Wan Jian returns to his clan!

Chapter 214 Puppet, Flipping the Table
These days, in front of all the officials and everyone else, Ji Wenxiu has always presented herself as a noble lady from an imperial family, aloof and mysterious.

Only then can she remove her mask and show her truest self.

“Brother Wubing, I know you can do it. Back then, when you were so weak, you were still able to save me from that lecherous thief, and later you even defeated powerful enemies one after another.”

As she said this, Ji Wenxiu's eyes shone with admiration, and a faint light flickered deep within them.

"I have always believed that one day, a peerless swordsman will come before me, cleave through the nine heavens with a single sword, and save me from my suffering. No matter how many hardships and difficulties I face, they will be overcome."

"You're not talking about mortals, you're talking about sword immortals."

"You are."

"I'm not."

Lu Wubing suddenly felt a bit annoyed, thinking to himself, "Could it be that all members of the Ji family have a bit of a crazy personality? I've heard that their family's inherited cultivation technique also has problems."

If you force yourself to continue training, the final result will not be good.

Throughout history, the emperors of the Ji family have all become incompetent and senile in their later years. Those with any sense would pass on the throne before they completely lose control.

Those who lack common sense will encounter exciting scenes such as father-son suspicion and palace intrigue.

In Lu Wubing's view, it was actually quite strange that such a dynasty could persist for so long.

The people there are so poor they have to eat grass.

The emperor and his ministers were still engaging in chaotic behavior.

If it weren't for the Northern Zhou's barbarian army eyeing the border with predatory intent, and the people there being treated like lambs and brought to the table, Lu Wubing wouldn't have bothered setting up firebreaks in Mingyang and Liyang. He would have opened up the roads long ago, regardless of the fate of the imperial court.

Changing the family name might actually make things better.

It turns out.

Anyone can be replaced, but those barbarian barbarians from the Northern Zhou cannot be replaced.

Those things really can eat people.

He was really annoyed that Ji Wenxiu wanted him to help her and the court, so he wanted to argue back.

Looking up, I saw Ji Wenxiu with red eyes and tears rolling down her cheeks, like a helpless little girl trapped in a desperate situation.

"Wait, Wenxiu, did you just say you were helping yourself, or were you helping the imperial court?"

Lu Wubing suddenly remembered a question.

Helping a princess who's been put on the hot seat, or helping a dynasty that makes you feel very uncomfortable, are two different things.

"Of course you're helping me! As for this dynasty, who cares if it dies? Let whoever wants the regent position sit on it. I'm serious, why don't you believe me?"

Ji Wenxiu, with her quick wit, immediately sensed a glimmer of hope in Lu Wubing's words.

“Brother Wubing, you don’t know, during the court session, all those civil officials were talking about peace talks. I said, if we’re going to talk peace, can we at least not cede territory or arrange marriages?”

But they acted as if I didn't exist, arguing amongst themselves with great enthusiasm. Nominally, I was the princess regent, but no one listened to me.

"And then there are those military officers and nobles, all of them clamoring to lead troops into battle and demanding money and provisions. But where would this princess get the money and provisions? Not only can I not persuade the officials of the Ministry of Revenue, but I can't even access the funds and provisions of the Imperial Treasury."

Ji Wenxiu sounded extremely aggrieved.

From her perspective, it is indeed a very difficult situation.

She held the title of regent, yet not a single soldier obeyed her orders, and she was always the one to take responsibility for any misdeeds.

"Aren't you just a puppet? I'm just wondering how you can run around so freely without being controlled or imprisoned?"

"Originally, Huang Chengzong wanted to do this. Although the old eunuch kept calling himself a servant, he was leading a battalion of Golden Scale Guards to guard the princess's residence. The commander seemed to have reached some kind of secret agreement with him. He said he would obey my orders, but who knows how they actually did it?"

The capital is in complete chaos right now. We've long since ordered them to cooperate with the Prefect of Chaotian to govern, but nobody listens. If it weren't for Daoist Qingyun secretly protecting me, I'm afraid they'd tie me up and only untie me when I go to court.”

"That's right, you're just a puppet. What about your uncle?"

Lu Wubing wasn't completely indifferent to court affairs; sometimes, being too perceptive wasn't a good thing, as he heard a whole bunch of useful and useless news.

Ji Wenxiu's maternal uncle, Lin Zhonghu, is now the General Who Pacifies the West, and is enfeoffed as the Marquis of Pingxi. He has made numerous military achievements and is extremely powerful.

With him as an outside helper, Ji Wenxiu should not have ended up in such a miserable state, no matter how tragic her situation was.

"My uncle does have some skilled fighters under his command, but they are mainly assigned to Consort Yi. Consort Yi is currently nine months pregnant and about to give birth, so there can be no mistakes."

Back then, my second brother…

At this point, Ji Wenxiu fell silent again.

She didn't know how to continue, so she just said softly, "Consort Yi's name is Lin Xinyi. She also comes from the Lin family of Pingxi. She married into the family after her mother passed away. She is my aunt."

"Tsk tsk, you poor thing, you're doomed."

Lu Wubing listened for a long time, but he could only make out one word: "unlucky guy".

This is no princess at all; she's just cannon fodder to draw fire, a shield for others to develop peacefully, and a scapegoat for venting public anger afterward.

Lu Wubing finally understood why Princess Chang Le, who was not happy at all, would so readily ask for help in front of outsiders.

She even dared to say things like, "I'll give you the emperor's throne."

It's not that she doesn't understand anything.

Rather, she didn't care about anything.

Even after just listening to a few sentences, I could understand how difficult the other person's situation was.

So, can't she see it herself?
Now all I can do is try to escape, but I can't.

We can only force ourselves to endure it.

If she abandons her title as the Regent Princess and flees directly, perhaps the first to capture her and hand her over to the Northern Zhou will be the Golden Scale Guards who are currently protecting her.

Those eunuchs and the emperor's personal guards would not obey the orders of this puppet princess.

The guards protecting the princess's residence are probably just for show, to put on a show for others.

"Huh, a eunuch?"

Lu Wubing suddenly thought of something.

The person who plotted against Huichuntang and instructed the Wild Wolf Gang to steal his grandfather Lu Chengyun's notes and medical records was most likely a eunuch.

Moreover, he was a rather special eunuch who frequently came into contact with the fragrance of Udumbara.

"Princess Wenxiu, do you know if the royal family has a family temple where they often burn Udumbara incense?"

"Without an ancestral temple, neither the Ji family members nor the concubines in the palace... even the palace maids, could burn incense and worship Buddha. No matter what they thought in their hearts, they had to openly worship the Fire Phoenix and the Azure Phoenix."

"Is that so?"

Lu Wubing was puzzled: "That's strange. I've heard that in the capital, a temple, a monastery, and an academy are the most famous. Since the royal family doesn't worship Buddha or the Taoist priest, why are they so prosperous?"

Past dynasties and dynasties.

The rise of any religious sect is invariably a top-down process, inspiring others to follow suit, and then the world prospers.

In the Li Dynasty, the royal family worshipped the Fire Phoenix and the Azure Phoenix. So why didn't the officials and common people worship them?

He did know that, in the eyes of the people of Li Dynasty, the Fire Phoenix and the Azure Luan were actually the same mythical beast, also known as the Imperial Bird.

It is said that this bird is the origin of the bloodline of the Ji family of Li Dynasty.

They belong to a naturally divine bloodline.

Of course, this legend may have been fabricated by the Ji family themselves.

However, the fact that they do indeed have some kind of blood disease makes one believe that there must be some mysterious connection between them.

"You mean those three sects? The White Horse Academy is famous for its study of the classics. Every disciple of the academy is proficient in both literature and martial arts. They can govern the country on horseback and manage the state on foot. Their talents are extraordinary. A large number of officials in various places are from their school."

Especially among court officials, those who graduated from Baima Academy accounted for nearly 30%. For example, Zhang Zhongchu, a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, was the previous headmaster of Baima Academy.

Speaking of Grand Secretary Zhang Zhongchu, Ji Wenxiu gritted his teeth again.

The sound was amplified.

Clearly, the old man had her very angry.

"As for Wang Lin of Tongtian Temple, whose Taoist name is Wuqi Daoren, he is even more formidable. He is the number one doctor in the capital."

This person's healing abilities far surpass those of your family's Six Yang Divine Needles. Anyone who goes to the Tongtian Temple to obtain a bowl of talismanic water can be cured of all ailments.

Of course, obtaining the talisman water is not a simple matter; it requires many offerings, incense, and prayers. Otherwise, one cannot even enter the temple gate.

"Now, the Five Qi Daoist has been invited to the palace to refine a precious elixir for the Emperor, and is also taking care of Consort Yi."

Lu Wubing understood. The White Horse Academy controlled most of the civil officials, and many scholars became its disciples, forming a powerful faction.

The latter, on the other hand, used medicine as a means of communication and alchemy to seek immortality, thus pleasing the emperor and building a great reputation, which enabled them to prosper.

The only strange thing is that Emperor Ji Jiufeng, who acted gloomy and cunning during the Tianxing Demon Control incident, was obviously very scheming. Why would he believe that the pills refined by the other party were effective? With this thought, Lu Wubing realized something.

This is not my past life after all.

This world truly possesses all sorts of divine skills and secret techniques, as well as some strange events that resemble divine magic. Even something like the Ten Directions Seal has appeared.

So, it seems reasonable to have an additional "elixir" that can prolong life and cure diseases.

"And what about Dayuanguang Temple? What abilities did they possess to stand alongside Baima Academy and Tongtian Temple as one of the three great temples?"

"Seven or eight years ago, this temple was not well-known, but since the appearance of the Buddha's disciple Wuxiang, it has become famous overnight."

"Is this person highly skilled in martial arts?"

"It's not martial arts..."

Ji Wenxiu found it slightly difficult to speak.

"I understand. This man is handsome and good-looking, and he's skilled at winning the favor of noble ladies and young mistresses, and he moves about in the palace..." Lu Wubing was joking. But as he spoke, he noticed that Ji Wenxiu's expression had changed.

"Is that really the case?"

"That's right, this person does have an extraordinary appearance, almost like a celestial being, and he often associates with the ladies of various families. In fact, if a concubine in the palace is unwell, he will be invited to give a sermon, but it's not what you think."

What do you mean?

Lu Wubing almost burst out laughing.

"Don't you know what you want? You're not talking about Master Wuxiang, you're talking about yourself. If you were to infiltrate everyone's backyard, who knows what would happen?"

Ji Wenxiu rolled her eyes at Lu Wubing, a hint of coquettishness in her eyes.

After their conversation, the sadness in her heart gradually faded. She felt time was flying by, and she wished she could chat and joke with this guy every day.

Unfortunately, after meeting today, I will have to return to that cold palace, like fish waiting to be served on the table.

But this person will continue to fly far away, never to be seen again.

As she thought about it, Ji Wenxiu couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with sorrow again. She secretly lowered her head, wiped away her tears, and smiled, asking, "Where were we?"

"You mentioned Master Wuxiang." Lu Wubing sighed.

"Yes, that's him. This man is strange. He's only in his twenties, but he has amazing abilities. If anyone is feeling unwell or seriously ill, discussing Buddhist scriptures with him and getting some treatment will make them feel much better, both physically and mentally."

This person is said to be extremely courteous; even when meeting someone in their private quarters, they will have someone accompany them. Furthermore, their methods of regulating qi and blood through thread manipulation are exceptionally skilled.

"Pulse-twisting with a thread? Is it that by attaching a silk thread to a patient's pulse and flicking it, a person's illness can be cured?"

Lu Wubing was greatly surprised to hear this.

This is quite difficult, but it's not something I can't do.

However, the fact that this Master Wuxiang could master such exquisite healing techniques at the age of twenty-something probably has some secrets to it.

"What is the abbot's level of spiritual cultivation at Dayuanguang Temple?"

“Abbot Fayuan’s cultivation is unfathomable. In the beginning, Father Emperor actually disliked this temple very much and once intended to send people to test him.”

The first group of experts sent out to make offerings all lost their murderous intent after visiting the Great Yuanguang Temple. Instead, they kept praising the Zen master.

Because of this, the Emperor had no choice but to stop... Dayuanguang Temple usually doesn't cause trouble; on the contrary, it often sends monks to help the poor and has a good reputation. If they were to openly send troops to attack, it would probably bring them a bad reputation.

Of course, most importantly, the covert tactics were neutralized silently.

Ji Wenxiu speculated with great interest, "In my estimation, this Master Fayuan must be at least at the fourth level of the Innate Realm, or even higher. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to suppress the palace's offerings, let alone withstand the attacks from the experts of Mingfeng Pavilion."

No one knows the true extent of his cultivation, but his disciple, the monk Faxiang, has indeed fought against you, and those who fought him were from your Three Divine Peaks..."

"Who?"

"It is Bi Fenkong."

Ji Wenxiu continued, "When Bi Fenkong first came to Weijing, he felt unwell and wanted Master Wuxiang to take a look at him."

For some reason, the two couldn't agree on anything and started fighting in the restaurant. After exchanging ten blows, they each stopped fighting.

Many people witnessed that battle; one person's face turned blue, another's turned pale, and both sustained minor injuries.

From that time on, Bi Fenkong never set foot in the capital again, and Wuxiang Faxiang also remained silent about Bi Fenkong, unaware of what had actually happened.

You'd rather be a gossip than a princess.

Lu Wubing watched Princess Wenxiu's beaming face.

She only talked to herself for a quarter of an hour, but she cried and laughed two or three times. She really knows how to be a princess.

Listening to what Ji Wenxiu said, Lu Wubing silently weighed the options in his mind, quietly suppressing a plan in his heart, deciding to focus on the eunuch issue first.

"Wenxiu, I think you've got it all wrong. You're only thinking about getting yourself out of this mess and escaping. You haven't even considered that you're now the regent, a princess."

While your father was in seclusion, you were the most powerful person in the world. At least, in name only.

"so what?"

"So you have to start a fire."

A new broom sweeps clean; if you don't make a splash, nobody will take you seriously.
When you've fueled the fire until it threatens to reduce the entire kingdom to ashes, who will dare bring up topics like marriage alliances? Everyone will be forced to beg you to act as regent diligently, and no one will dare to offend you again.

"What should I do? Brother Wubing, please help me. I'll give you the title of Grand Tutor in the Princess's Palace. You can come to court with me."

"That's possible. First, gather all the palace eunuchs together, the kind who can leave the palace to handle official business. I need to find one."

Let's put aside whether they get things done or not, or whether they cause trouble or not.

Lu Wubing's first task was to find the eunuch who had the fragrance of Udumbara.

It's either the Great Yuanguang Temple or the Imperial Palace.

No matter where the person who wants my grandfather's notes is hiding, once we find him, we can understand what he needs the notes for.
Most likely, they want to unravel the mystery of the character "形" (shape).

In other words, they absolutely knew where the character "形" was actually printed.

that's enough.

It's much better than searching like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Therefore, the first blow upon entering the palace.

They started by targeting the chief eunuch who guarded the princess's residence.

……

After Princess Wenxiu finished offering her birthday greetings, she sat for a while, chatted with the Dowager Empress for a bit, and then took her leave.

Although she was just a little girl, everyone felt extremely uncomfortable sitting in the main hall of the Marquis's mansion because of her status.

After they left, the atmosphere became lively again.

This time, the way people looked at Lu Wubing was no longer that of a junior member of a marquis's family, but rather as if he were a god.

The younger generation of the Marquis's family didn't even dare to speak in front of him.

During the banquet, the steward of the Marquis's residence secretly reported that the Wang family, including Steward Wang Teng, had been raided and the entire family had been tied up and were awaiting the Marquis's judgment.

Chen Wendong, the young master of the Chen family of Second Master Chen Tongguang, has been beaten twenty times and is unable to get out of bed.

I heard that his buttocks were beaten black and blue... After he recovered, he was to be sent to a farm in the suburbs and was not allowed to return to the capital unless summoned.

What crime did he commit?

"The second master inadvertently learned that the young master of the second branch of the family had been tricked into stealing the private seal from the second master's study..."

"So that's how it is. Who exactly is targeting my Lu family?"

"It's all here."

The old steward handed over a piece of paper.

Lu Wubing glanced at it, then shook his hand and it crumbled into powder.

Your Highness, General, very good.

................................................

After the meal, Lu Wubing returned to Huichun Hall to arrange some things, and then leisurely went to the Princess's residence.

The kitten stood on his shoulder.

This time, the search for the eunuch, who smelled of both udumbara and urine, would have to rely on the kitten's nose.

..............................

(End of this chapter)