Chapter 897

Zhu Qiyu's eyes glinted slightly as he nodded: "Only the State Preceptor understands me. They all think I refuse to use him because I resent his suggestion to relocate south, but they don't know—I see him as a villain, so naturally I won't employ him."

Pan Yun asked: "Among the court officials, how many are gentlemen, how many are villains? Can Your Majesty tell them apart?"

Zhu Qiyu's mouth opened slightly, but he could not answer.

"A ruler who selects officials by labeling them as gentlemen or villains is mistaken—he must judge by deeds. A villain, when entrusted with a task, achieves twice the result with half the effort; a gentleman, the opposite. Will Your Majesty employ a villain or a gentleman?"

Zhu Qiyu pondered: "But my former tutor once told me: a ruler must keep villains at a distance and draw near virtuous ministers…"

Pan Yun smiled faintly: "At that time, Your Majesty was Prince Cheng, attending a public lecture—your tutor had to say that, so Prince Cheng would become a virtuous ruler to draw near Your Majesty. But when he privately taught your late father, he certainly did not say that."

Zhu Qiyu's eyes widened.

Pan Yun said: "What do you think, Your Majesty, was the reason your late father favored Wang Zhen?"

Zhu Qiyu paused before replying: "The court ministers say my elder brother was deceived by Wang Zhen; but my brother told me himself that he used Wang Zhen because Wang Zhen was loyal to him—he needed Wang Zhen to balance the court officials."

Pan Yun: "But Wang Zhen was a villain. Why, then, did your late father, who was taught by the Three Yang Grand Secretaries, still favor him and keep his virtuous ministers at arm's length?"

Zhu Qiyu's heart pounded.

Pan Yun leaned forward, fixing her gaze on Zhu Qiyu's eyes: "Your Majesty, remember: if you feel you're losing control of the situation, draw near virtuous ministers and keep villains at a distance. But if you can control it, even villains may be used."

Zhu Qiyu's gaze flickered as he mused: "I've just ascended the throne—I have neither prestige nor accomplishments."

Pan Yun's lips curled slightly: "But Xu Cheng is only a junior Hanlin. If Your Majesty doesn't know how to use villains, why not use him as practice?"

Pan Yun spoke slowly: "No matter what you do, mastery matters most—being emperor is no different."

Zhu Qiyu's heart pounded hard. He sensed instinctively that what Pan Yun taught him differed entirely from what his tutor and ministers had taught him—but what she taught was what an emperor truly needed.

Zhu Qiyu swallowed hard and nodded under Pan Yun's gaze.

Pan Yun's lips curled again: "But Your Majesty must not earn a reputation for favoring villains. You are a wise ruler—wise rulers cannot issue edicts one day and rescind them the next, capriciously changing their minds."

Zhu Qiyu: "Then what should I do?"

Pan Yun told Zhu Qiyu to return and wait: "You need only wait. The one in haste now is not us—it is Xu Cheng."

Indeed, as Xu Cheng waited in vain, he went to Pan Hong, who also claimed helplessness: "I've already spoken to the State Preceptor, but she is now a nun—not merely my daughter."

Xu Cheng bit his lip and asked: "What did the State Preceptor enjoy when she was still in her chambers?"

Pan Hong frowned slightly, unpleased.

But Xu Cheng pressed again, and Pan Hong, unable to withstand his persistence, finally said: "She likes medicinal herbs."

Xu Cheng suddenly understood—yes, Daoist Priests seek immortality, and immortality cannot be achieved without rare spiritual herbs. Immediately, he gritted his teeth and bought a lingzhi mushroom.

Xu Cheng was not wealthy—he was merely a junior Hanlin, supplementing his income by acting as a fortune-teller, and through constant scheming. Except for upright men like Yu Qian and Pan Hong, he always brought gifts to everyone else he visited—either unique or expensive.

Even Chen Xun, known for his integrity, received two cured pork legs every time Xu Cheng visited him.

One cured pork leg cost eighty wen; two cost one hundred sixty wen. Add a bag of fruit, and each visit cost at least two hundred wen.

This was his daily expense for routine visits. If he truly needed a favor, he had to bring an even heavier gift.

Since the new emperor returned victorious from his campaign, Xu Cheng had been running around for his future—courting the Ministry of Personnel, the Grand Secretariat, the Ministry of Revenue, the Hanlin Academy, even the Embroidered Uniform Guard of the Northern Capital Security Bureau—his family fortune nearly depleted.

To buy this lingzhi mushroom, Xu Cheng gritted his teeth, sold several prized calligraphy and painting collections, and performed divinations for several high officials' backyards, finally gathering enough silver.

Though despised by the new emperor, Xu Cheng had accurately predicted the disaster of the personal campaign—people still trusted his divination skills.

More than they trusted the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.

Many court ministers privately felt Xu Cheng belonged in the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, not the Hanlin Academy.

But clearly, Xu Cheng had no interest whatsoever in becoming an official of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.

Many officials avoided him publicly but secretly loved to consult him for divination.

Xu Cheng carried the lingzhi mushroom to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to request an audience with Pan Yun.

He expected to make multiple visits, but upon requesting an audience, Pan Yun immediately agreed to see him.

Pan Yun said at once: "Xu Da Ren has more perseverance than I thought."

Xu Cheng bowed low and offered the box humbly: "I am grateful for the trouble Lord Pan has taken on my behalf. I heard Lord Pan say the State Preceptor has loved medicinal herbs since childhood. This lingzhi mushroom was found by chance—I am a vulgar man, useless with it; only by offering it to the State Preceptor can it be put to proper use."

Pan Yun glanced down at it, smiled faintly: "I know what you seek—but Xu Da Ren, though you have calculated the heavens, you cannot calculate your own fate."

Xu Cheng swallowed nervously—he truly could not calculate his own fate. Most cultivators in this world could not accurately predict their own destiny.

It was much like how a physician cannot heal himself.

So, had Pan Yun calculated his fate?

He looked at her, hopeful yet anxious.

After a moment's silence, Pan Yun said: "Xu Da Ren's obstacle lies within yourself. If you remain incorruptible, you've already succeeded half. If you can reduce your greed for merit by five parts, you will have succeeded."

If anyone else had said this, Xu Cheng would have thought it mockery—but it was Pan Yun.

And Pan Yun was serious.

Xu Cheng looked up quickly at Pan Yun, then lowered his gaze into thought.

His heart beat faster. He swallowed again, then said: "But the Emperor despises me. Even if I am willing to change, if he refuses to employ me, what can I do?"

Pan Yun smiled gently: "Let me cast a divination for Xu Da Ren—otherwise, I cannot accept gifts without giving something in return."

Xu Cheng's eyes brightened, nodding eagerly.

Pan Yun took out a tortoise shell, tossed it three times, arranged the results, and said: "Xu Da Ren, your name's feng shui does not suit you. Change your name."

Xu Cheng: "Huh?"

Pan Yun said calmly: "Just change your name."

Xu Cheng walked out of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau bewildered; only when he returned home did he open the slip of paper, which bore two characters: "You Zhen."

As Pan Yun wrote those two characters, she glanced at Xu Cheng: "I hope Xu Da Ren lives up to his name."

Xu Cheng was puzzled—just changing his name would suffice? Though half-skeptical, he still acted, changing his name to Xu Youzhen.

After changing it, Xu Cheng thought for a moment and tentatively submitted a memorial to the Emperor recommending repairs to water conservancy projects across the realm, and separately submitted another memorial on dredging the Yellow River.

Zhu Qiyu, upon reading these two memorials, was astounded—he immediately summoned the Grand Secretaries to discuss them, saying: "This is indeed a usable talent. Why have I never heard of this man?"