"Are these people from the Zhao Family?"
"Xuanji, there is no need for such formalities. After dinner, I merely took a stroll and happened to reach the Grand Secretariat Hall. These past few days, I promoted you to Grand Preceptor and placed you in charge of civil administration. You have even more matters on your hands now, working until the dead of night every day. It has been hard on you."
The Dagan Emperor spoke with a genial expression, as though conversing with a close friend, displaying the intimate harmony between ruler and minister.
As Hong Yi stroked Lightning Chaser's mane, he heard footsteps behind him again. Turning around, he saw the most mysterious person in the Marquis Mansion—Steward Wu.
"The rites governing ruler and minister must not be disregarded. As Grand Preceptor, in charge of the realm's civil affairs, I must set an example for all officials under Heaven and dare not joke and laugh as an ordinary subject. Besides, Meng Bingyun is the successor of Taishang Dao, and she was registered among the lowly class of brothel women. Had I not declined, it would truly have thrown rites and order into disarray and drawn the censure of all officials. Since Your Majesty has mentioned the Daoist sects, this minister must offer one word of remonstrance. Daoists are people beyond the secular world; they use crooked paths of ghosts, gods, cultivation, and immortality to beguile the people. They do not engage in production and do not respect ritual law. At the slightest unrest in the realm, not only will they refuse to keep faith with their sovereign, they will harbor disloyal thoughts and shake the foundations of the state. Your Majesty should abolish the officially sanctioned Taishang Dao, Fangxian Dao, and Zhengyi Dao."
"You are right. When the realm