Chapter 948: On Sword-Debating

Everything Liu Zheng said had a truly intense impact on Li Tun.

Constitutional monarchy.

Delegating power to court officials.

If this were in the past, for anyone to dare say such a thing, it would certainly be a capital offense.

But today.

Li Tun sorrowfully realized that, just as Vice Minister Liu had said, wasn't the Li Dynasty already like this? Hadn't the court politics long been rotated and replaced by these very officials?

What is the difference?

What difference could there be?

Take power, crush it into pieces, even add something that makes them more tempted, and then scatter it out!

Li Tun took a deep breath.

He could almost imagine what kind of changes would occur in the Li Dynasty's court if this were to happen.

:

The two factions would naturally collapse without being attacked!

Li Tun finally looked at him deeply, with a pleading expression.

Liu Zheng smiled and nodded.

He understood Li Tun.

Power!

Power, that power which makes people insane, makes people frantic, makes people go mad!

"Vice Minister Liu, Mandarin needs to think about this."

It is very simple.

Britain's constitutional monarchy back then was due to the emergence of industry, handicrafts, and capitalism. Those who transformed from Knights into Gentry and New Aristocracy craved a more free and democratic society.

The Li Dynasty today is the same.

Very Li Tun.

Constitutional monarchy was simply too advanced for this era. Although Britain's constitutional monarchy led the trend, even in Europe, few countries truly imitated it, because in the short term, no one could see the immense influence that constitutional monarchy was about to have on Britain.

Why did Liu Zheng choose the Li Dynasty as a pilot unit for constitutional monarchy?

To let them participate in the political situation, because Li Tun needs these talents.

But he cannot let them go too far. Because the common people have no affection for them, and under the influence of the Li Dynasty's Confucianism, the masses actually still hope for a strong king to lead them forward, rather than these old fellows bickering in parliament.

This is very difficult.

Factional Bitter Remonstrance has been the main theme of the Li Dynasty for over a hundred years. But is this really all bad? Not necessarily. The friction of different opinions is sometimes not a bad thing; in fact, during the many years of struggle between the two sides, the Li Dynasty's civil and military officials have had a fountain-like eruption of talent, with no shortage of capable people. It is just that how to turn a life-and-death struggle into seeking common ground while reserving differences is a major problem for the Li Dynasty.

Let us temporarily equate these factional people with those New Aristocracy and Gentry of Britain.

How to resolve the conflict between royal power and them is a great piece of Learning.

Making a king give up power is indeed a very, very difficult thing.

Therefore, Liu Zheng proposed that if there is to be a constitutional monarchy, Li Xuanya must be made Prime Minister.

Li Tun needed to think.

This is the historical problem that has always plagued the Li Dynasty.

Liu Zheng has arrived.

He hits the nail on the head.

Pei Qianyun, who had been worried about Liu Zheng's safety, and Lu Yao, had been following beside the Horse Carriage.

Liu Zheng smiled and also mounted his own horse.

Lu Yao, this cold and aloof beauty, kept looking at Liu Zheng and finally could not help but ask: "Can you really save the Li Dynasty?"

Liu Zheng then exited the Horse Carriage.

"Young Master!"

"Over here!"

Only then did Liu Zheng realize it was not because she had overheard anything, but because at this moment, the cries of the entire Hancheng were exactly like this.

"Vice Minister Liu, save the Li Dynasty!"

"Vice Minister Liu! We beg you!"

"Huh?"

Liu Zheng was stunned for a moment.

Lu Yao shrugged.

The masses.

How disappointed must they be with the court to place their hope in an outsider?

Riding a tiger and finding it hard to get off.

"Oh, Great One from the Sovereign State, the Li Dynasty is already in imminent danger!"

"Save us!"

People from all walks of life and commoners knelt down one by one, weeping bitterly. This made Liu Zheng also take a deep breath; no wonder Li Tun would kneel to him, it turned out the overall atmosphere of the Li Dynasty had already reached this point.

Liu Zheng smiled: "Whether the Li Dynasty can pull through depends on whether it is willing to save itself."

Lu Yao was originally a woman of few words, and upon hearing Liu Zheng's meaningful words, she did not dwell on it too much, but just watched these commoners by the roadside and fell into deep thought.

Liu Zheng entered the Honglu Temple again; this time, the room grade for his reception had been upgraded.

As for himself, since he could not be killed, Li Tun naturally could only pin his hopes on him.

These cries naturally made Li Hang, Zhao Shixi, Min An, and Jin Wanji and others feel extremely awkward, their faces turning livid.

As officials of the Li Dynasty, for the common people to trust others instead of them—how could they describe this, how could it not make them feel deeply humiliated?

Beside Lu Yao lay a long sword, which at a glance was clearly no ordinary item.

She nodded: "The sword is named Demon Slayer."

Liu Zheng smiled: "That name is imposing! A single sword to slay all gods and demons under heaven, imposing!"

Lu Yao was not one to stand on ceremony; she took the initiative to choose a room, tossed her bundle inside, and came out to find Liu Zheng for tea.

Liu Zheng's mind had been in a chaotic state, but seeing this beauty who carried an air of cool serenity, his heart calmed down as well.

He chuckled: "Young Lady Lu's sword is quite good."

Lu Yao asked again: "Young Master Liu, is it very dangerous in Hancheng?"

Liu Zheng laughed in spite of himself: "Quite the opposite. Since I have arrived in Hancheng, I will be very safe."

Lu Yao looked up: "Why?"

Lu Yao tilted her head as she looked over: "Does Young Master Liu truly think I cannot hear the mockery in your tone?"

"Ah? Hahaha, is there?"

Liu Zheng felt a wave of shame and hurriedly used pouring tea to cover his embarrassment.

Lu Yao wore a look of confusion.

A few days ago, she had followed this Vice Minister Liu and his entourage on a whim; in truth, she had wanted to see just how many barriers this Vice Minister Liu could overcome, as his conduct was quite filled with the romantic spirit of those of them in the pugilistic world.

At the very least, she would not dare.

Liu Zheng said: "Does Young Lady Lu think that whether in the pugilistic world or the imperial court, all injustices can be solved with blades and swords?"

Lu Yao was stunned: "Could it be otherwise?"

Liu Zheng smiled: "Of course it is not."

As for that other half, it was because she found communicating with him quite interesting.

Although he was not of the pugilistic world, he possessed his own unique insights regarding it.

Thus, she decided to step in and help Vice Minister Liu.

But as they traveled, she discovered that this Vice Minister Liu was truly only half an interesting person.

That's right, it is half.

The other half was because he knew no martial arts, and because of that embarrassing sight of him crawling under the table that day.

"You—"

For the first time, Lu Yao was slightly angry, her dark brows slightly furrowed; the look was unexpectedly full of a different kind of playfulness and cuteness.

Liu Zheng laughed heartily: "Liu Zheng does not understand the Sword Dao, but I understand the Chess Dao, I understand the worldly way, and I understand the Human Way and the Heavenly Way even more."

Seeing Lu Yao with that curious-baby look again, Liu Zheng asked: "Young Lady Lu, what do you think of the Sword Dao?"

Lu Yao said indifferently: "Unbreakable, Man and Sword as One—only then is it the Sword Dao."

Liu Zheng shook his head: "Then it is no wonder Young Lady Lu's sword is called Demon Slayer."

Lu Yao's delicate body trembled.

Hancheng.

Lu Yao suppressed her indignation: "Please, Young Master Liu, enlighten me!"

Having teased her twice, Liu Zheng was satisfied, and with a 'heh', he said: "If you want to use a Drawn Sword, you must first learn to practice Hidden Sword."

"What?"

"This Vice Minister Liu truly has a tough life! He actually managed to return to Hancheng!"

"And the King shared a carriage with him for half an hour; this is certainly no good thing."

Zhao Shixi's expression shifted slightly: "Could it be that the King intends to employ this brat?"

Li Hang, Zhang Xuan, and Zhao Shixi gathered together once more.

The entire room was silent; no one spoke.

"Fellow colleagues, given the current situation, tell me, what should we do?"

But if that truly happened, then for those of them who had long meddled in court politics, it would be a humiliation of the highest order!

"You can't do this!"

"We cannot let this matter happen!"

The others also looked at one another.

Employing an outsider?

There had been no such precedent in the Li Dynasty.

The current Southerner Party was already at an absolute disadvantage.

Even worse than the Westerner Party.

It seemed they no longer had any chance.

Several people stood up at the same time.

Li Hang said indifferently: "Then tell me, what should be done?"

He was truly feeling irritable now. Their Southerner Party had already suffered a heavy enough blow this time; Min Weizhong was already dead, and they had clearly had a great situation but failed to cherish it. Why? Because this group of people was useless! So, his irritation was partly due to the situation, and partly due to his anger at these people of the Southerner Party for their Bitter Remonstrance.

To take a desperate risk.

The few people present looked at one another.

The thought of being unable to resist taking a desperate risk emerged in everyone's mind just like that.

There was no chance left.

This made Li Hang even more irritable.

If forced into a dead end, then there was only one Method.

Kill!

In this situation, only with a chaotic Hancheng could they seize the opportunity once again!