The disgraced official I took care of was actually Zhu Houcong's childhood friend.

"But Mr. Yangming was so prescient that he nipped the Prince of Ning's rebellion in the bud before it fully erupted. How could the Emperor be happy? How could all these officials be happy?"

Zhou Chu asked.

Tang Bohu and Yan Song were dumbfounded when they heard this.

The waters in this court are far too deep.

If Zhou Chu hadn't told them all this, they would never have imagined it.

"Weighing instrument, if you become an official in the future, you'll be extraordinary."

Tang Bohu couldn't help but sigh.

"Indeed, at such a young age, he has seen through the ways of officialdom, which is far better than us. I only just figured this out in the last couple of days."

Wang Yangming said with a hint of helplessness.

"Even if I understand, I still have to do what I have to do. Once the Prince of Ning's rebellion breaks out, countless people will be displaced and die tragically, which is not what I want."

"Master Yangming was truly righteous!"

Zhou Chu said with admiration.

"Bo'an's righteousness."

Tang Bohu and Yan Song were also filled with admiration.

"If you become an official in the future, you definitely won't be a good one."

Tang Bohu looked at Zhou Chu with some concern.

Can someone who sees through the officialdom so clearly really be a good official?

"Therefore, I will not serve as an official in the imperial court."

Zhou Chu smiled.

"Not serving as an official in the imperial court?"

This time, not only Tang Bohu, but also Yan Song and Wang Yangming were stunned.

In their view, with Zhou Chu's vision, knowledge, and political awareness, he was practically a saint of officialdom. If he were to enter the court as an official in the future, wouldn't he kill indiscriminately?

It would be such a waste if they didn't become officials.

Tang Bohu had mixed feelings. He was afraid that Zhou Chu would not be a good official if he entered the court, but he also felt that it would be a waste for Zhou Chu to not enter the court with his abilities.

“If I were to enter the court as an official, my talent and learning would not surpass that of my teacher, my magnanimity would not surpass that of Mr. Yangming, and my heart for the people and the Ming Dynasty would not be comparable to that of Mr. Jiexi. Now I see clearly that I am merely an outsider.”

"If one is caught in the middle of it all, it's like being in a quagmire, being crushed by the officials in the court. How can one then hold fast to one's principles?"

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Wang Yangming's eyes.

“Weighing instrument is truly a remarkable person; few in the world can be as clear-headed as you.”

"So what are your plans for the future?"

As Zhou Chu's teacher, Tang Bohu was undoubtedly the one who cared about him the most among the three.

"Right now, I'm just doing business and seeing if I can find an opportunity to get my uncle and aunt's family out of trouble. I don't have any other plans for the time being."

Zhou Chu was not telling the truth.

Zhou Chu trusted Tang Bohu.

Even Wang Yangming trusted him.

After Wang Yangming founded his philosophy of mind, his mind became as firm as iron, and few could sway him. Such a person may not be a friend in the future, but he will not be an enemy either; at most, he will just follow a different path from Zhou Chu.

Yan Song was different.

Yan Song's character was not that firm.

Now we are wholeheartedly devoted to the people and to the Ming Dynasty.

But I'm afraid that in a few years, Mr. Jiexi will change his mindset.

It's not entirely his fault; officials in the Ming Dynasty faced far too many temptations.

He's over forty years old now, and looking back on the past half of his life, he's wasted his time and accomplished nothing. It's inevitable that his mindset will change.

Regardless of what will happen later, Yan Song's mindset has probably already changed by now.

His rapid reinstatement and appointment as Chancellor of the Imperial Academy were most likely due to the influence of Xia Yan, the Minister of Rites.

I must have tried to please Xia Yan quite a bit these past few days.

Despite his righteous words, he always acted with his own future in mind.

When speaking to Yan Song, you should only say three-tenths and leave seven-tenths unsaid.

Zhou Chu said these things to Yan Song because he knew that Yan Song was a smart man and also a man who kept his mouth shut. Saying these things to others would not do any good for either him or himself.

I might work with him again in the future, so it wouldn't hurt to mention it in advance.

Tang Bohu naturally knew that Zhou Chu's future was definitely not planned this way.

However, Tang Bohu realized that there were outsiders present, so he didn't ask any further questions and nodded.

"That's fine too. Peace and stability are better than anything else."