They've all become top scholars in the imperial examinations, and you're telling me this i

Chapter 30 That Mischievous Monkey

"That monkey, that mouth! I've traveled all over the country for decades, and I've never suffered such humiliation!"

Li Jing recalled the events of that year, hissing as he gasped for breath, as if that long-dormant anger had been reignited.

"That year, I was merely following a detachment of troops on a detour to the northern grasslands to deal with a few Turkic cavalry. As if by magic, I stumbled upon a thick, inexplicable fog! In a daze, I ended up at the foot of the Two Realms Mountain!"

The hustle and bustle of the street seemed to fade away. Li Jing's gaze passed over the crowd in front of him and stared straight into the distance, full of apprehension.

"That mountain was half buried in a pile of earth and rocks, with only the monkey's head sticking out! As soon as it saw me coming, its golden eyes started to dart around, and it could even speak human language."

Li Jing's voice was low, tinged with the anger of the moment, "His first words were, 'You mortal, your grandfather has been imprisoned here for five hundred years, quickly kowtow and pay homage to your ancestors!'"

He let out a heavy snort, his facial muscles twitching.

"How can I, a dignified founding general, tolerate this vile monster's filth! I draw my sword and strike!"

"Can……"

The lingering anger on Li Jing's face was instantly replaced by incredulous horror.
"That monkey! Instead of dodging, it stretched its neck forward, grinned, and said, 'Hit harder! Haven't you eaten, grandson? I'm scratching your ancestor's itch!'"

"My precious sword couldn't leave a mark on it."

"Then, with all my might, the sword flashed, and with a 'thud,' the head rolled to the ground! I was just about to sheathe my sword..."

His throat bobbed, his voice dry.

"Guess what? The monkey head that fell to the ground bared its teeth at me and said, 'You unfilial descendants! Cutting off your grandfather's head will surely bring you divine retribution!'"

Chen Guangrui was shocked. His fingers unconsciously tightened inside his sleeve. Yes! It was the Monkey King!

It was him! This information was like a red-hot branding iron, burning deep into Chen Guangrui's memory.

He forced himself to suppress his turbulent emotions, maintaining a calm expression as he listened, but his gaze was lowered, fixed on the cracks in the bluestone slabs, not daring to let the turbulent emotions surging within him be revealed in the slightest.

Walls have ears; you could make a mistake at any moment!

Now, he sees everyone as someone spying on him, and he can only try his best to engrave every word Li Jing described into his mind, without missing a single one!
"...Before the demon monkey finished speaking, the monkey head that had fallen to the ground suddenly flew back to its original position with a 'whoosh'! In the blink of an eye, the neck was reattached, without even a single hair falling out!"

Li Jing's hand unconsciously tightened, as if he were touching the hilt of the sword that had numbed his tiger's mouth that day. "I later slashed him three more times! Every single time! That demon monkey even laughed, 'Grandpa's head is so crispy, you can chop off a few more and use them as footballs! Hehe, so filial!'"

He let out a long, stale breath; that feeling of stifled helplessness seemed unforgettable to this day.
"In the end, I... alas! could only leave in anger, hoping that heavenly lightning would strike this wicked creature who keeps spouting 'ancestors' to death! This is the demonic event I personally witnessed! It is the truth! Absolutely not a fabrication!"

He looked up, his large, bell-like eyes sweeping fiercely across both sides of the street, his gaze sharp as if searching for a possible lurking spy.

Only then did Chen Guangrui slowly raise his eyes, his brows furrowed, and his voice hushed, barely audible to the two of them.
"General Li's observation is truly unbelievable. In your opinion,"

His sharp gaze met Li Jing's. "These two... such bizarre methods, sending two ordinary farmers to assassinate us—what are they? Are they... remnants of the former crown prince's faction? Or..."

He paused deliberately, his eyes revealing surprise and apprehension.

Li Jing's thick eyebrows furrowed sharply, and he lowered his voice, carrying a heavy sense of murderous intent, "If those people from the former Eastern Palace were colluding with such demons on the eve of the Xuanwu Gate Incident... Hmph! But judging from today's situation, the Prince of Qin has already ascended the throne and is now the Crown Prince..."

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. "This monster who dares to infiltrate Chang'an, right under the emperor's nose, is more likely... targeting him! It's a tactic of the old party! Intending to create panic and undermine his foundation!"

He clenched his fist. "But... Xiniu Hezhou is the land teeming with demons and monsters. This place is Nanzhanbuzhou, and we have never seen such demons and monsters before. These things dare to stick their claws in here. They are incredibly audacious!"

"What the general said is absolutely true."

Chen Guangrui nodded slightly, following his lead, her eyes revealing urgency and worry.
"This is no small matter! Two ordinary farmers could instantly transform into fierce assassins; the forces behind them are unfathomable! Today we are assassinated, but who knows where they will cause trouble tomorrow? The general enjoys great prestige in the court, and his influence is immense..."

He paused, as if remembering something, and then changed his words.
"Taking charge of the Ministry of War, deploying troops, and conducting thorough investigations is far more convenient for you than for a poor, newly arrived scholar like myself. If the general is willing to investigate the origins of this evil spirit, Chang'an may be spared a great calamity! The people of the world will also be grateful for the general's great virtue!"

He spoke faster, with a subtle hint of seduction, and bowed with his hands clasped in a sincere gesture.

Li Jing's eyes suddenly lit up, as if stimulated by Chen Guangrui's words "in charge of the Ministry of War," but then dimmed, his square face filled with deep defeat and self-mockery, and the muscles at the corners of his mouth twitched unnaturally.

"Hmph... Heh..."

He let out a bitter, cold laugh from his nostrils. "Mobilize troops? Investigate thoroughly? Scholar Chen, you overestimate me! The Ministry of War... Hmph, now it's nothing but an empty shell roasting over a fire!" He waved his hand irritably, as if trying to dispel the invisible pressure.

"His Majesty has just assumed the Crown Prince's seal and is overseeing the country, and has swiftly purged the old Eastern Palace! Someone like me, who was once... a 'fence-sitter' who failed to clearly choose sides due to being stationed in the north, is already being granted imperial favor by keeping my official hat! How can you talk about 'taking charge' or 'investigating'?"

His voice was extremely dry, revealing a sense of despondency and dejection.

"I'm afraid it won't be long before someone comes to 'invite' this old man to 'rest in peace.' As for the Ministry of War, I'm afraid I can't get involved! Such earth-shattering sorcery can only be fathomed by the entire nation's power... I, Li, am currently... powerless to do so, and I am truly sorry!"

He gave Chen Guangrui a deep look, his gaze filled with helplessness and a sense of desolation worn down by the world.

Chen Guangrui's gaze fell quietly on Li Jing's dejected and repressed face, and a knowing and calculating glint flashed quickly in the depths of his eyes.

A faint, almost imperceptible smile suddenly appeared on his lips, as if he had parted the clouds and seen the path ahead that had been obscured.

"General, you are overthinking it."

Chen Guangrui's voice wasn't loud, but it possessed a strange penetrating power, clearly reaching Li Jing's ears like a pebble thrown into stagnant water.

"His Majesty's magnanimity and spirit are far beyond those of ordinary emperors. General Li, please take a look,"

He subtly turned his body and gestured towards the palace, hinting at the name he had just latched onto, "Lord Wei! Who were you in the past? The former Crown Prince's tutor!"

"Lord Wei?" A hint of surprise and uncertainty flashed in Li Jing's eyes. He thought of Wei Zheng's appointment as the Grand Secretary by the new Crown Prince yesterday, and said, "Don't rush, let me think about it."

Chen Guangrui looked intently at Li Jing, his words filled with guiding trust.

"General's achievements and talents surpass even those of Lord Wei! Although you are currently in the eye of the storm and seem to be inactive, I dare say that once His Majesty has completely stabilized the court and brought peace to the world, he will surely need to rely on a veteran like you to guard the borders and deter all sides! The seal of the Ministry of War will eventually belong to you again!"

Li Jing's ashen face, as if touched by a warm spring breeze, instantly transformed from pale to flushed with excitement.

The long-extinguished flame in his eyes suddenly flickered, growing brighter and brighter, filled with unbelievable surprise and a deep longing after his secret had been exposed.

"Is...is this really true? Your Majesty...can you truly disregard my...hesitation?"

His voice trembled slightly, his hands unconsciously twisting the hem of his clothes, his gaze fixed on Chen Guangrui's face, as if searching for an answer that would completely reassure him. But soon, he was disappointed again.

"You, a newly appointed top scholar, are unaware of the thoughts of those civil officials in the court. They are all capable of killing people without any remorse. I am lucky to have survived."

Chen Guangrui spoke with absolute certainty and conviction.
"Although I have not entered the court, the reputation of the famous generals of our Great Tang is already well-known. General Li, you are just a tiger at rest. As long as our Great Tang has battles to fight, you will surely have your day to make great achievements."

He spoke while keeping an eye on Li Jing's expression.

Seeing Li Jing's situation, he knew that this move was already made.

He quietly breathed a sigh of relief, his tense nerves relaxing slightly, then seemingly unconsciously tightening again, his voice carrying a hint of youthful curiosity and anticipation.

"When the general once again wields the military command and commands respect throughout the land..."

His gaze turned to the northwest, where the outline of the legendary mountain range seemed to be reflected.

"If the opportunity arises, General, could you... take me to see the 'ancestor' at the foot of the Two Realms Mountain again? Let me open my eyes and see just how invincible this monkey who keeps calling his grandson is?"

The pent-up frustration in Li Jing's chest seemed to dissipate completely at this moment with Chen Guangrui's resounding words!
Especially the phrase "Once again in command of the army, your might will shake the world," was like strong liquor rolling down his throat, making his blood boil! Looking at the young scholar before him, where was the slightest trace of the wariness he had shown at first meeting? He was clearly a kindred spirit with piercing eyes, able to see through illusions!
"Hahahaha!" Li Jing finally couldn't hold back and burst into laughter.

His hearty, boisterous laughter startled passersby, like thunder rumbling across the long afternoon street, carrying a sense of exhilarating relief as if the clouds had parted and the sun was shining.

"Scholar Chen's words were truly like a golden voice, clearing away the clouds and revealing the sun!"

He slapped Chen Guangrui's shoulder hard with his large hand, so hard that Chen Guangrui staggered slightly.

"Alright!" Li Jing agreed before his laughter had even subsided, his tiger-like eyes gleaming.
"To meet the top scholar today is truly a joyous occasion!" He patted his chest, his voice rough yet resolute.

"If I have the chance again, I will definitely take you to the Two Realms Mountain! I will also point my finger at that monkey's nose and ask him if he still remembers who his so-called grandfather was! I will also ask him if his gossipy mouth is itching after being hit by my sword, Li!"

(End of this chapter)