Chapter 1543 Extra: A Complete Fiction (Part 1)
Another summer has arrived in the blink of an eye.
The sixth year of Yanhuang.
A piece of news spread like wildfire, and rumors abounded.
The emperor decided to suspend court proceedings for two months in one go.
The people were filled with unease, fearing that something might happen to the royal court.
"I heard that the lord is unwell and has fallen seriously ill."
"How could he be seriously ill? I clearly heard that there are traitors from the old dynasty who are still unwilling to give up and have been lurking for years, poisoning our lord!"
"Yes, yes, there was some noise a few mornings ago."
"What kind of poison is so potent? Aren't they supposed to be immune to all poisons?"
"I heard it wasn't because of poisoning. It's said that our lord practiced both literature and martial arts in his early years, which went against the will of Heaven, and something went wrong along the way."
"No, no, it's clearly..."
A weak voice rang out from the crowd.
“My family runs a breakfast stall. A neighbor who is an official in the imperial court has been buying my meat buns for four years without fail. I saw that she went to work on time today as well, and there was nothing unusual on her face.”
If something really happened to the lord, things certainly wouldn't be this normal.
Upon hearing this, a crowd gathered around.
They carefully inquired about the official's expression when he bought the steamed buns.
"What other look could he have? His eyes were half-closed, and he looked even more lifeless than a corpse that had been lying in state for seven days. He looked like he hadn't slept well, clutching this thick booklet in his arms, muttering prayers to the gods and Buddhas, begging the Ministry of Personnel not to fail the assessment..."
audience:"……"
Is this considered normal?
He was clearly worried about his lord's health and couldn't sleep at night.
Otherwise, it wouldn't have the complexion of a corpse whose life force had been drained by a demon.
"...In my opinion, something must have happened. Otherwise, given the diligence of the wise ruler, how could she possibly skip court for two months? Alas, I can only hope that the wise ruler's health will recover soon..." No one wanted to continue living a precarious and turbulent life in this chaotic world.
Recalling the days of displacement, some in the crowd faintly sobbed.
Many people went out of the city to the National Temple to offer incense and pray for blessings.
Since the capital of Kang Kingdom changed from Fengluo to Huangting, the national temple enshrining the spirit tablets of the nation's destiny has been replicated one-to-one. Even if there aren't suitable mountains near Huangting, it doesn't matter; skilled martial artists can simply build one on the spot. Currently, it's a sacred place for the common people to burn incense.
Shen Tang: "..."
Civil and military officials: "..."
The stated reason for the two-month suspension of court was to show consideration for the officials, fearing they would suffer from heatstroke from running around in the sweltering summer heat. However, anyone with a brain knows this reason is untenable. The civil and military officials were either scholars or warriors; they were easily immune to heat and cold, and it's impossible for such a reason to inexplicably lead to the suspension of court. The real reason—
The outer court of the royal palace, where court assemblies are held, is undergoing intensive renovations.
_(:з」∠)_
It finally succumbed to the devastation and collapsed into pieces.
The engineering department in charge of the project and the craftsmen in charge of the work were all dumbfounded.
When the capital of the Phoenix Court was built, the goal was for the buildings to last for two hundred years. How long has it been in use? The craftsman looked up at the Chinese calendar and was sure that it was the sixth year of Yanhuang, not the sixtieth year, let alone the one hundred and sixtyth year.
"How did it collapse?"
If you dig out the floor tiles and tap them with your fingers, you can still hear a metallic sound.
The name of the craftsman who built the floor tiles is clearly visible on the side.
Not only the floor tiles of the main hall, but also the pillars, beams, and tiles inside the hall... all bear the names of the construction time, batch, location, and the craftsmen in charge. They worked diligently on this project, bound by the deep bonds of their entire clan!
"Waaaaah, just six years..."
"It was completely unrecognizable in just six years..."
When those from the Ministry of Works and the Directorate of Works who had participated in the repairs heard the order, their hearts nearly gave way. They seriously suspected that the higher-ups were not sending them to do the repairs, but rather to trick them into going there to behead people and build a Jingguan (a mound of heads) as a warning to others: anyone who dares to do a shoddy project will suffer the same fate.
Good news, they are indeed here to do repair and reconstruction work.
The bad news is that only ruins remain at the original site.
The area around Tingzhengmen was a mess of potholes and debris.
It looked as if a thousand troops had trampled and crashed through the hall.
"Waaah, look, my name is on it too."
"Don't cry, at least you're still alive."
Many craftsmen simply cannot understand why their works, to which they have devoted their entire lives, only last for a short six years.
Well, it might not have been six years yet.
The following year, the lord reinstated the royal court inspection system.
However, the entire continent is too vast, and it's impossible for the royal court to inspect the entire territory in a year. It can only be divided into five parts, with a five-year cycle. In other words, the outer court's auditorium might only be used for three years, leaving it vacant for the other half of the time.
Wiping away her tears of heartache, she continued working, burdened by the ties to her family.
These rumors among the common people also reached the ears of civil and military officials.
Everyone had unspeakable suffering.
What does "two months of silence from court" mean?
Is the daily DingTalk meeting at the appointed time a fake?
The lord merely moved the location of the court meetings from the outer court to "Dingding". He spent the first half of the year inspecting the royal court and the second half working overtime. He was either half-hearted or fictitious all day long, and he only closed his eyes for a short nap for three to five quarters of an hour a day.
"How can a person have such boundless energy?"
Why can't you vent all that energy on other people?
Why must we drag the entire court of officials into this mess?
I'm really going to be driven crazy.
A typical example is the frequent changes in the position of the court attendant.
Yes, the current Imperial Diarist is not the same as the Imperial Diarist 1.0 of yesteryear; it has long been updated to Imperial Diarist 18.0. It's important to understand that the Imperial Diarist was a highly prestigious position, primarily responsible for recording the emperor's words and actions. It was a highly advantageous position, a good springboard for promotion, and a prestigious post close to the central government, belonging to the emperor's inner circle. Often, one needed to be deeply favored to hold this position for an extended period.
If you offend your lord, you might be sent away elsewhere.
The length of service is flexible and there are no specific restrictions.
It can take anywhere from a year and a half to three to five years.
Each of the court attendants was not replaced at the Lord's behest, but rather they themselves proposed the position. They simply couldn't keep up with the Lord's inhuman schedule. Even if they were initially full of enthusiasm to serve the country and make a difference, to leave more records for future generations and pass on the Lord's glorious image, they would become as listless as if their energy had been drained by demons after only half a year.
Officials who served as Imperial Diarists also included a group of victims: "Waaah, I keep dreaming that I'm paralyzed on the ground, clinging to the Empress's legs, begging her to rest with tears streaming down my face. I just can't take it anymore, waaaah, I even dream about the Empress Dowager..."
Working for a long time will make you look pale and lifeless.
Especially when the Lord was still a powerful ruler.
The true value of the eight characters "half-hearted" and "completely fictitious" can only be understood by those who have served as court officials.
They even suspected that if it weren't for the limitations, and if the Empress could transform into countless beings, she could single-handedly handle the entire court's affairs. This boundless energy was so overwhelming it was almost despairing; the Empress's outrageous actions and pronouncements became secondary.
I thought I could finally rest for a few days after the Hall of State Affairs was demolished by a full-blown brawl, but this damned thing called Dingding is always around, making me feel listless.
【you do not say? 】
Several victims were so distressed they wanted to burst into tears.
I understand, I understand your pain.
Senior officials looked up at the sky with melancholy and sighed.
They were used to hardship and didn't find it too difficult, because they had become numb to it from the start. On the contrary, those officials who joined the royal court around the time of the change of reign couldn't bear it; no amount of leave or benefits could compensate for it. The heavy workload was one thing, but another reason was the immense work pressure. Every year, the royal court would inspect, and the emperor would swiftly execute a large number of people; how could local officials not tremble with fear?
The Ministry of Personnel also comes up with new and varied assessment methods every year.
Unfortunately, the young people in the common people and their families, unaware of the situation, regarded the emperor as a beacon of light, and each one of them was eager to enter the cutthroat world of officialdom. The court attendant, aged 18, mixed his tears with wine and drank it down, then, in a daze, was helped home by his colleagues.
The family's only son opened the door and helped her into the house.
"How did you get so drunk?"
Colleague: "Sigh, I'm so bitter inside. I'll just drink to drown my sorrows."
The only son was handsome and youthful-looking, about twelve or thirteen years old. However, he was only six years old half a year ago, and was more than a head shorter than he is now. His colleagues looked at his face, which was getting thinner as he grew up, and said with heartache, "Don't just focus on cultivation, you need to eat more meat. Look at you, you're much thinner than last time, you're almost as thin as a bamboo pole."
The boy nodded in acknowledgment of this concern.
Together with the old servant of the house, they helped their father back home.
He then returned to his study, turned on the light, and studied until dawn.
The old servant had already bought some hot steamed buns.
Pushing open the door, one sees a young man studying at a table, another sitting cross-legged in a wicker chair not far away, and a third reclining on a small couch behind a screen, eyes closed in a nap. The three are identical in appearance, clothing, and even aura. Only after the old servant enters do the napping young man open his eyes, wash up, change into his still-scented, narrow-sleeved, round-necked school uniform, and carefully chew on a piping hot meat bun.
"Young man, it's almost time."
As he spoke, the old servant handed him a cloud-patterned backpack.
It was filled with heavy textbooks and assignments.
This young man of ours is naturally intelligent. Within half a year of enrolling in the small courtyard, he skipped three grades, mastered Qi cultivation, opened his dantian, and condensed his literary heart in one fell swoop. He has been diligent in his cultivation and has not fallen behind in his studies. Outsiders say that he is so intelligent because he is the reincarnation of the God of Literature. Only his family knows that this child is very competitive. If any other child could be as hardworking and ambitious as him, he would become a little prodigy in the surrounding area.
Xiao Lang jogged and jumped onto the wall.
"Wei Sheng!"
Wei Sheng, his schoolmate.
Seeing someone's name usually means they're going to be late.
Of course, it's practically impossible to be late.
The second uncle Wei Sheng mentioned was an inhuman being, much like Wen Guogong's uncle Wu. He would usually not stand idly by and would lend a hand, ensuring that the children who were supposed to be on their way to school were sent to the courtyard on time.
"You two kids—"
Wei Cheng scooped the two boys up, one in each hand.
The strength of a rank 20 Marquis is terrifying; he caught up.
only--
A pointer was placed against the two as they tried to climb over the wall.
Beneath the courtyard wall, that strikingly beautiful yet cold and rigid face stared at them indifferently. The young man said, "Dean, we're not late today. Please let us in, or we'll really be late."
This teacher is the headmaster of this small courtyard.
He loves to wander around catching students who break the rules.
He never smiled, and students privately complained that he was wasting his good looks. However, some parents, upon seeing his face, would instantly contort in horror, as if they had seen something terrifying, and privately warned their children not to mess with him. The dean said, "Who said none of you were late today?"
Xiao Lang: "..."
Wei Sheng: "..."
The dean suddenly laughed and said, "Just kidding."
Fortunately, they didn't make things difficult for the two children in the end.
The dean said, "Today is the day that the public academies under the Imperial Academy are recruiting students. Marquis Wei should not forget this for the sake of his child's future."
Wei Cheng: "You know me?"
The dean chuckled, his face truly remarkable: "I once served under Duke An, and served the royal court alongside my master, and met Marquis Wei."
The Duke An he mentioned was none other than Duke Ning Yan of Anguo.
Wei Cheng then asked, "What does 'special recruitment' mean?"
The dean said, "Isn't it because of your daughters and the others?"
Wei Sheng and the young man were destined for a scholarly path, displaying unparalleled talent from the very beginning of their education. Their teachers predicted that one of them would likely achieve a high rank of second-class official. The final results confirmed this prediction: Wei Sheng achieved a high rank of second-class official, while the young man, slightly less accomplished, still reached the rank of third-class official. This small courtyard certainly had considerable educational resources, but it was still far inferior to the Imperial Academy.
If they can be specially recruited there, that would certainly be a good thing.
Especially Wei Sheng.
Master Chu Yao and his apprentice have proven the strength of the second-rank upper class through their battle achievements.
Wei Cheng said rather bluntly, "I left the child here hoping she could have a few years of peace and quiet. You're thinking of raising her up early so she can be a slave to Shen Youli, aren't you?"
Dean: "..."
If he remembered correctly, the girl from Weicheng's family submitted a miniature Jingguan (a mound of human heads) as her winter vacation homework last time. She said it was inspired by her trip to Fugu City with her family. It was terrifying.
Wei Cheng was not entirely at ease.
I got up to go see what was going on with the special admissions.
Upon seeing this, the dean couldn't help but chuckle.
We followed Wei Cheng's footsteps.
The two boys didn't disturb the people inside the classroom; they simply stood behind the door, peering through the crack to observe what was happening inside. The two boys were about the same height, but the only son of the headmaster appeared thinner and more frail. From the dean's angle, he could just see the boy's profile, his lips pursed.
There was a strange sense of familiarity about it.
I can't recall where it came from for the time being.
Until Wei Cheng exclaimed, "He's definitely good material for being a slave; look how skillfully he used 'silencing and depriving others of their voice'..."
Even a slow reaction time can lead to being caught off guard.
The dean did not respond.
The young master of the Imperial Diarist's household was not old, but his skill in concealing his literary aura was quite strong. When he did not activate his literary aura, outsiders could hardly sense the aura surrounding him. However, the moment he made a move, the literary aura in his dantian surged and dissipated, and the aura became much stronger.
Even someone with limited skills can clearly detect it.
Seeing the dean's expression change, Wei Cheng sneered.
"Oh, you noticed?"
The dean's expression turned cold, and he didn't reply.
Wei Cheng continued his rambling, "Dean, don't you think this child's scholarly air is very similar to your master's?"
The similarity is close to 90%.
The dean said, "It's just a coincidence."
He narrowed his eyes.
Come to think of it, had he seen a similar face somewhere before, the boy's still-developing features? He had a sense of familiarity about it.
It wasn't until the young man and Wei Sheng entered the Imperial Academy that things changed.
|ω`)
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
