Unparalleled Evildoer

Chapter 188 The Ups and Downs of Life

Even in the cold autumn, there are always flowers blooming and flowers withering. From time to time, the sounds of Suqi and others playing and laughing can be heard in the courtyard. In such a dynasty, with no worries about food and clothing and no restrictions, what else can they look forward to? In fact, happiness is very simple for them.

Since Wuzhan came back from Qingya Pavilion, he often sat quietly in front of the window. He seemed to have nothing in mind, and his eyes did not seem to move. He quietly looked at the chrysanthemums blooming outside the window. Some people are destined to be lonely, and it is the same wherever they go. He is such a person, because he has been lonely since he was a child, and has been sitting in front of the window like this since he was a child.

Smart people always have a lot of worries. They are very smart and see things very clearly. They can see things very clearly even before they happen, but they are powerless to stop it, so they have a lot of worries.

He could understand why Gongsun Yu accepted Fusu's invitation and entered the Eastern Palace. With her beauty, perhaps if Ying Zheng just took one look at her, something might happen. But Wuzhan knew that she would not succeed, and Ying Zheng would never give her this opportunity.

A carriage arrived outside the palace gate, and Zhao Gao walked in with a few eunuchs holding the imperial edict in his hand, "Grand Censor, come out and receive the edict!"

After Wuzhan heard this, he went out and knelt on the ground in the courtyard, listening to Zhao Gao's sharp voice: "The Emperor of Heaven and Mandate of Heaven decrees that Wuzhan has solved the mystery, uncovered the rebels, rescued the prince, resisted the rebels, stabilized the country, and protected the emperor. I am very pleased and reward him. I will make Wuzhan the Marquis of Guannei of the Great Qin, with a fief of 3,000 households."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Long live the emperor!" Wuzhan kowtowed.

Zhao Gao stepped forward and helped Wuzhan up, saying with a smile, "Please stand up, sir!" He handed the imperial edict to Wuzhan and bowed, saying, "Congratulations, sir!"

Wuzhan handed the imperial edict to Suqi and said to Zhao Gao, "Please go to the study and have some tea!"

"That's exactly what I mean!" Zhao Gao left the rest of the eunuchs in the courtyard and followed Wuzhan into the study.

After Su Yan poured tea and left, Zhao Gao said, "Your Excellency is the one that everyone expected. I didn't expect you to refuse this important position of the Minister of Justice. I am so worried. You know, many people want to climb up but can't. I wonder why your Excellency did this?"

"It doesn't matter what position you hold, as long as you can do your best for Your Majesty."

"That's true. Xiao Gaozi also believes that you are the one who understands His Majesty's will the most. His Majesty will be relieved if you join Xiandaoyuan. It's a pity that your talent has been buried."

"What the Great Qin lacks the least is meritorious officials and good generals. There are many people who are more talented than me. Otherwise, how could we unify China?"

Zhao Gao laughed and said, "After this incident, who else would be the most trusted meritorious official of your majesty besides you? Your majesty has been muttering these past two days, 'Why is there only one Wuzhan, why is he a sickly person?' It shows that your majesty hopes that there will be more talents like you." He lowered his voice and said, "As for some powerful officials, your majesty is a little disappointed and even begins to mind them, especially the two important posts of the Chief Justice and the Chief of the Imperial Guard. Your majesty has thought over and over again, but can't find a suitable person."

"Party formation will inevitably lead to chaos in government. Your Majesty sees this clearly."

"Your Excellency is right. Your Majesty does think so, so Your Majesty does not want to choose from those people. Your Majesty will not make the same mistake again."

Wuzhan looked at Zhao Gao and said, "You are actually as talented as the Prime Minister. You are really being buried as a clerk in front of the emperor."

Zhao Gao cried out, his face pale with fear, "Sir, please don't say such jokes, this will cost Little Gaozi his life!"

Wuzhan smiled and said, "We are friends of gentlemen, how can this be a joke? You have beautiful handwriting, a photographic memory, and are familiar with the laws of the Qin Dynasty. Are you willing to be a clerk? As I said before, people are born equal, so you should not belittle yourself. Why are people with the same talents as you so high and mighty, while you are so humble that you cannot even see the person you love? People are equal."

Zhao Gao broke out in a cold sweat, trembling as he took a sip of tea, and calmed himself down before asking, "Does Your Excellency really think of me as a gentleman?"

"So who do you think I am?"

Zhao Gao thought for a moment and said, "My dignity was given by you. It is my honor to meet you in this life. I will always remember what you said and it will move me all my life. Who is willing to bend down and kowtow to others? But I was born into that family, how can I change it?"

"That's the fear in your heart. In fact, you know everything. As long as you have the courage to reach out a hand, you will find that what you want is within your reach. Could it be that my background is much better than yours?"

"But no one listens to what I say. In their minds, I will always be a slave!"

"You are wrong. It is enough for one person to listen to what you say. You know, so soon, those people will listen too."

"How do I do that?"

"As you said, His Majesty does not want to choose among those people. That is an opportunity. You know the laws of the Qin Dynasty by heart. This is your asset. The Qin Dynasty is now implementing the county system and is in urgent need of officials who can enforce the law strictly. If you become an examiner, those talents will listen to you in the future. This is a right that you can get at your fingertips."

"But how can Xiao Gaozi become an examiner?"

"As long as the Prime Minister proposes to conduct an examination based on the law, I will nominate you, and you will naturally become the examiner, because all the ministers know that you are most familiar with the law, and you are the eyes and ears of His Majesty."

"The Prime Minister will propose it?"

"Yes, because he wants to do something big, and he doesn't want the power of his followers to expand any further."

Zhao Gao slowly stood up, his eyes filled with unprecedented hope. He was about to kneel down, but Wuzhan supported him. "Little Gaozi will never forget your kindness!" "No need to do that. I'm just giving you a suggestion. You still need to walk the path yourself."

……

After Zhao Gao left, Wuzhan sat in front of the zither and gently plucked the strings. The sound was intermittent and did not form a melody.

Miaoxin wore the skirt she wore when she came here, and carried the package she brought with her on her back. She walked into the study quietly, looking at Wuzhe with her eyes, and whispered, "Sir, Miaoxin is here to say goodbye!"

Wuzhan stood up and asked, "Aren't you going back to Mount Tai after your injury heals?"

"The injury is no longer serious. The elixir that Master gave to Miaoxin has run out. You need to take the records back to the sect to report."

"Miss Miao has suffered a lot these days. Thank you for risking your life to help me."

Miao Xin bowed and said, "I should thank Miao Xin. This time when I came down the mountain, I was given the divine fire by you, and my cultivation has improved. Thank you for this!"

"This is also an opportunity for Miss Miao. I am just taking advantage of the situation. I have a letter here, please give it to your master." He took out the letter he had already written and gave it to Miaoxin.

Miaoxin looked at the thin Wuzhan, her eyes moistened, she felt sad and reluctant. She really shouldn't leave now, but she had no reason to stay. Perhaps if she left, they would never have the chance to meet again in the future. She could see Wuzhan's affection for Gongsun Yu, and could also feel his bitterness and melancholy, just like her own unconsciousness and inability to control her heart. Who could not be moved when seeing such a person? The world really could confuse the mind and make people fascinated. It was time to go.

……

"We can only blame ourselves for being born in this troubled time, for being unlucky, and for having nothing to be nostalgic about." Gongsun Yu, dressed in noble clothes, looking bright and beautiful, sat in a gorgeous carriage, looking out the window as it drove towards the palace.

Fusu rode a white horse and followed beside the carriage, just smiling. Ever since he first saw Gongsun Yu, he had no interest in doing anything except seeing her. The person he had been thinking about day and night was sitting in the carriage, how could he not be happy.

The carriage stopped at the gate of the East Palace. Meng Yi stepped forward and said, "Prince, His Majesty has ordered you to see him in the Imperial Study."

Fusu asked, "Father, why do you want to see me?"

Meng Yi glanced at the carriage and said, "Maybe it's because of the people in the carriage."

Fusu was shocked when he heard this, and blamed himself for being too impatient. He was worried that Gongsun Yu would not be safe outside the palace, so he brought her into the palace, waiting for an appropriate time to beg his father for permission to marry Gongsun Yu as his concubine. He did not expect that she would be intercepted as soon as she entered the palace. There must be someone who was secretly monitoring her and reported this to his father. In this way, his father would surely be furious if he brought a commoner girl into the palace without permission.

He hurriedly dismounted and whispered to Gongsun Yu in the carriage, "Miss Gongsun, go into the palace first. I will go to see my father." He wanted to order the coachman to go into the East Palace first.

Meng Yi said: "Prince, I am here because I don't want you to make a mistake. Send her back quickly!"

"No, I'll go and ask my father for permission!"

"How can you be so confused? Don't you understand the consequences?"

"Send my daughter back to Qingya Pavilion. You should forget about me, eldest prince!" A soft voice came from the carriage.

Fusu's blood boiled and he said, "How can I, Fusu, be a man who goes back on my word? Miss, please wait for me here. I will go and ask my father for help." After saying that, he hurried to the imperial study.

Ying Zheng was reviewing memorials to the emperor, with only Zhao Gao serving him. Fusu stepped forward and knelt down, saying, "Your son pays homage to you, father!" He spoke for a long time, but Ying Zheng seemed to be deaf and continued reviewing the memorials.

"I beg for permission, my father. I want to marry a woman as my concubine." Fusu couldn't help but say one more sentence, but Ying Zheng still ignored him.

"I only want to marry her as my concubine. I have only one request. Please, Father..."

"Rebellious son, you still don't know your mistake!" 'Swoosh..., slap!' Ying Zheng shouted angrily, and hit Fusu in the face with a bamboo scroll, quickly and accurately, causing blood to flow out of his nose, and his whole face turned red as if he had been slapped hard.

"You are a descendant of the Ying family, the eldest prince of the Great Qin. You were infatuated with a woman of the mortal world and left the city secretly to go to the Buxian Mountain to look for medicine. You almost lost your life, but you still did not repent. You indulged in women all day long and ignored state affairs. You even brought her into the palace secretly and married her as your concubine. Do you think that anyone can choose to be my Great Qin's imperial concubine? Do you still have your father in your eyes? You are really promising and courageous. You dare to beg me here. Get out of here!"

Fusu did not wipe the blood from his nose, nor did he roll away. Instead, he knelt firmly on the ground and said, “Your son knows that in your father’s heart, you are a useless prince. You will never have the great talent and strategy that your father has, and you always disappoint your father. But your father has ever thought that there are only a few emperors like you. Your son is just an ordinary person. Your son will never be able to reach your greatness. I only hope that your father can live forever and shine his glory on the country. Your son knows that your father hates women in the secular world, but people are different, and they like women regardless of their status. She is not a frivolous woman at all. She is much better than those…”

"Because she is a princess of a fallen country!" Ying Zheng said fiercely, his face turning green with anger.

(End of this chapter)