Huan'er returned to Pinecone Village and told Chu Xun.
His teacher asked him to do three things, but only ntioned two.
One was to befriend the Seal-holding Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonies, Zhang Li, and the second was to choose an opportunity to transfer to the Ministry of Revenue as a Director.
Both things were not difficult to do, but as for the third thing, Huan'er didn't know what it was either.
Learning that Tang Shijun was going to block the knives and pave the way for Huan'er, Chu Xun sighed: "This teacher of yours truly leaves people speechless."
"Being his disciple is your greatest blessing."
Huan'er deeply agreed with this.
"How is A'qiao doing recently?" Chu Xun asked again.
Many years ago, A'qiao left Pingshui Town to go to other prefectures to take the imperial examinations.
However, up to now, he still hadn't passed.
It was only because the solidarity of the Ministry of Rites was even more formidable than Tang Shijun had expected.
Or perhaps because they usually had few opportunities to exercise their power, the Education Intendants of other prefectures also made things difficult for A'qiao in various ways.
Huan'er smiled bitterly and said: "I originally didn't want to tell you, but A'qiao stopped taking the exams a few years ago. To make a living, he went to steer boats and transport salt for the Salt Gang, becoming a salt worker."
"However, he is chivalrous and generous, and has excellent relations among the salt workers, so there's no need to worry too much."
Chu Xun nodded slightly: "Having a proper profession to make a living is also considered not bad, lest he beco obsessed like Li Chang'an."
A year later, Huan'er transferred from Long'an Prefecture to the Ministry of Revenue as a Director, a Rank 5a official.
In the sa year, Emperor Chongming issued a decree unifying all prefectures, no longer dividing them into upper, middle, and lower grades.
All Prefects were to be Rank 3a officials.
This move caused an uproar in the court, and only then did the others understand why Emperor Chongming had previously promoted so many Prefects of lower prefectures.
Rank 5 officials suddenly all transford into Rank 3 officials.
Huan'er, who had transferred to the Ministry of Revenue as a Director, was laughed at by people.
They all said he wanted to use his teacher Tang Shijun's connections to go through the back door into the Ministry of Revenue.
But they didn't expect that if he had stayed, he would have directly been promoted four ranks on the spot.
Naturally, there were officials who opposed this move, but with so many Rank 3 Prefects, and the power behind and in front of them.
Coupled with the imperial power faction and the neutral faction, the court officials were left with no alternative.
At this point, they finally realized how deep the scheming of this Emperor, who was able to fight his way out from among over a dozen Princes, truly was.
During this period, Tang Shijun, as the Minister of Revenue, began to beco the target of public criticism.
He proposed to Emperor Chongming to asure the land properties of the world, clarify the household registrations, and also ca up with so set of rules for official assessnts.
The last point was fine, just doing a bit more real work to avoid giving people cause for gossip.
But the first two points aroused the dissatisfaction of many people.
Many of the land properties in the Kingdom of Jing today were forcibly occupied by important figures who could be exempt from taxes.
The commoners with no land to farm fled everywhere as refugees, and the household registrations were a complete ss.
Local officials openly and secretly made false reports, and the tax silver that could be handed in beca less year by year.
The national treasury was now extrely empty, so Emperor Chongming was naturally willing to support this.
Moreover, the Tang family was also one of the prominent aristocratic families. Since Tang Shijun was willing to jump into the fire pit himself, he could just sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight.
Thus, with the full support of Emperor Chongming, Tang Shijun established the Land asurent Office at the end of Year 5 of Chongming.
Coordinating with the various subordinate offices under the Ministry of Revenue, and pulling in the Ministry of Personnel, they started working on these matters together.
Year 6 of Chongming.
Chu Xun sat at the door of his house as always, the Spirit Pearl Grass by his feet having changed from deep cyan to light purple.
Calculating the ti, it wasn't long before it matured.
When the ti ca, Chu Xun would no longer be at the Qi Condensation stage, but Foundation Establishnt!
How much stronger Foundation Establishnt was than Qi Condensation, without anyone to guide him, Chu Xun had no way of knowing.
But he could be sure, it would be very, very strong!
Huan'er ca out of the house and said in a low voice: "Aunt has fallen asleep."
Zhang Anxiu's body was getting worse day by day, and now she was groggy every day, making people extrely worried.
Chu Xun patted the wooden stool next to him. Huan'er obediently sat down, looked up at his uncle whose hair and beard were all white, and felt sowhat dazed for a mont.
He still rembered at the Songliu Water God Temple fair, his uncle asking him how the two of them could buy roasted goods together without losing out.
At that ti, his uncle and aunt were still very young, and he never thought that they would also grow old.
But thinking about it again, he himself was already forty years old.
His father was also over sixty years old, and now could no longer lift the iron shovel weighing several jin, and could only let the shop assistants do it.
"Do not be too sorrowful. The moon has its waxes and wanes, people have their joys and sorrows, and there is no never-ending banquet in the world."
Huan'er was slightly moved. Having been an official for so many years, he had long developed the habit of not showing his emotions on his face.
But his uncle could still easily see through his heart. That question from his youth still existed today.
Was his uncle really not a peerless martial arts hero as told by the storytellers?
Having t so many people, it wasn't that he hadn't co into contact with so-called martial arts heroes of the jianghu, but no one could compare with him.
He clearly looked ordinary, yet always made people feel extrely extraordinary.
"How is Lord Tang doing?" Chu Xun asked.
Huan'er shook his head, dispelled the chaotic thoughts in his heart, and said: "He recently encountered assassinations again. Fortunately, Teacher has raised a group of death warriors, all of whom are martial artists of Rank 3 or above, so he is fine for the ti being."
Chu Xun nodded slightly: "It's good that he's fine. Persevere for a few more years, and everything will get better."
Huan'er didn't understand his words, and said casually: "Yes, in a few more years, the national land properties will be completely asured and the household registrations cleared up, and everything will get better then."
"But Teacher no longer allows to et with him, and even asked to strongly demand the issuance of military pay to the army, while he obstructs it from within, creating a situation where master and disciple are going in opposite directions."
Chu Xun frowned slightly upon hearing this, not quite understanding what Tang Shijun was trying to do.
Just to pave the way for Huan'er, it seed unnecessary to do such seemingly aningless things.
Huan'er mocked himself: "I am now a Director in the Ministry of Revenue, yet during festivals I prepare gifts to curry favor with that Seal-holding Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonies. And turning against my Teacher, I don't know how many people are laughing at , saying I ignore my own biological father at ho and want to be a eunuch's adopted son."
Although Huan'er didn't have Tang Shijun's peerless arrogance, he also had great ambitions in his heart.
Coupled with many unresolved doubts, it made him a bit depressed now, and he often ca to Chu Xun to talk and pour out his grievances.
Chu Xun could only console him: "Lord Tang naturally has his reasons for doing this. I believe in him, and you should believe in him too."
"I naturally believe him, otherwise I wouldn't have followed his instructions one by one. It's just that it's inevitable to feel sowhat unhappy in my heart," Huan'er said.
A few crows flew back from afar, and when passing overhead, dropped a few fruits.
Chu Xun didn't look, but steadily caught the fruits, and casually handed one to Huan'er: "Taste it, perhaps it can dispel the gloom in your heart."
Huan'er took it but didn't eat it. He just looked up at the crows on the eaves and asked curiously: "Why have they been finding so many different wild fruits recently?"
When he was young, although the crows also did this kind of thing, it wasn't this frequent, almost going every day.
"Your aunt's mouth has been tasteless recently, I want her to change her tastes," Chu Xun said.
Just as they were speaking, the urgent sound of horse hooves ca from the door.
A travel-worn ssenger dismounted at the door and said urgently: "Is Lord Zhang here? There is an urgent report from the Ministry of Revenue!"
Huan'er imdiately got up and walked over, took the letter, and opened it while walking back.
He stopped after taking a few steps, his voice deep and stern: "He's truly living backwards, how dare he do this!"
Chu Xun walked over and asked: "What happened?"
Huan'er didn't hesitate and handed the letter over.
Chu Xun took it and glanced at it. The contents on it made his brows furrow tightly.
How was this an urgent report.
It was clearly saying that many people were going to die.
[End of Chapter]
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