Neighbors on Every Side

"How can you determine the sex of a baby through divination? Isn't that just bullying people?"

Zhang Xuezhou left the Marquis of Pingyang's residence.

Although it was to deliver the intelligence to Dong Zhongshu, this can still be considered a meritorious service.

Zhang Xuezhou was not forcibly ordered by the new emperor to serve as a court attendant in the Weiyang Palace.

Of course, with so many eunuchs in the court, it wouldn't make a difference if one fake eunuch were to shout orders in the main hall.

Before the new emperor forms his own leadership clique, the duties of his court officials will remain relatively easy.

After leaving the Pingyang Marquis's residence, he took Rong Tianding back to his own residence. They chatted along the way, which made Rong Tianding indignant.

"I think he just doesn't want to give it to you," Rong Tianding complained.

"Why wouldn't you eat meat that's been delivered to your door?" Zhang Xuezhou said with a smile.

"Can you really guess the sex of a baby from miles away?" Rong Tianding asked in surprise.

"What's so difficult about that!"

Zhang Xuezhou shook his head, indicating that this kind of thing was child's play.

"The half-ounce coin I took was face up, which means the yang side. If Lady Wei gives birth to a boy, yang belongs to the male, so this directly corresponds to it," Zhang Xuezhou said.

"What if it's a girl?" Rong Tianding asked.

"The half-ounce coin has a hole, and it's easy to distinguish between the one with the hole and the one with the handle. If a girl is born, the first impression won't consider the issue of yin and yang, but will directly refer to the characteristics of the hole," Zhang Xuezhou said with a smile.

"Well?"

"But this can only be done once. If Madam Wei has another child, I can't do this again!"

Zhang Xuezhou looked on with a sigh.

Just when he was about to fall asleep, a new one appeared. His old bag had barely been burned and destroyed when he was already getting a new one.

Zhang Xuezhou didn't put much effort into this matter, simply spending a day at the Marquis of Pingyang's residence.

However, when considering how to deal with the new emperor, Zhang Xuezhou couldn't help but feel somewhat uncertain.

While seemingly dealing with the issue of white meat, this actually involves the collaboration of Dong Zhongshu, Zhang Xuezhou, and the new emperor, who have joined forces, and their confrontation with the King of Huainan.

The King of Huainan was indeed a master of magic, capable of even achieving the rare feat of turning beans with gypsum water.

Dealing with such a person is undoubtedly uncertain, and Zhang Xuezhou was also unsure how the King of Huainan would respond.

"It all depends on whether His Majesty can keep him in check!"

The fact that the new emperor, whose skill level is the weakest, is leading the charge does not necessarily mean a crushing defeat.

Zhang Xuezhou in his battle against Huang Daoxian was not one of overwhelming luck.

The contest of luck will be a test of the depth of each other's cultivation level, but when it comes to external confrontation, it is affected by many factors such as the timing, location, and human factors. It is not necessarily true that the person with the strongest luck will have unparalleled good fortune and be immune to all evil.

A person's temperament, wisdom, and other characteristics will also have a related impact.

Ultimately, cultivation techniques are merely an aid to cultivation, not its core essence, and cannot determine everything.

There are countless people who have suffered greatly after winning the lottery, and many who were once successful have fallen from grace.

The current game depends on the external conditions of both sides, as well as their mentality when facing each other.

The new emperor clearly attaches great importance to this matter and will likely implement it swiftly and decisively. This is also the first time that the other party has had an impact on the Great Han.

"Such a widespread boost to productivity is rare. If Your Majesty seizes this opportunity, things will be much easier in the future!"

Leaving aside the Great Han Dynasty, even the Scarlet Alliance State had very few members who could effectively benefit the general population.

Anyone who can achieve this will appear very approachable to the public and gain prestige and support.

According to the descriptions of "Zaiyou", the gathering of popular support can even boost the monarch's fortune, thus making his luck soar.

Zhang Xuezhou pondered the matter back and forth, feeling that everything was a good thing, and whether it would succeed or not would depend on waiting for a while to find out.

"Um?"

On his way back to his own residence from the Marquis of Pingyang's mansion, Zhang Xuezhou saw four carriages parked in a row at the entrance.

He glanced at the sign on the carriage and couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed, so he quickened his pace.

He had only taken a few steps inside when Zhang Xuezhou noticed a gaze sweeping over him from afar.

"Who do we have here? It's you, Dongfang Shuo, who took over Zhuang Qingdi's old house!"

Two hundred meters away, the voice of Princess Dou could be heard from the pavilion in the mansion, which was used for leisure and sightseeing.

The voice came softly, yet reached Zhang Xuezhou's ears with remarkable clarity.

"Greetings, Princess Dou!"

Zhang Xuezhou called out from afar.

Before he could even visit and spy on Princess Dou's residence, Princess Dou had already arrived at the door.

He walked quickly and saw Ah Qiao sitting anxiously by his side in the pavilion, along with Princess Dou and a group of more than ten guards.

"Zhuang Qingdi used to be very respectful to Anle Palace, but now that the tree has fallen, the monkeys have scattered. These monkeys are even abandoning their homes to draw a clear line!"

Princess Dou, unusually, started cursing, even directly calling Zhuang Qingdi a monkey.

"Lord Zhuang is not a very decent person. I've disliked him for a long time. If it weren't for the fact that his house is cheap..."

Zhang Xuezhou, who had also been betrayed by Zhuang Qingdi, immediately chimed in and joined in the condemnation of Zhuang Qingdi.

Of course, this kind of thing is not unusual in the imperial court.

There are many two-faced people in the court, many who desperately seek help at the last minute, and many who turn on you after escaping a crisis. Zhuang Qingdi has broken away from the Anle Palace system and cannot integrate into the Changxin Palace system. His only support is the new emperor, so it's normal for him to reveal something to show his loyalty.

Dou Taizhu's dissatisfaction was genuine, and Zhang Xuezhou's scathing rebuke was also genuine.

"You got a good deal by spending a thousand taels of gold to acquire this house; there's no need to hurl insults at me behind my back!"

Later, even Dou Taizhu had to offer Zhang Xuezhou a word of advice.

"Although the house price is reasonable, the location of this official residence is unique," Zhang Xuezhou complained. "If the official who buys the house doesn't know you, wouldn't that be a direct offense to the Emperor?"

"What's this talk of collisions? I'm not that petty," Princess Dou said, shaking her head.

Princess Dou was unable to maintain her dominant position in Anle Palace, but she did not appear destitute after being expelled from the palace.

No matter what, she was the late emperor's elder sister, as well as the new emperor's aunt and mother-in-law. These multiple identities kept her at the top of the royal family.

Princess Dou still held most of the power within the Huang-Lao Daoist School.

As the successor to the Empress Dowager's power, her cultivation level was also impressive, placing her among the top tier in the Great Han Dynasty.

Although she lost face at Anle Palace, Princess Dou didn't really care. She even felt somewhat relieved to step down from her demanding duties.

Waving a folding fan with gold trim, Princess Dou pointed to two guards in golden armor beside her.

"Dongfang Shuo, you've moved here without anyone to guard your home!" Princess Dou pointed at the two men and said, "Dou Shisan and Dou Shisi, you two stay here. Nothing can happen to you!"

Perhaps it was the goodwill brought about by Divine Lord Zhenyuan's entrustment, or perhaps it was to leave two people by his side to monitor the residence, but Princess Dou assigned two of her guards to stay behind.

Zhang Xuezhou didn't immediately grasp the situation, but he readily agreed.

"I have not even visited the master's house yet, and I have already received this honor. I am truly unworthy of it," Zhang Xuezhou said, bowing with his hands clasped.

"Neighbors see each other all the time, so it's only natural to look after one another," said Princess Dou with a smile. She then casually asked, "Dongfang Shuo, where are your parents and siblings?"

Princess Dou's question was a very ordinary inquiry, but such probing could bring disaster to one's family when faced with conflict.

Zhang Xuezhou was extremely well-prepared in this regard. He had a secure identity as early as when Wen Weng helped with the 'festival' and it did not involve his family.

If Princess Dou was willing to listen to his long-winded ramblings, Zhang Xuezhou felt he could talk on and on.