Liver into a martial arts legend: starting with Embroidered Spring Blade

Chapter 103: The Artistic Concept of the Hegemon Sword, the History of Cao Zhengchun's Ascension [Please Subscribe to the Monthly Ticket]

With the ascension of Prince Xin Zhu Youjian to the throne, the Ming Dynasty opened a new chapter.

But Emperor Tianqi had not yet been buried.

When the new emperor ascends the throne, he still needs to mourn for the previous emperor for 27 months.

However, due to the heavy workload of state affairs, the wake time is usually shortened, replacing months with days, that is, twenty-seven days.

Therefore, the current state affairs of the Ming Dynasty are still temporarily handled by the Cabinet and the Six Ministries. Unless there are any major decisions, they will go to the mourning hall to ask Zhu Youjian for instructions.

In addition, due to the instructions given by Emperor Tianqi before his death, Zhu Youjian did not punish any officials after he ascended the throne, nor did he carry out large-scale job transfers to arrange his own people to take power.

It seems that nothing has changed.

However, everyone knows that this is only temporary.

During the reign of Emperor Tianqi, when the eunuch party was in power, the Donglin Party and the eunuch party fought for so long that even Prince Xin was suppressed by the eunuch party and dared not even leave his home.

Now that I am in power, how can I continue to tolerate it?

No action has been taken yet, simply because the time has not yet come.

After all, the eunuch party has been in power for many years and is deeply rooted. The eunuch party's influence can be found all over the country, and most of the major official positions in the court are also held by eunuch party members.

Pulled around and moved the whole body.

It will not be possible to get rid of the eunuch party in a short period of time.

In addition, Zhu Youjian is still in mourning and has not yet taken power, so it is not convenient for him to interfere in many matters.

Everyone is well aware of these issues.

Therefore, the current Ming Dynasty only appears to be stable, but in fact there are undercurrents in private.

The eunuch party was busy destroying evidence of previous corruption crimes in order to protect themselves; others were secretly transferring assets to seek a way out.

Of course, there are also people who do not take it seriously and continue to form cliques and pursue their own interests and do as they please.

Obviously, in their view, even if the emperor changed, the emperor would still need them and it would be impossible to carry out large-scale killing and purge.

As for the Donglin Party, they were the most excited.

Because Zhu Youjian was not on good terms with the eunuch party, he was relatively closer to their Donglin Party.

Even Xu Panxing and others who assisted Zhu Youjian in ascending the throne were members of the Donglin Party.

Now that Zhu Youjian has come to power, they obviously think that their chance has come.

So they began to keep in close contact and discuss with each other, preparing to take this opportunity to rise again.

In addition, officials from various parties such as Zhejiang, Chu, and Qi, who were previously suppressed by the Donglin Party and chose to rely on the Eunuch Party, are now worried about being implicated by the Eunuch Party and are now running around to various parties to discuss countermeasures.

Everyone is working hard for their own interests.

And all this has nothing to do with Jiang Xuan.

Because currently, he is an independent member.

Since the palace coup, the eunuch party regarded him as an enemy, and the other parties sent him visiting cards intentionally or unintentionally in an attempt to win him over.

But he ignored it completely.

He did not interfere in factional disputes, nor was he afraid of retaliation from the eunuch party.

After all, he is now a fifth-rank captain. As long as he doesn't make any mistakes, even Wei Zhongxian can't do anything to him. At most, he can use his power to pressure him like Lu Wenzhao did before, forcing him to do some dangerous tasks and taking the opportunity to frame and get rid of him.

But now he is no longer the small general who was manipulated by others.

Not to mention that he was Zhu Youjian's man and had the merit of following the dragon.

Even if the eunuch party really dared to do so, Zhu Youjian would not guarantee his words.

The worst that could happen is that everyone will die.

I will break it with force, overturn your table, and come to your house to take your life. What do you think?
Although Zhu Youjian is in power now, the eunuch party is still there.

Zhu Youjian had no one around him to use, and before he completely took power, he would definitely focus on appeasing the eunuch party for the time being.

Otherwise, once the eunuch party was touched, eunuchs from all over the country would fight back desperately, and the Ming Dynasty would surely be in chaos in an instant.

Jiang Xuan naturally knew all about these situations.

If Zhu Youjian dares to cross the river and burn the bridge, I will immediately kill the eunuch party and let you fight each other. Then no one will have an easy life.

As for myself, the worst that could happen is that I would give up my official status and plunge into the underworld.

Given the current situation in the Ming Dynasty, when the time comes, the emperor will be far away and no one can do anything to him?
Therefore, Jiang Xuan was not panicked at all. He pretended that nothing had happened and returned to his previous habits.

On duty and practicing.

As time passed, the first thing that changed was his swordsmanship.

After the sword skills progress was fully accumulated, the system panel finally underwent new changes:
[Martial Arts: Embroidered Spring Sword Technique (Position), Wild Wind Sword Technique (Position), Golden Crow Sword Technique (Position)]

[Progress: 100%]

[Hint: When the progress reaches the maximum, you can integrate all the 'Momentum' level martial arts and conduct a comprehensive deduction. Do you want to start the fusion deduction?]

……

Fusion deduction?

Looking at the prompt that appears on the system panel.

Jiang Xuan took a deep breath, suppressed his excitement, and told Cheng Shifei and Lin Pingzhi who were practicing martial arts not to disturb them. Then he put away his knife and returned to the bedroom, silently confirming in his mind.

sigh~
In an instant, Jiang Xuan's whole body shook.

In a trance, it was as if I had left my body and came to a completely unfamiliar space.

Everything here is hazy and boundless.

It’s like the beginning of the world and the beginning of chaos.

There are no mountains, rivers, lakes or seas, nor any living buildings.

Some are just endless mountains standing in the air, of different sizes and heights.

Standing in this vast space, they are like huge mountains of knives, emitting different sharp rays, which are shocking.

Jiang Xuan's consciousness was floating in this vast space. Looking at the towering mountains of swords in front of him, he felt so insignificant.

"What kind of place is this? A world with only swords..."

Jiang Xuan murmured.

Suddenly, the consciousness was shaken and dispersed.

He felt himself slowly transforming into a knife made of thoughts, and began to practice uncontrollably.

Basic Xiuchun Knife Technique: Beginner, Minor Mastery, Major Mastery, Perfection, and Outward Bound...

Second-rate Kuangfeng Sword Technique, entry-level, minor, and major...

First-class Golden Crow Sword Technique, entry level...

From the beginning of drawing the sword to practicing the three sword techniques to develop sword moves.

Just like this, I practiced tirelessly, regardless of day or night.

I don’t know how much time passed.

Silently, the environment changed again——

It was a scene in which he had fought against others with a knife in the past, and it seemed as if he was experiencing it again from beginning to end.

There are evenly matched opponents, strong crushing, and even death-defying counterattacks...

But in the end, one opponent after another fell under this knife.

Countless experiences of practicing with the sword and fighting against enemies represent the growth of swordsmanship.

Until the end, three kinds of sword moves came out at the same time!
Rumble…

In an instant, the Hongmeng space vibrated.

Jiang Xuan felt his consciousness transformed into a knife, and suddenly slashed forward!

The invisible blade energy spread, shattering the primordial state and tearing apart space...

Then, the sword light shattered into pieces, and in the torn space, it slowly condensed into a new sword mountain, standing tall and majestic.

The knife is the mountain, the mountain is me, and I am the knife.

The three are inseparable.

"Is this the legendary fusion of man and sword?"

Jiang Xuan murmured.

He couldn't see the mountain of swords he had transformed into, but he could clearly see the terrifying power flowing through his body.

This is the artistic conception!

Jiang Xuan once again looked at the mountains of swords standing in the Hongmeng space.

The tallest ones in the middle each exude a terrifying aura that makes people dare not look directly at them.

"Every mountain represents a kind of sword intent..."

Jiang Xuan understood something in his mind, but was also very shocked.

In this primordial space, there are hundreds and thousands of sword mountains standing, which means there are hundreds and thousands of sword intentions.

There are so many sword masters in this world?!

……

hum~
At the moment when the mountain of swords was formed.

In the small courtyard outside, a vast aura rose into the sky, carrying with it a sharp, domineering and violent aura.

It seems to split the sky and the earth apart!
This momentum was like a giant sword, falling from the sky and piercing directly into the small courtyard in the south of the capital.

Even if it was just a fleeting moment.

But countless people felt an inexplicable depression.

Especially those who practice martial arts and swordsmanship feel it most deeply.

Countless eyes were cast towards the place where the terrifying atmosphere erupted, and they were extremely shocked.

"Buzzing..."

At the Hulong Villa, Gui Hai Yidao, who was practicing, looked at the sword in his hand that was shaking violently and tilting towards the south of the city with a stunned expression.

"Sword Intent..."

Someone has mastered the sword skill!
He had seen this situation once before when he was away from Beijing on business.

That was the story of the great thief Xiao Shiyilang who fought a desperate battle, condensed his sword power during the battle, and finally killed dozens of masters who were chasing him.

Within a radius of several miles, the weapons of all the swordsmen and swordsmen were shaking continuously, as if they were making pilgrimages, worshiping in the direction of Xiao Shiyilang.

Now, he saw this scene again.

In the capital, a figure comparable to Xiao Shiyilang has appeared?!
"Father!"

In the main hall of the villa, Duan Tianya and Shangguan Haitang sensed this aura and looked at Zhu Wusi with shock on their faces.

The latter also frowned, looked solemnly, and looked towards the south of the city.

"artistic conception!"

Such a person actually appeared in the capital.

In the world, those who can comprehend the artistic conception are all geniuses.

This has nothing to do with the realm of martial arts.

Some people, even if they have broken through to the master or grand master level in martial arts, may not be able to comprehend the artistic conception.

This is the ultimate sublimation of external martial arts.

It is also the ultimate realm that countless warriors yearn for and pursue!
"If such a person could be used by this king, he would definitely greatly enhance the strength of the Hulong Villa!"

Zhu Wusi's mind moved slightly, and then he said in a deep voice: "Go check and see who has comprehended the sword intent!"

"Yes!" Duan Tianya and the other two bowed and left.

……

"Knife intention?"

Deep in the palace, there is a quiet courtyard.

The two figures who were playing chess looked up at the domineering mood in the sky with surprise on their faces.

"It's the boy from the Imperial Guards."

One of the old men said, "A year ago, I practiced the sword moves; a year later, I understood the artistic conception."

"He's a good candidate for martial arts training."

The other person nodded slightly: "This kid is not a worry-free person either. He has been secretly cultivating power in the capital and has done many extraordinary things."

"Given time, I'm afraid he'll become another Wei Zhongxian."

The old man chuckled and said, "People with ability are always ambitious. It's not surprising that they do something unconventional."

"But as long as he's still a member of the imperial court, it doesn't matter what he does. He can't cause any trouble under our noses."

"Once he takes that step, power and influence will be like a passing cloud to him, and he will figure it out."

The other person nodded slightly: "That's right."

"We two old guys have been trapped here for so many years for the sake of the court. If we hadn't promised Chengzu, we would have wanted to go out for a walk a long time ago."

"When these younger generations grow up and take over our positions, it will be time to go out and see the world."

"That kid Zhu Wusi is likely to take this step."

"It's a pity that this kid is too obsessed. Even if he really takes this step, Ming Dynasty will not be trusted to hand it over to him."

"Ugh……"

A long sigh.

"Let's wait until he really takes this step."

The old man shook his head, retracted his gaze, and said, "It's your turn now, hurry up."

The other man also turned back to look at the chessboard, his eyes suddenly widening: "Damn it, you're regretting your move again?"

"You are so old, do you still have any shame?"

"Ahem..." The old man blushed, "I'm old, my eyesight isn't good, I made a mistake, it doesn't count, let's try again."

"..."

……

"call……"

Jiang Xuan opened his eyes again and his consciousness returned to the bedroom.

He clearly felt the changes in his body at the first moment.

It seemed as if a strange power appeared in the body, but it seemed as if it was innate, and I had long been accustomed to it and could use it as easily as my own arm.

As soon as he thought about it, this strange power spread out around his body, covering an area of ​​several feet around him, as if he had returned to the primordial world full of sword mountains.

There is sword intent everywhere.

With a light stroke of his fingers, a deep groove suddenly appeared on the ground, as if an invisible sword energy was tearing the ground apart.

But this kind of power is different from the sword energy that warriors generate with their internal strength and true qi.

This is the pure power of artistic conception.

[Fusion deduction successful, please give a name to the martial arts realm]

A system prompt appears.

name?

Jiang Xuan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized.

The power of artistic conception has long transcended the swordsmanship itself and is not bound by objects.

Whether using a knife, a sword, a fist, a palm, or even a branch, you can exert the power of artistic conception and turn decay into magic.

So naturally it can no longer be named after a sword technique.

Artistic conception has no name.

What he comprehended was simply the meaning of the sword.

Carefully experience the power of this artistic conception.

Jiang Xuan discovered that its essence still tends to be domineering, violent, and swift.

It can be said that it combines the characteristics of three types of potential.

But the power is incomparable.

The former only relies on the sword techniques to practice the sword moves, and still remains on the wisdom of the predecessors, while the latter has surpassed the limitations of the sword techniques.

Based on the three sword stances, he practiced a sword technique that better suits him.

"However, since it is derived from the integration of three sword energies, with dominance as the main focus, it should be called 'Domineering Sword Realm'."

Jiang Xuan made a choice.

The scene before my eyes changed, and the system panel underwent new changes.

[Martial Arts: The Art of Domination (State of Mind)]

[Progress: 0%]

Sure enough, the artistic conception has gone beyond the scope of skills, and the previous "martial arts" has become "martial arts".

The progress is still presented as a percentage.

But I don’t know how to continue improving.

Moreover, artistic conception...actually has different levels of quality?

Jiang Xuan frowned, staring at the word "state of mind" behind the artistic conception.

His understanding of artistic conception mostly comes from rumors and oral accounts.

Even the meaning of the artistic conception was only understood during the last casual conversation with Lu Xiaofeng, Hua Manlou and Jian Chen in Hangzhou.

But Lu Xiaofeng and the other two have not yet grasped the artistic conception and know little about it.

I don’t know if the artistic conception is divided into several stages.

Jiang Xuan's eyes moved slightly.

At this moment, he thought of the towering sword mountains he saw in the primordial space.

If nothing unexpected happens, the artistic conception of all those who have comprehended the sword will be presented in the primordial space, existing in the form of a mountain of swords.

Among them, there are many sword mountains that are more majestic and huge than the sword mountains condensed by himself, and the power of artistic conception is also stronger.

Those masters of artistic conception may have already gone further in the field of artistic conception.

Among them, there must be those who have reached a state of mind.

Not to mention others, just the owner of the Zhonghua Pavilion in Hangzhou Prefecture, 'Tianjian' Wuming, who ranks second on the Ming Dynasty Sword List, has definitely surpassed the 'state of mind'.

After all, I had already realized the existence of artistic conception twenty years ago.

But I didn’t have the chance to ask last time, and I have no relatives or friends, so even if I asked, people might not pay attention to me.

Since there is no one to guide me, I can only figure it out on my own.

"For now, I don't know how to continue improving my artistic conception. Even if I knew the realms beyond, it would only cause me more trouble. I'll figure it out later."

After pondering for a long time, Jiang Xuan shook his head, closed the system panel, and continued to study how to use the power of artistic conception.

……

In the courtyard.

Cheng Shifei and Lin Pingzhi looked at each other in surprise.

"Junior brother, did you feel that breath just now?"

Cheng Shifei widened his eyes, looked back towards the bedroom and asked.

Lin Pingzhi nodded, his eyes burning with passion: "It's Master! It's definitely Master who has broken through. What a powerful aura!"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Shifei nodded, confirming that he was right. A look of emotion appeared on his face: "I wonder when we will be able to be as powerful as our master."

Lin Pingzhi shook his head.

He did not seek to reach the level of his master. As long as he could reach the level of the head of a second-rate sect like Yu Canghai, he could rebuild the Fuwei Escort Agency and revitalize the Lin family.

"Ok?"

At this moment, Lin Pingzhi frowned, raised his head abruptly, looked towards the wall next to him, and shouted, "Who is it?!"

At some point, a dark shadow appeared there. Frightened by Lin Pingzhi's voice, it immediately turned around and wanted to leave.

"Want to go?"

Lin Pingzhi shouted coldly, took a step forward, and used the stone hill next to him to gain momentum and flew up to the courtyard wall. He turned the long sword in his hand and stabbed at the man in black.

The man in black put his fingers together and pointed, and with the force of his fingers he easily deflected Lin Pingzhi's sword.

Lin Pingzhi's face flushed red, and he almost lost his grip on the sword and it slipped out of his hand.

But through this fight, he also realized the gap between himself and the man in black, so he could only give up the pursuit and watch the man in black retreat calmly.

But suddenly, the man in black paused, staring intently at a figure that had appeared in front of him, his brows furrowed. "Is it you?"

shuh~
The figure said nothing, and pointed his finger into the air. An invisible force instantly shook the void and swept towards the man in black.

The man in black's face changed drastically, and he immediately drew his sword and slashed. The sword shadows were so heavy that it was impossible to tell which sword was real and which was fake. The murderous aura was rampant.

However, under the invisible sword energy, all the sword shadows were shattered, and finally with a "ding" sound, they slashed directly on the long sword of the man in black.

The man in black groaned, flew backwards, and landed back in the yard.

"Phantom Sword?"

A figure whispered and walked out from the shadows. It was Jiang Xuan.

"Master!" Lin Pingzhi breathed a sigh of relief and quickly bowed.

Jiang Xuan nodded, tapped his toes, and dodged to the courtyard wall. He frowned at the man in black in the yard and asked, "What are you doing in my house?"

He had already seen through the man in black's true colors.

It was the number one in Hulong Villa, Duan Tianya.

Duan Tianya lifted the black scarf from his face, looked up at Jiang Xuan, his expression somewhat solemn, and said with a bow, "I mean no offense. I was just attracted by your sword intent and came here to see you. I didn't expect it to be you, Lord Jiang."

Jiang Xuan frowned and sensed something, and found that there were indeed many hidden masters around.

Clearly, they were drawn in by the commotion created by his concentrated state of mind. His first time comprehending a state of mind, inexperienced, forgetting to restrain his aura, yet he managed to attract so much attention?

"roll!"

Jiang Xuan looked around and shouted softly, his aura powerful and carrying a cold oppression.

In the darkness, the shadows were silent for a moment, then turned and dispersed, unwilling to cause any offense.

"Farewell!"

Duan Tianya took a deep breath, bowed, and quickly left the courtyard, disappearing into the darkness.

Jiang Xuan did not stop him.

It's impossible to kill all these people.

However, I originally just wanted to break through quietly and keep a trump card.

Now that this has happened, I'm afraid it won't be long before the news of his understanding of the artistic conception spreads throughout the world.

Jiang Xuan felt helpless.

But, let it be exposed.

In the future, if you give your name when doing things, you can avoid a lot of trouble.

Moreover, with his current strength, he no longer needs to be as cautious as before.

Just don't provoke those old and powerful people who have been famous for a long time.

You can go anywhere in this world.

His figure flashed and he landed back in the yard.

"Congratulations, Master, you have achieved great success!" Cheng Shifei immediately came up to him with a smile.

Lin Pingzhi's eyes also showed some respect and passion.

"Keep practicing."

Jiang Xuan nodded, said nothing more, and returned to the room with his hands behind his back.

After studying for more than half an hour, he had a brief fight with Duan Tianya.

At this moment, he has already figured out how to use the power of artistic conception.

Artistic conception is the sublimation of "momentum", which comes from the heart and can be controlled freely.

Perhaps this is why it is called 'state of mind'.

The artistic conception can be displayed with bare hands or through a carrier to enhance the attack power.

Moreover, it can form a realm of artistic conception, which can absolutely suppress opponents whose realm is lower than its own.

Within the realm of artistic conception, in front of an opponent whose realm is lower than yours, you are a god.

There will never be a realm like the realm of martial arts, where a person at a lower realm can kill an opponent at a higher realm by using external skills, hidden weapons, etc.

Within the range, he could clearly sense any movement, as if he had divine eyes.

Unfortunately, the current realm of artistic conception can only cover about three meters around the body, and its power will be greatly weakened if it is farther away.

Also.

Although the power of artistic conception is no longer bound to objects, it still needs to be used in conjunction with weapons to exert its maximum power.

At the same level of sword intent, if one has a magic weapon in hand, one will definitely have the advantage.

Moreover, perhaps due to the limitations of his physical body and bones, Jiang Xuan always felt that the power of artistic conception should be more than this.

In other words, the higher the level of martial arts, the stronger the power of artistic conception that can be exerted will be.

Just like Wuming in the original novel of "Feng Yun".

In his heyday, he could suppress Jue Wushen so much that he dared not enter the Central Plains for twenty years. But after his martial arts were abolished, even if he comprehended the unique skill of Wanjian Guizong and used it in conjunction with the power of artistic conception, he was still no match for Jue Wushen.

The main reason may be that the martial arts realm is too low to bring out the true power of artistic conception.

There is a direct connection between martial arts and artistic conception.

A thought.

Jiang Xuan looked at the internal power panel:

[Martial Arts: Rama Internal Power (Great Mastery)]

【Progress: 4892/10000】

The internal strength is still at the great perfection level, but eight of the twelve meridians have been opened up.

Only the last four points are left to enter the realm of innate perfection, transform internal force into true qi, and step into the realm of grandmaster.

Moreover, the fully developed Rama's internal energy has the effect of "copper skin and iron bones, and muscles and bones resonating together".

After reaching perfection, there will inevitably be higher levels of performance.

When the time comes and the power of artistic conception is combined, I wonder what kind of state I will reach?
Jiang Xuan was looking forward to this.

Close the panel.

Jiang Xuan walked into the bedroom and continued to meditate and practice his skills.

……

At the same time, in the palace.

Cao Zhengchun frowned as he looked at his confidant Pi Xiaotian, who had hurried back to report the situation. "Are you saying that it was that Jinyiwei Jiang Xuan who comprehended the sword intent?"

Pi Xiaotian bowed and said, "My Lord, that's right. I saw it with my own eyes, and I can't be wrong!"

"This guy's martial arts talent is so terrifying?"

Cao Zhengchun walked back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, his expression somewhat solemn.

He had heard of Jiang Xuan's name before the palace coup.

Last year, when Jiang Xuan mastered his sword skills and broke through the top masters, he even wanted to send someone to recruit him.

But later he gave up the idea because he was worried that it would arouse Wei Zhongxian's vigilance and be targeted by that old eunuch.

Unexpectedly, a year later, the latter had taken another step forward and comprehended the meaning of the sword.

Moreover, they had met once before in the Qianqing Palace, and he could also feel that Jiang Xuan's internal strength should have reached the late stage of the innate realm, and was not far from perfection.

With this person's talent, there shouldn't be any problem for him to successfully break through to the Grandmaster level.

With such a person among the Jinyiwei, and also a loyal minister who assisted the emperor in ascending the throne, his future must be limitless.

We need to find a way to win this person over...

Cao Zhengchun was thinking in his heart.

His situation was very embarrassing at this time.

Previously suppressed by Wei Zhongxian, all his powers except for the basic affairs of the Imperial Household Department were taken away from him.

Now that Wei Zhongxian has been finally brought down, there is still Wang Chengen by the emperor's side.

In this way, even if the emperor really takes action against Wei Zhongxian in the future, it will probably not be his turn to take charge of the affairs of the East Factory.

The eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department is the chief eunuch of all eunuchs.

But the position of eunuch is different from that of other officials.

Whoever is more favored by the emperor has the greatest power.

Just like Wei Zhongxian, although he was only a eunuch in charge of writing, his status was lower than that of the eunuch in charge of the seal, but because he was favored by the previous emperor, the power to hold the seal and approve documents was entirely in the hands of Wei Zhongxian, and it was not his turn to interfere in important court affairs.

It's a pity that he is the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department, but he can only manage palace affairs in the harem and deal with some trivial matters.

Now that he finally has the chance to take power, he naturally wants to fight for it.

Especially the East Factory, which is responsible for monitoring the world for the emperor.

He must hold such a powerful institution in his hands.

But Wang Cheng'en served the emperor for more than ten years. Even the fact that the emperor was able to avoid Wei Zhongxian's investigation and oppression during these years and secretly win over so many civil and military ministers was all thanks to Wang Cheng'en.

The emperor will definitely favor him more.

As for Cao Zhengchun, he only had the merit of following the emperor, and he would definitely not be able to compete with Wang Chengen by force. If he was not careful, he might even lose his position as the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department.

The only way is to let the emperor see Cao Zhengchun's ability, and then with the help of others, there might be a chance.

But now he has no real power.

Even if the emperor needed manpower, he would not consider him, let alone the East Factory.

The only ones he could use were the three Jinyiwei who assisted him in successfully ascending the throne: Jiang Xuan, Xu Panxing and Pei Lun.

Therefore, if he wanted to get into the emperor's sight, he might still need the help of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Then, winning over Jiang Xuan is the best option.

Thinking of this, Cao Zhengchun's eyes flashed and he stood up and walked outside.

Pi Xiaotian was stunned for a moment and asked, "Eunuch, what are you doing..."

Cao Zhengchun said calmly, "You continue to monitor the East Factory for me while I go to visit the Emperor."

"Yes." Hearing this, Pi Xiaotian didn't ask any more questions and saluted respectfully.

Cao Zhengchun walked straight towards the funeral palace.

Soon, he arrived at the funeral palace.

The place is heavily guarded, with dense numbers of Jinyiwei on duty day and night, because the mourning hall of the late emperor Zhu Youxiao is here.

During this period, Zhu Youjian also kept vigil and mourned here.

"Stop!" Cao Zhengchun was stopped by a Jinyiwei as soon as he reached the door.

Cao Zhengchun frowned and said, "I am the director of the Imperial Household Department. I am going in to visit the emperor, and you dare to stop me?"

The Jinyiwei said solemnly, "My lord, the emperor has ordered that no one is allowed to enter at night without being summoned!"

Cao Zhengchun's eyes twitched. He naturally knew that the emperor was worried about his safety. It was said that even the food he ate during this period was made and delivered by the queen herself, and he didn't dare to eat food made by others.

But there is no need to be so afraid of death, right?
"I am a eunuch. Could I possibly plot to murder the emperor?" Cao Zhengchun asked with a serious face.

As soon as these words were spoken, the surrounding Jinyiwei looked over with strange expressions.

Cao Zhengchun also reacted quickly. Isn’t Wei Zhongxian also a eunuch?

"We have important matters to report to the emperor, so please go in and report it to him, little brother." Cao Zhengchun changed his words, trying to fight for it again.

The Jinyiwei shook his head: "Sir, please don't embarrass me. I don't want to be scolded."

"You...are truly unreasonable!"

Cao Zhengchun was extremely angry.

"What are you arguing about?"

At this moment, Wang Chengen came out, frowned and shouted: "The emperor is resting. If you disturb him, you will lose your heads!"

"Eunuch Wang!" Everyone saluted hurriedly.

Cao Zhengchun's expression changed slightly, but he quickly stepped forward with an apologetic smile, saying, "Eunuch Wang, I would like to go in and visit the Emperor. Please be flexible."

"Oh, it's Eunuch Cao?"

Wang Chengen raised his eyebrows slightly and chuckled, "Eunuch Cao, the emperor hasn't slept for several days and has just fallen asleep. Besides, the emperor hasn't been in a good mood these days. You should wait until the emperor is in a better mood before coming."

The eunuch died, and the villain succeeded!

Looking at Wang Chengen's domineering appearance, Cao Zhengchun cursed in his heart, but could only smile and nod: "Since that's the case, then I won't disturb the emperor's rest. I'll come back in two days."

"Well, then, Eunuch Cao, take care. I won't see you off." Wang Chengen snorted in his heart without even raising his eyelids.

How could he not see what Cao Zhengchun was thinking?

Want to compete for our favor?

Take a rest!

"Wang Chengen, what's the noise outside?"

At this moment, Zhu Youjian's voice came from inside.

Wang Chengen's face changed slightly, and he hurried to the door and whispered, "It's nothing, Your Majesty. It's Eunuch Cao from the Imperial Household Department who came and wanted to see Your Majesty. I said Your Majesty, you've gone to bed, and asked him to come back another day."

"Which eunuch Cao?" Zhu Youjian asked.

"He is Cao Zhengchun, the eunuch who holds the seal of the Imperial Household Department."

"Oh, it's him!"

Zhu Youjian thought for a moment and said, "Let him in."

"This... is, Your Majesty."

Zhu Youjian had already spoken, and no matter how unwilling Wang Chengen was in his heart, he did not dare to disobey the order. He walked out with a sullen face and said somewhat unhappily, "Eunuch Cao, let's go. The emperor has summoned you."

Cao Zhengchun was overjoyed at the unexpected turn of events. He didn't care about Wang Chengen's expression and said with a smile, "Thank you, Eunuch Wang."

Wang Chengen snorted lightly, turned around and walked in.

Cao Zhengchun hurried to follow.

Soon, they entered the mourning hall and saw Zhu Youjian sitting beside the coffin without any image. Seeing Cao Zhengchun, he smiled and waved, saying, "Eunuch Cao, it's so late, why are you still thinking of coming here?"

"Your servant pays respect to His Majesty!"

Cao Zhengchun hurried forward and bowed respectfully, "In reply to your Majesty, I am worried about your health and have been unable to sleep day and night. I am uneasy, so I have dared to come and see you. I beg your forgiveness."

"It doesn't matter."

Zhu Youjian smiled and said, "You are so thoughtful, Eunuch Cao."

"Speaking of which, I have to thank you."

"I heard everything about what happened that night. If you hadn't arrived in time, I'm afraid no one would have dared to expose Wei Zhongxian's conspiracy to replace the crown prince. You are a loyal minister of the Ming Dynasty!"

Cao Zhengchun was so excited that he leaned forward and said, "Your Majesty, you are too kind. For the sake of the Ming Dynasty, even if I die, it is worth it!"

Zhu Youjian nodded with satisfaction, then patted the embroidered cushion beside him and said, "Sit down. Since you are here, it would be nice if you could talk to me."

"I dare not. I will just stand there." Cao Zhengchun looked terrified.

Seeing this, Zhu Youjian no longer forced himself. He turned his head to look at the night sky outside and couldn't help but sigh.

Cao Zhengchun's eyes flickered, and he asked in a low voice, "I wonder if the emperor is worried about something? Can this old servant help him share his worries?"

"nothing."

Zhu Youjian shook his head and sighed, "I am just worried. I am worried about my great Ming dynasty. I don't know how to be a good emperor, so as not to let down my ancestors and my brother's spirit in heaven."

Cao Zhengchun quickly said, "Your Majesty, you are a young and talented man with great talent and vision. You will definitely be able to shoulder the responsibility of governing the Ming Dynasty. Why should Your Majesty worry?"

"It's not that simple!"

Zhu Youjian sighed again, then asked, "Eunuch Cao, I remember that as the head of the Imperial Household Department, you were in charge of the Imperial Seal, right? How could you be suppressed to this extent by Wei Zhongxian?"

"This... is embarrassing."

Cao Zhengchun looked guilty and said, "Wei Zhongxian was favored by the late emperor. He had the final say on all matters, big or small, both inside and outside the palace. Although I had the power to hold the seal, I dared not disobey the emperor's orders and could only allow him to bully me. Even the imperial seal was taken back by the emperor and given to him to manage."

"I see."

Zhu Youjian suddenly realized, then felt a little helpless, and said: "My royal brother, it is not wrong to favor this thief!"

"My troubles are all because of this thief."

"It's a pity that my royal brother entrusted me with his last wish, asking me to spare his life. I can't go against his will."

"This thief is so hateful! Not only does he not appreciate the kindness shown to me by my brother, the emperor, but he also acts perversely and forms a clique for personal gain. He doesn't even take me, the emperor, seriously. He is truly despicable!"

Cao Zhengchun was slightly startled: "The emperor means..."

Zhu Youjian's eyes were filled with resentment as he said, "Since I ascended the throne, no one has come to report to me on government affairs. Even when Lord Hong and his companions occasionally come to report, they are only about trivial matters. On the rare occasions when there are major decisions, those eunuch clique members will obstruct them and never let me know."

"If this wasn't done by Wei Zhongxian, how could I believe it?"

"This eunuch thief is deliberately provoking me, wanting to let me know that the court cannot do without him, Wei Zhongxian. I really want to kill him as soon as possible!"

Cao Zhengchun's eyes flashed. "So, the emperor's troubles come from the eunuch party, not Wei Zhongxian alone?"

"exactly!"

Zhu Youjian took a deep breath and nodded, saying, "Killing this thief is not difficult. The difficult part is how to stabilize the court after killing him."

"Most important positions in the court are now held by eunuchs. Even the provincial capitals have eunuchs. A single move can affect the entire system."

"Once Wei Zhongxian is killed, the Ming Dynasty will be in chaos. This is not the result I want to see."

"Otherwise, how could I tolerate him until now!"

Zhu Youjian gritted his teeth, his words full of murderous intent.

Cao Zhengchun's eyes flickered as he said, "Your Majesty, it's not difficult to resolve this matter."

"Ok?"

Zhu Youjian was stunned for a moment: "What does the eunuch mean?"

Wang Chengen's eyelids twitched and he wished he could cover Cao Zhengchun's mouth immediately.

He knew that this bastard had bad intentions, and sure enough, he came!
But seeing Zhu Youjian staring at Cao Zhengchun with burning eyes, he did not dare to interrupt.

Cao Zhengchun took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty, the reason Wei Zhongxian was able to dominate the court all these years was because of the eunuchs from all over the country, as well as his adopted sons like the Five Tigers and the Five Biao."

"So, if you want to get rid of Wei Zhongxian, you must first eliminate his followers!"

"Over the years, the eunuch party has relied on Wei Zhongxian's power to do whatever they want, embezzling and amassing wealth on a massive scale, and harming the loyal and honest people."

"As long as the emperor makes a decision, it will not be difficult to search for evidence of the eunuch party's corruption and illegal activities."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youjian frowned and thought.

After a long pause, he nodded and said, "Eunuch Cao's words do make sense, but Wei Zhongxian is no fool. If I were to touch the eunuchs, he would surely be wary. What if they unite to oppose me? What should I do then?"

"Besides, even if I want to investigate the eunuch party, I don't have anyone to use."

"The East Factory's spies are everywhere in the world. If we send ordinary people to investigate, they might find nothing. They might get the tip-off and destroy or move the evidence ahead of time. Wouldn't that alert the enemy?"

Cao Zhengchun said, "Your Majesty, this matter is also not difficult to resolve."

"Before you eliminate the eunuch party, you can first stabilize Wei Zhongxian. Treat him the same way the late emperor treated him. This way, he will surely let down his guard."

"At this time, the emperor sent people to investigate for evidence of the eunuch party's crimes."

"When all the evidence is complete, we will use it to threaten a group of eunuch gang members and tell them that as long as they are willing to expose the eunuch gang's evidence of guilt, we will exonerate them and let them fight among themselves."

"So we can deal with some of the eunuchs first, and when the time is right, we can deal with the rest."

"As long as the core of the eunuch party falls, those officials from the Qi, Chu, and Zhejiang parties who are attached to the eunuch party will definitely see the situation clearly and draw a clear line with the eunuch party."

"Then it will be the perfect time for Your Majesty to eliminate Wei Zhongxian and reclaim power."

"As for the candidates for investigating the eunuch party, Your Majesty, have you forgotten the Jinyiwei?"

Cao Zhengchun smiled slightly and said, "The Jinyiwei's capabilities are not inferior to those of the Dongchang."

"Although the Jinyiwei is now controlled by Xu Xianchun and Cui Yingyuan, two of the eunuch party's 'Five Tigers', the three thousand households in the front, rear, and right are loyal to you."

"Furthermore, after the palace coup, the eunuchs will certainly regard them as enemies. They have no choice but to be loyal to the emperor."

"Your Majesty, you can absolutely trust them."

Zhu Youjian was stunned.

Then, he fell into deep thought.

Seeing this, Cao Zhengchun was overjoyed.

He knew that the emperor was already considering his proposal.

Once the proposal is adopted, he will begin to enter the emperor's sight.

The day when I, Cao Zhengchun, will take power is not far away!

"Hmph!" At this time, Wang Chengen on the side finally couldn't help but snorted coldly, regretting very much that he had welcomed this old eunuch in.

This is really like inviting a wolf into the house!
Cao Zhengchun glanced at him sideways, not caring at all about Wang Chengen's exclusion. His goal had been achieved anyway.

snort?
Humph, your great-grandmother!
……

The next day.

"call……"

Jiang Xuan slowly opened his eyes and took a long breath. The foul air accumulated in his body was expelled again and again after a night of training.

The core point of Rama's internal strength is to polish the muscles, bones and flesh, strengthen the physical fitness, and make the physical fitness flawless, which is more suitable for martial arts training.

I have to say, that monk Rama is really a genius.

I sighed in my heart.

Jiang Xuan stood up, changed into his official uniform, walked out of the bedroom, and came to the door. Lin Pingzhi was already waiting there.

"Master!"

Jiang Xuan nodded slightly and asked, "Is your senior brother out?"

"Yes, we have been walking for half an hour." Lin Pingzhi said respectfully.

Jiang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

With Lin Pingzhi's supervision, Cheng Shifei's lazy personality has indeed changed a lot.

There was no need to say much about Lin Pingzhi himself. He was very sensible in everything he did and did not need Jiang Xuan to give him any advice.

This is also the reason why Jiang Xuan brought him into the Jinyiwei.

"Let's go to the government office."

Jiang Xuan walked out of the door with his hands behind his back, and Lin Pingzhi followed closely with a sword in hand.

He was still wearing the uniform of a captain.

Jiang Xuan did not give him any special treatment just because he was his apprentice. If he wanted to be promoted, it still depended on his ability and merit.

Soon, the master and disciple arrived at the yamen, ready to report for duty as usual.

But as soon as he reached the door, he was stopped by someone.

"Sir Jiang, the Emperor has ordered you to come to the palace for an audience."

A young eunuch came forward and said respectfully.

Jiang Xuan was slightly startled. He took out a silver note and handed it to the young eunuch, asking, "Sir, do you know why the Emperor wants to see me?"

The young eunuch quietly accepted the banknote and whispered, "Your Excellency, I don't know, but in addition to Your Excellency, the Emperor also summoned Master Pei, the Captain of the Front Office, and Xu Panxing, the Captain of the Back Office."

Pei Lun and Xu Panxing also went?

Jiang Xuan's eyes flashed, and he vaguely knew what was going on.

This little emperor, can't wait so long?
(End of this chapter)