The Hidden Immortal Chapter 71: We're Not Going

The reason Chu Xun asked this was because Huan'er's national policy was too shocking.

Once implented, the shock it would bring would be no less than the "Strategy on Prospering the State and Consolidating the Foundation" proposed by the Top Graduate Dong Xingjian, who was choked to death back then.

Huan'er's eyes were bright, his whole body full of righteousness, and he said, "Uncle has lived here for a long ti, and does not know the hardships of the world."

"The Kingdom of Jing has been established for nearly sixty years, accumulating a large number of wealthy gentry and powerful families, all of whom can be exempt from taxes."

"Teacher said that the taxable land known to the Ministry of Revenue today is fifty percent less than when the country was founded. After decades of land reclamation, the taxable land has not increased but decreased, which is terrifying."

"The commoners have land but dare not farm it, and can only entrust it to the gentry, being exploited to death."

"If this continues, the Kingdom of Jing will hardly survive. I combined Brother Dong's admonitions from back then, supplented by the difficulties of today, to draft this national policy, seeking peace and prosperity for the country and the people!"

Looking at the impassioned Huan'er in front of him, Chu Xun suddenly realized that the figure of the child carrying a basket and selling roasted goods at the temple fair many years ago had disappeared.

Replaced by an upright and honorable official of the Kingdom of Jing, full of righteousness.

He himself had grown old, but Huan'er had grown up.

Chu Xun opened his mouth and said, "You should know how your Brother Dong died. This matter is too difficult to do. If you really want to do it, wait a few more years."

The fruit of the Spirit Pearl Grass by the door had changed from pale cyan to deep cyan, faintly revealing a trace of cyan-purple color.

The ti for the Spirit Pearl Grass fruit to mature was fast approaching.

Once it matured, Chu Xun would possess Foundation Establishnt cultivation, and would have the confidence to protect Huan'er's life.

However, Huan'er shook his head and said, "Back then, you and Teacher told to wait ten years before associating with Brother Dong, and I listened. But today, I cannot wait any longer."

"There have already been civil uprisings in several places. If we wait a few more years, the people will have even less ans of livelihood."

Huan'er's gaze was firm, his heart like a solid rock.

Chu Xun knew he couldn't persuade him, and could only say, "Go find Lord Tang first and ask him. Ask clearly before doing anything. Rember, do not act impulsively."

"With your strength alone, you cannot shake this world. Instead, you will bring disaster upon yourself and your family."

Huan'er naturally understood this reasoning and nodded in agreent.

Looking towards the house, Huan'er was just about to speak when Chu Xun said, "She has already fallen asleep. It won't be too late to co back and visit after you finish asking Lord Tang."

Huan'er didn't know how Chu Xun knew whether the person in the house was asleep or not, and thought his Uncle was just using an excuse because he was too worried about the implentation of his national policy.

A few crows familiar with Huan'er flew over and rubbed against his body.

Huan'er rubbed the crows' heads. After so many years, their feathers had beco increasingly hard like iron, but touching them didn't hurt people.

He didn't say anything more, got into the horse carriage waiting outside the courtyard, and left.

The wheels creaked as they rolled over the road surface, gradually becoming silent.

Chu Xun sighed, then looked at the old crow beside him and asked in a low voice, "Did you not find that fruit?"

The old crow flapped its wings, stirring up a cloud of dust, and cawed several tis in succession.

Although Chu Xun didn't understand bird language, he understood its aning.

Zhang Anxiu's health was deteriorating day by day. Even with the old ginseng and many expensive dicinal herbs sustaining her, it was only a temporary reprieve.

Moreover, the more she took, the smaller the dicinal effect beca.

That was why Chu Xun thought of the fruit the crows had brought back then, and asked them to go look for it again.

If the fruit was still there, even if there were ferocious beasts in the mountain forest that several Rank 2 martial artists would find hard to escape from, he would try every ans to get it back.

Unfortunately, the crows made a trip and returned without success.

Presumably, the fruit had already been picked by soone, or eaten by ferocious beasts.

The old crow leaned its body over, lowered its head, and its wings drooped on the ground.

Chu Xun reached out and patted its head, "I don't bla you, you've already done very well."

He turned and entered the house. On the bed, Zhang Anxiu had indeed fallen asleep.

Chu Xun was constantly using the ability of his spells to monitor his wife's condition.

Walking slowly to the bedside, a few small weasels opened their eyes but didn't move, seemingly afraid of waking Zhang Anxiu.

Amidst the orange-yellow fur, Zhang Anxiu's white hair was exceptionally obvious.

Even with Chu Xun's excellent eyesight, he couldn't find many black hairs.

She was truly old.

Chu Xun pinched his fingers, the sorrow in his eyes becoming even thicker.

A mont later, Zhang Anxiu suddenly opened her eyes. Seeing Chu Xun standing by the bed, she imdiately called out, "Brother Xun."

Chu Xun hid the sorrow in his eyes, hurriedly sat by the bed, and took her hand, "Why did you wake up?"

Zhang Anxiu held his hand, her voice slightly low, "I dread of Dad."

"Dad waved at , saying he would take to reunite with Mom, and even make dumplings for to eat."

Chu Xun's body trembled upon hearing this, suddenly rembering that when Li Shoutian passed away, he had said the sa thing.

His hand couldn't help but grip tighter. Zhang Anxiu felt it and glanced at their clasped hands.

Then she laughed, "I'm not going, I still want to live my days with Brother Xun."

Chu Xun only felt his eye sockets were very hot. He bent down and kissed his wife's forehead.

Then he lay on his side next to her, reached out to brush aside the white hair on Zhang Anxiu's forehead, and said softly, "You did the right thing, we're not going. If you want to eat dumplings, we can make them ourselves."

"Let's wait until the New Year to make them, together with older brother and sister-in-law."

"Okay."

Many days later.

Capital City, the residence of the Minister of Revenue.

Huan'er sat upright in a chair, looking straight ahead.

Tang Shijun, wearing casual clothes, held the parchnt and read it carefully.

His face was like an ancient well, showing not the slightest ripple.

When he left Zhangnan County, he was only twenty-nine years old.

By the ti he reached the position of Minister of Revenue, he was already fifty-one years old.

His hair was grizzled, already showing signs of old age.

A full twenty-one years had passed. This Lord Tang, who was full of arrogance, had grown deeper in shrewdness and heavier in prestige.

After a long ti, he put down the parchnt, looked at Huan'er, and asked, "What did Chu Xun say?"

"Uncle asked , aren't you afraid of death?"

Tang Shijun laughed upon hearing this and said, "That indeed sounds like a question Chu Xun would ask. That person has a body full of abilities, yet doesn't like to care about the affairs of the world."

Huan'er said, "Uncle values family affection above all else."

"Teacher, what do you think of this national policy?"

Tang Shijun didn't hesitate at all and said, "Nothing could be better!"

Huan'er felt joyful in his heart, but Tang Shijun changed the subject, "But this matter, you cannot be the one to do it."

"Is Teacher afraid that I will be like Top Graduate Dong, dying before my mission is accomplished?" Huan'er asked.

"It's good that you understand," Tang Shijun said. "This national policy is very good, and is urgently needed by the Kingdom of Jing, but the person to do this matter cannot be you."

"Anyone who does this matter will be hated by the imperial relatives, aristocratic families, nobles, and wealthy gentry, and will undoubtedly die. Chu Xun doesn't want you to die, and naturally, neither do I."

Huan'er suddenly felt disappointed in his heart. Just because he didn't want him to die, he was going to abandon it?

If being an official only cared about life and death, then what was the point? He might as well resign and go ho to farm.

"Teacher..."

Tang Shijun placed the parchnt on the table and did not return it.

He looked at his only disciple and said, "So, I will do this matter."

Huan'er was stunned for a mont, "Didn't Teacher say that whoever does this matter will undoubtedly die?"

Tang Shijun gave a free and easy smile, "Have you forgotten what your Teacher is famous for in the court?"

Huan'er naturally wouldn't forget. Minister Tang's reputation had never been small.

What was most widely known was that he was very arrogant.

Regardless of whether you were a Rank 1 high official or an imperial relative.

In Tang Shijun's eyes, the people under the heavens who could catch his eye could be counted on one's fingers.

Many people hated him, but even those who hated him the most would secretly give a thumbs up and admit that this person had the capital to be arrogant.

"Starting from today, you need to do three things."

"Before that, I will block all open spears and hidden arrows, and pave a road for you."

Tang Shijun said thus.

His tone was not high, but as always, his arrogance reached the clouds.

As if even if all the swords in the world hacked over, he would not die from it.

For a person to be arrogant to this extent, it was truly absolute.

[End of Chapter]