Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 404 Taking office
A prison...or a place of exile.

The Tianyao Holy Land's pursuit of the ancient realm, or more accurately, its quest for "ascension," has lasted for thousands of years, and this is the first time it has come to such an important clue.

After all, there have been very few people from the ancient world whom we have directly contacted in the past, and we have never been able to search souls and spirits like this before, and there are multiple of them.

On this matter, Yuan Muyu wouldn't argue with Ye Tinglan, because their shared master had died after failing to ascend, and even their parents' deaths might be related to this. This was an extremely serious matter for both sisters. No matter how many disputes there were in other areas, there wouldn't be any conflict on this one; at most, there would be a disagreement about the methods used.

And it also directly involves the two of them.

Theoretically speaking, "ascension" cannot be suppressed. Once a certain level is reached, for example, Ye Tinglan is now half a step into the Qian Yuan realm. As long as one takes this half step, theoretically there will be "guiding the heavenly light," and this world will also experience "natural rejection," meaning that you should no longer be a cultivator in the human realm and should go to a higher-dimensional world.

That would naturally trigger a breakthrough and ascension.

Long ago, people pursued this goal.

But later it was gradually discovered that ascension did not seem to exist. Instead, once one reached this hurdle, it was the norm to "fail to overcome the heavenly tribulation" and die in failure.

People initially thought this was normal. It's a heavenly tribulation, after all. Even the relatively simple minor heavenly tribulation of ascending to the clouds is something many people can't overcome and die from. How much more so the major heavenly tribulation of ascension? It's perfectly reasonable for someone to die because they can't overcome the tribulation. Their relatives and friends will be sad and won't think too much about it.

However, over the years, there has not been a single success. Successful cases only exist in classical texts; no one has actually seen any real-life examples.

That's not right.

To glimpse the vastness of the universe is, in fact, to be the death knell.
Paradoxically, the pursuit of the Tao is there, and even though people know that breaking through it will basically lead to a dead end, they still pursue it.

Ye Tinglan's master was like this, she herself was like this, and Long Qinghuang and Yuan Muyu were like this as well.

Every monk is like this.

Perhaps some people would not do this, but would try to escape this destiny and survive in this world by various means? But those who have such thoughts are mostly out of touch with the Great Way.

Ye Tinglan once thought that the "Immortal Realm" was probably the Ancient Realm.

However, judging from the constant "smuggling" of people from the ancient world, this doesn't seem quite right.

Now, Yuan Muyu's clues point directly to the fact that the Ancient Realm is nothing more than a prison.

Where is the celestial realm?
Instead of deciphering the crucial clue, the two sisters became even more confused.

"What clues do you have about that remnant soul of Fang Qihao over there?" Yuan Muyu asked.

Ye Tinglan then recounted what she had learned, and Yuan Muyu frowned: "Nothing useful."

"Hmm." Ye Tinglan said, "Is there a more specific description of this so-called prison or place of exile?"

"No, what I said is just what this remnant soul thinks, which means it's not necessarily true."

"But judging from their continuous illegal immigration activities, it may be close to the truth."

"So what can we glean from this clue?"

Ye Tinglan remained silent.

Yuan Muyu also remained silent.

After a long silence, Ye Tinglan said, "I'll discuss it with someone. You should also discuss it with someone you trust."

The search for these people originally referred to the seniors of the Tianyao Holy Land, many of whom were highly accomplished cultivators with extensive knowledge and experience. The Ghost Emperors surrounding Yuan Muyu were no pushovers either; by pooling their wisdom, they might have gained some insights.

After a moment of silence, Yuan Muyu slowly said, "I know you have a strategist now, so there's no need to provoke me."

After saying that, he hung up the phone.

Ye Tinglan, whose call had been disconnected, looked at the jade talisman in her hand with a rather strange expression.

Even I didn't immediately suspect the young man, after all, he's still far from reaching the level of cultivation and ascension, what you're doing...

Essentially, Yuan Muyu's dependence on Lu Xingzhou seems to be much greater than that on Ye Tinglan. Whenever she needs to use her brain to analyze something, her first thought is always Lu Xingzhou.

After all, how long has Ye Tinglan had Lu Xingzhou? Yuan Muyu, on the other hand, has relied on him for ten years.

For those seeking to sever emotional ties, cutting off such dependence and weakness seems to be an inevitable path. It's truly remarkable that she was able to make such a bold decision... But... was it worth it?
…………

In short, Ye Tinglan didn't immediately discuss these matters with the young man; instead, she went to talk to the senior members of the sect.

Lu Xingzhou also passed through a rather important symbolic juncture—after his family was destroyed when he was young, he once again had his own home and spent his first night there.

The land deed to Danxia Mountain belongs to him, but the signs are all for the Danxia Gang or the Tianxing Sword Sect, which have nothing to do with him.

This time, it was in his own viscount's mansion, with the "Lu Mansion" sign hanging brightly. In the ancient world, it was the highest-level "imperial bestowed" residence. Apart from Anuo, all the servants inside called him "Master". The sense of being in charge was stronger than ever before.

That night, Pei Xiaoyao didn't shamelessly sneak in, and Sheng Yuanyao was even less likely to do so. He slept soundly all night, and the first thing he did after getting up was to go to the Ministry of Personnel to get his appointment letter and official robes. Then, someone from the Ministry of Personnel took him to the Ministry of Rites to take up his post.

The appointment process wouldn't normally be this quick; his personnel file and even his official robes would be difficult to complete within a few days, and the handover work that the former Chief of the Bureau of Receptions had to do wouldn't be so fast either.

But Pei Qingyan put in the effort here, and the matter, which the Prime Minister personally supervised, was resolved in just one day.

This puzzled Lu Xingzhou, who wondered what Pei Qingyan was thinking by helping him so much... But it suited his needs perfectly; he couldn't just idly wait in the capital for half a month.

The original head of the Ministry of Revenue handled the handover and introduction process smoothly, even with a hint of flattery, clearly treating Lu Xingzhou as someone with the Prime Minister's backing. Moreover, Lu Xingzhou was a viscount, which did indeed give him a more prestigious position than ordinary officials…

"Our Department of Guest Affairs is a small department with very few affairs. Just like a large department, which has a Left and Right Assistant Minister, our Department of Guest Affairs only has one. Of course, the county magistrate's actual position is Left Assistant Minister, and even if there is a Right Assistant Minister, it is the county magistrate who has the final say..." The former assistant minister introduced with a smile: "As for the other personnel, we have two Left and Right Assistant Ministers, three department heads, and the rest are all clerks. We don't even have any deputy heads. Our manpower is quite scarce."

If the Langzhong (郎中) is the director, then the Yuanwailang (员外郎) is the deputy director, and each department should be a section chief, corresponding to the reception of foreign countries, the formulation of etiquette, and the exchange of return gifts. There are three section chiefs. The entire department has a total of six officials; the rest are all clerks. Judging from this situation, there are actually very few clerks.

After all, there's really not much to do in diplomacy in this world, which is different from conventional wisdom.

Lu Xingzhou flipped through the functions of each department and suddenly asked, "Now that the border market has just opened, and in terms of exchanges with the craftsmen and their techniques in the demon realm, who is in charge?"

The doctor smiled ingratiatingly and said, "I took charge personally."

"The doctor can oversee the overall situation; what's the point of him personally taking charge?"

"After all, it's of utmost importance."

Lu Xingzhou asked, "If I want to establish a new department to oversee foreign trade in the Demon Realm, what procedures are required? Should I contact the Ministry of Personnel?"

“It is indeed necessary to communicate with the Ministry of Personnel, and adding new officials is not the same as simply recruiting people. This kind of thing still needs the Prime Minister's approval. If it is particularly important, it may even require imperial approval.” The former physician thought for a moment, “However, the county magistrate’s consideration is reasonable. There is indeed a need for a new official in charge of foreign trade and exchanges. As long as the Ministry of Personnel does not make things difficult, it will most likely be approved easily.”

"What?" Lu Xingzhou asked with a half-smile, "Someone is making things difficult for something so reasonable?"

The physician whispered, "Since the court doesn't have a dedicated department in charge of the border markets, there are bound to be people who profit from them. Once the court has one, it will inevitably infringe on the interests of some people."

Lu Xingzhou laughed out loud: "The border market was my suggestion, and the reconciliation with the Demon Realm was something I risked my life for. Then others reap the benefits, and you hate me for trying to take control?"

The physician smiled but said nothing.

Why make such things so obvious?

He only says these things because he's Pei Qingyan's person; he wouldn't say so much to anyone else.

Lu Xingzhou asked, "So who benefits?"

"Naturally, it's the Huo family." Doctor Yuan smiled and said, "The Huo family has been operating in the northern frontier for ten years. Even though their prestige has been greatly damaged this time, their previous arrangements are still in place."

Lu Xingzhou suddenly realized why Pei Qingyan had helped him so much this time.

When the market was first established, everyone could reap the rewards and make a profit, and the Pei family naturally wouldn't miss out on this opportunity. However, the Huo family ended up getting the biggest share, which naturally caused resentment among the other families.

Despite Pei Qingyan's commendable performance as prime minister—even praised by Lu Xingzhou to Long Qinghuang—he is, in reality, a typical example of someone who is corrupt and incompetent when it comes to the private affairs of powerful families. His conflict with the Huo family is not merely a clash between "upright officials and sycophantic ministers," but also involves a conflict between old and new powerful families and a clash with family interests.

He couldn't compete with the Huo family for the interests of the Northern Frontier, so he wished Lu Xingzhou would come and cause trouble.

Where is the Prime Minister now?

"Well, this time is naturally during court."

"Attend court every day? I don't remember that being required."

"It wasn't a grand court assembly, just a small court meeting. The main issue was something else that happened yesterday evening: General Sheng beat up Vice Minister Huo in the street, and His Majesty was furious, summoning several important officials for a meeting..."

Lu Xingzhou: “…”

"If there are no other issues to discuss, it's probably about time. The county magistrate should be back soon after he goes to see the prime minister."

"Okay, I'll go take a look."

Lu Xingzhou headed straight for Pei Qingyan's "office," where a line of people were already waiting. They were all there to report various matters to the Prime Minister. It seemed that Pei Qingyan was usually extremely busy, and being called in for this trivial matter must have left him with a lot of complaints.

Fortunately, Pei Qingyan returned not long after. When she saw Lu Xingzhou standing there waiting, she was taken aback and asked, "You're a new official, why aren't you getting to know the people in your department? What are you doing here?"

Despite saying that, they still took him directly into the office, leaving the officials waiting outside in shock.

No way, I heard that Lu Xingzhou is pursuing Miss Pei, and Prime Minister Pei treats him so differently. Could it be that he really wants to marry his daughter off?

But Lu Xingzhou refuses to acknowledge the Huo family. Given his background, how could he possibly marry a woman from the Pei family?
"You actually stood outside waiting patiently, which is different from what I expected." Inside the room, Pei Qingyan was more amiable than others had imagined. He invited the clerk to serve tea and said with a smile, "Please sit down."

Lu Xingzhou then sat down without any ceremony: "I am now a proper official. When I visit the Prime Minister, what else can I do but wait obediently outside?"

"Ha, where did your rebellious spirit go when you were standing in front of my family's ancestral hall?"

"That's all ancient history. They say a prime minister's belly can hold a boat, but I don't think Prime Minister Pei's belly is that big."

"Tsk." Pei Qingyan sipped his tea: "I personally supervised your official career, and this is how you view me?"

"I was quite touched at first, but when I realized that Prime Minister Pei wanted to use me as a pawn again, the feeling suddenly disappeared."

"How can you call it being a pawn?" Pei Qingyan said leisurely, "That's something you were going to do anyway, isn't that a win-win situation?"

"So what I originally intended to do was to prevent even the Pei family from profiting in the Northern Frontier?"

Pei Qingyan wasn't surprised. She put down her teacup and looked at him for a while before suddenly chuckling, "What? Princess Chaohuang hasn't even ascended the throne yet, and you're already going to take over as the steward of the Great Qian?"

On the contrary, Lu Xingzhou was extremely surprised by his attitude. Was this the attitude of a prime minister when speaking to a young official?

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

PS: Same old story, I fell asleep during my afternoon break and didn't wake up until midnight. This seems to happen every month or two, probably because I don't get enough sleep.

It's okay, I'll finish it today.

(End of this chapter)