The Tang Dynasty: Wu Zetian made me her imperial tutor

"Is there an even better strategy?" Shangguan Wan'er almost exclaimed.

She had served the Empress Dowager for many years and had met many famous ministers, but based on what she had seen in the past few days—the essays, the palace examination, and the audience—no one could compare to Lu Jun in terms of wisdom and resourcefulness.

In the main hall, the eunuchs and maids all looked at the young man, their eyes shining like stars.

At the same time, a thought flashed through my mind: "His schemes seem endless, is he even human...?"

Wu Zetian was still immersed in the joy of the Great Cloud Sutra, her gaze slightly unfocused, and her reaction was the slowest.

He raised an eyebrow: "Oh, you also have strategies?"

"Your Majesty, Buddhism and Confucianism are both ideologies, differing only in their scope of application and ease of dissemination."

"But for ordinary people, ideas are not the most important thing; food, clothing, and other necessities for survival are."

"Therefore, my strategy focuses on human survival instincts, which can be summarized in two words..."

Lu Jun was speaking eloquently, about to reveal her strategy, when she saw Wu Zetian raise her right arm and swing it gently.

He smiled and said, "Chu Yu, we've already said a lot today. Let's put the strategy aside for now. I also need to think it over carefully."

At that moment, only three words were in her mind—

The Great Cloud Sutra.

The meaning of "the female ruler of the country" was more urgent for her than anything else at this moment. She was eager to have someone investigate whether it was really true.

While strategies for governing the country, ambitious plans, and ingenious ideas are important, they are not urgent.

Even if we listen to everything now, it's impossible to implement it immediately; there will always be a process of understanding, discussion, and planning.

The key is to wait until he becomes emperor before doing so, so that he can ensure that he, not the Li family, will benefit.

These thoughts, however, cannot be expressed directly.

She had already controlled her expression, and her every move was very calm, so Lu Jun didn't notice it for a moment.

We agreed on three days and three nights... It hasn't even been a day yet, and it's already stopped after just foreplay?

It seems the theory we just discussed was too advanced, too impulsive. We need to proceed gradually, combining simpler concepts with more complex ones...

Okay, let's start with some basic information.

Lu Jun pointed to the map:

"Very well, Your Majesty, let me explain the map to you again. Besides the Tang Dynasty and the Abbasid Caliphate, there are still many powerful countries on this continent."

"From Zhaowu westward, to the south lies the Abbasid Caliphate, and to the north is the Khazars Khanate, originally a branch of the Western Turks who later migrated here."

"Further west lies another powerful nation, referred to in Han Chinese texts as Da Qin, whose people called themselves the Roman Empire."

"The Roman Empire was once much larger, encompassing the entire sea area. About three hundred years ago, it was divided into east and west. The western part was conquered by barbarian tribes, who then established their own kingdoms, including the Frankish Kingdom, the Visigothic Kingdom, and the Lombard Kingdom..."

"To the east, it still considers itself the legitimate successor of the Roman Empire, and to the east, it opposes the Abbasid Caliphate, while to the northwest, it defends against barbarian states."

"The northern part of the continent is inhabited by Vikings, who are fond of plundering. I predict that they will soon be raiding everywhere..."

"Since the Han Dynasty, the Qin Dynasty has been keen on the silk of the Celestial Empire. A single bolt can be sold for twelve taels of gold, and the profits are considerable."

"The Sogdians, Arabs, and Turks rushed about, some entering the Central Plains to buy supplies, others reselling them along the way, sharing the profits..."

As he introduced the area, he picked up a brush and roughly sketched out the region, then marked the country names.

Shangguan Wan'er, the eunuchs, and the maids listened with great interest, their eyes sparkling.

The region mentioned by Lu Jun was not only not listed in the "Kuodi Zhi", but was also never mentioned by the most learned scholars of the Tang Dynasty.

It is even more novel than what is recorded in "The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions"!

Just how much does Lu Lang know?

He spoke fluently and logically, without any hint of improvisation, so the map seemed quite credible...

There are heavens beyond heavens, mountains beyond mountains, and several vast landmasses on the other side of the ocean that haven't been mentioned yet—it's truly intriguing!

Wu Zetian still had a smile on her face, sometimes nodding in response, sometimes lost in thought, it was unclear whether she was daydreaming.

Seeing that no one was commenting, and no one was voting or giving recommendations... Lu Jun continued pointing to the Americas:

"To the east of the Great Tang Dynasty lies Fusang, separated by a vast ocean of about 20,000 li, where two landmasses connect from north to south."

"As far as I know, the people living here are collectively called Indians, and there are many small tribes."

"In this short section, a tribe called the Maya established many city-states. They were skilled in mathematics, astronomy, and calendrical calculations, but they did not know how to smelt iron, so their strength was not great."

"The rest of the region is vast, but sparsely populated, and most people make a living by fishing and hunting, though they have no horses..."

Dengdengdeng-

At this point, the eunuch that Wu Zetian had just sent quickly entered the hall, came to her side, and whispered a few words in her ear.

Because they were so close, Lu Jun vaguely heard a few words: "Master Xue is here..."

It was him!

No wonder...

Master Xue is Xue Huaiyi, whose real name is Feng Xiaobao. The Empress Dowager ordered him to be included in the genealogy of the Xue family of Hedong, along with the imperial son-in-law Xue Shao. According to seniority, Xue Shao called him uncle.

Since the Empress Dowager had not yet ascended the throne, keeping male favorites would have a bad reputation, so he temporarily entered the palace as a monk to chant scriptures.

Including Wu Chengsi and Wu Sansi, all the civil and military officials in the court addressed him as "Master Xue".

He was suddenly summoned to the palace in broad daylight, most likely not because the Empress Dowager was in a good mood...

"Chu Yu, let's stop here for today."

Wu Zetian immediately ended the audience, seemingly to appease Lu Jun, and patted him on the shoulder with a smile:

"Chu Yu, don't overthink it. It's not that I'm not interested in your strategies and maps."

"I have learned a great deal from what you have said today. You truly deserve to be my top scholar!"

"You still need to go to court tomorrow, express your gratitude to the Ministry of Personnel, and then participate in a public assembly and a parade through the streets. Go back and rest now."

"Becoming the top scholar in the imperial examination is a great honor for your family and ancestors. You also need to return to Luhun to pay respects to your ancestors. I will give you half a month's leave to settle down properly."

"Half a month later, the Ministry of Personnel will have already appointed officials, and the governors of Xizhou and Liangzhou should be arriving soon. I will then summon you to the palace again."

Seeing her kind and gentle demeanor, the eunuchs and maids around her were filled with envy.

Their jaws dropped to the floor, each thinking, "We've never seen the Empress Dowager treat her subjects with such care..."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I shall take my leave now."

Whether Master Xue came to drive piles, meditate, or draft the "Great Cloud Sutra Commentary," Lu Jun had to be sensible.

He bowed and took a few steps back, about to turn around, when he suddenly remembered something and stopped at the palace gate.

"Your Majesty, may I apologize to a palace maid? When I took the imperial examination, Your Majesty granted me special permission to enter the palace to answer questions. I was unaware that the palace maid was sent by Your Majesty and spoke disrespectfully to her. I wish to apologize in person and hope that Your Majesty will forgive my ignorance."

Shangguan Wan'er kept giving her the cold shoulder today, perhaps because she remembered the time she had embarrassed her.

They are by the Empress Dowager's side; we cannot offend them.

Wu Zetian was taken aback and asked the side of the hall, "Wan'er, is that so? Do you two have a grudge?"

Shangguan Wan'er's lips trembled slightly as she softly said, "Wan'er is acting on the Empress Dowager's orders; how could I be so petty?"

He briefly recounted what had happened and turned to Lu Jun: "Lu Lang acted justly, there is no need for an apology."

His words were calm, but a warmth rose in his heart.

Whether Lu Jun's words were intentional or unintentional, they conveniently helped him out of his predicament.

If the Empress Dowager suspects that she has an affair, she will immediately realize that she has been wronged once she learns of this discord.

Sure enough, Wu Zetian smiled at Lu Jun and said, "Chu Yu, don't take it to heart. Although Wan'er is a woman, she has this much tolerance."

After having a eunuch escort Lu Jun away, he slowly approached and gently stroked Wan'er's forehead, speaking softly:

"Wan'er, you like to use flower petals to make juice to dye books and infuse them with fragrance. Let me admire the two cherry blossom trees of Shangyang Palace."

…………

A gentle spring breeze blew outside the palace.

A few days ago, after leaving the capital for the preliminary examination, Lu Jun was preoccupied with worries. Today, she was awarded first place in all three questions of the palace examination and was personally summoned by the Empress Dowager. As she walked towards the Imperial Academy, she felt refreshed and invigorated, as if every pore of her body was breathing in the fragrance of flowers from the streets.

Willow branches sway gently in the breeze, and grasses are trimmed neatly by the rain; the Tianjin Bridge in Bai Juyi's poem is tranquil and pleasant.

Looking back westward, one sees palace maids laughing in painted pavilions and red towers, while passersby are saddened by jade flutes and golden pipes. In Wang Zhongchu's writing, Shangyang Palace is a place of peace and prosperity with songs and dances.

Crossing the Tianjin Bridge leads to Dingdingmen Street, also known as Tianjie (Heavenly Street), which is nearly a hundred paces wide and lined with flower petals, making it both grand and graceful.

Three main streets and nine alleys line the city's beauties, and ten thousand households and a thousand gates open at dawn. In the blink of an eye, the prosperity of the capital city is all before your eyes.

Feeling comfortable.

After all, they returned in a royal carriage.

After Lu Jun followed the eunuch out of the south gate of Luoyang, a carriage was already waiting there. The eunuch respectfully said:

"Empress Dowager's decree: Lu Chuyu has devoted himself to the painting and his response was appropriate. He is hereby granted a carriage to be sent back to the Imperial Academy as a commendation."

The term "轺車" refers to a light horse-drawn carriage with a canopy but open on all four sides, commonly known as a carriage that allows one to see far in all directions.

When the emperor sent eunuchs to summon important officials, they rode in this kind of carriage, so it was often used to refer to the emperor's envoys.

Offering a seat to a high-ranking official is a great honor.

Lu Jun felt as if she were sitting in a convertible sports car, able to look around and take in the bustling city below.

The people of the capital were well-informed, and many recognized it as an imperial bestowal. From time to time, one could hear people praising him on the street: "This young man is so promising; he has a bright future ahead of him..."

Back at the entrance of Chengjun Prison, as soon as I got out of the car, I saw Cui Jing and Lu Yuan's chins, which were so high they reached their chests.

And saliva all over the ground.

"Brother Chu Yu, this is the Emperor's carriage! The Empress Dowager values ​​it so highly; it's truly enviable..."

"Brother Chu Yu, why did you alight from the carriage so quickly? I was just about to pull up the horse's reins and bend down to support it..."

"Brother Chu Yu, do you still remember when you lent me three thousand coins? I did not fail you and found the most beautiful courtesan..."

"I remember that Brother Chu Yu is still unmarried. I, your humble brother, wish to immediately write a letter back to my hometown to find a worthy son-in-law for the Lu family of Fanyang..."

They were questioned by the Examination and Merit Bureau early in the morning, and guessed that Lu Jun had missed the palace examination. While they were worried, they were also secretly gloating.

After school, I went out the gate to wait, wanting to see the result as soon as possible, whether it was big or small.

Seeing this, there's no need to ask any more questions...

He's driving a leopard; it can take down anything!

Lu Jun returned the greeting with a smile, exchanged a few perfunctory words, and respectfully watched the eunuch drive away in his carriage.

Just as he was about to step into the prison gate, he saw a person jump out of a carriage by the roadside and walk straight towards him.

The man was in his thirties, tall and strong, with fair skin. He wore a dark blue round-necked robe made of fine Shu brocade. The carriage behind him was painted vermilion, and the curtains were also brocade. He was clearly from the family of a high-ranking official of the third rank or above.

The two horses pulling the carriage were jet black with neat manes and silver ornaments on their harnesses, making them look very impressive.

The person approached with their head held high, strolling slowly and deliberately, almost pointing their chin at Lu Jun:

"Is this Lu Chuyu? The Left Prime Minister invites you in."

It turned out that he was Wu Chengsi's servant.