Some things could not bear too much scrutiny.
"What exactly does this waist plaque mean?"
Su Che set the golden waist plaque aside.
There was no way this thing could be fake.
Though made of gold, it was in truth a hundred times tougher than steel. It had been forged through a secret art of the Northern Dynasties' imperial court, known as Scarlet Refined Gold.
There were only a limited number of such things in the north. They were generally used to make identity plaques for high-ranking officials and nobles.
"What else could it mean? Grand Preceptor Yuwen is recruiting troops and buying horses in the north. Now he has even pulled Ghost Ancestor Palace over to his side. Quite a few of Ghost Ancestor Palace's disciples have accepted official posts from him and even received bestowed surnames."
Yin-Yang Dharma King spoke with utter indifference.
"Our lord is now the Duke of Sui, with a fief of three thousand households under the Northern Dynasties. You, Marquis Changxin of that sham dynasty, should move aside."
"What does the Duke of Sui of the Northern Dynasties want with my Longevity Sect?"
Su Che grew even more curious.
"To buy your spiritual pills. Jade Dew Pills, thirty thousand of them, ten taels of silver apiece."
Yin-Yang Dharma King stretched lazily. "Three hundred thousand taels of silver, paid through Qiantang Dragon Clan flying money. And that is only the first batch."
"Is the north really that strapped?"
Su Che's brow furrowed tightly.
Of course he knew that Yuwen Rui had not taken so many Jade Dew Pills back merely to replenish his kidneys and nourish his qi.
Jade Dew Pills were precious spiritual medicines on any battlefield.
The lowest use for such medicines, which strengthened one's foundation and replenished one's essence, was as army