Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 1008 The human heart is full of ghosts
Once I understood this, I calmed down considerably.

Although this unexpected disaster was very unlucky, on the other hand!
This world is all about survival of the fittest!

The magistrate knelt on the ground, but his mind was racing.

This matter...this matter might just be an opportunity!

After all, having reached his current position as the magistrate of Yu County, within the closed system of Liang Kingdom centered on royal bloodlines, there is essentially no room for further advancement.

Merit and hard work are all meaningless. The rules in the princely kingdoms are strict. Important positions are basically hereditary or held by the prince's confidants. What matters is bloodline and kinship.

Transferring to another prefecture or county would be a good option, perhaps allowing for greater achievements. However, the costs involved are too high, requiring too many connections to be cultivated, the future is uncertain, and the risks are extremely high.

He recalled an example:
Previously, there was a man in Luoyang named Song Youde, whom everyone said was incompetent and only good at scheming. He spent countless sums of money and waited in the Ministry of Personnel for many years before finally being reluctantly sent to a post in Jiangnan, which was considered far from the political center at the time.

His colleagues laughed at him for being foolish, spending so much money just to go to a poor, remote place.

But who knew that he was truly a dragon entering the sea! In just a few years, he became the head of a prefecture, with outstanding political achievements, and even gained considerable prestige in the local area. Now he is clearly a promising candidate for a high-ranking official!

"This is destiny!" the magistrate sighed inwardly. Opportunity always favors... those who dare to take the gamble!
Now, His Holiness the Dharma King has come knocking on my door. He has extraordinary abilities and holds leverage over me. He is about to take action against the Prince of Liang... Is this the destiny I have been waiting for?!

To be able to establish oneself in the Central Plains, a place rife with conflict and chaos, even if one is merely a seemingly insignificant county magistrate, is no ordinary person.

After all, this place has been filled with legendary stories left by heroes and villains since ancient times. With such exposure, who wouldn't harbor a bit of ambition to be anything less than mediocre?

So, first came fear, then calm analysis of the pros and cons, then an opportunity was seen in the desperate situation, and finally... a new direction in life was found!

Your Excellency, I've decided to go all in!

In Xu Xuan's eyes, the middle-aged magistrate, who was originally fearful and somewhat timid, seemed to have undergone a transformation in an instant and suddenly became full of vitality.

His eyes even burned with an almost fanatical passion.

Lingjue could clearly sense that the other party's life-soul fire was burning fiercely, several times more intense than before, and the slickness and caution that belonged to an old official deep in his eyes had faded away, replaced by a more naked and fierce resolute aura.

It was a crazy ambition that abandoned all moral constraints and escape routes, determined to grasp at the straw that might be the only lifeline and the ladder to heaven, and to climb it at all costs!
"This is the treacherous world of human nature..." Xu Xuan sighed inwardly.

When the Tao declines and the demons rise, and order is disrupted, even ordinary people are easily influenced by their environment, leading to various abnormalities.

But it is quite rare to see someone like this, whose transformation is so rapid, so thorough, and so intense.

The magistrate raised his head, his face now displaying an expression that was almost obsequious yet ruthless, and said in a fervent tone:
"My lord! To be favored by you and join the White Lotus Holy Sect is an honor I have accumulated over many lifetimes! As the saying goes, 'A good bird chooses a good tree to perch on'..."

"However, I still have a few immature ideas..."

He clearly intended to make his pledge of allegiance more impressive and substantial, and decided to use all his skills and expertise in navigating the treacherous waters of officialdom.

He fully utilized his initiative and offered his advice:
"The news you just instructed us to spread, sir, I think could be 'embellished' a bit more. For example, the story of 'the Jin Emperor luring and killing the vassal king' could be supplemented with details, such as unusual mobilization of palace guards, or which high-ranking official had privately advised him, to make it seem more believable. As for the many 'deeds' of the Liang King, we could also fabricate more detailed and convincing stories, even imitating the format of folk tales to make it easier to circulate among the common people, which would certainly have a better effect!"

At the same time, he followed the example of the magistrate of Ji County and unhesitatingly provided a list of several "close friends" and their secrets to show his sincerity.

In short, everything is for Bai Lian, for a better new world!

Xu Xuan watched as the newly recruited "follower" quickly got into character and even began to apply what he learned to other situations, and fell silent once again.

That's why the White Lotus Sect, despite repeated bans, always manages to resurface.

Mid-level and high-level officials already have status, family connections, and legacy, so they have more to worry about and are naturally more resistant to change.

To control them requires a huge price and a great deal of effort.

But it's different for the lower-level officials.

Being on the fringes of power, the competition and infighting among them are more direct and brutal. With narrow channels for advancement, when they are in dire straits or see an "opportunity," they naturally have no bottom line or scruples. They are more easily exploited, or even... actively surrender, unleashing astonishing "energy."

The person in front of us is the best example.

So Xu Xuan casually left a hidden mark on the magistrate to keep track of his movements, and then prepared to leave.

But just before leaving, he suddenly remembered something and casually added:
"Oh, right, also 'arrange' a generous gift separately for that Prince Liang's son, the contents of which can be more... lively."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I understand!" The magistrate of Yu County readily complied, a hint of understanding and even excitement flashing in his eyes.

He knew perfectly well that if it were to fabricate stories about the King of Liang, who had always been reserved, deep, and cautious, he would need to use his brain more and carefully consider the appropriate measure.

But that Prince Liang... his numerous misdeeds are like a broken sieve, full of loopholes and dirt, any few of them are readily available!
"Last time, that scoundrel even took advantage of his status to forcibly seize one of my newly acquired concubines! This time, it's a good opportunity to settle both old and new scores and let you taste the power of our White Lotus Sect!"

In the days that followed, a vicious undercurrent targeting the Liang Prince's Mansion, especially the heir, spread rapidly throughout Suiyang City and its surrounding areas like an invisible poisonous vine.

Various rumors about the King of Liang's "loss of power and impending punishment," and the Crown Prince's "licentious and tyrannical behavior," "stupid as a pig," and "comparable to Jie and Zhou" spread like wildfire, with vivid details.

Even the servants who went out to buy supplies for the Prince's mansion heard countless chilling versions of the story in the marketplace.

The city's surveillance agencies, and even the spies sent by the Sili Commandant, tried their best to investigate, but it was like trying to catch the moon's reflection in water; they could not find out the source of this evil wind and could only continue to intensify their search efforts in vain.

Of course, some clever people have also figured out that this recent wave of evil, with its sophisticated methods and detailed knowledge of Liang's internal affairs, must be the work of local tyrants familiar with the situation. Otherwise, it would not be so difficult to trace.

Xu Xuan crouched in the shadows, observing the media storm perfectly executed by the "outstanding employee" he had personally mentored, and couldn't help but chuckle.

"As expected, professional tasks should be left to 'professional' bad guys. Their efficiency and ruthlessness are truly reassuring."

Upon returning to Linji Temple, he addressed the worried Huiren without changing his expression:
"It seems that the White Lotus Sect and Prince Liang have completely turned against each other and are going to fight to the death."

Hui Ren had no doubts and wholeheartedly agreed.

Who else could be so brazen as to spread such a massive amount of negative information? Aside from lawless cults, who else could be so unscrupulous?
"Internal strife among the enemy is naturally a good thing. However..."

He looked up at the lingering oppressive atmosphere above the temple. "Even if they fight fiercely, the divine punishment hanging over my Linji Temple is still unresolved." Xu Xuan patted his shoulder, his tone carrying a sense of complete control.

"Don't rush. Once the 'grass' outside is cleared away, the 'snake' hiding inside will naturally be unable to hide."

Although Xu Xuan was also anxious, with the imperial examination date fast approaching, he still perfectly maintained the composure of a high-ranking monk in front of Master Huiren, as if everything was under control.

At the same time, he was secretly thinking to himself, with his special "constitution" that causes trouble wherever he goes, he has jumped so high this time, so according to common sense, an accident should be coming by now, right?
the other side.

The wind is everywhere.

And the evil winds stirred up by malice and covert means are even more so, and are impossible to guard against.

Lord Xinling, Wei Wuji, one of the Four Lords of the Warring States period, was a heroic figure who was renowned throughout the world. Yet, in the end, he was also suspected by King Anxi of Wei due to Qin's counter-espionage rumors, became depressed, and died of illness from drinking.

His loss of power directly led to the accelerated decline of the Wei state, and history has long proven the terrible power of rumors.

The mere Liang Prince's Mansion was no match for this omnipresent media offensive.

Of course, from the perspective of the Liang Prince's Mansion, there was actually no need to "block" it.

After all, this is no longer the chaotic Warring States period. Although the north of the Great Jin Dynasty may seem to be turbulent, it is actually orderly amidst the chaos, and the basic legal system and rules still exist.

Although the ruler of the prefecture, King Liang, is temporarily absent, the immense power, military and political system, and profound heritage of the Liang royal family make it virtually invincible within the country.

The practitioners supported within the royal palace, mindful of their status, were neither willing nor inclined to engage with gossip in the marketplace. Their information circles were completely different from those of ordinary people, making it difficult for rumors to directly target or affect them.

Like Li Gongfeng, although he was previously harmed by the backlash of the calamity and his mind was damaged, he lived a secluded life and knew nothing about the storms of the outside world. He was still devoted to studying how to deal with divine punishment.

The other officials and generals in the Prince's mansion who held real power were all intelligent people who understood politics and were reasonable.

They knew that the prince was only temporarily in the capital to "study" and would return in three months, so his foundation remained intact.

Why would we be easily swayed and thrown into disarray by these rumors of dubious origin and difficulty in distinguishing truth from falsehood?
Therefore, upon analysis, the majority of the damage from this demonic wind targeting the Liang Prince's Mansion, like water flowing in search of a breakthrough, ultimately converged on the weakest and most conspicuous point in the defense.

That is, His Highness Prince Liang, who is currently in a dark room, furious and powerless, and being the focus of rumors...

He became the person who suffered the most damage in this media storm.

In the dark room, Prince Liang heard many of the latest rumors about himself through the "thoughtful" relay of his personal servant.

He didn't care about being called "arrogant and domineering" or "despicable and shameless," and was even somewhat pleased with it, because he was not exactly innocent and was used to such reputations.

But comments like "uneducated and incompetent" or "idle and lazy" are really infuriating.

As a second-generation rich kid, what I hate most is this kind of comment that denies my personal abilities and potential.

"You have no idea how hard I've worked! It's just that my father won't let me do things freely! If I were in charge of Liang, would it be like this today?!"

The real killer is malicious slander that involves personal privacy.

One of the short stories was written in great detail, saying something like, "Some time ago, the Crown Prince specially invited a renowned doctor from the south from Xiayi County to secretly diagnose his hidden illness. In the end, the doctor was diagnosed as incurable and said that he could only continue the family line by adopting his brother's child..."

These rumors, which concern men's dignity and the very foundation of their future, instantly ignited a long-suppressed anger!

The personal servant had a good memory and relayed the story very "accurately." He even held a grudge because of the unwarranted scolding he had received in the past, and he "thoughtfully" added some embellishments to make the story seem more "real and believable."

He also went with the doctor from the south ten days ago, and naturally filled in the information that was not in the rumors.

Everything is subject to the cycle of cause and effect.

Further rumors followed that the heir apparent of the Liang Prince had been correctly identified and was too ashamed to even leave his house, creating a logical loop.

Ultimately, the Crown Prince of Liang, unable to bear the humiliation, flew into a rage and ordered his men to forcibly find the Queen and issue her an ultimatum:

"Mother! If you don't let me out, I'll go on a hunger strike! I'd rather die in this dark room!"

This tactic was quite effective against the princess who doted on her son.

“Lian’er is still young and was a bit immature and arrogant before.”

"But the nonsense spread by those untouchables is also excessive."

"Isn't this bullying my Lian'er?"

After much deliberation, seeing that his son hadn't eaten lunch, he finally gave in and sent a guard to release him.

Thus, the "God of War of the North," who had once nearly killed the White Lotus Saint Father and his own father single-handedly, finally broke free of his seal, regained his freedom, and returned to the sunlight.

The moment they stepped out of the dark room, as if sensing something in the darkness, the sky above Liang Kingdom changed slightly, and a thunderclap resounded in broad daylight!
The invisible calamity energy suddenly collided violently and surged up!
Li Gongfeng originally wanted to find a way to deal with this fool and stop him from causing trouble.

But startled by the thunder, he instantly lost his courage and hid back in the secret room.

The crown prince took a deep breath of the free air, his eyes burning with the flames of humiliation and revenge, and logically drew a conclusion:
"These vicious rumors must be something Xu Xuan is deliberately spreading to humiliate me because he holds a grudge against me for being 'invited' here that day!"

"Where is he now?" he asked sharply.

"Your Highness, it is said that he has been staying at the Linji Temple outside the city..." the servant answered cautiously.

"Linji Temple, is it?" A sinister smile appeared on the prince's face.

"Good! Gather your men and come with me! I, the young master, want to see who can protect him this time!"

(End of this chapter)