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Chapter 268 The Second Imperial Edict

In the academy, the Mohist leader and Gongyang Suwang were dumbfounded.

Seeing that the young man was almost dragging a bearded man towards them and running wildly, the man quickly covered his face in shame. However, King Su and the giant recognized who this man was. Li Guan paused and bowed.

"Disciple greets the two palace masters."

“When Pingyang comes here later, please tell the two seniors that you don’t have to wait for me.”

Ji Zichang covered his face in shame.

Li Guanyi felt that the academy student in his hand seemed to be quite nervous. Looking around, he could not find the main gate. He realized that it would take another three to five minutes to reach the main gate. This bearded academy student might not be able to hold on.

So I said I'm sorry.

Qin Wuhou carried Ji Zichang on his shoulders.

He directly climbed over the wall of the academy.

King Gongyang Su: “…………”

Mohist master: “…………”

King Su suddenly laughed out loud. He was not like many Confucianists who were bound by rigid doctrines. Instead, he would make different changes according to the circumstances. The old man walked forward leisurely:

"Don't look at what is not proper, don't say what is not proper."

"I didn't see anything, old man."

He looked at the Mohist master, stretched out his hand, and said with a smile:
"The wind and clouds are rising, and there's still a lot of time. Giant, why don't you and I play another round?"

Li Guanyi and Ji Zichang climbed over the wall and left. This was nothing for Li Guanyi, who was born in the common people and had a very good relationship with Siming and Yaoguang. However, for the king of Zhongzhou who had been framed by layers of etiquette since birth—

Under the nose of the leader of Confucianism and the great master of Mohism.

He was lifted up and climbed over the wall.

What a rude place!

How...refreshing!
Stimulate!

Ji Zichang just felt his heart pounding. He said, "You, you dare to climb over the wall in front of King Gongyang Su?!" Li Guanyi said, "Is there any law in the academy that forbids climbing over the wall?"

Ji Zichang couldn't answer.

Li Guanyi said, "I know an elder who holds a high position in the academy. He likes to climb over the wall. Since the elders do this, young students like you and me can do it, too."

Ji Zichang smiled bitterly: "As expected of you, where are you going?"

Li Guanyi replied, "Let's go have a meal." He searched in his pocket and found that he didn't have much money. Ji Zichang noticed his gaze and asked, "What's wrong?"

Li Guanyi replied: "Well, brother, maybe we should choose a more ordinary store."

"I don't have much money."

Ji Zichang was dumbfounded.

Jiangnan, a prosperous land!
The Eighteen Prefectures of Jiangnan are the water transportation hub of the entire world. You control thousands of miles of land in Jiangnan. As a dignified prince, you actually say that you have no money. However, Ji Zichang has been an emperor for many years, so at least he knows whether what people say is true.

This guy really has no money.

The prince of Jiangnan has no money?

Ji Zichang suddenly burst into laughter, thinking that this was the most interesting and funny thing in the world. He pointed at the jade pendant that Li Guanyi always wore around his waist and said, "Don't bluff me. This jade pendant is obviously something that only royal families have."

"Both the texture and the color are of the highest quality and are worth a fortune."

"If you don't have money, why don't you pawn this thing?"

Li Guan stroked the jade pendant with his hand and replied with a smile:

"Because this thing is priceless."

This is the jade pendant given to him by Miss Xue Shuangtao, how could it be replaced? Ji Zichang said, "Well, if that's the case, then it's up to you. Lead the way."

Li Guanyi discovered that Brother Chang Wen probably didn't go out often, and his understanding of the First Capital was not as good as that of an outsider like him. Li Guanyi took him around for a while and went to a restaurant that didn't look very expensive.

Ordered a few dishes.

When Ji Zichang heard the dish Li Guanyi ordered, he said, "Why don't you speak the truth?"

Li Guanyi was dumbfounded: "What?"

Ji Zichang laughed and said, "These dishes you mentioned must cost several hundred taels at least, and you still say you don't have money?"

Li Guanyi replied: "What is it?"

He pointed at the menu he ordered and said, "Autumn chives are already old, fried chives with eggs, a stewed chicken, a vegetarian dish, lotus egg drop soup, two bowls of rice, how many taels do these things cost?"

"Even in Zhongzhou, this thing is only a little over one silver coin."

“Are the eggs you eat made of gold, or are the rice made of golden beans?”

Li Guanyi noticed that Ji Zichang's smile slowly froze.

It seemed as if something was torn apart.

The young king turned pale and was silent for a moment. He seemed to understand something and asked, "How much is an egg worth?"

Li Guanyi replied: "One or two cents?"

"Even in a place like Zhongzhou, a dozen coins are enough for a meal. If you have more than twenty coins, you can have some meat."

Ji Zichang remained silent for a long time, then raised his finger and pressed it between his eyebrows.

Li Guanyi seemed to be thinking about something, and said, "Have you also been oppressed by the Imperial Household Department of Zhongzhou? The so-called egg costs ten taels of silver, two shallots cost five taels of silver, and the fire consumption costs five taels of silver."

"A plate of fried eggs costs at most twenty wen, but they dare to sell it for fifty liang."

“It’s really outrageous.”

Ji Zichang took a deep breath. The emperor, who had been working diligently in the palace, was shaking in his hands. He gritted his teeth and said, "...The Ministry of Internal Affairs is paid by the court, but they deceived their superiors and subordinates. I will report them when I return!"

Li Guanyi said: "What's the use of a small official in the Ministry of Internal Affairs?"

Ji Zichang paused.

Li Guanyi said, "He is just an official of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, only of the fourth or fifth rank. How could he dare to withhold such a large amount of money? It must have been handed over to the higher authorities, and extorted from him layer by layer. It's just a chicken egg and one or two coins of silver."

Ji Zichang said: "Then, where do you think all the money went?"

Li Guanyi said: "Isn't this simple?"

The dishes were served. Li Guan took a bite and said, "You know what happened in the city recently. The sword maniac Murong Longtu challenged all the masters in the martial arts world, the palace master of the academy, and the lofty legend of the martial arts world."

"Logically speaking, no one would dare to cause trouble in this kind of situation."

"But when I came, I found that someone had raised the head tax at a city gate to five times the original amount, taking the opportunity to make money, and this person was the consort of a certain county lady."

Ji Zichang lowered his eyes, with a gloomy look in them.

Li Guanyi ordered a pot of wine. While drinking, he naturally activated his natural instinct to talk about the situation at the dinner table. He said, "In fact, the problem is already very obvious. Not to mention my friends, even someone like me can see it clearly."

"Zhongzhou is only a thousand miles in radius. In terms of land affluence, it is not as rich as the Central Plains. In terms of commercial trade, Guanzhong is not as rich in products as the State of Chen. Even the transportation of products is not as good as the entire 18 states of Jiangnan, which are of similar size."

"Then why are there so many royal relatives and family elders?"

Ji Zichang said: "Because there are offerings from various countries."

Li Guanyi replied: "In the past, there were tributes from various countries. When the time came, the princes were unable to pay gold and taxes, and even had to be stripped of their titles. But now, who in Chen and Ying will pay the vast majority of a country's taxes?"

"Three hundred years ago, Zhongzhou lost its power, and the blood of the royal family and nobles flowed all over the imperial road."

"Chen and Ying have separated from Zhongzhou, and they will only provide a portion of their support, but compared to the past, it is pitifully small. However, under such circumstances, the big families, clans, and even the royal family and nobles in Zhongzhou have not reduced their extravagance and pomp in the slightest."

"On the contrary, when Chen and Ying refused to obey him, he was extravagant and wasteful to show off his power. He knew that the two countries no longer cared about him, but he still insisted on holding on. There are people like him everywhere in the world."

Ji Zichang's face turned ashen.

He clenched his fists. Although he had known about the problem before, he had never known it was so severe because he had been in the palace all his life. He raised his head and looked at Li Guanyi in front of him. The latter was holding a glass of wine and looking outside with a calm expression.

Then he retracted his gaze and said, "Well, may I ask, Brother Chang Wen."

"The tributes of the two countries have been reduced, but the desires of the great families are unlimited."

"So where does the money come from?"

Ji Zichang slowly loosened his clenched fist and said softly: "... the people."

Li Guanyi replied: "Wrong."

"I used to think that they took it from the people, but later I found out that it was not just that. They are all powerful families that have experienced a long time. They have witnessed the power of Emperor Wu of Chen after he won the hearts of the people three hundred years ago."

"Yes, it was taken from the Emperor."

Li Guanyi said, "It was only after I came here that I discovered that the emperor was levying heavy taxes in his name, and the tax expenditures were indeed given, but these were all false accounts."

“Perhaps the emperor is a good emperor, the ministers are capable ministers, and the people work hard in the fields, but everyone’s life is not as they wish.”

"In the channel between the emperor and the people, they exploited each other like termites."

"When the people's anger reaches its peak."

Li Guanyi swung the chopsticks in his hand vertically like a sword and said calmly:
"It's just a change of emperor."

These words sounded like thunder in Ji Zichang's ears.

He looked at Qin Wuhou, who was holding chopsticks like a sword.

The black hair at Qin Wuhou's temples fluttered slightly in the wind, but his expression was calm.

Ji Zichang realized at this time that the person in front of him was not the student or Taoist priest who had drunk with him before and even carried him over the wall. His eyes were still on the world.

He was Qin Wuhou, whose awe-inspiring bearing was no less than that of the founding emperors.

Li Guanyi persuaded Ji Zichang to drink and said casually:

"The emperor was changed to appease the people's anger, but the old men in the royal family still hold actual interests and authority. Are they puppets? No."

"The emperor is just a huge shield to protect their own interests from being damaged. The remaining power of the Red Emperor is just a slogan to collect money. From this perspective, there must be a top strategist in the royal family who is extremely smart and has a clear understanding of the situation."

"If my guess is correct."

"Among the great emperors of Zhongzhou throughout the ages, there should be many who were still strong and healthy at a young age, and even had at least three levels of internal energy, but began to vomit blood, fell ill, and died inexplicably in their prime."

Wow!

Ji Zichang pressed his palm on the table, making the plates and bowls on the table clatter. His expression changed drastically, but he had to acknowledge the existence of what Li Guanyi said.

Li Guan looked apologetic and said, "Sorry."

"That's my own personality. I forget your position."

Ji Zichang opened his mouth.

The pride in his heart suddenly died down at this moment. It was not because he did not try hard, but because with his vision and judgment, he had already understood that the emperor had become the common sacrifice of the Chidi family for eight hundred years.

The interests of the princes and dignitaries that had accumulated over the past eight hundred years turned into strands of silk. They seemed light, but when added together, they acted like ropes that tied the emperor tightly to the royal family.

It also separated the imperial palace from the common people.

These problems were so intertwined that they were like a chariot being pulled forward by eight mad horses. He could no longer control them and was powerless to reverse the situation. Only the clean power from the outside world could tear apart such a situation.

How to resolve internal and external difficulties?
He looked at Li Guanyi in front of him with a calm expression.

He suddenly sighed and smiled, "I really envy you, pharmacist." Li Guanyi raised his eyebrows.

Ji Zichang suddenly grabbed the wine jug on the table and poured himself some wine.

Then he tilted his head back. The emperor, who had never liked to use the same eating utensils as others, drank the wine sip by sip. After a while, he was a little drunk. Li Guanyi comforted him, "You don't have to do this."

Ji Zichang said: "You don't understand, you don't understand."

Li Guanyi did not refute anymore, but just drank with this strange student. There was a table full of dishes, and the two of them drank jar after jar of wine. Ji Zichang did not use his fourth-level magical skill "Red Dragon Shocks the Nine States" to dispel the effects of the alcohol, as he was already drunk.

When Li Guanyi helped the drunken student out of the restaurant, the sky had already turned completely dark. Ji Zichang staggered. He patted Li Guanyi on the shoulder and said, "Pharmacist, you said that your jade pendant was given to you by someone else."

"Oh, yes, is she the girl in your mind?"

Li Guan paused.

Ji Zichang had already pushed him away, staggered forward, and whispered: "I, I had it too. At that time, I hadn't become the head of the family yet. I was a girl of ordinary family, who liked to play the piano and play chess."

"Later, at the age of seventeen, he fell seriously ill and died."

Li Guanyi said: "You married the daughter of a noble family, right?"

Ji Zichang said softly: "Yes."

“It is with their strength that we can stand firm.”

"but……"

He suddenly laughed at himself and said, "Forget it, it's a boring thing. Never mind. Come on, drink, drink!" He shouted, tilted his head back to drink, but found that there was no wine left, and frowned.

The emperor, who rarely indulged himself, caught a glimpse of the wine jug on Li Guanyi's waist.

"Ha! You still have my wine here."

He didn't care about anything else and simply reached out to grab the wine jug. Li Guanyi subconsciously ignored the wine jug until Ji Zichang took off the mouth of the wine jug and the Yaoguang magic was destroyed. Li Guanyi realized that something was wrong.

What you got is not fruit wine, but Thousand Day Drunk!
Ji Zichang tilted his head back and took a big sip. This guy seemed to be in a very unhappy mood. He just drank in big gulps. However, he never thought that the inside of the bottle had been changed by the whale fisherman with a formation, and it could hold three dou and three liters of liquor.

Ji Zichang drank so much in one breath that his body began to stagger.

When he realized something was wrong, he took down the wine jug and asked, "My wine, is it so strong?"

Li Guanyi was dumbfounded.

No?

Are all Zhongzhou students so terrible?

It would be fine if Wen He could avoid the Thousand Days of Drunkenness, but the decadent and depressed bearded man he met on the roadside could actually drink for such a long time without falling down. Ji Zichang threw the thing in his hand over, and Li Guanyi grabbed it.

Under Ji Zichang's gaze of "it's your turn", Li Guanyi also smiled freely and drank madly. Ji Zichang's favorability increased and he laughed and said, "Okay, okay!

Ji Zichang burped and said, "Let's go!"

He stretched out his hand to hold Li Guanyi, staggering and saying, "Let's go!"

The two stumbled along the way, but after drinking so much wine, they suddenly became thirsty. Ji Zichang glanced around and saw a courtyard. He said, "Pharmacist, pharmacist, look!"

"There are vegetables there, the red ones, which must have been brought in from the Western Region or the Northern Region. They can quench your thirst."

Li Guanyi also drank a lot and said, "This is someone else's."

Ji Zichang patted his chest, slapped his fist, and said with a big tongue: "What do you mean it's someone else's? I, I..." He pointed his thumb at his chest and said proudly: "It's mine! It's all mine!"

Li Guanyi, who was slightly tipsy, said, "Then go get some?"

"it is good!"

The two men climbed over the wall very skillfully.

Then pick the red Western fruits and vegetables in this yard.

“I picked more!”

"Laugh, what a joke. I... I mean, if we really want to talk about it, appearance is definitely more important, right?!"

"many?"

Ji Zichang said disdainfully: "Mine is the biggest."

As the two guys rolled up their clothes and squatted here, stepping on things frantically, a strange atmosphere gradually emerged. Qin Wuhou and the Emperor of Zhongzhou slowly raised their heads, and the two saw green eyes lighting up in the darkness.

Then I saw it clearly.

It's a dog.

Staring at them coldly, Li Guan put a finger to his lips. Ji Zichang's scalp tingled: "Be good, be good dog, don't bark, don't bark..."

A series of dog barking sounds broke the silence of the night.

Then there was a loud old man's voice: "Oh my god!!!"

"Where did this thief come from? How dare you steal my vegetables? Wangcai, bite him!"

"Bite them to death!"

grass! ! !
Li Guan was furious and asked, "Isn't this your house?"
Turn your head.

The man named Chang Wen had already climbed halfway over the wall, and was more agile than him.

Li Guan was furious, and then he got a little angry. Under the anger of the people who had no martial arts skills, the dignified Qin Wuhou had to flee in embarrassment. Finally, he climbed over the wall with the fruit in his arms, and shook his hand back, and a handful of copper coins fell on the table.

"We bought it!"

"Bought it!"

The old man was still cursing. Li Guanyi and Ji Zichang were sitting astride the wall. On one side was the vegetable and fruit yard, on the other side was a quiet road, and in the sky was the brilliant and magnificent Milky Way. The two suddenly felt a little bit of peace, looked at each other and laughed.

They climbed over the wall and ran away quickly. The dog chased them for two miles before being thrown off. Li Guan gave Ji Zichang a sidelong look: "Didn't you say it was yours?!"

Ji Zichang said: "I remembered it wrongly."

All this land under heaven belongs to the king, it is my home!

He looked at the sky, ate the fruit with Li Guanyi, and then got up: "My family's tutor is very strict. See you next time, Pharmacist Li."

Li Guanyi said: "Aren't you the head of the family?"

Ji Zichang smiled and said, "Master, there are many things that are beyond your control. I hope you can stay like this forever. We are even with each other today."

"It's a rare occasion for me to have such a good time."

"Oh, when I was young, I wanted to be a knight and roam the world without any restrictions. Unfortunately, I can't do that now. There are too many rules!"

He waved to Li Guanyi with his back, then staggered away.

Li Guanyi raised his head, looked at the sky, sat against a tree, tilted his neck back to drink, the water line fell and flew into the boy's throat, calmly and freely.

Ji Zichang's steps became steady, and his back slowly straightened. He had the aura of the Emperor of Zhongzhou in him, which was similar to a magical power but more powerful. It was called luck and was called dragon vein. In this state, Ji Zichang had a strong resistance to all kinds of negative influences.

He returned to the palace and to the study in the side hall.

He thought that the very old Yan Taibao should have gone back.

He pushed open the door of the side hall. The white-haired old man was still standing there quietly. He bowed calmly and said, "Your Majesty, you are back."

Ji Zichang looked at him and felt much warmer in his heart.

There are treacherous officials in the world, there are people who do things and things for their own selfish desires, and there are people like the old man. Ji Zichang said: "Teacher, why didn't you tell me about the affairs of the people before?"

Yan Taibao was surprised and said, "Minister, don't you have to submit books every month?"

Ji Zichang was silent. He suddenly knew everything. The emperor was trapped in a cage. Ji Zichang smiled freely. He changed into the emperor's regular clothes, trimmed his messy hair and beard, and then came here calmly.

"I kept the teacher waiting for a long time."

Yan Taibao asked: "Your Majesty, have you made a decision?"

Ji Zichang said: "Yes..."

"Teacher, please sit down."

After Yan Taibao took his seat, Ji Zichang sat at the desk in the imperial study. The eternal lamp made of giant whales from overseas illuminated the surroundings, clear and bright. Ji Zichang thought about what he had seen today. Li Guanyi's arbitrary words were like a sharp blade that split the emperor and the people who were locked up in layers.

But this was not the reason for him to make the decision.

Yan Taibao saw the calm emperor, who was drunk, reaching out his hand and picking up the first imperial edict. This was a safe choice that would not go wrong, but Yan Taibao seemed to have mixed feelings.

Then he saw the emperor touching the imperial edict and stretching out his hand, but the imperial edict was thrust into the steady flame of the ever-burning lamp, and the flame suddenly spread upwards. Yan Taibao was startled, and stood up suddenly, saying, "Your Majesty!!!"

Ji Zichang's eyes were fixed on the first imperial edict that was burning.

The light of the burning flames was reflected in his pupils. He thought about the three answers given by Qin Wuhou today, but smiled faintly and said softly: "The third answer is to summon up the remaining courage. This is what you will do. Young people are full of vigor and vitality, which makes people envy them."

"But I am different now."

"For eight hundred years, the Red Emperor's world has been magnificent and domineering, but behind it is always the smell of decay and the intricate coldness."

“I’m no longer going to stand up.”

"I can't, and I don't want to."

The first imperial edict was burned in the flames, and only golden red ashes were left, falling down and slowly turning into black. This hidden flame fell into Ji Zichang's eyes.

He lowered his eyes, as if he could feel the invisible threads entangled around his body as an emperor.

These silk threads come from aristocratic families, from history, from royal families and ancestors.

Ji Zichang no longer resisted.

He said calmly: "I was born, grew up, and ascended the throne. I have been bathed in the glory of the Red Emperor and have received the grace of the Red Emperor. But at this moment, I have to cut off my relationship with them and pretend that I am innocent."

“It’s just a way of deceiving yourself.”

“Misfortunes do not extend to family members, and benefits do not extend to family members.”

"I am also part of the shadow that covers the world as you mentioned."

Ji Zichang stretched out his hand, grasped the seal of the Red Emperor, and slowly raised it. At this time, Yan Taibao finally sensed the hidden spirit of the disciple in front of him. The eternal lamp was shaking violently, and Ji Zichang said to himself calmly:

"I have received the honor."

"And they must bear His filthiness."

"I will bear the glory and filth of the Scarlet Emperor together with him."

"It is the duty of a ruler."

"I will capture this so-called royal family, and then take these entangled things that have been entangled for eight hundred years, and walk into the fire together to burn away these eight hundred years of darkness. This is my right, and you should also have your own path."

"I can't be the hero you mentioned."

"it's a pity."

"We all have our own destiny."

He stretched out his hand, pressed the seal, and slowly pressed it down on the imperial edict.

[The Imperial Imperial Order issued to Li Guanyi to command the entire military force].

(End of this chapter)