National Division

Chapter 121 Shen Bin: It's real, not a dream!

County government office, back hall

In the evening, the sun sets.

Shen Bin returned to the inner hall to welcome the imperial envoys who had come to deliver the imperial decree.

At this moment, a table was laden with dishes. Shen Bin accompanied the imperial envoy, while Registrar Pei sat below him.

Constables Zhao Lang and Li Yan accompanied several Imperial Guards.

Shen Bin raised his wine cup and said respectfully, "Your Excellency, you have come from afar and have had a long journey. We have prepared a small feast, and we hope that Your Excellency will not find the hospitality of Guhe County lacking."

"What are you saying, Magistrate Shen? We should be congratulating you on your passing," the young eunuch said.

Shen Bin said, "I am deeply grateful to the imperial court for entrusting me with the position of county magistrate, and I will certainly fulfill my duties."

The young eunuch smiled and said, "Magistrate Shen, I am pleased to have come from another place."

Upon hearing this, Shen Bin's face showed a hint of confusion.

Meanwhile, Pei, the registrar, who was sitting down beside him, also showed a look of surprise in his eyes.

The young eunuch laughed and said, "Your son, Scholar Shen, has won the favor of the Empress Dowager and is now a scholar of the Zhaowen Pavilion, a fifth-rank official, in charge of the Qilin Pavilion. He is now a prominent figure in the capital."

Upon hearing this, Shen Bin was both surprised and delighted, and asked, "What... exactly is going on?"

Zhao Lang and Li Yan also looked at each other with astonishment, exchanging a glance and seeing disbelief in each other's eyes.

Xian Ge'er, is an official of the fifth rank?

Are they dreaming?
The young eunuch smiled broadly and said, "Eunuch Gao said that Scholar Shen possesses extraordinary talent, and once he enters the capital, his abilities will be immediately apparent."

Upon hearing this, Shen Bin was deeply moved and said, "He..."

No, how old is he? He's already at the fifth rank? Someone else is several ranks higher than him?

At this moment, Registrar Pei was deeply shaken, and his expression was equally complex and inexplicable.

The young eunuch laughed and said, "Ambition knows no age; without ambition, one lives a hundred years in vain. Scholar Shen is a national talent. I've heard people in the palace talking about him privately. I'm afraid he might become a prime minister in the future."

Shen Bin: "..."

At this moment, Shen Bin had a surreal, almost unreal feeling.

He thought to himself, "Could this envoy be... an imposter?"
But reason tells me that it must be absolutely certain.

At this moment, Registrar Pei's eyes were filled with doubt and uncertainty, and his heart was already churning with turmoil.

A minister who serves as prime minister?

However, upon further reflection, recalling how the young man had righteously reprimanded Magistrate Lu that day, it seemed... he possessed a certain air of a high-ranking official.

Shen Bin's expression was a mixture of joy and worry, and he said, "Your Excellency is too kind."

The young eunuch smiled and said, "Who knows what the future holds?"

Whether it's temporary wealth or a steady rise in the future, no one can say for sure until the outcome is revealed.

Upon hearing this, Shen Bin suppressed his excitement and simply drank with the young eunuch, trying to find out more details.

For example, how did Shen Xian gain the Empress's favor?
However, the young eunuch did not hold a high position in the Inner Palace and was unaware of the details of the audience between the emperor and his ministers. He only mentioned that he had submitted a "Policy on Governance" to the Empress Dowager, and from then on, he became prominent and rose rapidly through the ranks.

This made Registrar Pei ponder the three words "Policy on Governance" over and over again.

As night fell, Shen Bin had the young eunuch and the Imperial Guards sent away to rest. He then went to the county government office alone, sat down in a chair, and stared blankly into space.

Seeing that no one was around, I secretly pinched my thigh. Ouch!
It's real, not a dream!
He was a scholar of the Zhaowen Pavilion of the fifth rank, and he was also the magistrate of Guhe County. He and his father were from the same family and both held official positions.

Does the Duke of Xue's mansion really have that much power?
Shen Bin felt that there was probably more to this story than met the eye.

"Your Excellency." Just as Shen Bin was lost in thought, Pei Renjing's call woke him up.

Shen Bin turned around and asked, "Is everything settled in?"

"Now that we've settled in, we'll select skilled constables in the next couple of days to compile the case files and escort the criminals to the capital," said Registrar Pei.

Shen Bin nodded and said, "Thank you for your hard work."

"Is Your Excellency still considering the matter of appointing a scholar to the Zhaowen Academy?" Registrar Pei asked.

Shen Bin nodded and said, "I don't know the reason for this, so I'm still a little uneasy."

Pei, the registrar, said, "The imperial court would never bestow prestigious titles indiscriminately. Your son must have done something extraordinary to gain the appreciation of a high-ranking official in the court."

Shen Bin said, "Yes."

"Once Scholar Shen returns to Guhe County, the Prefect will inquire and naturally learn the truth," said Registrar Pei.

Shen Bin nodded and said, "That's the only way."

It's a good thing that father and son are promoted at the same time. No matter what the reasons are, they will eventually be figured out.

Registrar Pei smiled and said, "It's just that when you and the others meet Scholar Shen, they don't know how to address him. There are not many precedents like this in officialdom."

There are indeed cases where fathers and sons serve in the same court, but generally the father holds a higher position, or the father retires once the son has achieved a higher rank.

Otherwise, they wouldn't be working in the same office.

Upon hearing this, Shen Bin also felt quite troubled and sighed, "In officialdom, everyone uses their own way of referring to their official titles."

Upon hearing this, Registrar Pei's smile widened, and he said, "In the future, this will surely become a beautiful story."

But a feeling of envy welled up in my heart.

This is what a man should do.

……

……

Outside the capital city, at the Ten-Mile Pavilion
After two or three days of travel, Shen Xian finished packing and, accompanied by Xue Zhihua and Jiang Rui, and escorted by the Qianniu Guards, headed to Guhe County in Anzhou.

As for the eldest princess, she concealed herself, leaving a mark, and followed at a leisurely pace.

Inside the carriage, Xue Zhihua put down a Qilin report in her hand, turned her gaze to the young man, and asked, "Have you already begun the Qi Refining stage of your immortal cultivation?"

Shen Xian said, "Having absorbed the essence of heaven and earth, I have already reached the initial stage of Qi refining."

The practice of Hunyuan Yiqi Gong has already begun under the cover of the Shangqing Sect's "Shangqing Lingbao Tianjing".

In the past two days, Shen Xian absorbed the spiritual energy of the five elements of heaven and earth, stored it in his Qi Sea, and cultivated a Qi vortex, officially entering the first level of the Qi Sea Realm.

Of course, the commotion was quite significant, naturally attracting the attention of Xue Zhihua, who was keenly interested in Shen Xian's actions.

Strangely enough, although the Qi Sea is located in the lower dantian, it does not overlap with the dantian where a martial artist stores true essence. It is more like the yin-yang fish of Tai Chi, which carries yin and yang, and cycles back and forth.

"Your talent for cultivation seems much stronger than your talent for martial arts. The commotion you've caused these past two nights by absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is quite significant." Beneath her delicate eyebrows, Xue Zhihua's clear eyes sparkled with delight.

Shen Xian tried to cover it up, saying, "This commotion is probably due to the influence of martial arts."

He guessed that it was because of his strong spirit and extraordinary abilities that he was able to learn the immortal techniques and Qi cultivation methods relatively quickly.

Xue Zhihua said, "These are some materials I've collected about the demonic path. You can look at them on the way."

Shen Xian nodded and took the booklet handed to him by Xue Zhihua. “Youluo Sect, Huangquan Sect, Tianxing Sect, Shiyin Sect, Xinmo Sect, Xingyue Divine Palace, Hehuan Sect, Yuling Sect, Tianzhou Sect…” Shen Xian was flipping through the booklet, and saw that the catalog listed various large and small demonic forces.

It's truly a diverse array of flowers, even the Hehuan Sect has them?
Xue Zhihua explained, "The headquarters of these demonic forces are mostly located in the southwest, south, east sea, south sea and northwest, which are beyond the reach of the imperial court's military power. They are hidden in the vast sea of ​​people in the Central Plains. Although the three religions have repeatedly tried to suppress them, they are like wildfire that cannot be extinguished and will spring up again with the spring breeze."

Shen Xian's gaze fell on the words "Youluo Sect" and asked, "The Three Sects should be the largest forces, right?"

Xue Zhihua nodded and said, "The Three Teachings are equivalent to the Three Pure Ones, and it is said that there are also wandering immortals in those teachings."

Shen Xian's eyes flickered slightly, and he said, "Since they can cultivate to the level of Loose Immortal, they shouldn't be called the Demonic Path. I'm afraid their cultivation method is quite different from the Three Pure Ones Great Teaching."

"Their methods and aura are sinister and eerie, completely lacking the grandeur of the righteous path. Moreover, the people of the demonic sect wreak havoc on the world. For example, the two concubines, Xiao and Wu, who bewitched Emperor Daxu back then, were members of the Star Moon Divine Palace." Xue Zhihua's words were full of disdain for the people of the demonic sect.

Shen Xian pondered for a moment and said, "The methods of cultivation in the world are different. Qi is divided into pure and turbid, yin and yang. Perhaps what they should be cultivating is yin and turbid qi."

The Three Pure Ones sect monopolized the right to practice the Dharma, and its disciples were either from noble families or powerful clans.

So what can ordinary people do if they want to cultivate immortality? They can only join the demonic sect.

Or perhaps, having endured all the hardships of life, becoming extreme in temperament, and filled with hatred for heaven and earth, one can only turn to the demonic path.

However, the three religions in this world clearly hold a dominant position, while the demonic sect has become a rat in the sewers.

Xue Zhihua warned, "Demons and sorcerers are adept at bewitching people; we must be careful."

Shen Xian nodded without saying anything more.

If I had lived in seclusion in Guhe County in the past, I might never have known about these so-called demonic forces in my entire life, but my life would have been much less exciting, wouldn't it?
……

……

The ancestral home of the Cui family in the capital city

An elegant and quiet courtyard, with servants coming and going in and out.

Cui Yan, the head of the Cui family, was ill and was lying on his bed. The room was filled with the fragrance of herbs. His eldest son, Cui Kun, said, "Father, please take some medicine."

"How are You'er and Ziling?" Cui Yan asked, his face ashen, his eyelids drooping, his voice weak.

As the current head of the Cui clan in Boling, Old Cui Yan was so anxious and distressed that he fell ill and could not get out of bed.

Cui Kun looked haggard and said, "Father, the two are still hanging on the flagpole. This is the third day."

Cui Ang said, "Father, there are still five days left."

"What has been the public's opinion in the capital during this period?" Cui Yancang asked in a loud voice.

Cui Ang's expression darkened, and he said, "There's basically nothing nice to say."

At this point, fearing it might upset Cui Yan, she didn't describe it in detail.

Upon hearing this, Cui Yan sighed.

Cui Sheng said, "Father, Shen Xian has left the capital."

"He's left the capital?" Cui Yan was startled when he heard Shen Xian's name and asked, "Wasn't he busy in the capital for the Empress Dowager?"

Cui Sheng lowered his voice and said, "I heard from the people in the Secretariat that he has been assigned to an errand and is heading to Anzhou."

Cui Ang frowned and said, "Could it be that they're here for the Cui family?"

Cui Yan's expression changed slightly, and he said, "It's not impossible. Your ninth brother is currently serving as the governor of Anzhou. I'm afraid that Shen Xian is going there to fight for the Empress."

"Father, how should we deal with this?" Cui Kun asked.

Cui Ang's face hardened with malice as he said, "Why don't we send someone to secretly kill this brat Shen Xian!"

These past two days, whenever Cui Ang passed by the palace gate, he could see the four characters "Traitor Cui Lu" written on it, which made him grit his teeth with hatred.

Although Cui Yan was ill, he still maintained a clear mind and said, "Shen Xian is currently riding high, unless he has provoked some demon he shouldn't have."

“Then let the demons get rid of that brat Shen Xian,” Cui Ang said in a deep voice.

Cui Yan shook his head and said, "Demons and evil spirits won't listen to us."

Demons and evil spirits don't recognize any noble families or clans.

“Father, we can use someone else to do the dirty work.” Cui Ang’s eyes flickered beneath his thick eyebrows as he added.

"Whose knife should I borrow?"

“The Demonic Sect’s blade.” Cui Ang’s eyes flashed with a fierce light as he lowered his voice and said, “Father, you may not know this, but the Demonic Sect, the Heavenly Punishment Sect, always accepts bounty missions. As long as we pay five elemental spirit stones, we can get the Heavenly Punishment Sect to take action!”

Cui Yan remained silent for a moment, neither confirming nor denying, before asking, "What did the Lu family say?"

Cui Sheng picked up the conversation and said, "Father, the Lu family also deeply hates Shen Xian. Some of the Lu family members from the Yuqing Sect will probably take some action."

Cui Yan said, "The palace favors that boy, and they must have assigned him immortal guards on the road. They might not actually do anything to him."

“Although the death of that brat Shen Xian will lead others to suspect us, it is most appropriate for someone from the Demonic Sect to take action,” Cui Ang said.

Cui Yan hesitated for a moment, then looked at Cui Ang and said, "Try to make contact about this matter first, as a backup plan. If it works out, be sure to do it cleanly."

Cui Sheng was overjoyed to receive permission.

On the other side, in a square courtyard, the house was bright and clean, and several rose bushes were planted in the courtyard. Because it was already mid-April in the lunar calendar, the roses were in full bloom.

Zheng Nianxi looked at the beautiful young woman in samurai attire and asked, "Are you really leaving the capital?"

Cui You's younger sister, Cui Mei, wiped the three-star divine weapon sword in her hand with a handkerchief and said in a clear voice, "Recently, there has been a lot of gossip in the capital, with everyone mocking my Cui and Lu clans. I have been asked about Cui You several times at the Yuqing Sect, so I might as well go out and avoid it."

Zheng Nianxi thought for a moment and said, "Going out is fine, but do you want to go somewhere?"

“My Ninth Uncle is the Prefect of Anzhou, and I plan to go and see him,” Cui Mei said calmly, sheathing her sword.

Zheng Nianxi said, "I don't have anything to do in the capital, so why don't I go with you?"

Zheng Nianxi didn't have many friends in her village. After Cui Mei left, Zheng Nianxi found herself rather bored in the capital, apart from cultivating.

As for cultivation, one's cultivation level is not easy to improve in a short period of time.

“That’s good, it’ll be good to have someone to look after you on the road.” Cui Mei nodded, a thoughtful look appearing on her bright and beautiful face. She said, “I want to break through to the Danxia Realm, and you’ve broken through to the mid-stage of the Danxia Realm. You should also go out and travel more to seek opportunities. It’s easy to be narrow-minded and arrogant in the capital.

"Are you influenced by what that Scholar Shen said?" Zheng Nianxi asked, her clear eyes flashing.

Cui Mei frowned, then unfolded her hand and said coldly, "Although Shen Xian is hateful, he is not wrong in saying this."

Zheng Nianxi nodded slightly and said, "It is said that Shen Xian is from Anzhou. This trip to Anzhou will also allow us to see what kind of land this is, which has produced such an eccentric and domineering person."

Cui Mei nodded and said nothing more.

One was at the early stage of Danxia Realm and the peak of Xiantian Realm, while the other was at the peak of Tianmen Realm and the middle stage of Xiantian Realm.

Zheng Nianxi was older and more meticulous and cautious. She said, "However, with evil spirits causing chaos in the world, we should be well prepared for this trip."

"I have my master's divine jade slip with me on this trip. If any demons come to invade, I will make sure they never return!" Cui Mei's eyes were filled with murderous intent as she spoke.

Cui Mei was the beloved disciple of Haoyang Daoist of the Yuqing Sect, and was always treated with great affection, receiving many protective items from him.

Zheng Nianxi nodded and said, "Alright, I'll also prepare some backup plans."

The two were daughters of the Zheng and Cui families. Since cultivating both immortal and martial arts, they had become increasingly independent-minded. Now, they had the desire to travel and did not delay any longer, so they went back to begin preparations.

(End of this chapter)