103: past

"It is fine. In fact, who else but you would think that?" The Grand Empress Dowager shook her head with a bitter smile. "That day, I also advised the late Emperor that he should let go of what needs to be let go, otherwise, it would only lead to endless trouble. But the late Emperor remembered their friendship, and Zhou Chutian truly had talent. Although Ning Wuya came later, that man was a pure official, and a lone official..."

"A lone official is good, but there are some things Ning Wuya cannot do. The late Emperor and Zhou Chutian were at odds, and although the world was governed in an orderly fashion, everyone knew this was just the calm before the storm."

Mo Yingqi had also heard that before Ning Wuya became Grand Chancellor, he served in the Ministry of Justice and was known as the Bao Qingtian of the Daxing Dynasty.

This person never cared about the prominent background of criminals when judging cases, only about their guilt.

Regardless of who violated the law, Ning Wuya would handle it according to the law. Even when the Ministry of Justice was trying one of the late Emperor's uncles, others advised him to be lenient, but Ning Wuya insisted on cooperating with the Pacification Bureau to handle it according to the law, and had the person escorted directly to the execution ground.

Precisely because of Ning Wuya's purity and stubbornness, the late Emperor and The Emperor both admired him extremely. However, while such a person had the ability, he was also unable to balance and mobilize officials like Zhou Chutian could.

"Ning Wuya is not pedantic, but he is also unwilling to go with the flow. The Emperor appreciates him, and so do I, but he himself knows that he cannot be as comprehensive as Zhou Chutian." The Grand Empress Dowager sighed. "But this is also good. The imperial court and the officialdom are just a big dyeing vat. It is inappropriate for me to say this, but it is the truth."

"Everyone in this world wants to find a piece of pure land, but they don't know that wherever there are people, there will be disputes, and wherever there are people, there will be these intrigues. Animals play tricks and use means for survival and territory, let alone humans. It is not easy for Ning Wuya to have achieved what he has today. It's just that even now, in the imperial court, apart from the Shen Family, there are still very few officials who are on good terms with Ning Wuya."

The Grand Empress Dowager sighed at this point. It was precisely because Zhou Chutian was too comprehensive that even now, with the New Emperor ascended to the throne, he still cannot be replaced.

"However, it is not to say that there is no hope at all." The Grand Empress Dowager seemed to have thought of something and suddenly turned her gaze completely to Mo Yingqi. "That Tang Jingzhong recommended by the Marquis Yongding, I think he is very good, and he is also talent for the Cabinet."

"Grand Empress Dowager, do you already know?" Mo Yingqi was a bit surprised. "Your Humble Servant only recommended Jingzhong to be the deputy chief examiner for this Special Imperial Examination. As for the Cabinet... I'm afraid it's too early to say?"

"Although I have no interest in state affairs, I still care about my own family." The Grand Empress Dowager smiled slightly. "The Emperor has been sending pigeons to deliver letters regarding your affairs. Now that the Special Imperial Examination is imminent, the Marquis Yongding's consideration in selecting Tang Jingzhong as the deputy chief examiner this time is quite good."

"Grand Empress Dowager, you flatter me, Your Humble Servant is terrified."

"Silly child, this is the truth." The Grand Empress Dowager's praise for Mo Yingqi increased a little more. "Having experienced the examination fraud case, possessing brilliant talent, and having served in the Pacification Bureau, more importantly, he has no cronies, and is not anyone's Disciples."

"This is what Your Humble Servant should do. The Emperor conferred the title of Marquis Yongding upon me, and I am still serving in the Pacification Bureau. Besides, Jingzhong also does not want anyone else to experience the same things he did." Mo Yingqi said, then paused for a moment, and then his tone carried a hint of inquiry. "Grand Empress Dowager, does the residence of Grand Chancellor Zhou have guards?"

The Grand Empress Dowager's hand, which was about to pick up the teacup, stopped in mid-air for a moment. Then she slowly pulled her hand back, and the look in her eyes as she looked at Mo Yingqi carried a hint of unbearable pity: "It must be that those two children, Yong'an and Yongning, told you something, right? Sigh, it is indeed true. Speaking of which, it is also a grievance."

"When the late Emperor was still in his private residence, Emperor Chengzhong, just like the late Emperor training The Emperor, sent him to the front line to learn military affairs. Our Daxing Dynasty's founding emperor built the empire with his own hands, so he was extremely strict with his sons. Not to mention whether they were made Crown Prince, it is a tradition of the Daxing Dynasty for princes to be sent to the front line to learn military affairs."

"But Emperor Chengzhong forgot that the late Emperor was a target of public criticism and the biggest obstacle for other princes to become the next emperor. At that time, the Shen Family had not yet had the influence they have today, and the border areas were full of factions. When the late Emperor was patrolling the border defenses with his men, he didn't expect that someone would be bold enough to reveal the late Emperor's movements to the jin man people."

"These barbarians, having been surrounded and suppressed many times by the iron cavalry of the Daxing Dynasty, were both afraid of and hated the Daxing Dynasty. Knowing that the crown prince of the dynasty was patrolling the border, how could they let go of this opportunity? Plus, they had lived in the border areas for a long time, so they naturally knew the terrain better than the late Emperor, who was a student at the time."

"The cavalry of the jin man people ambushed the late Emperor, who only brought a few dozen riders. It was a coincidence that a Taoist priest happened to pass by. That Taoist priest had extremely high martial arts skills and saved the late Emperor with just one sword. Later, after the cavalry of the Shen Family received the news, they quickly provided support, and only then was the late Emperor rescued without any danger."

"The late Emperor was grateful for the Taoist priest's kindness and tried to persuade him to stay in every possible way, but the Taoist priest traveled all over the world, was used to being unrestrained, and did not want to have too much involvement with the imperial court. But the late Emperor truly admired the Taoist priest's martial arts cultivation and sincerely begged him. The Taoist priest finally had no choice but to agree to stay in the military camp for a period of time."

Mo Yingqi thought for a long time, but he couldn't remember his master ever mentioning any Taoist priest with such great skills. But his master had also mentioned to him that the world is vast, and there are always some reclusive sects and masters outside the world.

Speaking of Taoist priests, and with such high martial arts skills, it would be either Longhu Mountain or the Quanzhen Sect. But these two sects value cultivation, and Disciples would not easily take action, let alone that the Taoist priest sounded like a wandering person, and it seemed he had nothing to do with these two sects.

"After the late Emperor left the border, the Taoist priest was about to leave, but Zhou Chutian, who went to meet the late Emperor and return to the capital, said something, and the Taoist priest actually agreed to accompany him to the capital." The Grand Empress Dowager did not notice Mo Yingqi's strangeness and just continued. "I don't know what Zhou Chutian did, and I don't know what kind of deal he reached with that Taoist priest. In short, that Taoist priest eventually became an advisor in his Zhou Residence."

"It's just that this Taoist priest never takes the initiative to attack; he is only responsible for guarding the house. Over the years, many people have hated Zhou Chutian, and some have even sent people to assassinate him or tried every means to poison him. But unfortunately, the Taoist priest not only has high martial arts skills but is also like someone with Universal Poison Immunity. Any food or water that Zhou Chutian consumes, that Taoist priest will taste it personally."

Speaking of this, the Grand Empress Dowager suddenly showed a helpless smile: "Even the poison used by my monster-like in-law, the Maternal Grandmother of Yong'an and Yongning, was ineffective against that Taoist priest."