This Old Man Wanted to Usurp the Throne (Two-in-One)

Ma Feifei's rare appearance at the Mysterious Bookstore today caused quite a stir. For the cultivators of Dubian Town, the disappearance of the Mysterious Bookstore owner for even a day or two made them uneasy, anxious, and uneasy, as if they had lost their pillar of support.

So when Ma Feifei appeared at the Bookstore today, the Bookstore outside was instantly crowded with cultivators, all staring intently at Ma Feifei, which made him quite embarrassed.

Originally, Ma Feifei had planned to copy down the Book of Book of Changes, but seeing the current situation, it seemed unlikely. In the end, Ma Feifei decided to go to the backyard to read the Tao Te Ching and see if he could comprehend it as soon as possible so that the Tao Te Ching could be put on the shelves sooner.

After all, this is a book on the same level as the Analects, Ma Feifei felt that this book should also cause a sensation, at least no less than the Analects.

Of course, in fact, Ma Feifei still doesn't understand whether Gongsun Qiong or Chang Kong benefited the most from the book "The Analects". According to the level of comprehension, Gongsun Qiong directly obtained the Book Spirit and possessed the Righteous Qi, so Gongsun Qiong should have benefited the most. However, Gongsun Qiong's cultivation level did not increase at all, and he did not find any different changes.

Chang Kong Renjia, on the other hand, directly transcended the Transcendent to Saint realm because of this book, and the benefits he gained on the cards were far greater than those of Gongsun Qiong.

Therefore, in comparison, it is actually Chang Kong, who did not comprehend the Book Spirit, who is the biggest beneficiary of the Analects.

But does this mean that the Analects can only lead people to Transcendent to Saint?

Is it the same as the Yellow Quality book "The Art of War?

That doesn't seem to make sense either.

Therefore, the biggest beneficiary should still be Gongsun Qiong, but it is not yet possible to Analytic exactly how much benefit Gongsun Qiong gained.

If we can't Analytic, let's aim higher. If the * the Analects * could propel Gongsun Qiong to the Immortal Realm, then perhaps the * Tao Te Ching *, being of similar caliber, could too?

Thinking of this, Ma Feifei felt a surge of excitement! If he could cultivate an Immortal Realm and break the embarrassing situation of Azure Dragon not having a Celestial for 30,000 years, wouldn't the Mysterious Bookstore become incredibly popular? All Azure Dragon nine ruins, Seven Great Academies, five great nations, four adventurer holy lands, and top sects and forces of Canglong would have to kneel and tremble at Ma Feifei's feet.

And so, with her inner turmoil still lingering, Ma Feifei took out the Tao Te Ching from the drawer and prepared to walk towards the backyard.

"Shopkeeper!" Suddenly, Ma Feifei was called out to, and at the same time, he was pulled out of the illusion space and turned to look at the person who had called him.

An elderly man dressed in elaborate black robes, again an elderly man...

He had regular features and was definitely a Looker when he was young. But no matter how handsome he was, he couldn't withstand the ravages of time. His hair had turned a little gray and his face didn't have the same luster as a young man.

"Excuse me, fellow book lover, is there anything I can help you with?" Ma Feifei asked curiously. Actually, there's an unspoken rule in the Mysterious Bookstore: you can't disturb the owner. That's why Ma Feifei can comfortably sit at the Bookstore's counter copying books every day. Unlike today, there are too many people watching him, so he had no choice but to stop copying and go to the backyard to study the Tao Te Ching.

At this moment, Zhang Yunji was standing at the door, also saw this scene and quickly ran over to the old man, saying, "Prime Minister Yuwen, this is Bookstore. Please abide by the rules inside the Bookstore. You have seriously disrupted the normal order of the Bookstore these past few days. If you continue like this, I will have to kick you out of the Bookstore."

The one who stopped Ma Feifei was none other than Yuwen Hongdu, the Great Yan. In the few days that Ma Feifei was away, he had gone to any lengths to snatch that Yellow Quality book, "Han Feizi." Not only did he use dirty tricks on others when he was trying to grab the book every day, but if he didn't manage to get it, he wouldn't look for other books to read. Instead, he would hang around next to other readers who were reading this book, humming and harassing them, thus affecting their reading experience.

But this old man was incredibly shameless, constantly using his status as the Yan State to intimidate others. While the readers being harassed might not be afraid of Yuwen Hongdu in terms of cultivation, how thick-skinned was Yuwen Hongdu? What good was a higher cultivation level? Did he have a powerful sect or family behind him? Did they have interests scattered throughout the Azure Dragon Continent? Like Spirit Crystal Vein Mine and such. Yan State vast; surely your sect or family had business there?

And that was it. The intent behind the threat was far too obvious. If you dared to offend the Yan State today, your business in Yan State would be suppressed by the third most powerful person in Yan State.

He may lack skill, but he's good at being a thug!

When faced with such a rogue, everyone was truly at a loss for words. However, they couldn't give up the opportunity to read Yellow Quality books, so they could only grit their teeth and endure Yuwen Hongdu's harassment to get through a difficult day of reading "Han Feizi".

Since no readers reported it, Zhang Yunji and Luan Feng, as shop assistants, couldn't interfere. They were all free book lovers; one liked to cause trouble, and the other was willing to put up a fight, so the officials couldn't do anything about it. However, not being able to do anything didn't mean they couldn't see it. Yuwen Hongdu's status was already there, and since Zhang Yunji and Luan Feng knew him, he naturally attracted more attention. So, they saw everything Yuwen Hongdu did.

"Yunji, when have I ever broken the Bookstore rules?" Yuwen Hongdu looked at Ma Feifei with a kind expression. He was quite interested in the owner of the Mysterious Bookstore, and he didn't care about Zhang Yunji 'Yuwen Hongdu warning at all.

"This..." Zhang Yunji was stunned, not knowing what to say. Did Yuwen Hongdu violate the store rules? No, but did he follow the rules? No, because this old man was being disgusting.

"It's alright, it's alright, Yunji, you go about your business." Ma Feifei smiled and gestured to Zhang Yunji not to be angry. She was also somewhat surprised by the other party's identity. It was another prime minister. Could it be that she had a special connection with prime ministers these past few days? She just wondered which country's prime minister this was.

Since Ma Feifei had spoken, Zhang Yunji couldn't say anything. He walked back to the Bookstore entrance with a grim expression. He found the old man increasingly annoying. He could tell from the time he hosted the banquet at Yihong Tower. Who the hell hosts a banquet at Yihong Tower and then sends someone to the mansion to deliver the message? Didn't he know to pass notes? In the end, Zhang Yunji had no choice but to bring his wife and sister to the banquet—a real banquet!

"May I ask what business the Prime Minister has with me?" Since he was the Prime Minister, Ma Feifei had to give him some face, after all, he was a customer of his Bookstore, not an enemy.

"I am Yuwen Hongdu, the former Prime Minister of Yan State. I have troubled you, innkeeper, because I have a favor to ask." Yuwen Hongdu had been in Dubian Town for several days. He had only read the book "Han Feizi" for one day and had not understood anything about it. The feeling was too uncomfortable. When he saw Ma Feifei this time, he finally couldn't hold back and stepped forward to stop Ma Feifei.

Upon hearing this, Ma Feifei, the Prime Minister of Yan State, subconsciously glanced at Luan Feng in the corner. As if sensing Ma Feifei's gaze, Luan Feng raised her head and met Ma Feifei's eyes, her eyes filled with a hint of inquiry.

Ma Feifei shook his head, indicating that nothing was wrong, then turned to look at Yuwen Hongdu and asked, "What is it?"

The Yan State suddenly had a favor to ask. Could it be that his help in helping Crown Prince Yan reclaim the throne had been leaked? Ma Feifei vaguely remembered the Yan State. It was when he had just arrived in this world that he heard adventurers in the tavern mention that Yan Xun of Yan State was the Yan State's son-in-law. In other words, Yuwen Hongdu and Yan Xun, who had fled to the Northern Liang Great Grassland, were father-in-law and son-in-law.

However, according to this logic, if Yuwen Hongdu knew about his help in reclaiming the throne for Crown Prince Crown Prince Yan, then he should be the person Yuwen Hongdu hated the most. How could Yuwen Hong possibly ask him for something? What could he ask for? That he should help him bring down Crown Prince Yan and let his son-in-law take the throne? Am I crazy?

"Uh..." Yuwen Hongdu glanced around. Although the Bookstore was spacious, it was also quite crowded, making it not a suitable place to discuss business.

"We can discuss room number one, but there will be an additional venue fee of one hundred Spirit Crystal," Ma Feifei said with a smile. Since room number one became the Green Grassland, Ma Feifei has never allowed anyone to enter it, even after the Green Grassland disappeared. It has become Ma Feifei's private lounge.

"Of course, no problem." Yuwen Hongdu took out one hundred Spirit Crystal and handed them to Ma Feifei. Ma Feifei also wanted to know what the Yan State wanted to do, so he led him into private room number one. The two sat down on the sofa, and Yuwen Hongdu saw a teapot on the table and took the initiative to pour tea for Ma Feifei.

"Prime Minister Yuwen, please speak. If I can help, I certainly will." Ma Feifei nodded in satisfaction. At least this prime minister was much more sensible than the one from Qin State. He knew his place and how to advance and retreat. Ma Feifei particularly liked dealing with this type of person. Of course, whether he could help or not depended on just how important the 'important matter' Prime Minister Yuwen mentioned was, and whether the fee was sufficient. Otherwise, liking him would be pointless.

"It's like this, I want to know if that Yellow Quality book 'Han Feizi' can really make people comprehend the Emperor's Aura?" Yuwen Hongdu was also extremely anxious. Right now, there are undercurrents in the Yan State. He has been away for so long, and he certainly can't hide from the eyes of those who are interested. If he can't obtain the Emperor's Aura and return soon, things will be troublesome if they find this place.

Ma Feifei was a little surprised to hear this. Isn't the Emperor's Aura something only kings need? What would a prime minister need it for? It can't enhance one's own cultivation, so it's completely useless. Moreover, if a prime minister suddenly possesses the Emperor's Aura, others will inevitably overthink it and think that this person has ulterior motives and wants to usurp the throne. If the news reaches the king, he will probably lose his head.

'Could this old man be plotting to usurp the throne?' Ma Feifei wondered. The new emperor of Yan State had just ascended the throne, and the former king had gone to join forces with the Northern Liang nomads, trying to find a way to reclaim the throne. In addition, Qin State troops were stationed on the border, eyeing the country covetously. The entire Yan State was basically in chaos. If Yuwen Hongdu, as the prime minister, had ulterior motives at this time, he might actually succeed.

However, the new emperor of Yan State is Crown Prince Yan, who was put on the throne by Ma Feifei. If this old man truly has ulterior motives, wouldn't that be tantamount to betraying Ma Feifei's subordinate?

Thinking of this, Ma Feifei calmly picked up his teacup, drank the Enlightenment Tea, and said with an air of composure, "Is Your Excellency questioning the effectiveness of the books in my shop?"

"No, no, I've been studying Han Feizi for several days now, but I haven't been able to grasp its essence. It's truly perplexing. I hope the shopkeeper can offer some guidance." Yuwen Hongdu quickly waved his hand and took out a spatial bag from his ring, placing it on the table.

The meaning is quite clear: this old man really wanted to comprehend the Emperor's Aura, but his aptitude was too poor and he had never succeeded. That's why he came to Ma Feifei, hoping to get Ma Feifei to help him comprehend the Emperor's Aura through some back door.

"Is Your Excellency insulting me?" Ma Feifei pouted, his face not looking too good. He was, after all, a cultured man, and to insult people with Spirit Crystal so easily was really going too far.

Before Yuwen Hongdu could speak, Ma Feifei added, "I think I understand what you mean. Take the things back. I'll give you a suggestion; whether it works or not is up to fate."

"Please enlighten me, shopkeeper!" Yuwen Hongdu bowed respectfully, his face beaming with excitement. From the first day he arrived in Dubian Town until today, Yuwen Hongdu had witnessed too many wonders of the Mysterious Bookstore, and he regarded the shopkeeper as a celestial being. His previous arrogance had long been forgotten, leaving only awe and respect.

"Our Bookstore has a Blue Quality book called 'The Legend of Flying Swallow,' which is similar in theme to 'Han Feizi.' However, compared to the Yellow Quality book, the Blue Quality book is easier to understand. If you can understand 'The Legend of Flying Swallow,' then understanding 'Han Feizi' will definitely be no problem." Ma Feifei said with a warm smile and genuine sincerity.

"The Legend of Flying Swallow?" Upon hearing this, Yuwen Hongdu memorized the four characters and his face lit up with joy. The name itself was extraordinary; if it had been circulated outside the palace, then the person named Feiyan must be of high status.

Seeing Yuwen Hongdu's expression, Ma Feifei barely suppressed a laugh, stood up, and said, "I've already told the Prime Minister the solution. Whether it succeeds or not depends on the Prime Minister's own talent. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave."

After saying that, Ma Feifei walked straight out of private room number one.

Yuwen Hongdu didn't come out; he sat on the sofa, staring blankly at the four characters "The Legend of Flying Swallow."

What kind of book is "The Legend of Flying Swallow"? It describes the licentious affairs of Zhao Feiyan in the palace during the reign of Emperor Cheng of Han. Simply put, it's Yellow novel.

This book was on the bookshelf, and if Ma Feifei remembered correctly, only Zhang Yunji would occasionally take it to read, because the book contained information on Bedchamber Arts!

Who would spend hundreds of thousands of Spirit Crystal to come in just to learn Bedchamber Arts? They'd be crazy. Only Bookstore employee like Zhang Yunji, a bored person who can read books for free, would read this kind of book.

As for why this book was shown to Yuwen Hongdu... isn't it obvious? His subordinate's ministers harbored ill intentions, so as the leader, shouldn't Ma Feifei help them out?

"Sigh! This book is harmful. I'll burn it later." Ma Feifei came to the front of the hall, glanced at Zhang Yunji, and found that his complexion was indeed not as good as before. His eyes were dull and unfocused, and he seemed Frillish. It was most likely because he had read too much of this kind of book.

In order to build a harmonious and beautiful society, Ma Feifei felt that after the Yan State finished reading the book, it should be burned. He, Ma Feifei, ran Bookstore full of positive energy, and all the messy stuff should not appear.

'Yes, and that copy of "The Legend of Bai Jie" under my pillow, I'll burn it later too.'