Promotion

The moment Zhao Ting finished speaking, the atmosphere in Linshui Pavilion subtly froze.

Xia Dong hesitated not at all. He immediately set down his wine cup, rose to his feet, and bowed deeply to Zhao Ting with a solemn expression. "Thank you for nurturing me, elder brother. I'll follow your arrangements."

He knew full well that, at a time like this, refusing or playing dumb would only backfire.

Since Zhao Ting had extended this olive branch, Xia Dong had to show enough "ambition" and obedience.

In this whirlpool of tangled interests, only by becoming one of their own could he gain the greatest security.

"Hahaha, sit down, little brother. It's all thanks to the court's support. I merely went with the flow." Zhao Ting was extremely pleased with Xia Dong's quick understanding. He waved for him to sit.

Once Xia Dong had settled back into his seat, Zhao Ting picked up a morsel of food and casually got to the point. "Little brother, these batches of Wind-Riding Talismans have been in high demand with the Eagle-Wolf Guard and over in Prefecture City. But if we only produce Wind-Riding Talismans, it'll draw a bit too much attention. People at the Thousand-Household Office have already started grumbling. I think we should vary things up to be on the safe side. I wonder if the people behind you have any other scarce goods?"

Xia Dong understood.

Wind-Riding Talismans sold well, but their uses were limited.

Zhao Ting was probing him, trying to see how much variety the "channels" behind him could offer.

Xia Dong deliberated briefly, without giving a definite answer. Instead, he turned the question around. "That depends on what your side needs most urgently right now, elder brother."

A flash of light gleamed in Zhao Ting's eyes.

Xia Dong hadn't said, "I'll ask the people above," but had instead asked, "What do you need?" That confidence only strengthened Zhao Ting's belief that the force behind Xia Dong was unfathomably powerful.

He lowered his voice, his tone turning much more grave. "Linyuan Prefecture has suffered drought after drought, and over the past few months there have been signs that the plague is worsening. The Unborn Cult is taking advantage of this, using the pretext of healing people with talisman water to recruit followers across the countryside. The Thousand-Household Office in Prefecture City wants us not only to wipe out the bandits with blades, but also to cut off their hopes at the root. If we could get a large batch of talismans for 'warding off evil and curing disease'..."

Xia Dong nodded, his expression calm. "Understood. I'll find a way to handle it."

Zhao Ting was overjoyed. "You really do have extraordinary abilities, little brother! How long do you think it'll take to get the first batch?"

Xia Dong silently calculated his current spiritual sense and talisman-making speed, then gave a safe estimate. "Half a month."

In fact, healing people with talisman water was precisely the specialty of Zhang Ping, the Rogue Cultivator from a thousand years ago.

The introductory section of the Peaceful Yin Talisman Scripture contained extremely detailed records of low-grade talismans for dispelling plagues and purging yin evil.

During his diligent cultivation over this period, Xia Dong had already learned to make Disease-Dispelling Talismans in his spare time.

It was just that low-grade talismans lost their spiritual energy very easily and could not be stored for long, so he hadn't made them in large quantities.

After returning to Changchun Medical Hall, Xia Dong immediately began making talismans.

The process of making talismans was itself a way to temper his spiritual sense.

Every stroke and every spiritual marking required his spiritual sense to resonate with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Through this cycle of pushing himself to his limits and recovering, Xia Dong's spiritual sense grew ever more resilient and condensed. It also subtly enhanced the circulation of the Evergreen Qi-Circulation Art through his Greater Celestial Circuit.

Focusing his mind to make talismans, his qi and blood nourished him in return, and the Evergreen Qi-Circulation Art refined his Root Bone.

Making talismans had not slowed his cultivation. On the contrary, it had become a complementary aid.

Half a month later.

As promised, Xia Dong brought two hundred freshly drawn Disease-Dispelling Talismans, their spiritual light subdued, to the Eagle-Wolf Guard's rear hall once more.

Zhao Ting took the stack of talismans and personally pulled out several. Feeling the pure, gentle fluctuations of spiritual energy upon them, he could not hide his delight. He thought:

"Excellent! These are truly excellent! With this batch of Disease-Dispelling Talismans, we can not only ease the urgent plague situation, but also earn a great merit at the Thousand-Household Office!"

Zhao Ting knew full well that these talismans were his capital for securing his position as Centurion and perhaps even climbing further.

He immediately took a letter from his robes, stamped with the Eagle-Wolf Guard's Flag-Bearer seal, and showed it to Xia Dong.

"Little brother, this is my personal letter recommending your promotion. Tomorrow, I'll set out for Prefecture City and submit both these talismans and the recommendation letter to the Thousand-Household Commander. Wait here in the county with peace of mind. In as little as half a month, or at most a month, the official appointment and uniform for your Flag-Bearer post will be sent back!"

Xia Dong thanked him with a bow. "Thank you for your support, my lord."

Of course, he should use Zhao Ting's title while they were on duty.

Xia Dong had observed every courtesy.

Zhao Ting laughed heartily. "Little brother, when I return, I'll have another surprise for you."

Xia Dong smiled faintly. "Then I'll thank you in advance, elder brother."

He guessed the surprise was probably the Purple Blood Organ-Nourishing Pill Zhao Ting had mentioned before.

Zhao Ting hadn't brought it up again since that conversation. But with Xia Dong's martial talent on display, Zhao Ting surely knew what he needed most right now.

Zhao Ting hadn't said it outright, naturally, to be on the safe side. If he failed to bring it back, he could make it up to Xia Dong with some other benefit without losing face.

Xia Dong then took his leave of Zhao Ting and returned to Changchun Medical Hall.

To him, the Eagle-Wolf Guard's Flag-Bearer post was not much of a temptation in itself. What truly appealed to him was the authority that came with it.

Under the Great You Dynasty's regulations, a fully staffed Centurion Office was supposed to have five Flag-Bearers, each commanding fifty Ti Cavalry. In reality, however, Zhao Ting, the newly appointed Centurion, had only the Flag-Bearer unit he'd originally brought with him.

The other four Flag-Bearer posts were empty shells. The court provided the positions and titles, but did not allocate enough military pay or cultivation resources.

If Zhao Ting wanted to become a Centurion in name and deed, he had to find ways to open up new revenue sources, build up the four hollow Flag-Bearer units, recruit men, and provide resources.

That was the fundamental reason Zhao Ting was doing everything he could to win Xia Dong over—even willing to give him a Flag-Bearer post with real authority.

Now that he had become a Centurion, Old Zhao clearly needed to rely on Xia Dong as a source of funds even more.

On the other hand, only by binding Xia Dong's interests completely to Zhao Ting's could both sides truly feel secure.

And that was exactly the outcome Xia Dong wanted.

On a deeper level, once Xia Dong became a Flag-Bearer, he would have a relatively independent sphere of authority and financial control. He could recruit people openly in Pingyang County and use the resources at his disposal to build a force of loyal subordinates.

What was more, the court's influence did not run deep in Linyuan Prefecture. The Eagle-Wolf Guard here could be said to be "far from the emperor, with the sky high above," and enjoyed a great deal of autonomy and freedom.

In the Capital City, or in the prefectures and provinces tightly controlled by the court's central authorities, even if an Eagle-Wolf Guard Flag-Bearer earned vast resources, he would not dare to secretly withhold them or build up his own forces.

But in Linyuan Prefecture, as long as they paid their "due respect" on time, many things could be ignored.

And when he worked with Wan'er again in the future, this status would provide convenient cover.

At Lone Moon Peak, in the main hall of Qixia Mountain.

A graceful, alluring beauty sternly berated Qin Wan:

"Junior Sister Qin, how dare you open the secret vault behind our master's back and sell off its supplies? What punishment do you deserve?"