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Chapter 40 Another Encounter at Two Realms Mountain

Matters in the imperial court can be blown up in Chang'an in an instant, like ice cubes thrown into boiling oil, all within an hour!

The debate, which was originally known only to a small group of people such as Wei Zheng, Li Jing, and Chen Guangrui, was suddenly brought to the forefront by the storm in the court.

The image of Wei Zheng, who single-handedly fought against all the ministers in the Eastern Palace, suddenly became much more vivid.

Overnight! Wei Zheng, an inconspicuous registrar of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, rose to become the powerful Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel! And the unassuming Li Jing was entrusted with the important task of commanding a region!

The news sent shockwaves through Chang'an!
No one expected that the new crown prince would set such a tone after the Xuanwu Gate Incident.

He not only reused his old ministers.

Those who were originally under the Crown Prince, as well as those who remained neutral, were all given important positions.

This move put many people at ease.

At the same time, they felt that the new crown prince was magnanimous, and even those officials who were purged a few days ago were considered to have deserved their punishment.

Inside the inn, Zhang Changling was carefully rubbing his swollen and aching knees when he heard the news.

He was completely stunned, his mouth agape. This time, there wasn't a trace of sour jealousy on his face, only pure, genuine shock and...utter admiration!

"My God... Wei Zheng... Wei Xuancheng..."

He muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming, "Amazing! Truly amazing! To single-handedly take down an entire court of powerful officials and still get such a promotion from His Highness! That's real skill! A real tough guy!"

In Wei Zheng, he saw the integrity of a scholar; even just hearing a few words from him, Zhang Changling felt an extraordinary surge of passion.

He suddenly thought of Chen Guangrui, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions.

Firstly, he was grateful to Chen Guangrui for reminding him to propose to Yin Kaishan.
Secondly, he admired him. Even when the situation was so dire a few days ago, he still dared to stand firmly by Wei Zheng's side. Zhang Changling admitted that he did not possess such accurate judgment and courage.

As for his failed marriage proposal? It was purely due to his own incompetence. Zhang Changling was clear about this, and he couldn't blame Chen Guangrui at all.

The innkeeper's attitude had completely changed; he was now bowing even lower. His face was plastered with a smile three times wider than usual as he nodded and scraped to Chen Guangrui.
"Oh, Scholar Chen! You are truly blessed! You have the power to speak with Lord Wei and Minister Li! The Qionglin Banquet is just a few days away. Once you attend the banquet, your future will surely rise like the morning sun and soar to great heights!"

The fawning in his tone couldn't be clearer.

Clearly, he had heard of the Qionglin Banquet and knew that after it, the top scholar who had been staying at the post station for a long time would also be promoted to a high position, so he naturally tried his best to curry favor with him.

Not long after, footsteps could be heard outside the courtyard gate.

It was none other than Li Jing, the physician who had just been appointed as the military commander of Daizhou Road! He strode in, his face showing not only the excitement of being newly appointed and the lingering astonishment, but also genuine gratitude.

"Chen Zhuangyuan!"

Li Jing walked up to Chen Guangrui and solemnly bowed deeply.
"If it weren't for Scholar Chen, I would probably still be stuck in the quagmire of worrying about being purged today. How could I have had this opportunity to make a name for myself on the battlefield? I will remember this kindness forever!"

He recalled Chen Guangrui's confident assessment at the post station yesterday, "You will be fine," and felt both fear and admiration.

He was a man of keen intellect, knowing full well that he owed Chen Guangrui an immense favor. It was Chen Guangrui who had connected him with Wei Zheng, which was why he was where he was today. At this moment, he didn't care that he was the Minister of War while Chen Guangrui was merely a top scholar who hadn't yet been granted an official position; he thanked him and paid his respects accordingly.

Chen Guangrui smiled and helped him up.

"General Li, you flatter me. This is the position that a general should hold; it is simply the will of Heaven."

Then, he changed the subject and brought up another seemingly insignificant matter, "General, please do not forget your promise from yesterday. When you take office, please bring Guangrui with you to visit the Two Realms Mountain."

"Two Realms Mountain?" Li Jing was taken aback, having completely forgotten the joke from that day. After a moment, he remembered it and couldn't understand Chen Guangrui's words. His face showed confusion and worry.

"Scholar Chen, the front line in Daizhou is close to the Turkic border, which is by no means a safe place! Moreover, you are a newly appointed scholar with a bright future. You can make great strides if you stay in the capital. Going to that desolate and harsh place now would be... wouldn't it be like being exiled?"

He simply couldn't understand Chen Guangrui's choice.

Chen Guangrui's smile remained unchanged, but it carried a hint of insight and seriousness; his voice lowered slightly.
“General Li, those former officials of the Prince of Qin’s mansion have lost face and are burning with resentment. If I stay in the capital, the center of this conflict…”

He shook his head slightly. "After the Qionglin Banquet comes the appointment of officials. If they pull strings behind the scenes and assign me to a powerless and obscure department as a clerk, wasting my life will be the least of my worries. It might even be..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but Li Jing instantly understood the hidden danger:
A newly appointed top scholar with no connections has offended a powerful and influential group, and is now like a lamb to the slaughter in the capital!

Chen Guangrui continued,
"Instead of that, it's better to actively escape the vortex. Follow the general to the front lines in Daizhou. Start by honing your skills in the most arduous places. Once the general has distinguished himself on the battlefield, and once Duke Wei has truly established himself in the court and his power has grown, then..."

He looked at Li Jing, his eyes gleaming with determination.
"This is the moment when the tide turns and no one can stop me, Chen Guangrui, from taking flight!"

Li Jing suddenly realized! He looked at Chen Guangrui's young yet unusually calm and experienced face, and his heart was filled with turmoil.

This is hardly youthful impetuosity; it's clearly a shrewd and calculating strategy, a move to avoid disaster and strengthen oneself! A strategic retreat, a well-thought-out plan before taking action!
"Li Jing admires the depth of Chen Zhuangyuan's mind and the breadth of his vision!"

He nodded emphatically, “Alright! As long as Scholar Chen is not afraid of the hardships of the desert winds, I, Li, will definitely accompany you to see the Two Realms Mountain!”

As the two were talking, the door to the inn's courtyard was pushed open again.

A thin, old butler dressed in an inconspicuous gray cloth shirt walked in silently.

He glanced around and looked directly at Chen Guangrui, bowing slightly. "Scholar Chen, Lord Wei invites you to his residence for a chat."

When Li Jing saw the old steward of the Wei family, his brows immediately furrowed, his face filled with surprise and confusion.

“Right Chancellor Wei? He… he just caused such a commotion in court, making countless enemies and standing in the eye of the storm! Shouldn’t he be staying home, refusing visitors, to avoid the limelight? Why is he inviting you to his residence instead? This…”

Li Jing felt this was simply too abnormal and too illogical!
Chen Guangrui, however, understood perfectly.

He guessed that Wei Zheng had truly "woke up".

He nodded to Li Jing, "It's alright, I'll be right there."

He calmly said to the Wei family steward who had come to deliver the message, "Let's go."

(End of this chapter)