Chapter 470

"Old Brother Nie, Old Brother Yuan."

Li Rui looked at the old acquaintances who walked into the door, his face full of smiles.

Correct.

Nie Nie Siming and Yuan Xiong were transferred back to the capital from the Northern Plains by Grand Secretary Zhang.

The two were now Mountain-Suppressing Envoys of the Mountain-Seeking Division.

As for Jiang Jiang Linxian, he had completely broken away from the Mountain-Seeking Division and became a genuine Imperial Observatory Supervisor Deputy.

In fact.

Not only Jiang Jiang Linxian, but the several Mountain-Suppressing Envoys who previously held other posts also returned to their original duties.

These were all the work of that Grand Secretary Zhang.

According to his words, the Mountain-Seeking Division was not the former Secret Guard, so it must be cut off; except for the seven guest ministers, the rest of the people had to be formal official positions, the kind registered in the Ministry of Personnel.

Of course.

The Ministry of Personnel had almost no say in the appointments and removals of the Mountain-Seeking Division.

Who told the Division Chief of the Mountain-Seeking Division to be Grand Secretary Zhang; even the Minister of Personnel didn't dare to block it.

Originally, He Qiannian was also invited, but he was refused.

Li Rui naturally knew.

He Qiannian had his Qi meridians re-condensed by him, and now he was wholeheartedly burying his head in hard practice, thinking about being able to continue his martial meridians; where would he have the heart to meddle in the affairs of the Mountain-Seeking Division?

Insufficient manpower.

The Mountain-Seeking Division was a government office that needed to face immortal cultivators and fight, so the martial power naturally couldn't be weak.

Asking for people from Marquis Yuan became an inevitable matter.

Nie Nie Siming laughed heartily: "Old Brother Li, our brothers heard of your feat in the Northern Plains; blocking the Celestial Phenomenon, this ability is something our brothers are ashamed to admit we lack."

Li Rui: "I was just taking a shortcut; if not for the protection of the array, where would I be a match for Daoist Su Xuan Yu."

Nie Nie Siming and Yuan Xiong exchanged glances.

Would they believe it?

I fear Li Rui had hidden other means besides the array.

After all, they had verified the strength of this little old man before them with I don't know how many punches.

Yuan Xiong: "By the way, Big Brother will also arrive in the capital in a few days; Old Brother Li hasn't been to the Marquis Mansion many times before and hasn't seen Big Brother much; when Big Brother arrives, we must get drunk for three days together."

Li Rui was somewhat surprised:

"Is Great Master also coming to serve in the Division?"

Yuan Xiong nodded: "Exactly, it was personally ordered by the Holy Emperor's hand-written edict."

Hearing Yuan Xiong's words.

Li Rui's heart stirred slightly.

"It seems the Holy Emperor is not as wary of Marquis Yuan as the rumors outside say."

Otherwise, he wouldn't have placed three of Yuan Yuan Dingting's adopted sons in such an important government office as the Mountain-Seeking Division.

Meng Chong coming north to the Mountain-Seeking Division, no need to think, must be a Deputy Division Chief.

Li Rui was even happier.

People are indeed friends everywhere after their strength becomes strong.

Three days later.

The eldest of Yuan Yuan Dingting's adopted sons, even older than Yuan Yuan Dingting, Meng Chong, arrived in the capital.

The three of Meng Chong had just arrived in the capital.

And had no place to stay.

So.

Li Rui simply invited the three to stay in his own mansion; anyway, with Yuan An's relationship, it didn't seem abrupt at all.

Besides this.

Jiang Jiang Linxian also rarely went out and came to Li Rui's mansion.

He was naturally well-acquainted with the three of Meng Chong.

"Great Master, the journey was long and tiring; this wine was specially brought by me from Yunzhou; tonight we must taste it properly."

Li Rui said while pouring wine.

He didn't use the cups used when scholars gathered, but directly used bowls.

Several of them were from the military, so naturally they didn't have that petty, small-family style.

Meng Chong was steady; he drank three large bowls and spoke slowly: "Tiger is naughty; sorry to trouble Master Li; I thank Master Li on behalf of my foster father."

After speaking, he drank three large bowls.

Li Rui waved his hand: "Tiger is my disciple; it is only right to be concerned."

Meng Chong filled the wine again and then said: "Master's battle in the Qingwei Sect was truly satisfying, letting the world know the national might of our Great Yu."

He praised Li Rui greatly.

Li Rui blocking a Celestial Phenomenon cultivator in the Below Tongxuan Realm was a huge face-saver for Yunzhou.

He felt it was very satisfying when he heard it in Yunzhou.

Now he naturally had to say it to his face.

Before Li Rui could speak, Nie Nie Siming snatched the words with a grin: "Big Brother, I said long ago that Old Brother Li is a person of great ability."

Meng Chong scolded with a smile:

"When did I ever doubt it?"

Jiang Jiang Linxian spoke at the right time: "Great Master has indeed thought highly of Old Brother Li for a long time."

Li Rui laughed heartily and cupped his fists, pretending to salute: "Many thanks, Great Master."

Meng Chong waved his hand: "Master Li is Little Tiger's master; according to seniority, he is our master; if anyone should bow, it should be me."

Hearing this.

Nie Nie Siming and Yuan Xiong both bared their teeth.

Good fellow.

If it were really as their Big Brother said, they would have to call Li Rui "Master" in the future.

The two couldn't help but feel depressed.

Ever since they met Li Rui, their seniority had been dropping all the way.

Beyond his status as Earl Marquis Pingyuan and General Zhenshan, he was also a Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate; though he was often away, he was an official of the capital.

When Li Rui presented his Censorate waist medallion.

The guards at the city gate dared not obstruct him in the slightest, respectfully welcoming the three of them into the city.

As soon as they walked into the capital.

A fiery atmosphere rushed toward them; the streets were full of pedestrians, and the cries of peddlers filled their ears.

It was a scene of flourishing prosperity, like oil poured on a blazing fire.

Just as the three of them entered the capital, a man walked toward them.

"Senior Li, Elder Jiang has been waiting for a long time."

Seeing the middle-aged man appear.

The smile on Li Rui's face widened: "Little Han, it's been twenty years, hasn't it?"

The middle-aged man before him was none other than Han Qin.

Back then, it was he, Jiang Yan, and Zhu Yue who went to Qinghe, which was how Li Rui obtained the White Ape Cleaving Saber.

Afterward.

The fates of the three were vastly different.

As the daughter of Jiang Jiang Linxian, Jiang Yan's path was naturally smooth.

Zhu Yue, after leaving the Huaqing Sect, inherited the Zhu family business and became a wealthy man in Qinghe.

As for Han Qin.

After cultivating to the Sixth-Rank in the Huaqing Sect, he was summoned to the capital by Jiang Jiang Linxian and had been working for him ever since.

Han Qin was now fifty years old.

However, due to his martial arts practice, his appearance had not changed much from those years.

Han Qin: "Indeed, it has been twenty years; Senior's grace is even greater than before."

He was filled with emotion.

He had first met Li Rui thirty years ago, when Li Rui was merely a stable hand, but now, Li Rui had already become a major figure in the Yu Kingdom.

The speed of his rise.

Was truly staggering.

If not for the fact that Li Rui was already a hundred years old, one would think he was a heaven-defying prodigy who had suddenly emerged.

Han Qin led Li Rui and the others to a carriage that had been prepared.

Traveling through the city.

Very quickly.

The carriage stopped in front of a quiet residence in the bustling East City.

Han Qin led Li Rui and the others into the residence.

Soon, they saw Jiang Jiang Linxian sitting inside.

"Brother Li, long time no see."

Seeing Jiang Jiang Linxian, Li Rui also laughed: "Brother Jiang, your grace remains the same; you still look like a Sword Immortal."

Jiang Jiang Linxian waved his hand with a smile: "Brother Li's abilities make me bow in admiration; I fear that in the next martial arts ranking, you will surely surpass me by a wide margin."

Li Rui did not commit to an answer.

Jiang Jiang Linxian's aptitude was extremely monstrous, and he had broken through to the Third-Rank twenty years before him; he must have traveled very far by now.

As for whether he, like himself, was on the verge of the Heavenly Phenomenon realm, that was unknown.

The two reminisced for a while.

"I have already pulled strings to have the Daoist priests of the Xuanyuan Temple send Yan'er to the Immortal Cultivation World; after that, I will have no more worries."

Jiang Jiang Linxian said suddenly.

Hearing this.

Li Rui was startled: "Brother Jiang, have you already found that person?"

Over these years, he had been secretly gathering intelligence to help Jiang Jiang Linxian find the person who killed his wife.

Jiang Jiang Linxian doted on Jiang Yan immensely.

Yet now, he was acting against his nature, intending to send Jiang Yan to the Immortal Cultivation World to take risks.

Hence his speculation.

Jiang Jiang Linxian had no intention of hiding it: "To be precise, he found me."

Li Rui's expression sharpened.

He heard Jiang Jiang Linxian say gloomily: "I only know his Daoist name is Huang Huang Long Zi; he holds a very high position in the Northern Pole Immortal Sect and has been in the lower realm for hundreds of years. The Immortal Calamity that struck our dynasty back then was likely instigated by him, and the sudden death of the old Wu Emperor should also be related to him."

"He has already discovered that I am looking for him; it is too dangerous for Yan'er to remain in this realm."

Li Rui said with a solemn expression: "Brother Jiang, this matter requires careful deliberation; do not be impulsive."

The strength of someone who could instigate an Immortal Calamity was beyond doubt.

Among the First-Rank, they were likely an extremely powerful existence.

With Jiang Jiang Linxian's current cultivation, the gap was too large; seeking revenge now would be no different than a moth flying into a flame.

Jiang Jiang Linxian smiled: "Brother Li, rest assured, I am not that reckless. Once Yan'er goes to the Immortal Cultivation World, I will enter closed-door cultivation; if I do not reach the First-Rank, I will never leave the capital in this lifetime."

Li Rui gave a hum of acknowledgment.

Jiang Jiang Linxian was a person of such stature that he did not need his guidance, and being targeted by that Huang Huang Long Zi, the capital was the only place in the world safe for Jiang Jiang Linxian.

The two chatted for a long time afterward, until late into the night.

Li Rui then stayed at Jiang Jiang Linxian's residence.

Early the next morning.

Li Rui walked out of his room.

He saw Eunuch Zheng waiting in front of the residence with several young eunuchs.

Seeing Li Rui come out.

Eunuch Zheng smiled and spoke: "His Majesty has ordered this old servant to escort Lord Li into the palace."

Li Rui cupped his hands politely: "Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Zheng."

One look at Eunuch Zheng's demeanor told him he had likely been waiting for quite some time.

Yet, when Eunuch Zheng arrived, he had no intention of calling him, simply waiting patiently.

There were too few people in the world who could make this great palace eunuch treat them this way.

Li Rui sat in the carriage.