[Jiangshan Yunluo] Episode 5

Chapter Two: A Fleeting Dream, Three Dragons Probe the Fingers
The garrison commander of Kyoto, Wen Yi, was implicated in a major case and immediately imprisoned in the Imperial Observatory's death row. All
the mansions and properties associated with Wen Yi were seized. Half of the Imperial Guards were transferred from the palace to work with the Ministry of Justice to thoroughly investigate
all registered individuals who had frequented these shops! The Kyoto garrison was no exception; the next day,
as soon as official business began, all officials, from top to bottom, were confined to their residences awaiting investigation, treated equally!
If the joint investigation by the two garrisons wasn't serious enough, then the fact that the Imperial Guards were personally led by Tu Chong, with even the Imperial Guard
Lieutenant General Zou Hongyun serving as his deputy, demonstrated the gravity of Wen Yi's case. Tu Chong, the Grand Attendant, had
served the Emperor since his ascension to the throne, arguably the Emperor's most trusted confidant, bar none. His presence was tantamount to the Emperor himself personally
conducting the investigation.
The upheaval in Chengdu was resolved in a single day, and the world might marvel at the speed of change. But those in the know
understood the gravity of the situation. The officials, both high and low, in the capital's garrison, who had received the imperial edict appointing Han Tieyan to replace Wen Yi,
were already on edge due to their confinement and impending investigation.
Wen Yi had cultivated a powerful, monolithic regime, with his cronies filling all the key positions. With the Emperor personally
intervening and the new garrison commander, Han, yet to arrive, a purge was inevitable, with his trusted confidants being the first to be replaced. This
was even more severe than Han Tieyan's purge of opposing forces; the Emperor's word was law, and there was no room
for negotiation. They could only secretly pray they wouldn't suffer the worst misfortune, being stripped of their posts by the Emperor himself or
banished to some godforsaken place, their lives effectively over.
The Han family was overjoyed. The eldest master had retired and returned to his hometown in glory, and the Emperor's rewards were naturally generous.
The achievements of the two young masters and young lady had finally been recognized; each had secured one of the four garrisons and four campaigns, and the young lady would soon be taking her
place in the capital's garrison. The Han family had suffered considerable suppression for over a decade,
and finally, their moment of triumph had arrived. However, the Han family had little time for celebration. The Emperor's decree had been issued, and the deadline for their arrival was fast approaching.
Han Tiejia and Han Tieyi were busy reorganizing the army and appointing their subordinate generals; once the reorganization was complete, the celebration and farewell
would be combined into a single ceremony. Han Guiyan's capital garrison was temporarily under the control of Tu Chong, preventing her from intervening,
but military reorganization was her forte, and she was also extremely busy assisting her two brothers with their military affairs.
The Beicheng government, as the initiator and executor of the exposure of Wen Yi and Anxiang Lingluo, should have
enjoyed the same prestige and glory as the Han family. Unfortunately, the magistrate of Beicheng went berserk and beat Yu Huajie, destroying a major
merit and being fined a year's salary. He also sidelined the officials in the Beicheng government office.
To put it nicely, it was a case of merits and demerits canceling each other out; to put it bluntly, it wasn't much different from being forgotten.
After receiving the imperial decree, Wu Zheng went back home. This time, it wasn't that he
was incredibly audacious to be absent without cause after being reprimanded by the emperor. Rather, despite the punishment, Wu Zheng had contributed significantly to the case, and the emperor granted him a five-day leave
to recuperate.
Wu Zheng himself had no desire to go to the government office; he was lost in thought in his study. There were still too
many things to consider, but the most urgent matter wasn't the fading fragrance, nor the chili pepper business he was preparing for, nor even
his own future. It was what to do with that lovable, yet overly naive, little girl!
There are two sides to every story! Gu Pan's secret departure from Kunlun Mountain was indeed pitiful and worthy of sympathy, given her loneliness and isolation there. Wu
Zheng naturally hoped she would reunite with him at the Wu residence soon, as it would
greatly benefit the young girl's physical and mental health, as well as her experience of the world. However, violating the sect rules was a grave matter, so grave that no one could speak up for her. For a major sect like Kunlun
to maintain order, rules were paramount. Back then, when Wu Zheng forcibly selected the "Principles of the Dao," even the sect leader
's disciple was not spared; she was demoted to an outer disciple, punished by being sent to a small hut near Qingyun Cliff, and so on
.
Gu Pan was still a naive young girl, throwing a tantrum without restraint. As for her words, "Senior
Brother, I don't want to go back to Kunlun Mountain, I just want to stay here with you, please help me think of a way..." whether it was excessive
naivety or blind trust in Wu Zheng, Wu Zheng could not refuse, nor could he bear to. Keeping her in
the Wu family mansion was a huge problem. There were no exceptions to the rules, but letting her live there… this was completely
outside the plan, at least not now!
Since Gu Pan arrived, Lu Feiyan hadn't even glanced at Wu Zheng, and had stayed in the courtyard, deliberately
avoiding him. Their relationship had finally taken a significant and solid step forward, but Gu Pan was ultimately
an insurmountable barrier, not easy to overcome, especially since time hadn't given Wu Zheng any chance to decide.
Send her back? Or not? Wu Zheng rubbed his temples, aching from the dilemma, completely at a loss.
Lu Feiyan sat listlessly in her room. Such scenes were common in the past, and she had long since grown accustomed to them, no longer harboring any other thoughts. But
recently, such scenes had become rare. Except for the three days Wu Zheng disguised himself to investigate the disappearing fragrance, she always had
someone she loved by her side and never felt lonely. The beautiful woman's mind was a jumbled mess. Her daughter's innocent and joyful smile
was vivid in her mind's eye—the heartfelt happiness she felt after seeing Wu Zheng again, a sweetness that was both heartbreaking and bittersweet, making her
want to escape at both ends. Wu Zheng's voice and smile were also before her eyes, his warning words, "Be a good girl and
wait for me to return home. Cough cough cough, you are now my woman, and you are not allowed to leave the backyard without my permission.
If you dare to run away, hehe, I will resign and come find you! No matter where you are, in the ends of the earth or in the underworld! Do you
understand?" always filled her heart with sweetness, but how was she supposed to cope now?
Compared to the muddled state of the past few years, Lu Feiyan had recently become a completely different person. She often asked herself:
Wu Zheng had already done so much, and what could she do? Should she still be like a weak woman, always hiding
behind Wu Zheng, relying on him to shield her from the wind and rain? Since Wu Zheng took over the Beicheng government office and conveniently handed over the actual jurisdiction of the Wu family
to her, and since she began dealing with Anxiang Lingluo, Lu Feiyan has done her utmost. She not only managed the affairs of the household
meticulously, but also clearly organized the information gathered by Zhu Yatong, handling matters promptly whenever possible
. The young lady of the Lu family, a prominent clan, finally demonstrated her capabilities.
As for Wu Zheng, Lu Feiyan had already made up her mind to devote herself to him. She had also thought about what would happen if Gu Pan came to Chengdu.
What to do? There were no answers. Previous experiences had taught Lu Feiyan to always set problems aside; if there were no answers
, she'd rather not think about them for the time being. This was indeed a form of escapism and a helpless response to reality, but Lu Feiyan had no other
choice. The days in the Wu family mansion had been too sweet; it was only
natural to be so immersed in them, living one day at a time.
But the sweet past was like a flower in a mirror; the appearance of Gu Pan shattered the illusion. The unexpected
situation left even Wu Zheng somewhat at a loss, let alone the even more difficult situation for Lu Feiyan. She didn't want to leave the Wu family mansion, nor did she
want to leave Wu Zheng, but it seemed to be the only option.
If her previous escapism was out of helplessness, when faced with the situation, Lu Feiyan wasn't one to hesitate.
She guessed that the Kunlun Sect would soon send someone, and violating the sect rules wouldn't be something that could be easily dismissed. Gu Pan
had received little warmth from her family since childhood, and sending her back to the mountains now would not be good for a girl in the throes of adolescence
; she might even become self-destructive. Therefore, having her mother return to the mountains to take the blame, under the pretext of lax discipline, seemed like
a good choice that killed many birds with one stone.
Just as she made up her mind, she heard her daughter's footsteps outside the door.
The girl, new to Chengdu, found everything incredibly new, as if even the air was sweeter and more
beautiful than on the mountain. Ultimately, she was still everyone's beloved little princess of Kunlun, and despite her many grievances, she didn't utter a word to anyone
. Gu Pan didn't even realize the trouble she had caused.
"Mother!" The girl skipped and jumped excitedly. Wu Zheng had already received the imperial decree and accompanied her on a tour of the Wu residence.
The former Attendant-in-Ordinary's house was quite large, with gardens and other recreational areas, not to mention the buildings under construction in the front courtyard,
which particularly piqued Gu Pan's interest. Wu Zheng's ingenious ideas were unheard of, filling her with anticipation:
"This place is so much fun! Everyone regrets not coming down the mountain sooner."
Having made up her mind, Lu Feiyan couldn't bear to scold her daughter, whom she had neglected so much. In any case, entrusting Gu Pan to Wu
Zheng would ensure his strict discipline, preventing her from falling behind in her cultivation. As for Wu Zheng's
thoughtfulness, she had personally experienced it and was reassured.
"You! Don't just keep playing. Have you done your homework today?" Lu Feiyan wanted to be stern,
but the words turned into concern and a reminder. Thinking back over the past ten years, she felt only solace in Gu Pan's company
. Her usual indulgence was unlikely to change, so entrusting her to the more discerning Wu Zheng was a good thing.
"Not yet! No homework today." Gu Pan gulped down a large glass of water, her eyes crinkling into crescent
moons as she mysteriously said, "Patriarch Zhu said he'll teach me martial arts starting tomorrow, and my senior brother agreed!"
"Hmm? Patriarch Zhu will teach you martial arts?" Lu Feiyan's prejudice and wariness towards Zhu Yatong were gradually fading, and sometimes she even felt
that this beautiful woman's actions were as unpredictable as Wu Zheng's. But the idea of teaching her daughter martial arts was too
far-fetched. The Tianyin Sect and the Kunlun Sect were different, so why would Wu Zheng agree so readily?
"I know what Mother is talking about. It's not about learning Tianyin Sect's martial arts. Patriarch Zhu will teach me experience and skills.
My senior brother has learned some before, and I heard it's very useful." Gu Pan happily shook her little fist. She
had already learned a lot in the wilderness and was even more looking forward to Zhu Yatong's instruction tomorrow.
"If the Patriarch is willing to teach, you must study hard. Although she belongs to a different sect and you cannot formally become her disciple, you must still treat her
with the respect due to a teacher and never be negligent." Looking at Gu Pan's excited expression, Lu Feiyan suddenly realized that
her daughter, whom she had always cherished, had grown up. Now that she was grown up and had her own thoughts and judgments, there was no
need to interfere too much in some matters.
"Great! Mother agreed! Senior Brother was right after all, Mother will definitely agree." Gu Pan jumped
high with joy, saying, "Senior Brother must be finished by now, I'm going to go play with Senior Brother, and I'll come back to keep Mother company tonight."
Tonight… lately, it's always him who keeps me company. Lu Feiyan watched her daughter's deer-like figure skip away, feeling
a sense of loss.
"Patriarch, all the matters I handled have been compiled and organized. If there are no omissions, I will take my leave now."
Zhuoxing bowed and handed over a book, which contained all the results of his recent investigation into the disappearance of Anxiang. Since
entering Chengdu, the once-renowned monk no longer shaved his head; now, a short beard has grown on his face, making him
resemble a rough and rugged wanderer.
"Thank you for your trouble. This matter is of great importance; I won't feel at ease if you don't go." Zhu Yatong carefully checked the documents
. Zhuo Xing had cultivated his influence in Liangzhou for many years, and he had handled several matters to Zhu Yatong's satisfaction.
While the Kunlun faction's counterattack in the Great Qin Kingdom had come to an end, dealing with Anxiang Lingluo was only the beginning. The mysterious
You Wuhuan, the astonishing Leopard Feather Buzzard, the bandits almost slaughtered, and
Meng Yongshu still alive—one mystery after another, the more Zhu Yatong thought about it, the more alarmed she became. Above her lay the net of the Three Kingdoms' imperial power; if deep underground lay the net of Anxiang Lingluo, the Zhu family and Wu Zheng, now mortal enemies of the bandits, would be 　　far too dangerous
to be openly involved . 　　Zhu Yatong sorted out her thoughts and felt that everything needed to be investigated starting from the very first major incident caused by the rebel gang. 　　Where did their confidence come from? Was everything as fragile as it appeared, or even a self-destructive act? To dig out 　　You Wuhuan and eradicate him completely, she needed to follow the same path the Changzhi Sect had taken—starting from 　　Tuzhou, where Meng Yongshu had met her end! 　　The Changzhi Sect had once led its army to sweep through the Dark Fragrance Scattered Cliffs within the Great Yan Kingdom, yet they couldn't find any 　　clues about Meng Yongshu's misfortune. This further convinced Zhu Yatong that there was a great hidden story; otherwise, how could the Changzhi Sect, with its capabilities, have failed 　　to find anything? The path Zhu Yatong wanted to take was undoubtedly extremely difficult, but what the Changzhi Sect couldn't do, the Zhu family might be able to do. 　　Wasn't the Zhu family's most commendable asset precisely its top-down network of relationships? 　　Previously, I lived a secluded life in the deep mountains, and Liangzhou was a sparsely populated and remote place. Now, having returned to secular life and quickly left Sichuan 　　for the east, even fewer people will recognize me. Moreover, I am reliable, making me the best candidate. 　　"Master's kindness is greatly appreciated; I would gladly give my all!" 　　"No, come back alive; many places need you!" 　　"Yes! Just one more thing: the construction of Lord Wu's [dining hall] is nearing completion. I will trouble you to 　　keep a close eye on things while I am gone; nothing should go wrong here!" 　　"Very well! I will keep an eye on it. Go now, and be careful on your journey." Any master would appreciate someone with a strong sense of responsibility.

As a subordinate who treated family affairs as her own, Zhu Yatong was no exception. To date,
she hadn't revealed her true intentions to anyone, but Zhuoxing, having followed her through the Zhu family's involvement in the Yan-Qin war
, might have some clues. For example, Wu Zheng's special identity, and everything Zhu Yatong was currently plotting
.
"This subordinate takes his leave, Master, take care!"
Zhuoxing's journey to Tuzhou was a secret, and Wu Zheng knew in advance but couldn't see him off. This great monk was truly
a remarkable person; Wu Zheng had the most complaints about him, but had also received many favors from him, so he still felt a little reluctant to part with him. As Zhuoxing
slipped into a carriage, Wu Zheng also creaked open the study door. Firstly, he was currently clueless; secondly, his decision was made; and thirdly,
the sound of his footsteps echoing outside the courtyard.
Months ago, Wu Zheng had secretly met Gu Pan on Kunlun Mountain and overheard their private conversation.
This led him to decisively take Lu Feiyan's body. Sometimes, recalling that day he eavesdropped on her under the eaves, he often lamented
that no matter how hard one tries or how disciplined one is, it's impossible to have complete control. And often, people are forced into things.
If he hadn't overheard Lu Feiyan teetering on the edge of a cliff, perhaps Wu Zheng wouldn't have immediately
intervened, half-coaxing, half-persuading. How could he have enjoyed such a life of pleasure over the past few months, bringing the beautiful woman he had long admired and respected
into his household?
Now, it seems they're on the edge of a cliff again. The [dining hall] will be completed soon, and inviting Han Guiyan will be inevitable.
Adding Zhu Yatong, Lu Feiyan, Gu Pan, Han Guiyan, and even Qu Yuxiang to the mix, the women's personalities are bound
to clash. The thought of that scene is too beautiful to bear. It turns out that reconciling the inner court is so difficult; no wonder that
throughout history, even the imperial harems have never been peaceful. Wu Zheng wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, not only because
of the complicated relationships among the women, but also because a name that had just flashed through his mind terrified him—
how could I have put Zhu Yatong with them?
Gu Pan pursed her lips, pouting upwards in the center, causing two dimples to appear at the corners of her mouth, paired with
two crescent-shaped smiling eyes that showed no bitterness, only sweetness and cuteness. Wu Zheng was tall, but the fourteen-year-old girl standing
in front of him already reached slightly above his shoulder; when she matured, she would probably only be half a head shorter than Wu Zheng, almost as tall as Han Guiyan.
"Senior Brother, are you done with your work? Hehe, I want to go play in the street." The girl puffed out her chest and straightened her back, her two budding breasts
pushing up her clothes; her charming appearance made it hard to refuse any request she made.
"Not today." Wu Zheng shook his head decisively, afraid that he wouldn't be able to bring himself to be ruthless if he hesitated even slightly. Seeing Gu Pan's slightly
disappointed look, he felt sorry for her. But now that they were off the mountain, they were no longer in the Kunlun Sect's small circle, and being stricter had its
advantages. "Pan'er, come with me. Your senior brother has something to say to you."
Gu Pan was full of suspicion. Seeing Wu Zheng again after two years, he still doted on her as before,
and his appearance was as comforting as the warm winter sun. But there was something new in his eyes, more composed but also
somewhat evasive. Mother had said that a person's eyes are the hardest to lie about. What was her senior brother guarding against? Was my
coming here making him unhappy? Or... did he already have another woman he liked? Before, when we wanted to
visit people on the mountain, he never refused me.
Wu Zheng couldn't guess where the girl's thoughts had already wandered. He tapped the table,
blinked rapidly a few times, and chuckled, "Pan'er, why do you look like that?"
Gu Pan frowned, pouted, and shook her head, her slightly chubby cheeks puffing out. "Senior Brother, you
talking to me like that makes me a little scared." After encountering danger after descending the mountain, although her girlish heart had long been forgotten
, she had still experienced some changes. Her innocent nature remained, but her thoughts had become more complex.
"Hehe, you," Wu Zheng reached out and tapped her nose, laughing and scolding, "You know how to be scared?
Senior Brother was almost scared to death by you!"
Back in Kunlun Mountain, the two were practically childhood sweethearts, and Wu Zheng doted on her immensely. At that time, Gu Pan was still
young, and Wu Zheng was less particular, so the two often engaged in intimate gestures. Now Gu Pan was fourteen years old.
In this world, fourteen-year-old girls, let alone getting married, were not uncommon to have children and become mothers. But Wu Zheng
came from another world. In his eyes, Gu Pan was still a young girl, albeit a well-developed one.
He felt a psychological burden to be overly intimate with her. Unexpectedly, this made Gu Pan feel
distant. This was a clash of different worldviews, and there was no way around it—even if Gu Pan were willing to marry him now, Wu
Zheng would definitely not touch her.
Sure enough, Gu Pan wrinkled her nose at this point, instantly beaming with joy, "Hehe. Isn't this averted disaster
? Don't be afraid, Senior Brother, Pan'er will protect you from now on."
"Haha! Good, Senior Brother is so happy." Wu Zheng patted her head again, his expression serious, "That's exactly
what I wanted to tell Pan'er."
Seeing Wu Zheng's solemn expression, Gu Pan knew this time she had been reckless and extremely dangerous. She lowered her head, looking aggrieved,
"I know I was wrong, I won't dare to do it again."
In the past, when she made mistakes, she could always get away with it by showing this pitiful appearance, but not this time.
Wu Zheng sighed and said, "It's not just wrong, it's a huge mistake. Pan'er has caused your senior brother a tremendous amount of trouble this time
."
"Ah?" Gu Pan was taken aback. She didn't want to cause trouble for Wu Zheng, but the word "tremendous" still
startled her.
"Without rules, there can be no order. The sect rules are absolutely forbidden. Pan'er's decision to go down the mountain without Kunlun's permission
is a grave offense. Think about it, this has set a bad precedent. If we let you run wild,
what will happen if the other disciples follow your example? Pan'er was lucky to escape danger, but not everyone is so lucky, and
not everyone can happen to meet a benefactor. If something happens to them, Pan'er can't escape the responsibility."
"This... I know I was wrong, but staying on the mountain is really too uncomfortable. I want to
stay with Mother and Senior Brother, and I don't want to see Father's cold face," Gu Pan pleaded. Hearing the reproach in Wu Zheng's words, she quickly
said, "Patriarch Zhu said that since I have made a contribution, I don't have to go back to Kunlun Mountain."
"It's not that simple!" Wu Zheng shook his head with a wry smile and said, "Killing the bandits is certainly a merit, but this is..."
"Two different things. According to Senior Brother, merit is merit, and demerit is demerit; there's no way to offset them."
"Ah? Then...what should we do? I don't want to go back." Gu Pan pouted, her face flushed with anxiety, and
she looked at Wu Zheng with pleading eyes.
"Senior Brother doesn't want you to go back to the mountain either. But Pan'er needs to know that someone has to be punished for this. If it's not
Pan'er, it'll be Aunt Lu." Wu Zheng shook his head helplessly.
"What do you mean? Is it...are you going to accuse Mother of misbehaving? How can that be?" Gu Pan was really
anxious. Her purpose in coming down the mountain was nothing more than for Wu Zheng and Lu Feiyan. After being separated for two years, the three of them had just reunited
, and now they had to separate again. This was absolutely unacceptable.
"That's inevitable, but don't worry for now. Senior Brother will find a way for you. In short, none of you
can leave. It's best if the three of us are together. Well, even if the Sect Leader comes, I will find a way to keep you here."
Wu Zheng coaxed her patiently, not caring about shame at all. He thought to himself, "Since I'm here, I might as well make 　　the best of it. Keeping
Pan'er in the Wu residence will put pressure on me, and it'll also put pressure on Feifei. Anyway, this was bound to happen sooner or later, so it's better to deal with it sooner rather than later. 　　" "Really?" Gu Pan was overjoyed, throwing herself into Wu Zheng's arms like a baby swallow and giving him a big kiss on the cheek 　　. She said happily, "Senior Brother is the best to me!" When she was little, Wu Zheng often held her in his arms, and her moist, fragrant lips had kissed him 　　more than once, but this time, after she couldn't help herself, the feeling was very different. 　　Wu Zheng's aura had never been so strong before, and when it entered her nostrils, half of her delicate body went limp. The 　　feeling was extremely strange, making her heart flutter like a deer! And when she was gently caught in Wu Zheng's arms, although he was very careful 　　, only holding her fragrant shoulders and wrapping his arms around her knees, her pert bottom resting on his thighs made the other half of her delicate 　　body go limp as well. The flushed face and pounding heart—wasn't that exactly 　　the desire he felt every night to place her soft hands between his legs and caress her wantonly? 　　Wu Zheng caught Gu Pan, then hurriedly put her down on the ground. The girl's delicate body was taut and alluring, her skin incredibly 　　elastic. Holding her for too long and then forcibly controlling himself would surely be uncomfortable. He forced a smile and said, "Pan'er 　　, you've grown up. You can't treat men like this casually, not even your senior brother. And absolutely no one else is allowed to touch you! 　　Do you understand?" 　　Lu Feiyan had been constrained by her constitution for many years, avoiding such matters like the plague. She must have neglected to teach Gu Pan about matters between men and women, 　　not to mention Gu Bufan's rigid nature. Gu Pan was completely oblivious to this; this action was purely a habit from her childhood 　　. This time, she was startled. Being held by Wu Zheng felt wonderful, but also instinctively shy and afraid 　　. Seeing Wu Zheng's serious expression, she quickly nodded and said, "Pan'er will remember." 　　Wu Zheng nodded and said, "Back to business! This time, your senior brother will guarantee you and Aunt Lu's safety in Chengdu. However, 　　Pan'er must promise you a few things." 　　"Alright!" Gu Pan presented her soft hand and said, "Let's make a pact with a high five." 　　"Don't rush, let your senior brother finish speaking first." Wu Zheng smiled and shook his head, saying, "First, your cultivation cannot be neglected. Pan'er, 　　you must cultivate every day on the mountain and in Chengdu City, without missing a single moment starting tomorrow. Second, 　　Chengdu City is not peaceful, especially since your senior brother beat Yu Huajie this time. I'm afraid many people are waiting to cause trouble for your senior brother 　　. You can go out, but you need to let Aunt Lu know and get her permission first. Third, your senior brother will have Aunt Lu 　　test your skills every half month, and you must show improvement each time. These three conditions are indispensable, and if you break 　　them even once, then I'm sorry, your senior brother will have to send you back to Kunlun Mountain." 　　"No problem!" Gu Pan nodded solemnly, "Pan'er doesn't understand so many principles yet, but Pan'er 　　knows that your senior brother and mother would never harm me. This time, I will definitely keep my promise." 　　"Oh! Now that you say that, I'm going to be proud. Are the rules of the Wu family more effective than the rules of the Kunlun Sect?" 　　Wu Zheng smiled and gave Gu Pan a high five to seal the agreement. These three conditions were indeed a constraint on Gu Pan, but handing over all authority 　　to Lu Feiyan was also a constraint on her, preventing this occasionally paranoid senior nun 　　from becoming anxious. 　　"Hehe, Senior Brother will definitely be the Kunlun Sect Leader in the future. I'm just listening to the Sect Leader, I don't 　　mean any disrespect to 　　the Kunlun Sect ." Gu Pan was overjoyed, her 　　two little fists propped on her chin as she laughed. Wu Zheng 　　smiled slightly, thinking to himself: This time 　　, I can only rely on this title to protect you and your 　　daughter . 　　……… 　　... The Kyoto garrison quickly apprehended and dismissed a number of officials for investigation. If 　　Wu Zheng's previous impression of the Qin Emperor was that of an old, senile, and capricious man, this time it was completely different. 　　Though the Lion King was old, his majesty remained, and beneath his clouded eyes lay a clear mind. Whether dealing with the Han family or waiting for 　　Wu Zheng to voluntarily relinquish his merits, the Qin Emperor's shrewdness and quickness of judgment were unmatched by any other courtier. 　　Wu Zheng already deeply admired Hu Hao and Han Pojun; even these two had to humbly submit and acknowledge their superiority. 　　What reason did the supreme ruler sitting high on the dragon throne in the Golden Palace have not to be convinced? 　　Therefore, the series of official promotions and reshuffles after Wen Yi's downfall were all the more intriguing. The most attention-grabbing 　　move was the promotion of Luo Yanghui, the former General of the North, to General of the East, vacating his position for Han Tiejia. Meanwhile 　　, Li Luchang, the former General of the East who had fiercely defended Xiabian Pass, was relieved of his post and awaiting reassignment, presumably also a promotion. Above the four generals were 　　the four generals of the front, rear, left, and right, and above them were the two generals of the Cavalry and Chariots. Now that Han Pojun had retired to his hometown, the position of General of the Chariots 　　was vacant. Who would succeed him? Such high-ranking changes would undoubtedly have a significant impact 　　on the court's power structure, and no one could afford to underestimate them. It was anyone's guess what the unfathomable Emperor was planning. 　　The courtiers' speculations didn't last long. A new imperial edict was issued four days after Wen Yi's dismissal and investigation 　　: "Li Luchang is appointed General of the Rear, and Fang Wenhui is appointed General of the Chariots..." 　　Wu Zheng choked, swallowed hard, and looked up at the equally astonished Zhu Yatong. The beautiful woman stared...

With her beautiful eyes wide with disbelief, she read the report again, and after a long while, she smiled bitterly, "The emperor is the emperor; he's not someone ordinary
people can predict. You Kunlun and Qingcheng fought a big battle, and you were completely used. They've been planning this for a long time
; they just hadn't had the chance yet."
"It seems they've been planning this ever since Huo Zhongshu returned to the country," Wu Zheng said, rubbing his increasingly throbbing forehead
. "What are they trying to do? To be honest, His Highness the Crown Prince has approached me several times, but I haven't dared to agree.
Fang Wenhui is the Fifth Prince's uncle; now that he's in charge of the General of Chariots and Cavalry, isn't he going to do something about it? His Highness the Crown Prince
is probably panicking, and I really don't want to go to the North City government office! Ugh, my head hurts!"
"I can't see through it, I can't see through it." Zhu Yatong shook her head repeatedly, saying, "Even if the Qin Emperor is in poor health and needs to choose a successor,
there's no time to cause trouble. Wouldn't Chengdu be in chaos? The Crown Prince and the Fifth Prince are clashing, and
the old emperor is sitting on the throne. These three dragons are going to cause a ruckus."
"This is going to be a disaster!" Wu Zheng scratched his head, saying, "When gods fight, mortals suffer! This time, it's really bad. Originally,
the person in the Wu family who wanted my Pan'er might have been someone else, but now it's definitely my third uncle... I...
can I swear?"
"Hehe, no! Hold it in!" Zhu Yatong chuckled, unable to suppress her laughter, and reached out to tap Wu Zheng's forehead,
scolding him, "You secretly took someone else's wife, and you still dare to speak."
"Their marriage is already a sham." Wu Zheng was still a little unaccustomed to Zhu Yatong's occasional intimacy, but
he wasn't surprised anymore. He sighed and said, "My third uncle isn't a bad person. He's loyal to the sect and
has always been very good to me. Back when I was learning the Daoist Technique, he even wanted to give up his chance to enter the Scripture Pavilion so I could choose a
different technique. He was just a bit too confident and had too much pride. It wouldn't benefit anyone if Feifei stayed with him. I
love and respect her, and I want to save her from this suffering. I'll never regret it."
"Hmm. I've said before that a man should be responsible for his actions. Since you like her so much, you should also take care of her
worries." Zhu Yatong praised him, but couldn't help teasing him, "It's just that everything's piled up at once,
making it several times more difficult, haha. I'm quite curious how you're going to handle it!"
"It's getting harder and harder, there's no way out, I just want to hide away." Wu Zheng leaned back heavily in his chair and slumped down
. "I feel like dying! But I can't escape. By the way, I'm even more curious that such a small Wu family has so
many troubles. I imagine the Zhu family must have even more troubles. May I ask how the Zhu family head deals with them?"
"Similar to you, but a little better than you." Zhu Yatong smiled faintly. "You're not strong enough,
while I am very strong, so I can have the final say on many things, while you can't. That's the difference!"
"I understand!" Wu Zheng scratched his head and sighed. "Never mind, never mind, I'm going to check out the [dining
hall]! Are you coming?"
"Yes, that [dining hall] is so much fun. I want to do something like that in the Zhu family in the future."
Although the Wu family was newly built, it had more than thirty people, and food and drink were the most important
things to be taken care of. This dining hall was built according to Wu Zheng's wishes.
The small building had two floors. The first floor is a spacious hall, while the second floor is accessed through
a separate staircase built outside the building, specifically for entertaining distinguished guests, and named "Wu's Private Kitchen."
This idea was learned by Wu Zheng in his previous life. A wealthy merchant, known as the "God of Business," had several wives,
one of whom was exceptionally skilled in cooking. Whenever the merchant entertained high-ranking officials, business partners, or meritorious subordinates, he would invite
this wife to personally prepare exquisite dishes—small entourages, but refined cuisine. Because of his high status, everyone who was invited to this
private meal felt honored. After the merchant's death, this wife simply started a restaurant business. Wu Zheng,
after tasting that steak, couldn't forget it.
Thus, "Wu's Private Kitchen" came into being. With the good reputation built from his decisive act of relinquishing credit to the Han family, the Wu
residence would soon become bustling. Both the main hall on the first floor and the private kitchen on the second floor had an excellent
effect on winning people's hearts. Therefore, not only did Wu Zheng take it to heart, but he and Zhu Yatong also focused all their attention
on this place recently.
"My lord, my lord!" Before they even reached the dining hall, Steward Feng came running up breathlessly, saying,
"Mr. Gu Bufan from the Kunlun Sect has come to visit!"
"So soon?" Wu Zheng wiped his face heavily. He was really a little embarrassed to see Gu Bufan at this time!

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