Immortality: Starting with a grave, I'm invincible when burying corpses.

In the seventy-ninth year of the Qiming era, heroes rose up across the land.

The Great Qi Dynasty had just suppressed three rebel kings when five more rebel kings raised their banners across the land.

With the support of Meng Yan, Meng Deming, who served as the Left Chancellor, shone brightly in the court and often clashed with the Right Chancellor Su Xiang on political issues.

The Wenchang Hall and the Datong Palace were embroiled in one battle after another around the imperial court.

Strangely, in most cases, Su Xiang chose to back down, showing none of the high spirits he once had.

If Su Xiang was simultaneously reforming, pursuing his own interests, and secretly suppressing talented officials, leaving Daqi in a state of limbo...

Meng Deming's primary goal was to continue the Great Qi, and all his actions revolved around revitalizing the Great Qi.

Neither of them was particularly loyal to Jun Huayang.

The difference is that Su Xiang's power almost entirely comes from Jun Huayang, so he is usually very cautious in his actions. Although he has his own ideas, he almost never expresses them.

Meng Deming's power came more from Meng Yan. With Meng Yan and Jun Cheng'an cooperating, even Jun Huayang, the emperor of Daqi, often had to yield to him.

With Meng Yan's support, Meng Deming can fully utilize his knowledge and do what he wants.

In comparison, Su Xiang, who was restricted in many ways, appeared quite weak.

……

Compared to the beginning, Su Xiang has changed a lot, and his governing philosophy is no longer as radical as it was when he was young.

Once upon a time, Su Xiang and his comrades formed the Twelve Heroes of Datong. The twelve men, full of lofty ambitions, were determined to change Daqi, practice the ideals of Datong, and implement the philosophy of Zhuangzi.

At the beginning, the twelve scholars of Datong entered the officialdom of Daqi with the idea of ​​emerging from the mud unsullied and being cleansed by the clear water unblemished.

They swore to each other that they would stay true to themselves and never be corrupted by the dark side of officialdom... that their temporary compromises were all for the sake of realizing their original dreams.

They were determined to die, and each of them possessed the courage and resolve to prove their loyalty with their lives.

But as they gradually entered the center of power, witnessed wealth and glory, and became accustomed to the benefits that power brought, they all changed...

Gold and silver treasures, fine wine and beautiful women—these are just the most basic operations.

Starting a family, having children, and having your own warm and stable home is the real fatal blow.

Over the long years, the bureaucratic system of Qi'an City has developed a complete set of operations that are enough to make anyone fall into its trap.

Both material and emotional support are being pursued simultaneously.

When past dreams clash with present happiness, decline always comes exceptionally quickly.

For those who crave fame and fortune, lure them with benefits; for those who value relationships and righteousness, bind them with kinship...

With ties come constraints, and those who can treat money like dirt and abandon their wives and children without hesitation are ultimately a minority.

One by one, the twelve scholars of Datong were assimilated by officialdom, forgetting their former dreams and becoming no different from other officials.

As these people passed away one after another, now, of the original twelve heroes of Datong, only Su Xiang remains.

As his comrades passed away one after another, and as the Datong Academy in Changzhou raised the banner of rebellion, his former teachers and sisters stood on the opposite side.

Su Xiang also felt lost, and on countless quiet nights, he would sit alone in front of a candle, lost in thought.

He would reminisce about the past, think of Su Xiaoyu, Qin Xiucai, Zhuang Sheng and Wan Shu, and also think of the various experiences he had in "Sin Village".

What was the purpose of all my hard work in my life?

Su Xiang had no answer, nor did he know who was right and who was wrong.

Or rather, he could only insist that he was right.

After the confusion of the night, Su Xiang would revert to his usual self during the day: the Grand Chancellor Su in the eyes of outsiders, and a kind elder in the eyes of his family.

On one chilly morning after another, Su Xiang would stand in the yard and watch his little grandson and granddaughter stumble and run to his side, calling out, "Grandpa, hug me!"

At times like these, Su Xiang's face is always full of smiles, and the confusion in his heart will also fade away.

Yes, what can compare to the family right in front of you, when there is such a vague and uncertain future?

Now that he's become the prime minister, how can he not plan for the future of his family?

……

That's what Su Xiang thought, so he chose to back down in front of Meng Deming.

Su Xiang didn't want to fight Meng Deming to the death, since Meng Deming had nothing to lose.

Su Xiang didn't understand what the principle of yielding to happiness meant, but he knew that fighting Meng Deming to the death could destroy everything he had now.

Su Xiang chose to back down because he was fortunate, and also because he understood that Meng Deming was more capable and more likely to turn the tide in this dire situation than he was.

For Su Xiang now, everything he owns is tied to the Great Qi.

Whether or not the regime should be reformed is no longer important; all Su Xiang wants to do is ensure that the Great Qi Dynasty can survive for as many years as possible.

As long as Meng Deming has sufficient ability, Su Xiang is not concerned about relinquishing some of his power.

With the Great Qi Dynasty teetering on the brink of collapse, factional infighting seems utterly meaningless.

As long as the Great Qi Dynasty lives, he, as the Prime Minister of Great Qi, will have power for one more day and can preserve his own happiness.

With Su Xiang's deliberate concessions, Meng Deming's adjustments to Daqi were no longer restricted, and a series of measures conducive to Daqi's recovery were implemented in the following years.

The relationship between the imperial court and the local authorities has eased somewhat, and the previously disorganized army of the Great Qi Dynasty has been reorganized.

Under Meng Deming's command, the struggle between Daqi and the rebel forces was no longer a one-sided massacre, but a back-and-forth battle.

……

The 81st year of the Qiming era.

Of the twelve routes of the Jun clan that rebelled against the king, nine routes surrendered, two routes were destroyed, and only the route in Jiaozhou remained.

Over the past few years, the Zhu family, a prominent clan in Jiaozhou, has found the emperor's younger brother, the Prince of Qin, Junming Le, who is a figurehead emperor, and has made him a puppet emperor.

Despite possessing the cultivation of a Celestial Martial Saint, Prince Qin, Jun Mingle, was a notoriously idle prince whose reputation for being lazy and irresponsible spread throughout the world.

No one knows how the Zhu family won over Jun Mingle, or how they pushed Jun Mingle onto the path of rebellion.

All anyone knew was that by the time everyone realized what was happening, Jun Mingle, the once idle prince, had become a puppet emperor pushed out by the Zhu family.

Eleven rebel kings were defeated, but the Prince of Qin, who started his rebellion in Jiaozhou, grew stronger with each battle. Now he has an army of over three million men and dominates three provinces.

In June, Jun Huayang issued an imperial edict, mobilizing the Tiger Warriors to Jiaozhou, intending to wipe out the rebel army under the command of the Prince of Qin in one fell swoop.

Although Meng Deming sensed something was amiss, he couldn't pinpoint the problem or find a reason to refute the emperor.

Suppressing rebellions is a matter of course, and prioritizing the resolution of the rebellion of the Jun clan against the king would definitely be more beneficial than harmful to the court.

Compared to the rebellious lords in other regions, the armies under the Jun clan's rebel king were the easiest to submit to the court. They could be used directly and were of great significance in strengthening the court's power.

Left with no other choice, Meng Deming had to arrange for three elite units of the Dark Feather Guard to secretly travel to Jiaozhou and be stationed near Jiaozhou, ready to provide assistance at any time.