Xuanxia

Chapter 575 The visitor is evil

Zhao Yuan came with a happy face.

There were several people following him. Fu Qingzhou recognized two of them at a glance: Yan Yidonggang and Yuan Ye. He also recognized the other one, who was the dean of the Sword Academy, Dong Qianran.

As for the other officials, I really couldn’t recognize them...but seeing how they were chatting and laughing with Yan Yidonggang and Yuan Ye, it was obvious that they held high official positions.

Zhao Yuan led these officials into the judges' seats. Of course, he himself sat high up in the center, at the highest seat. The other officials lined up and sat in the lower seats. All the officials in the imperial garden saluted one after another.

In order to disguise himself in front of his classmates at the Sword Academy, he actually pasted a fake beard on his chin, and a jade crown and pearl curtain hung down on his head, half covering his eyebrows and eyes. He then put on a dragon robe. Both his appearance and temperament had undergone a drastic change from "Bai Xiaochuan".

Looking at those students from the Sword Academy, they indeed didn't recognize him.

Sometimes people are like this, it is hard for you to imagine that an ordinary person around you is actually a big shot.

When a celebrity wears a mask and stands next to you, you may find him familiar, but it is probably hard to imagine that he is the one you see on TV every day...

The same was true for the students of the Sword Academy. Who could have imagined that the classmate next to them was the emperor? In addition, Zhao Yuan's appearance and temperament had changed, so it was naturally even more unrecognizable.

On this side, Fu Qingzhou couldn't help but look at Dong Qianran a few more times... Of course, he was not looking at her, but at the simple-looking long sword at her waist.

Wise Sword.

As if noticing his gaze, Dong Qianran turned her head and smiled at him.

The last time we met was at the foot of Langhuan Mountain...

Fu Qingzhou nodded slightly in response. He could feel that the young dean meant no harm.

"Everyone loves you!"

At this time, Zhao Yuan smiled and said, "Take your seats, everyone!"

This banquet was obviously not a particularly serious scene. He sat loosely and the officials did not sit upright either. They just bowed when the emperor came, and then continued to chat and laugh with their colleagues around them.

As the officials took their seats, Zhao Yuan said leisurely, "I have been looking forward to this debate for a long time. Dean Dong, it is all thanks to the Sword Academy that we were able to debate such an interesting political topic."

Dong Qianran bowed slightly and chuckled, "Your Majesty, thank you for your compliment. The Sword Academy is affiliated with the Hanlin Academy, and it should be responsible for nurturing talents and planning policies for the court."

"Hahahaha, well said!"

Zhao Yuan waved his sleeves and said with a smile: "The Sword Academy gathers the most elite and outstanding talents in the world. They are pure and innocent, and their hearts are as pure as a child. Only in this way can they point out the country and rebuke the chieftains without any scruples! In this respect, they are better than you..."

He pointed at the numerous officials sitting below him and scolded with a smile: "Much better than you old-fashioned guys!"

The officials shook their heads and smiled bitterly and confessed their crimes.

The people here are all smart people. Of course they can see that their emperor does not want to hold anyone accountable, but wants to support those young people.

Yuan Ye stroked his beard and smiled while standing on the judging platform: "Your Majesty is right. As the saying goes, the waves behind push the waves ahead. It is precisely because of these energetic young people that Dayan can become increasingly powerful!"

He spoke, and all the officials responded one after another, creating a joyous atmosphere.

Fu Qingzhou sat on the stage, feeling a little strange.

This debate is clearly aimed at the aristocratic families, but this elder...why doesn't he seem worried at all?

Thinking of this, he secretly glanced at Gu Jinchen again.

At this moment, Gu Jinchen was laughing along with other officials. Both the extent of his smile and the degree of his bending were extremely appropriate.

"Hey, hey, Brother Fu!"

Just then, someone tugged at Fu Qingzhou's sleeve.

He looked back and saw Yunlu sitting next to him.

The way she looked at me... uh, why was it a little resentful?
Fu Qingzhou had forgotten that he had stuffed drunk Yue Heng into her hands twice, and asked softly, "What's wrong?"

"Before this debate, my father told me that the other party might have bad intentions." Yun Lu said in a low voice and mysteriously. Fu Qingzhou was startled: "Your father?"

Yunlu pursed her lips and nodded, her eyes drifting towards... the judging platform.

On the stage, a middle-aged man sitting next to Dong Qian happened to look over, his face full of helplessness and distress, and he shook his head.

"Who is that?" Fu Qingzhou was still a little confused.

"Oh, the Minister of Personnel." Yun Lu waved her hand: "That's my father."

Fu Qingzhou: “…”

No wonder you were able to enter the Sword Academy at such a young age.

"My father..." Yun Lu lowered her voice and said, "He was born in a poor family and has never gotten along well with the noble families. He has worked in the Ministry of Personnel for more than ten years and couldn't even get a position as an assistant minister. It was only a few years ago that the emperor promoted him in order to compete with the noble families."

Fu Qingzhou suddenly realized: "Then...what does it have to do with the bad intentions of the people on the other side?"

"How can you be so stupid and still be made an earl?"

Yun Lu pouted and said, "Let me ask you, what is the purpose of our debate this time?"

"Do you even need to ask?" Fu Qingzhou said with a smile, "In order to provide talents outside of the aristocratic families with a bright road to promotion... no, to serve the court."

"Isn't that it?" Yun Lu lowered her voice, "This will definitely affect the interests of the aristocratic families! How could they not fight back? My father is from the Ministry of Personnel, in charge of the appointment and transfer of officials. He is at the forefront, and he has a very sharp nose!"

Seeing her speaking the most simple truths in a serious manner, Fu Qingzhou found it cute and funny.

So he asked with a smile: "Then how are they going to fight back?"

"do not know."

Yun Lu frowned and said, "But my father guessed that they would use the recent events of Jinchan Temple and Xiyu Pavilion as an example in this debate..."

Fu Qingzhou was stunned.

He really didn't think about it that way.

But when she said that, he understood.

The biggest problem with underworld people is that they are unruly and unstable.

Although he had resolved the issues of Huijue and Xiyu Pavilion recently, he had also exposed many unstable factors in the martial arts world. Indeed... he might become the opponent's attack point.

No wonder Yuan Ye and Gu Jinchen, the people from their aristocratic families, were not panicked at all. It seemed that they had already had a plan, and even planned to use this debate to bite off another piece of meat from their political opponents?

Yes, the emperor wants to seize power from the aristocratic families, so how could the people from the aristocratic families just sit there and wait for death?

"Don't panic either."

Yun Lu whispered, "We have already thought of a countermeasure, but you have never met with us before. If you don't know how to answer, don't answer randomly and don't disrupt our rhythm."

As she spoke, the other two students from the Sword Academy followed behind her, nodding silently.

Fu Qingzhou suddenly realized.

Ha, so he was afraid of causing trouble...

But this is normal. I am not good at debating and have never met with them, but I have become a destabilizing factor in my team.

So he laughed and said, "Don't worry, I'm just here to fish in troubled waters. You guys go ahead and argue. If I can't get a word in, I won't say anything. It's up to you to figure it out."

While they were talking, Zhao Yuan had already delivered a long speech on the stage, saying some nice things. Then he said, "Well, I see that you, my dear ministers and students, are tired of waiting. I will not waste any more words. Let the debate begin now!"

(End of this chapter)