I meet all the requirements for becoming a god in this world!

Chapter 264 Formal Examination: Assuming Office as Commander

Standing under the poplar tree, the Prince of Zhenbei looked at Lu Yuezhao kneeling on the ground and asked again.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Cheng Laiyun".

Lu Yue Zhao did not hesitate this time. Her voice was still very low, but she enunciated each word very steadily:

"Young Master Cheng Laiyun. He sets up a challenge at Chengtian Gate, a fourth-rank official versus a third-rank official."

"According to news from the capital, the young master first dodged Cao Ying's Frost Kill Blade with his physical speed, then used the Colossus technique to break Cao Ying's domain into reality. Finally, Cao Ying revealed a half-step second-grade Dharma Image phantom, which was defeated head-on by the young master's Colossus technique."

"With one punch, Cao Ying was seriously injured and fell unconscious, his Dharma form shattered."

"With the full witness of the court officials, His Majesty immediately issued an edict appointing the young son-in-law as the Commander of the Regent's Office, granting him the title of Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, a fief of one thousand households, and a reward of ten thousand taels of gold."

……

The Prince of Zhenbei remained silent for a long time.

He turned around and sat down again in the armchair, his fingers slowly tapping the armrest once more. The leaves of the old poplar tree rustled in the wind as he mentally went through Lu Yuezhao's words from beginning to end.

A fourth-rank warrior fought a third-rank warrior, using his physical speed to dodge the Frost Slaughter Blade, his colossus breaking through the domain, and directly shattering the illusory Dharma form.

Each word alone is enough to make one ponder for a long time, but when put together, he doesn't know which one to ponder first.

He recalled the last time he used a divination technique to examine the boy in the capital.

At the time, I only felt that his physical attributes were not bad, and he was barely qualified to be a match for He Yun.

He Yun mentioned it several times in her letters later.

It is said that Cheng Laiyun broke through to the fourth rank on the Chengtianmen city tower in the heat of battle, and risked his life in the illusion of time and space to provide a way out for the new government.

He thought the kid had some guts, but that was about it—you know, there are plenty of young people who aren't afraid of death, but it's the one who comes back alive from the brink of death that's truly impressive.

Now, leaning back in his armchair, he reread Lu Yue Zhao's words—"to directly defeat the illusory image of the Dharma."

It wasn't a trick, it wasn't a sneak attack, it was a head-on collision that shattered the half-step second-grade Dharma image phantom.

"Hehe."

He suddenly chuckled. The laughter was soft and carried away quickly in the wind, but Lu Yue Zhao, kneeling on the ground, heard it clearly.

He had served the prince for so many years, and rarely heard the prince laugh.

"That girl Heyun has better taste than her father."

The Prince of Zhenbei stood up, reached out and patted the armrest of his armchair, as if he had made a decision:

"Cao Ying has served under me for five years, and I know his capabilities better than anyone. To be able to beat him like that in a head-on fight, this kid—"

"Lu Yuezhao".

"Your subordinate is here."

"Keep an eye on the news from the capital. Report to me immediately if Cheng Laiyun makes any moves."

After saying that, he was about to walk out of the garden.

"We request an audience with Your Highness."

"Come in."

A guard hurried over from the corridor, knelt on one knee, and presented a letter with purple-gold demon patterns: "Your Highness, the demon delegation has arrived outside Liangzhou City. The leader claims to be Su Ying, the demon king of the Purple Fox Tribe. He says he wants to travel a long distance and wishes to pay his respects to Your Highness in Liangzhou first."

The Prince of Zhenbei took the letter, opened it, and glanced at it.

The handwriting on the letter was neat and elegant, and the wording was polite and appropriate, which was completely unlike the usual style of the demon race.

He closed the letter, raising an eyebrow slightly—not out of surprise, but because he was intrigued.

"A demon clan delegation? Interesting."

"Let them into the city and wait in the front hall." He handed the letter to Lu Yuezhao and added:

"Tell Gao Heyun that her husband did something impressive in the capital."

"I am very pleased."

…………

Beijing.

Internal Prime Minister's Mansion.

This is Zhang Linzheng's residence. When Cheng Laiyun stepped into the study, Zhang Linzheng was sitting at his desk, holding a black chess piece in his hand, with his ever-present chessboard in front of him.

The barely visible patch on the cuff of the pale white scholar's robe was faintly visible in the candlelight.

He heard footsteps, but didn't look up. He simply placed a black piece on the chessboard and pointed to the chair opposite him.

"sit."

"Zhang Xiang".

Cheng Laiyun sat down opposite him, his gaze sweeping over the chessboard.

Black and white are intertwined; the game has entered the middle stage.

He recognized the game—Zhang Linzheng had set up this endgame when he last came, with the black and white pieces locked in a stalemate, neither able to capture the other.

Zhang Linzheng picked up another white piece, hovering it above the chessboard, without rushing to place it:

"How is the handover of the Regent's Office going?"

"That's about it."

"The four inspectors each have their own yamen under their jurisdiction, and the list of inspectors and the liaison network of spies in various places were all handed over yesterday." "Liu Yundu has already sent people to connect with the intelligence lines in the northern border, and Geng Yan and Xun Meng have also taken their positions."

Cheng Laiyun took the teacup handed to him by the old servant and took a sip. "It's just that some of the hidden agents were personally placed by you back then. After the change of personnel, it will take time to readjust."

"You don't need to rush to take over those hidden agents."

"Leave a few elderly people in their original positions and let them come to you on their own."

"You are the new commander, and they are even more eager to pledge their loyalty than you are."

Zhang Linzheng placed a white stone on the board, which precisely blocked the escape route of a large black group:

"The hardest part about being a commander isn't handling cases or managing subordinates, it's sitting still."

"You used to be the one at the forefront, but from now on, those tasks will be handled by Tang Lu and Liu Yundu."

"Your job is to be in control at the center, so that everyone can find you when they need you."

Cheng Laiyun paused for a moment, then nodded:

"Don't worry, Zhang Xiang, Lai Yun knows what he's doing."

Zhang Linzheng finally looked up at him and said, "It's good that you know what you're doing."

"By the way, you don't need to worry too much about Cao Ying's matter with His Majesty."

"If he dared to let Cao Ying fight you, he was prepared for Cao Ying to lose."

"When you defeated Cao Ying in the ring, he immediately appointed you as a commander, which was to tell everyone: Cheng Laiyun won by his own ability, not by anyone's face."

"You can argue with our Emperor, but you can't let him lose his position."

"If you give him a rank, he will give you respect."

"Thank you for your guidance, Zhang Xiang."

Cheng Laiyun seemed lost in thought.

He felt that Zhang Xiang's words were comprehensive... it didn't seem like he was being handed over to him.

It actually sounds a bit like he's making arrangements for his final affairs?

Zhang Linzheng placed the last few chess pieces on the board one by one, then leaned back in his chair and said in a very calm tone:

"I have summoned you here today because there is another matter I need to tell you. The appointment of the Grand Secretary has been made, and His Majesty will formally announce it at the morning court tomorrow."

"I have held the position of Commander of the Regent's Office for ten years."

"Starting tomorrow, this position is completely yours."

"I am in the cabinet, and you are in the Regent's Office—if these two teams work together properly on the implementation of new policies, the conduct of officials, and military affairs on the border, there is no obstacle that cannot be overcome."

Cheng Laiyun placed the teacup back on the table and took a deep breath.

He then solemnly bowed to Zhang Linzheng:

"Zhang Xiang, Laiyun will not let you down."

"From now on, whenever the Cabinet needs the cooperation of the Regent's Office, Prime Minister Zhang will issue a document and Lai Yun will personally lead the team to handle it."

Zhang Lin waved his hand, a very faint smile appearing on his lips:

"I am waiting for you in the Cabinet."

After saying that, he stood up, walked to the window, and opened it. The night wind blew in and stirred the few remaining pieces on the chessboard on the table.

With his back to Cheng Laiyun, his voice remained as calm as ever, but Cheng Laiyun detected a subtle emotion beneath the calm: "I have served in the Regent's Office for ten years, and today I am officially handing over this chair."

"Not many people have sat in this chair, and even fewer can sit still in it."

"You brat—don't embarrass me."

Cheng Laiyun stood up and bowed deeply to Zhang Linzheng's retreating figure:

"Don't worry, Prime Minister Zhang. As long as the imperial transport is there, the Regent's Office will remain."

…………

On the first day that Cheng Laiyun officially took over as the Commander of the Regent's Office, he got up before dawn.

For the first time ever, Xu Jiayin got up even earlier than him. The kitchen was noisy all morning as she brought out a table full of breakfast: scallion pancakes, braised pork hock, caramelized melon seeds, and a pot of freshly brewed hot tea.

She shoved the chopsticks into Cheng Laiyun's hand and said in an unquestionable tone, "Today is your first day as commander, you can't go out on an empty stomach."

"Also, from now on, I'll get up every morning to make you breakfast, and fatten you up until you're plump and healthy!"

Cheng Laiyun took a bite of the scallion pancake, looked at the table full of dishes, and grinned:

"Thank you, madam."

Pushing open the door of Laiyuntang, Hai Wuyai was already waiting at the door.

He was wearing a brand-new black official robe today, and the flesh on his chubby face was taut. Upon seeing Cheng Laiyun, he straightened his back and called out in a strong voice:

"Boss! No, Commander!"

"The front yard, middle yard, and back yard are all ready! Inspector Liu and his men have arrived and are waiting for you!"

The Hai and Zhu brothers are incredibly powerful now.

In the entire Regent's Office, who didn't know that the two of them were the new commander's favorites?

Even the four great inspectors would now greet them politely when they saw them.

Cheng Laiyun straightened his clothes, tucked the packet of scallion pancakes that Xu Jiayin had stuffed into his arms even deeper, and nodded to Hai Wuyai:

"Let's go."

In the front courtyard of the Regent's Office, the four inspectors were already waiting below the steps.

Liu Yundu maintained his usual calm and collected demeanor, a faint smile playing on his lips. Seeing Cheng Laiyun approaching from the corridor, he first bowed respectfully, his tone unusually solemn:

"Commander Cheng, on your first day in office, your subordinates and others have come to greet you."

Tang Lu stood beside him, his two thick arms crossed over his chest, and added with a grin:

"Brother Cheng—no, I should call you Lord Cheng now! Everything in the yamen is ready, inside and out, and all the brothers are here, just waiting for your instructions."

Cheng Laiyun smiled and glanced at the faces of the four inspectors.

Liu Yundu's composure, Tang Lü's straightforwardness, Geng Yan's cynicism, and Xun Meng's taciturnity.

He nodded and said, "Let's go see the brothers."

He then strode towards the front courtyard square.

In the front courtyard square, all the personnel of the Regent's Office had already lined up.

The thirty-six provincial inspectors stood in the front row, followed by one hundred and twenty supervisors, and then clerks, spies, and miscellaneous servants from various departments.

The black official robes stretched from the corridor all the way to the screen wall, a dense, silent mass.

Among these people were those who had squatted on the ridges of the fields with Cheng Laiyun in Changle County, and those who had witnessed him and Xie Yuheng kill Yang Shien from the Chengtian Gate tower. Some were capable people who had just been transferred back from various prefectures and had long heard of the deeds of this new commander. At this moment, they all looked up at the black figure on the steps.

Cheng Laiyun stood on the steps, glanced at the sea of ​​heads below, and didn't launch into a long speech.

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached the ears of everyone present with crystal clarity:

"Today I assume the post of Commander of the Regent's Office."

"The rules of the Regent's Office remain unchanged—cases that need to be investigated will continue to be investigated, and those who need to be dealt with will continue to be dealt with."

"I have only one new rule." He paused:

"If anyone finds the duties of the Regent's Office difficult in the future, come and see me."

"If you find me difficult to talk to, go find your respective inspectors. If even the inspectors can't handle it—then I'll handle it for you personally."

"Let's call it a day."

There was a moment of silence, then Tang Lu led the applause:

"Good! Just this one sentence is far better than the long ramblings I used to make over a cup of tea!"

Immediately afterward, Liu Yundu, Geng Yan, and Xun Meng joined in the applause, and then the entire courtyard erupted in thunderous applause. ...

In just one morning, Cheng Laiyun went through the pile of official documents.

The implementation of new policies, the movements of the vassal kings, and the military situation in the northern border—all kinds of documents were neatly arranged on the desk, each bearing the marks of the previous commander, Zhang Linzheng.

As he was flipping through the information about the unusual activities of the demon race in the northern border, there were two slow knocks at the door.

"Come in."

Liu Yundu pushed open the door and entered, holding an opened letter in his hand.

His expression remained as calm as ever, but Cheng Laiyun noticed that when he came in, he didn't exchange a few pleasantries as usual, but instead handed over the letter directly:

"Geng Yan just received this from his spies in the Northern Border; it's unusual."

"I feel it is necessary to show this to the Commander as soon as possible."

Cheng Laiyun took the letter, opened it, glanced at it, and frowned slightly.

The letter stated that Su Ying, the demon king of the Purple Fox tribe, had already met with the Prince of Zhenbei in Liangzhou as a special envoy, and was now on her way to the capital to pay homage to Emperor Jianye.

Accompanying them was a powerful demon, said to be a personal guard of the Demon Emperor, whose cultivation was unfathomable. At the end of the letter was a note from Geng Yan: "This delegation is not well-intentioned; Commander, please make preparations as soon as possible."

Cheng Laiyun handed the letter to Liu Yundu:

"Circulate this to all four inspectors. Follow the normal procedures for foreign envoys, have the Ministry of Rites make the initial contact, and have the Regent's Office keep a close watch on things secretly."

"Guests are guests, let's see what they want first."

"Understood." Liu Yundu took the letter, nodded, and turned to go out and make the arrangements.

Cheng Laiyun leaned back in his chair, his gaze returning to the letter.

The Demon Emperor's personal guard, the Purple Fox Demon King...

Suddenly, a strange idea popped into his head.

Could the spirit fox have some connection with the purple fox tribe?

He squinted.

Sending the Demon King personally on this mission is probably not as simple as just "on a mission".

He tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table, muttering to himself, "Su Ying..."

Regardless of their intentions, we will meet force with force and water with earth.

He regained his composure, picked up his pen again, and turned to the next official document—he still needed to keep an eye on the implementation of the new policy.