As Zhang Juzheng finished reading the imperial edict, everyone's expressions changed.
The Jiajing Emperor of the Great Ming! What a masterstroke!
The title of Grand Tutor, entry into the Grand Secretariat, and the rank of a first-grade official – such generosity! The Jiajing Emperor truly lived up to his reputation as the world's foremost emperor.
His boldness and Zhang Juzheng's strategic move were truly impressive. By reading the edict first, Zhang Juzheng had seized the initiative.
Even if Chu, Wei, Han, and Wu were to offer Guiguzi similar high-ranking positions, it would be difficult to match the impact of Zhang Juzheng's actions.
The first step often determined the outcome.
Even Fan Li couldn't help but admire Zhang Juzheng inwardly. He truly deserved his reputation as the last virtuous Grand Secretary of the Great Ming.
“Well done, Teacher! I had no idea you were carrying this imperial edict!” Crown Prince Wanli's face was a mix of emotions as he looked at Zhang Juzheng, a combination of joy and anger.
He was pleased that Zhang Juzheng had turned the tide after their defeat at the Flaming Mountain, but he was also furious that Zhang Juzheng had kept the existence of the edict a secret, even from him.
Originally, the credit for recruiting Guiguzi would have belonged solely to Wanli. With his intelligence, Zhang Juzheng would never dare to compete with the Crown Prince for such recognition.
However, with a single imperial edict, all of Wanli's previous efforts had been rendered meaningless. If Guiguzi were to join the Great Ming, it would only serve as proof of the Jiajing Emperor's magnanimity. As for the Crown Prince, he would be nothing more than a mere errand boy.
"Alas..." Zhang Juzheng sighed inwardly, ‘His Majesty has always been fond of taking credit for achievements, inadvertently depriving the Crown Prince of opportunities to establish his own merits. Even I am caught in the middle, finding it difficult to please both sides.’
After the edict was read, the figure of Guiguzi at the summit of Mount Yunmeng stirred. He seemed to be peering down at them but remained silent.
Suddenly, Sage Ruler Jin De spoke up.
"Guiguzi, the Brahma Sound Pure Land is about to establish its own nation, and my elder sister, Sage Ruler Yao Guang, will become its first Empress! If you are willing to join us, the position of Prime Minister, the head of all officials, will be yours!"
"Pfft!"
A snicker filled the air, laced with disdain and mockery.
"Who?!" Jin De snapped. She turned to see Crown Prince Wanli smirking at her.
Even with her Great Vehicle Realm cultivation, Jin De wouldn't dare to confront Wanli in front of Guiguzi.
"Simple-minded," Fan Li thought to himself, shaking his head.
Although the Brahma Sound Pure Land was renowned throughout the world as a top cultivation sanctuary, it lacked any foundation in the secular world. It had neither the land nor the population required to establish a nation. The prospect of nationhood seemed like a distant dream.
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The promises of Prime Minister and head of all officials were nothing more than empty words.
Fan Li found it odd that Jin De seemed more like a clueless messenger than Crown Prince Wanli. With her intelligence, how could she possibly be entrusted with the task of recruiting Guiguzi?
If Sage Ruler Yao Guang hadn't prepared a backup plan, this trip to Mount Yunmeng would be a complete waste of time.
“Master!”
Zhuge Liang suddenly stepped forward and knelt down.
"If Master is willing to leave the mountain and assist Sage Ruler Yao Guang in establishing her nation, the Great Han is willing to offer you the position of Prime Minister, allowing you to concurrently serve as the Prime Minister of both nations!"
His words were met with stunned silence.
The Great Han, though a young nation, was still a kingdom. To offer the support of an entire nation to the Brahma Sound Pure Land was unprecedented.
Crown Prince Wanli stared in disbelief, while Zhang Juzheng's expression shifted several times before settling into a grim mask.
"So that's how it is..."
Fan Li looked at Zhuge Liang, then at Jin De, and it all became clear.
The Great Han's offer must have been a prearranged agreement between Sage Ruler Yao Guang and Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Quan.
Following Zhuge Liang's lead, Zhou Yu also knelt down.
"Master, if you are willing to assist Sage Ruler Yao Guang, the Great Wu is also willing to offer you the position of Prime Minister!"
Guo Jia followed suit.
"If Master is willing to assist Sage Ruler Yao Guang, the Emperor of Wei is also willing to present you with the position of Prime Minister. Please do not hesitate to accept!"
Fan Li couldn't help but marvel at Sage Ruler Yao Guang's grand scheme.
Guiguzi, upon leaving the mountain, would immediately become the Prime Minister of four nations?
"Hey, aren't you going to say something?" Lu Fubao whispered to Fan Li.
The Great Chu was the only nation that hadn't yet made an offer. Fan Li stood there awkwardly, feeling out of place.
"Nope," Fan Li shrugged, also whispering. "I'm just here to make up the numbers."
"But what about your nation's Prime Minister position..."
"The Prime Minister position is mine. Everything in the Great Chu, except for that dragon throne in the Golden Luan Palace, belongs to me!"
Lu Fubao rolled her eyes at Fan Li's shameless declaration but couldn't help but find it amusing.
At the summit of Mount Yunmeng, everyone looked up expectantly. However, after a long wait, Guiguzi in the pavilion remained unresponsive.
It was as if the offers of a high-ranking position in the Great Ming and the Prime Minister positions of four nations held no appeal to him.
What did Guiguzi truly desire?
He was already being offered power second only to that of an emperor. Surely, they wouldn't need to offer him the throne itself?
"This guy..." Fan Li muttered under his breath as he gazed at Guiguzi on the mountaintop. Lu Fubao promptly stepped on his foot.
"He is a reclusive expert, how dare you call him 'this guy'? Be careful, or he might hear you and decide to join the Great Ming instead, leaving you with nothing but regret!"
Fan Li chuckled awkwardly but remained unconvinced. Guiguzi's earlier transmission had sparked a wild theory in his mind, and his current indifference to the various offers only strengthened his suspicion.
However, the idea was so outlandish that he didn't dare to voice it.
Fan Li believed that Guiguzi was a prisoner, trapped on Mount Yunmeng. Perhaps this trip to Mount Yunmeng wasn't about recruiting Guiguzi but about Guiguzi luring someone to rescue him?
Fan Li couldn't fathom the existence of a thousand-year-old shut-in. He wondered if the Guiguzi on the mountain was the second or third generation.
"The Great Chu..."
Fan Li was lost in his thoughts when Guiguzi's voice suddenly addressed him.
"The Great Chu, do you have anything to say?"
Among all the factions present, only Fan Li had yet to make an offer. Everyone turned to look at him in surprise.
This was the first time Guiguzi had singled out a specific faction.
"Teacher! Could it be that Guiguzi intends to join the Great Chu?" Wanli panicked inwardly.
Zhang Juzheng smiled wryly. He wasn't a mind reader. How could he possibly know what Guiguzi was thinking? Besides... Zhang Juzheng glanced at Fan Li, a headache forming.
"This Duke Jin is truly an enigma, always defying expectations. He is completely unpredictable and impossible to control or manipulate. Alas, could it be that I am inferior to him?"
Fan Li scratched his head, unsure of what to say. First, he would never help the Brahma Sound Pure Land recruit Guiguzi.
Second, if he were to recruit Guiguzi himself, he wouldn't offer him the position of Prime Minister. After considering these factors, he felt there was no need to waste his breath.
Suddenly, inspiration struck!
If Guiguzi truly was a prisoner, what could he offer him in exchange for his loyalty?
"Freedom!" Fan Li blurted out without thinking.
"Master Guiguzi, if you are willing to follow me, I will help you leave Mount Yunmeng!"