Jun Tianxiao hadn't expected the burly man to cooperate so little with his plan to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys.
He seethed inwardly, but could only explain, "I am Marquis Anle, Jun Tianxiao. The man beside me is your Commander Zhao!"
After he finished speaking, Old Qi simply replied, "Wait there!" before heading down from the Gate Tower.
Jun Tianxiao felt both pleased and angry at the sight.
He was angry because this burly man was an absolute thorn in his side, showing not the slightest regard for him.
Now he was even keeping the commander outside. The man was utterly brazen, lawless, and out of control.
He was pleased because there was no way this had been one man's idea. Plenty of officers must have supported him.
Once he dealt with those officers and installed his own people, he would be able to take direct control of the entire Left Wei Guard.
Then...
Before he could finish fantasizing, the Barracks gates opened, and a squad of soldiers came out, forming two lines.
Old Qi rode up to Zhao Yun and cupped his hands. "Your subordinate, Qi Dekai, pays his respects to Commander Zhao."
Zhao Yun, of course, knew what his lord was thinking. Killing a chicken to scare the monkeys could indeed help him take control of the army quickly.
But although the man before him was rough in his manner, everything he had said and done had been within the rules.
He had done nothing wrong in essence, and there was no fault to find with him.
If Zhao Yun punished a soldier for no reason in front of everyone, it would only make his own path through the Barracks impossible.
So he could only reply evenly, "At ease. Let's go inside first."
Qi Dekai didn't mind Zhao Yun's cool attitude. He might have looked rough around the edges, but he wasn't impulsive or stupid.
He took this sort of thing in stride. After all, this guy would be a dead man in a month. Who would bother holding a grudge against a corpse?
"Yes. Please follow me, Commander Zhao."
As Zhao Yun approached, the soldiers in the two lines bowed their heads slightly and called in unison, "Greetings, Commander Zhao!"
Zhao Yun looked at the mighty, imposing Left Wei Guard before him and nodded inwardly.
Every one of these soldiers was a Golden Core Stage cultivator, and their armor all seemed to be Xuan Grade Magic Treasures. They truly deserved to be called elite troops.
If ten thousand Left Wei Guard soldiers like these surrounded him under their officers' command and activated a Military Formation, he might not be able to fight his way out unscathed.
If all the Left Wei Guard soldiers were like this, and even the entire Imperial City Imperial Guard of two hundred thousand men were the same, it was no wonder the Empress was so tolerant of the Wei State Duke Mansion.
"Clang!"
Just as Zhao Yun was quietly marveling at this, the sound of weapons clashing came from behind them.
Jun Tianxiao's roar followed close behind:
"What are you doing? Don't you know that there's a proper order of rank? Don't you know I'm your Commander Zhao's lord?"
"How dare you block my way! Do you all want to die?!"
Hearing that voice, Zhao Yun's mouth twitched. He felt a little helpless. He genuinely had no idea what his lord was thinking.
Sometimes, he even suspected his lord was suffering from a serious brain disorder.
Otherwise, why would he start throwing his weight around so recklessly before he had even fully taken over the army?
But in the end, he was still Zhao Yun's lord. When his lord was in trouble, it wouldn't do for Zhao Yun not to help.
Zhao Yun looked at Qi Dekai and asked, "General Qi, what is the meaning of this?"
As he spoke, a wave of pressure surged from Zhao Yun. It wasn't aimed at anyone in particular, but every soldier present felt a faint, indistinct sense of oppression.
For Qi Dekai, who was also at Peak Nascent Soul, it was nothing much.
Still, the fluctuations in spiritual power caused by that pressure made him look at this pretty boy seriously for the first time.
"Commander Zhao, according to the rules of the Left Wei Guard Barracks, all unauthorized personnel are forbidden from entering."
"Marquis Anle may be your lord, but he is not the lord of the Left Wei Guard. I hope you understand."
Seeing Qi Dekai's casual attitude, Zhao Yun felt irritated, but the military rules were what they were. He couldn't say much about it.
However, the Left Wei Guard would soon be under his command. If he couldn't even bring one person inside, then his claim to control the Barracks would be a joke.
At that thought, Zhao Yun drew in the pressure he had been releasing naturally, gathering it into a formidable aura. He fixed his gaze on Qi Dekai, his expression stern.
His voice low, he asked, "You mean I can't bring even one person inside as commander?"
Looking at the aura Zhao Yun held in check, Qi Dekai's mouth twitched. He cursed inwardly:
How is this little brat just like me, ignoring all the usual rules? He's going straight for the big move. Does he have no idea how things are done?
"Ha!" Qi Dekai sighed and cupped his hands helplessly. "Since this is Commander Zhao's wish, let him in."
"But this is an important military site. I hope Commander Zhao won't let him wander around."
Qi Dekai's attitude left Zhao Yun unsure what to make of him. From beginning to end, he hadn't seen the slightest sign that the Left Wei Guard resisted having him as their commander.
There hadn't even been a chance to use the usual trick of killing a chicken to scare the monkeys. It left him feeling as if he'd thrown a punch into cotton.
Just then, Qi Dekai turned his horse around and waved to the soldiers. The long halberds they had raised were lowered.
They moved to either side, clearing a path to the Barracks gates.
Jun Tianxiao rode up beside the two men. When his gaze landed on Qi Dekai, he snorted.
He said nothing, but anyone could see the displeasure in his eyes.
Qi Dekai had naturally noticed it, but he had always looked down on the likes of Jun Tianxiao.
If not for the Empress, the Left Wei Guard alone could hang the entire Anle Marquis Manor up and beat it ten times over.
He truly couldn't understand what Jun Tianxiao had to be so arrogant about.
Zhao Yun gave Qi Dekai an apologetic smile, said nothing, and followed Jun Tianxiao into the Barracks.
When the three of them arrived at the Left Wei Guard Council Hall, the other officers had already received word and taken their places.
After entering the Council Hall, Qi Dekai went straight to his seat.
Apart from the seat of honor, there were no other seats in the entire Council Hall.
Zhao Yun and Jun Tianxiao saw this and frowned in unison.
They exchanged a glance, then Zhao Yun turned to Qi Dekai, who had just sat down, and asked:
"General Qi, isn't there one seat missing?"
Qi Dekai's mouth twitched. Well, look at that. There are so many people here, and you just had to ask me? What did I ever do to you?
But with so many people present, he couldn't go against the Wei State Duke's orders and slight Zhao Yun.
He reluctantly opened his eyes and pretended to speak in a matter-of-fact manner:
"Commander Zhao, the seating in the Council Hall is arranged according to the actual number of officers. There is no shortage of seats."
"Also, you're the only member of the Left Wei Guard who hasn't taken a seat. Please sit down as soon as possible."
After receiving such a blunt refusal, Zhao Yun looked around at the expressions of the officers.
A small number had their eyes closed, seemingly indifferent to everything.
Most watched him with keen interest, as though they were eager to see what happened next.
Seeing this, he knew that if he didn't want to turn all the officers against him, the two of them would have to swallow this opening salvo today.
Before you continue