642: A list with extremely high value

The Lü Zheng before him was a completely different person from when they first met.

Back then, he wore a Laurel Crown on his head and even came with a "Mosaic" effect; every gesture carried an innate nobility and aloofness, like an aristocrat from the clouds.

But now, the aura around him had faded, and that noble temperament in his expression had been completely retracted, leaving only a sense of peace after much accumulation, as ordinary as any common official seen in a department.

That Laurel Crown, symbolizing a special status, was naturally nowhere to be seen.

Li Yang looked at his profile, which retained the same contours but had a vastly different temperament, and couldn't help but feel puzzled.

Hearing this, Lü Zheng turned his face, a gentle smile curling at the corners of his eyes. The smile spread along the lines beneath his eyes, lacking the aloofness of their first meeting and adding a touch of worldly warmth.

"Haha, I didn't expect Comrade Li Yang to still remember me."

His voice was a bit deeper than their last meeting, shedding its aristocratic coldness and adding the humility of an ordinary official.

Li Yang quickly waved his hand, a sincere smile appearing on his face, his tone carrying an unquestionable certainty.

"comrade Lü Zheng, you must be joking. I could forget anyone, but I could never forget you."

This wasn't just politeness.

The meeting gift Lü Zheng had sent last time was no ordinary treasure, so it naturally left a deep impression.

At this point, Li Yang finally couldn't suppress his curiosity. His gaze unconsciously swept across Lü Zheng's smooth crown, and after a moment's hesitation, he asked.

"By the way, that... Laurel Crown on your head, why aren't you wearing it?"

He slowed down midway through his sentence, afraid of touching upon a taboo, his tone carrying a hint of cautious inquiry.

After all, they hadn't been in contact since their last meeting, and their relationship wasn't particularly close, so he couldn't be too casual.

"Oh, you mean that Laurel Crown."

Lü Zheng smiled understandingly, raising his hand to casually touch his hair, his tone nonchalant.

"It's fine to wear it when going out for fun or attending some celebrations, as it's a symbol of status. But for a meeting of this caliber, where everyone is here for the Empire's affairs, I don't want to appear prominent or special because of such a thing; that would be quite tacky."

He said this with frank eyes, without the slightest hint of affectation, as if he were merely speaking of a very ordinary matter.

Hearing this, Li Yang couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.

For Lü Zheng to proactively set aside his symbol of status, such clarity and humility were indeed rare.

At this moment, Lü Zheng cast his gaze around the conference hall and asked with a hint of seriousness.

"Comrade Li Yang, what are your thoughts on this meeting?"

Li Yang was stunned for a moment. His fingertips unconsciously brushed the edge of the table, and after a moment of contemplation, he spoke truthfully.

"Well... to be honest, this is the first time I've ever heard of such a meeting. When I received the notice, I read it over several times. If the document hadn't borne the signature and seal of the Supreme Political Council, I would have thought someone was playing a huge joke on me."

As he said this, a self-deprecating smile appeared on his face.

"Haha, that's normal."

Lü Zheng laughed heartily. His voice wasn't loud, but it was just enough for the two of them to hear clearly.

"This kind of meeting is held only once a century and is considered one of the Empire's top-tier conferences. The participants are recommended and filtered through layers by various departments and administrative divisions of each Star Domain. Not only must they have outstanding political achievements, but they also need sufficient seniority and reputation. On average, only about a thousand people are eligible for each meeting."

"Only a thousand people selected from the entire Empire..."

Li Yang was somewhat surprised. He had thought it was just a simple commendation ceremony, but he hadn't expected it to be of such high caliber.

He instinctively raised his eyes to scan the entire conference hall. Long tables stretched out row after row, every seat occupied, and everyone's face bore a hint of solemnity and gravity.

Across the entire Empire, the number of officials, large and small, was completely uncountable, yet only a thousand were selected to attend this meeting. This ratio was so low it was simply staggering.

He looked down at the nameplate on his desk and couldn't resist observing the nameplates of those around him.

Famous titles came into view one after another—either powerful Speakers and Secretaries, or Ministers and Directors in charge of regional affairs—all of whom were pivotal figures in local politics.

Not a single one was below a C-rank official; on the contrary, his status as a C8-rank official was actually near the bottom.

Li Yang quietly clenched his palms, becoming increasingly aware of the high caliber of this meeting.

Most of those present were B-rank officials, with steady auras and gestures that exuded the competence of those who had long held high positions.

Meanwhile, C-rank officials like him were few and far between, scattered among the crowd and appearing particularly inconspicuous.

A strong sense of urgency intertwined with honor surged in his heart. He took a deep breath and secretly told himself that he must cherish this rare opportunity.

Having calmed down, Li Yang prepared to find other topics to chat about.

After all, building a good relationship with Lü Zheng was very important.

Li Yang suddenly remembered the figure who had been by Lü Zheng's side when they first met, so he asked casually.

"I see... By the way, what about the person by your side? The one who was with you during our last meeting—why didn't they come?"

When he said this, his tone was natural, as if asking in passing, without much thought.

"Oh, you mean Lü Xia?"

Lü Zheng raised an eyebrow at the question, then chuckled and shook his head. His tone carried a bit of self-deprecation, yet concealed a trace of imperceptible solemnity.

"Li Yang, you think too highly of our Lü Family. To be honest, this time in our Lü Family, I'm the only one who could get this ticket."

Upon hearing this, an embarrassed smile immediately appeared on Li Yang's face, and he raised his hand to scratch the back of his head.

"Sorry, sorry. I thought..."

He stopped halfway through his sentence.

He had thought that with the Lü Family's heritage—especially since the Family had produced a top figure like the Prime Minister of the Political Council—they would have at least two or three slots for such a meeting, but he hadn't expected only Lü Zheng to be selected.

This further confirmed the high caliber of the meeting; it was high beyond imagination, where even top aristocratic families had to compete based on true ability.

Lü Zheng took in his embarrassed appearance, and the smile in his eyes deepened.

After a few rounds of back-and-forth exchange, he felt that Li Yang was an honest person without the common slickness of officialdom, and the distance between them quietly narrowed quite a bit.

He simply set aside his previous humility, changed the subject, and teased with a hint of playfulness.

"What? Suddenly asking about Lü Xia—are you interested in my sister?"

Although he said this jokingly, there was a hint of seriousness hidden in his eyes.

Lü Zheng understood clearly in his heart.

Li Yang's talent and potential were highly valued even by their grandfather, who held a high position and had discerning eyes; he had mentioned Li Yang many times in Family meetings with high praise.

Moreover, Li Yang was of pure Human bloodline, had upright character, and an outstanding political record. Standing with his sister, aside from Family background, everything else—whether ability or status—was a perfect match; they were simply a match made in heaven.