Chapter 174 Power
After Qiu Xiang escorted Li San Niang back to the Li family, the lights in the courtyard of Li's father, mother, eldest brother, and second brother were turned off.
Before going to bed, Li San Niang opened the task system as usual, intending to take a quick look. However, when she clicked on the task bar, she found that the system had displayed a task completion progress bar.
At this point, it displays something like "5/100 complete".
Li San Niang quickly calculated how many people she had saved since the start of Mission Five.
The money I saved this afternoon for Yang Niangzi can be settled directly. Including the three black-clad men from the Bad Guys I just saved, that makes four.
Shunzi and Yingniang, who both longed for a child, were not yet ready to succeed; it was not their turn.
Lady Bai, who came for treatment yesterday, couldn't possibly recover so quickly.
It seems that the last one to be successfully treated is Hui Niang, who was infected because her clothes were given to others for washing.
Looking at the number, Li San Niang felt very optimistic about her future and even started thinking about what kind of wish she should make when the mission was successful.
If I were to make a wish to travel back to the modern era, I wonder if it would come true?
It's past midnight.
The Duke of England's residence, the Duke of England's study.
The brightly lit room contained only two people.
Dressed in black, Duke Xu Jingye of England had a serious expression. He felt very distressed as he faced his younger brother, who had been his grandmother and mother's precious child since childhood and had been sent to Wudang Mountain at a young age, whom he could not scold or beat.
Xu Jingzhen, on the other hand, still looked like a refined young nobleman.
Xu Jingye picked up the tea that had long since gone cold from the table, took a sip of the ice-cold tea, put down the teacup, and said to Xu Jingzhen earnestly, "Sanlang, why do you have to do this?"
You didn't want to be restricted before, and I went along with you;
Since you don't like those mundane things, I've given them all to Erlang.
Since you enjoy hiking and traveling, I'll allow you to withdraw money from my account at will.
You're almost thirty, and now you're telling me you want to take up an official post? My elder brother is getting on in years; you can't scare me like this.”
Xu Jingzhen stood up, lifted his robe, and knelt down directly in front of Xu Jingye. After kowtowing, he looked at the surprised Xu Jingye and said from the bottom of his heart, "I know that because of my fate since childhood, I have received much love and care from my relatives. I was unintentional in the past, and I have troubled you, elder brother."
As he spoke, Xu Jingzhen kowtowed again, “My elder brother and I are all a few years apart in age. I have been loved by my elder brothers since I was a child. Father passed away early, and I have no memory of him. But my elder brother is like a father to me.”
Then Xu Jingzhen kowtowed again.
“I know my elder brother means well, but I only became clear-headed when I was almost thirty.”
Because of my status as Xu Sanlang of the Duke of Yingguo's mansion, outsiders mostly fawn over me and treat me with great courtesy.
This is the glory passed down from our grandfather, and it is thanks to my eldest brother that we have been able to preserve it.
The younger brother simply follows behind his elder brother and does nothing to share in the glory.
At home, from his grandmother and mother to his two older brothers, everyone doted on him because of his unique destiny. His second brother, though only a few years older, had always been considerate of him since childhood. For nearly thirty years, he had taken his family's love for granted.
Xu Jingzhen paused for a moment before continuing, “I am extremely grateful for all of this. However, I want to live the life I want. I want to make choices for my own life, instead of listening to my elder brother, doing what he tells me to do, and doing things that only he thinks are good for me.”
Xu Jingye did not call Xu Jingzhen to get up. At this moment, he was no longer the elder brother who doted on his younger brother; he was now the Duke of Yingguo, the ruler of this vast mansion.
"Do you know that Emperor Wu is eyeing the Duke of Ying's mansion covetously?"
Most of what Aweng left behind is now in Emperor Wu's hands.
I walk on thin ice every day, trembling with fear.
Every day I think about how to preserve this last bit of strength as much as possible, how to ensure the continuation of the family line, and how to survive in this raging flood.
Now, you've enjoyed the family's upbringing, yet you're going to become a traitor?
Xu Jingzhen stood up from the ground and sat back down in the chair. Looking at Xu Jingye, who seemed like a complete stranger, she said, "Brother, when a flood comes, it can't be stopped or avoided. It needs to be channeled. Brother, you'll understand later that I made the right choice. It's late, brother, you should rest early. I'm sleepy, I'll go back now."
Xu Jingzhen stood up, bowed to Xu Jingye, took two steps back, turned around, opened the door, and left.
Xu Jingye, who was left alone in his study, was not awakened until the servants called him softly at dawn. Looking at the sky outside the window, which was already showing some light, he said, "The weather is going to change."
Xu Jingzhen participated in a special imperial examination held by the Ministry of Personnel three days ago. This examination was specially authorized by Emperor Wu to select talents from the common people.
The exam covers a wide range of topics, from mathematics to construction.
This unique method of selecting talent contradicts the previous rule that aristocratic families could only determine their rank and official position based on their family background.
On a small scale, it was just a few minor official positions of the sixth or seventh rank. But on a larger scale, it was Emperor Wu's way of curbing the power of aristocratic families. He wanted to reduce the control of these families over various affairs in the court by selecting officials from humble backgrounds.
How could this not arouse the resentment of powerful families?
Empress Wu was originally a very aggressive ruler; she killed quite a few people when she first became emperor.
Now that the world is at peace and the entire Tang Dynasty is showing signs of prosperity and vitality, it should be the most peaceful time to live. Who would have thought that Emperor Wu would have to contend with the powerful families at this time?
Secretly, the powerful families all resented this, because only when they held power in their own hands could they be superior to others; if they gave it to others, they would become like dogs.
Therefore, when the Ministry of Personnel announced the opening of this special imperial examination, apart from those from poor families or wealthy merchants from the south, very few sons of prominent families went to participate.
The few scions of prominent families who went were all from declining families and lacked talent.
However, the day before the registration deadline, Xu Jingzhen took her household registration certificate to register.
The next day he took the exam, and the results were posted yesterday. Xu Jingzhen, who had not wasted his time studying at Wudang Mountain, ranked first and was selected.
Three days later, Xu Jingzhen will be able to take up his post in the Ministry of Personnel.
The news of Xu Jingzhen's selection spread among the wealthy and powerful families immediately. Xu Erlang, who received the news first, immediately went to Xu Jingye to explain the matter.
That's how the scene just now happened.
Xu Jingzhen, who had just returned to Qingjingyuan, said to his servant Wuwei, "Pack up, and when it gets light, move to the house I bought years ago in Tonghuafang."
"My lord, are we really leaving?"
"There are gains and losses in everything. There's really nothing we can do this time," Xu Jingzhen replied with a wry smile.
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