Time seemed to accelerate.
Li Fan methodically and systematically executed his plan. With the experience of two lifetimes, everything proceeded smoothly as if it were meant to be.
He still participated in the imperial examinations. However, this time, with decades of experience in power, the essays he wrote naturally far surpassed those of his previous life. He ranked first in the county examination, provincial examination, and palace examination, achieving the top honors and gaining fame throughout the world!
Subsequently, he requested to serve as an official in a distant region, citing the need to gain experience while young. His destination was once again Wen County. Although there was much confusion and regret in the court, his request was approved.
Thus, in the third year of the anchor point, he returned to Wen County. This time, it was much better than the previous life. Due to his great reputation and his thorough understanding of the temperaments of the county's officials, he managed to bring Wen County under control with little effort.
He then began to promote and cultivate his trusted aides from the previous life, continuously expanding his influence. Simultaneously, he drew up blueprints for the flintlock rifle, ordered craftsmen to produce them according to the designs, and disclosed all the production challenges. He then secretly recruited skilled craftsmen from various places, striving to develop more advanced firearms.
The mining of the mountains was not neglected either. Li Fan swept through the bandits in the mountains near Wen County and forced them to mine. With the mines, he established numerous workshops in the deep mountains, mass-producing crafts and ironware. He also secretly organized trade caravans to sell goods in various places, accumulating funds.
In the fourth year of the anchor point, Li Fan secretly searched and finally found the double of Emperor Xuanjing. It was this double's existence that nearly caused his assassination plan in the previous life to fail. Fortunately, he was always cautious, and with many backup plans, he did not fail. Li Fan personally trained the double, and after half a year, there were almost no flaws.
In the fifth year of the anchor point, a great drought struck Jiangnan. Li Fan ordered his trusted aides to disguise themselves as refugees and attack the Prince of Langya's residence. Li Fan led a group to feign rescue, but in reality, they coordinated from within and without to secretly kill the entire Langya royal family. He then had the double appear.
From then on, Li Fan took over the Prince of Langya's residence, secretly controlling it. The news of the Langya royal family's massacre, with only the prince himself surviving, shocked the court and the public. The emperor was furious and sent troops to suppress the refugees. Li Fan was credited and promoted to the governor of Jianghuai Prefecture.
Li Fan's influence further expanded. However, he became more cautious afterward. Instead of expanding outward, he focused on advancing technology and developing productivity.
In the seventh year of the anchor point, a locust plague arrived as expected. Li Fan was well-prepared, and Jianghuai Prefecture naturally suffered no disaster. He even applied to the court to open granaries to aid the disaster victims, which was approved.
With this opportunity, Li Fan gained a large population. These disaster victims settled under Li Fan's governance, and his power grew explosively.
In the ninth year of the anchor point, the wedding of the Prince of Langya and the chief grand scholar's granddaughter took place as scheduled. That night, Li Fan broke into the bridal chamber, terrifying the princess. Upon learning that Li Fan had killed the Prince of Langya and used a double to take over, she angrily denounced Li Fan as a traitor. Li Fan was unfazed and laughed heartily, instructing her to write down the shocking event in a letter.
Li Fan took the letter, disguised as a messenger of the Prince of Langya, and secretly entered the capital to meet the chief grand scholar.
Li Fan, with a calm demeanor, laid bare his control over the entire Prince of Langya's residence and claimed that he had consummated the marriage with the scholar's granddaughter on the wedding night. The scholar, though surprised, remained composed and asked Li Fan what he intended.
Li Fan candidly stated that the scholar had made many enemies during his long tenure in power, and his sons were all useless. After the scholar's death, it would be difficult to protect the family. As long as the scholar helped Li Fan when necessary, Li Fan promised to ensure the family's prosperity for a hundred years.
The scholar pondered for a long time before slowly asking what was needed. Li Fan smiled and said that it would become clear in the future, then departed gracefully.
In the tenth year of the anchor point, the princess gave birth to a son. Clearly, it was Li Fan's child. Li Fan sent a letter to the scholar's residence to share the joyous news.
In the fifteenth year of the anchor point, the emperor finally fell gravely ill. Upon receiving the decree of succession, Li Fan, with his trusted aides, rushed to the capital overnight.
After the double of the Prince of Langya ascended the throne, Li Fan, using the emperor's decree, arranged his trusted aides in the court. With the secret cooperation of the scholar, he smoothly took control of the situation without causing any waves.
In the sixteenth year of the anchor point, rebellions erupted across the land. Li Fan took the opportunity to insert his trusted aides into the military and, through the merits of quelling the rebellions, promoted them extensively. In just three to four years, the military was firmly under Li Fan's control.
In the twentieth year of the anchor point, the world gradually recovered from the turmoil of the imperial succession. At this time, Li Fan decisively poisoned the impostor Emperor Kangning, eliminating the last potential threat in its cradle.
After supporting his son to ascend the throne, Li Fan appointed himself as the Grand Tutor, stepping from behind the scenes to the forefront, once again wielding power over the world.
Afterward, the development of the Great Xuan Kingdom did not stagnate but accelerated due to Li Fan's will!
In the thirty-fifth year of the anchor point, at the Grand Tutor's residence.
Li Fan looked at the secret letter handed over by his subordinate, read it carefully for a moment, and couldn't help but frown.
"So, the mist over the Void Abyss disperses for half a day every fifteen years?"
"Reporting to the Grand Tutor, that is indeed the case. Our Immortal-Seeking Camp was ordered to station by the Void Abyss, observing day and night. Finally, a few days ago, we made a discovery." The Immortal-Seeking Officer, kneeling on the ground, recalled the scene at that time, his face still showing signs of shock. "After the fog cleared, faint light shone from the abyss. Using telescopes, we discovered various inverted scenes."
"Although everyone saw different things, there were vast mountains stretching endlessly, with majestic structures hidden within, faintly visible; there were towering cities standing on plains, bustling with smoke and fire, with a population of no less than a million; there were even sky cities surrounded by rays of light, with rare birds and beasts flying among them, truly..." The Immortal-Seeking Officer paused, then expressed his amazement. "Truly incredible."
"It indeed originates from the Void Abyss." Although he had known this information, hearing it confirmed by his subordinate still stirred a bit of excitement in Li Fan's heart. 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 Immortal-Seeking Officer's breath caught, and his face turned pale. He hurriedly kowtowed and apologized, "I am incompetent. We tried various methods, but as soon as we descended to a certain depth, we were shredded by sudden fierce winds. The winds were so powerful that even our strongest armor couldn't withstand them for a moment."
Upon hearing this, Li Fan showed no signs of disappointment.
After dismissing the Immortal-Seeking Officer, Li Fan muttered to himself, "It seems, I still have to wait for you."
...
In the fiftieth year of the anchor point, in the Great Xuan Kingdom, Xuanjing.
The once bustling city of Xuanjing was now eerily silent.
The vast majority of Xuanjing's residents had been forcibly relocated to surrounding cities a month ago under the orders of the current Grand Tutor, supposedly to avoid disaster. This laughable excuse was naturally met with skepticism. However, the Grand Tutor did not push too hard; those unwilling to leave were not forced, merely advised to dig basements at home for shelter. These people dismissed it as a joke.
After receiving the report, Li Fan did not intervene. He had already done his utmost.
Now, the streets and alleys of Xuanjing were filled with the special forces he had meticulously prepared over the years to deal with the two immortal masters.
Everything was ready, only the east wind was missing!
At night, under the bright moon, the two immortal cultivators arrived as expected!
"Dao Xuanzi! Don't push me too far!"
Kou Hong's angry shout echoed throughout Xuanjing.
"Da-da-da-da..."
Countless tongues of fire suddenly lit up, and tens of thousands of bullets rained down like a waterfall, bombarding the two immortals in an instant!
(End of Chapter)