Meeting

"How exactly does this manipulation technique work?"

Zhang Xuezhou, Dong Zhongshu, and the new emperor were partners, while the King of Huainan was an adversary.

Leaving aside the opposing side, Zhang Xuezhou felt that the cooperating side was also a complicated matter.

Zhang Xuezhou repeatedly tried to resign from his official post in the imperial court but was unsuccessful. He still needed to use his position as Grand Master of the Palace to help Dong Zhongshu, and the more he got involved, the more trouble he would inevitably cause.

Dong Zhongshu Dong Zhongshu by following the path of destiny, but in just a few days he endured all sorts of stimulation and had his plans changed repeatedly, which made him question his existence.

The new emperor was the final link in the chain, but he obtained several governance suggestions that were difficult to pass through. After learning about the Resonance Between Heaven and Humanity as described by Zhang Xuezhou, the new emperor urgently sought out Dong Zhongshu, the originator of this theory, but could not find him.

The cultivation techniques practiced by everyone did not grant their wishes, nor did they avert disasters or misfortunes.

However, Zhang Xuezhou cannot say that everyone gained nothing. Zhang Xuezhou learned about the Resonance Between Heaven and Humanity in the sage's unified theory, which allows one to seek the Unity of Celestial Person and Heaven. Furthermore, in the case of the King of King of Huainan, he pushed the understanding into the real world and found a possible way to find Huang Daoxian.

Dong Zhongshu to enter Chang'an City to conduct business failed, making it difficult to implement the ritual system specifically designed for Confucian School. However, the new emperor tacitly approved Zhang Xuezhou's system formulation involving agriculturalists, Confucian School, and academies.

The new emperor not only learned about the method of Resonance Between Heaven and Humanity, but also gained an ally to target the King of King of Huainan.

Although the group didn't seem to have accomplished anything, they did gain something from the experience.

Sitting in the side room where the Grand Master of the Imperial Household Department of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices worked, Zhang Xuezhou repeatedly compared and carefully considered the relationships between the people as he picked up his pen.

"I can get along with Master Dong by being honest with him, but if His Majesty discovers the problem, how will we get along then? Will we become the second King of Huainan to be targeted?"

Zhang Xuezhou frowned.

If it were a one-on-one situation, the matter would only be a black-and-white issue, but the irony is that there are three parties involved.

Even after defeating the King of Huainan, Zhang Xuezhou felt that the contest of skill and strategy was not over yet; rather, it might be a new beginning.

The thought that Dong Zhongshu might become True Self Realm cultivator, and that the new emperor would inevitably gain great power after defeating the King of Huainan, made Zhang Xuezhou feel that his cultivation of luck techniques was undoubtedly as weak as it could possibly be.

"If one cannot conceal their cultivation and reveals it, it can only enhance their own value and make them an indispensable part of the group. However, without the suppression of external forces like the King of Huainan, such cooperation cannot last long. It requires the support of competing forces behind the scenes. His Majesty's court and Master Dong's Confucian School are the supporting forces. What do I have?"

A Go player places a stone and then contemplates the next ten moves. Zhang Xuezhou and his companions had not yet fought against the King of Huainan, but his thoughts already involved a balance among the three parties.

His idea wasn't exactly ahead of its time; he couldn't come up with a solution right now, but he at least needed to be mentally prepared.

If the right opportunity had come his way, he wouldn't have missed fortuitous opportunity because he hadn't even considered it.

"Document, bind these contents into a scroll and send it to the imperial court tomorrow!"

Zhang Xuezhou disliked using short words; all his writing was in plain language.

Just as he had previously written fictitious stories to seek official positions, Zhang Xuezhou used colloquial language when revising the system of rites.

This led him to write for several days in a row, accumulating a large number of bamboo slips, which he had to have bound and carried to the palace.

His writings on rites contain numerous regulations on rewards and honors for farmers and soldiers, as well as regulations on rites and etiquette promoted by academies. They also touch upon Confucian School teachings on rites and etiquette, and even briefly promote the Yin- Yin-Yang School's concept of harmony between men and women.

In short, there were many things to do, and they were quite complicated. Zhang Xuezhou wrote a lot, but whether it would work or not is another matter.

At present, there are no rewards for agricultural official positions, no meritorious service in war, and no academies established in all directions. However, these matters of etiquette can be established as a set of rules in advance, and it is even possible to set up a model for demonstration.

As the subject of impeachment, Zhang Xuezhou's description of the new emperor was one thing, but his writing about these rituals was quite another.

He was known for his outrageous pronouncements, mentioning that ten to twenty academies could be established in Chang'an City and other places, advocating that everyone could attend these academies for education, and that everyone should abide by etiquette and regulations.

The Yin-Yang School also deals with issues such as the male-female ratio in society, the one-on-one marriage system, and the system of equal birth rates for boys and girls.

This kind of content would be normal in the Scarlet Alliance State, but in the Great Han Dynasty it would undoubtedly be something out of touch with the current social structure.

Zhang Xuezhou launched a barrage of attacks, feeling that even the new emperor with his harem had been drawn into the fray.

With him spouting such nonsense, Zhang Xuezhou felt that everyone must deeply resent him. Once someone started it, everyone would surely agree to impeach him, and it would seem natural for the new emperor to accept the impeachment.

"Documents?"

Zhang Xuezhou was overjoyed. When he called out again, a thin clerk led several people into the room.

"My lord, the clerk Di Shan has arrived. I've called my family to help bind the books into volumes, and we'll definitely finish this today!"

The gaunt clerk bowed and then pointed to several people behind him.

Zhang Xuezhou wrote a large number of bamboo slips in vernacular Chinese. These bamboo slips were not simply bound into a single scroll, but needed to be classified and sorted.

This requires reading through the bamboo slips he wrote, which takes a considerable amount of mental effort.

The number of bamboo slips he used was over a thousand pounds, making it extremely difficult for an ordinary person to complete such an arrangement.

If the urgency is too great, then it will be necessary to call on friends and relatives for assistance.

Looking at the documents assigned to him by the Fengchang Temple, Zhang Xuezhou could only wave his hand to indicate that the other party should finish the task, since the number of times he, as the Grand Master of the Palace, would cause trouble for others should be very limited.

"My lord, do you remember me?"

Zhang Xuezhou gestured to the clerk to proceed, and as he turned around, he heard someone call out to him.

When Zhang Xuezhou turned around, he saw a fat, Human Dynasty with big ears bowing and clasping his hands in greeting to him from Di Shan's side.

"It's Dijon!"

Zhang Xuezhou chuckled, as if he had remembered the wealthy businessman who had sold him the house at a high price.

At this moment, Di Rang's face was covered in bruises, and he wanted Zhang Xuezhou to take care of his son. However, in the limited number of times he had interacted with Zhang Xuezhou, he had done some unethical things. For a moment, he wanted to establish a relationship with him but dared not.

Di Rang never imagined that his painstaking efforts to transfer his son back from the north would result in him being placed under the command of his former neighbor.

One was a clerk responsible for recording and handling affairs, while the other was the Grand Master of the Palace, a position in the imperial court second only to the Nine Ministers. There was a world of difference between them.

Di Rang originally thought that after moving houses, he would never have any contact with Zhang Xuezhou again in his life. He never expected that this would happen.

If they remain neighbors, that's a relationship built on solid mutual support.

He felt a deep sense of unease as he bowed, but his shrewd business acumen forced him to put on a brave face and humbly beg Zhang Xuezhou for leniency.

"Just do your job well, and everything will fall into place!"

Zhang Xuezhou patted Di Rang on the shoulder, indicating that he didn't need to worry about his son and that Zhang Xuezhou wouldn't retaliate.

The imperial court nowadays values personal connections, and it is almost impossible for ordinary people to get in. For those who lack powerful backers, it is extremely difficult to gain a foothold in the court.

Even if Zhang Xuezhou had temporarily borrowed the name of Anle Palace, he couldn't resign from his official post.

This also means that without the protection of high-ranking officials, no matter what ordinary officials do, the other party can only fluctuate within a certain range and find it difficult to break through the social hierarchy.

Zhang Xuezhou was already prepared to lose his official position. If he couldn't be Di Shan's supporter, it would be useless even if he promoted Di Shan.

On the contrary, when he loses his official position, Di Shan will also be implicated.

"Your boss has a really strange temper. Dad offended him back then, so you're bound to suffer under his torment in the future. You'll just have to be patient with him..."

Zhang Xuezhou pushed open the door and left.

Faintly, he heard Di Rang's voice instructing Di Shan, which made him smile before shaking his head and walking out of Fengchang Temple.

"Lord Dongfang?"

As he walked towards the carriages and horses, intending to find a driver to take him home, he heard a woman's voice coming from one of the carriages.

Zhang Xuezhou turned his head and saw Zhang Cigong driving a luxurious royal carriage slowly forward.

The carriage curtain was drawn back, and a woman wearing a veil covering her face reached out to greet them.

This made Zhang Xuezhou narrow his eyes slightly, realizing that no matter how fast he moved, he would inevitably run into the people from the King of Huainan's Household.