Triumphal News Reaches the Capital, the First Signs of the Dragon Calamity

"Report--"

A voice rang out outside Yang Zhong's tent, trailing off with a long, drawn-out tone, and a soldier rushed in.

"What is it?" Yang Zhong was in the tent, consulting with Lord Shi on battle tactics with a group of generals.

Lord Shi's name is no secret among Military School. He is a senior and high-ranking official, but he is not arrogant in his conduct. When younger generations seek his advice, he will give them guidance without reservation.

There are precedents for this among Military School. Whenever a junior Military School had the opportunity to meet Lord Shi, he would seize the chance to ask for his advice. Yang Zhong and others certainly wouldn't let this opportunity pass them by.

However, because of the worries in his heart, he inevitably seemed a little unable to keep his composure.

Now, the moment the messenger entered, his presence immediately drew their attention. This man had been instructed by Yang Zhong to wait for Qiu Yan's soldiers outside the Wounded Soldiers' Camp.

Yang Zhong glanced at the man, then looked outside the tent, frowning as he asked, "Why are you the only one who's back? Where's Qiu Xiuzhuan?"

The soldier quickly reported, "Commander, Qiu Xiuzhuan just finished healing all the wounded soldiers in the camp and then came out directly and left the camp. Although I told him what the commander had instructed, I still couldn't stop him."

"Healed a whole camp of wounded soldiers? And then left? Where did he go?" Yang Zhong asked, slightly surprised, as he stood up from his seat.

The soldier replied, "They said it was to improve the geography of the frontier and at the same time complete a Karma."

"Frontier geography? Karma?" Yang Zhong looked at Lord Shi with doubt.

The latter showed no surprise, instead saying, "The cure should involve replenishing the injured person's body with their own Qi and Blood. Just now, a fluctuation of Qi and Blood passed by, though fleeting, it did not escape the old man's perception. However, this is only a temporary measure, able to stabilize the injury and consolidate life force, but ultimately not eradicate the underlying problem. The medicine still needs to be taken, and the person needs to rest for a while."

However, while Yang Zhong was concerned about these things, he was more concerned about Qiu Yan's whereabouts.

"Lord Shi, please tell me, where is Compiler Qiu going?" After thinking for a while, Yang Zhong simply asked directly.

"Where did Qiu Yan go?" Lord Shi stood up. "Where he went is none of my business, but a kind heart cannot command an army, and righteousness cannot manage finances. Some things must be experienced." After saying this, his body transformed into Nascent Soul.

"Alright, let those elders and the Pang family girl tell you about the Grasslands. It's time for this old man to go back, otherwise my body will probably be infested with lice."

As soon as he finished speaking, his Nascent Soul surged forward, transforming into a streak of rainbow light that shot out of the tent, flew swiftly into the sky, and vanished into the horizon in the blink of an eye. He had actually left without saying goodbye.

Once the Nascent Soul had gone far away, the Qi and Blood from within the camp began to invade, attempting to suppress those with extraordinary supernatural Divine Ability. But how could they possibly even begin to reach them?

"What happened? Why did they just leave like that?" A general beside Yang Zhong, looking at the swaying tent flap, couldn't help but voice his thoughts.

This statement refers not only to Lord Shi, but also to Qiu Yan.

The group entered the barracks together. Yang Zhong and the others led the way, taking Qiu Yan to the Wounded Soldiers' Camp to see Old Kai. Qiu Yan's sudden departure was certainly unexpected, but more than anything, it brought worries about the troubles that were about to follow.

"This is no joke." A man dressed as a strategist stepped forward and whispered in Yang Zhong's ear, "When the top scholar arrived earlier, the general took him to the Wounded Soldiers' Camp. I wrote down the news twice and sent it to the Grand Marshal of the Capital Camp and the Ministry of War."

"Huh? So fast?" Yang Zhong was also surprised upon hearing this.

The strategist, slightly ashamed, said, "I was eager to send this message over. The court has inquired about Qiu Xiuzhuan's whereabouts many times, clearly they are very concerned. I thought I should send the message to the other military garrisons first, and once the Marquis returns, I can send the top scholar to the capital, and then the matter will be settled immediately."

This is quite clear; what they really want is to compete with other military garrisons for merit. It's not just about military merit; finding Qiu Yan is also a major achievement. This is because the court has been too blatant in its approach.

After learning of the unusual activity at the Daoist Sect, Li Kun became even more eager to find Qiu Yan, and even somewhat disregarded the outcome of the Three Rivers Envoy's report. It was as if someone else had their eye on one of his treasures, so of course he couldn't sit still.

Moreover, not long after, news broke that the remnants of the Hundred Schools of Thought were also making unusual moves. Considering Qiu Yan's involvement with the classics, the connection between the two was obvious. How could Li Kun remain calm?

Not only Li Kun, but even Wang Fu and Ma Yang were getting restless, their minds turning to Qiu Yan's Human Dao Canon.

In their view, although Qiu Yan was Military Canon, it was still Human Path Great Canon and of great significance, involving the focus of the struggle between the New and Old Parties.

Human Dao Canon are not created casually. To be worthy of this title, they must be recognized by the Order and receive Hundred Schools support. In a sense, ordinary scholars are not qualified to belittle or deny these classics, because Heaven will directly grant them recognition.

Therefore, the content of classical texts often possesses an unshakeable legitimacy, which is precisely what New and Old Parties need. They can use the interpretation of statements in classical texts to prove that their own propositions are correct, and then attack the other side to achieve their political goals.

This has been a common occurrence since the time of Emperor Ruizong, and it became even more prevalent after Wang Fu initiated the reforms. However, the classics they selected were mostly the works of ancient people and their predecessors. The sentences in the Five Classics were interpreted in different ways to achieve their own purposes and thus conform to their own interpretations. People at the time called it "I annotate the Six Classics, and I annotate the Six Classics".

Using the language of the Six Classics to annotate their own doctrines is a way to claim orthodoxy.

Compared to the classics of the ancients, the classics of the moderns are actually easier to grasp because they have not yet been widely disseminated. In the future, as these classics become deeply rooted in people's hearts, one's own ideas will naturally take root.

However, choosing this person was equally difficult. Among the most famous figures in the contemporary literary world were the Chen Brothers. In terms of seniority and status, these two were in no way inferior to Wang Fu and Ma Yang. Although New and Old Parties tried to win over the Two Chens and provide appropriate support to the Principle Sect, they dared not go too far. The reason was that the Two Chens also had their own opinions. If they were not handled properly, they would become too powerful and nurture a new opponent to grow stronger.

Moreover, the Two Chens brothers had numerous disciples spread throughout the court and the countryside, making them a considerable potential force that could rise up at any time. How could the New and Old Parties be at ease? Therefore, the news of Qiu Yan's completion of the classics was like a refreshing rain, giving them a new option.

Compared to the Two Chens, Qiu Yan was at a disadvantage in terms of age, seniority, and the influence of his disciples and followers. Even though Wang Fu and Ma Yang regarded him as a junior, they were still tempted to use him due to the influence of interest groups.

In this way, the three major forces in the imperial court—

The emperor, the reformists, and the conservatives were all eager to find Qiu Yan and bring back the original Original Edition, which naturally reflected the will of the entire court.

In comparison, the Three Rivers Waterways Passage is secondary.

Driven by this situation, the border garrisons also received orders to search for Qiu Yan and report back immediately once they found any trace of him.

Yang Zhong was well aware of these matters, and because of his Lineage background, he knew them more precisely and in greater detail than the strategist before him. He knew that the Imperial City was already in turmoil because of Qiu Yan's book, and that many extraordinary people had already revealed themselves. Several princes had even taken action, with Prince Ding and a few others even contacting border generals through secret channels!

These were all things that the court and the royal family were very wary of, which shows how far the impact was. No wonder the strategists of the Dingchang Army couldn't hold back and immediately sent out messages to Qiu Yan as soon as they saw him, vying for credit.

Having thought all this through, Yang Zhong still gave the strategist a few words of advice, and then said, "The most urgent task is to find Qiu Xiuzhuan first. Of course, we also need to find out the cause and effect, send someone to the Wounded Soldiers' Camp to inquire, and while we're at it, invite the two doctors here."

The questioning quickly revealed the reason to Yang Zhong. Looking at the soiled book in his hand, he flipped through a few pages, his expression growing increasingly solemn. After a long silence, he sighed and said, "I misunderstood him before, and I must Rectifying Names." His voice was already tinged with a heavy tone.

After glancing at the inscription and title on the cover, Yang Zhong ordered the <Northern Frontier Gazetteer> to be put away, and then sent people to continue searching for Qiu Yan.

But before the order was given, the ground suddenly began to shake, and a "thump-thump-thump" sound came from afar, like dense drumbeats, continuous and getting louder and louder.

Yang Zhong's expression changed upon hearing the sound, realizing that a large number of cavalry were approaching again. Just as he was wondering why no one had come to report the situation, a messenger came running from outside the tent.

"Commander of the Cavalry, the Marquis has returned in triumph! A great victory!"

"Excellent! Well done Xiao Lan! This battle truly showcased the might of our Great Rui! It is an unprecedented victory against the Grasslands since the founding of the nation!"

When news of the Dingchang Army's triumphant return reached Prosperity Capital, Li Kun couldn't help but burst into laughter upon receiving the battle report, his face flushed with excitement.

"We defeated the Left Wise King, killed 20,000 enemies, captured 37,000, and rescued 3,000 Central Plains civilians! Excellent! This is the most joyous day since I ascended the throne!" Li Kun spoke for a while, then gave orders, "The Ministry of War is to compile the battle reports and formulate rewards. We must not mistreat our soldiers! We must reward those who have made contributions, and there must be no negligence!"

The Ministry of War, who was listening to his instructions, nodded hurriedly, then thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, in the memorial submitted by the Marquis Maishan, the greatest credit was given to Qiu Xiuzhuan, this..."

"Qiu Yan certainly deserves the greatest credit!" Li Kun's smile widened upon hearing the words "Qiu Xiuzhuan," but his expression betrayed something amiss. However, those around him, caught up in his elation, failed to notice for a moment. "Killing Zuo Xian, eliminating the Three Saints, transmitting battle plans, and facilitating the passage of the Three Rivers —aren't these all great achievements? Don't have any other thoughts. This time, the Military Momentum is overwhelming, and I..."

Before he could finish speaking, the Supreme Realm Being of Great Rui swayed and then fell backward!

"Your Majesty!"

"His Majesty!"

"Your Majesty!" (To be continued...)

P. S.: Thanks to "Wan Xia Xia La" for the donation!