Chapter 8: Leaving the capital

"I, this Commander, won't be doing it for long."

Zhu Zai finally let out a long sigh and told the story in detail.

It was mentioned earlier that this Great Shuo is quite similar to the Great Ming of Li Miao's previous life. And the situation Zhu Zai is facing now is actually similar to the situation in a certain period of the Great Ming.

The current Emperor has been on the throne for over twenty years, is old and frail, and has not attended to government affairs for many years. Within the imperial court, three forces—eunuchs, civil officials, and imperial relatives—are intertwined, and it is already surging with undercurrents.

A sensitive organization like the Embroidered Uniform Guard will definitely not be able to escape this struggle.

Zhu Zai noticed this and wanted to promote his confidants before leaving. One is to leave some political legacy for his subordinates while he is still in power. The second is to leave some capital for himself, at least not to be completely kicked out of the center of power.

The successor he picked was Li Miao.

Li Miao has been under his command for over twenty years, and he knows him well. He has heart, brains, and means.

In terms of Wu Gong, although he rarely makes a move, in Zhu Zai's view, he has at least quietly practiced his Wu Gong to the level of a peak expert. It can be said that he is the successor he is most optimistic about.

He was nothing but a stubborn mule, moving only when prodded. It was as if high office and noble titles were his sworn enemies.

Zhu Zai looked at Li Miao and said: "Big Li, why don't you want to do something?"

"A great man cannot be without power for a day; without power is weakness, without power is a mistake, and one must be slaughtered."

"I know your Wu Gong is practiced well, but if you don't practice yourself to be like a god on earth, how can you resist the elite soldiers and iron cavalry?"

Li Miao smiled.

Summer insects cannot talk about ice; Zhu Zai naturally doesn't understand his thoughts, because he has always stood from the perspective of an ordinary person who is fragile, short-lived, and powerless to look at problems.

What's the point of power? What's the point of money?

Born in a world where Wu Gong exists, treating Wu Gong as a means to exchange for power, in the eyes of Li Miao, who comes from a boring, materialistic world, is such a waste of heaven's gifts.

What is Wu Gong? It is idealism, it is transcendence.

Can power let people walk on the edge of the forest, stepping on blood-red maple leaves, to see the bright moon?

Can power let people open their chests, dance wildly in the snow, and drink hot strong wine?

Can power let people take revenge quickly, kill strong enemies with their own hands, and have boiling hot blood?

Can power let people step on waves and chase waves, walk all over the world, without worrying about dying on the road?

No. But Wu Gong can.

Just like Yan Xiaosheng, Li Miao doesn't care what his life can be exchanged for.

He just casually poked a finger into this human scum's chest, letting him suffer for three days before committing suicide—it was just that refreshing! Without Wu Gong, could Li Miao do it?

He has already seen the road ahead, just hasn't thought about how to walk it for a while.

These words, Li Miao can't tell Zhu Zai, he can't understand.

Just like a person born sound doesn't know a blind person's longing for color, Zhu Zai doesn't understand the meaning of Wu Gong to Li Miao, and doesn't understand how boring power is to Li Miao.

So Li Miao nodded and said: "Understood."

Zhu Zai turned his head violently and looked at Li Miao in disbelief: "What did you say?"

"I understood, can I still watch you lose power? If there is any big job to leave the capital, I will do it," Li Miao said.

This sentence choked Zhu Zai and he couldn't speak for a long time.

After a long time, he looked Li Miao up and down and asked hesitantly: "Did you go wrong in your practice? Deviation?"

This made Li Miao laugh; he couldn't laugh or cry and said: "You gave me a lecture for half a day, I understood, I will do as you said, and you ask me if I am sick. You are a high-ranking official of the third rank, are you teasing your subordinate?"

Zhu Zai said angrily: "You stop pretending to be crazy and stupid here, if you were so sensible, would I still be angry with you for twenty years? What are your calculations?"

"Hiss—no!"

Zhu Zai seemed to have suddenly figured out something and looked at Li Miao with squinted eyes.

"You wouldn't be planning to fake your death and escape during the job of leaving the capital, intending to hide in some poor countryside and live your lazy life, would you?"

"How could it be?" Li Miao said seriously: "It's definitely not a poor countryside; I love to eat and play, and I can't live a bitter life."

"Get out," Zhu Zai cursed: "Tell the truth!"

Li Miao knew that his eight-hour working day was simply a heinous laziness in the feudal era. This impression had long been deeply engraved in Zhu Zai's mind, and without a reasonable reason, it couldn't be brushed off.

He had no choice but to tell the truth: "My Wu Gong is practiced almost enough, I'm quiet and moving, thinking that going out to walk and see is not bad."

Li Miao is now thirty-five years old; since he entered the Embroidered Uniform Guard at fifteen, he has been staying in Yanjing without moving.

One reason is because Wu Gong is interesting enough for Li Miao, and he hasn't felt bored after practicing for twenty years.

The second reason is because this world is full of Jianghu hatred and killing, and the social atmosphere is much more violent than his previous life. Without practicing Wu Gong to a certain level, Li Miao doesn't want to easily step into the Jianghu. And the environment of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is also suitable for his golden finger to play a role.

The third reason is Zhu Zai's reliance on him, always keeping him in Yanjing and using him in front of his eyes.

Now his Wu Gong has reached a certain level, and there are few opponents in the world, so he is safe.

Zhu Zai has taken good care of him for many years, and now he needs him to do some things. And he himself is quiet and moving, wanting to go out and slip around, and see this Jianghu with his own eyes.

Zhu Zai listened to this and nodded reluctantly: "This sounds like something you would say."

He turned to the table, took a piece of paper, and handed it to Li Miao: "You go and handle this job, it will take about a year to go back and forth, and it will be enough for me to operate for you if you do it well."

Li Miao lowered his head to look at the piece of paper, which had a few big characters written on it.

"Exterminate the Five Mountains Sword Sect."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 9 =====