I am a boss in the world of nine uncles

"What are your instructions, Your Majesty?" After watching all his colleagues leave, Bigan turned back and asked.

"Did the Prime Minister go to the Nuwa Palace to verify this?" Qin Yao asked.

Bi Gan shook his head: "No..."

Why?

“I believe in Your Majesty,” Bigan responded, then added, “Just like on the day of Nuwa’s birthday, Your Majesty unconditionally believed in me.”

Qin Yao chuckled: "The mutual trust between uncle and nephew is truly a beautiful story."

Bi Gan said, "Your Majesty, I have decided to sever ties with Ji Chang and never have any further contact with him."

“This is definitely a good thing for the Prime Minister,” Qin Yao said with a smile and a nod.

Bigan paused slightly and asked softly, "Your Majesty, do you have any thoughts on the 200,000 soldiers of Xiqi?"

"Cultivate virtue internally and strengthen military preparedness externally," Qin Yao said succinctly.

Bi Gan pondered these eight characters carefully, then bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

Qin Yao waved his hand: "Prime Minister, what was the foundation of Wu Ding's restoration?"

Bi Gan: "?"

The topic shifted so quickly that even he couldn't keep up immediately.

After a short while, Bi Gan silently thought of his words and slowly began to speak: "Our ancestors valued wise ministers such as Fu Yue, which led to clean governance and a continuous rise in national strength, thus ushering in the prosperous era of Wu Ding."

"I've heard that Fu Shuo was a wise minister who appeared in a dream of our distant ancestor?" Qin Yao further prompted.

Bi Gan nodded: "Yes."

He knew that these so-called "wise ministers who appear in dreams" were merely a clever means of selecting talent from the lower classes, thereby reducing resistance to reform.

But they didn't understand why King Zhou would suddenly bring up this story.

"To be honest, I experienced something similar last night."

Under his gaze, Qin Yao slowly said, "I dreamt of a strange bird covered in flames attacking the Heavenly Fate Mystic Bird. At the critical moment, a white flying bear descended from the sky and helped the Mystic Bird defeat the fire bird."

Bigan was taken aback, then asked with a strange expression, "And then?"

The so-called "Heavenly Mandate of the Black Bird" descended to give birth to the Shang Dynasty, and thus the Shang Dynasty has used the Black Bird as its totem since ancient times.

Now King Zhou says that a flying bear saved the black bird... his intentions are self-evident.

"Then, the black bird became a lone figure, and the flying bear became a young Taoist priest. The lone figure invited the Taoist priest to the palace for a celebratory feast, but the Taoist priest declined and landed outside the south gate of Chaoge City," Qin Yao said.

Bi Gan said, "So what do you mean?"

"I would like to trouble you, Prime Minister, to go to the south gate of the city and find that Taoist Fei Xiong. I wish to recruit him as a virtuous minister of the Yin Shang Dynasty," Qin Yao said with a smile.

Bi Gan: "..."

Song.

Outside the South Gate of the city.

A fortune teller's shop facing the street.

In front of the young man who had committed murder, Jiang Ziya set up an altar and performed a ritual, transforming a straw figure into the young man's likeness, and softly called out, "Wu Ji."

The young man quickly replied, "Master."

Jiang Ziya nodded slightly: "Since you have become my disciple, I cannot abandon you; this straw man will jump into the river to pay for your life in your place. In the future, when you go out, remember to cover your face with a straw hat or cloth."

Looking at the straw figure that was exactly like himself, Wu Ji knelt down excitedly before the Taoist priest: "Thank you, Master!"

Jiang Ziya waved his hand and flicked his finger, sending a beam of divine light straight into the straw figure's brow.

The straw figure immediately came to life, opened the door, and stepped out of the fortune-telling hall, only to brush past a high-ranking official on the street.

The high-ranking official paused slightly, subconsciously sniffed, and then turned to look at the young man.

He smelled a strong scent of cinnabar on the other person, but because he was carrying out an imperial order, he had no power to pay attention to it...

In the blink of an eye.

The high-ranking official went straight to the fortune-telling hall. Looking up, he saw a Taoist priest in white sitting behind a wooden table, holding a scroll of bamboo slips in his hand. Beside him stood a young man, who was diligently wiping the table with a rag.

"You are Jiang Ziya?"

"I am Jiang Shang. May I ask who you are, sir?" Jiang Ziya looked up at the sound of the voice, but his heart tightened for no reason.

The high-ranking official said, "I am Bi Gan, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and I have come here on the king's orders to escort Jiang Ziya into the palace."

Jiang Ziya was dumbfounded.

Is the Asian side dry?

Will you bring me to the palace?

What's the situation?
"Master Jiang, the King is waiting for you. Come with me," Bigan said again.

Jiang Ziya asked anxiously, "May I ask, Prime Minister, why has the King summoned me to the palace?"

Bi Gan said, "The king himself said that you are his wise minister who appeared in his dreams, just like Fu Yue back then."

Jiang Ziya: "???"

No.

Is that correct?
"What concerns does Master Jiang have?" Bigan asked.

Jiang Ziya took a deep breath: "No, I will go to the palace with you to meet the Emperor; Wuji, you keep an eye on this fortune-telling shop for me."

The king summoned him, and the prime minister came to invite him; this level of treatment far exceeded that of Fu Yue. How could he not go?

"Yes, Master." Wu Ji's eyes flashed with excitement, and he said with a big smile.

Judging from this, is my master about to make a move?

Not long after.

On the way to escort Jiang Ziya to the palace, Bi Gan tested him several times, and was secretly shocked. He finally understood why the king had recognized Jiang Ziya as a wise minister.

He was proficient in both literary and military arts, as well as governing the country.

Moreover, he remained calm and composed in the face of danger, truly a capable minister in times of peace and a natural-born leader.

As they talked, the two walked side by side to the palace gate, where they saw a young man in a purple robe lingering at the entrance, as if waiting for someone.

"Brother, what brings you here?"

Jiang Ziya stared intently at the other person, then suddenly strode up to him.

Shen Gongbao was stunned: "Brother?"

Bi Gan asked in surprise, "You two Taoist priests are actually brothers?"

Jiang Ziya said, "He and I are sworn brothers, and also fellow disciples."

Bi Gan laughed and said, "I see. It will surely be a wonderful story if the two of you serve in the same court in the future."

"Serving in the same court?" Shen Gongbao asked in astonishment, "What do you mean by that, Prime Minister?"

Bigan said, "Your elder brother is a wise minister who appears in the king's dreams, and he will surely be given an important position."

Shen Gongbao: "..."

Jiang Ziya suddenly transmitted his voice and said, "Brother, this matter of the virtuous minister appearing in your dream was not something you did, was it?"

Hearing these whispers, Shen Gongbao nearly broke down.

If I could do that, how could this wise minister who enters my dreams possibly be you?
"What's wrong, my dear brother? Your face suddenly looks terrible," Jiang Ziya said.

Shen Gongbao forced a smile: "It's nothing..."

He then secretly transmitted his voice, saying, "King Zhou is protected by the Purple Star Imperial Aura, making him impervious to all magic. This matter has nothing to do with me!"

"Master Jiang, let's go to the palace." Bigan was completely unaware of the secret communication between the two and was simply obeying the king's orders.

“Junior brother, if you have nothing else to do, wait for me here. I will come out immediately after I see the King,” Jiang Ziya said.

Shen Gongbao had originally been waiting for the two princes to leave, or for Daji to come looking for him, but now he changed his mind and forced a smile, saying, "Yes, Senior Brother..."

A moment later, Jiang Ziya waved goodbye to Shen Gongbao and followed Bi Gan into the Nine-Room Hall, bowing respectfully and saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty. This humble Taoist bows in gratitude."

Behind the imperial desk, in the center of the dragon throne, Qin Yao smiled, hung up his vermilion brush, and rose to greet him: "It is my wise minister who has entered my dreams."

Jiang Ziya felt inexplicably embarrassed and lowered his eyes, saying, "Your Majesty, dreams are not to be taken seriously."

Qin Yao stopped in front of him, shook his head and said, "If dreams cannot be taken as real, then what is the point of dream interpretation?"

Jiang Ziya said, "On the way here, I heard from the Prime Minister about your dream. From the perspective of dream interpretation alone, this is not an omen of good fortune for the ruler and his subjects."

Logically, Qin Yao should have replied with a question about what the omen was, but he knew perfectly well that if he did, he would be handing over the interpretation to the other party.

joke.

How can my dreams be interpreted by others?

"Whether it's a sign of a ruler and his subjects is unclear to others, how could I not know?"

Many years ago, our ancestor Wu Ding dreamed of Fu Yue, which led to the revival of our Shang Dynasty!

Jiang Ziya: "..."

With this story as a precedent, he really couldn't arbitrarily misinterpret the story of the wise minister who appeared in his dream.

"Minister, what was your first impression of Master Jiang on this journey?" Qin Yao suddenly asked, turning his head to the side.

Bi Gan silently considered his words before speaking: "A capable minister in times of peace."

Qin Yao smiled slightly: "I'll add one more thing: God of War in Chaotic Times."

Jiang Ziya clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your Majesty flatters me."

"Not at all an exaggeration. The Daoist's value far surpasses that of a hundred cities," Qin Yao said slowly.

This isn't flattery; anyone who's read Investiture of the Gods knows just how valuable Jiang Ziya is!
Jiang Ziya: "..."

Logically speaking, he should be happy to be favored by the king.

The problem is that he knows very well that although his master did not dictate how he should choose, Yuxu Palace has already chosen the Xiqi camp.

Otherwise, why would Master have allowed him to send Lei Zhenzi to Ji Chang, establish their father-son relationship, and then send him to Senior Brother Yun Zhongzi's school?
Therefore, his feelings were extremely complicated.

"The Taoist priest is a bit shy," Qin Yao said again.

Jiang Ziya forced a smile and said, "Your Majesty, please excuse my poor performance."

"No, you can be shy all you want, I'm naturally outgoing," Qin Yao said with a smile.

Jiang Ziya: "..."

His silence over the past few years has never been as long as it has been in this short moment.

"Master Jiang, do you have ideals?"

Qin Yao didn't care where this was, and asked in a ruthless, social manner.

Jiang Ziya said, "I don't have any grand ambitions. I just want all people to be healthy and peaceful, and I only wish for peace throughout the world."

“Well said! I also wish for the well-being of all people and peace throughout the land.” Qin Yao wholeheartedly agreed, then slammed his hand on the table: “But…”

Jiang Ziya was startled and instinctively echoed, "But what?"

"However, there are too many treacherous and corrupt officials in the court; the treacherous officials are gnawing away at our Shang dynasty, and the corrupt officials are eating the flesh and blood of the people."

Qin Yao said solemnly, "The Shang Dynasty has continued to this day, but corruption and moral decay have reached a critical stage. Countless officials are sucking blood for their own enrichment."

I know all this, but I can't do anything about it. After all, killing people won't solve anything. The most important thing is to weed out the bad and keep the good, to let the good officials gradually eliminate the bad ones.

Master Jiang, are you willing to be this official's executioner, to establish a moral order for heaven and earth, to secure a future for the people, to continue the lost teachings of the sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations?

Jiang Ziya and Bi Gan were both greatly shaken, and the last four sentences resonated in their minds like a resounding bell.

I don't know how much time passed.

Bigan was the first to come to his senses, and looked at the King with a complicated expression.

He is now certain.

The soul inside this body is definitely not that of my nephew.

Di Xin possessed divine strength and bravery, but lacked perseverance, determination, and resolve, and was incapable of uttering such resounding words!
But it's okay.

He didn't care what kind of soul was inside this body; as long as this soul could protect the ancestral legacy, then he was the king of the Shang Dynasty.

Moreover, the great achievements recorded in historical books all belong to King Zhou of Shang!
Jiang Ziya slowly came to his senses and murmured to himself, "To establish a heart for Heaven and Earth, to establish a destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of the past sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations..."

Compared to these four sentences, the Master's talk of saving all living beings is truly just a slogan.

These four sentences are a clear direction, a revolutionary spark, a noble spirit, and a grand vision that transcends the dimensions of life and death!

Jiang Ziya was defeated.

I was captivated by these four sentences.

A lofty belief broke through the shackles of reality, surging wildly in his heart, causing his mind to tremble: "Your Majesty, what do you want me to do as the executioner of this official?"

"Then we have to talk about the current oversight system."

Qin Yao slowly said, "Nowadays, there are two main ways to supervise officials. One is for me to personally go out and conduct incognito visits."

Secondly, they dispatched a personal historian to investigate a specific person.

The problem is, I don't have that much energy, and I can't tell who's good and who's bad.

Therefore, I want to establish an institution to supervise all officials; this institution will be called the Censorate.

"The Censorate..." Jiang Ziya murmured the name.

Qin Yao nodded and said, "That's right, the Censorate. Its primary task is to supervise all officials, whether they are prime ministers or minor officials, they are all within its scope of supervision."

Moreover, in addition to oversight, the censors of the Censorate also had the power of impeachment.

For example, if you were the Imperial Censor, you could directly impeach the Prime Minister, the Vice-Prime Minister, or even my prince.

Furthermore, if I have done anything wrong, you can speak frankly and offer your advice; you will be pardoned, and those who offer insightful advice will be rewarded.

Jiang Ziya was dumbfounded.

Bi Gan was dumbfounded.

This is... a bit outrageous.

No, that's outrageous.

One can imagine the immense pressure Jiang Ziya would have faced if he had actually become the Imperial Censor.

One can imagine how much the courtiers would resent this organization.

"Master Jiang, do you dare accept this position as a loyal minister, a high-ranking official, and even one that is condemned by thousands?" Qin Yao suddenly asked.

The four sentences echoed in Jiang Ziya's mind again, and he said without hesitation, "What is there to be afraid of?"

"it is good!"

Qin Yao laughed loudly: "Tomorrow morning at court, I will announce to all officials the establishment of the Censorate; and you will be the first Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, ranking among the highest ministers."

Jiang Ziya's gaze was firm, and he bowed deeply, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

He didn't know if this meant going against his sect's teachings, but at this moment, he truly couldn't refuse.

If all else fails, let's hand over the great task of bestowing titles upon others.

In comparison, he wanted to establish a moral compass for heaven and earth, to secure a destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of the past sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations!

outside the palace.

As Shen Gongbao watched the sun slowly set behind the western mountains and night gradually envelope the earth, he couldn't help but feel anxious.

It's just a meeting, isn't it?
Why has it taken so long?
What were King Zhou and Jiang Shang talking about?

Thinking about these questions, he felt as if a hundred claws were scratching at his heart, and he couldn't help but keep glancing around.

It wasn't that he didn't want to use his divine sense to eavesdrop, but rather that the innate guardian deities protected the entire palace, not to mention the Purple Star Imperial Aura protecting King Zhou, making it impossible for him to spy on him at all... (End of Chapter)