Capital City
Two miles away from the city, one could see a long river. Outside the window, peach blossoms were in full bloom. There was a small stream, and some small fishes were pecking at the petals of the peach blossoms, causing ripples on the surface of the water.
Several wild ducks were floating on the surface of the stream, occasionally pecking at the water. Not far from the stream, there was a small courtyard by the side of the stream, with a window facing the stream.
Pei Zi Yun stood in front of the window, holding onto a brush as he wrote. He seemed to be getting tired from writing, and placed the brush aside. His neck and back were starting to feel uncomfortable. He twisted his body and loosened his muscles to loosen his muscles and bones, allowing his blood to flow smoothly. He then exhaled a mouthful of turbid air. Pei Zi Yun finished reading the book. The title was' Romance of the Western Wing '. He stretched lazily and said, "I've finally finished writing. It's so tiring. Even though I've become a Yin Master, writing for such a long period of time makes my back ache."
As he spoke, he stood up and turned to look at the spring scenery. It was bright and beautiful, and the grass, willows, and even the alleys were all covered in a layer of green.
'This time, I followed this official to the capital city secretly because the original owner's memories had been used up. In order to deal a blow to Xie Cheng Dong, I have to borrow the Crown Prince's strength. Besides, I want to know if the Crown Prince can succeed. ' Just as Pei Zi Yun was deep in thought, a official knocked on the door, "Young Master, are you in? My master invites you to a banquet."
Pei Zi Yun had been in the capital city for a few days now, but hadn't had the chance to meet the Crown Prince.
As he walked out the door, he saw a commonly-dressed official. This official was the one he was meeting with. When he saw Pei Zi Yun, he walked up to him and whispered, "Young Master, the Crown Prince is hosting a banquet today. He will find time to meet you."
Hearing these words, Pei Zi Yun bowed, "Please lead the way."
When the official saw Pei Zi Yun bow, he returned the gesture, "Young Master is too courteous. Please follow me."
Pei Zi Yun boarded an ox-cart and entered the city. The ox-cart passed through the city gates and along the streets. The journey was bumpy, and before long, he could see a mansion filled with ox-carts.
The ox-cart stopped at a secluded corner. There were two guards standing guard at the entrance. The official flashed his token and entered the mansion without making any noise.
He walked to a side room, where it was quiet and secluded. There was a bookshelf, and a small table with a flask of wine and a plate of peanuts. The official then invited him in, "Young Master, please wait a moment."
Pei Zi Yun nodded his head.
At the Crown Prince's banquet, many guests came and went. Among them, there were many important guests. The Crown Prince was either sitting or receiving guests. At this moment, he was talking to a count beside him.
A maid walked forward, carrying a plate with a secret message on it.
The Crown Prince glanced at him and knew that Pei Zi Yun was here. He had long heard of this man's talents, especially his Peace Policy. He had to meet him.
After the maid left for a long time, the Crown Prince ordered the eunuch in a low voice, "Follow me to change."
The so-called change of clothes meant going to the toilet. The eunuch followed the Crown Prince to the toilet. The count, who was at the side, didn't think anything was amiss. He then went to talk to another Marquis.
There were a lot of nobles coming and going. When the Crown Prince went out, he took several quick turns and arrived at a side room in the middle of the corridor. The eunuch automatically stood guard in front of the door.
When the Crown Prince entered, Pei Zi Yun was already waiting for him. When he saw the Crown Prince, he stepped forward and bowed, "Your humble subject pays his respects to the Crown Prince."
The Crown Prince looked at Pei Zi Yun and thought to himself, "He's so young."
The Crown Prince stepped forward and said, "Please rise!"
The both of them sat down. Although time was tight, the eunuch still served tea. The Crown Prince took a sip of tea before speaking, "I've read the Peace Policy, and I like it very much. It's a good policy, and I wish to carry it out. It's just that there's anything you'd like to add, or anything else I should take note of?"
Pei Zi Yun then looked at the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince had a scholarly air about him, and didn't have much of an aura about him. He had a soft and gentle air about him. He thought to himself, 'No wonder the Crown Prince lost to King Lu in the previous life. He was soft and gentle, and lacked masculinity.
Hearing the Crown Prince's question, he replied, "This policy is feasible. It's just that the Crown Prince is here, and needs to be slow. If not, there might be great danger."
"Oh?" The Crown Prince hadn't thought of this, and was taken aback, "Why is that?"
His expression was one of panic.
Pei Zi Yun looked at the Crown Prince, and was somewhat surprised and worried. He then said, "Crown Prince, that day when I presented this policy, there was something I didn't consider thoroughly. The Crown Prince already has a grandson, and this is the foundation of the nation."
"The Crown Prince has a noble temperament, and doesn't like to fight. The Emperor and all the officials know this. With such a drastic change, how would the court view the Crown Prince?"
"Do they think that the Crown Prince has a grandson, and is impatient, and reveals his true colors?"
"I'm afraid that the Emperor will not be pleased, and the officials will be worried. King Lu is like a tiger watching his prey, and will make use of him."
"If we want to carry out this policy, we have to take it slow, and plan it slowly. We have to change it bit by bit, and we will succeed. If we don't have a sense of propriety, and rush forward recklessly, not only will it not be beneficial, it might even be harmful."
Pei Zi Yun said these words, but he didn't mention the most important point. The Crown Prince was the heir to the throne, and had to have his own views.
Pei Zi Yun's policy had caused the Crown Prince to change so much. To put it nicely, he was accepting advice. But to put it bluntly, he was soft hearted, and was easily swayed by the officials. This was the greatest disadvantage of being a ruler.
Hearing these words, the Crown Prince's expression changed. He seemed to be deep in thought, and at the same time, he seemed lost. He paced around for some time before exhaling, "Phew, you're right. This is an important matter, and I'm getting a little anxious."
"If your subject has anything else to say, feel free to say it." The Crown Prince took out his fan and sighed.
Pei Zi Yun stood up and bowed, "The Crown Prince is wise, this humble subject has nothing to say."
When the Crown Prince heard this, he smiled and returned to his seat. He then looked at Pei Zi Yun and said, "Your plan has done a great service, and I'm very pleased. Merits must be rewarded, and mistakes must be punished. Do you have any requests?"
When Pei Zi Yun heard this, he thought about how to reply. If he made too many requests, it would bring trouble. If he didn't make any requests, it would bring trouble. Dealing with the royal family was always troublesome.
As he thought about it, he remembered the father of the original owner. In this era, filial piety was deeply ingrained in the hearts of the people. The imperial court also encouraged this. He hurriedly bowed down, "Crown Prince, this humble subject is a Daoist, how dare I ask for an official to reward me?"
"Many years ago, my father died in the hands of the soldiers in order to quell the rebellion. My mother carried this humble subject on her back and was forced to leave the country. Now that the great Xu Dynasty has eliminated the rebels and brought peace to the world, it is a blessing for the people. This humble subject has been through so much chaos, and only wishes for the Crown Prince to ascend the throne, and bring prosperity to the world."
"Furthermore, I have received the Crown Prince's grace. My father was bestowed an official position by the Crown Prince, and was able to live a peaceful life. My mother was also bestowed the title of Crown Prince. This is a debt that cannot be repaid, which is why I came up with this plan. This is a crime punishable by death, and I plead for the Crown Prince to punish me."
The Crown Prince was thinking about Pei Zi Yun's request, and didn't expect Pei Zi Yun to say such a thing. At this point, he was moved. Filial piety had been practiced throughout the dynasty, and even the Crown Prince was deeply affected by it. Hearing these words, he was reminded of his mother.
The Crown Prince sighed, "Your subject has always been a lonely subject. What crime have I committed?"
After sometime, the Crown Prince seemed to have thought things through. At this point, he changed the topic and asked, "I've heard that your subject has been ambushed many times. Is there a reason behind this?"
"Crown Prince, in this era of peace, this humble subject would not dare to ambush anyone. There must be a reason behind this." Pei Zi Yun sighed, "Dark Altar Sect supports King Lu, and has the intention of swallowing the entire Dao Sect. Along the way, they eliminated the elites of the other sects. This humble subject was targeted, and thus had a conflict with them. This humble subject had traveled to the Southern Kingdoms, and was ambushed several times. Fortunately, I managed to extract some information from them, and found out that this Dark Altar Sect is extremely hard to deal with. They have many henchmen all over the world. It's a pity that this humble subject only managed to extract information from the Liang, Ying and Yong Prefectures."
"Well done." The Crown Prince clapped his hands in praise. He then spoke out coldly, "Dark Altar Sect dares to meddle in the affairs of the world. It's no wonder that second brother was able to spread his influence everywhere.
The Crown Prince paused for some time before speaking out coldly, "Since that's the case, I shall order Thousand Households Zhang to cooperate with you."
After he finished speaking, the Crown Prince turned around and laughed, "I have a question. Since your subject is so talented, why did you choose to become a Daoist?"
Pei Zi Yun replied, "My father died many years ago when he was fighting against the bandits. It wasn't a big deal. As an official, it was normal for him to die for his country."
"It's just that he was slandered by his superiors. They said that he died for the bandits, and his reputation was tarnished."
"Although the world was in chaos at that time, and the previous dynasty didn't come to a conclusion, there was a rumor that spread throughout the counties. Everyone fled for their lives."
"My mother then took my deceased husband's memorial tablet and carried me to Slow River County's Snail Village."
"At that time, a Daoist said that this rumor had affected my deceased father's safety. Hence, for the past eighteen years, he had been wrapped in cloth, and couldn't see the light of day."
"Other people prayed to me every year, but my mother and I could only pray in secret. We were afraid that if we were to see the light of day, we would implicate my deceased father. When I was young, I didn't know about it. When I grew older, I felt terrible. Furthermore, I was young, and didn't know that the Imperial Court's benevolence was as vast as the sun and moon.
"Hence, your humble subject made a vow to seek the blessings of the gods. In the future, I would become a Daoist and become a Daoist. Once I succeeded in my cultivation, I would be able to help my deceased father."
At this point, Pei Zi Yun sobbed, "In the future, although your humble subject passed the High Scholar exams, it was related to my deceased father's wishes. The gods are watching over me, and I dare not regret it."
"Now that the Crown Prince has bestowed an official position upon my deceased father, I am even more satisfied with the light of day."
The Crown Prince was just asking casually. He waved his fan and listened attentively. Hearing the truth, he couldn't help but feel moved. He nodded his head, "So that's how it is. Your subject didn't know that your father made a vow to become a Daoist. I'm very happy for you, but I feel that it's a pity."
"I've also talked about you during our discussions. I've also investigated you. What you said wasn't wrong." The Crown Prince spoke calmly, "It's just that when the dynasty was being established, you killed someone in private. That's a little out of line."
"However, I will remember your contributions!" The Crown Prince laughed, "Today's discussion was good. If there's a chance in the future, we'll talk about it again."
As he spoke, the Crown Prince stood up and left. He had originally come out to change his clothes. Now that fifteen minutes had passed, he naturally had to leave.
Pei Zi Yun hurriedly bowed to the Crown Prince before he shook his head.
"I've come up with a plan. The more I push myself, the more trouble I'll cause."
"It's just that I have to borrow the Crown Prince's strength. In other words, I have to prevent King Lu from ascending to the throne. That's the only way."
"Those transmigrators think that they have the ability to rise in ranks and become rich. Ha, there's an eighty to ninety percent chance that they're seeking death. This time, I'm sincere and sincere. I hope that I can resolve some of the problems I'm facing!"
"That's why I was more concerned with the Crown Prince's situation and didn't give him a plan." Just as he was thinking, the official stepped forward and bowed. He didn't speak as he led Pei Zi Yun out.
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