Simulation becomes reality, have I ever looked down upon the eternity?

Chapter 285: The key to success is perseverance, the Ministry of Rites is sick!
[Wutong's face was filled with joy. The young master's academic problems were finally solved.]

[Now, the young master can enter the school and study the teachings of the sages. ]

[“Madam’s idea is that when the spring comes next year, the young master can go to the academy with the other young masters in the mansion.”]

[“However, some of the relatives from the side branches of the clan came to you for help, and you couldn’t refuse. You sent all the children in your family to the academy. The enrollment quota for this year is full.”]

[“Madam has also spared no effort in helping the young master to study. She has found a school for him, which is run by the Li family in Bian Jing. There is still a vacancy there.”]

[Wutong was slightly surprised when he heard this, and wanted to refute: "But it is clear in the courtyard..."]

[You have interrupted and said respectfully: "Thank you, mother, for your concern."]

[Handan looked at the boy and saw that his expression was still calm, so she nodded slightly.]

[Madam had already instructed that if Xie Guan showed any resentment, the opportunity to study would be revoked.]

[“Of course, Madam has already prepared the tuition fees for Master Guan.”]

[After saying this, Handan glanced across the main hall in the courtyard, and her mother's spirit tablet was clearly visible.]

[“Master Guan, you are quite filial.”]

[Having finished her words, she turned around and left gracefully.]

[Wutong's face was filled with anger, which was difficult to conceal.]

[“This is really too much. There are four or five schools in the Xie Mansion, but they are often not fully enrolled, and students often skip classes.”]

[“People like Master Yu and Master Yuan are private tutors hired by their families. Why would they need to go to school? Not to mention that there are also schools run by the Second Academy and the clans, and there are countless guests and teachers who only eat up the empty money.”]

[“Nowadays, you have to go to the Li family to study. The Xie family is in the north, and the Li family is in the south, which is very far away. Moreover, if the children of the family do not study in their own family, they will definitely be ridiculed and suspected of being a person with bad character and bad behavior.”]

[You didn't react much, just quietly savored Handan's last vague suggestion.]

[This Madam Yuan, seems to still harbor resentment towards her mother? ]

[It is clear that you owe your mother! ]

【Wutong saw that you were silent, and quickly comforted you:】

[“Young Master, don’t be too sad. Madam has allowed you to study. You can take the imperial examination in the future and realize your ambitions.”]

[“Master, you are so smart. You will definitely be successful and bring honor to our family in the future.”]

[You smiled slightly and said, "It's a good thing after all."]

[You step into the courtyard again and continue to practice the "Leaning on the Pillar" method. This time you manage to hold on for a breath longer, but you are also out of breath and your whole body aches.]

[Then, you calm down and concentrate, visualizing the "demon-slaying sword" in your mind. You feel dizzy and your head is swollen, but you also grit your teeth. ]

[You may only make a little progress in one day of practice, but you should not be discouraged. You started slower than others, so you must be able to endure the hardship and work harder.]

[A good horse cannot jump ten steps at a time, but a crossbow horse can travel ten steps at a time if it keeps going.]

[Repeat this way and practice without stopping. 】

……

……

Bianjing, the best capital in the world.

Yuheng Street is located in the east of the city, close to the imperial palace.

Those who can purchase a house here are all prominent and wealthy people.

After all, in Bianjing, every inch of land is worth a lot of money, and any place in the suburbs is priced sky-high.

At dusk, the lights come on.

The restaurants and various authentic snacks from Thirteen Continents on Yuheng Street gradually became lively and bustling with people.

This is the first impression left on people who come to Kyoto for the first time - prosperity and bustle.

Teahouses, brothels, mansions of high-ranking officials, as well as brothels and red-light districts in Changlefang, and restaurants are everywhere.

Wait till night falls!

There was no curfew in Bianjing.

In the brothels, the curtains were rolled up, and beauties such as Yangzhou skinny horses, girls from the imperial music troupe, and prostitutes competed for appearance, attracting young men holding folding fans to hug the beauties and shuttle between them, while the madams were shouting even harder.

In addition, there are casinos scattered throughout the area. The gambling tables are filled with extravagance and decadence. There are all kinds of gambling games such as dice, cockfighting, quail fighting, and money-spending. All the strange and tricky skills from all over the world are gathered here, which is an eye-opener.

Spending money lavishly was common in Bian Jing.

The most prosperous place at night is not in the east of the city but in the West Wing Building in the west of the city.

Sima Ting was alone, watching the greasy aroma wafting through the streets and alleys, and the adults pulling their children wrapped in bright red winter coats, walking on the bluestone streets with laughter.

There were a lot of people coming and going, including wanderers walking with swords on their backs, young men pulling fine horses, and groups of two or three students enjoying the night flower show.

Anyone who sees this scene will admire it as a prosperous scene.

however!
Sima Ting had personally experienced Jiannan Road and knew very well how many bones were buried beneath this prosperity.

Last year, there was a severe drought in Jiannan Road, and in Youzhou there was even a tragedy of cannibalism. Demons were rampant and many lives were lost.

The Jiangnan Road was no exception. The sound of wailing could be heard every night, and new and old graves were mixed together, making it impossible to distinguish them.

He came from the south of the Yangtze River, and what he saw along the way was that the Yellow River had changed its course, and there were victims and misery everywhere.

Bones are exposed in the wild, no roosters crow for a thousand miles, and only one out of a hundred people survives.

Sima Ting sighed softly, walked slowly along Yuheng Street, and finally stopped in front of a seemingly inconspicuous mansion and gently knocked on the door.

The gate of this mansion is not wide, and there is not even a stone beast at the door, making it look quite simple.

Most of the people in the east of the city are from Bian Jing. They have a sense of superiority over other states and often regard themselves as "Beijing Lords". Many of them walk their birds, fight crickets, and spend a lot of money.

Therefore, the mansions in the west of the city often have high thresholds, grand mansions, and magnificent door decorations to highlight the identity and status of the owner.

However, even so, people here did not dare to act rudely in front of the door of this seemingly "shabby" mansion.

There is no other reason!

This Tang Mansion was the residence of Tang Ziang, the current Minister of Rites.

He was also Sima Ting's teacher.

The door opened slightly, and an old man in coarse clothes and a sturdy figure poked his head out. When he saw Sima Ting, he was immediately surprised and said:
"General Sima, why are you here?"

Sima Ting greeted with a smile:
"Uncle Chen, long time no see." Then, he walked into the mansion leisurely.

The furnishings in the mansion were also simple, without any valuables. It was hard to imagine that this was the residence of a first-rank official in the court. Sima Ting glanced around the mansion and suddenly noticed Uncle Chen's presence. He could not help but say in surprise:
"Uncle Chen, have you already reached the sixth level?"

Upon hearing this, Uncle Chen's face broke into a happy smile.

"We old bones can't compare to you young people. I followed the master and lived to be seventy years old before I reached the threshold of the sixth realm. I can't compare to the general who is vigorous and energetic and entered the upper three realms before he was thirty."

"In the blink of an eye, the warrior's time is almost up, and I'm afraid I'll never get to see the beautiful scenery again." He said with emotion.

When a warrior reaches the age of ninety, he reaches his maximum age. This barrier of life span stands like a natural moat before all warriors in the world.

Sima Ting did not take up this slightly heavy topic, but asked instead:
"Where is the old man now?"

"Oh, the master is in the study now, and the officials from the Secretariat are also here." Uncle Chen replied.

Upon hearing this, Sima Ting frowned slightly and paused involuntarily.

The officials from the Secretariat were still staying at the teacher's house so late, probably for something unusual. Thinking of the recent thorny issue of the Yellow River management, he had some guesses in his mind.

"Don't rush to report it yet, let's wait for them to finish talking." Sima Ting said after a moment's silence, "Uncle Chen, take me to the kitchen to have a bite. I'm going to Xie's house today, and my daughter is here, so I dare not eat too much, for fear of scaring her."

Hearing this, Old Chen smiled knowingly: "I wonder which girl was chosen by General Sima. She is so lucky."

Old Chen was just a student under the master in the past. Sima Ting had known him since childhood and he had taught him martial arts.

When Sima Ting mentioned his master, his heart was filled with admiration as well as an indescribable mystery.

Having been by his side since childhood and listening to his teachings, the older he gets, the less he can see this teacher.

The Master and the Fourth Master are not only master and disciple, but also close friends.

What is particularly strange is that the master seems to be just an ordinary person. He has not been involved in the path of martial arts, nor does he know how to cultivate the soul. He just walks around in the world as an ordinary person.

However, in the past, there was a martial arts expert who was in the upper three realms and attempted to assassinate.

Inside the carriage at noon, the outside world had no way of seeing, only a gleam of light from a finger could be seen. Under that light touch of the finger, the warrior's head exploded like rotten wood.

The teacher was a commoner, but he could sit firmly in the court for sixty years without falling. No matter how the world changed, he remained unmoved.

As night fell and after dinner, Sima Ting waited quietly in an antique academy in the Tang Mansion. He was calm and showed no sign of impatience.

I believe the teacher will be surprised when he touches the words written by Xie Guan about his insights into "people of benevolence and ambition" in his hand.

About an hour later, two figures slowly walked in. Sima Ting immediately stood up and spoke in an extremely respectful tone:
"teacher!"

"Yiji, you are here!"

Sima Ting, whose courtesy name is Yi Ju, was given to him by his master himself and has a profound meaning.

The one who responded to him was an old man with ordinary temperament, dressed in ordinary clothes, with slightly sparse hair and yellow and loose skin. But if you look closely, you can still see that he must have been a handsome man when he was young.

The old man's eyes looked lifeless, and he walked slowly towards us with his hands behind his back.

Tang Ziang is already in his eighties and will soon be turning 100.

Tang Ziang was also called "Sick Tiger" and "Sick Tai Sui" in the Great Qi Dynasty. It was not that he was sick, but that he always looked listless in the court.

In recent years, there have been few political statements, and even the power of the Ministry of Rites has been gradually handed over.

"Meet General Sima!"

Behind Tang Ziang followed a middle-aged man dressed as a Confucian scholar. Although he was not wearing official clothes, he was dressed in a Confucian robe which looked very elegant.

He was a little thin and his face was pale, as if he had suffered a serious illness in his early years. Half of his face looked quite stiff, but there was a calm look between his brows.

Sima Ting naturally knew this person. He was Chen Lu from the Secretariat and the current Inspector of the Secretariat.

In recent years, Chen Lu's reputation has risen rapidly and he has been promoted several times in one year. He came from a commoner family and his identity background is quite similar to that of his teacher Tang Ziang.

Especially at the beginning of this year, his memorial "Public Security Memorial" was aimed at the livelihood issues of Da Qi, and proposed a proposal for reforming current politics, which was tens of thousands of words long. Although Prime Minister Su did not fully adopt it, the memorial was still circulated in the cabinet and attracted the attention of many people.

Did he become a disciple of a teacher?

Otherwise, they wouldn't have talked until this time. You should know that there is the "Xuan Jing Si" of the cabinet in Bian Jing.

It was a secret service organization set up by Prime Minister Su, and almost every daily travel of officials in the court was recorded.

This kind of secret service organization used to serve the royal family. Now that the imperial power is declining, it is being used by Prime Minister Su.

Chen Lu is in his teacher's house today, and Prime Minister Su must have known about it.

However, at this moment Chen Lu's face looked extremely sad, which was very different from his usual calm and capable image.

Sima Ting was even more confused. He remembered that a few days ago in the court, regarding the war in the west, Chen Lu's plan to send troops to Zhuya County had been adopted. He should be "feeling very happy" these days.

Tang Ziang was already sitting on a chair, looking at Sima Ting and Chen Lu with a smile, and slowly said: "It's all about the management of the Yellow River. Our Lord Chen and several big men from the nine major surnames were arguing fiercely, and they were almost going to resort to violence."

"If it weren't for my quick hands and feet, my master and I would have to go to the Xuanjing Division's prison to visit him tonight."

Chen Lu heard this and showed helplessness on his face. He said, "Old Master, please don't make fun of me like this. It's just that these nine major families don't eat meat porridge. They don't understand the suffering of the people at all."

Sima Ting found a seat and sat down. He had gone to the court to approve notes regarding his marriage in the past few days, so he was unaware of the twists and turns that had taken place in the court.

He was not very close to Chen Lu at first, but he admired Chen Lu's character in his heart.

This man disliked people from the nine major surnames extremely. Even though many of them saw his future and were willing to make friends with him, and even sent him gold and silver in horse-drawn carriages, he rejected them all.

He even put up a sign at the door that read "Closed for one year", which quickly became a funny story in Bianjing.

Tang Ziang joked:
"Our Lord Chen is a tough guy today. The Nine Families have great power in the court. If you confront them like this, I'm afraid you will be in the spotlight again tomorrow."

"It just so happens that the person in front of you is the third son of the Sima family, one of the nine major surnames..."

Chen Lu glanced at Sima Ting and shook his head.

"General Sima, I have heard about your achievements in Jiannan Road. You are definitely not one of those people who only care about their own interests and family plans and don't care about the lives of the people."

"As a court official, Chen Lu should put the welfare of the people first. If I ignore the lives of the people for the sake of my own wealth and glory, how can I still stand in the court?"

"Now, the Yellow River flood situation is more urgent than the Great Sui war, but Prime Minister Su seems to have been focusing on the west. How can this not make people anxious?"

Sima Ting remembered that this Chen Lu was the only one who survived the flood in Jiannan Road when his family was destroyed and all the people in his family were killed.

Hearing this, a gleam of light flashed in the old man's eyes.

Chen Lu let out a long sigh.

"Today, the second son of the Li family publicly opposed the governance, saying that the Yellow River's change of course was a sign of disloyalty and unfilial behavior by the people of this area, and that this was a natural disaster that should have happened."

"The Zhuge family has even more sinister intentions. They claim that if they want to control the Yellow River, they need to gather the victims together. In this way, they will have more people and more power. Once someone raises his arm, won't they incite the whole world to rebel? This sinister intention is really outrageous."

(End of this chapter)