In the past, the Liyang Dynasty, which had been belittled as the "Northern Barbarians," was not like West Chu, which had flourished in its literary style. It had never had the position of Grand Tutor or Grand Tutor. After unifying the central plains, it was still like this. Furthermore, to prevent the officials from monopolizing power, even the two provinces under the Hall of Secretaries were empty. Until recently, Huan Wen and Qi Yanglong broke the old rule. The Diligent Room was the study place for the sons and grandsons of the Emperor and the sons and grandsons of the Emperor and the Marquis. The teachers who gave lectures here were all virtuous scholars with both ability and political integrity. It's just that their official rank was not high, so much so that some of the famous scholars who were of the same rank were barely qualified. Even the head of the Diligent Room, Chen Wang, only had the title of Junior Protector above his head. His actual salary was even lower than that of a normal servant of the Hanlin Academy. Thus, when Chen Wang appeared out of nowhere and took over the position of Junior Protector of the Diligent Room, Tai 'an City only thought that a "little Prime Minister" second to Yin Maochun had appeared. He would have to train step by step for a decade or two before he could truly enter the center of power. However, a rumbling rumor quickly spread. Not only did this person have to immediately rush to the Menxia Province to take up an important position, he might even steal food from the tiger's mouth from Yin Maochun, who had controlled the Hanlin Academy for decades. As if to prove this rumor that came from an unknown mansion in the capital, Tantanon and the Imperial College's Left Chancellor, Yao Baifeng, visited Chen Shaobao together. It was said that they had a good chat and became friends despite the difference in age. Looking back at Third Minister Jin, compared to the previously unknown Chen Wang, although he was riding on the crest of success, he had never received such special treatment among the top officials of the dynasty. From this, it could be seen that Chen Wang's ability to "raise Wang" was far more natural and smooth than Jin Lanting. In a moment, Wang County Street in Tai 'an City was filled with nobles and relatives of the Emperor. This originally inconspicuous little county manor was suddenly filled with people and carriages. The grandfather of Chen Wang's wife was not from the legitimate line of the previous Emperor. He was a lowly person and his words carried little weight. However, during the Spring and Autumn War, he stood firmly behind the previous Emperor and waved the flag and shouted for him. The eldest son of the first wife could inherit the title of Commandery Prince of Chai. Chen Wang's wife, as the daughter of the Commandery Prince of Chai, should have been demoted to a county princess. However, the Emperor remembered the loyalty of the two generations of Chai Commandery Princes and made an exception and arranged for her to marry Chen Wang. Now, it was not only Chen Wang, but the Commandery prince of Chai Commandery Prince's skills, skills of Chai Commandery prince.
Chen Wang and the Commandery Princess had already moved out of the Prince's mansion. Their new mansion was not far from each other. If his wife wanted to go back to her parents' home, it would only take the time to drink a cup of tea. At first, Prince Chai was afraid that his daughter's frequent visits would make Chen Wang unhappy. However, as time went by, he discovered that his virtuous son-in-law's breadth of mind was indeed extraordinary. Now that Chen Wang was the Junior Guardian and was about to enter the Menxia Province, which was gradually becoming more and more powerful, he did not have the slightest bit of arrogance that was common among the children of poor families. Because the Chen Mansion was closed to visitors all year round and did not see any strangers, this was an iron rule set by Chen Wang before he became famous. Many opportunists who wanted to warm up the stove had to take a step back and go to the Junior Guardian's father-in-law's mansion with gifts. This made Commandery Prince Chai, who had the nickname of 'Cold Bench Commandery Prince', feel proud. The Commandery Prince Chai, who was slightly older, would visit his neighbors on the street with his hands behind his back. The grievances of the first half of his life were probably swept away.
Great Peace City welcomed its second snowfall. Before the old snow had completely melted, new snow was piled up. The more tired and lazy families didn't even bother to sweep the snow. The elders who were familiar with the solar terms muttered that before the year was over, there might have been a snowy scene to enjoy. It was just that the winter cold was bone-chilling, making it hard for these old bones with one foot in the grave.
However, other than sighing, the elders would often gather their friends around the stove and chat. The common people of the capital under the Son of Heaven liked to point out the country. This was especially the case for these old fellows who had experienced two or even three dynasties of Emperor Li Yang. Even though they were not happy about the rising smoke of the Northwest Frontier Fortress and the ending of the Guangling battle, they were still generally optimistic. After all, the current dynasty had gone through more than twenty years of cultivation and recuperation. Li Yang also had the solid foundation of the Eternal Hui Spring. The old people of the capital who were accustomed to wind and rain believed that by this time next year, the world would be completely at peace. Some of the elders would even think that if they could
See the scene of the current dynasty swallowing up Beimang before they lay in their coffins, then they could die without regrets.
This place in Great Peace City that the common people called Junwang Alley vaguely seemed to be in a confrontation with the street where Grand Secretary Zhang's residence was located. Only, the situations of the two sides were completely opposite. The latter, whenever it was time for morning court and after court, would always be full of people and carriages, while the former's streets were rarely seen. It was because even though the people in the former's residences all had top-notch statuses, apart from an extremely small number of people who could participate in court politics, most of them were pretty to look at but useless embroidered pillows. Ever since Eternal Hui, they had always been excluded from the center of the imperial court by a certain purple bearded and blue eyed individual. As a result, when they made that trip back and forth every morning and evening, they could only be pushed out as decorations during the few imperial court ceremonies that could be counted on one's fingers. The latter's streets were incomparably noisy, everyone dressed in purple scarlet official robes. However, ever since autumn of the first year of Xiangfu, the carriages in the always lifeless Junwang Alley gradually became more frequent. This place that was originally used to standing on its own mountain began to accept many new faces.
Under the twilight, the young master of the Chen Manor that was previously considered to be at the bottom of Junwang Alley took the initiative to bring an unfamiliar guest home. The manor's gatekeeper was an elder who had served the old Junwang Manor for generations, but he still couldn't recognize who this middle-aged man who was still dressed in court clothes was, to actually be able to make the master treat him so seriously. Looking at that person's official patch, it was clearly a brocade embroidered third grade peacock, the elder believed his eyesight was still quite sharp. Whether or not he was an aristocratic family's descendant, the old gatekeeper had confidence that he would be able to recognize him with a single glance. He carefully sized up this fella who crossed the threshold with his master, always feeling like this person's aura was a bit contradictory. He was clearly a civil official, yet he seemed like a military general who had just walked out of the battlefield, yet he also didn't seem like those crude people who often entered and left the Ministry of War's Gu Hut and made a fool of themselves.
The number of servants in the manor was just enough to ensure that the four courtyards of the manor could operate without hindrance. Thus, when Chen Wang and his guest entered the manor and walked all the way to the study, they didn't encounter anyone. Not to mention the luxurious mansions built according to the standards of a prince, even the nearby Junwang Mansions that had three roads and five courtyards, according to the ancestral system, were all bustling with people coming and going at this banquet. In the heavy snow, there was no reason to hold a bowl of wine, invite one or two close friends, and have a high status to talk to one's heart's content. On the contrary, this Chen Manor, which paled in comparison in terms of size, had the richest courtyard with a profound artistic conception.
After the host and guest sat down, a tall woman of middle age rushed over when she heard the news. When she entered the room, her husband was personally brewing tea. The flame in the stove flickered slightly, and the pot of water gradually boiled, adding some warmth to the slightly cold room. Chen Wang raised his head and glanced at his wife. With a smile, he introduced, "This is Assistant Minister Xu of the Ministry of War."
Regardless of status, there were no ignorant and ill-informed people in Junwang Alley. The woman who had been conferred the title of Princess Changle immediately knew of the multiple identities of the visitor. General of the Dragon, Xu Gong, the pillar of support of the Gumu Xu family, and a young and strong general whose prestige ranked among the best in the Liyang Army. Presently, he was ridiculed by everyone in Junwang Alley as the "new wife" of Great Peace City. She had also heard that this Assistant Minister Xu was not very well liked. Although it could not be considered a public promotion or a hidden demotion, it was as difficult as ascending to the heavens for him to successfully integrate into the capital's court as quickly as the Tangxi Sword Immortal, Lu Baijie. The woman, whose real name was Zhao Song, had never been interested in court politics. As usual, she did not think deeply about why her husband had brought this Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War home. The visitor was a guest, so she naturally knew how to respond. She could not lose face for her husband. Thus, after a tepid greeting to Xu Gong, she hurriedly took over Chen Wang's task of brewing tea. After pouring two cups of tea for the two men, she immediately bid farewell and left.
Xu Gong joked, "Junior Guardian has good fortune. We really can't be envious."
Xu Gong had always been a proper local official. He had never purposely built any connections in Great Peace City, where it was "easier to become an official if one had connections in court." Just as the rumors said, he was able to enter the capital this time because he had relied on the elders of his clan and a number of seniors in Gangnam-do to "sell their old faces" to beg for this position. His path in the future was really up to the teacher to lead the way, and cultivation depended on the individual. Thus, after he entered the capital, he was extremely restrained and reserved. He almost never left his home. The reason he was able to get in touch with Chen Wang was because Chen Wang had once interacted with Xu Gong when he was assisting Yin Maochun in the "great plan" of conducting the local examinations. They were friends and regretted not having met earlier. At the time, Xu Gong could never have imagined that Chen Wang would rise so quickly and become one of the important officials in the center of the dynasty.
Chen Wang was not too humble. He nodded and smiled. "My wife's personality is one of the better ones among the many golden branches of the Zhao family."
Chen Wang paused for a moment. His expression was gentle as he subconsciously added, "I cherish it."
Xu Gong hesitated for a moment and then asked, "Forgive me for asking, but although my clan has hoped for many years that I would one day enter the Ministry of Military Personnel, for some reason, the elders in my clan were very surprised that I was summoned to the capital this time. In particular, Elder Yu gave me the words' half fortune and half misfortune. 'In his words, there was an inexplicable sorrow about the unpredictability of the world. It is clear that Gangnam-do hopes that I, Xu Gong, can enter the capital, but whether or not I can enter the capital is not something they can control. Junior Guardian, did anyone in the capital put in a good word for me? "
If one could speak, they would speak. This was the friendship of a gentleman. Xu Gong knew that his direct question was not in accordance with the rules of an official, but he believed that he was sincere in his friendship with Chen Wang and did not bother to hide it.
Chen Wang smiled and pointed at himself.
Xu Gong was stunned.
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