bookrandom Chapter 600: Lack of Luck
Chapter 600: Lack of Luck
At Daomingzhou Port in Zhejiang Province, the clear sky and the azure sea blend together, and the sparkling sea surface sparkles with tiny lights under the sunlight.
The sea breeze, carrying the unique salty and humid scent of the sea, blew wildly, ruffling Wu Tianyan's hair and the corners of his clothes.
He was dressed in a plain long gown, with an upright posture yet a hint of loneliness. He stood quietly on the pier of the port, gazing at the surging blue sea.
The waves, layer upon layer, hit the rocks on the shore one after another, splashing white water and making a dull and humming sound, but his eyes penetrated the surging sea and looked into the endless distance. For a moment, his heart was extremely confused.
Since he led his fellow countrymen across the sea to conquer Japan in one fell swoop, he was indeed rewarded by the court and was awarded the fifth-rank official title.
That was supposed to be a very glorious moment in his life. He looked forward to using this official title to realize his ambitions in the court and continue to make achievements on the territory of the Tang Dynasty.
But reality woke him up from his sweet dream.
This seemingly glorious fifth-rank official title was just a nominal title. Under Li Zhentao's command, he did those trivial and complicated tasks day after day.
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, many years have passed, but his position has hardly changed and he can no longer move forward.
He used to be full of vigor and ambition, thinking that he could accomplish something earth-shaking in this ever-changing world and become a figure who would go down in history.
Countless times, he imagined himself in his mind wearing armor and galloping on the battlefield, or making impassioned speeches and giving orders in the court.
But the reality was like a basin of cold water, which extinguished his enthusiasm again and again.
Now he stood here, looking at the familiar port and sea before him, and a bitter feeling rose in his heart. He even began to doubt whether this was the limit of what he could achieve in life.
Will those dreams we once had eventually become distant illusions?
Thinking of this, Wu Tianyan couldn't help but sigh heavily. That sigh carried with it all the resentment and loss he had felt over the years.
"Brother Ergou, are you looking at the sea again?"
A familiar voice came from behind, breaking Wu Tianyan's contemplation.
He slowly turned his head and looked at the childhood friend who had grown up with him in the streets.
Lai Fu was wearing the uniform of a seventh-rank official, but his face was filled with a happy smile and he looked radiant.
"yes,"
Wu Tianyan's gaze fell back on the sea, his voice carrying a hint of hard-to-disguise desolation. "Look at this endless sea. Do you think I'll ever have the chance to see what the end of it looks like? Will it remain the same vast expanse of water, or will it offer a different kind of scenery?"
Lai Fu scratched his head and smiled innocently, revealing two deep dimples on his face: "Doesn't the book say that the sea has no end?"
"However, according to sailors who have returned from the sea, there should be new land in the distant place."
“It would be a wonderful thing if I had the opportunity to visit and experience different customs and cultures.”
As he spoke, he seemed to suddenly remember something, his eyes lit up, and he said excitedly, "By the way, Brother Ergou, there was a message from above today saying that it seems that a big shot is coming to Zhougang."
"The port is extremely busy, and preparations are underway everywhere for the reception."
Hearing Lai Fu's words, Wu Tianyan nodded subconsciously, but his smile was filled with a hint of disapproval: "Lai Fu, this Mingzhou Port, every day there are so-called big shots coming here?"
"Every time it happens, there's a lot of buzz and everyone's busy, but the result is just like that."
He turned his head and looked at Lai Fu's face, which was flushed with excitement. He reached out and patted his shoulder, saying earnestly, "Lai Fu, have you ever thought about the day when we can become real big shots ourselves? That would be the real ability. But look at us now. We are still just working under others, busy every day, but we can't see any future. Are you really willing to accept this?"
Lai Fu nonchalantly cupped his hands, his smile still radiant and his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Brother Ergou, what are you talking about? What are you dissatisfied with now? We are two poor guys who came from nothing. To have achieved what we have today is already a great blessing from our ancestors."
He paused briefly, his eyes filled with sincerity as he recalled the past days and said with emotion, "To be honest, I never even dreamed that someone like me, who could barely read and only knew how to hang out in the streets, would one day become an official in the Tang Dynasty."
"Brother Gou, why do you always think so much? Now we have enough food and clothing, and we get a salary every month. Life is so comfortable, isn't it?"
"Hasn't it been your dream to get this fifth-rank official? Even if it's just an honorary title, it would be very impressive in the eyes of others, and you would be very proud when you go out."
Wu Tianyan listened to Lai Fu's words, opened his mouth, but didn't know how to refute.
Indeed, Lai Fu's life now is stable and comfortable, and such days may really be enough for him.
Lai Fu is a contented person by nature. He is very satisfied with the current situation and does not have too many ambitions.
But deep in Wu Tianyan's heart, there is always a fire burning, which is his desire for higher achievements and his persistence in becoming successful and famous.
He felt that he should not be trapped in this small position. His goal was to be appointed prime minister and granted a title of nobility, to become a great general like Qin Ruzhao who was feared by all, or even to hold real power and be highly respected like Li Zhentao.
In Wu Tianyan's heart, he never thought that he was worse than those people.
He felt that Qin Ruzhao and Li Zhentao became famous at a young age just because they were lucky.
I just lacked an opportunity. I was not born in Xianyang and did not accompany Your Majesty since childhood, so I missed many opportunities to show my talents.
He believes that he is no less talented, strategic, or courageous than anyone else, and that he will surely shine if given a suitable platform.
Over the years, he has been working diligently and hard, not missing any opportunity to show himself, but fate always seems to be playing tricks on him and has never given him the east wind that would allow him to take off.
But he also knew that in this world, hard work was important, but luck was something that could not be obtained no matter how hard one tried, which made him extremely helpless.
Lai Fu looked at Wu Tianyan's dejected expression and didn't want him to remain so depressed, so he spoke again, "By the way, Brother Ergou, this important person today is really something special. I heard that he's so big that he can touch the sky, and even the general went to meet him in person."
"The port is under martial law, with guards everywhere. The standards are higher than ever before."
After hearing this, Wu Tianyan came back to his senses, and a hint of surprise flashed in his originally dim eyes.
He frowned and looked at Lai Fu, his eyes full of confusion: "Er Gou, are you saying that even Li Zhentao went to pick him up?"
A strong curiosity surged in his heart, and he began to speculate in his mind what kind of person could have such a grand ceremony. "What kind of important person is worthy of Li Zhentao's personal reception? Could it be His Majesty himself?"
Lai Fu curled his lips and shook his head.
"It's definitely not His Majesty, but he's definitely a remarkable figure. You're familiar with Li Zhentao. He's one of His Majesty's closest confidants. He's devoted to studying military treatises and has no interest in the socializing that comes with officialdom."
"On ordinary days, when high-ranking officials and dignitaries come, Li Zhentao can't even receive them. If they want to see him, they have to go through a lot of trouble and may not even get what they want."
"Now Li Zhentao actually went to greet him in person. This is truly the first time in history."
Wu Tianyan's heart was ignited by this sudden news, and an uncontrollable excitement surged in his heart.
He felt that this might be an opportunity to change his destiny, and perhaps he could use this opportunity to make a name for himself.
He grabbed Lai Fu's arm.
"Laifu, let's go and take a look!"