Chu Xun's heart stirred upon hearing this. If Tang Shijun entered the Underworld, they might have to face each other soday in the future.
But whether to reincarnate or serve in the Underworld was his own freedom, and it wasn't his place to say anything.
Tang Shijun looked at the guard kneeling in front of the corpse, crying endlessly. A wisp of golden light flowed from his fingertips and fell onto the square-faced guard.
The square-faced guard was still grieving Lord Tang's passing when he suddenly felt a warmth on his body. He vaguely heard a voice by his ear and imdiately exclaid, "Lord Tang!?"
Looking around, he couldn't see anything.
Tang Shijun looked at the Civil Judge again and said, "I still need to see one person. Only when this matter is settled can I go to the Underworld."
The Civil Judge hesitated slightly, but still agreed.
Tang Shijun cupped his hands to Chu Xun, and then left with the Civil Judge.
The nurous resentful souls were pulled by the Underworld Emissary with the black chain and hook, dragged along.
The square-faced guard looked at Chu Xun, asking with a trace of hope, "Immortal Elder, Lord Tang, he..."
"He has already left," Chu Xun said.
The square-faced guard lowered his head dejectedly, murmuring, "Left..."
Chu Xun said, "All matters here must not be revealed to anyone. Lord Tang was assassinated to death, and the murderers have already been executed."
Residence of the Vice Minister.
Huan'er was lying in bed. In his daze, he seed to hear so movent.
Struggling to open his eyes and look, he saw a figure he had been concerned about for a long ti approaching.
Seeing the face clearly, he couldn't help but cry out in pleasant surprise, "Teacher!"
Tang Shijun smiled faintly and said, "Long ti no see, why have you beco so haggard."
Huan'er hurriedly bowed and saluted, and only then said, "Teacher has also beco sowhat haggard."
Just as he was about to invite him to sit, Tang Shijun said, "I don't have much ti. I ca to see you, say a few words, and then I must go."
Huan'er straightened his body and said, "Please instruct , Teacher."
Tang Shijun said, "The road to implenting the national policy has already been paved. When you see His Majesty today, you can bring it out and present the policy. This is the third thing you need to do."
"Huang Qi of Changming Prefecture has led the refugees to take down three cities in a row."
"Han Shizhong is entrenched in the southwest, a major hidden danger."
"The Ma tribe of Mobei has rested and built up its strength for twenty years, they should have recovered their breath by now."
"The national treasury is empty, and the commoners are numb. Today's Kingdom of Jing has grown a pile of rotten sores that must be cut away."
"This knife is now in your hands. You will have to work much harder in the future."
Huan'er hurriedly said, "This is my duty, it is only right. It's just that since the road has already been paved, do I no longer need to deliberately act as enemies with Teacher like this?"
Tang Shijun smiled and nodded, "Never again."
Huan'er was instantly overjoyed. Playing this "act" all these years had almost made him depressed.
Just for the sake of issuing military pay to the army, they had argued many tis in front of nurous officials.
One cursed "holding a sinecure," the other cursed "treasonous and heretical."
If they kept acting, he was afraid that one day, the two of them would truly hold a grudge against each other.
"I have prepared the Remaining Years Brew from the Bai family's old shop at ho. I know Teacher wants to drink this. After presenting the policy, you and I will drink to our hearts' content!"
"The Bai family's old shop, huh." Tang Shijun nodded, "I really do want to take a sip. If there is a chance in the future..."
As he spoke, a voice ca, "It's about ti, we should go."
Tang Shijun sighed softly, his figure gradually blurring.
Huan'er was extrely astonished and hurriedly stepped forward, only to see Tang Shijun turn into a phantom and disappear before his eyes.
Only the aged voice echoed by his ear.
"Rember, be that fastest, sharpest knife!"
"Teacher!"
Huan'er cried out loudly and abruptly opened his eyes.
Liu Yuqing was also awakened. She hurriedly got up to look, and seeing him covered in sweat and pale-faced, she couldn't help but ask, "Husband, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare, or are you feeling unwell sowhere?"
Hearing her voice, Huan'er turned his head blankly.
Was it a dream?
Why would he have such a dream?
Liu Yuqing draped her clothes over her shoulders and got out of bed, "Ling'er, quickly fetch so water."
The maid hurriedly brought warm water. Liu Yuqing personally wet the towel and wiped the sweat for Huan'er.
Huan'er's brows were still tightly furrowed, and there was always a sense of unease in his heart.
Even after his sweat was wiped dry, he couldn't fall asleep.
Half an hour later, soone knocked on the door outside, "Your Excellency! This is bad!"
Liu Yuqing's heart ached that her husband hadn't slept well, and she was just about to scold that person a few words.
But she heard the voice outside rise again, "Minister of Revenue, Lord Tang... was assassinated by evildoers and has perished!"
Liu Yuqing was stunned, her heart couldn't help but skip a beat, and she looked to the side.
Huan'er sprang to his feet. Liu Yuqing had never seen him look like this.
Blue veins bulged, and sweat poured down like rain.
His face was gloomy, and his eyes were blood red.
"Husband..."
A Minister perishing, and being assassinated to death in the Capital City at that, this was a matter of monuntal proportions.
Liu Yuqing was a Vice Minister's wife after all, so she naturally understood what this ant.
Although it seed her husband and Minister Tang's relationship had grown increasingly bad over these years, he was his disciple after all.
Huan'er continuously took deep breaths to calm himself down.
Recalling the previous "nightmare" in his mind, he finally understood at this mont that it wasn't a dream.
But the final guidance his teacher gave him before leaving.
"Bring my clothes," Huan'er said through gritted teeth.
"Is Husband going to the Minister's residence?" Liu Yuqing asked.
Huan'er clenched his fists tightly. Of course he wanted to go, but now was not the ti.
"I am going to enter the palace," Huan'er said in a deep voice.
"Enter the palace? You want to find His Majesty?" Liu Yuqing asked.
If he was going to seek justice for Lord Minister, it would also be reasonable.
However, Huan'er said, "No, I am going to give a gift to Eunuch Zhang, the Seal-holding Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonies."
Liu Yuqing was astonished upon hearing this. Why go give a gift to a eunuch instead of going to pay respects at this ti?
Huan'er naturally wouldn't explain it to her. So things, only he could know.
After getting dressed, he took gold, silver, and precious treasures, and hurriedly left the Vice Minister's residence.
An hour later, Emperor Chongming was furious in the imperial court.
He stared at the civil and military officials below, his dragon majesty fully displayed, unable to contain his anger, "No matter who assassinated Tang Shijun, they must be among you. With a national crisis at hand, you are still slaughtering each other here for personal grudges."
"You even dare to kill a Rank 2 Minister, are you trying to rebel!"
"I will definitely investigate. Once found, I will execute their nine generations!"
The civil and military officials lowered their heads one after another. Many among them harbored hatred towards Tang Shijun in their hearts.
There were those who had thought about letting Tang Shijun die, and there were indeed those who had done so.
But the death warrior martial artists and guards around Tang Shijun were very formidable. After several unsuccessful assassinations, coupled with the land property asurent and household register clearing nearing an end, they could only resentfully give up.
Who succeeded this ti?
They looked at each other, secretly guessing in their hearts who was most likely to have done it.
Was it the grandfather of Lord Tang's first wife, the Duke of Qing, who had the most land properties and had lost all face and dignity?
Or was it the Marquis of Linyang, whose evil servants injured people and ran amok in the countryside, and who was arrested by Lord Tang and sent to the Ministry of Justice to be beheaded?
Or perhaps it was...
One na after another flashed through their minds.
There were too many possibilities. The entire court of officials all wanted Tang Shijun dead.
If it was truly investigated, even if this assassination was not their doing, it would be hard to escape implication.
At this ti, Huan'er stepped out, bowed, and said, "Reporting to His Majesty, this subject has a policy that can relieve the country's worries."
The Seal-holding Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonies, Zhang Li, walked down and received the national policy.
He cast a subtle glance at Huan'er, then turned and returned to the Emperor's side.
[End of Chapter]
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