Paving the Way
"Dongfang Shuo, you look rather listless. Are you not sleeping well in my palace?"
The two worlds have different levels of social development and different lifestyles.
The habit of going to bed early and waking up early is particularly evident in this world.
Ordinary people would get up to work at five in the morning, just as dawn broke, while emperors in the palace would get up even earlier.
At the exact hour of Yin (3-5 AM), a large bell in the palace would ring.
A group of palace maids and eunuchs were busy at work, and even went into the room to help Zhang Xuezhou tidy up his bed, which forced him to get up. After going out, he saw the energetic new emperor.
The new emperor was indeed an extremely diligent ruler. At this moment, he was wearing a close-fitting outer garment and holding a sword, about to begin his daily morning meditation.
Upon seeing Zhang Xuezhou's dejected expression, he couldn't help but ask him a question.
"Your Majesty, I only have a minor health issue, it's nothing serious, I'm quite energetic now!"
Zhang Xuezhou wiped his face and rubbed it vigorously.
Anyone who lingers under the shadow of the Emperor Qin, risking their life, is bound to face immense danger. Zhang Xuezhou felt that no one could find peace of mind.
He obtained some information that was neither classified nor not classified, and his mind was highly tense. Even after exiting the spellcasting state, he felt somewhat mentally fatigued, and his complexion was generally normal.
"You're having a tough time too!"
The new emperor felt his life was difficult; he had been thrust into a position of power at an inopportune time, a position he was not capable of controlling.
Limited by his youthful experience, he couldn't see the people and things around him clearly.
No one has "loyal" written on their head, nor is anyone marked "treacherous" on their forehead, and no one is blindly loyal.
A strong person doesn't need to think about so many things, but he wasn't strong enough to be that strong.
Leaving aside the distant history, the second, third, and fourth emperors of the Great Han Dynasty either died of illness or were murdered, all of which were bloody events, leaving no room for him to act arbitrarily.
The new emperor has always kept his abilities hidden, never revealing his full potential.
He felt that his life as an emperor was not comfortable, but as soon as he saw Zhang Xuezhou, he felt at peace again.
Even if Zhang Xuezhou were useless, let alone capable Zhang Xuezhou, having such a morbidly persistent and Struggle official by his side would greatly reduce the new emperor's psychological problems.
"Would you like to go to the Imperial Physician's Office and get some medicine to help you recover?" the new emperor asked.
"The younger-aged herbs didn't work for me, and they won't prescribe 300-year-old herbs either," Zhang Xuezhou said sullenly.
"Only officials of the highest rank, equivalent to three hundred years old, are qualified to obtain medicinal herbs!"
The new emperor shook his head, indicating that Zhang Xuezhou indeed could not enjoy this level of benefits.
Lower-ranking officials needed to achieve merit to receive exceptional treatment; this was the rule of the dynasty.
Any behavior that breaks the rules will damage the court's regulations and system, and will also cause an imbalance that undermines the emperor's prestige. The new emperor may give special treatment, but he will not openly break the rules.
The topic was quickly dropped, and the new emperor swiftly changed the subject, urging Zhang Xuezhou exercise.
"Your Majesty, only after studying this 'Great Wind Scripture' have I come to know the boundless wonders of the world!"
Only through countless battles can one truly discern the superiority of any Technique Method; a year or two of diligent study and practice cannot compare to several real-world encounters.
The new emperor's diligence has less effect as his cultivation level increases; compared to rigorous swordsmanship, it is far less effective than developing abilities that assist him.
Zhang Xuezhou was tossed about by the swirling waves beneath his feet, repeatedly wanting to speak but feeling he couldn't persuade the new emperor who had already entered the Divine Ability Realm.
He ended up making a silly joke about himself there.
"The world is indeed full of wondrous arts; if one is not mastered, one can choose another!"
The new emperor's swordsmanship relied purely on physical strength, without drawing upon the power of Qi and Blood, much like those in the Scarlet Alliance State who practiced ancient martial arts in bygone eras.
The new emperor, who had been practicing diligently, did not answer Zhang Xuezhou, but a woman's voice could be heard from afar.
When Zhang Xuezhou looked back, he saw that many guards in the Weiyang Palace had already bowed their heads in salute, and the Empress Dowager, dressed in a brocade robe, was slowly walking towards him.
Perhaps this wasn't the first time the Empress Dowager had arrived so early, and many people seemed somewhat used to it.
The gust of wind that Zhang Xuezhou stirred up pressed down, and he fell to the ground.
"Your Wind Technique is quite good!"
When Zhang Xuezhou bowed in greeting, the Empress Dowager gave a special comment.
Although Zhang Xuezhou's movements were erratic and seemingly carefree, the fact that he could maintain this posture without touching the ground was considered extremely impressive by many.
"Lie Yukou, one of the ten great heroes of the pre-Qin period, was skilled in controlling the Yufeng. I happened to acquire a copy of the 'Liezi,' and if you are interested, you can go to Changxin Palace to study it," said the Empress Dowager.
"Thank you for the reward, Your Majesty!"
"Marquis of Wu'an reported that there were villains skilled in Incantation Technique lurking Chang'an City. It was only through their cooperation with Dongfang Shuo, using the Imperial Shuttle, that they managed to fight their way out. You are also a contributor to this cause!"
Zhang Xuezhou reluctantly accepted the reward, but only after the Empress Zhang Xuezhou added a comment did he understand the source of the reward.
He cooperated with Tian Fen to save the other party's life, and Tian Fen didn't hold back, even giving him a reward.
Tian Fen may be ugly, but his character is clearly quite good.
"Did Marquis of Wu'an and Dongfang Shuo work together to fight their way out?"
The new emperor, who had stopped his sword dance, was puzzled. He felt that neither Tian Fen nor Zhang Xuezhou seemed like people capable of fighting a bloody battle.
He didn't know how Zhang Xuezhou Tian Fen had gotten together, since Tian Fen wasn't mentioned at all in Li Guang's report, and Zhang Xuezhou was with Li Guang, Xu Chang, and others to repel the sorcerer.
"At the time, I was invited by the Prime Minister to investigate the flood. On the way, I happened to encounter Marquis of Wu'an being entangled by Incantation Technique. At Marquis of Wu'an's request, I went into the water to investigate the source of the Incantation Technique. I never expected that Marquis of Wu'an would remember my help. Marquis of Wu'an is truly a gentleman of noble character!"
Zhang Xuezhou has already received the honorary title of "Governor-General". He is getting close to the new emperor and clearly does not want to be included in the Changxin Palace faction.
He praised Tian Fen repeatedly, then quickly explained what he had done.
Clearly, in the new emperor's view, Zhang Xuezhou was summoned and conscripted by Xu Chang, and then, quite unfortunately, conscripted by Tian Fen.
Amidst this back-and-forth turmoil, it's no wonder that Zhang Xuezhou could only lie on the ground and feign death to avoid further trouble.
The same thing will yield different answers depending on who looks at it.
Zhang Xuezhou's performance in Li Guang's report was rather poor, and it wasn't until the new emperor heard the explanation from another perspective that he fully understood the situation.
"If Marquis of Wu'an had been wearing the Tongtian Crown and the Golden Rope during his inspection, the dragon would have had no chance of escaping," the Empress Dowager said, glancing at the new emperor.
"What Mother says is true!"
The new emperor nodded in agreement.
Many officials in Anle Palace were filled with anxiety, and their removal from office was a foregone conclusion.
The Empress Dowager kept reminding Tian Fen of his appointment as prime minister.
Unlike the Grand Empress Dowager, who acted arbitrarily and suppressed others, the Empress Dowager handed over the power of decision-making to the new emperor.
Even if this was her intention behind the scenes, the new emperor was the one who carried it out on the surface.
She intervened in the affairs of the Great Han Dynasty's government, yet did not wish to appear in public; instead, she pushed the new emperor to the forefront to establish his authority.
Zhang Xuezhou stood aside and listened for a while. He felt that the Empress Dowager was wholeheartedly paving the way for the new emperor, and from the outward appearance, there was nothing wrong with her.