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

At dawn, the streets and alleys of the capital gradually woke up, and the noise was heard one after another. The red lacquer gate of the Dali Temple looked solemn and majestic in the morning light, and officials and runners shuttled through it, and a busy day began again.

Chen Jue, dressed in a blue shirt, stood tall and walked steadily into the Dali Temple. His face was stern, and his eyes showed determination and persistence, as if no difficulties could stop him from moving forward. As soon as he entered the courtyard of the Dali Temple, he saw Wei Lang hurriedly approaching.

Wei Lang looked a little worried, and the slightly wrinkled lines on his forehead seemed to hide many unspeakable thoughts.

"Brother Chen, wait a minute, I have something to say to you." Wei Lang said anxiously, with a hint of concern in his voice.

Chen Jue stopped, turned to look at Wei Lang, and bowed slightly: "Brother Wei, what's the hurry?"

Wei Lang approached Chen Jue, looked around, and saw that there was no one around, so he lowered his voice and said, "Brother Chen, your last confrontation with King Jin and others was too radical. Do you still remember that Miss Chen Jia was injured? That was a warning. King Jin and King Zhao are just two embroidery needles in the power struggle in the officialdom. They seem to be sharp, but in fact, there are more complex and profound forces hidden behind them. If you rush forward blindly, once you touch the deep water area, you will easily be bitten back by the powerful undercurrent."

Wei Lang's eyes were full of worry, and he stared at Chen Jue closely, as if he wanted to convey all his worries to him.

Chen Jue frowned slightly, and a trace of barely perceptible pain flashed in his eyes, but it was soon replaced by determination: "Brother Wei, I know you are doing this for my own good. But have you ever seen the evil deeds of those corrupt officials? The people are suffering under their oppression, with no food to eat and no clothes to wear. If these tumors are not completely eradicated, the country of Chu will be eaten away sooner or later. Chen Jia's injury is not only a warning to me, but also a reminder. It makes me more clearly realize how cunning and cruel the enemy we are facing is, and it also makes me determined to purge the bureaucracy. Only in this way can we ensure the long-term stability of Chu."

Chen Jue's voice was low and powerful, and every word sounded like a cry from the bottom of his heart, echoing in the Dali Temple courtyard in the early morning.

Wei Lang sighed softly. He raised his head, looked at the white clouds floating in the sky, and said slowly: "Brother Chen, you care about the world, and this ambition is admirable. But you also need to understand that the water in this officialdom is too deep. Look at the ministers in the court, how many are truly for the country, and how many are fighting for their own selfish interests? You want to clean up the bureaucracy, how easy is it? You are not just touching the interests of individual corrupt officials, but a huge and intricate network of interests. The forces behind this network are by no means something you and I can easily contend with."

There was a hint of helplessness in Wei Lang's eyes. He was well aware of the darkness and complexity of officialdom and did not want to see Chen Jue fall into an irretrievable situation because of his passion.

Chen Jue's eyes became more determined. He took a step forward and looked at Wei Lang with a sharp gaze: "Brother Wei, I naturally know the difficulties and obstacles involved. But if we retreat because of difficulties, what hope will there be for Da Chu? As an official of the Dali Temple, I, Chen Jue, eat the salary of the emperor and worry about the emperor. If I watch the corrupt officials run rampant and do nothing, how can I be worthy of my conscience? How can I be worthy of those suffering people?"

His hands unconsciously clenched into fists, as if protesting against the invisible dark forces.

Wei Lang smiled bitterly: "Brother Chen, you are too naive. Do you think you can change all this with your own strength? Look at this Dali Temple, how many people are really willing to take risks with you? If you do this, you will not only endanger your own life, but also may implicate the people around you. Miss Chen Jia loves you deeply, can you bear to let her fall into danger again?"

Wei Lang tried to use Chen Jia to impress Chen Jue and make him give up his overly radical idea.

Chen Jue was slightly startled, and Chen Jia's gentle face and concerned eyes appeared in his mind. He felt a prick in his heart, but soon shook his head: "Brother Wei, I will protect Chen Jia. I will not let her get hurt again. But I can't give up justice because of personal feelings. I believe that as long as I stick to my original intention, there will always be like-minded people who will fight side by side with me. There are many officials with a sense of justice in the Dali Temple. As long as I can set an example, they will definitely follow."

There was a glimmer of hope in Chen Jue's eyes, and he was steadfast in his belief.

Wei Lang shook his head helplessly: "Brother Chen, what you said may make sense. But you also have to consider the reality. If you openly oppose those forces like this, they will definitely try every means to deal with you. They will trip you up in secret and fabricate charges to frame you. No matter how powerful you are, it will be difficult for you to resist this continuous attack."

Wei Lang's tone was full of worry, as if he had already seen the difficult situation that Chen Jue would face in the future.

Chen Jue sneered, "Brother Wei, I am not afraid of their frame-up. I act openly and honestly, and I have a clear conscience. If they dare to use despicable means, I will expose their ugly faces one by one. I believe that the truth will always come to light. Justice may be late, but it will never be absent."

Chen Jue's words were powerful and he exuded a fearless aura.

Wei Lang looked at Chen Jue with mixed feelings. He knew that once Chen Jue made a decision, it would be difficult to change it. But he really couldn't bear to see Chen Jue walk towards that dangerous path.

"Brother Chen, I just hope you can think carefully. Don't act on impulse and ruin your future, or even your life. You can take a long-term view and slowly find a better way. There is no need to rush."

Wei Lang's eyes were full of pleading. He hoped that Chen Jue could listen to his advice.

Chen Jue gently patted Wei Lang's shoulder and said, "Brother Wei, I understand your concerns. But I can't wait. Every day I wait, the people will suffer a day more. I must act as soon as possible to let those corrupt officials know that their evil deeds will not be tolerated. I will be careful and will not fall into their trap easily."

There was a hint of gratitude in Chen Jue's eyes. He knew that Wei Lang was truly doing this for his own good.

At this time, the bell in the Dali Temple rang, and the clear and melodious bell sound echoed in the air, as if urging everyone to start a new day's work.

Chen Jue took a deep breath and said, "Brother Wei, it's getting late. I have to go take care of official business. After talking with you today, I already know your intention. But I have made up my mind, and I hope you can understand." After that, he turned and walked towards the office lobby of the Dali Temple.

Wei Lang looked at Chen Jue's departing back and sighed helplessly. He prayed silently in his heart, hoping that Chen Jue would be safe and sound on this thorny road.

Chen Jue walked into the office lobby, sat at his seat, and opened the file in front of him.

However, it was difficult for him to concentrate on the lines of text. Wei Lang's words echoed in his ears, and he knew that what Wei Lang said was not unreasonable. But he could not give up his beliefs.

He thought of the miserable conditions of the people he had seen during his investigation of the Prince of Jin case, and those families that had been broken up by corrupt officials. His heart was filled with anger and sorrow.

He knew very well that what he was facing was not just people like the King of Jin and the King of Zhao, but the corruption in the entire officialdom.

This is a huge and thorny problem that will require great effort and cost to solve. But he is willing to fight for it, even if it means his death.

In deep thought, Chen Jue gradually sorted out his thoughts. He decided that on the one hand, he would continue to work hard in the Dali Temple, collect more evidence of corrupt officials, and not miss any clues; on the other hand, he would be more cautious and guard against possible attacks from the dark.

He wanted to unite all the forces that could be united, including officials with a sense of justice and people with lofty ideals in the society, to work together to clean up the bureaucracy.

He believed that as long as he persevered, he would be able to tear open a hole in this dark officialdom and let the sunshine of justice in. Although the road ahead was full of unknowns and dangers, he was not afraid, because he had a firm belief and hope for the future in his heart.

The afternoon sun shone through the window onto Chen Jue. He raised his head and looked at the blue sky outside the window, his eyes glowing with determination and confidence. He knew that he had an important mission and could not back down no matter what.

In this ever-changing officialdom, he will be like a pine tree, standing proudly and welcoming all challenges.