Chapter 5

Chapter 5

On the outskirts of Zhao Du City, beside the dragon chariot.

Thinking of Jiang Yuxun's justified demeanor, the Xuan Yin Monitor was both infuriated and helpless: "...Upon reaching the hideout of the abductees, he unexpectedly summoned us from our hiding and ordered us to strike, taking down that den."

Everyone in the court and common folk knew of the Xuan Yin Monitor, yet all shrouded it in secrecy.

But Jiang Yuxun not only guessed their presence nearby, he even brazenly used them!

Hearing this, Ying Changchuan finally let out a soft laugh, asking, "Where are the rescued now?"

Before being trafficked to Zhao Du, most of them were refugees produced by wars and disasters.

If they cannot find relatives for shelter, they will be sent back to their places of origin.

"In response to Your Majesty," the Xuan Yin Monitor clenched his teeth, "they pleaded with Jiang Yuxun for asylum, and to our surprise, the young Master Jiang agreed." In saying this, there was an unintended respect in the Monitor's tone.

The traffickers, hidden within the temple, were confident that no one would dare defy the gods.

Yet Jiang Yuxun not only smashed open the temple doors but even provided refuge for them.

—This act was tantamount to competing with the gods for people!

Jiang Yuxun, he truly defies convention.

"By now, they must have returned to the Jiang family's farm. He said there are still fallow lands at home, and he can support these people."

Farming and land reclamation rely entirely on physical strength.

The Great Zhou Dynasty has been in continuous warfare, drafting men everywhere.

The remaining group, old and young, seemed nothing but a burden at first glance.

Yet Jiang Yuxun spoke with unwavering certainty.

But the Xuan Yin Monitor dismissed his words as those of a pampered young master, naive to the ways of the world.

"Perhaps for a month or two, but in time, he'll realize how overconfident he is!"

Unnoticed, Ying Changchuan had taken off his jade ring, twirling it between his fingers. After a pause, he spoke slowly, "As a hero, Jiang Yuxun should have entered the court to serve. Unfortunately, this was overlooked in the haste of the recent banquet."

Within the dragon chariot, the emperor spoke languidly, "Now, it's time to bestow his rewards."

The heavy rain poured down like a silver river.

Ying Changchuan sat by the window, eyes closed in meditation.

The previous dynasty heavily relied on human sacrifices for rituals and burials.

Most of the Xuan Yin Monitors were selected and trained from among these sacrifices.

Yet even they held a reverent fear of the gods, never daring to desecrate a temple.

"...Jiang Yuxun was not merely following imperial orders."

He clearly harbored no trace of reverence for the gods.

With these thoughts, Ying Changchuan slowly opened his eyes.

This time, his eyes were filled with genuine interest.

The emperor picked up the silk manuscript on the desk.

The flickering lamp light illuminated the character "Execute" on the manuscript, along with his smoky gray eyes.

In the blink of an eye, flames licked up and turned it to ashes.

Which were then scattered by the wind.

-

The next morning, at the Xianyou Palace.

Jiang Yuxun had almost not slept at all during the night, following the eunuch like a wandering soul, as he was introduced to the surrounding palaces and chambers.

He hardly absorbed a single word.

Last night, people from Ying Changchuan suddenly arrived at the manor with an imperial edict of appointment.

After reading it, they took him in a carriage to this place to take up his new post.

Having a job, of course, was a good thing.

The Great Zhou, following the old system of the previous dynasty, provided high salaries to maintain the integrity of officials, making the official emoluments quite generous.

Ying Changchuan was twenty-three this year, and even if he were to pass away prematurely as recorded in history.

Deducting the three years of penalties, I could still receive four more years of salary.

In turbulent times, only the wealthy can survive.

Jiang Yuxun's original plan was to attract Ying Changchuan's attention and remind him to bestow an official title.

If I can manage the manor for four years, I can retire to a self-sufficient life in the countryside before the chaos begins.

But why did it have to be the position of Imperial Secretary?

"Ah..." The young man felt disheartened.

The role of Imperial Secretary is akin to the Emperor's personal secretary, normally a coveted position.

But in the Great Zhou Dynasty, it had become the most dangerous job.

The reason is simple: since his ascension, Ying Changchuan has already executed three Imperial Secretaries!

Under the hereditary system, descendants of military generals are mostly appointed as Zhi Jinwu, responsible for the security of Zhao Du.

With ample money, few duties, and the Emperor far away, it’s an extremely comfortable position.

But when it came to me, I ended up as the Imperial Secretary.

...Ying Changchuan, you sure hold a grudge.

If only I had known this would happen, I would have preferred exile.

Just as Jiang Yuxun was sinking into despair, the eunuch's footsteps suddenly halted.

Looking up, he saw a familiar figure who had unexpectedly appeared at the end of the corridor.

"Uncle?" Jiang Yuxun rubbed his eyes and hurried forward, "What are you doing here?"

"Don't worry," Zhuang Yue dismissed the eunuch and glanced stealthily outside the corridor, "Yu Yang Palace is severely flooded, and it's impossible to return for the time being. His Majesty has ordered the court officials to accompany him to the alternate palace. I arrived just last night."

Making sure no one was around, he lowered his voice: "Let's not talk about that for now. Do you know why the previous Imperial Secretaries died?"

Jiang Yuxun immediately perked up: "I don't know."

Even the historical records didn't detail this.

Zhuang Yue didn't keep him guessing and blurted it out:

"One of them was secretly collaborating with the twelve countries in the southwest. The other two were executed for colluding with the Listening Heaven Pavilion."

In previous dynasties, superstition and divination were always bound by the power of the gods.

No matter how dynasties changed, the deeply rooted and symbolically powerful "Listening Heaven Pavilion" always held more influence than the emperor, and the people firmly believed in it.

After Ying Changchuan ascended the throne, he didn't directly abolish it but gradually marginalized it.

This has always been the greatest hidden danger in the court.

"...I see."

Jiang Yuxun finally understood why he was appointed as the Imperial Secretary.

Daring to traffic human sacrifices around Zhao Du, there must be a powerful backer involved.

The investigation by the Xuan Yin Bureau will inevitably implicate many in the court, perhaps even the Lingtian Platform.

In all the world, aside from myself, Ying Changchuan would be hard-pressed to find another who has offended the Lingtian Platform so thoroughly…

Zhuang Yue patted Jiang Yuxun's shoulder, comforting him, “Take it easy. The emperor is unlikely to execute you anytime soon.”

"Let's not dwell on this. Come this way, nephew. I'll take you to your quarters."

After discussing the secrets, Zhuang Yue spoke up louder, “Do you know what the duties of an Imperial Secretary usually entail?”

“I have some idea,” replied Jiang Yuxun, looking utterly despondent.

Ying Changchuan, it seems, has turned the entire world into a massive solo game.

And the Imperial Secretary is his most handy tool.

"Reviewing memorials is just one of the emperor's daily tasks and shouldn’t take up too much time," Zhuang Yue explained as they walked. “Therefore, of the memorials submitted from counties across the Great Zhou, except for urgent ones presented directly to the emperor, you must first review all others. Sort them by importance and urgency before presenting them to the emperor, to save time.”

"Oh, and as the Imperial Secretary often accompanies the emperor, you must be attentive to everything. If the emperor is still busy, you can’t retire early. Do you understand?"

Simply put, I’m responsible for handling documents.

And I'm the only one in the Great Zhou court who must accompany Ying Changchuan from dawn till dusk.

Jiang Yuxun felt like crying: “Understood…”

"Why so listless?" Zhuang Yue gave Jiang Yuxun a firm pat on the shoulder. “Stand up straight when you speak.”

Xianyou Palace, built during the previous dynasty, originally served as an alternate palace and was renowned for its "exquisite" design.

Inside, there are intricately carved beams and painted rafters, with winding paths leading to secluded spots.

As they spoke, the two finally walked out of the corridor.

A small waterside pavilion with a hipped roof appeared before Jiang Yuxun.

From a distance, it looked ethereal and translucent, like glimmering glass.

Zhuang Yue suddenly stopped and said, "From now on, you will live here, nephew."

"This luxurious?" Jiang Yuxun was astonished.

...Well, this job might just be bearable.

Xianyou Palace was famous in history for its "luxury."

But Jiang Yuxun never expected that as a mere Imperial Secretary, he would live in such a residence.

Realizing his misunderstanding, Zhuang Yue quickly explained: "This is His Majesty's bedroom, called 'Liuyun'. The front is for handling state affairs, and the back for rest. Xianyou Palace was originally a royal summer retreat and can't accommodate many. Now that half the court is here, there aren't many spare rooms to arrange for you."

A sense of foreboding arose in Jiang Yuxun's heart.

As expected! Zhuang Yue coughed twice and said, "Since the Imperial Secretary is often busy from dawn till dusk, it's common to work long hours. Cough... It would be more convenient to live in the adjacent duty room, making it easier for you."

Convenient for a 996 schedule, isn't it?

It's one thing to live in the duty room, but to have it adjacent to Ying Changchuan’s bedroom, separated by just one wall?

This is exploitation!

"Heaven is about to entrust a great responsibility to you..." Zhuang Yue cleared his throat, stroking his beard, "It's getting late. Change into your official robe and report to His Majesty in the imperial hall."

After saying this, he quickly made himself scarce, disappearing without a trace.

Jiang Yuxun: "..."

The duty room is connected to the main hall, allowing direct access to Liuyun Hall without reporting.

Jiang Yuxun changed into a light blue official robe, feeling as heavy-hearted as if he were going to a funeral.

He reached the door but couldn’t bring himself to enter.

Just as he was hesitating, a deep and lazy voice suddenly came through the lattice door.

"Are there still people near the Jiang residence?"

Jiang Yuxun initially planned to avoid the encounter, but the mention of "Jiang residence" made him stop in his tracks.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, there are still dozens of people gathered. We have arrested a total of three hundred and seventy-four people outside the manor."

The person paused, then asked Ying Changchuan if they should continue the surveillance.

"Hmm," Ying Changchuan nodded.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Hearing this, Jiang Yuxun felt a secret thrill:

Ying Changchuan was still using him for his sting operation, so it seems I really won’t be dying anytime soon!

Completely unaware that from the moment he appeared outside the hall, those inside had noticed his presence.

Nor did he know that at this moment, the forehead of the Xuan Yin Monitor inside the hall was beaded with sweat the size of soybeans.

...Why hasn't Jiang Yuxun left yet, what more does he want to hear!

At the banquet, Ying Changchuan put down his tea cup and signaled the Xuan Yin Monitor to continue.

Just as the other was struggling to think of something trivial to report, the Emperor suddenly asked, "How is the Ting Tian Pavilion doing?"

Jiang Yuxun, you’d better pray for good luck.

The Xuan Yin Monitor gritted his teeth and reported truthfully, "Last night, the Chief Diviner of the Ting Tian Pavilion led people to Xianyou Palace. It's probably related to the sudden heavy rain in Zhao Du..."

Meanwhile, the person at the banquet slowly stood up and began walking towards the hall's exit.

Ting Tian Pavilion?

This was the most sensitive topic in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

After his initial joy, Jiang Yuxun quickly realized that the conversation that followed was not meant for his ears.

Feeling somewhat reluctant, he turned to leave.

But just then, a distinct creaking sound suddenly reached Jiang Yuxun's ears.

The next second, Ying Changchuan's voice came from above him: "My Minister, what are you doing now?"

A gentle breeze passed, bringing with it a faint whiff of dragon's saliva fragrance.

！！！

Logically, Jiang Yuxun should have replied, "I came to report on my duties."

But instead...

"Your Majesty, I was listening to your conversation with the Xuan Yin Monitor."

Ying Changchuan raised an eyebrow: "And what did you hear?"

"I heard that the Xuan Yin Monitor is still stationed at the Jiang residence, and that the chief diviner plans to lead a team to the Xian You Palace." Jiang Yuxun confessed honestly.

What a situation.

The Xuan Yin Monitor was astounded: He eavesdrops, yet he's surprisingly honest?

Jiang Yuxun closed his eyes in despair.

...Celebrated too soon.

It seems I might still meet my demise.

The author has a message:

Plan: Attract the emperor's attention, remind him I'm still unemployed ×

Reality: Overly successful in attracting attention, now working 996 √