“Exactly. With peach blossom petals stuck to his shoes, he must have lingered outside the main hall. That’s why I suspected he would go out to report tonight. I didn’t expect to be right,” Li San said, glaring fiercely at Kui Zi.“Commander, you’re truly wise. It’s no wonder His Highness chose you from among all the servants. Unlike this guy, who can only do sneaky, underhanded things,” one of the men flattered.Li San’s face showed a hint of pride, and he gave the man an appreciative look. “If we’re talking about wisdom and valor, that would be our His Highness. Now I finally understand. His Highness endured humiliation in Qingzhou all these years just so he could wipe out these powerful families in one fell swoop today.”“Exactly. He endured for five years, only revealing his brilliance now. His Highness’s patience is truly remarkable,” another man said.Then someone else added, “With a prince like this, who knows? Maybe His Highness has a chance in the struggle for the throne…”The

“Sun Yuanzhi has conspired to assassinate the Prince of Qi! Anyone involved will be executed without mercy!”Li San shouted at the top of his lungs. The servants who had suddenly turned violent were actually secret guards disguised as assassins.In an instant, most of the powerful families who had conspired with Sun Yuanzhi were either dead or injured. Sun Yuanzhi himself was forced to retreat under the relentless assault of the secret guards.However, the private soldiers from the Sun family, charging out of the grove, quickly closed the distance, forcing the secret guards to temporarily withdraw to protect Xiao Ming.Sun Yuanzhi laughed maniacally. “Xiao Ming, you’re truly a fool. Even though you knew this was a trap, you still came. Since you delivered yourself to me, don’t blame me for what happens next.”“If I hadn’t come, how would you traitors have revealed yourselves? Everyone knows the principle of ‘capture the leader to defeat the rebels.’ Now, let’s see whose side fate is o

A spring breeze carrying a hint of warmth blew past, causing the leaves to rustle softly.If not for the current scene, this would have been a picturesque spring landscape.“I do not need the support of the nobility, nor does the Great Yu Empire. The history shaped by the nobility over thousands of years should now be written by the countless common people of the land.”Xiao Ming’s impassioned voice rang out. In his eyes, Sun Yuanzhi saw mockery, the same disdain they had shown toward the lowly commoners.“How dare you…” Sun Yuanzhi could not believe that Xiao Ming would treat the nobility this way.Since ancient times, local nobility had always been the target of royal courts’ efforts to win over. Yet, this Prince of Qi was doing the exact opposite. It was precisely because of this that even Wang Chengchou had not anticipated Xiao Ming would so decisively eliminate the Wang family, leading to his own demise.Pang Yukun and Lu Fei cast admiring glances at Xiao Ming. It was precisely b

“Isn’t it obvious? Different categories mean different things to do after graduation,” Scholar Du said matter-of-factly.“That’s why it’s strange. The sages taught us that studying is for self-cultivation, governing the country, and bringing peace to the world. It’s about becoming a high-ranking official and serving the nation and its people. If that’s the case, why does the Bowen Academy need so many categories? The classics, history, philosophy, and literature should suffice,” one scholar argued.“I disagree. I think the Bowen Academy is different from private schools. Scholars don’t have to focus solely on passing the imperial exams. They can do other things too,” another scholar countered.“Brother Su, are you saying you won’t take the imperial exams anymore?” Scholar Du asked a scholar wearing patched clothes.Scholar Su nodded. “I take the imperial exams every year, and every year I fail. My family is getting poorer, and I can’t even afford the travel expenses for the exams anym

“You’re talking about Zhan Xingchang, the Sima of Qingzhou?”Xiao Ming had some impression of this person. He had been recommended by Pang Yukun and later appointed as the Sima in the Qingzhou government office.The position of Sima in the Great Yu Empire was relatively minor, roughly equivalent to a modern-day city mayor’s secretary.“Yes, yes, I think his name is Zhan Xingchang,” Medical Officer Sun seemed to recall.Currently, among Xiao Ming’s advisors, Pang Yukun was his top civil official, Lu Fei his top military officer, and Li Kaiyuan his top merchant. Beyond these, he truly lacked capable individuals.In the past, when he hadn’t been involved in governance, he hadn’t noticed this. But now that he needed capable people, he found himself short-handed.Although Pang Yukun was competent, his abilities were limited. He couldn’t handle everything.Moreover, Pang Yukun excelled in logistics. He was adept at managing horse administration, agricultural production, and infrastructure c