The elderly officials had different faces when they saw Wang Ke approaching. Such a person was a newfound target to unleash all their grievances built up during that period, and they started pointing their fingers at him.
Wang Ke stood at the forefront, smiling as he saw the elderly officials. So many strange faces. Of course, there are many familiar faces too; its a pity that all of them look tattered and weak!
Wang Ke, you called us over just to criticize us? said the Vice-minister of Revenue with staring eyes.
Vice-minister of Revenue? Heh, its been a long ti! Wang Ke smiled and said, I rember when you just joined the Ministry of Revenue, all that occupied your mind was to help the refugees in your hotown. You risked losing your post with your funds request to rescue your people! It was all done while wholeheartedly serving the people! You rebuked firmly when I rebelled, calling a treacherous villain! Heh, youre an official with such integrity and loyalty! But then you were promoted several tis with the help of Zhu Yan after I left, and stopped submitting any papers to the imperial court on behalf of the people. Instead of that you scoured the whole place for money so that Zhu Yan could squander it! An official with a clear conscience sadly fell into a streak of excessive greed. You ignored the lives of the common people, just to protect your status as an official? Good! Very good! Is the old you still alive?
You... You! The Vice-minister of Revenue raged.
Still, everything that Wang Ke said was true; he didn't know how to defend himself.
Zhu Yan looked frustrated. Wang Kes painting as a horrible emperor.Damn, Im already a Golden Core cultivator now! I can kill you any ti!
Zhu Yan looked around to see if there were other powerful cultivators present. After all, the righteous disciples would identify him and go after his life once he made a move.
Vice-minister of Revenue, Minister of Rites, and also! Wang Ke pointed to the officials.
Wang Ke denounced more than ten old officials without a pause, recounting each and every one of their cris.
All those officials were angered by the verbal abuse.
Wang Ke, is this why you invited us to the Thousand Elderly Feast? Just to insult us? I cannot stomach such a treatnt, goodbye! said the angry Vice-minister of Revenue.
too! A group of old n also stood up.
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Wang Ke laughed coldly, though, overturning the table in front of him with a kick.
Baaaaam!
The table and chairs fell, which shocked all those who were about to leave.
Stomach? I also feel disgusted, treating people like you to a feast! You are the pests of the state, greedy officials who take the states money but do nothing. You are the enemies of the common man, robbers who sit on the peoples shoulders to absorb their fat and drink their blood! The Great Qing Empire is dead because of you! The ordeals of the empires people are riding on your shoulders! Its all because of you that the Great Qing is now destroyed. How disgusting! Who would treat you to a feast! Wang Ke berated them nonstop.
His offensive words caught the raging attention of those officials.
Wang Ke, how dare you slander !
Wang Ke, Ive been an official for many decades. No one has ever dared to call greedy!
Wang Ke, who are you to rebuke us!
....................
The old n were furious; they started arguing with Wang Ke, unafraid of any forceful reprisal.
Okay, okay, sure. If thats the case, I, Wang Ke, will talk things out with you guys! Let ask you! Why did you beco officials in the first place! Wang Ke asked, while looking at them dead in the eyes.
Why did we beco officials? The old n frowned.
Vice-minister of Revenue, do tell, why did you beco an official? Do you still rember why you followed this vocation when you were young? Do you still rember your original intention? Wang Ke asked.
I! The Vice-minister of Revenue frowned, unable to answer.
Wang Kes question was simple, but difficult to answer. They had worked as officials for many years and their hearts changed.
An old man reminisced, Back then, my family was very poor. I wanted to change our fate, so I studied really hard!
Change your fate? Wang Ke mocked the speaker, Changed from being oppressed and exploited by officials to becoming an official yourself, to oppress and exploit other commoners? Minister of Rites, have you realized that you beca the person you hated the most!
That old mans face went red with sha, then, pale as a sheet. No, its not that!
I had a big dream to help the suffering people back then! said a frowning old man.
So, did you do that? Great Qing has gone through so many natural and man-made disasters in all these years! How much have you done? Instead, you wised up and saved your own skin, huh? You took the salary and enjoyed yourself, ignoring those who suffered! Minister of Punishnt, what did you do? Wang Ke said with a mocking tone.
I! The old man was overwheld by embarrassnt.
Everyone was disard in a flash; none of them knew how to explain themselves.
We wanted to do good too, but our hands were tied by circumstances. It was Zhu Yan, the previous emperors rule. We could not! an old man said bitterly.
Yeah, you cant bla us. The previous emperor did whatever he pleased. I did submit proposals to him!
too! I too feel helpless! Zhu Yan was overly ambitious and unrealistic. He was obsessed with wine and won! The only thing occupying his heart was to find a prettier concubine. He spent all the budget intended to help the state. We!
Zhu Yans face was contorning while he stood among the guests. How did this beco a eting to criticize ?I was the one who raised you to your position, and now you are scolding ?Wheres your conscience?
Wang Ke looked at them and said, Everyone, no amount of bla-shifting will change the fact that Great Qing is done. The heart of the matter is that you have been officials for many years, and yet you still cant figure out the reason why you beca officials. What is an official? What is an official supposed to do? Do you know?
The old n looked at Wang Ke. Weve been officials our entire lives. We dont know But do you?
Wang Ke answered intently, As officials, you are supposed to uphold the conscience of heaven and earth, secure life and fortune for the people, continue the lost teachings following the steps of past sages, and establish peace for all generations!
Have you done any of that? Thats what it ans to be an official!
Those are the tasks of an official?
The old bureaucrats shivered as they looked at Wang Ke, imdiately feeling utterly ashad of themselves.
Only soone who has reached that state of mind can say those words; the words themselves are proof of his virtue, while they also reveal how dirty we are as officials.
Wang Ke continued to criticize them, Think about it! When you just beca officials, didnt you have the sa thoughts? Didnt you? Look at all those years youve worked as officials. What have you done? Was it really all Zhu Yans doing? Its because of you! You forgot who you are! You were led astray by your selfish desires and forgot your responsibility as officials!
Tears started welling up in the eyes of the more sensitive attendees, feeling great sha for all their deeds over the years. They were reminded of how they once vowed to do sothing for the people when they had just beco officials; alas, they rely went with the flow in the end.
Wang Ke saw the tears of guilt on so of the stubborn old n, which made him feel surprised and happy.
Damn, I still have an arsenal of cool-sounding quotes from Earth to brainwash you into supporting the Wang Clan! But you guys cant take it after the first round?
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