https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-658-Choosing-the-National-Treasure/13042046/
Chapter 657: The Treasure Chamber
Chapter 657: The Treasure Chamber
September 25, 2017
To be honest, if it weren't for that sudden system notification, Lu Haikong himself would have almost forgotten about his identity as a mountain bandit.
This wasn't entirely Lu Haikong's fault. Up until now, he had been a mountain bandit disguised as an official, and this hadn't seemed to cause him any trouble.
Even when Lu Haikong met with Han Lingdi, his identity as a mountain bandit didn't cause any issues, which made one wonder if this was another system bug.
In fact, Lu Haikong had long discovered that this flawed system had numerous bugs, and there was no sign of maintenance. It gave the impression that it might stop running at any moment.
Lu Haikong even wondered if this was the game the Outsiders had mentioned. Well, Lu Haikong had been skeptical about this since the beginning of his transmigration.
However, this profound topic wasn't something Lu Haikong wanted to delve into at the moment. Instead, he should focus on the system prompt that was right in front of him.
If possible, Lu Haikong would want to change his identity.
But the 'PS' at the end of the system message was also a concern for Lu Haikong. After all, he now had a large family and business to consider, and changing his identity required extra caution. One wrong move could lead to major problems, especially since Lu Haikong's most powerful military forces were all from the mountain fortress.
In this situation, Lu Haikong could only put this matter aside for now. The system only provided the option to change or not, without a time limit. Moreover, his current situation in Luoyang wasn't affected, so even if he wanted to change his identity, he would have to wait until he returned to Bing Province and prepared for any changes.
Although Lu Haikong's mind was filled with countless thoughts, he maintained a calm exterior during Han Lingdi's bestowal.
However, after bestowing the title, Han Lingdi turned and left without giving the old conservatives a chance to object. This caused Lu Haikong, who was still in the hall, to feel the sharp gazes of others like knives.
Among these gazes, the sharpest belonged to He Jin.
If He Jin's gaze could be materialized, Lu Haikong's body would be riddled with a thousand wounds.
He Jin's offer of a county marquis title was intended to provoke the emotions of Yang Zui and the other old officials, making them stand up against Lu Haikong. But he didn't expect Lu Haikong's response to be so appropriate.
At that moment, Lu Haikong's youthful vigor and iron-blooded dominance not only impressed Han Lingdi but also stirred the righteous officials and generals in the court. He Jin's plan backfired, giving Lu Haikong an opportunity to show off.
That wasn't all; He Jin was even more surprised when Han Lingdi directly announced the appointments of General Who Conquers the North and Governor of Bing Province. At this point, even if He Jin wanted to keep Lu Haikong in the capital, it was impossible. So, He Jin could only coldly watch Lu Haikong.
He Jin could only stare at Lu Haikong as the Elder Grand Secretary approached. In the Hall of the Mysterious Chamber, many people's eyes gleamed.
They all understood the Elder Grand Secretary's personality—he was straightforward and would not hesitate to confront anyone, even the emperor, if he believed something was wrong. His approach towards Lu Haikong clearly indicated his intention to have a serious talk.
As expected, when the Elder Grand Secretary reached Lu Haikong, he spoke directly: "Governor Lu, from the matter of bestowing the marquis title, it's evident that you're a person who understands the bigger picture. You should know what the Emperor's appointment means. I advise you to seek an audience with His Majesty and resign. Neither the General Who Conquers the North nor the Governor of Bing Province are positions you can handle. I hope you'll understand the situation, discern right from wrong, and not bring trouble upon yourself!"
After Yang Zui's words, everyone in the hall was stunned. This was no different from scolding a child, and they all turned their gazes towards Lu Haikong, wanting to see his response.
At that moment, Lu Haikong turned around under the gazes of the crowd, his eyes fixed on Yang Zui.
"As loyal subjects, we should dedicate ourselves to alleviating the Emperor's worries. The titles of General Who Conquers the North and Governor of Bing Province are not only honors but also responsibilities. This is the Emperor's trust in me, and all I can do is my best. As for what you said..."
Lu Haikong's lips curled into a cold smile as he continued, "The thunder, rain, and dew are all the Emperor's grace. Elder, do you know you're being disrespectful to the Emperor?"
After speaking, Lu Haikong turned and left without even glancing at Yang Zui.
Lu Haikong's departure in large strides left the officials in the hall in an uproar, and everyone watched him leave with complex expressions.
Everyone knew that from that day on, a young and powerful official would rise in the world.
Only a few officials who were more familiar with Han Lingdi furrowed their brows in concern. Their attention wasn't on Lu Haikong but on Han Lingdi.
Based on their understanding of Han Lingdi, he shouldn't have left so quickly after bestowing the title. Given Han Lingdi's personality, after honoring Lu Haikong, he should have rebuked the group of officials who had opposed him earlier.
Emperor Ling of Han might not be able to make Yang Ci a Grand Secretary right away, but for those who side with Yang Ci, the emperor would likely make an example of a few to deter others.
However, Emperor Ling did not do that. Instead, he left in a manner resembling an escape, which was extremely rare for him and could almost be considered an impossible occurrence.
But this rare event did happen, and some ministers with quick minds started to wonder if something unexpected had occurred.
Indeed, there was an unexpected turn of events, and it was related to Emperor Ling's health.
Following the historical timeline, Emperor Ling should have been able to hold on for another five years, but in this world, his health seemed even weaker than in history.
He had just arrived less than ten minutes ago, and under the continuous emotional fluctuations, his spirit was extremely exhausted. In this situation, Emperor Ling had no choice but to leave immediately after announcing the rewards for Lu HaiKong. He didn't even have time to present the national treasure he was bestowing upon Lu HaiKong.
Regarding this matter, Emperor Ling had no solution. Despite his incompetence, he was well aware that his health condition was a top national secret, and he couldn't afford to be careless.
However, Emperor Ling did not completely forget about the national treasure he was going to bestow upon Lu HaiKong. Just as Lu HaiKong came out of the Xuan Shi Hall, a young eunuch approached him.
"Lu HaiKong, His Majesty has ordered me to wait here for you and escort you to the Treasure Chamber to choose a national treasure!"
This was a 1691 version of the book.
Lu HaiKong had just arrived at the door when the young eunuch spoke in a high-pitched voice, which was not soft at all.
The ministers inside the Xuan Shi Hall were startled by his words.
It was then that they realized that, apart from appointing Lu HaiKong as the General Who Conquers the North and the Governor of Bing Province, Emperor Ling had also rewarded him with a national treasure!
In this world, national treasures were not the same as in history. They were not mere antiques or paintings but items with unimaginable power. In simpler terms, they were treasures.
Treasures were already precious, and those in the Treasure Chamber of the Han Palace were even more extraordinary. Each item there was a masterpiece among masterpieces, and there was even a possibility of finding treasures of the same level as the Phoenix's Tear that Lu HaiKong had obtained before.
Of course, the indigenous NPCs in the Xuan Shi Hall might not have a thorough understanding of the treasures' uses, but they were aware of the significance of national treasures. Each one was a significant artifact of the nation, and throughout history, only a few had been bestowed with a national treasure. How could a mere mountain bandit like Lu HaiKong be worthy of such a reward?
However, the emperor had already bestowed the reward, and even if the civil and military officials were dissatisfied, what could they do?
Lu HaiKong paid no heed to the sour gazes of the Han officials in the Xuan Shi Hall. He followed the young eunuch, taking large strides away, to receive his national treasure.
The Southern Palace was where the emperor and his officials gathered for ceremonies and state affairs, while the Northern Palace was mainly for the emperor and his concubines to reside.
The Treasure Chamber was unique to this world's imperial palace, located within the Northern Palace. Besides the Treasure Chamber, there were many other palaces in the Northern Palace that did not exist in the original world, such as the Martial Hall and the Divine Armory, which were adjacent to the Treasure Chamber and frequently visited by Zhao Yue'er after her reincarnation.
These past few days, Lu HaiKong had been frequently entering and exiting the imperial palace, but he had never been to the Northern Palace. Today was his first time entering the true inner palace, a place that was like paradise in a man's heart.
Of course, according to Lu HaiKong's way of thinking, the three thousand beauties rumored to live there probably couldn't compare to a single treasure in the Treasure Chamber.
Interestingly, the young eunuch who led Lu HaiKong into the Northern Palace continued to guide him, wandering around the vast Northern Palace.
He did not intend to go directly to the Treasure Chamber but instead took Lu HaiKong on a tour, intentionally or unintentionally leading him near the residences of various concubines and beauties. Sometimes, he even deliberately created opportunities for Lu HaiKong to catch glimpses of the inner palace's beauties.
At first, Lu HaiKong didn't react, but soon, he became aware. However, instead of saying anything, Lu HaiKong, who had not been staring around much in the first place, further restrained his gaze and silently followed the young eunuch without a word.
By this time, Lu HaiKong had already guessed that this young eunuch, or rather, the person behind this young eunuch, was playing some sort of game.
Indeed, in this world, no one was a truly simple character, not even the decadent and immoral Emperor Ling of Han, who also had the intention to test others.
(End of Chapter)
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