mtl008 Chapter 77 Current Situation in Wuyan Kingdom
Chapter 77 Current Situation in Wuyan Kingdom
A career in politics shrouded in darkness?
Zheng Qian was somewhat puzzled. "Mr. Wu, is there such a thing as a dark or bright path in officialdom?"
With a wave of his hand, Mr. Wu said casually, "Calling me Mr. Wu is too formal. My name is Wu Yuxiao. Like Inspector Zheng, I am an official. Darkness refers to certain professions, not to ways of committing crimes."
Oh, I see, it's a shady profession.
Zheng Qian nodded. He wouldn't agree to anything rashly. The position of patrol inspector was imposed on him by Magistrate He, which forced him to fight his way through the North Gate during his travels, earning him the title of "God of Slaughter at the North Gate."
Wu Yuxiao valued his combat prowess, and he agreed that perhaps he could better pave his way in the political arena in Yancheng and help Zheng Le and He Zuowen, but he would also have to work for them. He would not have agreed or refused until he knew which organization Wu Yuxiao belonged to.
Zheng Qian's principle in doing things can be summed up in one word: stability.
Perhaps because he had drunk a lot of alcohol, Wu Yuxiao became more talkative. "I went to Lvchang County on a mission, and I was also responsible for recording the Red Turban Army's battles. I recorded the actual battle situation. Inspector Zheng did kill a battalion at the North Gate. I handed in the materials, and guess what?"
Wu Yuxiao's eyes were filled with murderous intent, and his dissatisfaction with his work was pouring out.
"They actually mocked me, saying I was desperate to make a name for myself. They said it was impossible for someone at the mid-stage of the Bone Refining Realm to kill an entire battalion, chase after tens of thousands of people, or lead everyone out of the county town single-handedly with a sword, and then kill an enemy within thirty meters with a single move. Inspector Zheng, tell me, am I mistaken?"
"Yes."
"Yes, that's right, absolutely right, but so what? They still don't believe me. I'm just a nobody with little influence. Otherwise, with your combat strength and potential, you would definitely shine in Yan City."
Wu Yuxiao is very principled. He said a lot, but didn't reveal a single word of the core information.
He went to Lvchang City on a mission to record the general situation of the Red Turban Army's battles. This shows that the court already knew that the Red Turban Army was powerful, but no reinforcements had arrived in Lvchang County. This shows that the First Prince's power was dominant in the court, and the Fourth Prince's power had been disintegrated, so he was powerless to resist.
Wu Yuxiao did not reveal which organization he belonged to, and there was no formal document inviting Zheng Qian. Tonight, he seemed to be venting his emotions, and what he said was all that he considered unimportant, and there was indeed not much confidential information.
The organization he belongs to must have a strict hierarchical system and be extremely secretive.
The two drank until dawn. The streets were pitch black. Wu Yuxiao stood up and looked in the direction of the palace, feeling full of pride.
“Zheng Qian, my combat strength is not as good as yours, but your understanding of Yan City is not as good as mine. I live at No. 33, Lane 2, Baigongfang, Xicheng. You are welcome to come and see me anytime. I, Wu Yuxiao, am determined to be your friend.”
Also, your swordsmanship, which involved slashing three swords across thirty meters, was really cool and deeply moved me. Traveling with you this past month has greatly changed my state of mind; I feel I'm about to break through to the Blood Refining Realm. I hope we can spar sometime then. Goodbye!
Wu Yuxiao left, and Zheng Qian understood his purpose.
He has no background, but he is unwilling to be ordinary, so he came to recruit him as an ally. There's no other reason than that he's a good fighter with unlimited potential.
Back at the inn, Zhang Tiezhu was still working late into the night on a 30,000-word analysis. It was difficult to write, but it greatly helped improve Zhang Tiezhu's political acumen.
The next day, He Zuowen got up early and saw Zheng Qian and Zhang Tiezhu walking from outside the inn with swords on their backs. He asked curiously.
"You two came in from outside early in the morning carrying weapons. Do you have some kind of mission?"
Zhang Tiezhu grinned, "Magistrate He, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) requires us to practice swordsmanship every morning. We've already gone out of the city to practice and are back."
"I admire you." He Zuowen really admired Zheng Qian. He hadn't fallen asleep when Zheng Qian returned last night, but when he woke up, Zheng Qian had already left the city and returned after practicing his sword. No wonder his combat strength was so strong.
After breakfast, the three of them sat and chatted in the inn.
“You weren’t here when I came back yesterday, so I didn’t tell Tiezhu. I’ve already met with Consort Yun. She will report the situation to the Fourth Prince. We just need to wait for news.”
He Zuowen did not elaborate on how he sought information from officials, nor did he mention that the emperor had not attended court for five months. These were things that could not be spoken aloud and could only be kept in his heart, especially the matter of the emperor not attending court.
“I wrote a 30,000-word analysis last night,” Zhang Tiezhu said, pulling out a thick stack of papers.
Zheng Qian glanced at it and handed it to Magistrate He, asking him to take a look. After all, Magistrate He was a seasoned official who had been a local tyrant for two years, so he must have some unique insights.
"Not bad, the analysis is fairly comprehensive, but it lacks depth." Magistrate He approved of Zhang Tiezhu after reading it, and he also understood Zhang Tiezhu's behavior of offending Jia Shi yesterday.
Zhang Tiezhu analyzed Jia Shi's position in Qixin Tower and also analyzed that it was useless for them to beg him. Therefore, someone had to come out to suppress his arrogance and speak well of him, giving him a way out. So Zhang Tiezhu's criticism of Jia Shi was purposeful.
"Depth?" Zhang Tiezhu frowned. He wrote about why he criticized Jia Shi yesterday, about the Red Turban Army, and about the disadvantages of the Fourth Prince in the struggle for the throne. He then divided these three main points into more than a dozen sub-points, writing a total of 30,000 words.
"Yes, it's not deep enough. You can listen to your head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) about this; he'll have a more comprehensive view on the depth."
Magistrate He smiled and passed the buck to Zheng Qian. He wanted to see how Zheng Qian would educate Zhang Tiezhu and hear Zheng Qian's views on the current situation.
This is a question-and-answer question, not about answering the current problems, but about answering the development trend of Wuyan Kingdom.
Neither of them was worried about the current situation. He Zuowen was confident that Consort Yun would help him. If Consort Yun's path was blocked, he had other paths to take, but he just needed time to wait.
Zheng Qian didn't care at all. If he couldn't get to Yan City, he would go north to find Zheng Le, shouting, "Are kings and nobles born with special privileges?" He would directly overthrow the Wu Yan Kingdom, regardless of whether it was the eldest prince or the fourth prince, and just kill them all.
He Zuowen was Zheng Qian's uncle, so he couldn't delay the test from his elders. He sorted out his thoughts and slowly spoke.
"First, Jia Shi looks like a ruthless and vicious villain. Yesterday he took away the Red Turban Army's military information. Whether he has the ability to send troops to support us is unknown, but he will definitely make things difficult for us. This is the management principle that the dignity of those in power cannot be violated."
Secondly, the Red Turban Army was only one force among the rebel armies. Analyzing only the Red Turban Army is too one-sided. Therefore, the analysis of the widespread distribution and impact of the rebel armies is not comprehensive enough. It is necessary to analyze the impact of the rebel armies on the ruling order of Wuyan Kingdom from multiple perspectives, such as geographical location, troop size, and influence. At the same time, the reason for the emergence of the rebel army is not analyzed, and the social contradictions and demands of the people behind the rebel army are not revealed.
Third, regarding the struggle for the throne among the princes, Tie Zhu only analyzed their spheres of influence, their supporters, and the strategies they employed. He failed to analyze how they cultivated their power, particularly how they utilized rebel armies to strengthen themselves. This approach is dangerous; it could exacerbate national instability and even trigger civil war.
After taking a sip of tea, Zheng Qian continued, "There are two more points you haven't considered. These two points will determine the direction of our future actions. If we make a mistake, all our efforts will be in vain, and we may even face life-or-death risks."
First, the complexity of court politics. The political struggles within the court are a major reason for the current situation in Wuyan Kingdom. The entanglements of interests, power struggles, and checks and balances between different factions can hinder policy-making, delay decision-making, and even trigger political crises.
Secondly, there is uncertainty about the nation's future. The widespread distribution of rebel armies, the fierce struggle for the throne, and the complexity of court politics have made the future of Wuyan Kingdom highly unpredictable. This uncertainty has plunged the nation and its people into a deep predicament, and it is difficult to say who will seize power if the current situation does not change.
In conclusion, we can envision the future of Wuyan Kingdom and then decide how to survive in this chaotic world.
After listening, He Zuowen wore a calm smile on his face, but his heart was filled with shock, and he didn't know how to evaluate it.
He couldn't reach the level of Zheng Qian's analysis.