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World's First Traitor System (7)
🕑 Added 2024-01-26 01:29:31 +0000 UTCChapter 7 - Stroke of the Brush Manifests Grand Aura
Fan Li did not expect this, he really didn't expect it. The Jiajing Emperor of Ming actually instigated him, the Prime Minister of Chu, to rebel?
The memorial contained a lot of promised benefits, such as forming a brotherly alliance, not attacking each other, jointly destroying Han, dividing up the realm, and so on.
"If I were really a proper treacherous minister, I might have agreed." Fan Li muttered to himself.
Fan Li did not need to rebel. He had the [Villain System]. The life-extending pills rewarded by the system were more important than anything else. Moreover, with great power in hand, why should he care about the emperor's empty title?
‘Zhang Juzheng had ulterior motives, while the Jiajing Emperor was a rare strong ruler in Ming’s history. How did these two guys who are good at scheming and tricks suddenly plan against me?’
Holding the jade tablet, Fan Li fell into contemplation, and forgot that Xiang Ning was still standing behind him.
Xiang Ning's little face was flushed red, barely managing to hold herself back from reacting on the spot! ‘The Jiajing Emperor is audacious! He actually dared to incite my minister to plot a rebellion! But why did it have to be Fan Li? He already holds power over the imperial court. He’s only a step away from the throne. Would Fan Li rebel? I have yielded to him in everything, even calling him Daddy. What more is he unsatisfied about?’
Extremely angry, Xiang Ning also felt extremely wronged, and even wanted to cry.
Zhang Juzheng was also full of expectations as he looked at Fan Li. According to the intel Great Ming had gathered, the Fan clan’s power engulfed the imperial court, and Fan Li indeed harbored traitorous thoughts.
Especially last month, deliberately mislabeling the deer and forcing the little emperor to call him Father. These two incidents shocked the world.
‘I thought Han’s Grand Tutor Dong Zhuo was the number one villain in the world, but I’m afraid he still falls short compared to Fan Li. Both Chu and Han have weak rulers and strong ministers. It is the perfect time to stir up trouble and throw them into internal chaos. As long as both countries fall into internal turmoil, my Great Ming can take this opportunity to unite the realm under one rule. If I can assist His Majesty, I will definitely accomplish great deeds in my lifetime!’ The more Zhang Juzheng thought about it, the more excited he became. The strategy in the memorial was his own idea, and had the Jiajing Emperor's support.
Zhang Juzheng was determined that after successfully instigating Fan Li to rebel, he would immediately travel to Han as an envoy again and also attempt to manipulate Dong Zhuo into rebelling.
‘The position of Prime Minister in Great Ming will be mine sooner or later!’
Staring at the pondering Fan Li, a flash of contempt appeared in Zhang Juzheng's eyes. In his opinion, young men like Fan Li from prestigious clans lacked real abilities, relying entirely on the blessings of their ancestors. ‘Although I was born in a poor family, my future achievements will definitely surpass this person!’
Coincidentally, Fan Li looked up and met Zhang Juzheng's barely concealed ferocious gaze. Zhang Juzheng was shocked and quickly bowed his head.
‘This brat can't hold his farts after all.’ Fan Li pretended not to see it, but silently noted it down in his heart.
"What does Prime Minister Fan think about this?" Zhang Juzheng lowered his voice and asked.
"Hmm... His Majesty Jiajing's writing is pretty good. This memorial is well-written, I'll keep it as a souvenir." Fan Li yawned as he spoke.
After all, he was still a mortal. After staying up all night, he really couldn’t resist his drowsiness.
Zhang Juzheng's expression froze in shock. What does he mean by ‘well-written’ and ‘keep as souvenir’? Can't he give a clear answer on whether he agrees or disagrees? Otherwise, how should he explain it to His Majesty when he returns to Ming?
Among the three countries, Ming was the strongest. Zhang Juzheng still couldn't hold back the arrogance in his heart after all!
He loudly said, "Prime Minister Fan, this memorial was personally written by my emperor. If Prime Minister accepts it but expresses no intention at all, I'm afraid it will displease my emperor. As for the consequences, I'm afraid it's not something you can afford."
It was rumored that the Jiajing Emperor's cultivation had reached the Great Vehicle stage. Upon completion of the Great Vehicle stage, one would attempt tribulation transcendence!
There were nine realms of cultivation, with only one realm for Transcending Tribulation, either ascending to immortality or perishing by lightning.
Ever since the old emperors of Chu and Han successively passed away with the young lords taking the throne, the Jiajing Emperor had firmly occupied the seat of the number one person under heaven.
Fan Li truly could not withstand the fury of the most powerful emperor.
‘Is he forcing Fan Li to show his stance?’ Even Xiang Ning couldn't help feeling extremely nervous for Fan Li, thinking he was caught in a dilemma.
"Show my stance? Of course I'll express it! Courtesy calls for reciprocity!" Fan Li didn't seem troubled at all.
Chengming Hall was used to review memorials, with no lack of brushes, ink, paper and inkstones. Fan Li casually spread out a sheet of proclamation paper, dipped his brush in ink, and wrote fluidly for a while!
"Strange. Just writing a few words, why do I feel so relaxed all over, as if I just finished an aerobic workout? Could this be the benefit of repairing my foundation?" Fan Li muttered to himself and gently blew the ink dry before handing the memo to Zhang Juzheng.
"His Majesty Jiajing gifted me calligraphy. Naturally, I must also reciprocate. Please pass on this copy of Farewell to Arms to His Majesty."
Zhang Juzheng felt Fan Li was obviously messing with him! He asked Fan Li to indicate his agreement to rebel, but Fan Li tried to gloss things over.
But when Zhang Juzheng unrolled the proclamation paper out of curiosity, intending to appreciate the literary talent of Chu’s Prime Minister, he was instantly shocked by the powerful literary aura contained in the paper!
In that instant, A vast and magnificent aura erupted from the paper, even bursting out of Chengming Hall, penetrating between Heaven and Earth!
"So upright and unyielding, linking Heaven and Earth, this is Haoran aura!?" Zhang Juzheng's expression changed drastically!
As a Confucian and Daoist cultivator, he used brush, ink, paper and inkstone as his treasures, nourishing Haoran aura in his dantian.
Relying on his exceptionally rare innate talent hailed as a "divine child" since childhood, even though he was born in a poor family, he had still reached the first stage of YuanYing realm.
But Zhang Juzheng's Haoran aura was only like a little stream, flowing in small cycles within his body, nowhere near the spectacle before his eyes!
‘His brush manifests aura! Could Fan Li be the reincarnation of a great Confucian sage?’ In a daze, Zhang Juzheng even had the urge to betray Great Ming in order to kneel down and acknowledge Fan Li as his master! He barely suppressed that urge with great difficulty, and was already shaking all over, no longer daring to mention anything about Fan Li indicating his stance.
"What's the matter? Does Minister Zhang feel uncomfortable? Do you need the imperial physician?" Fan Li was puzzled.
After glancing at the Farewell to Arms he wrote, why did that brat break out in cold sweat? Could it be that he overindulged himself without proper self-restraint, already overdrawing his own vitality?
"Does Minister Zhang have a headache? Our imperial hospital has the famous doctor Hua Tuo, who specializes in treating headaches. Would you like to try?"
Zhang Juzheng barely pulled himself together and forced a smile as he shook his head. "This official...I'm truly fortunate to meet Prime Minister Fan today...I'll take my leave now."
After saying so, he carefully put away the Farewell to Arms before finally leaving Chengming Hall.
At this moment, Zhang Juzheng's mind was already chaotic. "The Embroidered Uniform Guards are incompetent. Chu's Fan Li is by no means a treacherous minister!"
"This Farewell to Arms shall serve as a model and golden rule for loyal ministers of the realm for generations! Fan Li's Haoran aura links Heaven and Earth. He fully lives up to being the late Chu Emperor's entrusted minister!"
"There must be a deeper meaning behind deliberately mislabeling the deer. The young Chu Emperor willing recognizes him as Foster Father is completely sincere!"
"Careless! My Great Ming's plans to engulf the realm will surely be seen through by this man. It will be difficult for my dynasty to accomplish anything internally in Chu. As long as we focus our efforts on Han, provoking Dong Zhuo into rebelling..."
