Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

Gaoyang County at night was a stark contrast to the bustling, somber atmosphere of the day. Though it was nearly midnight, the streets were still brightly lit and bustling with people. The cries of vendors, the chatter of diners, and the melody of stringed instruments from the taverns blended together, making the atmosphere even more lively than during the day. The aroma of various snacks filled the air, tempting everyone's appetite.

The young man looked at the time indicated by the clepsydra on the street, then at the crowds of people. He frowned and whispered, "Sir, look, it's almost midnight, and the streets are still bustling with people. The night market is so bustling? Could it be that... Zhang Jingwei dared to lift the curfew without permission?"

Zhao Mingcheng walked slowly, his hands behind his back, his eyes sweeping over the unusual night market scene. His tone didn't sound surprised, and even carried a hint of sarcasm: "It's just a small county on the border. The emperor is far away, and it's not a major city in the capital. It concerns the safety of the country. The curfew system is tightened and loosened at times. It's a common situation. It's not surprising."

The young man was filled with worry, his tone becoming increasingly anxious. "But within this day, I've roughly calculated that Zhang Jingwei has arbitrarily mobilized troops, established a private torture chamber, and now, seemingly ignoring the law, has lifted the curfew! He's violated the rules time and time again! This man's behavior is so unethical and reckless. Sir... you must carefully consider his promotion certificate!" (Promotion certificate: a document used to promote officials in ancient times)

Zhao Mingcheng stopped and glanced sideways at the young man. His calm gaze made the young man feel a surge of pressure. "Carefully consider this? This promotion proposal is a decision made by His Majesty. You mean that I should return to the capital, to the palace, and ask His Majesty: 'Your Majesty, would you like to reconsider your decision?'"

The young man immediately broke out in a cold sweat and bowed hastily, "I dare not! That is absolutely not my intention! It's just...but before leaving the capital, didn't His Majesty privately instruct you...to take another look at the quality of this latitude and longitude?"

Zhao Mingcheng cast his gaze back toward the bustling crowd, his voice lowered. "'Let's see'? How do we see? Is he intelligent? Is he decisive? Can he make a difference in the border areas? Or is he known to the people as a 'good official' who can bring benefits? Isn't what you and I have seen and heard today enough?"

The young man hesitated for a moment, then finally gritted his teeth and said, "Sir, please be wise! While I was waiting outside the building, I chatted with a few locals. They... they were talking about an old story. They said that when Zhang Jingwei was in Yunzhou, he had a happy marriage and even had children. But to curry favor with the powerful and seek advancement in his career, he heartlessly abandoned his wife and children and married the daughter of Huangfu Changshui, the Northern Marquis! Even more despicable is that his abandoned wife, who had shared his hardships with him, is now living in humiliation in the backyard of his mansion! How could such an ungrateful and dishonest person be entrusted with such an important task?"

To the young man's surprise, Zhao Mingcheng was not shocked when he heard this "secret". Instead, he let out a deep and meaningful laugh: "Hahahaha...you mean his 'wife of poverty and hardship'? I know about this matter."

The young man was completely stunned and blurted out: "You know? You...how did you know?"

Zhao Mingcheng's smile gradually faded, and his eyes grew deep, as if lost in some memory. He slowly said, "Do you remember that I once had a disciple named Wei?"

The young man frowned in thought, then suddenly remembered something, a look of horror on his face: "Wei Wenjie?! That... one of the leaders of the Xinxue rebellion? But... but wasn't his entire family executed by imperial order over ten years ago? I was still a child then, but I heard it all, that... not a single person was spared!"

Zhao Mingcheng nodded, his voice calm, almost cold. "The entire family was executed. But at the time, Wei Wenjie still had a daughter, still in swaddling clothes, crying out for food." He paused, then continued, "This baby girl did not die with the Wei family. Over the years, I have sent people to teach her literacy, etiquette, and music and dance, raising her to be a graceful and well-educated young lady."

The young man seemed to realize something, and his breathing became rapid: "Sir...you mean, the one from Zhang Jingwei's house..."

"That's right," Zhao Mingcheng confirmed his guess, a sharp glint in his eyes. "I arranged for her to go. It takes a thousand days to train an army, but only a moment to deploy it. I've painstakingly cultivated her for so many years, just so that one day, I can use her as a chess piece, infiltrate the enemy, and completely destroy this cancer of 'Xinxue' for me and the court!"

The young man felt a chill running down his spine, his voice trembling. "Sir, what is the deep meaning behind this action? Could it be... could it be that this chapter of Jingwei is also related to the School of Mind?"

Zhao Mingcheng's eyes were deep as he spoke slowly, "Gao Jiong protected him too tightly, almost impenetrably. You know Gao Jiong's abilities. If he wanted to investigate, there was rarely anything he couldn't find. He spent so much time investigating in Yunzhou, yet he found almost nothing about Zhang Jingwei's past; it was so clean it aroused suspicion. On the contrary, in Jiangnan, he uncovered a wealthy businessman with extensive ties to the School of Mind."

The young man immediately replied, "I know it's the Ma family's property."

Zhao Mingcheng nodded. "Indeed. I suspect that the wealthy businessman in Jiangnan is also one of the leaders of the School of Mind. And the suddenly rising 'Huangfu Junxing', with its vast funds of unknown origin, is most likely the channel through which the wealthy businessman secretly transferred and laundered his assets! I sent Wei Jiajia to infiltrate the Junxing's owners, hoping to find any clues of their collusion with the School of Mind..."

He sighed, his tone filled with a hint of disbelief and deep doubt: "But I never expected that the real owner of this huge military trading company is not the Huangfu family at all, but this seemingly without any foundation Zhang Jingwei!"

The young man took a deep breath and said, "So, sir, you suspect Zhang Jingwei..."

Zhao Mingcheng shook his head, his eyes complicated. "There's no solid evidence yet, so I can't be sure. All of this is based more on a hunch I've had over the years in the political arena. Gao Jiong did capture a large group of Xinxue members in Jinzhou not long ago, killing hundreds of their core members. His achievements are outstanding. I know his character, and he wouldn't betray me to protect Zhang Jingwei. Among my disciples, Gao Jiong has always been the one I rely on the most."

The young man was silent for a moment, then suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with a hint of grievance and determination, and asked, "Teacher, then... then what about me? In the hearts of these students, you are also..."

Zhao Mingcheng glanced at him, a look that seemed to penetrate a person's heart. He gently patted the young man's shoulder, his tone softening slightly, yet with a subtle hint of distance. "You? You've been an official for too long, spending most of your time in the capital. You've rarely been among the people, experiencing the world and the subtleties of human nature. You're still a little lacking in your understanding and appreciation of the world's sinister nature."

The young man hurriedly expressed his loyalty: "But I have been following you since I was enlightened!"

Zhao Mingcheng smiled, a smile that held a hint of fatigue, as well as a hint of the vicissitudes of life. "So, this is the difference between a domestic dog and a wild wolf. Domestic dogs are loyal and reliable, bringing peace of mind, but they don't recognize the dangers of the wilderness. Wild wolves are cunning and fierce, able to fight alone, but they can also turn against their masters. Each has its uses, but also its drawbacks."

Upon hearing this, the young man straightened his back and said solemnly, "Then I am willing to be your loyal dog forever, and stay with you forever!"

Zhao Mingcheng slowly shook his head, his gaze fixed on the dark night sky. His voice grew hazy and heavy, "Your loyalty should be to the court, to His Majesty, not to an old, dying man like me. I'm almost seventy. As Zhang Jingwei just said, at my age, the most important thing to worry about is how to live well tomorrow."

The night market was still bustling, but between the king and his subject, there was an indescribable heaviness and chill.