In the name of supernatural powers

Chapter 60: The Martial Lords Who Rule the World
"Since you think Hai Rui is a loyal minister, if you were to become Hai Rui, could you handle it?"

Lu Zhao shook his head.

He couldn't be as selfless and impartial as Hai Rui, showing no mercy whatsoever.

"Then I'll make you Yan Song?"

Lu Zhao shook his head again.

He, too, did the same thing as Yan Song, resorting to any means to gain power.

The old Taoist priest smiled and said, "You can't be Hai Rui, and you don't want to be Yan Song either. That's the knot in your heart."

"Most people in the world are like this; they can't be purely good, nor can they be purely evil, and they live a mediocre life."

Lu Zhao did not deny it.

He could never be Hai Rui, nor could he be Yan Song.

The old Taoist priest changed the subject, saying, "But you are different. You have another path. You shouldn't become Hai Rui, nor should you become Yan Song."

"Because this is the way of a subject. You are destined to be a ruler, so how can a ruler be so narrow-minded?"

Lu Zhao's thoughts raced like lightning, and he asked, "Does Teacher mean I should have both?"

“You don’t need to learn from them, you should learn from the Jiajing Emperor.”

The old Taoist priest shook his head and pointed out: "The Yangtze River is clear, while the Yellow River is muddy. But no one has ever refused to drink Yellow River water because it is muddy. Nor has anyone ever only drunk Yangtze River water because it is clear."

“The Chen family cannot be conspired with, because they abuse their power. The river will eventually be tamed after it overflows.”

"We can cooperate with the Lin family, but you cannot depend on them. How can the waters of the great river flow together? Just like the Jiajing Emperor's comings and goings in the capital, in the end, it was all about inheriting the throne, but which gate he used was very important."

"During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi both served as advisors to their respective rulers, but their reputations were worlds apart."

"Your merits and demerits will depend on your future achievements. If you can reach the top, everything will be completely different."

Lu Zhao's eyes gradually brightened, and he had already made up his mind.

He does tend to be a bit stubborn.

Why bother with the conflict between the Lin and Chen families? Why agonize over whether or not to help Lin Zhiyan?
If Lin Zhiyan wants her to take action, then she should prepare all the necessary procedures; otherwise, it means she lacks the ability and is not suitable for cooperation.

Seeing that Lu Zhao seemed to have figured it out, the old Taoist priest asked, "If the Chen family produced a legal and compliant transfer order and asked you to join the special task force, what would you do?"

Lu Zhao replied, "I will follow the procedures, but I would like to remind the task force."

"good."

The old Taoist priest nodded and smiled, "Actually, your best option right now is to become Gao Huan. I think the Lin family's assets are quite good."

Lu Zhao has a good grasp of history and a strong memory, so he knows about the historical figure Gao Huan.

A down-on-his-luck soldier, because of his good looks, was noticed by a young lady from a prestigious family and his career took off.

He asked, "Does the teacher want me to marry into his family?"

"No, Gao Huan's marriage was not considered a marriage into the family, but rather a marriage based on wealth and status."

The old Taoist priest shook his head and explained to Lu Zhao, a modern man, "In the past, besides marriage alliances between wealthy and powerful families, there was also the practice of marrying off one's eldest daughter to a capable man. This was because many pampered offspring were incompetent, resulting in a considerable number of families having no successors."

"If the Lin family were to use all their wealth to befriend heroes and help you achieve great things in the future, would you be willing to accept that?"

Lu Zhao couldn't answer for a moment.

The teacher is good at finding ways to get people to listen. If you talk about marrying into the family, he definitely won't listen, but if you talk about cooperation, he's not so resistant.

And unlike Zhang Like, he didn't have to fawn over Lin Zhiyan.

Go with the flow and exchange benefits.

Lu Zhao understood immediately, vaguely grasping his teacher's logic in handling matters.

The old Taoist priest chuckled and stroked his beard, saying, "There's no need to worry about it. Just let things take their course. I only foresaw that you have some connection with that Lin family woman, hence this reminder."

Lu Zhao asked, "You can even calculate that?"

The old Taoist priest smiled and said, "I have foreseen that you will have many romantic relationships. With your handsome face, you are destined to have many karmic debts."

"The student's ambitions lie elsewhere."

Lu Zhao shook his head, not caring much, and said, "The Federation is in turmoil and society is in chaos. How can I care about these personal feelings?"

"A man should have ambition."

The old Taoist priest changed the subject, a smile appearing on his face.

"But the saying 'even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman' doesn't mean that heroes lack ambition or that beautiful women are blocking their way. You'll see in the future."

After speaking, the old Taoist priest asked again, "What do you plan to do next?"

Lu Zhao replied, "Students can favor the Lin family, but they must follow the proper procedures. If Lin Zhiyan can't even complete the procedures, then there's no need to help him."

The old Taoist priest nodded in satisfaction. His student was a bit stubborn, but still very intelligent.

He said, "A skilled strategist seeks advantage from the situation, not from individuals, thus he can choose the right people to leverage the situation."

"I will remember this." Lu Zhao's mind was filled with a multitude of thoughts, which he couldn't quite sort out for the moment.

But one idea has become clear, crystal clear.

"After you've gained the Lin family's influence, extend your reach into the city. Strike at the heart of the matter, find a way to turn the outer district upside down, make the situation as big as possible, and create opportunities for the Chen family's rivals."

The old Taoist priest was unusually calm and collected, whether out of concern for Lu Zhao or some other special interest, it was unclear.

She began to give Lu Zhao a long and detailed plan.

“Local government offices like this are often the most fiercely contested places by powerful families. Every position is a coveted spot, and everyone wants to put their own people in there.”

"And once the city or county magistrate is at a disadvantage, you can turn to him and ask him to give you more benefits, thus preventing the other party from resorting to desperate measures."

"The bigger the commotion, the safer you are."

He explained matters of power and influence in great detail and with extraordinary insight. Even after hundreds of years, the old Taoist priest could still see through their essence at a glance.

Lu Zhao wrote down everything the other person said.

The old Taoist priest seemed to have had his fill of speaking, and stroked his beard, saying, "Have you grasped the meaning?"

"The student understands."

"What did you realize?"

"This humble student humbly requests permission from Emperor Taizong to offer a word of advice."

Lu Zhao's gaze was calm and resolute.

"To control the military lords of the world and protect the peace of our divine land."

The old Taoist priest was stunned. He had only been talking about strategy, but his student was talking about the world.

Alone and alone, yet daring to speak out for the world.

Many memories from his childhood flooded back, as his teacher taught him how emperors of past dynasties were in their youth.

The old Taoist priest still remembers one sentence.

With the bearing of a dragon and phoenix, and the countenance of the sun and moon, he will surely be able to save the world and bring peace to the people when he is about twenty years old.

The old Taoist priest regained his composure and said in a somewhat indifferent tone, "Extend your hand."

Lu Zhao reached out his hand, puzzled, and the old Taoist priest moved his hand around.

"Those who achieve great things throughout history are all blessed with great fortune. When discussing wise rulers of past dynasties, your background is only slightly better than that of my Great Ming Emperor Taizu."

After speaking, the old Taoist released his hand, and Lu Zhao saw a three-character mark imprinted on his right palm.

"I will replenish your lost luck. These are three chances to save your life, so please use them with caution."

The old Taoist priest's face showed neither sorrow nor joy.

A handsome face was reflected in his calm, watery eyes.

No need for calculations, one's destiny is already revealed.

The bones of the sun and moon, dragon and tiger, the Purple Star bathed in blood—whether it is a dragon or a demon, only nine deaths will reveal the truth.

This is an extremely auspicious and ominous sign; three out of nine will die, leaving six remaining.

Fate is determined by the laws of heaven and earth; it can be bound by rules, but it can also be unbound by them.

The old Taoist priest couldn't predict how far he would ultimately go.

All he originally wanted was an obedient and good apprentice.

If Lu Zhao fails, then his efforts will be wasted.

If Lu Zhao succeeds, then the second 'Emperor Guangwu of Han' is not someone he can control.

But as a teacher, he still hoped that Lu Zhao could reach the top.
-
June 19th.

Lu Zhao continued to lead his men into Fang City. Today's mission was not to stroll around, but to have a clear objective.

A man suspected of being a robber left the outer district.

Upon receiving the news, Lu Zhao led his men to give chase. Due to the scarcity of surveillance cameras and delays in communication with the traffic police, they spent a lot of time confirming the location.

Finally, at 2 PM, the suspect was found.

In the west of Fangcheng, there is a crossroads.

A nervous-looking young Chinese man was walking down the street when a van suddenly sped up and pulled open the door before it even stopped.

A large hand reached out, and the young Chinese man turned to run, but a white, spiritual worm had already rushed into his head.

thump!
The young Chinese man fell flat on his face.

Lu Zhao got out of the car and was pulled into it. The car door closed and the van sped away.

(End of this chapter)