The world is like a prison, my body is holy

Chapter 181 Confession Bureau
Led by several eunuchs, Wang Wen slowly walked into the Chuigong Hall.

He kept looking around curiously, like a country bumpkin entering the city...

However, the palace's "plain and unremarkable" interior decoration greatly disappointed him.

He thought that the emperor's office was just like in the movies and TV series, glittering with gold and decorated with dragons and phoenixes.

Who would have thought that it was just a small study that wasn't very spacious. Apart from having a thicker carpet and more books, it was no different from his study in the general's mansion, and even had less light and ventilation.

The over-seventy-year-old Emperor Hongtai leaned back behind his desk, his head bowed as he reviewed the memorials...

It's only the beginning of October, a time of clear skies and mild temperatures, yet Emperor Hongtai is already wearing a fox fur coat. The muscle loss caused by aging has made him look gaunt, and his sunken eyes and prominent cheekbones give him a somewhat cold, fierce, and old-fashioned appearance.

'Is this the emperor?'

Wang Wen stared at him curiously for a moment, then clasped his hands and bowed: "Your subject Wang Wen greets Your Majesty, may Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings!"

"Do you know that you have ruined my grand plan?"

The Hongtai Emperor, behind his desk, didn't look up, but spoke softly and expressionlessly.

'Why aren't we following the script? Shouldn't we have said "Rise" first?'

Wang Wen muttered something to himself, turned his head to look at the arrogant eunuchs and guards around him, and felt that no one seemed to care about him, so he straightened up.

The eunuchs and guards around them, who were keeping their eyes straight ahead, twitched at the corner of their eyes upon seeing this...

Wang Wen stood upright in the hall and asked with a righteous air, "Please enlighten me, Your Majesty, what grand plan have I ruined?"

Emperor Hongtai's eyes twitched slightly. He reluctantly closed the memorial in his hand, picked up the teacup on the table with a slightly weary expression, took a sip, and said indifferently, "You're early!"

When it comes to this, Wang Wen felt wronged: "I didn't want to come either, but if I don't come, His Majesty will still test me. I can't suppress demons and monsters while guarding against His Majesty stabbing me in the back, can I?"

Emperor Hongtai's eyes twitched violently twice, his gaze towards Wang Wen a mixture of anger and helplessness.

After pausing for a moment, he gently waved his hand.

The numerous eunuchs and guards serving around bowed and withdrew, gently closing the palace door behind them.

Only Wang Wen and Emperor Hongtai remained in the hall.

But when Emperor Hongtai looked up, he saw Wang Wen staring intently at the landscape screen behind him...

He grew increasingly angry and slammed the memorial onto the imperial desk with a light slam: "Where are you looking?"

Wang Wen said bluntly, "Your Majesty, even walls have ears."

Emperor Hongtai: "Have you ever heard the sage say: 'Do not look at what is improper, do not listen to what is improper'?"

Wang Wen: "As you know, I come from humble origins and haven't received much formal education..."

Enraged, Emperor Hongtai slammed his fist on the table and shouted, "Guards! Throw this madman out of the Meridian Gate..."

Wang Wen quickly said, "Alright, alright, let's get down to business. I was just trying to lighten the mood by making a few jokes because I saw you were working so hard. You're already this old, how can you still be so magnanimous?"

Emperor Hongtai: ...

He suddenly regretted scheming against that bastard!

He angrily picked up the teacup on the table and drank it all in one gulp, suppressing his anger. Then he said seriously, "I heard that you rode a black unicorn into the palace today?"

Wang Wen knew what he was talking about and nodded with a faint smile: "I am a local deity, and I should ride a divine beast when I travel."

Emperor Hongtai looked at him in surprise, never expecting that he would admit it so openly!
This rendered all the probing questions he had prepared in his mind useless.

He couldn't understand it, and after several thoughts raced through his mind, he simply asked directly, "Aren't you afraid?"

Wang Wen asked in surprise, "Why should I be afraid?"

Emperor Hongtai narrowed his eyes, his words carrying a pointed meaning: "As far as I know, your divine position is not exactly secure..."

Wang Wen slowly grinned and said, "Which idiot with malicious intentions told the official this? If I were you, I would have chopped him down the moment I saw him!"

Emperor Hongtai: "Why?"

Wang Wen laughed and said, "While I am alive, no one can take the divine position from me; once I die, my primordial spirit will return directly to its rightful place, and no one will be able to take the divine position from me then."

"That traitor is instigating suspicion and conflict between the emperor and his ministers, isn't that harboring malicious intentions?"

"If you ask me, beheading would be too lenient. This kind of stupid and wicked idiot should have his entire family executed!"

His purpose in coming to the capital this time is to resolve these four words: the mutual distrust between the emperor and his ministers!
He felt that the emperor's test of him was completely pointless and unnecessary!
Since you suspect he's the god of Huangshan, why don't you just ask him directly?

Could he possibly remain silent?

You emperors, no matter how much you go around in circles, it all boils down to one thing: immortality.

He did indeed have a way to handle this matter, and he had no reason to refuse the emperor!
To be fair, his impression of Emperor Hongtai was actually quite good.

In terms of public opinion, although the Hongtai dynasty did not achieve anything that would be remembered for generations, it also did not commit any offenses that would be remembered for eternity.

Overall, however, Emperor Hongtai was still a passable emperor.

Under his rule, the people of the Great Zhou Dynasty could be described as living in peace and contentment...

Even now, with the revival of spiritual energy, the people of the world have benefited from Emperor Hongtai's strong support for the Demon Suppression Division, and can still be considered relatively stable.

As for the White Lotus Rebellion, even Wang Wen, who experienced it firsthand, felt that the blame should not be placed on Emperor Hongtai; that would be unfair.

Such an emperor is actually quite decent!

He can be considered a ruler who maintains the status quo!
Privately, his position as General Who Suppresses Demons in Huainan was promoted by Emperor Hongtai.

His right to establish his own government and military headquarters was a special favor granted by Emperor Hongtai.

Including his "outrageous behavior" in Huainan Province this year...

Whatever the reason, whether it was because his intentions were not bad or because Emperor Hongtai was wary of him.

In the end, Emperor Hongtai did not make a big deal out of it and turned a blind eye to let him off the hook.

Whether for public or private reasons, he had no reason to refuse if he could help Emperor Hongtai.

……

Emperor Hongtai was unaware of his thoughts, but he was surprised by the confidence and frankness in his words.

As an emperor, he must have been disgusted by his subjects' arrogance. But Wang Wen's arrogance, combined with his frankness, prevented him from feeling any ill will towards him.

In his position, honest ministers were of little value.

None of his truly valuable ministers would be honest with him.

This world belongs to him, and also to those ministers.

Everyone is thinking about their own interests...

Therefore, mutual distrust and power struggles between rulers and their ministers are the norm.

It's common for even a single truth to contain countless hidden agendas.

Therefore, even though he already had enough evidence to prove that Wang Wen was the God of Huangshan, he never had the idea of ​​summoning Wang Wen to the capital for a face-to-face questioning.

He trusted the results he had checked more.

"Watch your words! Disrespect before the emperor is a grave offense!"

Emperor Hongtai pondered Wang Wen's words, but failed to notice the slight smile that appeared on his lips when he gave Wang Wen his advice.

Wang Wen also smiled and clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, indicating that he understood.

After a moment of contemplation, Emperor Hongtai tentatively asked, "Where did Minister Wang's divine tablet come from?"

Without hesitation, Wang Wen replied, "The power of the monarch is bestowed by Heaven, and so is the power of the gods."

Emperor Hongtai narrowed his eyes and smiled slightly, "Then why was it Minister Wang who received divine authority, and not someone else?"

Wang Wen thought for a moment and sighed, "Perhaps it's because I am truly a good person!"

Emperor Hongtai found it absurd, yet he couldn't find any fault with it.

Wang Wen's actions in Huainan and even Jiangnan cannot be said to be entirely without selfish motives, but neither can it be said that they were not motivated by good intentions.

He reorganized his thoughts and asked again, "Then how did Wang Qing obtain divine authority?"

Wang Wen pondered for a moment and replied, "If I were to tell Your Majesty that there was no reason for this in the past, that would be a lie. I did indeed benefit from the times. Heaven needed some deities to serve Him, and I just happened to be chosen!"

"And coincidentally, I was fierce and strong enough, and I acted uprightly and sat properly. I gradually entered His sight and thus obtained the divine position of the God of Huangshan."

When Emperor Hongtai heard him address the Heavenly Lord as "His Majesty," he suddenly felt much more at ease.

But after going around in circles for so long, he still felt like he hadn't gotten anywhere. After pondering for a long time, he decided to get straight to the point: "In your opinion, Your Excellency, I might be able to bestow divine titles upon you?"

Wang Wen met his intense gaze, nodded firmly, and gave him an affirmative answer: "Yes!"

Emperor Hongtai opened his aged eyelids and calmly straightened his posture: "What kind of divine position?"

Wang Wen: "Based on my current divine position, I can help Your Majesty obtain the title of City God or Mountain God of Huainan Prefecture after Your Majesty's death."

Emperor Hongtai remained noncommittal. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly asked, "I have heard the ancient legend of the Yellow Emperor ascending to heaven on a dragon in ancient times, and I yearn for it. In your opinion, may I also have such an opportunity?"

Wang Wen glanced at him in surprise, thinking to himself, "Goodness, he's got quite an appetite!"
He spread his hands helplessly: "Does Your Majesty overestimate me? What level of ancient god is the Yellow Emperor? If He were still in this world, I'm afraid I wouldn't even have the right to stand in front of Him and greet Him. How could I possibly help Your Majesty ascend to heaven on a dragon like He did?"

Emperor Hongtai chuckled lightly, his meaning ambiguous, and then said, "You've arrived in such a hurry, you probably haven't had lunch yet, have you? Why don't you try the cooking of the imperial chefs?"

When Wang Wen heard him change the subject, he knew that Wang Wen had not given up yet, so he immediately smiled and crossed his hands, saying, "Then I am in for a treat today!"

He has already shown his attitude.

How to choose is up to Emperor Hongtai.

It has nothing to do with Wang Wen!

……

The imperial chefs' skills were indeed excellent.

Wang Wen ate a hearty and satisfying meal.

During the meal, Emperor Hongtai and Wang Wen discussed the current situation where demons were rampant and the local demon-suppressing departments were overwhelmed.

Wang Wen also expressed to him that the demons and monsters in Huainan Province did not need the court's concern, as his Demon-Slaying General's Mansion could suppress them. He also denounced the evil deeds of local officials who colluded with demons to harm and oppress the people.

He emphasized that there are indeed good demons and ghosts among monsters and ghosts, but no matter what, good demons and ghosts can only be subordinate to humans, existing like cattle and horses, and should never be placed on an equal footing for cooperation... at least not at present!
If he were to encounter corrupt officials who collude with demons and monsters to wreak havoc on humanity again, Wang Wen would crush them to death with a single slap!
He also told Emperor Hongtai that if anyone in the court were to criticize or complain about his actions of beheading corrupt officials in the provinces, he would not need to appease the public anger for him. He could simply let them go to Huainan to cause trouble for Wang Wen, and he would kill them all and throw them into a latrine...

Emperor Hongtai could certainly tell that he was making veiled accusations and insults, but he just smiled and remained noncommittal.

During the meal, Wang Wen did most of the talking with exaggerated gestures, while Emperor Hongtai listened with a smile.

After the meal, Wang Wen took his leave and withdrew from the Chuigong Hall.

A young eunuch led him to retrieve Hei Erniu, and just as they were about to take off to return to Yangzhou, a group of eunuchs carrying an imperial edict caught up with them.

"I have been appointed General Wang Wen, the Demon Slayer of Huainan, by imperial decree. He is upright, loyal, and devoted to the country. He has made great contributions in suppressing demons and monsters in Huainan and protecting the people. I am very pleased with him. I hereby promote him to the rank of Grand Censor of the Third Rank and bestow upon him a demon-slaying sword. He is to slay corrupt officials and demons and monsters. I hope that he will remain loyal to the country and will be cherished by me!"

"Your subject, Wang Wen, bows in gratitude for Your Majesty's divine grace. Long live the Emperor!"

Wang Wen clasped his hands in a bow, secretly pleased, thinking to himself, "Not bad, it wasn't a wasted trip!"

The position of Imperial Censor was merely a nominal one in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Although in theory he had the power to supervise all officials, in reality he was no different from a remonstrating official.

But that's obviously not important. Whether something is real or fake, we have to analyze each specific problem in a specific way.

For example, right now, the Imperial Censor, who nominally has the power to supervise all officials, is equipped with a demon-slaying sword comparable to the Imperial Sword. Who would dare to say that the position of Imperial Censor is just a nominal one?

Want to test if his demon-slaying sword is sharp enough?
Besides, before he had the Demon-Slaying Sword, killing corrupt officials was as easy as killing dogs!
With the Demon-Slaying Sword in hand, killing corrupt officials will be as easy as killing chickens.
If he encounters another case like the Huainan Transport Commissioner's extortion and bribery, he won't need to go through all that trouble. He can simply fly over in a flash, cut off the dog's head with a single sword stroke, and then, flicking the blood off his sword, make those corrupt officials in the Transport Commissioner's office hand over the evidence to him.

However, from now on, any corrupt official who isn't completely brain-dead will be unlikely to dare to provoke him again...

Another big source of fun is gone!
Of course, Wang Wen also understood that Emperor Hongtai's appointment of him as Imperial Censor and the bestowal of a demon-slaying sword were not merely out of appreciation for his honesty.

Emperor Hongtai was trying to save face for himself. Since he couldn't control the corrupt officials who colluded with demons and monsters anyway, he might as well give him an imperial sword to save face for the court.

"Hehehe, General Wang, the Emperor has another imperial decree instructing me to deliver it directly to you..."

After handing the imperial edict conferring the title of Grand Censor to Wang Wen, the old eunuch, smiling broadly, bowed and took another edict from a junior eunuch behind him, then presented it to Wang Wen with both hands.

Wang Wen took the imperial edict with a puzzled look. When he opened it, he saw that the edict conferred the title of "King of Heavenly Observation, State Inspector, People's Prosperity and Enlightenment" upon Wu Yanzu, the God of Huangshan.

This is the real benefit!

(End of this chapter)