Chapter 2806

Wang Lanxuan hummed in agreement, casually picking up the teapot nearby to pour himself a cup of tea. "Indeed, there are other matters for which I seek you out."

Yun Xi watched him set the teapot down, then took it to pour tea for himself and Li Gang. Only then did he speak. "Lord Grand Secretary, I am resting these days. Please spare me the roundabout talk. If you have something to say, speak plainly."

Wang Lanxuan snorted lightly. "You find this tedious? Once you enter the officialdom, such matters will be plentiful."

Yun Xi blinked, looking at Wang Lanxuan. "Lord Wang, from you, I have learned one thing. As long as I master this, I need not worry about failing to stand firm in the officialdom."

"Oh?" Wang Lanxuan’s curiosity was piqued. "Tell me, what is it?"

"Strength commands respect," Yun Xi stated. "We Great Confucians hold a status higher than ordinary scholars. If a Confucian possesses high academic standing and strong cultivation, even those who disagree dare not provoke him lightly."

"I admire your academic achievements. You do not mean to say your cultivation is also considerable?" True to his role as Grand Secretary, Wang Lanxuan had already guessed the truth from Yun Xi’s brief words.

Yun Xi smiled faintly and extended his hand. A beam of orange light appeared.

"Orange Book Qi," Wang Lanxuan was slightly stunned, then asked, "How old are you, exactly?"

"Fifteen years old, to be precise," Yun Xi answered seriously.

"In merely ten years, you have progressed from white to orange. Do you intend to make those who cultivate daily feel ashamed?" Li Gang knew Yun Xi’s cultivation was high, but he had not expected such rapid advancement. He had already reached the orange stage.

"Actually, this is nothing special," Yun Xi said indifferently. "Cultivating Book Qi should be done according to one’s heart."

Seeing this, Wang Lanxuan laughed. "With such cultivation, things will be much easier for us to handle."

This statement gave Yun Xi an indescribable feeling. It did not feel like being calculated, yet it felt strange. "Lord Wang, please speak directly."

"I will tell you after you achieve the Six-Element Top Rank," Wang Lanxuan said. He was not being mysterious; this was a test for Yun Xi. Only upon passing could the next step of the plan proceed.

Yun Xi saw this in Wang Lanxuan’s expression and sighed. "You officials truly have many thoughts."

Wang Lanxuan did not get angry, only saying, "You will soon become such a person."

Yun Xi shrugged slightly. Since Wang Lanxuan was unwilling to speak, he would not force the matter.

Wang Lanxuan observed Yun Xi’s calm demeanor. To see such maturity in a boy of only fifteen was unexpected, even for him. However, in Wang Lanxuan’s eyes, such a personality was excellent. A person about to enter the officialdom, no matter how young, could not truly act childish. This Yun Xi was the talent Wang Lanxuan sought.

Li Gang quietly drank his tea. To him, Wang Lanxuan was an idol. Having become the Grand Secretary of a nation at the age of thirty, such a person was truly admirable. Yet, when facing such a person, Li Gang felt nervous. Because of this tension, he chose silence, listening only to the conversation between Yun Xi and Wang Lanxuan.

She was surprised by Wang Lanxuan’s approachability and equally amazed by Yun Xi’s composure.

Perhaps, despite their different statuses now, these two would one day stand at the same peak.

Yun Xi glanced at Wang Lanxuan. "I am the first place. Which place is my senior brother?"

"Li Gang of Mengyang, Li Qingyang, eleventh place. His ranking is still quite high," Wang Lanxuan nodded slightly.

Having reviewed Li Gang’s exam paper, although it was not as outstanding as Yun Xi’s, it was evident that he was a person of substance. Such talents were exactly what they needed.

It must be said that "birds of a feather flock together" held truth. Yun Xi himself preferred substance, so those around him, though few, were all people who valued substance.

Not to mention Lie Xuan, a general of pure substance. With him, there was no need to worry about the northern border issues. Li Gang was also such a person.

Naturally, Wang Lanxuan was also such a person. Because of this, he felt a special affinity when meeting similar individuals.

"The main reason I came to see you today is that I heard the Second Prince sent you an invitation. Although my hidden guards would report your situation to me, I felt I needed to meet you in person. Of course, knowing your results was also part of the reason," Wang Lanxuan explained.

"Actually, when the Chief Examiner, Lord Meng, sent your exam results, the First, Second, and Third Princes were all present. The First Prince will enter the court next year, the Second and Third the year after. The Fourth Prince is only ten, quite young, and the others are even younger. Thus, the Emperor wishes to see how these three princes will act."

Wang Lanxuan’s explanation allowed Yun Xi to understand that his results were not accidentally known by the Second Prince, but were a test for the three princes.

Yun Xi smiled lightly. "It seems the results were satisfactory."

"Our Great Confucian Dynasty does not follow the rule of establishing the eldest legitimate son or the eldest son if there is no legitimate one. We choose the worthy as Emperor, so any prince’s position is equal," Wang Lanxuan said.

Yun Xi glanced at Wang Lanxuan. "Since there is already a principle of choosing the worthy as ruler, why go through such trouble? Just looking at the Second Prince’s behavior, he cannot be considered worthy. At most, he is too idle, sending me an invitation."

Yun Xi sighed. "Actually, we all know the Emperor is of Confucian origin. He could easily reign for another sixty years without issue. Perhaps the Emperor’s lifespan will exceed that of these princes. If none of the princes are suitable, it is possible to choose from the generation of imperial grandsons. Why did these princes not consider this?"

Wang Lanxuan was initially stunned, then looked at Yun Xi. "Choose an imperial grandson?"

"Royal worthiness. I recall the current Emperor is the grandson of the previous Emperor. Because the previous Emperor’s sons passed away naturally, and the previous Emperor, being a Confucian, lived a long life, the current Emperor ascended as a grandson. If the next generation lacks suitable candidates, simply choose from the generation after that."

Yun Xi was quite direct. After all, there were precedents for such matters.

Wang Lanxuan gave Yun Xi a thumbs-up. "You are truly remarkable. You could even think of this."

Yun Xi smiled lightly. "The Second Prince has no chance. What about the First and Third Princes?"

"The Second Prince has no chance because he lacks someone to remind and guide him. However, this is better now, as it ensures safety in the future," Wang Lanxuan said calmly.