Chapter 29

Regarding the problem Su Xi was pondering, Zhao Junchen himself did not know the answer.

Zhao Junchen just felt that as they got closer to Linjing City, his mood became increasingly tense, yet also increasingly relaxed.

The tension was because Linjing City was different from Luan Prefecture. In Luan Prefecture, Zhao Junchen, as an imperial envoy, represented the emperor in inspecting the region, and almost no power could threaten him. The only group that could match him, the Jin merchants, showed great respect and compliance due to their need for Zhao Junchen's favor.

But Linjing City was different. There, the supreme emperor, the upright crown prince, jealous and resentful political rivals, and secretly dissatisfied eunuchs all posed significant threats to Zhao Junchen. Each of these forces was not to be easily provoked by him. Even the ordinary people of Linjing City, accustomed to the city's complex environment, were more knowledgeable and not as easily deceived as those in Luan Prefecture.

Although Zhao Junchen had strategies to deal with these threats, he could not guarantee complete safety. Facing the intricate situation and intertwined forces in Linjing City, even with his modern perspective and the emperor's favor, he could only proceed cautiously, being extremely careful. Any slight mistake might lead to irreparable consequences.

However, compared to the tension, Zhao Junchen felt even more relief.

Over the past two months, Zhao Junchen had been constantly wearing masks in his interactions. In front of the local officials and the Jin merchants in Luan Prefecture, he wore the mask of a deeply scheming corrupt official to gain their respect and fear. In front of the common people, he wore the mask of a benevolent official to improve his tarnished reputation.

In less than two months, Zhao Junchen had almost forgotten what he looked like without a mask, and because of the constant lying, he now found it difficult to speak the truth.

Especially the latter mask—his previous life was just one of the many common people, and he detested the acts of deceiving and manipulating the masses. However, due to various reasons, he had to continuously play the role he disliked the most in Luan Prefecture. The grateful and admiring looks of the people always made him feel pressured.

This was why he planned to give all the "people's umbrellas" given to him by the people of Luan Prefecture to Emperor Deqing, keeping only the smallest and least conspicuous one. While his main reason was to please Emperor Deqing, deep down, Zhao Junchen also felt he did not deserve these umbrellas.

Once in Linjing City, although the situation would be fraught with danger, at least he could mostly remove the "hypocrite" mask and retain only the "true villain" mask. This change would indeed make Zhao Junchen feel much more relaxed.

"After all, in my previous life, I was just an ordinary civil servant. How could I have so much cunning and hypocrisy? Perhaps, after some time of adaptation, I can freely switch between different masks and no longer feel burdened by deceiving the people. By then, I might become a truly mature politician," Zhao Junchen thought to himself.

Yes, Zhao Junchen wanted to become a politician.

Politicians and statesmen are two entirely different identities, although they are often confused.

A politician is mature and rational, with only self-interest in mind. The safety of the nation and the well-being of the people are merely optional embellishments in their eyes. All their actions are aimed at climbing higher and going further.

A statesman, on the other hand, has a noble spirit, working for the country and the people, and is willing to sacrifice themselves when necessary. Their actions are driven by their ideals and aspirations. They are perfectionists, almost naively so.

Zhao Junchen did not want to be a statesman. He had no ambition to change the era and did not believe he had the ability to do so. He only wanted to protect himself and live comfortably in this era.

Therefore, he could only become a politician.

Because historically, all statesmen, though celebrated for their contributions, mostly died with regrets. Politicians, on the other hand, though some might be even more notorious than the current Zhao Junchen, generally lived comfortably.

Now, Zhao Junchen was walking the path of a politician, with some hesitation but mostly with firm steps.

……

In the carriage, Zhao Junchen was flipping through the documents in his hand—portraits of various people.

Even in Luan Prefecture, Zhao Junchen had already begun preparing for his return to Linjing City. He even had artists work with Xu Qingyan's descriptions to draw the faces of all the important figures in Linjing City, compiling them into a book for his reference.

As for the situation and environment in Linjing City, Zhao Junchen had discussed it with Xu Qingyan at least ten times and was already well-informed.

But to be on the safe side, Zhao Junchen would still review the information from time to time during the journey to avoid any omissions.

"Master, we are about to arrive in Linjing City!!"

Just as Zhao Junchen was reviewing the portraits and characteristics of the important figures in Linjing City, Xu Qingyan's voice sounded from outside the carriage.

Zhao Junchen nodded and said, "I know."

It had been seven days since Zhao Junchen left Luan Prefecture, and with the fast horses, they had finally arrived at Linjing City.

Zhao Junchen lifted the curtain at the front of the carriage and saw the tall city walls of Beijing in the distance. The road around him was gradually becoming bustling and prosperous. The area around his carriage was already filled with people and vehicles.

"Indeed, the capital of the Ming Dynasty is much more prosperous than Luan Prefecture. Even from a distance, it is already so lively," Zhao Junchen thought to himself, lowering the curtain and taking a deep breath in the carriage, murmuring, "The capital, we have finally arrived."

On the journey, Zhao Junchen was somewhat nervous and anxious about the unfamiliar environment of the capital. But when the capital truly appeared before his eyes, his mood calmed down, and he even felt a hint of anticipation.

Looking at the portraits and documents in his hand, Zhao Junchen smiled slightly and murmured, "Yes, I have understood everything I need to know. There should be no omissions."

As he spoke, outside the carriage, Xu Qingyan, feeling more confident upon returning to the familiar capital, pointed to one of Zhao Junchen's attendants and loudly said, "We are about to enter the capital. What are you still standing there for? Go quickly to the mansion and report that Master has returned. Tell the people in the mansion to prepare to welcome Master! Have Lady Ruyi and the others get ready to welcome Master!!"

"Understood!"

The attendant did not delay and galloped ahead towards the capital.

In the carriage, Zhao Junchen, who had just relaxed a bit, was stunned when Xu Qingyan mentioned "Lady Ruyi."

Yes, Zhao Junchen was already over twenty years old. How could he still be single? Even if he did not have a wife, he must have concubines.

Over the past few days, Zhao Junchen had thoroughly studied the situation in the capital and the court, but he had forgotten to learn about the situation of his wife and concubines in the mansion!

The memories Zhao Junchen inherited were quite fragmented. Because the original Zhao Junchen was too self-centered, the memories Zhao Junchen inherited were only in three parts: his general life experiences, everything about silver, and the character of Emperor Deqing. As for "Lady Ruyi," no matter how Zhao Junchen tried to recall, he could not remember anything about her...

"Trouble..." Zhao Junchen murmured to himself.

……

Volume 1: "The Locust Disaster in Luan Prefecture" is complete. Please continue to follow Volume 2: "The Silver Empire."

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