I was chased by my sickly junior brother who had two lives

The night was like thick ink, heavily covering the Duke's Mansion. The lights in the mansion were like bright pearls, flickering tenaciously in the darkness, adding a bit of warmth to this solemn night. Chen Jue dragged his legs, which seemed to be filled with lead, and slowly stepped into the mansion.

These days, he was like a tireless spinning top, constantly spinning around the two major issues of dealing with the remnants of the King of Jin and reforming the government, and was exhausted physically and mentally. However, his deep eyes burned with an unswerving fire, because he knew that the mission he shouldered was as heavy as Mount Tai, and it was related to the rise and fall of the country.

As soon as Chen Jue stepped into the yard, he saw his sister Chen Jia sitting quietly on a stone bench. On the stone table, a pot of fragrant tea was slowly steaming. The curling tea fragrance seemed to float in the night wind, lingering around the tip of the nose, bringing a touch of comfort.

The surrounding flowers and plants swayed slightly under the caress of the moonlight, and the mottled moon shadows drew mysterious patterns on the ground.

"Xiaojue, you're finally back."

Chen Jia hurriedly stood up. When her concerned eyes met Chen Jue's tired face, her heartache was evident.

"Sister, it's so late, why haven't you slept yet?"

Chen Jue dragged his tired body to the stone table and sat down slowly, his voice revealing the fatigue that could not be concealed.

Chen Jia gently poured a cup of tea for Chen Jue, "I've been thinking about you. How can I sleep peacefully when you've been so busy lately? Tell me how the reform is going?"

Chen Jue picked up the teacup and took a sip. The warm tea slid down his throat, as if the dry earth was welcoming the rain, moistening his dry throat.

He frowned slightly and said slowly: "Sister, the road to reform is full of thorns. When dealing with the remnants of Prince Jin, we saw more and more clearly that the court system was riddled with holes. Now we have to completely eliminate the accumulated abuses and establish a new order. It's like opening a path through thorns. Every step is difficult."

Chen Jia nodded slightly, her eyebrows slightly knitted, worry in her eyes, "I've heard about it too. Xiaojue, where do you and the Crown Prince plan to start?"

Chen Jue put down his teacup, a deep light appeared in his eyes, as if he could penetrate the dark night and see the direction of the future. "The first thing to be affected is the administration of officials. Nowadays, corruption is rampant in the court. Some officials are like termites, taking bribes and forming cliques for personal gain, which seriously erodes the foundation of the court and causes government affairs to stagnate. We must create a more stringent and comprehensive official assessment system, and strengthen the supervision mechanism, so that those who are truly capable and honest can take up important positions, so that the court can be revitalized."

Chen Jia agreed deeply. She gently stroked the edge of the teacup and said thoughtfully, "You are absolutely right. The assessment system must not only focus on political achievements. The morality and integrity of officials should be the top priority. In my opinion, we can set up special supervisory censors. These censors are directly appointed by the court and are not controlled by local officials. They have independent supervisory powers. They can inspect officials in various places regularly or irregularly. This way, we can more effectively supervise the officials' every move."

A hint of surprise flashed across Chen Jue's eyes, like a meteor streaking through the darkness. "Sister, this is a great idea! Moreover, for those officials who fail to meet the assessment standards, we should formulate severe punishment measures and give them a certain period of time to improve. If they still do not repent, we will resolutely remove them from their posts to rectify the government."

"Yes, but in addition to punishment, we cannot ignore the rewards for outstanding officials. We can establish a complete system of honors and rewards, such as setting up a ceremony to commend honest and dedicated officials, giving them generous material rewards and lofty spiritual honors, so as to encourage more officials to emulate the good and be positive and progressive."

Chen Jia added, her eyes sparkling with wisdom, as if she had seen the beautiful scene of clean government in the imperial court.

Chen Jue fell into deep thought, and after a moment he said, "Sister, you are right. Only by clearly defining rewards and punishments can we motivate officials. In addition, finance is also a top priority. The rebellion of the King of Jin has left the treasury empty. We must strengthen the control of taxation, conduct a comprehensive investigation of the land tax and commercial tax in various places, and put an end to the evil of tax evasion."

Chen Jia nodded slightly, her eyes becoming serious. "Tax management is indeed the key, but in this process, we must be careful not to let the people bear too heavy a burden. We can re-measure the land and verify the population in detail to ensure that the taxation is fair, just, reasonable and orderly. For those poor areas, we should appropriately reduce or exempt taxes according to the actual situation, support local development, and let the people recuperate."

"Sister, you have considered everything. Also, during the investigation, we found that some local officials have wantonly embezzled and deducted money from water conservancy projects and other people's livelihood projects, resulting in dilapidated water conservancy facilities. During the rainy season, floods are rampant and the people are miserable. We must strengthen the supervision of these people's livelihood projects to ensure that every penny is put to good use and truly benefits the people." Chen Jue frowned, with flames of anger burning in his eyes, his heart full of resentment towards those corrupt officials and sympathy for the suffering of the people.

"Water conservancy projects are related to the life and death of the people and cannot be taken lightly. During the construction period, strict inspections can be carried out in stages, with the participation of different departments to form a mutually restrained supervision mechanism to prevent officials from obstructing the process. At the same time, we can open up channels for communication and encourage the people to actively participate in supervision. If problems are found, they should be reported in a timely manner so that these livelihood projects can be built in the sun." Chen Jia suggested, her tone firm and powerful.

Chen Jue looked at her sister with admiration in his heart. "Sister, your suggestions are like a beacon in the darkness for us. They are so valuable. I will discuss it in detail with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince tomorrow."

Chen Jia smiled at Chen Jue, her eyes full of love, "Xiao Jue, I am very pleased that you have devoted yourself to the court. But you must also pay attention to your health and not overwork yourself. Your health is the capital of the revolution."

"I know, sister. The court is now in a vital period of reform, how can I slack off in the slightest? By the way, in terms of education, I want to vigorously establish schools in various places to cultivate more pillars of society and inject fresh blood into the court." Chen Jue said, his eyes flashing with hope for the future.

"This is a very good idea. Education is the foundation of national development. We can select a group of knowledgeable and virtuous teachers to teach, and at the same time organize the compilation of unified and standardized teaching materials so that children can receive systematic and high-quality education.

The court should provide certain financial assistance to children from poor families to ensure that they also have the opportunity to receive education, so that more talents can stand out. " Chen Jia's eyes sparkled, she knew the profound significance of education to the country and the nation.

The two of them continued discussing this, and before they knew it, it was already late at night.

The tea in the teacup had been changed several times. The night wind brought a hint of coolness, but there seemed to be a fire burning in their hearts, painting a grand and beautiful blueprint for the court's reform.

A few days later, Chen Jue and the Crown Prince discussed reforms in the East Palace. The hall of the East Palace was solemn and dignified, and the sun shone through the carved windows onto the ground, forming patches of golden light. The Crown Prince sat in the upper seat, listening attentively to Chen Jue's explanation of Chen Jia's suggestions.

"Chen Jue, your sister's suggestions are all brilliant. We can gradually put them into practice. However, the most urgent task is to deal with the thorny issues left behind by the remnants of King Jin."

After listening to this, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's eyes flashed with excitement. He was well aware of the importance of these suggestions to the reform of the court, but the problem of the remnants of the party should not be underestimated.

Chen Jue nodded slightly and said solemnly: "Your Highness, those remaining issues are complicated and intricate, like a tangled mess. Although some of the remnants have been arrested, they still have a lot of hidden forces and a lot of illegal assets in various places, just like a cancer hidden in the dark. We need to investigate it carefully like peeling off a cocoon and pulling out silk."

"That's right. We must never let these cancers continue to harm the court. Chen Jue, you lead the elites of the Dali Temple and make sure to thoroughly investigate these problems. If you encounter any difficulties, report to me in time." The prince's tone was serious, and his eyes revealed unquestionable majesty.

Chen Jue took the order and left. He quickly organized people to investigate the remaining problems of the Jin Wang's remnants. After Chen Jia learned about it, he took the initiative to ask to go with Chen Jue.

"Sister, this investigation is fraught with danger. It would be safer for you to stay in the mansion."

Chen Jue looked at Chen Jia worriedly. He knew very well that his sister's safety was of vital importance and did not want to let her be in danger.

Chen Jia shook her head firmly, "Xiao Jue, I'm not afraid. I also want to do my part to serve the court, and I believe that with me here, I may be able to help you discover some details that you tend to overlook. We are brother and sister, and we should advance and retreat together."

Chen Jue couldn't persuade his sister, so he had to agree. They led a team of well-trained people to the mansion of a wealthy businessman who had a close connection with the remnants of King Jin.

This mansion is magnificent, like a small palace, but beneath its luxurious appearance, it exudes a gloomy and strange atmosphere, as if hiding countless unspeakable secrets.

"Sir, we have surrounded the mansion and everything is ready." A capable constable came to report to Chen Jue.

Chen Jue nodded slightly and said dignifiedly: "Action! Make sure to search carefully and don't miss any clues."

The soldiers rushed into the mansion like a tiger descending from a mountain. For a moment, the sounds of footsteps and shouts intertwined in the mansion. Chen Jia followed Chen Jue closely, her eyes like a sharp eagle's, carefully observing everything around her.

Suddenly, her eyes were attracted by a painting on the wall. The painting looked ordinary, but there was a tiny gap on the edge of the painting, which seemed a little out of place among the exquisite decorations around it.

"Xiao Jue, look at this painting." Chen Jia called Chen Jue softly and pointed at the painting with her finger.

Chen Jue looked in the direction Chen Jia pointed, and he immediately noticed something strange. He approached the painting carefully, examined it carefully, and gently pushed the frame.

With a creaking sound, a secret door slowly appeared before their eyes. A faint light shone through the crack of the secret door, as if calling them to uncover the secret inside.

"There may be important clues hidden in here."

Chen Jue said in a low voice. He drew out the sword from his waist and carefully led everyone into the secret door. Inside the secret door was a secret room of medium size, which was filled with an old atmosphere. The surroundings were filled with glittering gold and silver treasures, and some documents were scattered among the treasures.

Chen Jue walked forward, picked up a document and examined it carefully. His eyes widened. "Sister, these are the evidence of the collusion between the remnants of King Jin and other forces, as well as detailed records of their hidden assets in various places. Thanks to you, otherwise we might have missed these key clues."

Chen Jia smiled slightly, "Let's continue searching, maybe we'll find more."

Just as they were about to further check the secret room, suddenly, a slight noise came from the shadow of the secret room. Chen Jue immediately became alert. He protected Chen Jia behind him and whispered to the soldiers: "Be careful, there is a trap!"

Before he finished speaking, a group of black-clad warriors rushed out from the shadows, holding sharp blades and fierce eyes, rushing towards the crowd like ghosts. The soldiers reacted quickly and started a fierce fight with the warriors. For a while, the flash of swords and the shouts of killing echoed in the secret room.

Chen Jue, holding a long sword, rushed into the enemy camp like a dragon emerging from the sea. His sword skills were extremely sharp, and every move and every style accurately stabbed the enemy's vital points. His figure flashed, the sword flowers flew, and one black-clad warrior after another fell under his sword. But these warriors were well-trained, and they attacked Chen Jue and others frantically regardless of life and death.

Although Chen Jia didn't know martial arts, she remained calm in the face of danger. She quickly observed the surrounding environment and found some stone pillars used for support in the corner of the secret room. She suddenly had an idea and shouted to the soldiers: "Everyone use the stone pillars to avoid attacks and find the enemy's flaws!" When the soldiers heard Chen Jia's shout, they all moved closer to the stone pillars and used the stone pillars' cover to deal with the enemy.

In the fierce battle, a death soldier took advantage of the chaos and rushed towards Chen Jia. Chen Jia was shocked, but she did not panic. Just as the death soldier was about to approach her, a soldier flew in front of her and fought with the death soldier. Chen Jia looked at the soldier gratefully, and then continued to look for ways to help everyone.

She found some hooks on the wall of the secret room, which seemed to be used to hang items. She picked up some debris on the ground, tied them together with cloth strips, and threw them at the hooks. When the debris hit the hooks, it made a sound, attracting the attention of some enemies. The soldiers took the opportunity to launch a counterattack and successfully killed several dead soldiers.

After a hard fight, they finally subdued all the enemies. Chen Jue also suffered some minor injuries, but he didn't care about them and continued to check the secret room. In a hidden corner of the secret room, they found another secret compartment, which contained some letters, which revealed the deeper collusion between the remnants of King Jin and other officials.

"Sister, this was really thrilling. If you hadn't been here, we might have been in danger." Chen Jue looked at Chen Jia, his eyes full of gratitude.

Chen Jia gently wiped the sweat from her forehead. "We are a family, as long as everyone is safe, that's all that matters. These clues are too important to us, let's go back and sort them out."

Returning to the Duke's Mansion, Chen Jue and Chen Jia were both exhausted, but their faces were filled with the joy of victory.

"Sister, thanks to you this time. We are one step closer to the goal of completely eliminating the remnants of King Jin." Chen Jue said. Although his voice was a little hoarse, it was full of power.

"Xiao Jue, we are brother and sister, and we should support each other. As long as the court can get better and better, our efforts will be worth it." Chen Jia replied with a smile, her eyes flashing with relief.

As time went by, with the joint efforts of the Crown Prince, Chen Jue, Chen Jia and others, the court's reforms were advancing like a spring breeze and rain, various systems were constantly being improved and optimized, and the remaining problems of the remnants of King Jin were also resolved one by one.

The court was completely renewed, officials were honest and dedicated, the people lived and worked in peace and contentment, and the country was prosperous everywhere.