Chapter Twelve: How Am I Supposed to Handle This?
Li Biao, code name “Death Biao.”
In a corner, a discerning overseer, wise enough to recognize true talent, had already helped this young man—who hadn’t even completed his onboarding procedures at the Eastern Depot—come up with a street name.
He had previously assisted many promising young talents at the Eastern Depot in creating striking code names.
For instance, the now-feared “One Dog, One Pig” and “One Ox, One Horse.”
“Pig Dog” was the derogatory term civil officials used to mock the Eastern Depot.
Yet, the two agents codenamed “Pig Dog” caused many civil and military ministers to hesitate when engaging in corruption, making them reconsider which bribes they could accept and which they could not.
Similarly, “Ox Horse” was another term of ridicule by the civil officials.
It referred to those who bowed and obeyed the emperor like beasts of burden, only to be pushed forward as scapegoats and sacrificed to quell official resentment.
However, “One Ox, One Horse” had now become the most trusted left and right arms of Chief Manager Li!
Given time, Chief Manager Li was confident that this young man codenamed “Death Biao” within the Eastern Depot would become a nightmare to all corrupt officials!
“One Pig, One Dog, One Ox, One Horse, One Death Biao.”
With that, the Eastern Depot was complete.
Li Wenxuan had no idea that behind him, the sighing Mr. Zhao—his “old servant”—had so many strange and profound thoughts swirling in his mind.
And that he was thinking so deeply and far ahead...
“Li Biao—”
The emperor personally inscribed the identity plaque.
Emperor Wu squinted at the dried ink.
This honor was probably unique to the Great Wu Kingdom.
“Boy, I hope you will not disappoint me during the trials ahead!
If you are merely someone unafraid of the powerful, that is not enough. You must also harbor a righteous heart, resolute and ready to draw your sword to aid those wronged.”
“That is the kind of man I need.”
“Address...”
A smile crept across Emperor Wu’s face as he looked at Li Wenxuan.
Li Wenxuan took the pen and naturally wrote, “Westward General’s Mansion,” then looked up at the emperor and said, “I am a servant of the General’s Mansion. I have come seeking a fate that defies Heaven itself!”
“To defy Heaven’s will…”
Emperor Wu hadn’t expected Li Wenxuan to be so straightforward.
“The Golden Platform I set up is precisely for humble sons like you to overturn their destinies. You have come to the right place. Let us proceed!”
Li Wenxuan hung the wooden plaque around his neck and followed Emperor Wu.
From the information he had gathered from Zhang Xiaogui, no matter whether in the Civil or Military Institutes within the Golden Tower, rank was distinguished by the identity token hanging from one’s waist.
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From bottom to top, they were wooden plaques, iron plaques, copper plaques, the highest silver plaques, and the fabled golden plaques!
Those bearing copper plaques could serve as candidate court officials.
The silver plaque holders were few, but all had stood upon the legendary Golden Platform and met the emperor in person.
Such individuals had already become the emperor’s secret confidants.
Though not yet ministers or generals, their status was already quite high.
As for the golden plaques, they were called legendary because no one had ever seen one—they existed only in tales.
Therefore, Li Wenxuan’s goal was clear: within one month, he would work himself to the point of surpassing a herniated lumbar disc, leap past the iron plaque, and seize a copper plaque.
Ultimately, he aimed to attract the attention of those above.
Only then could he bypass the lengthy waiting period as a candidate official and obtain an official post.
In doing so, he would secure a foundation for his survival and livelihood, free himself completely from the General’s Mansion, and then severely teach that arrogant and beautiful Cui family member a lesson!
“Do you know how to get promoted?”
Emperor Wu asked leisurely.
Li Wenxuan truly did not know.
Zhang Xiaogui was merely a gatekeeper with limited knowledge.
This made Li Wenxuan feel that his earlier gamble of two taels of silver to probe the path was somewhat wasteful—one tael would have sufficed.
“I do not know yet. Please, sir, enlighten me.”
A meaningful smile flickered at the corner of Emperor Wu’s lips, but he still replied, “The people here are quite skilled at reciting from memory.”
At this, Li Wenxuan’s heart skipped a beat. Could it be... a written exam?
And would it be on those Confucian classics officially designated by the Great Wu Kingdom?
Old Zhao, oh old Zhao, you have truly brought me hardship!
I might as well have braved it earlier and dragged you to the Military Institute.
With my abundant martial knowledge and far-advanced insights on warfare, I would surely have made my mark.
Emperor Wu continued, “Because they are so skilled at reciting, the sovereign does not test them on book knowledge. The paths to promotion are twofold: one is to offer strategies to solve the current difficulties faced by the court.”
He looked at Li Wenxuan, whose eyes were wide with surprise, and smiled.
“If the proposals these scholars offer please the emperor, then one can be promoted from wooden plaque to copper plaque, or even directly appointed to office!”
The emperor was well aware of the wager Li Wenxuan had made with Li Hu within the General’s Mansion.
Thus, he understood fully how desperately this young man wanted to become an official.
Becoming an official required more than literary talent.
However, literary talent could help the emperor with a greater task—to control the literati of the realm!
Among the scholars of the Great Wu Kingdom, any who could write with earth-shattering brilliance, surpassing all peers to become the undisputed leader of the literary world and master the direction of national opinion...
The emperor would not hesitate to humble himself and draw close to such a person, gaining the support of all scholars through them.
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Yet… so far, no one like that had emerged in the Great Wu Kingdom.
Emperor Wu held a faint hope that this year, a certain Li Xiao You, who could write “Repaying the Emperor’s Golden Platform’s Benevolence, wielding the Jade Dragon sword to die for the sovereign,” might just have the potential to become the literary leader of the Great Wu Kingdom.
“What about the second path?” Li Wenxuan pressed.
He wasn’t confident in politics and doubted he could propose anything brilliant enough to catch the emperor’s eye.
“The second point is not difficult. In fact, it is your forte.”
Emperor Wu deliberately delayed, watching as Li Wenxuan scratched his head, sweating nervously. Then, with a leisurely raise of his brow, he said:
“Ah?”
Li Wenxuan was a bit unsettled.
This… this… this was practically tailor-made for someone like him—a plagiarist… no, a disseminator of Chinese culture!
Old Zhao, old Zhao, you did not bring me hardship—you are leading me toward the ocean of happiness!
If not for my resolute nature, I might have uttered Lü Bu’s famous line right now.
Li Wenxuan asked seriously, but the emperor was now somewhat bewildered.
“What? You mean to say you’re quite the writer?”
“Out in the world, being a good writer is really useful!”
At that moment, a sudden uproar erupted from within the Civil Institute.
The once serene and elegant Civil Institute instantly transformed into a bustling marketplace, losing all semblance of scholarly tranquility.
Emperor Wu furrowed his brows, and Chief Manager Li immediately hurried over to inquire.
After a brief moment, he returned with a flushed face.
“Reporting… Master, the plum blossoms have bloomed in the Civil Institute. The head of the Civil Institute has issued a task: students are to compose poems centered on praising the plum blossom. Subject matter is unrestricted. Whoever can produce a work surpassing all others may fill a vacancy in the Ministry of Revenue, even breaking the rules to secure the position!”
Upon hearing this, Emperor Wu cast a subtle glance at Li Wenxuan, whose eyes had instantly sharpened.
A pleased and expectant light shone in the emperor’s eyes. Old Li’s acting was quite good—no hint of pretense.
That sudden bloom of plum blossoms had certainly assisted the old head of the Civil Institute!
“Li Xiao You, do you happen to be skilled at writing poems about objects?”
At the mention of “praising the plum blossom,” Li Wenxuan immediately recalled a myriad of timeless masterpieces on the subject.
However, Master Li was humble. He smiled and said, “Somewhat familiar, somewhat familiar!”
Everyone on Earth knows mastery of a skill ranges from novice, beginner, proficient, accomplished, to perfect; but “somewhat familiar” surpasses even perfect.
Alas, Emperor Wu and Chief Manager Li were not from Earth.
They actually thought Li Wenxuan was merely somewhat familiar.
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