How can one cultivate immortality without learning modern knowledge?

Chapter 147 Lord Lei Kicks a Steel Plate

He strode out, never looking back.

All officials of the Jiezi Gate face to face ————

Mr. Lei————

Did they kick a hornet's nest?

How dare this kid be so arrogant?

Stepping out of the gate with the character "节" on it, facing Zhongba and Xinshisan, Zhou Wenju gently shook his head: "I really shouldn't have entered this gate!"

A voice from Zhongba reached his ears: "Lord Lei has always had the habit of establishing his authority over his subordinates. I thought he would change his ways with Brother Zhou, but who would have thought—"

"Unfortunately, he was still wrong! This self-control of mine is not something I asked for."

In officialdom, one is often not in control of one's own destiny.

If you want the official hat and official hat, you have to abide by the rules of officialdom and please your superiors.

However, does Zhou Wenju care about this?

He doesn't care at all!

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name 1110 ...

This restraint was something His Majesty painstakingly imposed upon him.

The purpose was to keep this prodigy in check.

In other words, His Majesty asked him to take this official position!

Does he need to care about his boss?

Go ahead and fire me if you dare!

Do you dare?

Therefore, he can completely regard himself as an iron plate, and let anyone who dares to kick him test his strength.

Lei Dong wanted to use him to establish his authority.

Conversely, Zhou Wenju could also use Lei Dong to establish his authority.

A word to those in officialdom:

In officialdom, none of you can control me!

In the small house ahead, an official looked at him through the window, appearing extremely surprised.

This man was none other than the fifth-rank military officer who had just been reprimanded by Lei Dong and was now completely distraught.

Zhou Wenju's gaze swept across his face, and his voice reached out to Zhongba: "Who is this fifth-rank military officer?"

Chungpachi gave him the answer —

This fifth-rank military officer was named Lan Shu.

In his early years, he was a legendary figure.

Born into poverty, he relied on his own abilities to gradually advance through the imperial examinations, passing through the county, provincial, metropolitan, and palace examinations amidst fierce competition, eventually becoming a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) and a great Confucian scholar.

In the first half of his life, he lived up to his name: Lan Shu—hard to lose!

However, after entering officialdom, twenty years later, he had completely shaped the outline of his life.

He was a man of simple tastes and integrity, so he had no money to give gifts.

He has feelings for the people, so it's hard for him to have feelings for officials.

He hated the corruption in officialdom, but he couldn't change it.

He wanted to find irrefutable evidence of corruption in officialdom, but he was repeatedly manipulated by those old foxes.

For more than 20 years, he has lived a life that has become a joke.

Zhou Wenju should also be able to learn something from this.

The position of Commander of the Imperial Secretariat is generally perceived as wielding the power of life and death over officials. However, this is far from the truth. You actually only have the authority to investigate, not to take action. In the complex and intricate world of officialdom, no one will readily admit wrongdoing. Every official's downfall is ultimately due to someone higher up wanting them to fall. When those higher up don't want them to fall, you are essentially powerless to do anything about it.

"What kind of person is Xiang Yeqiu, the prefect of Ningbo?" Zhou Wenju asked, his eyes flashing.

"He is the complete opposite of Lan Shuzhi," Zhongba chuckled. "He is a man who truly understands the ways of officialdom, and His Highness the Crown Prince values ​​him highly."

Your Highness the Crown Prince —

These four words suddenly entered Zhou Wenju's ears—

Zhou Wenju's heart stirred slightly, and he raised his gaze to stare into Zhongba's eyes.

Chung-ba's gaze was rather complex: "I know the special nature of Brother Zhou's position of 'restraint.' Since the Chief Minister has given his permission, Brother Zhou can do as he pleases. Now that Brother Zhou has offended his superior, he will find it difficult to move an inch in the officialdom. This is the perfect opportunity for Brother Zhou to realize his original intention and completely forget about the position of 'restraint,' becoming a literary idler in the officialdom!"

"It seems we have no other choice!" Zhou Wenju nodded slightly. "Are you two gentlemen free tomorrow?"

"What is it?" Xin Shisan asked excitedly.

"I intend to visit Cui Wusheng's abandoned music hall tomorrow. If you two are free, would you like to come along?" Zhou Wenju said.

Chung-hachi and Shin-jūsan exchanged a glance.

They nodded at the same time.

next day!

North of Luoyang, beside Mirror Lake.

Where tender willows sway gently, fine wisps of rain and mist fall.

Zhou Wenju, Zhongba, and Xinshisan walked through the bluestone alley. A light rain fell on their heads but did not wet their clothes.

Xin Shisan uses true qi as an umbrella.

Zhou Wenju and Zhong Ba, their literary spirit is like an umbrella.

In the drizzle, three figures in plainclothes exuded youthful exuberance.

Countless people in the restaurants and brothels on both sides watched the three of them, their eyes filled with admiration.

One pair of eyes stood out particularly.

Others expressed admiration, but her eyes held an extremely complex mix of emotions: hatred, confusion, and an unbelievable, dreamlike disbelief.

"Lin Shuiyao!" A languid voice came from the soft couch beside her.

The woman was none other than Lin Shuiyao from that day. She turned around abruptly and bowed deeply: "Miss!"

"I've heard that this Mr. Zhou once loved you to the bone, only to be discarded like trash by you?"

Lin Shuiyao's face turned both blue and red.

The maids next to her, dressed in the same clothes, stared at Lin Shuiyao with disbelief in their eyes.

this----

is it possible?

Such a young and outstanding talent, so dashing and elegant, so renowned for his literary skills, such a high-ranking official of the fifth rank—

How could he love her so deeply?

On what grounds?

And she actually abandoned him like trash, why?

"I have a question for you!" The young lady's voice turned cold as she sat on the soft couch.

tom!

Lin Shuiyao suddenly knelt down: "Yes, Miss!"

It really is true!

"Is there any way to rekindle your friendship with him?" the young lady asked.

"—He—he hates me deep down and wants to rekindle this friendship, but I'm afraid—I'm afraid it's impossible!" Lin Shuiyao was unwilling to answer this question.

But does she have the right to refuse to answer?

not at all!

The young lady slowly raised her gaze: "If you have no value, what value do you have to stay in Drunken Flower Shade?"

'

"Young Master Bai said, this servant—this servant has another purpose!" Lin Shuiyao slowly raised her head.

"Young Master Bai! Hehe—I almost forgot, you also have Yan Tou!" The young lady smiled faintly: "But you have to understand one thing, since your Yan Tou is willing to send you to Zui Hua Yin, then you have no place in his heart. Don't expect him to remember you or even give you a good ending."

Lin Shuiyao's heart tightened.

She truly experienced the feeling of life being as fleeting as drifting catkins and as ephemeral as the wind.

How will her life be anchored?

She anchored three times.

The first target was Zhou Wenju. She valued him because he was, after all, the son of an official, someone unattainable in her original world.

However, this anchor doesn't seem to have actually led to her great success.

The Zhou family were honest officials.

If you are not greedy and do not take advantage of others, you cannot provide your family with too much wealth.

Even the title of a high-ranking official was just an empty title.

Later, he was even demoted to Lingnan, becoming a taboo subject in officialdom.

Zhou Wenju, in Huding Mountain, is doing worse than the son of a merchant.

The second attempt was to target the third prince of Rulan. However, before the bond could be firmly established, the third prince of Rulan was killed by Zhou Wenju under the pretext of a weapon.

The third anchoring point was Bailuoshui.

This time, the anchoring is theoretically much more reliable than the previous two. Bai Luoshui, a great Confucian scholar and a favorite of the Crown Prince, is truly at the height of his power.

However, she also knew that in Bai Luoshui's mind, Lin Shuiyao was just a piece of clothing that had been worn.

Otherwise, why would he have sent her to Zuihuayin?

What kind of place is Zuihuayin?

It's a place where women are used as tools to please all sorts of people.

A man who truly loves a woman would never send her to such a place.

She wasn't blind to all of this.

She was just unlucky and had no other choice.

Every time she anchors, it's like God is playing a joke on her. What can she do?

Am I wrong to pursue a happy life?

My gaze shifted to Fei Yinwan.

There was a knock on the door.

An old family member opened the courtyard gate—

Zhou Wenju introduced himself, and the old servant's eyes immediately lit up: "Young Master already told me yesterday that we have distinguished guests arriving today. Young Master Zhou, please! Both young masters—please!"

As they spoke, a string on a musical instrument rang out.

A person fell from the sky; it was Cui Wusheng.

Cui Wusheng landed in front of Zhou Wenju and bowed deeply: "This humble brother greets the three brothers."

"Brother Cui, these two are my good friends, Brother Zhong and Brother Xin!"

"Chongpachi!"

"Faith Thirteen!"

Chung-hachi and Shin-jū-san introduced themselves at the same time.

Cui Wusheng chuckled softly: "Back then at Zuixing Tower, I met Brother Zhong, and I had a vague feeling that Brother Zhong would be my friend. Today, my prediction has indeed come true."

"I had a premonition that Brother Cui and Brother Zhou would become friends. Sure enough, when we met at Qingshan, you two fought side by side and became close friends."

"Brother Zhong, how can I respond to such a statement?" Cui Wusheng scratched his head. "At the Qingshan Literary Gathering, while Brother Zhou was fighting hard, I was still unconscious—alright, alright, I won't mention this matter again, or Brother Zhou will scold me for not being magnanimous."

Ha ha----

Everyone laughed.

"Today is a time when spring has arrived and Mirror Lake is still, a time to lean on the railing and listen to the rain. Gentlemen, please enter Listening to the Rain Pavilion!" Cui Wusheng gently gestured, leading the three into a red pavilion overlooking the lake.

The three large characters on this pavilion perfectly encapsulate the joy and elegance of life.

It is the "Listening to the Rain Pavilion" written by Cui Wusheng himself.

Upon entering the pavilion, two maids bowed to greet us, and tea and fruit were readily available.

The guests and hosts sat separately.

Zhou Wenju turned his gaze to the outside of the pavilion, where half the lake was shrouded in mist and rain, and beside the mist and rain, there were pavilions and towers.

What a wonderful place to find tranquility amidst the hustle and bustle!

"Brother Zhou has already started working?" Cui Wusheng asked.

"Yes, I started work yesterday!"

"From now on, Brother Zhou, will you be busy with official duties?"

"This position of mine is a sinecure!" Zhou Wenju said. "There are many colleagues in the Dingchao Sijie sect. One more person or one less person will not make a difference. Why should an outsider like me be responsible for the actual work of restraint? The head of the sect has already agreed that I can just hold the title and cultivate literature."

Zhongba laughed and said, "The primary duty of the Dingchao Division is to govern the various regions. If someone as talented as Brother Zhou is preoccupied with worldly affairs and neglects his literary duties, His Majesty would also feel it would be a pity. Therefore, His Majesty also has this intention."

"That's wonderful! From now on, Brother Zhou can make this his home, and we brothers can discuss music and literature every day. Wouldn't that be wonderful?" Cui Wusheng was delighted.

"That won't do!" Zhou Wenju said, "I'm going back tomorrow!"

"Leaving tomorrow?" The three of them were startled at the same time.

"Yes, it feels like more than a month has passed since I left home. It's time to go back."

"To achieve success and not return home is like wearing fine clothes in the dark!" Cui Wusheng sighed softly. "Brother Zhou is leaving, and I—I can leave too!"

"Are you about to embark on your path of 'wonderful music entering the mortal world' again?" Zhou Wenju asked.

Wonderful music enters the mortal world.

That was Cui Wusheng's way.

He passed the imperial examination and was offered an official position by the court, but he refused. He left the capital and wandered thousands of miles, perfecting his music in the world, which led to the music master Cui Wusheng we know today.

He returned to Beijing to attend the Qingshan Literary Gathering, which has now concluded.

It's time for him to set off again.

"The three of you are all brothers, and I dare not lie to you. This time, I am not going to the mortal world for pleasure, but to travel west to find my roots," Cui Wusheng said.

"Tracing our roots westward?" Zhou Wenju was taken aback.

Chung-hachi and Shin-jūsan were also startled at the same time.

All three of them knew that the word "seeking roots" in Cui Wusheng's dictionary had a special meaning.

His mother used to work in a brothel, and he never saw his father after he was born.

He was going to find his father.

Only the father is the root of his children.

Cui Wusheng nodded slowly: "Most people understand my journey in the mortal world as the pursuit of perfection. In fact, I also have another consideration: to find my biological father in the vast sea of ​​people."

"Searching for someone you haven't seen for thirty years in the vast sea of ​​people is almost impossible without some special tokens. Brother Cui, do you have any clues?" Zhou Wenju asked.

"Yes! There are two clues!" Cui Wusheng said, "The first is this Jiao Wei Qin (a type of zither). This zither was left by my father, and there is a mystery within it. Perhaps my father can remember things from thirty-one years ago through the sound of this zither."

"Is there a hidden meaning within the zither?"

"Yes!" Cui Wusheng said, "This zither possesses its own profound musical secrets. When I was young, I touched this zither, and the drumming sound within it went straight to my heart. My understanding of music was guided by the zither; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that I was taught by it. Brother Zhou, you are a master of music; perhaps you could also try to understand it—"

The sound of drums is heard within the zither!

She can even teach people to play the piano!

Such a strange thing?

Zhou Wenju gently touched it with his finger, and his sea of ​​consciousness hummed and trembled slightly.

He heard it!

The sound of drums could be heard in this zither.

The drumbeats were incredibly peculiar; they sounded monotonous, yet they evoked a strange feeling, as if each strike hit a vital point, making one's blood boil.

"Brother Cui, this drumbeat—it sounds like war drums!" Zhou Wenju frowned.

"Brother Zhou is indeed perceptive. I was also on the frontier when I heard the war drums and realized with a start that the drum in this zither really is similar to a war drum."

Chung-hachi and Shin-san-san exchanged a glance, their hearts filled with suspicion. They couldn't help but reach out their hands to sense the war drums inside.

However, when they touched it, their brows furrowed deeply: "Is there the sound of war drums?"

Now it was Cui Wusheng and Zhou Wenju's turn to look at each other in bewilderment.

They can't hear us!

This is bizarre!

They could hear the sound of war drums.

Chungpachi and Shinjiro couldn't hear it.

If this is some kind of restriction, then this zither is extraordinary.

On another level, Cui Wusheng's adoptive father was also exceptional in his literary and political skills, at least superior to Zhongba's!

Chung-pachi is a literary flower!

He, a mere scholar, couldn't even touch the opponent's restriction; it's unimaginable!

Zhou Wenju's heart was in turmoil: "6"

Brother Cui said there's a second clue?

'