He didn't care about the imperial examinations; instead, he was more interested in what Luo Cheng said: Chang'an's population was over a million, and that was several years ago. Back then, the Tang Dynasty was newly established, and society certainly wasn't very stable. After these past few years, the population must have increased considerably. This was significantly more than the Tang Dynasty in another world.
Judging from the population of the three passes, Qin Mu already knew that this world's population must be much larger than that of the Tang Dynasty in the other world. Based on Qin Mu's understanding of Luo Cheng, the more than one million he mentioned probably only included ordinary civilians; soldiers and other civilians were likely not included. After all, he didn't pay much attention to such matters.
He chatted with Luo Cheng, but Luo Cheng was only using it as data to understand this world. To be honest, he was really clueless about this world at the moment. Even the geography was different from the other world. Perhaps only the orientation hadn't changed much.
"What are the major powers in Chang'an? Are there any we need to be wary of?" Qin Mu asked.
"The biggest power in Chang'an! That's definitely the imperial court." Luo Cheng rarely joked, and seeing Qin Mu's speechless expression, he continued, "If we're talking about the biggest power in Chang'an, it has to be your father and his group of military generals. Not only are they numerous and powerful, but they also have many experts, and no one wants to provoke them."
Secondly, there were the Literary and Martial Academies. Almost all the children of noble families in Chang'an were sent to these academies. However, neither the Literary nor the Martial Academies participated in any external conflicts; they only taught and nurtured students. But no one wanted to provoke them.
Third are the major aristocratic families. In fact, their strength is the greatest, and they possess more resources than the royal family. However, some of them are allied, while others are hostile to each other, so they are not a unified entity, hence their third-place ranking.
Fourthly, there are the smaller families and sects outside of Chang'an; their composition is far too complex. However, they are very low-key, so generally we don't need to worry about them," Luo Cheng explained.
"The Academy of Arts and Martial Arts? Wasn't it established by the imperial court?" Qin Mu asked curiously.
"Of course not. It has existed for a long time. The Imperial Academy belongs to the imperial court. It is where the royal children study. Occasionally, some descendants of meritorious officials are also granted the position of study companion at the Imperial Academy," Luo Cheng said, shaking his head.
It's not surprising, really. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, various schools of thought established places for learning and exchange. Although the imperial court participated, it couldn't really control these places; it was more about selecting talent. After so many years of development, these places have become more standardized and systematic.
"Who is in charge of the Academy of Arts and Martial Arts?" Qin Mu asked curiously.
"The headmasters of the academy are from the Confucius family, the Meng family, and of course, many court officials, skilled martial artists who are unwilling to serve in government, and some elders from various aristocratic families; as for the martial arts academy, it was mainly established by Taoists, Mohists, and some masters from the martial arts world," Luo Cheng continued.
"These people built martial arts academies, and the imperial court also allows the children of meritorious officials to study there?" Qin Mu asked curiously.
"You mean the court would have reservations if government officials and martial arts figures deepened their relationships?" Luo Cheng asked.
"yes!"
"What's wrong with that? Whether it's a martial arts sect or a family tradition, they all need to find successors. The sons of nobles are, of course, the best choice. Some people also want to rely on nobles to advance in the imperial court, and nobles also want to win over some experts. It's all mutual. The imperial court is the biggest force. Your father also occasionally goes there to give lessons."
Besides, it's always better to be open about it than in private. Everyone understands this unspoken rule and won't break it. If there are any grudges, they'll be settled outside." Luo Cheng explained. It was clear he was very knowledgeable about these matters.
"This is really complicated!" It involves the interests of many parties. No wonder it's a major force. Breaking the rules will definitely lead to a collective attack.
"You can just take a look at these things. Anyway, they have little to do with your Qin family, and no one would want to mess with you," Luo Cheng said with a smile.
Qin Mu felt as if Luo Cheng was talking about himself: "Go to Chang'an and just loaf around doing nothing. As long as you don't provoke others, no one will provoke you."
Although I know my abilities are limited, and I can't help with big things, and I don't need to help with small things, I'm still a little speechless.
On second thought, this might not be a bad thing. In such a dangerous world, being able to live a stable and wealthy life is not necessarily a bad thing.
Life in Chang'an, a city teeming with diverse characters, must have been incredibly vibrant, far more interesting than the monotonous life in the Three Passes.
There was no way around it; the Qin dynasty governed the three passes using Qin laws. Ever since Shang Yang's reforms, the Qin state was preoccupied with either agriculture or military affairs. Therefore, it was very difficult to hear anything new or interesting.
"Just ask if you want to, why are you hesitating?" Luo Cheng asked bluntly when he saw Qin Mu hesitate.
Qin Mu originally wanted to ask about the Xuanwu Gate, but then gave up. Firstly, the topic was too sensitive, and secondly, Luo Cheng was not in Chang'an at the time.
"I don't get the feeling that the imperial court's control is very weak. There are all sorts of powerful forces, big and small, everywhere."
"What's so strange about that? Whether it's the Li family or the former Yang family, their main power was in Guanzhong. Even though they ascended the throne, they couldn't just suppress others without restraint. Yang Guang is a prime example. He was young and impetuous, and his methods were direct, which provoked a united front against him."
"There are quite a few powerful families, no less powerful than the Li family, right? How did the throne fall to the Li family?"
"There are many reasons for this problem. His Majesty is generous and sincere, and many civil and military officials are willing to risk their lives for him. The late Emperor was shrewd and had many friends and supporters. These are the two main reasons."
Another reason, which I've also heard, is that many aristocratic families believe the throne is merely a stepping stone to advancement, and it's better to focus on developing the family business. This is what's known as a thousand-year-old aristocratic family and a hundred-year-old dynasty," Luo Cheng recalled.
"What about those sects? They're not tempted. Take the Taoists, for example; they're quite powerful, aren't they?" Qin Mu continued to ask.
"Heh heh! Although the Taoists are powerful, they are all guarding their own sects and gates. To be honest, they are not as powerful as ordinary aristocratic families. How could they possibly seize the throne?" Luo Cheng sneered.
Qin Mu then realized he had completely overthought things. The Daoist school was powerful, but it simply had many practitioners. A single Daoist lineage might only have a few individuals, a few dozen or even a few hundred would be considered a lot. Where would they get the strength to contend for the world? Moreover, true Daoist practitioners' core philosophy was still following the natural way; they had no intention of fighting for the world.
"It is said that there is another reason—luck! Without that luck, vying for the world is nothing but self-destruction. Back then, there were many who were stronger than the Li family, but what happened to them? Now, only a few are barely clinging to life." Luo Cheng tapped the stone table with his fingers as he spoke.
Qin Mu originally didn't care about the concept of luck, but in this magical world, there was no reason not to believe it, so he nodded and listened attentively.
"Leaving that aside, judging from the current situation, the world is relatively stable, and the main enemy of the court is the orcs outside the pass. Once Liang Shidu is defeated and the last breach is plugged, the initiative in the war will be entirely in the hands of the court," Luo Cheng said, waving his hand.
"Isn't it said that the Northwest is a mixed bag, and also threatened by ferocious beasts?"
"The ferocious beasts are indeed a problem, but they have no reason and fight each other, so they are sealed in the Nightmare Mountains and it is difficult for them to come out. Even if a few come out, they are dealt with by various factions."
"I noticed everyone is very cautious when talking about ferocious beasts. Are they really that powerful? Uncle, have you ever seen one?" Qin Mu asked curiously.
"Of course I've seen them! The reason why ferocious beasts are so powerful is that they have no reason and will attack any living creature that is not of their own kind. Moreover, they have thick skin and flesh, so ordinary magic weapons cannot harm them. They also possess a ferocious aura."
"The malevolent aura is different from the malevolent energy of blood and qi. Once injured by a ferocious beast, the malevolent aura will enter the body, like a maggot clinging to a bone, very difficult to remove. The malevolent aura will also corrode other spiritual energies, and if not treated in time, one can only slowly wait to die." Luo Cheng solemnly reminded him.
"That powerful? Isn't there any way to counter it?" Qin Mu asked, exclaiming in astonishment.
"Of course there is a way. The Confucian spirit of righteousness and the Taoist spirit of pure yang are both the nemesis of malevolent energy. This is one of the reasons why Confucianism has a relatively transcendent status," Luo Cheng explained.
"That's good!" Upon hearing that the righteous energy could be restrained, Qin Mu felt much more at ease.
"Don't be careless. Although the righteous energy can suppress the fierce energy, the strongest thing about ferocious beasts is their physique. If you encounter one, it's hard to say whether you can survive. How can you suppress it?" Luo Cheng asked rhetorically.
"Can't even my secret scroll handle this?"
"Heh heh! More like dealing with ferocious beast cubs." Luo Cheng sneered.
Upon hearing Luo Cheng's words, Qin Mu's eyes widened. His secret scroll could only deal with cubs, which showed how powerful the ferocious beasts were. He secretly decided that if he saw a ferocious beast, he would run as far away as possible.
"Uncle, have you ever encountered a spirit beast? And how strong is it?"
“I haven’t encountered any. Spirit beasts are certainly very powerful. Only some ancient and powerful sects have guardian spirit beasts. The royal family is said to have spirit beasts, but I’ve never seen them,” Luo Cheng said, shaking his head.
"I thought they could be tamed; anything with a spirit is called a spirit beast!"
"If you think that way, then you can, but most people wouldn't think that way. Those are just ordinary wild beasts, like warhorses."
"That's not right! If spirit beasts and ferocious beasts are so powerful, how come the equally renowned exotic beast is so weak and was easily killed?" Qin Mu glanced at Qin Qiong, who was still taking a bath, and said back.
Luo Cheng knew they had killed a strange beast, and shook his head, saying, "I don't know either. Maybe it was just a cub! Besides, Brother Bu was injured, so his strength wasn't weak."
Thinking about it, Bu Mang's strength is not weak. Qin Mu's feeling of weakness might be because he only used two moves. Moreover, without comparison, there is no difference. If he really encountered him alone, he would probably not escape death.
A loud "bang!" startled the two people who were chatting. They stood up and looked over, only to see water splashing everywhere in the room, the wooden tub for bathing broken, and Qin Qiong standing in the room.
A gust of cold wind blew by, and Qin Qiong realized that he was standing naked in the house, with his son and brothers staring at him in disbelief. Qin Qiong blushed and quickly covered himself with his hands, running to the back of the house.
"hey-hey!"
"Hehe!" Luo Cheng and Qin Mu couldn't help but chuckle.
"You brat! Have someone bring me some clothes!" Qin Qiong's voice, tinged with embarrassment and anger, came from inside the room.
Qin Mu didn't have anyone deliver it; instead, he went to Qin Qiong's room, got him a spare set of clothes, and delivered them to him.
Before he even went inside, Qin Qiong reached out a large hand and grabbed him.
The two waited in the courtyard for a short while before Qin Qiong came out, having already returned to normal.
"You! You! You must have taken some kind of magic pill!" Luo Cheng exclaimed, pointing at Qin Qiong in surprise.
Not to mention Luo Cheng, even Qin Mu was extremely surprised. At this moment, Qin Qiong's face was radiant, and the wrinkles that had been there before were completely gone. His hair was jet black and looked even smoother than a woman's. His previously slightly sickly yellow complexion was now no different from that of an ordinary person.
"What's wrong?" Qin Qiong looked himself up and down, puzzled.
Qin Mu, with his keen eye, ran into the house, took out a bronze mirror, and handed it to Qin Qiong.
"Huh!" Qin Qiong exclaimed in surprise. Looking at himself in the bronze mirror, he thought he was seeing things and widened his eyes as he leaned closer.
"Hehe!" Looking at the bronze mirror, Qin Qiong touched his face with satisfaction and couldn't help but smile.
“When you two go out into the world, people will believe you’re brothers,” Luo Cheng said with a sigh as he walked around Qin Qiong.
"Oh dear! How am I going to face people now? Will they say I'm an imposter?" Qin Qiong said, feigning a worried expression, but his eyes were full of laughter, clearly indicating that he was very happy.
"Father, how are you feeling?" Qin Mu asked with concern.
"Good! Very good!" Qin Qiong clenched his fist, waved his arm twice, and then said, "I feel that even at my peak, I was no better than this!"
"Tsk tsk! Huai Dao, do you have any more? Get some for your uncle too!" Luo Cheng asked enviously.
"No more! The pills and the blood of the exotic beasts are all gone," Qin Mu said, shaking his head.
"What a pity!" Qin Qiong said with a hint of annoyance.
"What's wrong, Dad?" Qin Mu looked at Qin Qiong, puzzled.
"This pill is surprisingly effective; it's a waste to give it to me. If you use it, you'll definitely reach a higher level and lay the best foundation," Qin Qiong said, frowning.
"It's alright, Father. Your health is the most important thing. We can refine the pills later," Qin Mu comforted him.
"It's easier said than done. I feel there's still a lot of medicinal power left in my body that hasn't been absorbed. Such a pill isn't so easy to refine; the ingredients must be extremely precious, let alone finding a master alchemist," Qin Qiong said with some regret.
"Don't overthink it. We've already used it, you can't force it out of us!" Luo Cheng said irritably.
To be honest, he was somewhat envious. In terms of strength, he was confident that he was no less than Qin Qiong, and Qin Qiong was older, so he could be said to be at his peak. However, Qin Qiong's energy and blood were now abundant, which could be felt even by those standing next to him, so it was conceivable that his energy had increased by more than a little.
At this stage, advancing further is extremely difficult, and their only option is to rely on rare and precious natural treasures. However, finding such treasures that would be effective for them is not easy.
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