Chapter 481 The Third Realm of the Way of Emperor
The first realm of the Way of Emperor was the powerful heart to reach the top and not to yield to others. The second realm of the Way of Emperor was the benevolent heart to have the world in his heart and to help people live in peace. These two realms were more like the requirements of one’s heart to become an emperor and the test of the emperor’s temperament.
In other words, this was the foundation of philosophy.
And when Li Ye touched the breath of the third realm of the Way of Emperor today, it was more like a methodology—a methodology to become an emperor.
It was a method to control people’s hearts and make them work for you.
Of course, if an emperor wanted to achieve great things, he couldn’t fight only by himself, but he needed to lead a lot of people to fight together. If he could make all people in the world fight with him, he would definitely become an emperor. Now Li Ye understood how to make everyone work for him.
That was a method to control people’s hearts.
To become a qualified emperor, one needed to be proficient in many methods, but the most basic method was to make all people be united and work for him. Without people’s follow, there would be no emperors.
The process of Li Ye’s killing the Big Master and getting the command of the team was undoubtedly a method to control people’s emotions and thoughts.
There was a classical gate of vicissitudes in the indescribable void in Li Ye’s consciousness. He stood outside the door and saw a dragon pattern on it, which was a pattern of a dragon flying in the sky. And below the dragon pattern, there was the vast territory of the country and countless soldiers and ordinary people.
Now, three spots lit up on the dragon body on the door, and the door was 30% to 40% open.
He tried to enter the dazzling door, and the scroll of the Luck of heaven silently opened between his eyebrows. With one step, he stepped in.
He was very familiar with the scene in front of him. Under his feet were the five states of Pinglu. Looking to the north, he could see crisscross mountains and rivers, and scattered cities and villages, and there were countless soldiers and ordinary people, as small as ants, among them. It looked like the northern territory of the Tang Empire.
In Li Ye’s Immortal Area, all other areas were transparent, except for the five states of Pinglu,
Li Ye was standing in the sky above the northern territory right now. As his mind moved, the Dragon Qi in his body flew out and soared to the sky, crying loudly.
At the same time, the Dragon Qi was emitting bright cyan light all over the earth, like the sun. As soon as the dotted cyan light fell on the land, the land became more solid.
Countless spots of different colors gradually lit up on the land, white, yellow, and red, all over the place. The spots formed a line, and the lines formed a surface. Li Ye felt that every light spot was an official, a soldier, or an ordinary person who was completely loyal to him.
There was something special among the light spots. They gave off a halo of light, as if they had the power to affect the surrounding dark spots.
...
Taiyuan, Hedong.
Li Zhen was dealing with political affairs in the commissioner’s mansion. The documents piled up like a hill on the desk, and there were more than one. Li Zhen was completely blocked inside.
When Li Ye left Pinglu, he appointed Li Zhen as the Hedong commissioner. He was in charge of all military and political affairs in Hedong now.
He had a multitude of things to do in governing a new place. He had to screen and get rid of Li Keyong’s surviving supporters, eliminate the bandits in the mountains, abolish the exorbitant taxes and levies, repair the irrigation facilities, and settle the refugees... In particular, he needed to fully implement the administrative measures of Pinglu in Hedong, which was a huge project.
The oil lamp had not yet burned out, but the morning light sprinkled on the desk through the window gauze. Li Zhen, who was immersed in political affairs, didn’t immediately notice it. It was not until several maidservants brought the breakfast to him and called him several times that he looked up and brought back his mind. He realized that another night had passed.
Putting down the brush, Li Zhen went to the dining table for breakfast.
While serving Li Zhen, the sex-serving maidservant felt distressed and persuaded him in a soft tone, “You’re diligent in political affairs. I don’t have the right to say much, but you should take care of yourself. If you fall ill, the political affairs in Hedong will be delayed.”
Li Zhen glanced at the maidservant and smiled. “I think that it’s not the political affairs that will be delayed, but someone’s affairs.”
As a Confucian scholar, Li Zhen already reached the Literary Master Realm and was only a step away from the Literary Grandmaster Realm. Although a Confucian scholar’s cultivation was not aimed at a strong body and an outstanding fighting ability, a few days without sleep really didn’t matter.
When the maidservant met Li Zhen’s teasing smile, her face immediately turned red to the neck. Since Li Zhen pointed out her little plan, she was so ashamed that she wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. However, Li Zhen kept looking at her with ridicule, so she could only run away in panic. “You eat it yourself. I’m leaving!”
As Li Ye’s right-hand man, Li Zhen had been busy with political affairs all these years. He often spent all night working and had no time to get married. There was no hostess in his mansion, and only a few sex-serving maidservants were the most “intimate” with him.
Although they were maidservants, they were also young girls from a family of scholars. They understood poetry and books, so they had common topics with Li Zhen. Besides, they were gentle and considerate.
Li Ye carefully selected them for Li Zhen.
As a qualified master, Li Ye certainly knew how to think more about his right-hand man.
Li Zhen needed to work in the political hall in the morning. Every day in the political hall, Li Zhen would issue decrees or hold meetings, and the officials would report their work or ask for instructions.
After breakfast, Li Zhen went to the political hall. At about nine o’clock, he suddenly felt something while he was communicating with an official. He looked up at the sky outside the door, his eyes full of shock.
He was so shocked that he left behind the official who was speaking, rushed out of the door, and flew to the roof. Looking at the eastern sky, he sensed it carefully.
The more concentrated he was, the more shocked he was. Besides him, the other Confucian scholars in the mansion, who reached the Scholar Realm, all rushed out of the door and came to the courtyard to look at the eastern sky.
“Commissioner, what’s going on?” The secretary of the commissioner’s mansion came behind Li Zhen and asked in surprise.
“It seems that everyone has sensed it. It’s His Highness’ breath.”
Li Zhen kept silent for a moment, deep in thought. “But the strange thing is that there is an obvious emperor’s breath in His Highness’ breath... His Highness is extraordinary. He had this kind of temperament before, but in the final analysis, it was just a temperament, but now it becomes a breath and is released.”
The secretary asked in confusion, “But His Highness is not in the Tang Empire. How could his breath travel 500 kilometers so that we could sense it so clearly here?”
Li Zhen couldn’t answer this question. He concentrated, steadied his breath, and sensed it with his eyes close. A while later, he opened his eyes, looking more shocked. “I feel that my cultivation improved greatly just now! It’s like an additional force pushed my cultivation forward...”
As a Literary Master, Li Zhen’s moral articles were enough to civilize all people in a city and make them benevolent and kind. But now he clearly felt that the radiation range of his articles expanded by a full 20% just now!
The secretary also quickly concentrated and sensed it. A while later, he cried out, “My cultivation has improved as well! I feel that the power of my articles has increased by nearly 20%! Commissioner, what’s going on?”
Li Zhen frowned and narrowed his eyes. He said solemnly with respect, “It seems that His Highness has encountered a great opportunity in the territory of the demon clan, so we can also benefit from it... But I have never heard of it before. What has His Highness got?”
After thinking for a while, Li Zhen didn’t figure it out.
However, as a commissioner, he knew what to do at this moment, so he ordered, “Deliver my order. Ask all the Confucian scholars in the officials of Taiyuan to gather together in the political hall two hours later. I have important instructions! Then, ask all the Confucian scholars in the officials of Hedong, whose cultivation has reached the Scholar Realm, to come to the commissioner’s mansion and report on their work within a half month!”
The secretary knew that it was a matter of great importance, so he quickly accepted the order.
Two hours later, more than a hundred officials gathered in and out of the political hall.
Li Zhen looked around at everyone in the main seat. “I think that all of you sensed the power of His Highness’ breath two hours ago and that all your cultivation has increased to different degrees. This is a top secret. No one is allowed to leak it out. Those who leak the secret will be beheaded!”
“I ask you to hand over your political affairs to your colleagues from now on and then to go to the counties and villages under the jurisdiction of Taiyuan to spread policies, preach, civilize ordinary people, and publicize His Highness’ righteousness within a month. I will reward you here a month later!”
All the officials bowed and accepted the order.
When all the officials left, Li Zhen was the only one left in the political hall.
He came out of the door, stood under the eaves, and looked at the eastern sky with a solemn and sacred expression. There was a sense of devoutness and indomitable will in his eyes. “Your Highness, Chang’an has been captured, and His Majesty has moved to Fengxiang in the west. Zhu Wen has occupied the surrounding vassal states and has greater power than the Central Plains. Except for the commissioners in the north, almost all the other commissioners in the world are fighting in battles. The Tang Empire is in chaos. It’s time for Your Highness to make great achievements. I’ll do my best to govern places and civilize ordinary people for you to strengthen your power!”
...
In the afternoon, Li Zhen drew up official documents in the east study. The secretary came to report, “Commissioner, Xu Cengming is here.”
Li Zhen’s look became serious. He put down the brush. “Ask him to here.”
Xu Cengming was the patriarch of the Xu family in Daizhou. Daizhou was the northern border of Hedong and the base camp of the Daibei Border Army. The Xu family was the biggest noble family in Daizhou, and there were cultivators of the Taoist sect and Buddhism, military warriors of Militarism, and Confucian scholars. It was big and powerful, so it couldn’t be underestimated.
More than half the young talents of the Xu family took office in Daizhou and the Daibei Border Army. It could be said that the Xu family was in charge of 40% of the border defense force in the northern Hedong.
Moreover, the Xu family had marriage connections with various noble families in Daizhou and Hedong. It had enormous power and influence. It was even said that several big mountain bandits in the northern Hedong had some contact with the Xu family. Even the grassland tribes had to give a face to them.
In a word, the Xu family was the most troublesome local villain for the local chief official. It wasn’t easy to eliminate them only by sending out a few Great Cultivators.
After Li Zhen took office in Hedong, the Xu family was always troublesome. The Xu family thought that they were powerful, so they disobeyed his orders, and they were arrogant and unruly. They had a bad impact and caused much damage to the majesty of the government office.
Because it was a short time after Li Zhen became the Hedong commissioner, he didn’t have time to resolve the problem of the Xu family.
He slightly sorted out the political affairs some time ago. He took the opportunity of Xu Cengming’s birthday to send some gifts to the Xu family and invite the patriarch of the Xu family to Taiyuan. He was ready to resolve the problem of the Xu family thoroughly, step by step.
A moment later, a middle-aged man in a Confucian robe, whose temperament was like iron, and a tall, strong, dark-skinned man entered the door.
“Commissioner, I’m Xu Cengming, the secretary of Daizhou!”
“Commissioner, I’m Xu Cengshou, the administrator of Daizhou!”
As soon as they entered the door and saw Li Zhen standing up in the main seat, they immediately bowed.
“You don’t have to be so polite. Please take your seats.” Li Zhen greeted them eagerly. They were well-behaved and bowed their waists low when saluting. He was a little surprised by their meek and polite looks.
“Thank you, Commissioner.” Xu Cengming and Xu Cengshou thanked him first, and then they sat down on the chairs next to them with their heads lowered. All that time, they didn’t look directly at Li Zhen, as if they were afraid of his majesty. When they were seated, they didn’t sit firmly, but they just sat on the edges of the chairs.
“I heard that there are many outstanding people in the Xu family. When I see you today, I know that this is true.” Li Zhen smiled and greeted them. He was a little confused by their cautious attitude.
A few days ago, it was Xu Cengming’s birthday. When the official sent by Li Zhen to give gifts came back, he told Li Zhen that the people of the Xu family were very arrogant when they met. They treated him badly and they were domineering. When Xu Cengming finally promised to go to Taiyuan, he acted like giving in charity, as if he wanted to take this opportunity to pressure Li Zhen.
The official was Li Zhen’s trusted subordinate, and he was honest and upright. Li Zhen knew that he would not lie, so why did Xu Cengming and Xu Cengshou act like this?
“Commissioner, you flatter me. Compared with you and His Highness, we’re useless,” Xu Cengming quickly said in fear and trepidation with cupped hands. He even said that they were useless.
Li Zhen gazed at him, trying to see if he was acting and trying to humiliate him by an exaggerated move with fear.
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