of Dali: each confessional scroll in the Ka Mo Division’s archives is like a terse, yet remarkably brilliant, biography of an assassin.

In a mundane city inn in the capital of Qiu, Su Lang had changed his attire and returned. Inside the room sat his disciple, Gao You, upright and still. He was naturally worried that his master’s outing might encounter some unforeseen circumstances. After all, he had only become his master’s disciple a few days prior; surely he wasn’t about to inherit a blood feud without having learned any real skills, then embark on a path of revenge for his master.

Su Lang retrieved a wooden box from his satchel and took out writing implements. After sitting down, he began to grind the ink. After a brief period of meditation with closed eyes, he dipped the brush in ink and began to write a record of his experiences during his trip to the Qiu capital and the assassination at the brothel.

Enduring the wait and not asking anything, Gao You sat on a long bench, watching Su Lang’s back. Finally, he couldn’t help but ask softly, “Master, what are you writing?”

Su Lang replied, “A detailed record for the Ministry of Justice of Dali.”

Gao You oh-ed and didn’t dare to ask further.

Su Lang hesitated for a moment, then beckoned Gao You to sit by the table. He handed over the two completed pages, which covered the events up to before Huang Jie was ambushed by the brothel’s courtesan. Su Lang said, “Remember to forget everything you read.”

Gao You read the two pages carefully. In addition to practicing swordsmanship and strengthening his physique, he had naturally learned some words during this time. The young man casually said, “Master, if it were me, I would be extra careful about this courtesan.”

Su Lang’s expression remained unchanged as he asked, “Why?”

Gao You said, “This Huang Jie is clearly a seasoned expert in assassination, yet it was only in the room with the fewest people that the courtesan, who costs three hundred taels of silver for a night, woke up unintentionally? If it were me, I wouldn’t believe she was just a frightened courtesan. Besides, caution is the parent of safety. You can gamble on luck at the casino, but for a job where your head is on the line, you can’t just gamble with your life. Since you can’t just casually kill her, you should at least immediately knock her out. If that courtesan is truly a villain, let’s say, Huang Jie was either careless, or they already knew each other, but were worried about eavesdroppers, like you, Master, who were watching him from outside? That doesn’t seem right. If they knew each other, the courtesan would just pretend to be asleep. Don’t we martial artists gather sound into a thread and speak secretly? No, that’s not right either. What if Huang Jie and she were old lovers? Storytellers always say something about being unable to control one’s emotions. For example, Huang Jie might have had the worst suspicion that her spy identity had been exposed and she had to choose between two, only one could live… Master, I’m just guessing randomly.”

In the alleyways of the young man’s hometown, there were many of the cheapest brothels and streetwalkers who leaned against doors and smiled. Therefore, when Gao You saw the paper mentioning the cost of three hundred taels of silver for a night, his eyelids twitched. Was that courtesan made of gold? He and Wan Yan used to call the women at the entrance ‘auntie’ or ‘sister-in-law’ when they passed by. The young man originally had a goal: to save twenty or thirty taels of silver and send it to them. When his master heard about this, he simply said he had a good heart. But he didn’t give him a single tael of silver.

Su Lang smiled and nodded, “I didn’t misjudge you, you are indeed good material for a spy.”

He didn’t need to show the rest of what he wrote to this kid. As for the truth, the Ka Mo Division of the Ministry of Justice would figure it out on their own.

Gao You scratched his head.

Su Lang deliberately frowned and asked with displeasure, “Why do you have so many strange ideas?”

Gao You looked embarrassed and said truthfully, “Master, being a pickpocket isn’t easy either. Wan Yan and I started this business when we were six. We didn’t have a master, we taught ourselves. If you misjudge someone or your hands aren’t fast enough, you’ll get beaten. It’s common to be slapped so hard you spin in circles. Wan Yan was kicked so hard once that he got a chronic illness. So every time we lost out and got beaten black and blue, afterwards, my brother and I would talk it over and think it through carefully.”

Su Lang smiled, “Every profession has its top performers.”

Gao You felt relieved. As long as his master didn’t drive him away, being looked down upon a bit was nothing to be wronged about.

Su Lang then told his disciple some inside information, “Huang Jie was tasked with killing those few powerful officials in the Qiu capital, and I was responsible for keeping an eye on Huang Jie. This was to prevent any accidents, like someone escaping, or perhaps those few useless officials had hidden高手 by their side. Of course, I also had the intention of supervising Huang Jie to prevent him from having any improper intentions or illegal actions. The record he submits to the Ministry of Justice and the content I provide, every detail must be meticulously consistent and match. If any loophole is found by an official of the Ka Mo Division of the Ministry of Justice, it will be reviewed according to custom. In minor cases, we will need to make a trip to the Ministry of Justice in the capital. In serious cases, someone will be directly sent to find us for face-to-face questioning. The Langzhong of the Martial Selection Department of the Ministry of Justice is the person responsible for monitoring me, or one of them. And the Minister of Justice, Zhao Yao, is the official who monitors these officials. As for who is responsible for monitoring Zhao Yao, and whether such a person exists in the current court, heaven knows.”

Gao You was greatly amazed, “So, that Minister Zhao is a truly great official.”

Su Lang smiled, “That’s not wrong to say.”

Gao You curiously asked, “This time, when we took action against Qiu, did many experts from our Dali come?”

Su Lang nodded and said, “Your master is just someone who handles practical matters and doesn’t participate in the planning. However, it’s simple enough to estimate roughly five hundred individuals in total on the two lists. Individuals like your master and Huang Jie are members of several secret yamen, including the Ministry of War and Ministry of Justice of Dali. In addition, there are accompanying cultivators temporarily drawn from the garrisons of the three prefectures, including Hanzhou. Openly and secretly, whether they actually took action or not, there should be around three hundred people.”

Gao You was shocked, “That many?!”

Su Lang smiled, “Is that a lot?”

Gao You carefully said, “Cut it in half, and it would be more than enough to kill all the officials and military commanders of Qiu within a day, right?”

Su Lang smiled and shook his head.

Gao You asked, “Master, did I say something wrong?”

Su Lang put down his brush and said seriously, “Who is responsible for killing whom doesn’t entirely depend on their cultivation realm, that’s one thing. Just like your master feels you are suitable for this profession, it doesn’t have much to do with Gao You’s current cultivation realm. Each assassination must be done steadily to ensure the outcome, and also provide training for Huang Jie and the others. This has always been the consistent objective of the Dali Ministry of Justice in training spies. For example, Huang Jie working in the brothel, the lowest of professions, for several years, was a kind of training to become familiar with various human relationships and social customs. When he changes his territory and identity in the future, for example, to play the role of a wealthy young master who spends lavishly, or a royal descendant who rolls in a pile of rouge, then in terms of speech, knowledge, and demeanor, he will certainly be competent, and will only act more realistically than the real thing. This is the second point.”

“The most important thing is the third point. The future ‘Huang Jie’s, or you, Gao You, can all become officials, transitioning your identity from hidden to open. Although you are not from the clear and proper path of the imperial examinations, the Dali Dynasty has two official promotion routes specifically set up for you. You even have the opportunity to govern a region one day. As far as I know, the highest-ranking officials have already reached the level of Prefect and Administrator in the Dali Dynasty, and there seems to be one Vice-General of Qizhou.”

Su Lang smiled slightly and said, “It is rumored that Minister Ma of our Ministry of Justice said personally that there are two types of officials: those who are good at studying and those who are practical in handling affairs.”

However, the Minister also added, “I am the kind of official who is good at studying and even more practical in handling affairs.”

Gao You chuckled when he heard this, “That Ma Yuan? I know him. He’s a household name, a great official, the head of the鄱陽馬氏, a pillar of the state. People in our capital all say he’s Old Master Guan’s illegitimate son.”

Su Lang didn’t scold his disciple for his loose tongue and lack of respect.

Gao You suddenly wilted, his expression becoming complicated. He said softly, “Master, in the past, when I talked about Minister Ma with Wan Yan and the others, I always felt it was just a funny joke to entertain ourselves. Now that I have a master, I understand how incredibly powerful Minister Zhao is, and I suddenly feel that Ma Yuan, since his official rank is even higher than Minister Zhao’s, must be an extremely terrifying figure. Perhaps one day when I meet Minister Ma in the future, my tongue will trip over itself when I speak.”

Su Lang also found this idea amusing. “It’s alright, the chance is slim anyway, it’s hard to even make a fool of yourself. Your master hasn’t even met Minister Ma to this day and hasn’t had the opportunity to talk to him face-to-face.”

Su Lang instantly reached for the sword scabbard on the table and made a shushing gesture to his disciple.

There was a light knock on the door from outside. Su Lang changed his voice and asked lazily, “Who is it?”

From outside the door came a seductive voice that could make a man’s bones soften by several taels, “Esteemed guest inside, do you need
this sister to come in and warm your bed? The price is negotiable…”

The woman chuckled to herself as she spoke.

Su Lang looked helpless, but he still breathed a sigh of relief.

Gao You lowered his voice and said in surprise, “Auntie Zhou?!”

Su Lang quickly put away the pages of paper and hid them in his sleeve. He glanced at the wooden box on the table, hesitated for a moment, then left it there and went to open the door. It was indeed Zhou Haijing.

Beside her was a smiling, handsome man with a purple-skinned wine gourd hanging from his waist.

Su Lang was greatly surprised and immediately cupped his hands, “Su Lang, second-rank offering of the Ministry of Justice, pays respects to Minister Cao.”

Earlier in the corridor outside, did Zhou Haijing help Minister Cao hide his breathing and footsteps? Or was it something else?

Cao Gengxin cupped his hands in return, “Fortunate to meet you, fortunate to meet you. I have long heard of the great name of the Azure Bamboo Sword Immortal, it is like thunder in my ears. Miss Zhou and I just happened to pass by and wanted to drop in.”

It was hard to say who was more thunderous in whose ears. Su Lang turned sideways and let them enter the room, gently closing the door. Knowing that too much talk leads to mistakes, Su Lang remained silent.

Cao Gengxin looked at Gao You and cupped his hands again, smiling, “Hello, little brother. You look like a talented young man with an official air about you.”

Gao You had already wisely stood up and moved away from the table towards the bed without his master’s prompting.

Hearing the greeting from this “Minister Cao”, he was at a loss for a moment and could only look at his master. Su Lang, however, didn’t give any hints.

The young man was confused. Minister? Minister of where? Of Qiu? It couldn’t be someone as high-ranking as Minister Zhao, could it? Are officials all so casual? If so, wouldn’t Wan Yan and I be born to be high officials? Forget it, Wan Yan, that ungrateful bastard, has already gone to the mountain to become an immortal.

Cao Gengxin asked with a smile, “Little Brother Gao, when you see Mr. Chen, can you speak without tripping over your tongue?”

Gao You asked in confusion, “Which Mr. Chen?”

Cao Gengxin chuckled, “He went to your alley and looked for your Auntie Zhou.”

Gao You immediately brightened up, “Are you talking about him, Minister? Master Chen, of course I know him, how could I not? He looks like a martial arts expert, we talked quite a bit… or not much, anyway, he’s a very friendly person.”

The guy in cloth shoes, according to Auntie Zhou, is a rich man. Hah, doesn’t show off his wealth, a seasoned old timer.

Cao Gengxin laughed heartily, “Then what are you afraid of, Minister Ma? When you meet him in the future, just ask him directly if he’s Old Master Guan’s illegitimate son. I’ve been curious about this for years. If you get the answer, remember to tell me.”

Su Lang instantly understood and almost couldn’t resist cursing. It’s really him, he really became that?

The Azure Bamboo Sword Immortal then thought for a moment, was that sword challenge back then considered a glorious defeat?

Even though he knew the other party was an official, Gao You simply couldn’t be afraid. He said in a low voice, “I’m not stupid.”

Su Lang was afraid that Gao You would say something wrong, so he had to force a smile and introduce, “Gao You, this Minister Cao is the Minister of Personnel from our Dali capital, not from Qiu.”

Gao You glanced at Cao Gengxin’s wine gourd and chuckled, looking shy, “Master, I guessed it, but I didn’t dare to believe it.”

Minister Cao of the Ministry of Personnel, in the capital, who doesn’t know him? First-class background, second-class talent, third-class official, lowest-class character. He’s known for his love of fine wine and women and for being notoriously idle. To put it bluntly, he has a rotten reputation that’s spread everywhere. However, young hooligans like Gao You, who make a living on the streets, often chat about this Minister Cao, who seems to have only one virtue – being approachable, and they are very envious.

They say that Minister Cao started selling spring palace drawings when he was a child. It’s a rumor that’s spread wildly in the capital’s streets and alleys, and no one knows if it’s true.

Cao Gengxin sat on the long bench, holding the back of his head with both hands. He habitually leaned back, but was startled and quickly sat up straight, looking a little embarrassed. He said, “Over there on the sword-boat, I’m the least popular. I did demote a few officials, but I also promoted more officials. People like Huang Jie, although they have some flaws and aren’t experienced enough in handling matters, their contributions are real and they must be promoted. But I’m still about to be cursed at by some of the higher-ranking officials. I guess if I dare to talk back even half a sentence, they’ll put a knife to my neck.”

“So it happened that Miss Zhou found an acquaintance like you here, and we quickly came here to avoid the crowd. Let Minister Zhao bear the brunt of the criticism alone.”

After all, Gao You had never cultivated in the public sector. The young man just thought that Minister Cao’s words were humorous and it was a shame he didn’t become a storyteller.

Su Lang, however, knew very well what kind of demotions would make a few people, including the Hanzhou General, furious to the point of directly opposing a Minister of Personnel with a pillar-of-the-state surname. In short, this time, it wasn’t just about taking action against Qiu; the internal officialdom of Dali’s Hanzhou also took a hit.

Zhou Haijing chuckled, “The tension was high, almost a fight. A big man hiding behind two women is truly heroic. Look at how Zhao Yao did it, also a Minister. He didn’t retreat but advanced, pointing his finger at the faces of the Prefect Situ Xiguang and the Hanzhou General Lu Song, cursing them fiercely. Did they dare to talk back? Minister Zhao cursed those two border officials as if they were his grandsons.”

Cao Gengxin raised his head and took a swig of wine, saying helplessly, “Comparing oneself to others is infuriating. Damn it, I’m going to work in the Ministry of Justice in the future. This place in the Ministry of Personnel is burning my ass.”

Su Lang asked tentatively, “Are you going to fill a vacancy next? Do you still need someone to keep watch for a period of time?”

Zhou Haijing tut-tutted in surprise.

Cao Gengxin nodded, “Those empty positions, the official hats of their former owners who have already lost their heads, whether they are capital officials or local military commanders, there are one to two pre-determined backup candidates to fill them. For example, the positions vacated by the Prime Minister Zhuang Fan and the Great General Dou Mei, even within the Qiu court, they will be contested and fought for. And that Han E has just ascended the throne, which happens to be a change of ruler and a change of officials, so the Qiu court and local officialdom are generally manageable and relatively simple. As for the mountain immortal residences and Jianghu sects, it’s even easier, almost not a problem. Of course, there are some positions that cannot be replaced in the short term, which will be more troublesome, such as the various academies in various places, and the realm of public opinion in the wilderness, which will require more effort. In addition to those storytellers who pour into the Qiu court and wilderness and only need to read from the script, it is estimated that some catchy street ballads are needed, plus a few widely spread prophecies. But it’s alright, in short, everything is within the expectations of the National Teacher’s Mansion. As for the effect, it still needs to be seen in two or three months.”

Gao You was listening to utter nonsense.

Su Lang’s mood was extremely complicated. He forced himself to say, “Unimaginable.”

Cao Gengxin smiled, “Everyone has their own things they find hard to believe.”

In the capital of Dali, just talking about the twelve earthly branches under his charge, hasn’t Yu Yu been in a tangled mess recently? And Prince Song Xu, how much better is he doing?

When National Teacher Cui was around, everything was airtight and ran smoothly everywhere.

Without National Teacher Cui, it’s only been a few years, and some places in the Dali Dynasty have begun…

Putting other things aside, and not talking about distant matters, let’s just talk about the few literary secretaries in the National Teacher’s Mansion? Whether it’s Zhou Haijing of the Earthly Branches lineage, or the Vice-General Huang Meixian of Hanzhou, killing them is as easy as pinching chicks. But if they actually entered officialdom?

Moreover, cultivators seek to stay away from the mundane world, to keep their Taoist hearts unclouded, and their spirits and forms from being bound by secular affairs. This is not a jest.

Cao Gengxin’s expression was as usual. He asked, “I’ve also arranged to meet two esteemed guests here. Su Fenggong, do you mind if we take over?”

Su Lang stood up and smiled, “Since I haven’t received any additional dispatch orders from the Ministry of Justice, my disciple Gao You and I need to leave the capital immediately.”

Cao Gengxin smiled and said, “Little Brother, please trouble Su Fenggong to cultivate him well and teach him high-level skills. Next time you and your disciple go to the capital to report for duty, you can come to my place and sit for a while. Anyway, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Personnel are both in Nanxun Fang, it’s just a few steps away.”

Su Lang cupped his hands and took his leave, “Certainly.”

As soon as the master and disciple left, two people arrived.

A handsome young man with a folded fan tucked into the back of his collar, like a carefree noble son. The woman beside him wore a veiled hat and looked like a maidservant.

He was the young Minister who “called names” in the court, of humble origins, a child prodigy, the top scholar in the imperial examinations, entered the Hanlin Academy, served and gained experience in two ministries, and rose rapidly, becoming a Minister of a ministry in his thirties. Except for almost being appointed as the駙馬都尉 by the old emperor back then, Shao Wanling’s official career had no setbacks.

And this sword-wielding palace maid was named Wei Xianrou, who consecutively beheaded three people: the teaching mammy, the young empress dowager, and the young emperor.

Both of them were genuine natives of Qiu.

One, defying immense danger, actively sent a secret letter to the Ministry of Justice of Dali the day after becoming the Minister of Personnel of Qiu.

The other became a spy for the Ministry of Justice of Dali at the age of twelve, registered in the capital’s music and dance district, especially skilled in the long-sleeved waist dance, and was stunningly captivating.

The common people didn’t need to know too many inside stories. The Qiu court knew everything clearly and understood it.

Zhou Haijing sighed with emotion, “I originally thought Su Lang was aloof and not suitable for officialdom. I misjudged him.”

Cao Gengxin smiled, “Whether someone is aloof or not depends on who you’re dealing with. To put it another way, if an official can fawn on superiors without bullying inferiors, they can be considered a capable person. I dare not say they will definitely have a smooth official career, but I am very optimistic about this Azure Bamboo Sword Immortal. Next time I see him at the Ministry of Personnel yamen, I must ask about the details of that sword challenge at the mountain villa back then.”

Zhou Haijing scoffed, “Aren’t you bored?”

Cao Gengxin said, “Su Lang is just a marginal figure in officialdom, so many of his thoughts are still shallow.”

Zhou Haijing said in surprise, “Cao Gengxin, don’t belittle others to praise yourself, and don’t pretend to be ignorant in front of me!”

Cao Gengxin rarely spoke toughly in front of her. He said ill-temperedly, “I’ve been afraid of being an official since I was a child, so on this matter, my word is my bond, very solid. Do you think I was just idling around every day when I was the Supervisor of Kilns in Huaihuang County? Is that a place where anyone can establish a foothold? Wu Yuan and Yuan Zhengding are both extremely intelligent people, right? They’ve both hit walls and stumbled. Only I got out unscathed.”

Zhou Haijing sneered, “If you’re afraid, then why are you being an official? It’s easy to talk when you’re standing up, are you just saying sarcastic remarks?”

Cao Gengxin said with a wry smile, “It’s not just in the Jianghu and romance that you are beyond your control.”

There was a knock on the door. Zhou Haijing raised her chin. Minister Cao quickly went to open the door, showing off his might as a Minister of the Heavenly Dynasty.

However, she saw that Cao Gengxin actually straightened his collar in a serious manner and went to open the door, smiling and inviting the two in. It was likely that Shao Wanling, seeing that this high-ranking and powerful Minister of the suzerain state had no intention of moving, gave up the idea of closing the door and went directly to the table. Wei Xianrou took off her veiled hat and curtsied to Cao Gengxin, then stood by the table with Shao Wanling.

Cao Gengxin closed the door, his expression serious. He turned around and cupped his hands, “Fortunate to meet you.”

Zhou Haijing was greatly surprised. With such unprecedented courtesy, had their Minister Cao been possessed by someone?

Cao Gengxin went straight to the point and asked, “Shao Wanling, aren’t you upset that you weren’t immediately appointed Minister of War?”

Shao Wanling shook his head and said, “I’m not suitable to be in charge of the Ministry of War. It’s not just a matter of age and seniority. I’m only suitable for the Ministry of Personnel or the Ministry of Justice. It’s perfectly fine to be promoted to Minister a few years later.”

Cao Gengxin nodded, “I invited you here today because the National Teacher asked me to deliver a message. He wants to ask you if you are willing to serve in the Tongzheng Department of Dali Capital? It just so happens that there will be some significant personnel changes in the Tongzheng Department recently, and there are some suitable positions among those that become available.”

“Of course, the rank won’t be the same as here in Qiu. After all, it would be too conspicuous, and it might cause some problems, both small and large, for your future official career development in the Dali Dynasty and your reputation among the officials and commoners in your hometown. But I, Cao Gengxin, can guarantee here that as long as you go to the Tongzheng Department and have some ability, you will have corresponding real power.”

Zhou Haijing was greatly surprised. He had already said so much, almost telling Shao Wanling to go to the Dali Tongzheng Department for a successful career, hadn’t he?

Unexpectedly, Shao Wanling’s eyes were firm and he shook his head, “I seek official position, but not an official position in Dali. To be presumptuous, even if Minister Cao ties me up and takes me to the Dali capital today, I will not be an official. Even if that National Teacher stands here in person, I will still say the same!”

After a moment of silence, Shao Wanling slowly said, “Today I can rebel against Emperor Han Jun, who rightfully sits on the dragon throne. If one day the officials of Hanzhou become exactly the same as those of Qiu, I will still rebel against the suzerain state, and it will be against your Dali Dynasty. Of course, your Dali officials are too powerful, and some of them are too smart at being officials. It is estimated that if that day truly comes, my fate will be to suddenly die a violent death, and it will certainly be a death that is truly deserved? It doesn’t matter, death is not a pity.”

At this point, Shao Wanling gave a self-mocking smile. He suppressed it again and again, but in the end, he couldn’t hold it in and blurted out a curse, “Damn it, being constantly told that death is not a pity by those guys who are not worth dying, it doesn’t sound like anything good, it has changed its meaning.”

Cao Gengxin thought for a moment, then slapped the table with his hand, smiling brightly, “A scholar’s ambition is in the Tao, and literature is in this.”

Wei Xianrou’s eyes lit up when she heard this.

Cao Gengxin quickly complained, “Some words are too taboo, don’t say them to me, you have to say them to the National Teacher yourself.”

Zhou Haijing put her hand over her mouth and whispered to the seemingly very shy young woman, “That evaluation was said by the National Teacher, Minister Cao is just borrowing it.”

Cao Gengxin was thick-skinned and didn’t care about such direct remarks. He said to himself, “Being too good at being an official is indeed not good.”

Shao Wanling said, “After all, it’s only a very small number, otherwise I wouldn’t have…”

Minister Cao’s mood became even more depressed. He waved his hand, interrupting Shao Wanling’s words. “Let’s not talk about this for now.” He took out a second-rank offering token from his sleeve and handed it to Wei Xianrou, then explained, “This should have been given to you personally by Zhao Yao of the Ministry of Justice, but he can’t get away now, so I’ll do it for him.”

Wei Xianrou immediately took out the third-rank token from her sleeve and exchanged it.

Zhou Haijing was a meticulous woman to begin with. She could see that Wei Xianrou was hiding something.

Cao Gengxin hung it on his waist. Seeing the surprised looks of the others, Cao Gengxin asked, “What? Is it illegal to have some fun?”

Wei Xianrou said softly, “Minister Cao, according to the laws of the Dali Ministry of Justice, wearing a Wushi token without authorization is not only illegal but also a significant crime.”

A soft and timid demeanor, with a voice like an oriole.

Cao Gengxin waved his hand, “I am a favorite of the National Teacher and sworn brother of Zhao Yao… It’s not illegal to brag, is it?”

A hand pressed down on Minister Cao’s shoulder. The person smiled, “It’s not illegal to brag, but you should at least make a draft.”

Cao Gengxin turned around and smiled, “Why has the National Teacher personally come here?”

Besides Chen Ping’an, there was also a young girl with rosy cheeks wearing a mink hat and a young man with a yellow hat, green shoes, and a green bamboo staff.

Zhou Haijing hesitated for a moment, but still got up to greet the guests.

The other two jumped up even more excitedly.

Chen Ping’an ignored Minister Cao and cupped his hands to them, smiling, “Greetings, Minister Shao and Offering Wei. You’ve all worked hard these past few years.”

Shao Wanling bowed in silence.

Wei Xianrou subconsciously cupped her hands in return, then immediately withdrew them and curtsied.

Cao Gengxin wanted to stand up to show his respect, but Chen Ping’an pressed him back onto the long bench with both hands.

Chen Ping’an explained with a smile, “I came here to experience the Dali military sword-boat and to meet the two new Dali spies surnamed Ma in the capital. I forced them upon the Dali Ministry of Justice, and I don’t want Minister Zhao to laugh at me. Of course, the main reason is that I want to get acquainted with Minister Shao and Offering Wei. I guess Minister Cao is also not a good persuader.”

Cao Gengxin said, “National Teacher, I even threw out those eight character evaluations, but I still couldn’t move Minister Shao.”

Shao Wanling smiled, “It’s better not to say it. Since Minister Cao said that, if I were an official fanatic and just went to the Dali capital casually, wouldn’t I be making the National Teacher misjudge me? I guess my future prospects would be worrying, and perhaps Minister Cao would also suffer some unwarranted setbacks?”

Cao Gengxin rubbed his chin, “That’s exactly the reason. I really am not suitable for officialdom, I can’t get around people like you.”

Wei Xianrou’s expression was blank, but in her heart she was extremely surprised. How dare Cao Gengxin talk to this new Dali National Teacher like this?

“You all sit down and chat.”

Chen Ping’an said, “Offering Wei, this time in Qiu, the deployments of the Dali Ministry of War and Ministry of Justice were actually quite rushed, essentially forced by me. You are the undisputed primary contributor. There is no disagreement from anyone on the entire sword-boat. Therefore, on the sword-boat, I originally wanted to promote you directly to first-rank offering by skipping ranks, but Zhao Yao refused.”

“He said that once this loophole is opened, a large number of Ministry of Justice offerings will follow suit in the future, thinking it’s a shortcut for special promotion. They will easily lose their sense of proportion in doing things and will not learn well, which will be detrimental. Minister Zhao is in charge of this line, and since he said so, I think it’s reasonable. However, Minister Zhao also took a step back and said that he will personally handle matters with Offering Wei in the future, completely bypassing the various departments of the Ministry of Justice. The specific details of these methods will be discussed with you by Zhao Yao in the near future.”

Upon hearing the address “Offering Wei”, Wei Xianrou suddenly stood up.

Her eyes were bright and clear. She tightly pressed her lips together, constantly shaking or nodding her head slightly. Her ears were bright red, like the most miniature fire clouds in the human world.

Chen Ping’an shifted his gaze and asked with a smile, “Shao Wanling, are you really not going to the Tongzheng Department in the Dali capital?”

Shao Wanling stood up, shook his head, and tentatively asked, “May I request the National Teacher to help me congratulate Minister Changsun?”

Cao Gengxin suppressed a smile. Well, National Teacher, you’re also a clumsy persuader.

Chen Ping’an nodded, “No problem, I will definitely put in a good word for you. When it comes to polite speeches and official jargon, I’m certainly not as good as you, but I’m not an outsider either.”

Cao Gengxin glanced at Minister Shao and inwardly called him insensitive. Shao Wanling glanced at Minister Cao and thought he was undisciplined.

Chen Ping’an took his leave and left the inn with Xiao Mo and Xie Gou. In a quiet alley near the inn, their figures shot up into the sky, transforming into three brilliant劍光 (sword lights), like long rainbows splitting the clear sky, heading straight for the Jade Raft Sect, the leader of the immortal families in Qiu.

Earlier on the sword-boat, Cao Gengxin had slipped away, while Zhao Yao was still confronting the group of border officials, including Situ Xiguang and Lu Song.

Of the six Langzhong who had been gaining experience in the Qiu court, two were promoted, two were demoted, and the remaining two were directly taken away by the Ministry of Justice.

They didn’t even notice that a young man in a green shirt, with his hands behind his back, had been standing by the giant map for a while.

By the time they realized something was wrong, Chen Ping’an was asking the Vice-General Huang Meixian of Hanzhou, who was standing nearby, about some military matters. After that, Chen Ping’an only discussed Wei Xianrou’s special promotion with Zhao Yao.

Situ Xiguang and Lu Song, who were regarded as the most powerful local officials in Hanzhou by the Dali Dynasty, didn’t dare to speak.

They weren’t intimidated by the cultivation realm or the status of Sword Immortal or Hermit Official; they were simply afraid of a new National Teacher whose style of action was too similar to Embroidered Tiger.

In the past, “So if your political views are not in line with mine, then you are wrong.”

Now, “For the Dali Dynasty, I am providing help in times of need. For me, Chen Ping’an, Dali is adding icing to the cake. You should be aware of this.”

The sun was getting higher, the sky was clear and cloudless, a uniform blue. In the distance, they could see the immortal family’s dojo, the clustered mountains like swords, coming into view piece by piece. One peak had a peculiar color at its summit, like a lady’s hairpin flower.

The immortal families who cultivated in seclusion lived here. They occasionally came down the mountain, either as protectors of the state or as offerings to wealthy families.

The three visitors began to ascend the mountain. The streams followed the mountains, and people followed the streams. The mountains were shrouded in mist, and the light of the water and the mist lingered on their clothes.

Walking on the mountain path, Xie Gou grinned and said, “Young Master, are you really not going to see the Ma brothers in the capital of Qiu? It would definitely be interesting to meet them. I sneaked a few glances earlier, tsk, remarkable, they are truly as firm as rocks, one after another, you have to look at them with new eyes.”

The two brothers in the capital of Yuxuan Kingdom, Ma Chuan and Ma Bi. Their situation might be even more miserable than those in the Fuyao Sect now. After waking up from the dream, would they just die? Even the dream of reincarnating as livestock had been thought out for them early on. Want to shave their heads and become monks, escape into the void, escape the mundane world? There is no such good thing. Chen Ping’an had already let them experience it, completely blocking this retreat for them.

Xie Gou began to open her mouth and make sounds, ah ah ah, and the echo reverberated in the empty valley. She told Xiao Mo to try it too, it was very fun.

Xiao Mo, however, was talking serious matters with his Young Master, “No one died, it’s simply a miracle.”

Chen Ping’an said, “Each of them is a shrewd person, they all know everything clearly in their hearts. Within the established rules, they all have to make sure they do things beautifully, without any flaws. After all, His Majesty the Emperor, the National Teacher’s Mansion, the officials of the Six Ministries, all those who are qualified to attend the small court meeting in the Imperial Study are watching their every move.”

Xiao Mo asked, “Young Master, what about the mutual supervision between the Ministries of Justice, War, and Personnel next?”

Chen Ping’an said, “Just watch.”

Xiao Mo said, “What can Xie Gou and I do?”

Chen Ping’an said, “The existence of you two as cultivation partners is the biggest action in itself.”

Xiao Mo nodded.

Xie Gou turned her head with a stern face, imitating Mi Li’s exaggerated smile.

At the various branch peaks of the Jade Raft Sect, several members of the Ancestral Hall died silently today. They were either cultivation geniuses highly anticipated by the Sect Master Fu Xian, whose Taoist name is “Ling Pei”, or direct and indirect disciples of the esteemed secluded Ancestral Master.

From beginning to end, the old immortal did not offer a single explanation. His accumulated prestige was profound. The Ancestral Master personally came out of seclusion to purge the sect. Who would dare to question him, not truly afraid of being dealt with as well? Pang Yun, who falsely claimed to be in the Nascent Soul realm to the outside world, what would happen if he claimed to be in the Jade Pure realm in his own dojo after his nephew and disciple, Sect Master Fu Xian, died?

Earlier, Fu Xian took a direct disciple down the mountain to the capital of Qiu. However, only that disciple returned, rushing back on the wind, with a mournful expression. He stumbled over the threshold of the main hall and knelt in the Ancestral Hall, weeping uncontrollably, saying that his master had ascended to the Taoist mountains. The Ancestral Master, who rarely came out of seclusion to preside over the council, looked gloomy and said that such a useless person who was not good at anything but ruining things almost destroyed the seven-hundred-year foundation of our sect. What’s the point of mentioning him? If he’s dead, he’s dead. Remove his seat and portrait from the Ancestral Hall! It’s clean and easy that he died outside. He is to be removed from the genealogy!

After briefly questioning Huo Ling as a formality, Pang Yun consoled and encouraged the survivor of the disaster with a few words, telling him not to think too much and to consider it a tempering of his Taoist heart in the mundane world. Now, the Jade Raft Sect is at a critical juncture in terms of needing people.

Pang Yun also had a sudden idea and took in a final disciple, who turned out to be an inconspicuous outer sect handyman. This was a great stroke of luck, a carp leaping over the dragon gate!

In the Ancestral Hall, there was also a round-faced girl of unknown identity. She didn’t sit down and just wandered around the main hall, looking at the couplets and touching the gilded pillars. Pang Yun didn’t introduce her origin, letting everyone guess.

Her surname was also Fu, but she was from the Divine Edict Sect. Golden Core realm, sword cultivator.

Pang Yun only needed to know one thing: her deceased great-grandfather was the truyền đạo (propagator of the Tao) of Heavenly Lord Qi Zhen of the Divine Edict Sect.

Fu Ji has a high seniority in the Divine Edict Sect. She also has the identity of a military cultivator from Dali’s Hanzhou. She is staying here at the Jade Raft Sect because she needs to wait for several fellow disciples of junior generations to come here. They are busy at several other immortal family sects and shouldn’t have any mistakes. Their Taoist age is not high, but they are all experienced in the mundane world below the mountains.

Fu Ji had seen the portraits of the successive Ancestral Masters of the Jade Raft Sect who had passed away.

She couldn’t help but think of her sister He who had gone to Beiju Luzhou to establish a sect.

Sister He was not only a cultivation genius but also a practical manager of the Divine Edict Sect in the past, yet she often said that when Taoists look at rivers and mountains, it is easy to feel tired.

At the mountain gate archway of the Jade Raft Sect, a pair of young men and women with very similar appearances removed their invisibility spells, pressed down their cloud heads, and gracefully landed.

The man wore a Taoist crown and was as handsome as a jade tree in the wind. A jet-black demon-binding rope was wrapped around his waist. The woman had a cold and stunning face, and a green and yellow bamboo segmented ghost-beating whip hung from her waist.

The two immortal families, who didn’t know if they were siblings, seemed to be waiting for someone and were not in a hurry to ascend the mountain, causing the doorkeeper cultivator, who felt both inferior and had romantic notions, to swallow back the words “The mountain is closed today, no visitors allowed” which were already on the tip of his tongue.

Soon, a handsome young immortal with red lips and white teeth, also wearing a lotus Taoist crown, sped around the mountain peaks, riding a dazzling ray of light, like a ribbon pulled across the sky. He landed heavily at the mountain gate, and with a sweep of his large sleeves, dispelled the dust.

When the young man saw him, he habitually teased, “Short-legged show-off, you’ve got a lot of immortal energy.”

The young Taoist boy laughed heartily. Short-legged? He swung his waist, just about to say something crude, but the woman gave him a cold side glance, forcing him to shut up.

Having already seen the three Taoists from the Divine Edict Sect, Xie Gou curiously asked, “Mountain Master, I’ve been meaning to ask, what are we doing here?”

Chen Ping’an clasped his hands in his sleeves, thought for a moment, and smiled gently, “This is a strange story from many years ago.”