chsdbacks Chapter 307 Clouds in the Blue Sky, Water in the Bottle
Chapter 307 Clouds in the Blue Sky, Water in the Bottle
Chapter 307 Clouds in the Blue Sky, Water in the Bottle
The following morning, under the warm sunshine, the Mu family mansion welcomed a special guest.
The newcomer was dressed in a dark purple eunuch's robe embroidered with python patterns. He was well-off, with a ruddy complexion, white hair and beard, and a warm smile on his face. He looked like a kind and benevolent old man from a wealthy family.
He was none other than Eunuch Wei, who held immense power and influence both inside and outside the government, and was in charge of the Eastern Depot.
Guided by the servants of the Mu family, he was very amiable and even chatted with the steward who was leading the way, showing no airs of a factory supervisor.
Upon entering the elegantly furnished reception room, filled with the gentle fragrance of incense, and seeing Li Xijun seated regally in the main seat, leisurely sipping tea, Eunuch Wei's smile instantly became even more humble. He strode forward, unhesitatingly knelt down, touched his head to the ground, and performed a full, standard salute, his voice utterly respectful:
"This servant, Wei Jinzhong, pays his respects to Your Highness! Long live Your Highness!"
His demeanor perfectly embodied the respect of an old palace servant to his master. If one did not know that his "Heavenly Gang Child Skill" had reached a state of perfection and that he was a true Dharma Master at the peak of the sixth level of the Outer Realm, anyone would have thought he was just a loyal and cautious old eunuch.
Li Xijun put down his teacup, raised his right hand slightly, and said in a calm tone, "Eunuch Wei, there's no need for such formality. Please rise and take a seat."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Only then did Eunuch Wei stand up, still bowing slightly, and sit down on the chair at the lower end of the table, his posture extremely humble.
Now that they were seated, although both knew perfectly well what they were there to talk about, they couldn't just jump straight to the point.
Li Xijun possessed the skill of tea tasting and casual conversation honed from Li Boyan, and this Eunuch Wei was also adept at casual conversation among the guests. The two first exchanged pleasantries, and as the conversation drew to a close, Eunuch Wei even etched the word "servant" into his words and actions.
From inquiring about Li Xijun's tiring journey to praising the autumn scenery of the capital, his words were full of respect and concern, never mentioning any sensitive topics, as if he had come today only to pay his respects to the "prince" who had not returned to the capital for a long time.
A maidservant served fragrant tea, and Eunuch Wei thanked her repeatedly, taking small sips and praising it highly.
The tea was refilled three times during the session, and the atmosphere in the hall remained calm and slightly distant.
After the third refill of tea, Eunuch Wei, holding the warm teacup, casually mentioned in a conversational tone:
"Your Highness has been away from the capital for a long time and may not know. In recent years, a minor incident has occurred at the Jiangnan Textile Bureau."
"Originally, it was a mess, with serious deficits. Later, a capable person came and single-handedly rectified the long-standing problems, increased revenue and reduced expenditures, and made the Textile Bureau look brand new. The amount of silver handed over to the imperial treasury each year was more than ten times that of previous years. He made great contributions."
He sighed softly, then changed the subject slightly: "But—alas, when people achieve something, they sometimes lose their sense of proportion."
"Recently, the eunuchs have discovered that this capable minister, during his tenure, was not entirely clean either, having embezzled a considerable amount of money."
At this point, Eunuch Wei raised his eyelids, cautiously observing Li Xijun's expression, and tentatively asked:
"This old servant is dull-witted and often ponders how to view and deal with this capable minister who has rendered great service to the country but has also been morally flawed by embezzling some money. What would be a fair way to treat him? I wonder what Your Highness's opinion is?"
Li Xijun remained outwardly calm, slowly sipping his tea, but his mind was perfectly clear.
This old fox wasn't asking about the Jiangnan Textile Bureau at all; he was clearly using this matter to probe my attitude towards him, Eunuch Wei, and his Eastern Depot faction.
He slowly set down his teacup, his gaze distant. He didn't answer directly, but instead softly recited:
"Having cultivated a form resembling a crane, I sit beneath a thousand pines, carrying two volumes of scriptures. I come to inquire about the Way, but there is nothing more to say; the clouds are in the blue sky, and the water is in the bottle."
After the poem was recited, a slight silence fell over the hall.
Li Xijun then looked at Eunuch Wei, his posture composed, his tone calm yet profound, as if expounding some profound truth:
"Eunuch Wei, what I just recited was a poem titled 'Asking the Way' by a poet named Li Ao. My favorite line is the last one—'Clouds in the blue sky, a bottle in the water.'"
He paused slightly, then continued:
"This imperial court and the world are like the clear sky and the treasure vase. It needs the clear sky and white clouds of Zhuge Liang, who are upright, honest and incorruptible, to cleanse the world and set things right."
Similarly, there needs to be someone willing to be "the water in the bottle," bearing some necessary filth and criticism, to handle those matters that cannot be brought to the forefront but are crucial to overall stability.
His gaze calmly fell on Eunuch Wei, his tone certain:
"You people, some are like clouds, some are like water, you occupy different positions and do different things, but ultimately, as long as you are devoted to the court and do your job well, you are all loyal ministers. To me, there is no distinction between treacherous ministers."
Eunuch Wei listened intently, savoring the metaphor of "clouds in the blue sky and water in the bottle" and Li Xijun's assertion that "all are loyal ministers, and there are no treacherous ministers."
The more he savored it, the more he felt that it was infinitely charming and profound!
Li Xijun's words not only affirmed his role and defined his position, but also subtly expressed his intention to include and control him.
In particular, Li Xijun's calm and composed demeanor, as if he had the world in his grasp, was very much like the demeanor of the late emperor when he made important decisions, and even had a kind of profound and otherworldly quality!
Could it be that some people are truly born emperors?
Judging from Li Xijun's appearance just now, Eunuch Wei felt that the above was the only possibility.
Thinking of this, Eunuch Wei was deeply shaken and no longer hesitated or tested the waters.
He abruptly rose from his seat and bowed deeply once more in the hall, his voice filled with excitement and unprecedented piety:
"Your Highness is wise! Your Highness is all-knowing and all-seeing! This servant—this servant has suddenly understood!"
He raised his head, his eyes seemingly glistening with tears. "Your Highness, the world is in turmoil, people are restless, and the country cannot be without a ruler for even a day!"
"Though this old servant is crippled and of lowly status, my heart is loyal to the Great Xia, loyal to His Majesty, and now even more loyal to Your Highness!"
"For the sake of all the people under heaven, and for the eternal stability of the Great Xia Dynasty, this old servant humbly begs Your Highness to obey the will of Heaven and the people, and return to the Eastern Palace to bring peace to the world!"
Seeing his reaction, Li Xijun knew the time was right, so she sighed and said:
"I already know, my lord. However—I'm afraid the Marquis of Crimson Gall will not stand idly by."
Upon hearing this, Eunuch Wei's face flashed with a stern look, and his voice lowered slightly: "Your Highness, rest assured. Although that Crimson Gallant Marquis is strong, my decades of practicing the Heavenly Gang Child Skill have not been in vain. Even if I am no match for him at the seventh level of the Heavenly Realm, I will certainly be able to stop him at all costs."
"As long as the action is taken in the capital, the moment the commotion begins, Zhuge Shenhou will surely know. With his influence, he will definitely step in to assist Your Highness in eliminating the traitor!"
He kowtowed again, his tone resolute: "This old servant is willing to use this crippled body to pave the way for Your Highness. Even if it costs me my life, I will escort Your Highness back to the palace with dignity!"
Upon hearing this, Li Xijun stood up, personally helped Eunuch Wei to his feet, and said gently:
"You flatter me, sir. If this matter succeeds, you will be the greatest contributor to protecting the emperor, and all past grievances will be forgotten. I will certainly not fail your loyalty today."
Feeling the strength in Li Xijun's hand and the promise in her words, Eunuch Wei felt reassured and kowtowed deeply once more.
"This old servant thanks Your Highness for your kindness! I am worthy to serve you to the death!"
This time, Li Xijun did not help the other person up. Instead, he turned around and sat back down in his seat with a calm demeanor, then picked up his teacup again and drank it all in one gulp.