They've all become top scholars in the imperial examinations, and you're telling me this i

Chapter 41 Favors Must Be Repaid
The night was slightly cool. Chen Guangrui, carrying an oil paper package, strolled leisurely into Wei Zheng's familiar courtyard.

The wine was inferior Xinfeng turbid wine, and the paper package contained the aroma of pig's head meat that could be smelled from afar. The contents were exactly the same as last time. Wei Zheng not only did not find it offensive, but also thought that Chen Guangrui had gone to great lengths.

Seeing that he had brought the same wine and meat as last time, the old steward noticed that the master didn't seem to mind. With a smile on his face, he nodded to Chen Guangrui and led him directly into the courtyard.

In the same simple study, Chen Guangrui sat down with practiced ease, his posture much more relaxed than last time, as if he were simply going to meet an old friend from next door.

Before he even arrived, Wei Zheng's familiar voice, filled with anger, pierced through the darkness of the corridor as he stormed in, shouting and cursing all the way.

His voice was loud and clear, full of energy, just like the fierce spirit he displayed when he fought against the court officials today.

Even if Chen Guangrui hadn't seen what happened this morning, he could still guess a thing or two from this passage.

He just smiled and listened to Wei Zheng's "angry rebuke." Only Wei Zheng could be so loud as to scold the entire court.

The words stopped abruptly at the door. Wei Zheng pushed the door open and entered, his face still showing lingering anger, but the sharp edge of victory in his eyes had not yet faded, making him appear radiant.

But as soon as he came in, he habitually looked around first, and then... began that familiar set of cautious movements again.

He first cautiously pressed his ear against the door to listen, then tiptoed to the window, pushed it open a crack, and peered out for a long time. He didn't even miss the almost invisible shadow in the corner of the wall, frowning as he carefully examined it for a long time, afraid that there might be some unseen spies hiding there.

Chen Guangrui held his rough porcelain teacup, covering a slight chuckle at the corner of his mouth. It seemed that Wei Zheng himself already knew the secret of being an official in the Ministry of Personnel, but he still had to play the overly cautious act.

It's probably partly due to his personality; he's carefully maintaining his persona, not wanting to become a different person after revealing the secret of that mysterious whisper.

Chen Guangrui felt that Wei Zheng still didn't fully trust him, and wouldn't reveal this mythical secret to him.

Of course, if one were an ordinary person, and Wei Zheng told them he was a civil official or a deity, then...
Chen Guangrui didn't care about these things; he believed that when the time was right, these matters would be revealed.

After Wei Zheng confirmed "safety" several times, he finally returned to the table and sat down with a mix of relief and arrogance. Chen Guangrui's face remained calm and composed, as if he hadn't seen through anything.

"Guangrui," Wei Zheng's gaze fell on the cheap wine and oil paper package on the table. Far from showing disgust, he revealed a genuine smile.

"That was great today! If I don't drink your Xinfeng wine, I can finally open that jar of Sangluo wine that's been buried in my yard for ten years!"

He shouted, "Dig out that jar of old wine!"

Soon, a jar of old wine, sealed with mud, was brought in. Upon breaking the seal, a strong, mellow aroma instantly overpowered the smell of the inferior wine Chen Guangrui had brought, filling the entire study.

Wei Zheng personally poured two bowls of wine, the amber liquid gleaming alluringly under the lamplight.

He picked up his bowl, clinked it against Chen Guangrui's, and took a big gulp with great gusto. The spicy taste made him smack his lips, and then a blush of pleasure spread across his face.

"That's great!" He put down his bowl, his eyes shining brightly. "You didn't see the faces of those scoundrels in the hall today! Fang Xuanling was sarcastic, Changsun Wuji was all smiles and daggers, and that stupid donkey Cheng Yaojin almost pounced on me again! Humph! What a pity, Your Highness is wise and decisive! He approved my memorial! He even promoted me to Right Vice Minister and appointed Li Yaoshi as Commander-in-Chief!"

Wei Zheng's voice was filled with excitement as he vividly recounted the confrontation in the court, how he used classical texts to refute the arguments, and Li Shimin's final decision.

Chen Guangrui listened with great interest. He knew that this time, Wei Zheng was no longer as cautious and probing as he had been during their first meeting. He was telling him everything he could.

This is the trust that Wei Zheng showed to himself.

This trust was enough for him. Although there was no tangible gain, it was more important than anything else.

Of course, while listening, Chen Guangrui also thought with a wicked sense of humor which of Old Wei's sentences was bragging.

Having finally finished speaking his mind, Wei Zheng looked at Chen Guangrui with a look of open intimacy and entrustment in his eyes, and his tone became serious and solemn.
"I've finally finished my work these past few days, so it's time to talk about you."

By saying this, he meant that he had already appreciated what Chen Guangrui had done these past few days, and now he wanted to do something for Chen Guangrui as well.

Wei Zheng paused for a moment, then continued,
"The Qionglin Banquet is imminent, and Your Highness is determined to bestow official titles. Tell me, do you have a preferred place in mind? Or do you have any other ideas?"

His question was direct, and his meaning was clear.

"Old Wei, he doesn't even try to be subtle about these things. He clearly doesn't understand the ways of officialdom," Chen Guangrui thought to himself, then took a sip of Wei Zheng's mellow old wine, a faint smile appearing on his face.

"Thank you for your kindness, Lord Wei."

He put down his wine bowl, his tone calm.
"However, Lord Wei has just been promoted to Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Although his position is prestigious, he still needs to accumulate power. Currently, in the court, the power to select and evaluate officials, and to appoint, dismiss, and recommend officials of the fifth rank and above, is firmly held by figures like Fang Xuanling, the Grand Secretary, and Changsun Wuji, the Attendant-in-Ordinary, who are true officials from the prime minister's mansion and the Prince of Qin's mansion." He continued, noticing Wei Zheng's slightly furrowed expression.
"I am merely a newly appointed top scholar, with no background or connections. If I were to become close to Lord Wei now, and be seen as a thorn in their side, and later be granted an official position... even being assigned to some remote corner as a powerless registrar or county magistrate would be considered a mercy. If my luck were to worsen..."

Chen Guangrui picked up his chopsticks and took a slice of pig's head meat, his voice remaining steady.

“It is not impossible for a small government office to be deliberately placed in the eye of the storm, and to become the scapegoat and clerk who brings trouble and disaster.”

These words, well-reasoned and supported by evidence, instantly shattered Wei Zheng's fleeting thought of "I can speak on your behalf" that had just arisen due to his promotion. The excitement and blush on Wei Zheng's face quickly faded, replaced by a deep solemnity, though he still muttered something under his breath.

"They've gone too far! I've never seen anyone dare to bury the top scholar like this!"

However, he knew that these days, even if you passed the imperial examination, someone else could easily impersonate you. And who said that the top scholar couldn't go to a remote corner? So what if you have more talent than everyone else?

Seeing Wei Zheng's troubled expression, Chen Guangrui chuckled inwardly. If it were so easy for you to repay the favor, why would I have done so much for you?
Wei Zheng fell silent, his fingers tightening slightly over his wine glass. He knew Chen Guangrui was right; he truly lacked the authority to speak on the matter. Recommending Chen Guangrui? Forget about success; it might just make him a target even faster.

Wei Zheng sighed deeply and nodded heavily, “...Your concerns are absolutely correct! I...have been thinking too simply.”

The only sound in the study for a moment was the clinking of wine bowls. The old wine smelled wonderful, and the braised pig's head was delicious, but the atmosphere was somewhat somber.

Wei Zheng knew that his memorial advocating "pacifying the interior and deterring external aggression" was Chen Guangrui's advice, and that Chen Guangrui had been busy these past few days ensuring the memorial's success.

I owe this top scholar a favor, and if I don't repay it, I'll always feel uneasy.

After a long pause, Wei Zheng seemed to suddenly remember something. He raised his eyes, which were sharper due to the alcohol, and stared thoughtfully at Chen Guangrui. His voice lowered, carrying a hint of inquiry:

"By the way, I heard some news today,"

He leaned forward slightly. "I heard that... when you went to Daxingshan Temple intending to become a monk, you... encountered an assassination attempt on the way?"

Hearing this, Chen Guangrui perked up. "If you're going to talk about this, then I'll have to tell you all about it, Officer of the Ministry of Personnel."

Chen Guangrui understood that Old Wei didn't want to owe her anything and had already thought of helping her in another way.

And this is what Chen Guangrui was waiting for.

After all, Wei Zheng was an official in the Ministry of Personnel, the Jade Emperor's envoy in the human world, in charge of human affairs. He wouldn't just ignore the chaos the Buddhist sect was causing in Chang'an, would he?
Others may not know, but Chen Guangrui is clear that his marriage to the Yin family involves the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi, which is a major Buddhist plan that he cannot reverse with his own power. So now he has to try to borrow the power of another dimension.

He put down his wine glass and calmly recounted the day he was assassinated and how the killer had turned into an ordinary farmer in just a few concise sentences.

After saying that, Chen Guangrui made it sound like a casual remark.
"The villagers said that the two farmers had worked by the Jing River, then went to Chang'an, and then disappeared. We asked around the fields and no one noticed anything unusual, but the clues seemed to have gone cold by the Jing River."

He paused deliberately, as if adding unintentionally, "I've heard that many people fish in the Jing River. I wonder if they've encountered any... unusual people or things in that area?"

Wei Zheng immediately straightened his back, his eyes regaining some of the spirit he had displayed after arguing with someone in court, and readily agreed.
"Hmm! Such a wicked thing has happened! To assassinate the newly appointed top scholar in the street is simply outrageous! Leave this to me!"

He patted his chest, displaying his official arrogance with undisguised authority.
"I am now the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and it is my duty to thoroughly investigate this case!"

Looking at his confident demeanor, Chen Guangrui thought of the old Dragon King who was still hoping for the "Human Official" to save his life. She wondered what the old dragon's expression would be if he knew about the Human Official. Thinking of this, she almost couldn't help but laugh.

He deliberately feigned doubt and pressed on, "Oh? How does Lord Wei plan to investigate? That evil spirit's methods are bizarre; ordinary government offices probably..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear: using official positions to investigate evil spirits would work.
A fleeting hint of embarrassment crossed Wei Zheng's face, but it was quickly masked by an even more serious expression.

He avoided revealing the secrets of the "official in charge of personnel," only using bureaucratic language.
"Hmph! As long as it's a human act, there will always be clues. The government has its own set of procedures for handling cases, and it will investigate thoroughly. You don't need to worry."

Seeing Wei Zheng's stubborn refusal to admit to possessing supernatural powers, Chen Guangrui wisely refrained from pressing for an answer to the secret he was destined to never uncover. He nodded, seemingly genuinely believing in the official influence of Wei Zheng.

Seeing that Chen Guangrui wasn't pressing the issue further, Wei Zheng seemed relieved and picked up his wine cup again to take a sip. As he put the cup down, his expression became serious again, carrying the air of an elder's admonition.

"As for that matter of demons and evil spirits, since I've agreed, I'll be careful. But you..."

He looked at Chen Guangrui with earnestness.
"I've thoroughly offended those nobles in the Prince of Qin's mansion, and they're burning with resentment. Since you're close to me, you must be extra careful. Before and after the Qionglin Banquet, don't give any ammunition to the villains. Keep a low profile and wait for the right opportunity."

His gaze lingered on Chen Guangrui's face for a moment, making sure she had listened, before he looked away. The candlelight flickered, illuminating the jar of old wine and the few remaining pieces of pig's head meat on the table.

(End of this chapter)