Ming Dynasty: Domination of the World from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 247: Evil is coming!
Qinhuai River.

The autumn wind is bleak, and under the bright moonlight, ripples appear on the water surface, and large patches of yellow leaves are blown up.

Two men were sitting in a thatched pavilion by the river.

Zhou Ning frowned and glanced at Li Sheng, then sighed without turning his head: "Tell me, what do you want to say by calling me here so late at night?"

Li Sheng didn't say anything. He looked at Zhou Ning with a somewhat cold gaze and felt a little dazed. Once upon a time, Zhou Ning was very close to him. But now, in just over a year, everything has changed and they are no longer as close as before.

He whispered, "Uncle Zhou, you are old."

Zhou Ning said, "Everyone will grow old, and I am no exception. It is normal for me to look a little older as I age. Birth, aging, sickness and death are part of human nature. If you have anything to say, just say it. I don't have that much time to fool around with you. The tasks at the salt factory are very heavy."

"I can't get away for long."

Zhou Ning still didn't give Li Sheng much of a good look.

Li Sheng nodded and said with a wry smile: "Uncle Zhou, I know I was wrong."

"I was blinded by profit at the time and was bewitched by them. Now when I think back, I really regret it."

Zhou Ning frowned and said in a cold voice: "Don't say these nonsense, you don't regret it, and I don't see any signs of regret in you. You are arrogant to begin with, how can you concentrate on doing things? Even if you were not persuaded at that time, you would still leave in the future."

"That's my personality."

"What you call regret is just that the Salt Transport Bureau is no longer close to you, and has even distanced itself from you. You are a little panicked and worried that you will be retaliated by Lord Xia. That's all. But you can rest assured that Lord Xia is not so petty and doesn't even take you to heart."

"Master Xia has the whole world in his eyes."

"Tianxia." Li Sheng's face froze, and he said unnaturally: "Uncle Zhou, you think too highly of Xia Zhibai. What does he know about Tianxia? I have heard about what he has been doing recently. Isn't he promoting salt policy reform in Tianxia?"

"He doesn't really think that if he succeeded in Yingtian Prefecture, he can also succeed in other places in the world?"

"There is no such good thing."

"I did take the blueprints and stole a lot of information, but because of this, I took the opportunity to get to know many officials in the south and learned a lot about the situation in the south. The south is completely different from the north, and some things cannot be done in a different place."

"Public opinion in the south is boiling right now. It's lucky that Xia Zhibai can protect himself." Li Sheng curled his lips, with a hint of disdain in his eyes.

He certainly didn't admit his mistake.

He still doesn't think he did anything wrong.

Good birds choose trees to roost in.

Xia Zhibai didn't value them at all. They had done so much for Xia Zhibai and produced so many things, but how did Xia Zhibai treat them? He didn't increase their monthly salary much, but instead took credit for their achievements.

Now Xia Zhibai is a fifth-rank official in the court.

What about the rest?

It hasn't moved at all.

Zhou Ning shook his head.

Li Sheng really didn't repent at all, and even got deeper and deeper into trouble.

Zhou Ning said: "If you are here just to criticize Lord Xia, then I will leave. You have your opinion and I have mine. What's the point of talking to each other?"

Li Sheng's eyes darkened slightly, and he gritted his teeth and said, "Uncle Zhou, you know my current situation is not very good."

"I don't know what kind of magic potion Xia Zhibai had given those people from the Salt Transport Bureau. They actually hooked up with Xia Zhibai and left me aside. But how could they know that I had already had private contact with officials from the South over the past year?"

"I was the one who debugged all the steam engines in the south."

"As long as the South still uses steam engines, I, Li Sheng, will always have a place to use my skills."

"But staying in Yingtian Prefecture forever is not a solution."

"Uncle Zhou, I want to go south."

"I asked you to come here this time because I want to ask Uncle Zhou to help me."

Li Sheng looked at Zhou Ning, a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes, and said excitedly: "Uncle Zhou, I have already talked to the officials in the south."

"It's just that they heard from somewhere that Xia Zhibai has more advanced steam engine blueprints and even wants to promote them to the south. The local governments in the south don't want to be so passive, so they want me to think of a way to get the blueprints in advance so that the south can be prepared."

"In this way, Xia Zhibai's idea has completely miscalculated."

Li Sheng licked his lips, his eyes filled with ambition and desire.

He was eager to get the new drawings.

As long as he could get the new blueprints, he would not only be able to successfully go south, but also receive preferential treatment from the southern government. With the merit of presenting the blueprints twice, it would be enough to support him to become a superior person in the south and enjoy wealth and glory.

Hear the words.

Zhou Ning was completely disappointed.

He came this time with the intention of persuading Li Sheng to come back, but seeing Li Sheng's obsessed look, how could he not know that Li Sheng had been completely trapped and had long lost his pragmatic mind. He only wanted to cling to the powerful and please the officials in the south so that he could live a life of luxury.

But Li Sheng never thought, is wealth and glory really so easy to obtain?
No matter how developed the South is, it is still under the rule of the Ming Dynasty.

Seeing that Zhou Ning was unmoved, Li Sheng hurriedly said, "Uncle Zhou, don't worry. Uncle Zhou and I have a close relationship. How could I abandon Uncle Zhou and enjoy this glory alone? When I go south, I will take you with me. I, Li Sheng, will take care of you in your old age."

"Uncle Zhou, you know me. I am not a selfish person."

"I am where I am today thanks to Uncle Zhou's support."

"After the matter is accomplished, there will be a generous reward."

It was quiet all around.

There is only the sound of running water.

Zhou Ning stood up and said indifferently: "Li Sheng, enough is enough."

"Do you know what you're doing?"

"Lord Xia is now a fifth-rank official in the court. How can a person of low rank like you provoke him?"

"You have already stolen the blueprints once before. Lord Xia was magnanimous and didn't hold it against you. He forgave you once. Why are you still stubborn? Lord Xia could forgive you once before, but he may not forgive you a second time." "That's enough!"

"Don't tell me I don't know the blueprints. Even if I did, I wouldn't give them to you."

"You should give up as soon as possible."

Li Sheng's face turned red after being scolded by Zhou Ning, and there was some anger in his eyes. He said, "Uncle Zhou, what kind of magic potion did Xia Zhibai give you that you have to listen to him? What's so good about him? He has already caused public outrage in the south this time. As long as I get the blueprint, without this new blueprint, Xia Zhibai will be nothing if he goes south. He can't do anything and no one can convince him."

"He is doomed!"

"The overwhelming public opinion in the south is enough to bring Xia Zhibai to ruin."

"Uncle Zhou, you should be able to see it."

Li Sheng's eyes showed cruelty.

Zhou Ning also laughed in anger, sneering: "Rotten mud cannot be propped up against a wall, and rotten wood cannot be carved."

"Do you really think that Lord Xia only has one steam engine?"

"Do you know what Lord Xia did in the north? What did he bring back? As for the steam engine, I can tell you that salt production is only a very insignificant part. The blueprint you are after is just something we spent more than half a month to come up with. It's nothing at all."

"You have no idea of ​​Master Xia's true abilities."

"A frog in a well is ridiculous."

Zhou Ning's body was shaking with anger. He really wanted to tell others about his recent achievements, but it was not the time to show these things to others. If he told others about them and let the outside world know about them in advance, he would probably get into trouble. He was a timid person and did not want to bring trouble upon himself.

Hear the words.

Li Sheng's eyes lit up.

He said excitedly: "Uncle Zhou, are you serious?"

"Xia Zhibai has made something else? Uncle Zhou, can you tell me in detail what it is and what its function is? If I can send these things out together, I will definitely get a big reward."

"Uncle Zhou, you may not know something."

"I've come into contact with people that you probably wouldn't even have dared to think about before."

"The current imperial consort!"

"If I can take this opportunity to please the Prince Consort, I will have a promising future. Uncle Zhou will also benefit from it. And Uncle Zhou, don't be afraid of being retaliated by Xia Zhibai. The Prince Consort is standing behind us. Who dares to cause trouble for us?"

Li Sheng persuaded passionately.

Seeing Li Sheng like this, Zhou Ning was completely disappointed.

He waved his sleeves and said, "That's enough."

"Since you are so unrepentant, don't call me Uncle Zhou anymore."

"I have already repaid your father for his help over the years. Don't come to me again, and I will never talk to you again."

"Before you leave, I also want to give you a piece of advice."

"People must be self-aware."

"If you don't have the ability, don't expect too much."

"Otherwise, you will only suffer the consequences."

"You take care of yourself!"

Done.

Zhou Ning didn't stay any longer and turned around and left.

Seeing that Zhou Ning actually ignored his advice, Li Sheng's eyes became somewhat angry and embarrassed.

All his hopes now lie on Zhou Ning.

If Zhou Ning didn't care about him, no one would care even if he went to the south. He had already enjoyed a period of prosperity, and he was no longer willing to go back to the past, continue to be servile, and continue to please others.

He doesn't want to.

He was supposed to be the best.

Li Sheng stood up, gritted his teeth and roared, "Uncle Zhou, are you really not going to help me with this little favor?"

"It's just something you say."

"As long as you and I don't tell anyone, no one will know."

"As long as you help me, do you know what we can get? We will become the guests of the Prince Consort and will have endless money. Uncle Zhou, are you really willing to stay in that shabby house all day and have to rely on others for everything you want to do?"

“We deserve better.”

"Uncle Zhou!"

Zhou Ning paused for a moment, and then walked faster.

See this.

Li Sheng's eyes flashed with ferocity as he said, "Uncle Zhou, you forced me to do this."

"You can't be so selfish, and you can't ruin my bright future. You can't do this."

"I will never accept this outcome."

Li Sheng looked at Zhou Ning's receding figure fiercely, and suddenly reached under the stone pier of the pavilion, pulled out a shiny dagger from it, and then rushed towards Zhou Ning quickly.

He must seize the future glory into his own hands.

No one can stop it.

(End of this chapter)