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Time seemed to have pressed the fast-forward button.
Li Fan carried out his plans methodically and systematically.
With the experience of two lifetimes, everything proceeded smoothly as if it were the natural course of events.
He still participated in the Imperial Examinations.
However, this time, with decades of experience in power, the articles he wrote far surpassed those of his previous life. He topped all three levels of the examinations—Preliminary, Metropolitan, and Palace Examinations—securing the top rank in all, making a name for himself across the land!
He then requested to serve as an official in a distant region, citing his youth as a reason to gain more experience. His destination, of course, was Wen County.
Although there were many in the court who were puzzled and regretful, his request was still approved.
Thus, after three years, he returned to Wen County.
This time, things were much better than in his previous life. Due to his immense fame and his thorough understanding of the personalities of all the officials in the county, he managed to bring Wen County under his control with minimal effort.
Then, he began to promote and cultivate his loyal subordinates from his previous life, continuously expanding his influence.
At the same time, he drew up blueprints for flintlock guns and ordered the craftsmen to produce them, sharing all the production difficulties he had encountered. He also secretly recruited skilled craftsmen from various regions to develop more advanced firearms.
The mining of the mountains did not stop either. Li Fan swept away all the bandits in the mountains near Wen County and forced them to mine. Relying on the mines, he built many workshops in the deep mountains, producing large quantities of crafts and ironware. He also secretly organized trade caravans to sell goods in various regions, accumulating funds.
In the fourth year of the Anchored Era, Li Fan secretly searched and finally found the body double of Emperor Xuanjing. It was this double that had nearly foiled his assassination plan in his previous life. Fortunately, he had always been cautious, and with many backup plans, he managed to avoid failure. Li Fan personally trained the double, and after half a year, there were almost no flaws.
In the fifth year of the Anchored Era, a great drought struck the Jiangnan region. Li Fan ordered his subordinates to pretend to be refugees and attack the Longyang Prince's Mansion. Li Fan led a group to pretend to come to the rescue, but in reality, they worked together to secretly kill the entire Longyang family, including the prince. At the same time, he had the double appear.
Thus, Li Fan took over the Longyang Prince's Mansion, controlling it in secret.
The news of the Longyang family's massacre, with only the prince surviving, shocked the court and the country. The emperor was furious and sent troops to suppress the refugees. Li Fan, for his efforts, was promoted to Governor of the Jianghuai Prefecture.
Li Fan's influence further expanded. However, after that, he became more cautious. He did not continue to expand outward but instead focused on developing technology and productivity in a low-profile manner.
In the seventh year of the Anchored Era, a locust plague struck as expected. Li Fan was well-prepared, and the Jianghuai Prefecture naturally avoided the disaster. He also requested the court to open the granaries and distribute grain to the famine-stricken people, which the court approved.
This opportunity allowed Li Fan to gain a large number of people. These famine-stricken people settled in Li Fan's jurisdiction, and his power grew exponentially.
In the ninth year of the Anchored Era, the wedding between Prince Longyang and the granddaughter of the Grand Chancellor took place as scheduled. On the wedding night, Li Fan broke into the bridal chamber, terrifying the prince's consort. Upon learning that Li Fan had killed Prince Longyang and taken over the Longyang Prince's Mansion using a double, she angrily denounced Li Fan as a traitor. Li Fan was unperturbed and instead laughed heartily, ordering her to write down the shocking news in a letter.
Li Fan, carrying this letter, disguised himself as a messenger of Prince Longyang and secretly entered the capital to meet the Grand Chancellor.
Li Fan, with a calm expression, revealed that he now controlled the entire Longyang Prince's Mansion and claimed that he had consummated the marriage with the Grand Chancellor's granddaughter on the wedding night. The Grand Chancellor, though shocked, remained composed and asked what Li Fan intended.
Li Fan frankly stated that the Grand Chancellor had many enemies after years in power, and his sons were all useless. After the Grand Chancellor's death, it would be difficult to protect the family. If the Grand Chancellor would assist him when necessary, Li Fan would ensure the family's prosperity for a hundred years.
The Grand Chancellor pondered for a long time before slowly asking what Li Fan needed. Li Fan smiled and said that he would reveal it in due time, then left gracefully.
In the tenth year of the Anchored Era, the consort of Prince Longyang gave birth to a son. Clearly, this was Li Fan's child. Li Fan sent a letter to the Grand Chancellor's residence to announce the good news.
In the fifteenth year of the Anchored Era, the emperor finally fell seriously ill. Upon receiving the succession edict, Li Fan set out with his subordinates, traveling day and night to the capital.
After the double of Prince Longyang ascended the throne, Li Fan, with the emperor's edict, arranged his subordinates in the court. With the secret support of the Grand Chancellor, he controlled the situation without much resistance.
In the sixteenth year of the Anchored Era, rebellions broke out across the country. Li Fan took the opportunity to place his subordinates in the army and, using the merits of suppressing the rebels, promoted them extensively. Within a few years, the army was firmly under Li Fan's control.
In the twentieth year of the Anchored Era, the country gradually recovered from the turmoil of the imperial succession. Li Fan decisively poisoned the fake Kangning Emperor, eliminating the last possible threat.
After enthroning his son as the new emperor, Li Fan was appointed Grand Tutor, emerging from the shadows to wield immense power once again.
After that, the development of the Great Profound Kingdom did not stagnate but accelerated even more due to Li Fan's will!
In the thirty-fifth year of the Anchored Era, at the Grand Tutor's residence.
Li Fan read the secret letter handed to him by his subordinate, his brows furrowing.
"So, the mist over the Ruin Abyss disperses for half a day every fifteen years?"
"Yes, Grand Tutor. We, the Immortal-Seeking Camp, were ordered to camp beside the Ruin Abyss and observe day and night. We finally had a breakthrough a few days ago," the visiting official, kneeling on the ground, recalled the scene, his face still showing the shock. "After the mist cleared, a faint light could be seen from the bottom of the abyss. Using a telescope, we discovered various inverted scenes."
"Although what each person saw was different, there were vast mountains with magnificent buildings hidden within, and a grand city on the plain with a thriving population of over a million. There was even a flying city surrounded by rays of light, with all sorts of rare birds and beasts flying within. It was truly..." The visiting official paused, then sighed. "Truly unbelievable."
"It is indeed from the Ruin Abyss." Although he had known this news for a long time, Li Fan was still somewhat excited upon hearing it confirmed by his subordinate. However, years of experience had taught him to keep his emotions in check.
He asked calmly, "Have you found a way to reach the bottom of the abyss?"
The visiting official's breath caught, and his face turned pale. He quickly kowtowed and apologized, "We are incompetent. We have tried various methods, but as soon as we reach a certain depth, we are shredded by the sudden Gale Wind. The Gale Wind is so powerful that even our strongest armor cannot withstand it for a moment."
Li Fan listened without much disappointment.
Waving his hand, he dismissed the visiting official. Li Fan muttered to himself, "It seems I still have to wait for you."
...
In the fiftieth year of the Anchored Era, in the Mystic Capital of the Great Profound Kingdom.
The once bustling Mystic Capital was now eerily quiet.
Most of the residents of Mystic Capital had been forcibly relocated to surrounding cities a month ago by the current Grand Tutor's edict, supposedly to avoid disaster. This ridiculous excuse was naturally met with skepticism. However, the Grand Tutor did not force those who refused to leave, only suggesting they dig basements at home for protection. They took it as a joke.
After receiving the report, Li Fan did not intervene. He had done his best.
Now, the streets and alleys of Mystic Capital were filled with the special forces he had carefully prepared over the years to deal with the two sages.
Everything was ready; only the wind was lacking!
That evening, the moon hung high in the sky, and the two cultivators arrived as scheduled!
"Daoxuanzi! Don't push us too far!"
Kou Hong's angry shout echoed through the Mystic Capital.
"Rat-a-tat-tat..."
Numerous gun barrels suddenly lit up, and tens of thousands of bullets, like a waterfall, struck the two sages in an instant!
(End of Chapter)