Sheng Fu

Chapter 1076 Is he really that brave?
Yuwen Jun smiled without saying a word, neither admitting nor denying.

"The Hengchang Sect must have a lot of memorials piling up; I need to go back and review them," Yuwen Jun said, bowing slightly.

Emperor Ling nodded slightly, and then Yuwen Jun crossed the void and departed.

Emperor Ling could not predict how things would unfold in the future.

But he knew that Yuwen Jun would grow stronger over time and become a force that could not be ignored in the future.

Of course, compared to these things, the Spirit Emperor was actually more concerned about when the Demon Lord would wake up and what kind of dignified appearance he would have after waking up.

The thought that Mu Chun had single-handedly blocked the combined forces of the King of Zhen'an and the Queen of the Demon Realm made His Majesty the Spirit Emperor extremely unhappy.

"Fortunately, the pills refined by the Heavenly Nether Python arrived just in time," the Spirit Emperor murmured to himself.

……

Upon returning to Hengchang Sect, looking at the mountain of memorials piled up on her desk, Yuwen Jun took a deep breath, feeling that Hengchang Sect could do without Yuwen Jun, but it absolutely could not do without Jing Hanqing.

Tedious administrative affairs are the worst thing for one's mind and spirit.

I also understand Gu Cheng's initial frustrations and dissatisfaction upon entering Mengdu Prefecture.

This kind of annoyance is the kind you have to grit your teeth and bear.

He then opened the folded document and began to skim through it, writing his own comments.

This process was long and tedious, and Yuwen Jun could only secretly circulate the "Tai Long Jing" to keep his mind as peaceful as possible.

Most of them were routine matters, but Yuwen Jun had to review them personally.

It wasn't until he saw the memorial sent by Ling Yuqing that Yuwen Jun gradually perked up.

"King Fucheng of the North has ordered the wandering knights within the northern borders to fully promote the new policies."

"Within the Northern Prince's Mansion, civil and military officials were appointed, gradually replacing the local minor officials, and they quickly won the hearts of the people."

"Six prefects have now been forced to step down."

"Among the civil and military officials under the Northern King, there is a growing trend of them rising in rank, and most of them come from poor families."

"No aristocratic families were seen."

Yuwen Jun was also somewhat surprised, not expecting Fu Cheng to act so quickly, but Fu Cheng ultimately had the advantage of favorable timing and popular support.

As the king of the north, as long as he chooses the common people and abandons powerful clans, he will naturally gain great prestige. Although many of his actions may not be recognized by the powerful clans, as long as he gains the approval of the common people, and with the support of talented individuals under his command, he can ensure the smooth implementation of his policies within a small area.

Bai Xiaowei was also in Bazhou, and his sword was very sharp.

In the short term, no matter how much someone dislikes Fu Cheng, they will not act rashly.

The situation in the north is improving.

After a brief moment of rousing himself, Yuwen Jun was faced with another round of routine reports.

Overall, the cabinet members of Hengchangzong have become increasingly adept at handling government affairs. Precisely because of this growing maturity, even a simple memorial from Yuwen Jun requires his approval.

Only seasoned politicians know how to subtly make illegal things legal.

"Has it finally come to the point where I have to scheme against my subordinates?" Yuwen Jun sighed inwardly.

Although the cabinet members have all undergone assessments, Hengchang Sect is currently in the eye of the storm. Some people can take advantage of the current situation to gain a considerable amount of profit if they have a little crooked thinking.

Power is the most corrupting force on a person's character.

Many frustrated scholars, who initially harbored lofty ideals of governing the country and benefiting the people, often wavered in their resolve and slowly succumbed to depravity when they actually gained power and had the opportunity to ruin genuinely beautiful women.

Throughout history, there have been countless examples of this.

Although the Hengchang Sect is currently considered to be relatively honest and upright, Yuwen Jun still has to be aware of many subtle details.

Two hours later.

Yuwen Jun leaned back on his throne and let out a long sigh.

"Finally finished. This won't do. Once the situation in the north improves further, we need to get Jing Hanqing back as soon as possible," Yuwen Jun muttered to himself.

As he spoke, Yuwen Jun himself began to laugh.

Jing Hanqing cannot return for the time being. Before the new policies are implemented, all the Northern Seven-Character Poems must be gathered together. Only in this way can a greater trend and vigor be formed.

"The cabinet has always been headed by Jing Hanqing, who is also the undisputed number one figure in the cabinet. It seems that the cabinet is currently lacking a second-in-command," Yuwen Jun said thoughtfully.

If the cabinet had a second-in-command whose talent and strategy were no less than Jing Hanqing's, Yuwen Jun wouldn't have to work so hard.

For a moment, Yuwen Jun was caught in a dilemma.

Because such a second-in-command is hard to find, among the young talents in the human race today, those who can rival the Five Absolutes and Seven Laws are almost negligible.

Qian Sheng and Zhong Yan were once quite talented, but unfortunately, the Emperor intercepted them halfway and forced them to leave Hengchang.

Moreover, Jing Hanqing might feel uncomfortable if there were a second-in-command, as he has always been diligent and held absolute power.

Giving Jing Hanqing authority all of a sudden would be too abrupt.

This might lead Jing Hanqing to mistakenly believe that Yuwen Jun used a balancing act.

It would be possible to select a young talent from the dragon race, but there are not many people in the dragon race who are good at civil administration. In addition, the habits and temperament of the dragon race are quite different from those of the human race.

Furthermore, since the Hengchang Sect is predominantly composed of humans, it would seem inappropriate to rashly add a dragon member to the inner cabinet.

Habits, traditions, and culture are three things that absolutely cannot be successfully integrated in a short period of time.

"Forget it, I'll just have to endure this hardship for a while," Yuwen Jun muttered to himself as he picked up a glass of Longquan water.

Suddenly, the void surged.

Xie Yiming arrived outside the main hall.

"Judging from your sullen demeanor and high spirits, what happened that made you rush over to me?" Yuwen Jun asked curiously, looking at Xie Yiming who was walking slowly towards him.

Xie Yiming strode arrogantly, one hand behind his back, and said, "I would like to invite Your Highness to watch a show. I wonder if Your Highness would be interested?"

Yuwen Jun paused. It seemed that Xie Yiming was unaware of the fact that the human race and the spirit race would join forces to mine resources in the demon realm. If he had known, he certainly wouldn't have come here to invite Yuwen Jun to watch the show.

However, this also proves from the side that Xie Yiming did not plant his own spies in the capital.

"What kind of excitement was it, and how long did it last?" Yuwen Jun asked slowly as he poured Xie Yiming a cup of tea.

Yuwen Jun slightly circulated his true energy, and the teacup instantly floated in front of Xie Yiming's chest. Xie Yiming's eyes were like the surface of water about to be stormed, and he smiled smugly and said, "Of course, it's Xu Yuan and the others who are having a good time."

Yuwen Jun asked suspiciously, "Are they about to gain the upper hand and win the hearts of the people in the south?"

Xie Yiming laughed heartily and said, "Your Highness has keen insight; indeed it is so."

Yuwen Jun paused for a moment. Compared to Fu Cheng, Xu Yuan, though lacking the support of a throne, had an excellent background. However, Fu Cheng also had several young men with excellent backgrounds under his command.

Upon careful comparison, in terms of the sheer force of implementing the new policies, the Five Wonders of Nanshan are inferior to the Seven-Character Regulated Verse of the North.

In Yuwen Jun's expectations, Xu Yuan would only see some improvement after establishing substantial merits in Fucheng. However, judging from Xie Yiming's smug expression, Xu Yuan seemed to have already made some progress, and Yuwen Jun immediately became interested. "Then let's go," Yuwen Jun said with a smile.

Xie Yiming picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp. Then, with a wave of his sleeve, he carried Yuwen Jun across the void and arrived in Yuhua Prefecture.

To the east of Nanling Academy, the streets are bustling, high-rise buildings are everywhere, and there is also an exquisite and magnificent Ji family mansion.

The Ji family of the South has cultivated its influence for many years. Although only Ji Jian, a Wuji expert, remains in the Southern officialdom, the Ji family is still the most respected.

The Ji family's disciples and old friends are scattered throughout the southern land.

Even within the capital, some high-ranking officials and nobles were also retainers of the Ji family.

Currently, looking at the entire human race, the Ji family's position in officialdom can be described as unparalleled.

However, the area outside the Ji family mansion was already packed with people, with onlookers coming from all directions. At this moment, it was completely blocked.

On a small hill to the east of Nanling Academy, Yuwen Jun and Xie Yiming stood side by side, gazing at the Ji family mansion in the distance.

"As far as I know, this is not the Ji family's old residence," Yuwen Jun asked out of curiosity.

In his field of vision, he saw Xu Yuan, Zhu Hong, Chu Xin'er, and Chen Dian standing outside the Ji family mansion. Xu Yuan was standing at the front, and at the same time, a young man of about twenty years old was kneeling in front of the Ji family mansion. He was dressed in a cloth robe, and there was still blood on his back and thighs.

Meanwhile, there were about a dozen middle-aged merchants dressed in brocade robes standing behind Xu Yuan and his companions, but they were also kneeling.

This scenery is definitely worth seeing.

Putting everything else aside, just this kind of spectacle alone is enough to make Yuwen Jun think highly of Xu Yuan from the bottom of his heart.

Xie Yiming chuckled and said, "The Ji family's old residence is not here, but Ji Jian is now the dean of Nanling Academy, so there is a Ji family mansion on the east side of Nanling Academy."

"Spanning a hundred acres, the mansion boasts artificial hills, lakes, and cultivation grounds—it has everything one could need. But for the wealthy and powerful Ji family, this is at most a place to settle down."

"I never expected that Xu Yuan would dare to directly lead his men to carry out such a treacherous attack on the Ji family."

"The young man kneeling there had a younger sister who was very beautiful. She was defiled by a young master of the Ji family and then beaten to death. The young man and his dead sister were both servants of the Ji family."

"The specific cause and effect are still unclear, but Xu Yuan dared to use such underhanded tactics, so he must have obtained strong evidence."

"And the group of businessmen behind Xu Yuan were members of the well-known Tianrun Chamber of Commerce in the south."

"Tianrun Chamber of Commerce has businesses all over the south, involving silk, porcelain, timber and other aspects. It seems that they have encountered some injustices recently."

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Jun smiled knowingly and said, "I have heard of the Tianrun Chamber of Commerce, but even if the people from these chambers are trying to curry favor, they should be under the tutelage of Your Highness, the Prince of the South. Why would they choose to kneel outside the Ji family's residence?"

Hearing this, Xie Yiming felt a sense of helplessness.

Xie Yiming smiled bitterly and said, "Businessmen have their own judgment. These businessmen have many dealings with officials in various parts of the south and have formed their own network of connections."

"In their minds, I, the Prince of the South, was not born into a prestigious family. Before becoming the Prince of the South, I was always a free spirit."

"They also felt that I did not have sufficient resources to influence the political situation. Furthermore, they felt that I was not a corrupt person and that it would be difficult to take action against me, so they had no choice but to give up on me."

"But the Ji family is different. Ji Jian is the dean of Nanling Academy and holds a pivotal position in the officialdom. Many of the students who graduate from Nanling Academy will become officials in the imperial court in the future."

"In the minds of businessmen, the Ji family is the real big boss in the South."

"And I am just a big shot in name only."

"Actually, they didn't miscalculate the numbers; it was just a matter of each getting what they needed."

Yuwen Jun knew the truth in her heart, but she was just teasing Xie Yiming. Unexpectedly, Xie Yiming actually told the truth without hesitation.

However, Yuwen Jun also liked people who told the truth, because people who told the truth were more reliable.

"Ji Hua, get out here and explain yourself!"

Outside the Ji family mansion, Xu Yuan let out a violent lion's roar, the sound waves rippled outwards, and rushed straight towards the Ji family mansion. With a bang, the plaque of the Ji family's "House of Righteousness" fell to the ground.

At this moment, outside the Ji family's gate, only a group of sword-wielding guards were struggling to hold on.

But these people were no match for Xu Yuan and his group.

Seeing this, Yuwen Jun clicked his tongue in amazement and exclaimed, "Is Xu Yuan really that brave?"

Xie Yiming's smugness was practically reaching the heavens. He chuckled and said, "I used to think that Xu Yuan was quite sensible and talented, but not suitable for fighting on the battlefield. But after seeing him today, I can only prove that I misjudged him."

Yuwen Jun nodded slightly and said, "This is quite a show, let's keep watching."

Inside the main hall of the Ji family.

A middle-aged man dressed in dark brocade robes, with a refined and handsome demeanor, paced back and forth, his face full of worry, and cold sweat seeping from his back.

"You, Xu Yuan, how dare you target us! You, Xie Yiming, how dare you instigate Xu Yuan like this!" Ji Ming's face was filled with grief and indignation, he was so angry that he had nowhere to vent his anger.

Behind Ji Ming, kneeling, was a young man dressed in white brocade robes, none other than Ji Hua.

Ji Hua's face turned ashen. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles emitted a series of crisp, metallic sounds.

He wished he could rush out right now and kill Xu Yuan on the spot, but if they really fought, he wouldn't be a match for Xu Yuan.

Suddenly, Ji Ming turned around and kicked Ji Hua in the face.

The sudden, heavy blow immediately left Ji Hua dizzy and disoriented, with blood gushing from his mouth and nose. Ji Hua could only lower his head and silently endure the pain.

Ji Ming pointed at his son's nose, scolding him with a look of utter disappointment: "Look at you, in a moment of lust, you actually did something like rape and then murder."

"For the sake of a maid, you've brought such a huge trouble upon your family."

"Don't they even look at the current situation? How could they do something so foolish at this critical juncture!"

Ji Hua remained silent as he listened to his father's scolding.

It was not uncommon for aristocratic families to mistreat a maidservant, or beat her to death in a fit of anger; after all, she was just a maidservant.

Unfortunately, Xu Yuan seized on this matter.

"What should we do now? Xu Yuan is pressing us aggressively outside, and I'm afraid Xie Yiming has arrived as well," Ji Ming said.

Ji Ming knew very well that public opinion had taken hold, and given the current situation, Ji Hua would have to pay for the murder with his life no matter what.

But for a young master from a noble family to pay for the life of a maid means that powerful families have no choice but to bow down under the new policies, something that Ji Ming and many other noble families simply cannot accept.

This precedent must absolutely not be set.

Suddenly, a gust of wind rushed into the lobby.

"Ji Hua, get out here! If you don't explain yourself clearly today, I'll tear down your mansion and make your Ji family a homeless dog in the south!" Xu Yuan's challenge was like a series of thunderous arrows piercing the hearts of Ji Ming and his son.

Suddenly, the elderly butler rushed in in a great hurry.

"Something terrible has happened! Xu Yuan has torn down our front door!" the old butler exclaimed, his face filled with fear.

Upon hearing this, Ji Ming's eyes turned bloodshot with rage, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "You little bastard, you've gone too far! My Ji family has no grudge against your Xu family, yet you dare to threaten my Ji family like this! I'll show you what you're made of!"

Having said that, Ji Ming suddenly took a deep breath and strode out. The door had been torn down; if he didn't leave now, they would come in...