[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties":3,"chapter-i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-chapter-54":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I Really Am Not Neglecting My Duties",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2363323,4622,"Chapter 54: Chapter Fifty-Four: Cross the River, Break the Bridge; Climb the Roof, Pull Up the Ladder","i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-chapter-54",54,"\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang entered the capital to receive the title of Baron of Qian’an, pledged in the palace that he would no longer affiliate with the Quanchu Huiguan, and, at Zhang Juzheng’s request, removed the Quanchu Huiguan’s token and handed it to You Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A twenty-year-long gentlemanly friendship, a bond of shared ideals and companionship spanning over two decades, ended here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Qi Jiguang handed over the token, he showed no hesitation, no reluctance—he never regretted his decisions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marshal Qi, isn’t this rather unbecoming? Now that you’ve received your title, you look down on our humble Quanchu Huiguan?” You Qi took the token, stared at the three characters—Qi Jiguang—and felt a surge of bitterness; his face darkened, his tone turned sharp and biting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just outside Beitu Cheng, You Qi helped Qi Jiguang teach a lesson to that blind fool; just moments ago in the Fengtian Hall, Master Zhang of the Quanchu Huiguan quarreled fiercely with Yang Bo over Qi Jiguang’s title, going to great lengths to defend Qi Jiguang’s interests—yet now Qi Jiguang returns the token without a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang stood straight and said firmly: “I have no guilt in my heart. If the Grand Secretary and a frontier general maintain close personal ties, it invites suspicion. The court is a den of dragons and tigers—I cannot, and must not, continue to serve under the Grand Secretary. I trust the Grand Secretary will understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You Qi tucked the token away and sneered: “A close personal bond? Frequent exchanges? Do you think the Grand Secretary will understand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the thirty-second year of Jiajing, you wished to pacify the pirates, yet had neither seniority nor achievements—your ambitions were thwarted. Who recommended you for the post of Acting Deputy Commander of the Military Command, overseeing Dengzhou, Wendeng, and Jimo’s twenty-five garrisons?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Grand Secretary did.” Qi Jiguang sighed. This was real patronage—real favor. At the time, Qi Jiguang was merely a hereditary Battalion Commander of the southern army; those twenty-five garrisons, including the three thousand Zhe soldiers later recruited, would have been unthinkable without Zhang Juzheng’s support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang’s present status was indeed built step by step by Zhang Juzheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the thirty-fourth year of Jiajing, when Marshal Qi was transferred to the Zhejiang Military Command as Assistant Regional Commander, who recommended you?” You Qi pressed, raising his head slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Grand Secretary did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the thirty-sixth year of Jiajing, during the siege of Cen Gang, when the fortress held out for too long—who defended you in court, securing your chance to redeem yourself by capturing Cen Gang? And who stood up for you when Censor Luo Jiabin accused you of colluding with the pirates?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Grand Secretary did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the forty-first year of Jiajing, during the pacification of Fujian, when Marshal Qi landed at Dongying’ao and launched a swift attack, and the court criticized you for acting without authorization—who silenced the criticism on your behalf?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Grand Secretary did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the first year of Longqing, when the court debated whether to transfer southern troops northward and chose between Yu Dayou and Marshal Qi—who vouched for you to lead the three frontier commands from south to north?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Grand Secretary did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In the second year of Longqing, when Marshal Qi clashed with General Guo Hu of the Jizhou Garrison—who overruled all opposition, removed Guo Hu, and replaced the overall commander with Liang Menglong so you could act freely?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Grand Secretary did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You Qi’s questions ended. He stared at Qi Jiguang and sneered: “Marshal Qi remembers well. I’m just a servant—I won’t say more. I only wish you a swift rise to glory!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Goodbye.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang said, with a touch of melancholy: “No need to see me off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cross the river, then break the bridge; climb the roof, then pull up the ladder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang’s actions were deeply unbecoming, a moral failing. Had Zhang Juzheng not insisted, he wouldn’t have even been allowed into Beitu Cheng to receive his title. Now that he has his rank, he immediately turns his back—even returning the token.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is ingratitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what could Qi Jiguang do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang finally shook his head and headed toward Deshengmen. The quarrel between him and You Qi left everyone stunned; the news that the Grand Secretary of the Great Ming and its most formidable frontier general had broken apart spread through the city like wings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the Quanchu Huiguan, Zhang Juzheng hummed a tune, unusually light-hearted. In his left hand he held a watering can, in his right, pruning shears, trimming the branches of sweet potato vines. He was also growing sweet potatoes and potatoes—just two plants: one sweet potato, one potato.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You Qi hurried back to the Quanchu Huiguan, rushed to the Wenchang Pavilion, but found no trace of his Grand Secretary. He asked the servants and learned the Grand Secretary was at Jiuzhe Bridge, planting seedlings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You Qi arrived at the foot of Jiuzhe Bridge, beneath a century-old hackberry tree, and saw Zhang Juzheng crouched on the ground, planting the pruned branches into the soil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grand Secretary.” You Qi wished to report Qi Jiguang’s return of the token, but Zhang Juzheng waved him off, signaling him not to interrupt. After planting all the cuttings, he clapped his hands and said: “Full of vitality! Full of vitality!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These sweet potato sprouts are truly fascinating—just four nodes, proper soil temperature, and they root in three days. Like our Great Ming’s people: give them a patch of land, and they thrive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four nodes buried in soil, roots appear in three days. Once rooted, the sprouts survive—no need for constant care. These potatoes and sweet potatoes can truly be grown, can yield abundantly—the revival of the Great Ming is no longer a mirage or a reflection on water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng knew nothing of farming, but he cared deeply for the young emperor’s Baoqi Palace—as long as nothing went wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as no one sabotaged it, it was essentially done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marshal Qi returned the Quanchu Huiguan token.” You Qi handed the token to Zhang Juzheng, his face grave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng took the token, stared at the three characters—Qi Jiguang—for a long while, then smiled with unmistakable relief, carefully tucked it away, and said: “I understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You understand?” You Qi stared, astonished. He couldn’t fathom why the Grand Secretary was so calm. Given Zhang Juzheng’s usual nature, Qi Jiguang’s ingratitude should have triggered immediate retaliation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhang Juzheng’s tone suggested… this was just… over?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What else should I do? Just let it go?” Zhang Juzheng spread his hands, looking at You Qi. “Should I hunt him down? You Qi, your master is a civil official, a scholar—I’ve never fought a battle in my life. You overestimate me, Manager You. Even if I went after him, I couldn’t defeat Marshal Qi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Add you, add everyone in the Quanchu Huiguan—it still wouldn’t be enough for Marshal Qi to cut through in a few charges.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tell me, how many in this world can truly match Marshal Qi?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If not this, what else? Your words make no sense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You Qi was baffled by Zhang Juzheng’s logic. He hadn’t meant to suggest chasing Qi Jiguang—such a fierce warrior, who could stand against him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as Grand Secretary, there were countless ways to punish someone—why resort to fighting? Who was the one speaking nonsense?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Juzheng glanced again at the seedlings, then at You Qi’s confused face, and smiled: “Still don’t understand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You Qi replied firmly: “I don’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know how Hu Weiyong died?” Zhang Juzheng stood on the white marble Jiuzhe Bridge, watching the lake shimmer. His easy demeanor faded as he spoke of history and the past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You Qi thought, then bowed: “The High Emperor ordered his execution.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What was Hu Weiyong’s position when he died?” Zhang Juzheng asked You Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though You Qi wasn’t well-read, he knew this much: “Chancellor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And what is my position?” Zhang Juzheng took fish food from a maid and scattered it into the lake. The koi surged upward, fighting for the food, scattering the evening glow across the water’s surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You Qi began to understand: “Grand Secretary.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you fully understand now?” Zhang Juzheng asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You Qi hesitated: “Not fully.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let me explain clearly.” Zhang Juzheng saw that his trusted aide still didn’t grasp it—he would make him understand why Hu Weiyong had died.\u003C\u002Fp>",1385,"2026-06-21T07:55:54.218Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","bb82b229850bfc93c83138d09c8068e5c72eaeff415ca26834065216929aa8ca","i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-chapter-55","i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-chapter-53",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-cover.jpg"]