An Underground Coal Mine, and a Calf Arrives from the East!

"Father, your son takes his leave!"

"Mm, go. Learn more from Wei Zheng about how to handle affairs, but don't pick up his temper.

"Keep Chen Fan safe. Once you go, he's sure to attract everyone's attention!"

Li Shimin nodded and gave his instructions with a serious expression.

Li Chengqian bowed once more, then stood up, his figure tall and straight.

"I'll remember your words and follow your teachings, Father!"

"Good. Go!"

Li Shimin rubbed his forehead, looking somewhat impatient.

Seeing this, Li Chengqian's eyes dimmed slightly. He bowed again, then took his leave.

As he watched Li Chengqian's retreating figure, a trace of tenderness slipped through the mask he'd kept hidden.

"He still lacks experience. How could he hold the throne steady with a temperament like that?"

Li Chengqian naturally didn't hear Li Shimin's muttering.

The few palace eunuchs who did hear him lowered their heads, wishing they could pretend they'd heard nothing at all.

Suddenly, a eunuch hurried over and respectfully addressed Li Shimin.

"Your Majesty, Lord Xue of the Ministry of War, Lord Feng of the Ministry of Rites, Lord Zhang, and two others request an audience!"

"Xue Chengfeng, Feng Wancheng, and the others?"

Li Shimin thought it over briefly, then realized who they were.

Though he'd made good use of Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji's former subordinates, his main purpose had been to keep in check the faction Li Yuan had left behind.

It was impossible that he had no reservations about them whatsoever.

But until they made some clear move, Li Shimin had no intention of acting against them.

They'd always worked diligently, doing their jobs.

They neither did anything extra nor neglected any task.

The two sides had maintained this slow process of testing one another and gradually building trust.

Now they'd suddenly come together to see him. Could it be that they finally trusted him completely and were ready to speak from the heart?

That would be good news!

Li Shimin smiled and waved his hand.

"Have them wait in the Hall of Two Ceremonies. I'll be there shortly!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Your subjects Xue Chengfeng, Feng Wancheng... pay their respects to Your Majesty!"

"Rise, my lords. What brings you here?"

Li Shimin asked cheerfully, sweeping his gaze over their faces and nodding inwardly.

Most of the key members among Li Jiancheng's former followers were here.

The remaining two or three no longer mattered.

Once he had control of Li Jiancheng's former faction, he could make some headway with the old ministers his father had left at court.

He could give a few of them unimportant posts to retire in, without worrying about unrest in the government.

"Well..."

They looked at one another, none of them having expected everyone to show up together.

Damn, this was a little awkward!

Xue Chengfeng gritted his teeth. Since most of them were already there, it didn't matter.

"Your Majesty, I have a matter of great importance to report. I ask that you dismiss everyone else!"

Li Shimin's smile faded as he scrutinized Xue Chengfeng several times.

Then he waved his hand, leaving only Gu Zhong behind.

Meanwhile, in a temple somewhere outside the imperial palace.

A nun with a compassionate expression and an aura of peaceful serenity sat in quiet meditation.

Before her stood the brothers Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, their bodies shrouded in a chilling Yin aura.

Suddenly, Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji both shuddered, delight flashing in their eyes.

"Bodhisattva, my second brother already knows that we've returned from the Underworld!"

Sensing a faint connection from somewhere beyond, Li Jiancheng hurriedly told the nun before him.

The nun slowly opened her eyes, her pure gaze sweeping over Li Jiancheng.

In an instant, Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji felt as if they'd been cleansed by clear water, all their emotions vanishing.

"Amitabha. Excellent, excellent!

"Fate is settled, and the greater plan is complete. I thank you both for your assistance!"

As Li Jiancheng received the nun's bow, wariness flashed in his eyes.

He hurriedly pulled his younger brother aside, forcing a smile as he reminded her, "We helped Guanyin Bodhisattva avoid the Son of Heaven's imperial aura, and Bodhisattva helped us establish a kingdom of ghosts in the Yellow Springs.

"It was merely a transaction. There's no need for Bodhisattva to bow so deeply!"

"Whether I am at ease or not, I see that I am at ease. Benefactor, you possess great wisdom!"

Guanyin formed a Buddhist mudra. The Jade Pure Bottle rose in her hand, sealing away this karmic connection.

Seeing that Guanyin had finished her preparations, Li Jiancheng cupped his hands and said, "This matter is settled. We'll wait for karma to run its course, and Yuanji and I will await Bodhisattva's good news!"

With that, Li Jiancheng, still wary, pulled Li Yuanji along and fled.

Black mists of Yin energy billowed, and their figures vanished in an instant.

Once the two had left, the compassionate, peaceful aura around Guanyin vanished completely.

She raised her pale hand and wiped sweat that wasn't there from her forehead, then grumbled, "Good grief, this damn Chang'an City suppresses humanity way too much.

"I'll leave what comes next to Yuan Shouchang. I'm exhausted. I'm off to rest!"

Inside the Hall of Two Ceremonies, Li Shimin scolded them with a livid expression.

"Utter nonsense! You all..."

Looking at how serious Xue Chengfeng and the others were, Li Shimin pressed his lips together and ultimately held back from speaking harshly.

Though he really didn't want to believe those two had returned, there was no reason for Xue Chengfeng and the others to joke about something like this.

Still, if they were willing to report even a matter like this to him, then at least they'd come over to his side. That was good news, too!

"I was a little out of line. My lords, forgive me. Guards!

"Reward Lord Xue, Lord Feng, and the other three with a hundred taels of gold and ten bolts of silk!"

"Your subjects thank Your Majesty for your generous reward!"

Ten li south of Zhao Family Village, Chen Fan gazed at the wide expanse of barren land before him, brimming with confidence.

"I want everything from here to here. How much?"

The deputy magistrate of Qingshui County held a map, following Chen Fan's directions, his eyes shining.

He called over the clerks from the land office, who each picked up an abacus and began calculating with a clatter.

"Young Master Chen has an excellent eye! It's rare to find land like this, all in one stretch, with mountains and rivers extending as far as the eye can see!"

Underground Coal Mine, Calves Arrive from the East!

"Under the laws of our dynasty, Young Master Chen, you generally don't have to pay to reclaim wasteland.

"But the amount of land you're taking up is so vast that it will affect the allotment fields of several nearby villages.

"Besides, the scenery here is picturesque, with mountains and rivers stretching far into the distance.

"Our dynasty sets the price for wasteland at half a string of cash per mu. But since you're buying so much, I'll sell it to you for four hundred and fifty copper coins per mu. What do you think, Young Master Chen?"