71: Chapter 71 The Grand Secretary!

Soon, sunlight bathed the entire capital.

Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The civil and military officials filed in, stood according to their rank, and waited for the Emperor to hold court.

But today, the atmosphere felt a bit off.

Grand Tutor Li Hanzhong stood at the very front, frowning, feeling a faint sense of unease in his heart.

He looked up at the Dragon Throne.

The Dragon Throne was empty, but that unsettling feeling was coming from the direction of the Dragon Throne.

"Old Li, Old Li, do you feel that..."

Grand Guardian Wu Zongxian, standing behind him, slowly leaned in, nudged Grand Tutor Li Hanzhong with his elbow, and asked in a low voice.

"Is the Qi in the hall today a bit different?"

Grand Tutor Li Hanzhong was startled by the sudden appearance of the old face and glared at him fiercely.

Then, he shook his head.

Because he didn't know how to describe it either.

He felt that the sense of oppression previously emanating from the throne seemed to have disappeared.

Just as they were still confused, the shrill voice of Eunuch Xiao Luzi suddenly rang out.

"Your Majesty has arrived!"

The officials knelt and shouted, "Long live the Emperor!"

Xia Chen walked out from the rear hall, his pace unhurried, and sat on the Dragon Throne, saying indifferently.

"All officials, rise."

The officials stood up and looked towards the Dragon Throne.

The moment Grand Tutor Li Hanzhong looked up, his pupils constricted.

Xia Chen was still the same Xia Chen; his face was the same, and the Dragon robe was the same.

Yet, he seemed like a completely different person.

The previous Xia Chen was sharp and exposed, like a drawn sword, making people afraid to look directly at him.

But the Xia Chen seen today was gentle and refined, with no detectable fluctuation of Qi about his body.

He was as calm as stagnant water, without a single ripple.

If it weren't for the fact that his face and voice hadn't changed, these people would have truly thought a fake emperor was sitting on the Dragon Throne.

Grand Tutor Li Hanzhong's heart skipped a beat.

He had lived for most of his life and had seen many experts, but he had never encountered such a situation.

How could a person have absolutely no Qi?

Even an ordinary person has weak fluctuations of Qi.

That comes from the fluctuations of vitality within the body.

Unless...

Unless the other party's cultivation was high enough to completely conceal their Qi.

A Land Immortal?

As soon as this thought emerged, Grand Tutor Li Hanzhong suppressed it.

How is that possible?

A Land Immortal had not appeared on this continent for hundreds of years.

The Great Xia had been founded for a hundred years, and there hadn't even been many at the Peak Heaven-Human Realm, so how could a Land Immortal suddenly appear?

Even the Late Emperor Xia Tianlin, for all his life, was only at the Heavenly Human Realm Late Stage.

But besides a Land Immortal, what other explanation was there?

Grand Tutor Li Hanzhong shook his head, not daring to think any further.

Perhaps Your Majesty had Cultivated some special Cultivation Technique, which allowed him to conceal his Qi to such an extent.

Yes, it must be so.

Grand Guardian Wu Zongxian stood to the side, his heart also in turmoil.

He was stronger than Grand Tutor Li Hanzhong, and his perception was even keener.

But that feeling of "emptiness" from Xia Chen made his spine chill.

He suddenly remembered that legend.

Returning to simplicity, Qi internalized, becoming one with Heaven and Earth.

A Land Immortal!

No way?

That is a Land Immortal.

A truly Immortal-like existence.

With a lifespan spanning hundreds or thousands of years, no different from an Immortal.

How could such a figure appear in a place like Great Xia?

It is rumored that thousands of years ago, due to some incident, the Heavenly Dao here was damaged, making it increasingly difficult for Land Immortals and stronger experts to appear.

After the last Land Immortal fell a thousand years ago, no Land Immortal had appeared since.

It must be that Your Majesty Cultivated some Cultivation Technique.

Definitely so.

Xia Chen sat on the Dragon Throne, looking at the expressions of the ministers below, naturally knowing what they were thinking.

After all, Great Xia had not seen a Land Immortal for a thousand years.

Now that such an expert had suddenly appeared, it would certainly make these ministers feel incredulous.

However, Xia Chen did not care.

"My ministers."

Xia Chen's voice broke the silence.

"At today's morning court, I have a matter to announce."

The hall slowly quieted down, and everyone pricked up their ears.

"The position of Minister of Personnel has been vacant for a long time."

"After much thought, I have found a suitable candidate."

The officials looked at each other.

Minister of Personnel?

That is the head of the Six Ministries, in charge of the assessment, appointment, and dismissal of officials throughout the realm.

Such an important position, is Your Majesty finally going to decide on it?

I wonder on whose head this heavy responsibility will fall.

Just as some officials from the Ministry of Personnel began to speculate, feeling that they had a chance, a loud voice brought them back to reality.

"Announce, Zhang Juzheng to have an audience."

Zhang Juzheng?

Who is this?

I've never heard of him.

Everyone's gaze turned towards the palace gate.

At the palace gate, a figure strode in.

The person looked to be only about forty years old.

He was tall, with a thin face, sporting a three-strand beard, and wearing an official robe.

His steps were very steady as he walked.

The moment he walked into the Hall of Supreme Harmony, an invisible aura permeated the air.

It was a kind of composure and confidence that comes from having seen it all.

Xia Chen looked at him and nodded inwardly.

This is Zhang Juzheng.

The Senior Grand Secretary during the Wanli era of the Great Ming.

When he saw this name in history textbooks in his previous life, he never imagined that one day he would see the living person with his own eyes.

Zhang Juzheng walked to the center of the hall, lifted his robe, and knelt on both knees.

"Your subject, Zhang Juzheng, pays respects to Your Majesty."

Xia Chen nodded with a smile.

"Minister Zhang, rise."

Zhang Juzheng stood up, standing in the crowd with an air of integrity.

He was completely out of place with those shifty-eyed officials.

Zhang Juzheng turned his face to look at the officials one by one.

His gaze was not only sharp but also carried a kind of righteous energy, making many people's hearts tremble.

"From today on."

Xia Chen's voice echoed in the hall.

"Zhang Juzheng is appointed as Minister of Personnel, concurrently serving as Senior Grand Secretary, with overall control of state affairs."

Wow!

The hall instantly erupted in an uproar.

"Your Majesty!"

A middle-aged official flashed out from the ranks, taking two steps in three, and slid directly to the center of the hall, kneeling.

Those who didn't know would think he was afraid of missing out on the action.

"Your subject has a memorial to present!"

Xia Chen saw clearly who it was.

Left Vice Minister of Rites Wang He, from Tianya Academy.

He had worked for decades and was a veteran.

"Speak."

Left Vice Minister of Rites Wang He raised his head and looked Zhang Juzheng up and down.

Those who didn't know would think that Left Vice Minister of Rites Wang He had some homosexual tendencies.

Left Vice Minister of Rites Wang He cleared his throat and said in a loud voice.

"May I ask if this Mr. Zhang has ever participated in the imperial examinations to obtain an official degree?"

Zhang Juzheng shook his head, "I have not obtained any official degree!"

Left Vice Minister of Rites Wang He curled the corner of his mouth and continued to ask.

"Then may I ask this Mr. Zhang, which of the six major academies are you from?"

Zhang Juzheng shook his head slightly: "I have not attended any academy."

A burst of whispering suddenly broke out in the hall.

Left Vice Minister of Rites Wang He curled his lip, knowing this kid was just some rustic bumpkin who hadn't come from any major academy.

The major academies communicated closely with each other.

Everyone knew or had at least heard of almost all the famous students.

And this person was very unfamiliar, so he knew he was a nobody with no reputation.

Left Vice Minister of Rites Wang He was inwardly elated, his mouth turned down, and he continued to ask.

"Then, sir, are you from some small academy?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Juzheng still shook his head.

"I have not attended any academy."

At this, the hall completely erupted.

"It would be one thing if he hadn't attended a major academy, but he hasn't even attended a small one?"

"That means he hasn't even studied books?"

"Then how is he qualified to be an official?"