"Go down!"
"Yes, sir!"
After removing his crimson official robes and returning to the local county government office, Feng Lingjun dismissed his attendants and sat down at his desk, looking at the priceless writing implements before him. He slowly exhaled, and a hint of weariness appeared on his usually stern face.
Since being appointed by His Majesty to inspect various prefectures and counties, he has done similar things several times.
If there is sufficient evidence to prove that local officials are incompetent and have failed to fulfill the duties entrusted to them by the imperial court, and are oppressing the people, then he has the right to execute them at his own discretion without having to report to the emperor.
Whether he dismissed him from office, imprisoned him, or beheaded him, he could do it. Of course, in addition to having the right to act first and report later, he also had a certain power of appointment and dismissal, and could promote some officials whose positions were not so important.
However, compared to the appointment and removal of officials later on, Feng Lingjun did the most with the guillotine bestowed by the emperor, killing people in droves, making officials from all walks of life tremble with fear at the mere mention of his name.
Feng Lingjun knew that by doing this, he was completely cutting himself off from officialdom, and he didn't know how many people he would offend. Many high-ranking and powerful figures regarded him as a thorn in their side and wished they could get rid of him as soon as possible.
He knew all this, and even before leaving the capital, he made plans, repeatedly reminding himself not to act impulsively, to try not to use the guillotine bestowed upon him by the emperor, and to use the power granted to him by the emperor to promote some pillars of the country who truly serve the people.
But ideals are lofty, while reality is harsh. Along the way, he didn't find many capable leaders; instead, he encountered one corrupt official after another, fat and greedy, who were only thinking about how to squeeze money out of the people.
Then, in his plan, the imperial guillotine, which was not to be used unless absolutely necessary, has never been truly cleaned since the first day it saw blood. Before the bloodstains on it have even dried, another head is sent down.
This almost unbridled style of doing things earned him a reputation that was almost worshipped among the common people. The title "Feng Qingtian" was passed down by word of mouth and continued to be sung throughout the Daqian Dynasty.
However, Feng Qingtian, who was praised by the people, was a completely different extreme in the officialdom. Officials outside the capital would spit on him no matter who mentioned him.
As for Kyoto, although there were many who criticized him, there was also a lot of relief, since they had finally gotten him out of the capital and sent him to the provinces to wreak havoc on those "local tyrants".
Feng Lingjun knew all of this, but after he started killing, he didn't care much anymore. Except for some initial worries, he had already tested the waters.
Within the vast territory of Da Gan, no one dared to touch him, thanks to his grandson who was rumored to be the reincarnation of a saint. Even though he broke the tacit understandings among officials since the founding of Da Gan and trampled on countless rules, he remained unscathed.
"Do you still want to write a memorial to the throne?"
A slightly childish voice rang out in the study, which appeared to be empty except for Feng Lingjun. Feng Lingjun, whose once-white hair had long since turned completely black, responded softly, seemingly unsurprised by such a response.
"Um!"
"What a hassle! By the time you finish writing the memorial and submit it, then wait for the emperor to review it and appoint officials, and finally get all this tedious work done, it will take at least another ten days to half a month!"
"With the Mohist mechanical warships, perhaps it won't be that long!"
Feng Lingjun responded while writing the memorial.
Although the little creature he raised was ungrateful and found it troublesome, the power he wielded was already outrageous compared to that of an ordinary inspector.
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But no matter how outrageous it is, everything he possesses was bestowed upon him by the emperor. He can execute people first, but after executing them, he must explain the reason for the execution clearly, otherwise, the crime will be serious.
Arbitrary execution of officials!
Even the emperor wouldn't want to bear this responsibility. Killing someone requires a legitimate and justifiable reason. Killing someone at will is the act of a bandit or robber.
"It's still troublesome, having to stay here for so long. Why don't you just petition the emperor to send all those guys from the Hanlin Academy over to follow you? Kill one, and you can just replace them with another!"
"Then I might as well petition His Majesty to abdicate and give me the dragon throne he's sitting on!"
Hearing those nonsensical words from beside him, Feng Lingjun responded irritably.
"Fine, fine, then make that dog emperor abdicate! I've disliked that guy for a long time. Every time I see him, the way he looks at me is weird!"
"Stop talking nonsense. How can a subject have such disloyal and unjust thoughts?"
Hearing that the guy next to him actually took what he said seriously, Feng Lingjun paused slightly as he held the wolf-hair brush that was moving across the memorial.
"Didn't you say it yourself?"
"That was a joke!"
"A king's word is law, Grandfather. If you wish to become emperor, your grandson is willing to lend a hand and try to see if you can sit on that throne!"
At this moment, a third voice rang out in the study, which appeared to be empty except for one person. Accompanied by a low roar, a handsome and ethereal Taoist appeared.
Along with the Taoist priest, a strange beast that had been lying beside the old man now stood up and assumed an attack posture.
It was a strange beast no bigger than a small lamb, not very large, but its shape resembled a Qilin. Its whole body was covered with thick, dark fur, its eyes were bright and spirited, and it had a horn on its forehead.
Haechi!
If Feng Bingwen couldn't recognize such a distinctive beast, it would be a waste of his status as the Supreme Daoist.
Upon seeing this strange beast for the first time, Feng Bingwen felt that he had found the root cause of his old man's killing spree. Corrupt officials are not so easy to identify, after all, no one would wear the words "I am a corrupt official" on their face.
Some corrupt officials may appear to be incorruptible and live a frugal life, seemingly impoverished, but in reality, the wealth they have amassed is beyond the imagination of ordinary people.
However, if a Xie Zhi (a mythical beast) accompanies them, no matter how well corrupt officials disguise themselves, it will all be in vain. When they encounter such an auspicious creature that can discern people's true intentions, no matter how deep their cunning or how good their acting skills are, it will be of no use at all.
"Wen'er?!"
The inspector, who was writing a memorial, stared blankly at the Taoist priest who had suddenly appeared in his temporary study. Then, a smile appeared on his face, which could be described as stern and intimidating even without any expression.
"You're back!"
"Yes, I'm back. I just came from my grandma's!"
Feng Bingwen nodded and replied that he had given up the idea of bringing his grandmother over to stay with his grandfather. He decided to let the old man stay by himself.
Whatever the reason, his old man is indeed quite troublesome. He's already quite old, yet he's so bloodthirsty. I never realized it before.
How is your grandma?
The person who has been with him for most of his life, even now, is someone who has undergone a complete transformation and wields considerable power, that the old man cannot relinquish.
"I eat well, sleep well, and my health is getting better and better, but I don't have anyone to keep me company!"
Feng Bingwen recounted the story truthfully, but his gaze couldn't help but fall on the Xie Zhi that had completely relaxed, was no longer on guard, and was even lazily lying back down.
"That's good, that's good. I'll make time to go back sometime in a while!"
Upon receiving the news from home, Feng Lingjun's smile was no longer so stiff. With a strange beast following him, he hadn't smiled in a long time. After all, no official could hide their true thoughts from him, and corrupt officials couldn't pretend in front of him.
"Excuse my bluntness, but given your current condition, it's best not to go back. Although I've arranged some guardian spirits for Grandma, I'm not sure how many people you've offended so far!"
Feng Bingwen sincerely suggested that no matter how bad the cultivation world was, there were still some cultivation families in the country. He was fearless, but he couldn't ignore his family.
Given the way the old man killed, who knows if he killed any of the clansmen from cultivation families? Maybe he did, which isn't surprising.
"this……"
Hearing his grandson bring up the matter, even the old man felt a little embarrassed. After all, what he did was, in a sense, the behavior of a radical youth. However, the difference was that he could put it into action and directly eliminate the people and things he disliked.
He knew this was wrong, but he simply couldn't stand those who preyed on the people and put on airs in front of him, displaying a shameless attitude of caring for the people and being loyal to the emperor and the country. In comparison, sending them to the guillotine to end their lives would make him feel at ease and his mind would be at peace.
"Let's not talk about that anymore. I want to ask, what's the deal with this xiezhi?"
Feng Bingwen raised his finger and pointed to a magical beast that looked somewhat familiar but was completely different from what he remembered. He had some guesses in his mind, but they seemed a bit far-fetched.
"You don't recognize him?"
The old man's face showed an indescribable surprise.
"Is that the black cat?!"
Feng Bingwen's expression was also somewhat subtle. In just a few years, how did that little black cat turn into this?
"Yes, it's the kitten born to the little tabby kitten you brought home, didn't you know?"
The old man was somewhat surprised. He knew more or less what he needed to know, and he was too lazy to ask about what he shouldn't know. Anyway, he couldn't control it, and knowing would only be a waste of his energy.
"I never expected it to be a xiezhi!"
Feng Bingwen couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose. This trip home had been full of unexpected events.
When the old man passed the imperial examination and went to the capital, he also took the little black cat he had picked up with him. He didn't pay much attention to it, after all, the black cat did have the ability to ward off evil spirits and could protect the old man during the tiring journey. But he didn't expect that the little black cat's ability to ward off evil spirits seemed to be a bit too much.
"I didn't expect that either."
Feng Lingjun's expression was also somewhat complicated. If it weren't for this strange beast that could discern people's hearts and expose corrupt officials, his current situation would probably be completely different. He might even have joined forces with those lazy and incompetent people.
However, he has now become a righteous official who strikes fear into the hearts of corrupt officials and earns the gratitude and anticipation of the people.
"Tsk!"
Feng Bingwen didn't comment too much on this. In any case, he felt that he could still keep his old man in check with his own cultivation level, given the commotion his grandfather had caused.
As for why the little black cat he obtained through the Heavenly Book turned into a Xie Zhi, he felt it had little to do with him, but rather with the influence of the old man's experiences over the past few years.
The Xie Zhi is a mythical beast.
Unlike auspicious creatures that prefer to hide in deep mountains and marshes, the Xie Zhi, known as the Dharma Beast, has an exceptionally close relationship with the human race, after all, the first law was promulgated by the human race.
"Speaking of which, Grandpa, didn't you dream of becoming emperor? If you think the person sitting up there isn't good enough, I can help him move over so you can sit there for a while!"
"I already said it was a joke, so don't try anything funny!"
Hearing his grandson's words, Feng Lingjun was startled. Although most of his understanding of his grandson came from secret texts, he now had a vague feeling that his grandson could really turn them into reality.
"How can this be called reckless behavior?"
Feng Bingwen smiled. The old man's reaction was not unexpected. Although he did not see much respect or awe for imperial power on the old man's face, the idea of changing dynasties so often was still beyond the old man's tolerance.
"I'm already this old, what use am I for being an emperor? I don't have that ability!"
Feng Lingjun's smile faded, and he regained his original seriousness. Although he was not entirely satisfied with the current situation, he had not yet considered changing the dynasty. Moreover, he felt that he might not be able to do a better job than the current dynasty if he were to take the position himself.
"Oh, I see. Then forget it!"
Feng Bingwen shook his head with a regretful expression, which made the old man's heart pound.
But even if the old man really had this intention, Feng Bingwen wouldn't do it. The consequences of changing dynasties were too great. If he didn't handle it well, he might die. For a cultivator, the most taboo thing is to participate in the change of the human world.
"You came here looking for me, only to say these nonsensical things?"
"No, I just came back from outside and came to see you. If you don't like it, I'll go find my parents now. I heard my dad found a golden toad, and I'm quite curious about it!"
"You didn't arrange this?"
Feng Lingjun frowned. Although he didn't know whether it was intentional or unintentional, the changes in the Feng family over the years had been led by this grandson who clearly had an extraordinary background.
"This golden toad has absolutely nothing to do with me. If I were to make arrangements, I would never choose a toad!"
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