Zhao Yan was overjoyed and immediately went out to welcome him.
Unexpectedly, Jimo Qingyu shouted, “Stop.”
Zhao Yan was stunned for a moment, unable to understand what his master meant.
Jimo Qingyu coldly ordered, “Tell him that this old man has already rested and cannot receive guests.”
The servant takes orders and goes to deliver messages.
Zhao Yan was shocked and confused. His master had always been thinking of taking him, the future junior apprentice, as a personal disciple. He had previously begged but could not. How is it that right now the person is coming to the door of their own accord, but instead he doesn’t want to see him?
The servant quickly returned and hesitated, saying, “Prime Minister, that young gentleman said he’s not in a hurry and will stand outside the door waiting for the Prime Minister to wake up.”
Zhao Yan looked at the pouring rain and couldn’t help but say, “Master, standing outside on such a cold day will make him sick.”
Jimo Qingyu snorted coldly, he didn’t speak, turned around, and returned to the house.
Zhao Yan dared not say anything more and silently followed in to serve.
The servant couldn’t bear it anymore. As he walked out, he looked at Jiang Yun, who was still dressed in an elegant green robe standing in the rain, and said, “Our Prime Minister has really rested. Why don’t the young gentleman come back tomorrow?”
The rain was too heavy, and although there was Shi Fang’s umbrella supporting him, Jiang Yun’s sleeves were still wet.
Jiang Yun politely bowed back to him with a calm gaze and said, “It’s fine, I’m not in a hurry.”
The servant had no choice but to sigh and turn back to the mansion.
He thought, This young man looks elegant and open-minded, as if he has come to study humbly. Although the Prime Minister has a bit of a temper, he has always been patient with those scholars who are truly dedicated to learning, and I don’t know why he is so ruthless this time.
Shi Fang, who had been practicing martial arts since childhood, stood for less than a moment and felt a chill all over his body. He was worried that Jiang Yun’s body would not be able to bear it. He said, “Why don’t the Young Master go back to the carriage and rest first? This subordinate will wait here.”
Jiang Yun shook his head and said it was fine.
He only ordered Ji An to bring paper, ink, brush, and inkstone, then sat directly on the ground under the eaves of the Left Prime Minister’s Mansion. He spread rice paper on his lap and wrote with the brush in front of the rain curtain.
Half an hour later, Jimo Qingyu summoned his servant and asked, “Is he still outside?”
The servant said yes.
“Do you want to see him, Prime Minister?” He asked cautiously.
Jimo Qingyu said with a cold face that he wouldn’t see him.
“If he likes to stand, let him stand and go.”
The servant retreated.
Jimo Qingyu scolded his eldest disciple, “Why do you keep stretching your neck and looking out? If you want to go out so much, just get out and stand in the yard!”
Zhao Yan is very unjust.
God knows why his Master needed to practice calligraphy in the middle of the night.
If he really doesn’t want to see him, isn’t it best to just turn off the lights and sleep?
He even scolded him for looking out. The one who stretched his neck to look out was obviously someone else, alright?
But Zhao Yan didn’t dare to say it.
Half an hour later, the house servant came in again.
Jimo Qingyu frowned and asked, “What is it?”
The servant carefully held a stack of rice papers soaked in rainwater in front of Jimo Qingyu and said, “This is a newly written article by the young man outside the mansion. He said that when the Prime Minister wakes up, please ask him to review and give some guidance.”
Jimo Qingyu was stunned for a moment.
“His new work?”
“Yes, this old servant has been secretly watching. That young gentleman was sitting under the eaves of our Prime Minister Mansion and writing. He was drenched in the rain, his sleeves were soaked through, and he was writing in one breath without stopping. He really had a few moments of the Prime Minister’s youthful charm.”
Jimo Qingyu gave him a cold glare.
The servant chuckled and said, “If the Prime Minister doesn’t want to read it, the old servant will give it back to him. Although this young man works hard, it’s not appropriate for him to come and ask the Prime Minister to read the article in the middle of the night.”
The servant holding the paper and is about to take it back.
Jimo Qingyu’s mouth twitched for a moment and he said, “Wait.”
“Bring it over.”
He said with a stern expression.
The servant said yes, busily presenting the rice papers in his hands to the table respectfully.
At first, Jimo Qingyu couldn’t put down his pride to read. Later, he couldn’t help but take a first glance. After taking the first glance, he couldn’t help but take a second one. Then he picked up the stack of paper, stared intently, and read the entire article in one breath.
His eyes became brighter and brighter, he stroked his beard and stood up, unable to control his expression of admiration.
Zhao Yan asked curiously on the side, “Is this article of junior brother well written?”
Jimo Qingyu casually said, “If any of you can match one tenth of him, why would this old man waste his breath scolding you guys every day as a teacher…”
Halfway through, he suddenly realized something was wrong, shut his mouth tightly, and then gave his eldest disciple a stern glare: “Who is your junior brother?”
Jiang Yun still sat under the eaves, watching the rain.
Raindrops fell on his white cheeks and slender eyelashes, creating a faint sense of tide. In addition to elegance, a hazy beauty was added to him. His whole body was like a clear jade washed with water, warm and fair.
Shi Fang, who was holding the umbrella, stood on one side, watching the raindrops drip on the young gentleman’s green sleeves.
Shi Fang said again, “Young Master, go rest in the carriage first.”
He is really worried that Jiang Yun will fall ill.
Jiang Yun still says it’s fine.
Looking up, he smiled reassuringly and said, “We don’t have much time, I don’t want to waste it.”
Moreover, he quite enjoys watching the rain.
Sitting on the street and watching, it still has a unique flavor.
At this moment, with a creaking sound, the two tightly closed doors of the Prime Minister Mansion slowly opened.
The servant came out with an umbrella, and under it stood the graceful and upright Left Prime Minister, Jimo Qingyu, dressed in a royal blue robe.
Jimo Qingyu’s gaze fell on Jiang Yun.
Jiang Yun stood up, crossed his hands, and saluted him as a junior.
Jimo Qingyu lowered his hand and looked at him coldly. “You wouldn’t even look at this old man’s sect before, but this old man’s sect is not for anyone who wants to enter. You are so confident that this old man will see you?”
Jiang Yun looked up with a clear gaze and said, “I’m not sure, but since the Left Prime Minister is willing to honor me with his presence, I think I must have made the right bet.”
Jimo Qingyu didn’t say anything for a while again.
“Come in.”
The corners of his mouth pursed, and with a blank expression, he turned back to his mansion.
The rain was pouring down like a torrent, and it was even heavier than before. Shi Fang and Ji An were together at the foot of the stairs, anxiously looking inside the tea room. The young gentleman had already entered for half an hour and had not yet come out.
The servant kindly brought them hot tea.
Shi Fang couldn’t help but knock and ask, “Is the Left Prime Minister still talking to our Young Master?”
The servant chuckled and said, “The Left Prime Minister is grading the article for the young gentleman.”
Shi Fang: “……”
Jimo Qingyu is not only reviewing the article but also examining his academic performance. He has successively examined several classic books that he has recently read that he considers to be meaningful. He can freely select paragraphs, and no matter how rare, Jiang Yun can answer them fluently.
Some viewpoints and insights have refreshed Jimo Qingyu.
Jimo Qingyu put down his book with a cold face and said, “You haven’t neglected your studies, and you’re not at all like what you said before. You have no ambition, are lazy, and slack. Why use lies to deceive this old man? Are you being coerced by someone?”
It was obvious who he meant by “someone.”
Jiang Yun said, “Learning is boundless, and today I just happened to be able to answer a few sentences. This does not conflict with the younger generation’s lack of ambition. Moreover… I deceived the Left Prime Minister. In fact, I had studied under teachers before at home, and there were more than one. If I were to study under the Left Prime Minister again, it would be disrespectful to the Left Prime Minister and also disrespectful to my previous masters.”
Jimo Qingyu immediately asked sourly, “Who did you worship?”
Jiang Yun then said, “These are a few masters invited by our family. They are just ordinary teachers and have little reputation.”
Jimo Qingyu was half believing and half doubting, because he didn’t quite believe that a few unknown mountain and field villagers could teach such an excellent student. But he couldn’t refute it for a moment.
He continued to look coldly and said, “Are you here today for him?”
Jiang Yun nodded.
Jimo Qingyu sneered, “How can you be sure that this old man will meddle in his affairs? Have you never heard of how this old man scolds him when he is in court on weekdays?”
“Why should this old man save a cruel heir who is vengeful, aggressive, and dares to publicly shoot and kill the envoys of Qi at a banquet?”
Jiang Yun said, “But he is also a wise and brave person with a childlike heart, courage, skills, and ability. He would rather risk everything and walk the most difficult and dangerous path alone than submit to the control of aristocratic families and become the heir apparent of the Yan family, isn’t he?”
“If not—”
Jiang Yun raised his eyes and looked at this upright and stern, sharp tongued, and never flattering, the first pure minister of the Great Sui. “The Left Prime Minister would not have secretly sent supplies to the north three years ago.”
The sky happened to roll over with thunder.
Jiang Yun’s voice is not high, but it surpasses thunder.
Zhao Yan, who was standing by, widened his eyes in surprise and looked at Jimo Qingyu, who was sitting at the table, with a straight face in disbelief.
He served by his side every day, but never knowing that his master had once stolen provisions to the north. Isn’t it that his master detested the Crown Prince the most?
Jimo Qingyu’s eyes remained motionless as he looked at Jiang Yun with a complex expression.
He thought to himself, he’s just too penetrating and intelligent.
Truly like a finely carved and stunning jade everywhere.
Such a beautiful jade should be free from worldly conflicts, accompanied by green mountains and flowing water, devoting himself to studying without any worldly troubles.
Unfortunately, he was caught early by an ambitious wolf.
Jimo Qingyu is a bit annoyed.
The cabbage is being harassed by the pig.
He snorted coldly and said, “Even if it’s true, so what? At that moment, this old man can’t bear to watch tens of thousands of soldiers freeze to death in the north due to his impulsiveness and recklessness. Today, do you think that this old man will continue to let him step on the bones and blood of the soldiers and ascend to power?”
Jiang Yun smiled faintly and said, “Would the Left Prime Minister be willing to watch the Yan family step on the bones and blood of innocent people to ascend to power then? As far as I know, only last year, due to various reasons, thousands of people died in the hands of the aristocratic families led by the Yan family. Some of them starved to death because they lost their farmland, some were killed because they offended local tycoons, and some even died on the roadside without their corpses collected. Last year, the Jiuda Battalions were ordered to resettle refugees. But they colluded with each other and embezzled money and food for disaster relief. In the cold winter and twelfth month, nearly a thousand refugees were driven to the mountains, leaving them to be left alone, frozen to death. During the Jiuda Battalions’ battles, there was a tradition of using slaves to offer flags and allowing death row inmates to act as shield walls to clear the way. In the Mount Li rebellion, the Yan family became even more insane, burying countless explosives in the mountain and burying uninformed people for their own selfish desires. Is this the world and the people that the Left Prime Minister wants to see?”
“I know that in the Left Prime Minister’s eyes, he may be a Crown Prince who is good at martial arts and war and does not meet the standards set by the Qing Dynasty scholars. However, he has strict military governance and discipline, the soldiers under his command are prohibited. He has never done anything such as slaughtering cities and villages, looting, or harassing the people. At least he is wise and willing to treat the people well. The overall situation of the world is divided, no one can predict who will ultimately die. But in the future… if the world really falls into his hands, ordinary people on Mount Li may still have a way to survive. If it falls into the hands of the Yan family, it may be the beginning of another catastrophe and nightmare for the common people.”
“I did not come here tonight to ask the Left Minister to save the disliked ruler, but to request the Left Minister to save the future of the people.”
Jiang Yun naturally came after doing his homework.
He knew that although Jimo Qingyu belonged to the civil service officials and never participated in the party and government of the central court, the Jimo family had a very strong foundation in Jiangbei. Jimo Qingyu was able to be a pure minister without any hesitation, not only because of his temperament but also because of his family background. The Jimo family has mysterious mounted soldiers, composed of skilled knight errands who can travel freely between any country, transmitting messages, and their strength is no less than that of any professional scout.
At present, only the mounted soldiers of the Jimo family can cross the heavy blockade set by the Yan family and accurately transmit the news to Mount Li.
The young gentleman’s elegant voice echoed in the room.
Not only was Zhao Yan stunned, but even Jimo Qingyu was momentarily lost in thought.
“You…”
He couldn’t help but want to ask, Who exactly are you? Are you really just an ordinary scholar from the countryside? How could an ordinary scholar have such a visionary view?
The world is bustling, and most people, who are extremely poor, only care about personal success or failure, fame, and career prospects. It would already be great if they could understand their whole family. This is the first time that Jimo Qingyu has heard someone talk about the world in front of him rather than the power struggles and ups and downs of the Sui capital.
Jimo Qingyu’s gaze was as sharp as lightning for a moment, and he asked, “Do you think he has the ability to take the whole world into his pocket in the future? But that Crown Prince Jiang Rongyu, who is separated by a river, is not inferior in talent and skills. How can you be certain that he will definitely win?”
Jiang Yun: “I don’t know anything else, but there’s one thing that Jiang Rongyu may not be as good as him.”
“Which one?”
“Jiang Rongyu’s health is probably not as good as his.”
“……”
Jimo Qingyu thought he was referring to the incident where the Crown Prince of Jiang fell off a cliff and was seriously injured. He snorted, “Even without Jiang Rongyu, there might still be Zhang Rongyu and Gu Rongyu in the future. He is too sharp and ambitious now, and even with such a large capital of Sui, his ambition is already running out of steam. The power is maddening. He’s like a sharp and unparalleled sword. Without a scabbard that can restrain his ambition, this old man wouldn’t have trusted him with the world and Mount Li.”
Jiang Yun’s chest felt cold, and he wanted to cough.
He picked up the hot tea on the table and took a small sip.
He touched the tea bowl with his bare fingertips, his voice gentle and heartless: “Power is madness. It is based on the premise that one can obtain anything and achieve any goal through power. However, if we let him know that the will of heaven has always been difficult to ask, there are things in the world that cannot be achieved solely by power, he will naturally not fall into madness.”
Jimo Qingyu looked at the young man full of secrets, “What do you mean?”
Jiang Yun said, “I have heard that there was a Linglong Pagoda in the Sui capital, towering and magnificent. Soaring into the clouds, when one climbs to the top of the tower, they can cover the sun with their hands. Looking down, one can hear the shocking wind. Even the smallest ants will have the ambition to conquer the world. I want to set up a game on the tower and wait for ambitious people from all over the world to fight.”
After speaking, Jiang Yun stood up and bid farewell to Jimo Qingyu.
Jimo Qingyu’s expression became more and more complicated. For a long time, he said, “Three years ago, I once sent my mounted soldiers to the north to help with supply. It was true, but that batch of supplies had not yet reached the north. He had already walked out of the snow mountain with his own strength.”
“He’s not an ordinary lone wolf, hope you can… set up this game well.”
Jiang Yun bowed calmly to him, then turned around and walked out of the tea room.
The wind and rain outside are gentle, and the thunder and lightning continue.
Jiang Yun looked up at the rain curtain, then extended his finger and let the rain fall from between his fingers.
Shi Fang hurriedly approached with an umbrella and asked, “Did the Left Prime Minister agree to help His Highness?”
Jiang Yun nodded and smiled at him.
He said: “Let’s go to the Linglong Pagoda.”
