Hundred Schools Aura, Grand Confucians Gather!

"Um?"

When Li Kun uttered the words "My days are numbered," even Qiu Yan, with his composure, was moved and immediately wanted to speak.

But Li Kun waved his hand, stopping him, and said, "Qiu Qing, there's no need to be surprised or say more. I have verified this matter from multiple sources, and there is absolutely no error. I know that you are highly skilled, but some things cannot be resolved simply by Divine Ability..."

At this point, he shook his head, sighed, and said in a rather helpless tone, "If the Yama King decrees someone to die at midnight, who dares to keep them alive until dawn?"

"Yama King?" Qiu Yan's heart stirred, and he released his senses to cover Li Kun's body, trying to find out something. However, as soon as his senses touched the man's clothes, a torrential force burst out, repelling Qiu Yan's senses back!

Even at the moment of contact and envelopment, in Qiu Yan's perception, it was just a hazy blur, like a person walking in a fog, only able to vaguely see a bright yellow glow and catch a glimpse of Dragon Qi deep in the fog.

Across from him, Li Kun seemed oblivious. After a sigh, his spirits seemed low, but he quickly regained his composure, revealing a bitter smile, and continued, "Not many people know this news, not even my Empress or my mother. Moreover, my condition is not caused by a simple illness. Even the imperial physicians are few and far between, and the few who do know have been silenced by me."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Yan withdrew his senses, knowing that the emperor couldn't have told him such a secret on a whim. He glanced at the pale-faced old man, Eunuch Wei, standing not far away.

Just now, this eunuch Wei had already dispersed the surrounding guards and eunuchs, instructing them to stand in a more distant position to ensure they wouldn't hear what the emperor was saying.

Qiu Yan could understand this.

In the Imperial Palace, nothing is insignificant. If these guards and eunuchs were to leak even the smallest thing they saw or heard, it would be enough to cause quite a stir. It's inevitable that some would be bribed by officials outside the palace. The entire Imperial Palace is so vast that it's difficult to identify all those who have been bribed. Moreover, sometimes guards and eunuchs might inadvertently reveal information without needing to be bribed at all.

The matter Li Kun just mentioned is far too important. To be on the safe side, the best precaution is to keep everyone who might leak it far away.

"However, the Emperor's safety is equally important. The fact that these people have retreated weakens the defenses. Does this mean that even if I were to harm the Emperor, this Eunuch Wei is confident he can capture me? Or is there another expert hidden here? After all, this is the Imperial Palace; it's not surprising to find some experts here. Of course, within the Imperial Palace, the Dragon Qi is profound, and its suppression of Divine Ability is even stronger..."

Various thoughts flashed through his mind, while Li Kun, standing on his belly, continued, "Now that I have told Qiu Qing this news, I also have a request for you."

Upon hearing this, the Dragon Qi and Fortune within the palace shifted rapidly, converging towards Qiu Yan, causing his Fortune to soar even higher!

"Entrusting an orphan?"

Immediately, a word appeared in Qiu Yan's mind.

Although Li Kun is young and has not been on the throne for long, he is not without descendants. However, they are still young. If he is truly dying as he claims, then if his son ascends the throne after his death, he will be a young emperor.

In Great Rui, there was almost no precedent for a young emperor ascending the throne.

"... I know that you have now reached the rank of Grand Confucian Grandmaster, and your ambition is not in power. Therefore, I can entrust you with this task with peace of mind. In addition, your position at the Imperial Academy is also related to this. The Imperial Academy Doctor can impart knowledge and resolve doubts, which is enough for you to pass on your own ideas and learning to students and make them known to the world!"

"So that's the reason..."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Yan's mind raced, and he gained a clearer understanding of the many events that had occurred that day.

Today's conferment of honors includes three positions, all of which are only Fifth Grade official titles. While this may seem low-ranking, it involves three parties, encompassing influence, power, and academic ability. It cannot be simply explained by rank; it is a truly grand occasion.

Moreover, Li Kun was holding back Qiu Yan's military achievements, intending to reward him later. In this respect, the reward this time had already far exceeded Qiu Yan's expectations.

It should be noted that the army Qiu Yan assembled has now been incorporated into the national war front. Qiu Yan's actions on the Grasslands have long been regarded as part of the national war. Even though he is no longer on the battlefield or in the army, if that army achieves any results, Qiu Yan can still share in the credit when it comes to rewards and honors.

It can be said that suppressing battle achievements now is to accumulate them, and then giving them all at once later will be much better than expending them in advance.

Even if the battle situation changes, military merits and cultural contributions are divided equally, and Qiu Yan will not give back the rewards he has already received.

Of course, there is also a hidden problem here, which is that Qiu Yan's status as a cultivator determines that he cannot obtain a high-ranking position at present. Otherwise, the censor would not have proposed "excessive rewards", but rather "the evil Daoist is misleading the country".

"Now it seems that this Supreme Realm emperor was exchanging something with me. He knew that Grand Confucian and Grandmaster sought was nothing more than the dissemination of their teachings, so he catered to my desires and granted me the title of Doctor of the Imperial Academy. This title allows me to pass on my knowledge and teach students without having to expend energy managing the Imperial Academy..."

As Qiu Yan was pondering this, Li Kun opposite him said, "I have read both of your works, my dear minister. The painting in the ' Geography Section depicts the vast land and rivers, down to the smallest detail, and contains many mysterious elements. It is truly a national treasure and should not be shown to others lightly. Even if True Edition is made in the Original Edition, it cannot be printed throughout the world to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. At most, it can be circulated among the generals in the army."

This means that the scrolls of the Geography Section should be treated as military and state secrets and kept hidden. While this may seem detrimental to Qiu Yan, it is actually a very high compliment.

A painting, solemnly collected by the royal family, even True Edition derived from the Original Edition and lacking much of the added Order, was feared to be seen by someone with ulterior motives who might threaten the safety of the nation. Doesn't this mean that a single painting can influence the fate of the country?

Indeed, the Geography Section on geography in the * Essentials of the Military Classics * is very helpful for military operations. Great Rui can use it to defeat the enemy, but if the enemy obtains it, they can also gain a thorough understanding of Great Rui's geography.

Qiu Yan had anticipated these things and was not surprised. Moreover, as the author, he could still utilize the power of the classics even if the calligraphy and paintings were not with him. Therefore, he had no objection to Li Kun's decision to collect the Geography Section.

Moreover, in order to gather enough People's Prestige, maintain the inheritance of Humanistic Divine Path, and leave a mark on history, something is necessary, and the idea of the royal family keeping the map can completely achieve this goal.

Moreover, even if the Original Edition is collected, it's impossible to completely avoid diluting it to obtain the True Edition; there will simply be some omissions. These are things that both parties tacitly understand.

Seeing that Qiu Yan didn't say much, Li Kun knew that the other party understood his meaning, so he continued, "As for the 'Ministry of Military Affairs,' it can be called the essence, inheriting the wisdom of the predecessors and inspiring the ideas of the successors. Some of its views on the military system coincide with mine, so in the upcoming reform of the military system, I hope that you, my dear minister, can take the lead."

By this time, Qiu Yan understood the emperor's thoughts and the origin of the position of "Privy Council Chief Secretary".

But then he said, "As far as I know, neither Prime Minister Ma Xiang nor Prime Minister Wang approves of the reform of the military system. On the contrary, some young officials are quite interested in it, but their demands are different from Your Majesty's."

At first glance, military system reform seems to aim to improve the army's combat effectiveness. However, strictly speaking, the simplest way to improve combat effectiveness is for the national treasury to have enough money to pay salaries, replenish troops, and meet material needs. With these material foundations, it is not difficult to train a strong army by strengthening ideological construction.

This was also Wang Fu's idea. With the national treasury full, there would naturally be money to strengthen the army. Now that the New Law First Meeting and the national treasury had some surplus funds, the sudden outbreak of a national war was a money-devouring beast. If it lasted too long, it would inevitably deplete the hard-earned foundation. Therefore, this time, Wang Fu was implicitly on the side of the pro-peace faction.

From the emperor's perspective, however, a strong army was only one of the goals. While Li Kun might have valued achievements and territorial expansion in the past, if he were truly nearing the end of his life and continued to pursue these industrial endeavors, he would inevitably perish prematurely, leaving behind a mess that would be difficult to manage. Therefore, at this time, he still wanted to reform the military system, and the reason was...

"By consolidating military power, eliminating factions within the army, and strengthening control over the military, the emperor is laying a foundation for his descendants..."

Having figured this out, Qiu Yan's perception of Li Kun changed somewhat.

Li Kun's face grew increasingly weary, yet he still said, "I don't need you to make a decision right now, but you are Grand Confucian scholar, a cultivator, and possess longevity and vision. You are also well-versed in the Human Path way, which will surely benefit Great Rui. I hope you can consider these matters. Fortunately, you will be a Hanlin Academician from now on, and you can often accompany me. We can talk about many things slowly."

All three positions have their own purposes.

"The abilities of these three individuals are all put to good use. They have bestowed favors upon me while simultaneously putting New and Old Parties on guard, making it difficult for me to unite with either side. Such imperial Mind Arts are indeed not to be underestimated..."

When Qiu Yan walked out of the Imperial Study, he couldn't help but sigh. But when he recalled the image of Li Kun sitting at his desk, exhausted, reviewing memorials as he left, he couldn't help but feel a little strange.

"People have different needs and desires; even with Mind Arts, many things cannot be erased..."

As soon as this thought arose, a subtle pulsation of the Legalist Order in the heavens began to stir.

"However, did the emperor deliberately have Prince Ding edict? Was there some deeper meaning behind it?"

Lost in thought, he walked out of the Imperial Palace, then felt a jolt in his heart as a powerful force swept towards him. He immediately gathered his thoughts and focused his mind!

In the distance, within the vast city, beams of light were rising upwards.

Hundred Schools Aura!

Grand Confucian gathered!