Chapter 115: Chapter 80: The General and the Chancellor, Great Harvest, Great Yin’s Number One in Comprehension
This year, there are no disasters in Great Yin.
However, the emergence of the Demon Buddha at Xinci Temple has shaken the imperial court and the common people.
In the past, even when there were demons in Great Yin, they were never outrageous to the point of being "undefeatable."
In other words, as long as there were a thousand armored soldiers against the demons, they could certainly be dealt with.
The ones that couldn’t be dealt with were usually skilled in some strange Demon Technique, and such situations were typically handled by the Prime Minister’s Office.
But this time, Liang Shigu, the defending general of Cyan Wood Province, led a thousand elite cavalry equipped with special gear and was still annihilated by the Demon Buddha in direct combat, even Liang Shigu himself perished.
Both the Ministry of War and the Prime Minister’s Office knew well Liang Shigu’s level as a general.
He was a renowned general of Great Yin, decisive and swift in battle.
The battles Liang Shigu fought and everything that happened in Cyan Wood Province were reported by Governor Zhou Chihe.
General Sheng Chuanxiong, who temporarily took over for Liang Shigu, also wrote a corresponding report.
Surprisingly, the reports from Zhou Chihe and Sheng Chuanxiong were coincidentally consistent, essentially stating facts as they were.
Therefore, after reading them, the high-ranking officials of Great Yin fell into silence.
...
Half a month later...
The Prime Minister’s Office.
A middle-aged man, whose beard had turned white but whose face did not show age, was playing chess under an old tree.
But there was no one sitting across from him.
He held a black piece in his left hand and a white piece in his right, sometimes pondering, sometimes placing a piece.
At this moment, someone came to report from outside: "Prime Minister, Young General Wang is here to visit you."
The middle-aged man’s name was Yan Fujing, the current Prime Minister.
Upon hearing this, Yan Fujing nodded, put down the chess piece, got up, and followed the servant to the reception hall of the Prime Minister’s Office.
In the hall, he saw a young general in silver armor standing there.
This young general was Wang Zhirui, the youngest son of "Grand General" Wang Baxian.
However, although Wang Zhirui was the son of the Grand General, he was thoroughly suppressed for some minor reasons, with no path for promotion.
The Sovereign of Yin Country was merely a figurehead, and the true control over most promotion paths was held by the Prime Minister.
Why would the Prime Minister open the door of convenience for the son of a political enemy?
But that was before.
Just days ago, in the palace, Yan Fujing took the initiative to recommend Wang Zhirui for an official position, lifting this young general, who had been blocked for half a year, to a commanding position over some of the capital’s troops.
And today, Wang Zhirui appeared in the Prime Minister’s Office.
A few days ago, he might not have understood, but now... the strategists of the Ministry of War had analyzed the matter for him. Besides, he had also received a letter from the Grand General.
So today, he came here.
"My dear nephew, what brings you here today?" The Prime Minister asked casually while seated in the hall.
Wang Zhirui didn’t beat around the bush and directly bypassed "the matter of the Prime Minister recommending him," and clasped his fist, saying, "Yesterday, my father sent a letter, saying that the ’Three Disasters’ and the chaos of the Demon Buddha are all caused by demons.
My father hopes that grudges with the Prime Minister can be set aside temporarily, and we can join hands to fight against the demons, leaving other matters until after the demons are repelled."
Yan Fujing nodded and smiled, saying lightly, "That is exactly my intention."
Immediately, he clasped his hands behind his back, sighing, "In the past, both the Grand General and I held essentially the same view, thinking that although demons are strong, they would not shake the foundation of the nation.
But last year’s Three Disasters and this year’s Demon Buddha have taught us stubborn old folks a valuable lesson."
The smile on his face disappeared, he slowly shook his head, and then solemnly said, "Without the skin, where will the hair attach? In this chaotic world of demons, where trends are emerging, the grudges between the Prime Minister and the General indeed should be set aside."
Wang Zhirui respectfully said, "This is also my father’s intention."
Yan Fujing suddenly said, "Young General Wang, you have exceptional talent. When it comes to cultivation, it seems you have already achieved small success with the Grandmaster Cultivation Technique of your Wang family, correct?
But... are you interested in cultivating Secret Martial Arts?
Our Prime Minister’s Office has Bone Marrow Cleansing Pills and Great Blood Qi Pills, which can enhance innate talent and qi and blood. With talent alone, you can advance by leaps and bounds."
Wang Zhirui pondered for a long while.
In the past, he would have surely refused.
How could the son of a grand general possibly cultivate demon techniques?
Moreover, how could the Prime Minister pass on Secret Techniques to the son of a political enemy?
But now, something that was entirely impossible before is becoming a reality.
Wang Zhirui bowed deeply, saying, "It is better to accept than to defer.
Zhirui will personally verify what this Secret Martial Arts truly is."
Yan Fujing stroked his beard and nodded.
Under the immense pressure from demons, the once antagonistic Prime Minister and the General finally began to move towards each other.
The storm clouds are gathering, and what follows... will indeed be a storm.
"The Three Disasters can be considered natural disasters, but the Demon Buddha is already a man-made calamity."
Yan Fujing suddenly opened his mouth again, then looked seriously at Wang Zhirui and said, "I plan to extinguish the Demon Buddha in its infancy. I wonder what the Grand General thinks."
Wang Zhirui respectfully said, "I will certainly convey this."
...
...
In the golden autumn of October, it came in the blink of an eye.
The Cyan Wood Province announced the exam results.
Zhou Jihai’s name was prominently on the list, and as he followed the list upward, as expected, the top name was Li Xuan.
Once the results were announced, Li Xuan made a series of visits in the State City, then rode back home.
Letters from home came intermittently.
Along with them, there were also oral messages.
Master Li’s anxious heart was temporarily at ease. Although Mr. Ying was missing, no further issues arose for the Li family.
When Li Xuan left Cyan Wood Province, Zhou Jihai was quite reluctant to part.
Commandery Princess Chunyang, accompanied by her son, escorted Li Xuan to the city outskirts before departing... despite the chaos outside and the impending winter, she still had to head north to visit the empress dowager.
