Chapter 1078: Old Friends Gradually Wither, Like Fallen Leaves in the Wind

"Ministers are all more open-minded than I am. I cannot see through the great matter of life and death. Every time a minister leaves, I feel as if my heart is being cut by a knife, but the ministers are all so calm, as if this great terror of life and death does not exist." Zhu Yijun said with a painful expression.

Using opium could prolong life, but Governor Ling Yunyi's pride did not allow him to become a ghost that was neither dead nor alive before he died.

His loyalty to his own spirit even overcame the fear of life and death.

Governor Ling Yunyi, this killer star, looked at His Majesty with kindness at this moment and said with a smile: "Everyone says His Majesty is cold and ungrateful, but in my opinion, His Majesty is a person of true feelings and nature. I don't know about others, but I only know about myself. I have just lived to the age. As people get older, death gets closer, but instead, it is not so terrifying."

"How can there be anyone in this world who lives for ten thousand years? But in this world, there are meritorious deeds that benefit the people. For more than forty years, I have been running for the people of the Ming. Looking back on my life, I have not failed my youth."

When Governor Ling Yunyi was young, he was very afraid of death, and thinking of death made him terrified. Later, he went to the battlefield and saw many dead people, so he became more and more calm.

The reason why the ministers with posthumous titles starting with "Wen" during the Wanli Reform were so calm when they left was because when they looked back on their lives, it was not a life of mediocrity, but one that could become a torch to illuminate those who came later, becoming one of the backbones of this civilization of China.

"The four things I am most proud of in my life are: pacifying the Japanese pirates in Guangzhou and clearing out the legacy of the Japanese pirates; overturning the Yanzhou Prefecture in Shandong and returning peace to the people of Shandong; arriving in Henan, measuring the land of Henan, clarifying it, and sending the vassal kings back to the Ten-King City of the capital, giving the people a moment of peace;"

"And finally, going to Korea to kill those who should be killed for His Majesty cleanly."

There were too many vassal kings in Henan. The vassal kings themselves had prohibitions, but there were too many fields falsely attached to the vassal king's mansion.

The fields had numbers, and the taxes had fixed amounts. If the taxes of the powerful families and local gentry could not be collected, then they could only collect taxes from the people. The people were not sheep, and for the extra taxes collected, the people would arm themselves to resist taxes.

The vassal king's mansion in Henan was all moved back to the capital by His Majesty. For Governor Ling Yunyi, the matter in Henan was really very simple.

"As for the posthumous reputation, His Majesty does not need to maintain it for me. My son actually created a case of cheating in the imperial examination. I am here, and His Majesty gives me a thin face. When I am gone, kill him to give the world an explanation. Anyway, he has grandsons, and I have several other sons." Governor Ling Yunyi was arranging his funeral affairs.

He gave birth to an unfilial son. Seventy thousand taels of silver ruined his reputation for a lifetime. Although the court finally used the "Eight Pardons" to forgive this matter, Governor Ling Yunyi still felt it was better to give the world an explanation.

The imperial examination, selecting scholars for the country, must be examined carefully and must be clear about everything, not allowing people to destroy or interfere with the imperial examination.

Governor Ling Yunyi finally reached the position of Vice Minister. He knew too clearly that governing the country was governing officials, and governing officials was especially important in selecting officials. Zhang Juzheng worked hard for twenty years to stop the "master-disciple" style in the Ming officialdom, just to select officials.

In terms of official governance, Zhang Juzheng was indeed very, very good.

"He is a waste. Even if he doesn't die, he cannot interfere with the imperial examination. Now the imperial examination attaches great importance to mathematics. Mathematics is something that if you don't know, you don't know." Zhu Yijun shook his head and said: "I am the Emperor, the master of the world. Since it has passed the court discussion and the Eight Pardons have forgiven it, pursuing it further would instead be a breach of faith to the world."

"Ling Vice Minister, just rest and recuperate. Leave these things to me."

"If he doesn't honestly eat your shade, and insists on causing trouble, I will send the Northern Town Faction to beat him up severely. If he gets beaten enough, he will know how to change."

Governor Ling Yunyi had been running outside for many years. His son becoming a waste was due to a lack of discipline. "A son not taught is the father's fault." Governor Ling Yunyi, this father, had the fault of not being strict in discipline, because he gave his time, energy, and his life to the Ming.

Governor Ling Yunyi had no time to manage, and Zhu Yijun had no time either, but there were too many idlers in the Ming. If they dared to cause trouble, beat them up. If they get beaten enough, they will know what is right and what is wrong.

"Follow His Majesty's will." Governor Ling Yunyi was old. He had long thought it through. Whether he cared or not, it was all the same. Once a person died, they were truly dead. He could not manage the affairs after death at all.

"I will not use opium." Governor Ling Yunyi said somewhat stubbornly: "If His Majesty makes me use opium, I will jump into the well."

"But it is very painful." Zhu Yijun shook his head and said: "The old injury has recurred, and the pain is unbearable."

When the old injury recurred, it was like countless ants crawling on the body, both painful and itchy, piercingly painful, piercingly itchy, wanting to tear the skin open, scrape the flesh, and dismantle the bones.

Governor Ling Yunyi turned over somewhat uncomfortably and said: "If it hurts, let it hurt. After a long time, I will get used to it. After hurting for a while, it won't hurt anymore."

Governor Ling Yunyi was not lying. His body function had declined, and he could no longer feel the pain.

According to the research of the Dissection Institute, nerves transmit pain. When nerve endings are stimulated, they transmit pain to the brain, and his body function has declined, and the nerves have undergone degenerative changes, specifically manifested as the gradual loss of nerves and functional degradation.

He did not want to live as a person or a ghost, and he refused to die.

"I heard that His Majesty recently made things difficult for the powerful families, asking them to donate 10 million silver for the construction of reading schools in the nine border camps?" Governor Ling Yunyi talked about state affairs. He was at home, but he heard rumors about the major events happening in the capital.

"Yes, I originally intended to confiscate their property, but Cabinet Minister Wang said to give them a chance." Zhu Yijun frankly admitted his behavior.

Governor Ling Yunyi said with some worry: "His Majesty has always had patience in doing things, 'once and twice, but not three times.' But His Majesty has no patience for these powerful families anymore."

"Once and twice, but not three times." The first condition was the most generous, and the second condition was still acceptable. There was no third time. The third time would be the Heavenly Soldiers of the court.

His Majesty, in doing anything, would give such two chances. Wang Chonggu, Wan Shihe, and Zhou Liangyin—a treacherous minister who overstepped his bounds, a sycophantic minister of the Ministry of Rites who did not read history books, and a cheap Confucian who spoke nonsense with his eyes open—His Majesty gave them all one chance. They grabbed such a chance and did not let His Majesty give a second chance.

But His Majesty alone had no such patience for these powerful families and local gentry. Everything he did was done to the extreme.

For example, this time, Governor Ling Yunyi guessed that His Majesty originally intended to kill people. Someone blocked it, which was why the "Sixth Great Case of Wanli," the Calling Soul Cursing Case, did not happen.

If His Majesty really wanted to implicate the nine clans, these eight thousand powerful families in the Ming would have to lose five or six hundred families again.

"I also know that I should give it. Not teaching and then killing is cruelty, but sometimes, I just don't want to give it." Zhu Yijun solemnly answered this question.

"Your Majesty, there is a change in heaven now. It is freezing cold, and the Bohai Sea is even going to be frozen until February." Governor Ling Yunyi looked at the Emperor and continued: "Under the change in heaven, our Ming has not had civil rebellion. Obviously, the powerful families and local gentry are fulfilling their sixty-four promises of the change in heaven, which can be considered loyal to the monarch and patriotic."

"That barbarian Li Yashi who likes to talk nonsense said a lot of farting words, but before leaving, he said that His Majesty's partiality to the poor and suffering class without bottom line and without conditions, and his hostility and hatred toward the powerful families and local gentry, will cause big problems."

Governor Ling Yunyi was not worried about his own family affairs. With His Majesty here, he did not need to worry.

But he was worried about His Majesty. Standing on the side of the people in terms of class identity was absolutely no problem, but one could not be partial without bottom line and without conditions, or it would cause trouble and the world would not be peaceful.

Governor Ling Yunyi said with great worry: "His Majesty is returning land and running the camp-estate method. In a few years, the farmers in these camp-estates who have been bullied for decades or hundreds of years will pick up their tools and hang these powerful families and local gentry who have been riding on their heads and acting like tyrants for the past decades."

This was the future that Li Yashi wanted to say but dared not, and the future that the ministers saw but dared not say. Governor Ling Yunyi dared to say it because he felt he did not have much time left. "When a person is about to die, his words are good." He hoped His Majesty could listen to his words a little bit.

"Ling Vice Minister, in Shandong and Henan, you measured and returned land. Touching your conscience, shouldn't they be hanged!!" Zhu Yijun stood up abruptly, flicked his sleeves, and then saw Governor Ling Yunyi's weak appearance, so he sat down and said softly: "Does Ling Vice Minister still remember Chen Dazhuang who is now at the Great Iron Ridge Guard in the Absolute Continent?"

"Why did he have to flee his hometown back then?"

Governor Ling Yunyi was seriously ill. He came to visit the sick, not to quarrel with Governor Ling Yunyi, and even less to show off the Emperor's power.

"In Shandong and Henan, if I were not the Viceroy of Shandong and Henan, I would have wanted to lead the troops to hang them myself! Giving a dog a funeral—I can't believe this group of dogs could think of such a method to torture people. I didn't tear them into ten thousand pieces only because I am an official of the court!" Governor Ling Yunyi got angry when he mentioned this.

It made him want to go to Yanzhou Prefecture again and smash the Kong Mansion in Yanzhou again!

"That stele is still in my house!" Governor Ling Yunyi said as he stood up, and took His Majesty the Emperor to the backyard.

Under a pavilion, there was a stele, with "Stele of the Dog of Injustice and Disaster, Erected by the Fierce Man Chen Qi in the Third Year of Wanli" carved on the front, and "In the Ninth Year of Wanli, the Viceroy of Shandong Governor Ling Yunyi respectfully received the Imperial Order, broke the dog's grave, and collected the stele to record it" carved on the back.

Chen Qi was Chen Dazhuang's father. Chen Dazhuang killed a dog belonging to the landlord Zhang Fengkai in his hometown, and Zhang Fengkai wanted to kill Chen Dazhuang's nine clans. Someone mediated, and Chen Qi wore mourning clothes for the dog, held a funeral for the dog, and observed mourning for the dog, which ended the grudge.

Chen Dazhuang left his hometown, went to Fujian to join the guest soldiers, and finally joined Governor Ling Yunyi's command as a guest soldier.

When he went back, Chen Dazhuang's father, Chen Qi, had already died of anger during the process of observing mourning for the dog.

Mentioning this stele, Governor Ling Yunyi was so angry that he stood up. He clearly remembered why he wanted to overturn the Kong Mansion in Yanzhou. He put this stele in his house to remind himself how much injustice there was in this world.

"That's it." Zhu Yijun stood in front of the stele. He knew what to do and knew how to give a chance, but he just did not want to give it.

He always clearly knew what kind of evil these powerful families and local gentry would do without the court's knife at their necks, so he was never willing to relax even a little bit.

Zhang Hong helped Governor Ling Yunyi sit on the swivel chair.

Governor Ling Yunyi sat on the swivel chair, somewhat crying and laughing. He originally wanted to persuade His Majesty to be benevolent and forgiving, but the more he persuaded, the more he proved that His Majesty was right.

It was not that His Majesty was unwilling to be partial, but that these things that were abandoned by both humans and gods were happening right before the Emperor's eyes. It would be strange if he didn't have an untieable knot in his heart.

"I have talked too much." Governor Ling Yunyi did not want to persuade anymore. As a killer star like him, persuading His Majesty to be benevolent and forgiving would only be counterproductive.

Governor Ling Yunyi had created a lot of killing sins in Guangdong, Shandong, Henan, and Korea. Once he was gone, someone would definitely bring it up.

They could say what they wanted, it would not affect the court's maintenance of Governor Ling Yunyi's posthumous reputation. Neither coerced from within—it was easy to say but hard to do, but Zhu Yijun would always persist.

Zhu Yijun persuaded Governor Ling Yunyi to take opium, but failed to persuade him; Governor Ling Yunyi persuaded His Majesty to be benevolent and forgiving, but also failed to persuade His Majesty.

The Ming Emperor left Governor Ling Yunyi's mansion with great worry. He knew that it would probably be just these few days.

During the nine days of the Ming metropolitan examination, Governor Ling Yunyi passed away at his mansion.

"Old friends gradually wither, like fallen leaves in the wind."

Zhu Yijun heard the obituary and felt sorrow from his heart. He tightened the cloak on his body and muttered to himself toward the window. The cold wind outside the window was fierce, and a sudden cold wave shrouded the entire capital in bone-chilling cold.

"Your Majesty, please restrain your grief." Zhang Hong could not persuade His Majesty either. Birth, old age, sickness, and death were the normal state of life. Every time a heavy minister left, His Majesty would feel emotional for a long, long time.

"Has the Ministry of Rites drafted the posthumous title?" Zhu Yijun's eyes changed from melancholy to sharp. Governor Ling Yunyi's battle had ended, but Zhu Yijun's battle was still continuing. Governor Ling Yunyi's posthumous title became the focus of the court's debate.

Zhu Yijun intended to give a beautiful posthumous title, but the Ministry of Rites refused. The posthumous title given by the Ministry of Rites was: "Jingxiang Gong." "Jing" means to pacify the people with rules; "Xiang" means to have virtue in opening up land; "Xiang" means to have merit in armor. These two characters summarized Governor Ling Yunyi's life.

Zhu Yijun refused. He wanted to give "Wenjing."

The Ministry of Rites felt it was given too high. The Grand Minister of Rites, Shen Li, refused to agree no matter what. Governor Ling Yunyi's killing nature was too heavy, and he killed too many people. Those who are good at fighting serve the upper punishment. Governor Ling Yunyi created too many killing sins, which hurt the harmony of heaven.

Sometimes when the Ministry of Rites was stubborn, it was dead stubborn. Shen Li submitted four memorials in a row, opposing "Yuxu" (excessive pursuit of beautiful posthumous titles).

Even Gao Qiyu did not particularly agree with Governor Ling Yunyi being given such a high posthumous title. "Jingxiang" was already a beautiful posthumous title.

In fact, the reason why the Ministry of Rites refused to give "Wenjing" and the Emperor insisted on giving "Wenjing" was the same: because Governor Ling Yunyi overturned the Kong Mansion in Yanzhou.

The posthumous title system originated very, very early, as early as the "Book of Zhou - Explanation of Posthumous Titles." In the Emperor's view, this was not Confucian ritual law, but Chinese ritual law. Why couldn't Governor Ling Yunyi get a beautiful posthumous title after overturning the Kong Mansion in Yanzhou and overturning the Duke Yansheng's business?

But the Ministry of Rites' attitude was quite firm. They moved out the old precedents. The Emperor's posthumous title changed from objectively judging an emperor's merits and demerits to purely praising, and the number of characters began to increase continuously, starting from Wu Zetian.

Wu Zetian began to create characters from her lifetime, creating the character "Zhao," and later called herself "Zetian Dasheng Emperor."

In order to make her title "Zetian Dasheng Emperor" not so abrupt, the posthumous title she set for her husband, Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi, was "Tianhuang Dadi."

This broke the past conventions of posthumous titles, eventually leading to the posthumous titles of monarchs becoming longer and longer, finally becoming like a lazy woman's foot-binding cloth, smelly and long.

Shen Li wrote very clearly in the memorial: if the Emperor insisted on "Yuxu" and insisted on breaking the posthumous title system, then he would directly retire and not do it. His Majesty could see who gave it, and let him be the Grand Minister of Rites. Gao Qiyu was a lone minister, and he would definitely be willing to give it, as he only followed the Imperial Order.

But Shen Li thought wrong. Gao Qiyu's attitude on this matter was consistent with Shen Li's.

Gao Qiyu's disagreement with the Emperor on this matter was not because he did not want to follow the lone minister route and wanted to be a bone-stiff upright minister, but because his reason was respect for order.

Anyone who breaks order will suffer the punishment of order. Wu Zetian could only set up a wordless stele at the end, closing the comment section and not letting people evaluate her merits and demerits.

His Majesty insisted on giving a "Yuxu" posthumous title, which was making Governor Ling Yunyi the historical sinner who broke the posthumous title system.

The Emperor's posthumous title system had already been broken. The posthumous title of the Ming Emperor had already become sixteen characters. Governor Ling Yunyi's life's achievements were not high enough for "Wenjing."

Originally, the Emperor insisted on giving Wan Shihe the posthumous title "Wengong," which triggered a ritual crisis. However, it was later proven that Wan Shihe ended the correctness of "softening the distant people," making the Ming go smoother and smoother on the road of overseas expansion. The longer the time, the higher the gold content of Wan Shihe's posthumous title.

But Governor Ling Yunyi's situation was obviously completely different from Wan Shihe's. Governor Ling Yunyi's life's achievements did not reach such achievements.

"Wen" (Civil) was a very serious posthumous title. Its achievements must be pioneering, and its wisdom must be able to guide later generations for hundreds of years in politics, economy, culture, and military. Its achievements must be able to change the basic pattern of the Ming to be "Wen."

For example, Wan Shihe changed the past style of the Ministry of Rites and thoroughly established the method of using barbarian ways to deal with barbarians;

For example, the official factories founded by Wang Chonggu had such far-reaching influence that they could even change the basic political pattern of the Ming;

For example, Yin Zhengmao opened up Lu Song, and the posthumous title "Wenxiang" was because of the existence of Lu Song that the Ming's opening of the sea could continue;

"My will is decided. Issue an edict to the Ministry of Rites to give 'Wenjing,' and do not allow Shen Li to retire." Zhu Yijun made a decision. He looked at Zhang Hong and said: "Overturning the Kong Mansion is a meritorious deed, not a sin. Its influence is very far-reaching. That's it."

When Shen Li received the Imperial Edict, he felt that the sky had collapsed. If His Majesty wanted to give a posthumous title, then give it. Not allowing him to retire made him somewhat crying and laughing.

"What to do?" Shen Li looked at the Imperial Edict and asked Gao Qiyu for his opinion.

"We have already submitted four memorials. If we submit more, I fear it will provoke Imperial anger. I have surrendered first; you can do as you please." Gao Qiyu thought carefully and decided to follow the Imperial will. He was a lone minister, and only pleasing the superiors was what he should do.

Opposing four times was already the most bone-stiff among the bone-stiff.

"You are a coward?" Shen Li sneered, took the Imperial Edict, and decided to go to the Tonghe Palace for an audience. He wanted to explain clearly to His Majesty in person!

"I am a coward." Gao Qiyu admitted this fact very calmly. He was busy building schools for the three border camps and had no time to participate in this kind of dog-fighting. Governor Ling Yunyi had already passed away. Arguing about these things was not as good as building a few schools so that the soldiers' children could have schools to attend.

"Fine, I'll go myself!" Shen Li flicked his sleeves and walked toward the small train. He walked closer and closer, finally stopping in front of the small train. He thought about it, and finally returned to the Ministry of Rites.

Gao Qiyu saw Shen Li return and asked with some doubt: "His Majesty refused to see you? You came back so soon?"

"No, I didn't go. Why are you a coward?" Shen Li stared at Gao Qiyu and said: "Since the Chief Grand Secretary, no one has dared to quarrel with His Majesty. You quarreled with His Majesty a few days ago and knocked 10 million silver out of His Majesty's hands. You have such great courage, why are you afraid?"

Gao Qiyu was somewhat unhappy when he heard this and said: "The Grand Minister of Rites' words are a bit too ugly. What knocking! It's begging; I begged for silver from His Majesty!"

"I am not afraid of His Majesty. His Majesty is reasonable. A gentleman can be deceived by squareness. His Majesty is a gentleman, so I can beg for silver. I am not afraid of His Majesty."

Shen Li asked with a strange face: "Then why do you refuse to continue opposing? Don't say you are afraid of death. His Majesty would not go so far as to play power and kill ministers because of this."

Gao Qiyu sighed and said: "Wan Shihe, Wan Wengong, I also opposed this posthumous title back then. Later it was proven that I was wrong. Look, the posthumous title 'Wenjing' given by His Majesty to Ling Vice Minister, in the end, nine times out of ten, His Majesty is right."

Gao Qiyu sat up straight, pointed at his eyes with two fingers, and said: "Didn't you notice? His Majesty's eyes are brighter than ours, and His Majesty's vision is longer than ours, longer than Master's."

"Master quarreled with His Majesty many times. In terms of official governance, Master would win, but in terms of long-term national policy, His Majesty always wins."

Gao Qiyu did not lie. He was already the Minister of Rites, and no one in the world could force him to lie. He just had this feeling that His Majesty could always see further. This was very strange. Even a genius like Zhang Juzheng, who only appears once in a hundred years, would actually lose to His Majesty.

"I am Master's abandoned disciple. Saying this, without His Majesty, Master could not write 'On Contradictions,' nor could he write 'Class Theory.' In fact, the first volume of 'Class Theory' was written by Master, and the next two volumes were all written by His Majesty." Gao Qiyu said with amazement. He was an abandoned disciple, so he could speak boldly.

"On Contradictions"—this thing was His Majesty saying "I have doubts" sentence by sentence, hammering away Zhang Juzheng's ideological seal, and then hammering out the methodology that could guide almost all affairs of the Ming. Without His Majesty, Zhang Juzheng would not have such a high status today.

Zhang Juzheng was very strong, but only Zhang Juzheng, who had been supported and strengthened by His Majesty, could reach this point today.

"Seeking the Dao in the morning, one can die in the evening." The Dao—this thing cannot be spoken of, cannot be named. Without His Majesty, some keys, even if Master thought for a lifetime, could not be thought of. Gao Qiyu clicked his tongue in wonder. He was an abandoned disciple, so he could speak boldly.

Zhang Juzheng was too busy and simply had no time to think. His Majesty kept asking, making him have to think, have to answer.

"Since you say so, does His Majesty have his own purpose in giving such a high posthumous title?" Shen Li sat in his seat and asked somewhat uncertainly.

Gao Qiyu also hesitated, thought about it again and again, and said: "I will say it for now, you listen for now, just treat it as a joke."

"Do you think it's possible that if the Kong Mansion in Yanzhou continues to corrupt the reputation and learning of Confucius, Confucianism will thoroughly walk into a dead end, changing from Confucianism to Confucian religion, becoming a tool for comfortably exploiting the people, used by the thieves of the people?"

"Look, before the Wanli Reform, many Confucian scholars did not even read history books. Even Wan Wengong did not read history. It was His Majesty who kept forcing him that he began to read history books and truly felt that the learning he had read in the past was all read wrong."

"The case of Ling Vice Minister overturning the Kong Mansion in Yanzhou cannot just be seen as a criminal case where fairness and justice were upheld, but a political case. Changing religion to learning is a meritorious deed for a thousand autumns."

"We are all old and have read the Four Books and Five Classics for a lifetime, but the current Jinshi read 'Xunzi,' read 'Guanzi,' read Legalism, read Daoism, read mathematics, read everything, a hundred flowers blooming, a hundred schools of thought contending."

"I have chatted with a few new Jinshi several times. They are completely different from us old Confucian scholars. Specifically, they are much braver than us."

Ten years to grow trees, a hundred years to grow people. The influence of education and enlightenment often takes thirty or fifty years to thoroughly show its influence. The Ming's reform of the imperial examination was also slowly promoted, thereby guiding the change of Ming culture.

Gao Qiyu meant that they, these old rotten people, could not see the influence of Governor Ling Yunyi overturning the Kong Mansion in Yanzhou, but time would give the answer.

"In the future, the Great Light Sect will inevitably move toward the line of deifying the Ming, deifying the wisdom of the Ming, and deifying His Majesty. Because Antonio built the Temple of Light for the interests of Portugal, in the future, if the Great Light Sect wants to change religion to learning, it must overturn the Temple of Light."

Gao Qiyu thought more and more clearly, his eyes getting brighter and brighter, and he shook his head and said: "Learning should not exist in something that exists realistically like a holy temple; otherwise, alienation will inevitably occur. Learning allows different voices, but sects absolutely do not allow it."

Shen Li finished listening to Gao Qiyu's reasons and affirmed: "It makes sense."

"Then don't convene the Ministry discussion. That's it, the posthumous title is Wenjing." Shen Li gave the final decision of the Ministry of Rites, following the Imperial will.

Shen Li agreed with Gao Qiyu's meaning. Do not easily provoke His Majesty's correctness in terms of long-term vision. Zhang Juzheng had suffered many losses. Those five natural inferences of "Class Theory" were five big mountains that could not be crossed.

Class, distribution, struggle, overthrowing the imperial system, continuing the struggle—these five volumes were the "Dragon-Slaying Technique" taken out by His Majesty, this True Dragon.

A very contradictory fact: the True Dragon does not fear the Dragon-Slaying Technique, and there is no need to fear it.

The True Dragon will even use various ways to promote the widespread popularization of the Dragon-Slaying Technique, letting everyone know that doing so can slay the dragon, and everyone knows that the evil dragon should be punished by heaven.

Because the True Dragon is not an evil dragon; only an evil dragon will fear the Dragon-Slaying Technique.

"Grand Minister of Rites, I will ask one more question. Why does your construction of three-level schools in the three border camps need 10 million silver? This is too much." Shen Li asked his own doubts. Twenty-seven border camps, but only 80,000 people, actually needed so much silver.

Gao Qiyu explained: "Because the border camps grow on the military garrison guard stations in the border areas, the schools of these twenty-seven border camps must accommodate the children of a million soldiers to enroll, letting their children have schools to attend."

Just like the second floor is built on the first floor, the elites of the border camps are not produced out of thin air. They are selected from the million soldiers of the Nine Borders. If education is only done on the first floor, without a few years, the walls will collapse and the house will fall, and everything will be destroyed.

"The Grand Minister of Rites should enter the cabinet. I have already become an old stubborn." Shen Li heard Gao Qiyu's explanation and even had a feeling of "the waves behind the Yangtze River pushing the waves in front, the waves in front dying on the beach." Gao Qiyu being the Minister of Rites was much more qualified than him, Shen Li, and Wan Shihe.

Gao Qiyu sighed heavily and said: "Can't enter. I don't want to in this life. In the next life, I will beat the young self to death first." ===== CHAPTER 1079 =====