Drawing Blades

After finishing his lunch, Chu Xianglong instructed his attendant to prepare a cup of tea. Holding the steaming tea in his hand, he took a small sip and asked:

How is the Princess Consort doing these days?

"He's been staying in his room the whole time," the attendant said.

The princess who lived in that luxurious and spacious room was actually a puppet; the real princess spent her days wandering around and mingling with the ordinary maids.

Sometimes she would sneak into the kitchen to eat, or watch the boatmen cast their nets and catch fish with great interest, while she stood by and gave them nonsensical instructions.

Instead of being angry, the boatmen developed a great fondness for this plain-looking older maid. Several boatmen who had accumulated considerable wealth but were still unmarried secretly inquired about the old aunt's situation.

That's the charm of a princess; even with an ordinary appearance, she can make men fall in love with her after spending time with her.

Therefore, Chu Xianglong strictly forbade his soldiers from going onto the deck and forbade men from having any private contact with the princess. But he could not say it openly, nor could he show any unusual concern for a maid.

"Head north as soon as possible. Once we reach Chuzhou and join the army sent by the Prince, we'll be completely safe." Chu Xianglong breathed a sigh of relief.

Infiltrating the investigation delegation was undoubtedly a wise decision. Before the departure, even the chief official Xu Qi'an, and other high-ranking officials were unaware that the princess was accompanying them.

Suddenly, he heard a flurry of footsteps coming from the deck, followed by the boisterous laughter of men.

The soldiers in the hold all came out. Chu Xianglong's face darkened, and then anger surged. He repeatedly warned the soldiers below not to go up to the deck.

Did they really ignore his words?

Chu Xianglong walked out of the room, through the corridor, and onto the deck. He saw groups of soldiers carrying chamber pots and emptying their waste into the river. The stench was overwhelming when the wind blew in.

Centurion Chen Xiao stood on the deck and shouted, "Remember to clean the chamber pot after you're done emptying it!"

"Okay!"

The soldiers responded loudly, their faces beaming with smiles.

Chu Xianglong stood with his hands behind his back, his face grim and serious, and shouted, "Who gave you permission to come up here?"

The noise stopped abruptly. The soldiers quickly put down the chamber pot, looked at each other, somewhat at a loss, and lowered their heads, not daring to speak.

Chu Xianglong shouted, "Do you think you can get away with anything just because there are so many of you? You like being on the deck, huh? Men, prepare the military rods and carry out the punishment!"

A moment later, the sound of hurried footsteps approached, and Chu Xianglong's guards came around from the other side of the deck, carrying military batons.

"General Chu, this, this..."

Chen Xiao was extremely anxious. The reason he didn't immediately explain the situation and tell Chu Xianglong that it was Xu Yinluo's permission was because it would make people think that he was stirring up trouble and instigating conflict between the two adults.

Xu Qi'an happened to have returned to his room. He must have heard the commotion outside. If he truly wanted to stand up for the Imperial Guards, he would have come out.

Conversely, it would indicate that he was unwilling to clash with General Chu, after all, General Chu was the deputy general of the Prince of Zhenbei, a powerful figure with military authority.

"General Chu, why are you angry? I was the one who ordered them to come up and clean the chamber pots."

Finally, the expectant voices of the Imperial Guards came from the cabin, accompanied by light yet forceful footsteps. Xu Qi'an, dressed in the uniform of a silver-clad guard, stepped out with one hand on his sword.

Chu Xianglong turned around, stared at Xu Qi'an, and spoke in an aggressive tone:

"You don't know my orders? If you don't, tell them to get back now and promise not to come out again. If you do know, then I need an explanation."

Chen Xiao braced himself and clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "General Chu, it's like this, several soldiers have fallen ill, and I'm at a loss as to what to do, so I have no choice but to ask Lord Xu for help."

"He's either very loyal or very smart, "Xu Qi'an thought to himself, but said aloud, "What right do you have to talk? Get lost."

Chen Xiao lowered his head, remaining silent, a look of gratitude flashing in his eyes.

Xu Yinluo is trying to remove him from the picture.

After reprimanding the centurion, Xu Qi'an stared at Chu Xianglong and said in a deep voice:

"General Chu, you want to explain? Why don't you go to the bottom of the hold yourself? If you could stay there for a few days, you'd understand even better. I've already decided that from now on, the Imperial Guards in the bottom of the hold can freely enter and exit from early morning to late morning, from early noon to late noon, and from early afternoon to late afternoon."

You can spend six hours a day on the deck.

This can effectively improve air quality and is also beneficial to the physical and mental health of the soldiers.

On deck, the soldiers exchanged excited glances, their faces beaming with joy. The wind and waves were strong, the hold was rocking and swaying, and there was a strange smell that made everyone want to vomit.

Moreover, they had to eat dry rations in such an environment. Physical discomfort was one thing, but the mental torment was the most exhausting.

Chu Xianglong said calmly, "If you don't understand how to lead troops, then don't give me pointers. What's a little hardship? When you're really on the battlefield, you'll have to eat mud, and you'll have to eat it while lying in a pile of corpses."

As he spoke, he looked at Xu Qi'an with a cold smile, making no attempt to hide his contempt and disdain.

Xu Qi'an retorted sharply, "General Chu is a veteran who has seen many battles; I am not as good as you at leading troops. But if you want to reason with me, I can certainly offer some explanation."

He paused, stepped forward, stared at Chu Xianglong, and asked:

"You yourself said it's wartime. Can things be the same as usual during extraordinary times? Do General Chu's soldiers also live in latrines every day, eating dry rations amidst the smell of excrement and urine?"

"These soldiers are all elite troops. They train just as hard in their daily drills and know how to fight. But hardship and torture are not the same thing. You raise an army for a thousand days to use it for one. If you don't even know how to raise your soldiers, how can you lead them? How can you fight a war?"

"To put it bluntly, these aren't your soldiers, so you don't treat them like human beings."

Well said!

Chen Xiao roared inwardly. These past few days, he had seen his soldiers looking so dejected, and it pained him deeply. These were his men.

Chu Xianglong doesn't treat them like human beings simply because these soldiers aren't his.

"An army is raised for a thousand days to be used for one." Xu Yinluo truly deserves to be called the top poet of the Great Feng Dynasty. Chen Xiao felt genuine admiration for him, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt that this was a profound truth.

The soldiers lowered their heads and gritted their teeth. Although they didn't speak, their slightly clenched fists revealed their inner indignation.

They were the lowest-ranking soldiers, and indeed had no status, but soldiers are human beings too, and they also have emotions.

Chu Xianglong seemed enraged, his expression both arrogant and fierce. He stepped forward, bringing his face very close to Xu Qi'an's, and demanded sharply:

"You think you can teach me how to do things? Who do you think you are?"

"I'm wondering if I gave in too quickly last time, allowing you to get your way so easily, which led you to have the wrong impression?"

Xu Qi'an took a step back, creating distance between himself and Chu Xianglong.

Such behavior was naturally seen as cowardice by Chu Xianglong. Indeed, his first impression of Xu Qi'an was that he was extremely talented but greedy for power and could be manipulated and suppressed with even greater power.

This aligns with Xu Qi'an's character in the imperial examination cheating case, where he easily obtained the Vajra Divine Skill and didn't even dare to back out afterwards, eagerly handing over the Buddha statue.

Many warriors are willing to be lackeys, even if they are powerful, they will grovel before high-ranking officials because they are power-hungry.

"Isn't that right?" Chu Xianglong said disdainfully.

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Xu Qi'an take a step back, then suddenly spun around and swept a fierce whip kick at his waist.

Without any warning, they acted without warning.

Chu Xianglong crossed his arms to block, and with a bang, his energy rippled outwards. He felt as if he had been hit by a battering ram, his legs slid backward, and his back slammed hard against the cabin wall.

The sturdy wooden wall snapped with a crack.

A speck of gold paint shone from between Xu Qi'an's brows, quickly spreading across his entire body, revealing a radiant golden form. He said, word by word, "I have a very bad temper, Pugai-zai."

Wei Yuan advised him to cultivate good relations with the Prince of Zhenbei's people, as this would make investigating cases easier and prevent him from encountering difficulties at every turn.

But Wei Yuan absolutely did not want him to be obsequious, to greet the Prince of Zhenbei's people with a smile, to offer his right cheek after being slapped on the left.

Because if the case remains unsolved, he, the official appointed by the court to handle the case, can return to the capital unscathed. But if evidence detrimental to the Prince of Zhenbei is uncovered, even his sworn brotherhood with Chu Xianglong will be of no use.

Xu Qi'an had long disliked Chu Xianglong, and taking advantage of his younger brother's misfortune, he decided to kick him while he was down and seize his Vajra Divine Skill.

Chu Xianglong, whose arms ached from aggravating old injuries in his meridians, stared at Xu Qi'an in disbelief.

How dare he make a move?

Did he really think that he, a mere silver gong-wielder, could afford to offend a powerful general, the deputy general of the Prince of Zhenbei?

"General!"

Chu Xianglong's guards were furious and rushed over in unison, gripping their batons and pointing them at Xu Qi'an.

As soon as Chu Xianglong gave the order, they rushed forward and subdued this arrogant brat.

"Lord Xu!"

A hundred imperial guards surged forward, surrounding Xu Qi'an, their expressions grim as they confronted Chu Xianglong's guards.

Their stance was very clear: although the Imperial Guard and the Silver Gong were different departments and did not interfere with each other, Xu Qi'an was now the chief official and the highest leader of the delegation.

Moreover, based on what he just said, it's worth risking my life for him.

"Stop it, all of you!"

A shout came from the cabin, and several officials who had heard the commotion quickly stepped out.

The two censors from the Censorate, the chief constable from the Ministry of Justice, and the vice-chancellor of the Court of Judicial Review were each accompanied by their respective guards and constables.

The two censors immediately tried to smooth things over, saying repeatedly, "Let's talk this out. Why did you two have to resort to violence?"

The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review glanced at the cracked wall and Xu Qi'an, who had revealed his golden form, and said in a sarcastic tone:

"Lord Xu, your skills are truly remarkable. With such divine power, I'm afraid the entire crew combined wouldn't be a match for you."

You've come at the perfect time.

Chu Xianglong glared fiercely at Xu Qi'an, recounted what had just happened, and pointed at Xu Qi'an, saying:

"The soldier's matter was merely a pretext for him to stir up trouble; his real aim was to retaliate against me, General. What do you gentlemen think should be done about this?"

The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review immediately replied, "There are women on board, and it is not appropriate for soldiers to go onto the deck. I believe General Chu's order is reasonable."

The head constable from the Ministry of Justice said calmly, "In my opinion, Lord Xu should apologize, and the Imperial Guards should return to their cabins and not be allowed to leave. Let's let this matter rest. We should work together on this journey north."

The two censors of the Censorate agreed.

The officials of the three departments had a simple idea. First of all, they disliked Xu Qi'an, as he had grudges against the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate.

Secondly, it is essential to cultivate a good relationship with the deputy general of the Prince of Zhenbei during this trip north.

The commotion on the deck startled the princess, who was drinking tea in her room. She came out at the sound and saw a group of palace maids gathered in the corridor leading to the deck.

"What happened?" she frowned, asking habitually.

The maids turned around, glanced at her, and, somewhat disliking the unfamiliar old maid's imperious tone, chattered amongst themselves:

"General Chu and Xu Yinluo had a conflict; they almost came to blows."

"It seems the conflict arose because General Chu wouldn't allow the guards from the hold to go up to the deck, and Xu Yinlu disagreed."

"Hmph, this Xu Yinluo is utterly ungrateful, daring to lay a hand on General Chu. He's the deputy general of our Prince of Huai. Right now, the officials are all on Deputy General Chu's side, demanding that he apologize."

"Although I admire Xu Yinluo a lot, he was in the wrong this time. These soldiers smelled terrible and were such an eyesore. We can't go to the deck to get some fresh air anymore."

The princess tried to push aside the maids, but to her surprise, the maids, who were usually very respectful to her, not only did not make way for her, but instead blocked her way in a reasonable manner.

The princess was furious. She couldn't see what was happening on the deck, but thankfully the maids had quieted down. She heard Xu Qi'an's cold laughter:

"Apologize? I am the official appointed by His Majesty. On this ship, I am the one in charge."

The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review retorted, "You may be the organizer, but the delegation doesn't have the final say. Otherwise, what use are we?"

The head constable from the Ministry of Justice nodded. "His Majesty's decree is that the three judicial departments and the Nightwatchers should cooperate in handling cases. If Lord Xu wants to run the case unilaterally, then I cannot agree to that."

The two censors agreed with the words of the head constable of the Ministry of Justice and the vice minister of the Court of Judicial Review.

Suddenly, all the pressure was on Xu Qi'an.

Even though he stubbornly refused to admit his mistake, he lost all his prestige when ostracized by his fellow officials in front of everyone. The princess keenly sensed the intentions of the officials.

She didn't believe this man, who had been so powerful in their battles, would back down, but in the current situation, whether he backed down or not was actually unimportant.

Everyone present could see that the organizer, Xu Yinluo, was unpopular, and the officials working with him ostracized and suppressed him.

Once such a preconceived notion is formed, the authority of the organizer will plummet, and no one in the group will respect him. Even if they are outwardly respectful, they will inwardly despise him.

"If the Prince of Huai were in this situation, what would he do?" the princess wondered.

For some reason, she always subconsciously compared the young man on the deck to the Prince of Huai.

After comparison, it was found that the two situations could not be generalized. After all, Prince Huai was a prince and a third-rank martial artist, far superior to Xu Ningyan at present.

So the princess wondered to herself: What will he do?

He probably won't back down. If he does, I'll have to look down on him. No, if he backs down, I'll have something to mock him for. She thought to herself, then heard Xu Qi'an's shout:

"All soldiers, listen to my command! As the officer in charge, I have been ordered by the Emperor to investigate a case in the northern border. This matter is of great importance. To prevent leaks and disruptions, all unauthorized personnel must be expelled. Chu Xianglong and his subordinates."

On the spot, only four silver gongs and eight bronze gongs drew their weapons and supported Xu Qi'an.

The hundred imperial guards on the deck remained silent, seemingly afraid to get involved.

A few seconds of silence followed, and then a soldier quietly returned to the hold.

Then one, two, three. More and more soldiers lowered their heads, left the deck, and returned to the hold.

Before long, the deck was cleared.

"Laugh!"

Chu Xianglong's disdainful sneer sounded particularly grating.

The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review had a mocking and gloating expression on his face.

The head constable of the Ministry of Justice smirked, crossed his arms, leaned against the cabin wall, and adopted a spectator's stance.

The two censors from the Censorate shook their heads helplessly.

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps on the stairs came from behind, a continuous "thump, thump, thump".

The hundred imperial guards returned, but this time, they were carrying standard-issue military swords instead of chamber pots.

They went back to the hold to retrieve their weapons.

Chen Xiao gripped his military knife, walked to Xu Qi'an's side, and said in a deep voice, "Draw your sword!"

"Clang"

The sound of swords being drawn filled the air as a hundred soldiers simultaneously drew their blades, pointing them at Chu Xianglong and his men.

"You, are you planning a rebellion?" The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review's expression changed slightly, and he shouted angrily.

Chen Xiao remained silent, licked his lips, and stared sharply at the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. Then he glanced at Xu Qi'an, as if he would dare to step forward and behead this garrulous civil official at the slightest command from Xu Yinluo.

The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review felt a chill run down his spine and instinctively took a few steps back, no longer daring to show his face.

The head constable from the Ministry of Justice, who had been leaning against the wall, straightened his back, his expression changing from playful to serious. He quietly tightened his grip on the knife in his hand, as if facing a formidable enemy.

As a warrior, he saw unwavering will in the eyes of these imperial guards, and he would never hesitate when wielding his steel sword.

Chu Xianglong's forehead veins throbbed with anger. He still couldn't believe that he, as the deputy general of the Prince of Zhenbei, would be treated like this. These low-ranking soldiers actually dared to draw their swords against him.

"Yang Yan!"

Chu Xianglong growled, "Are you Nightwatchers planning a rebellion? I am traveling with the delegation on His Majesty's orders."

"Shut up!" Yang Yan's voice came from inside the cabin, his tone indifferent. "I know nothing about this."

"You"

Chu Xianglong's face turned pale instantly. His expression shifted several times as he stared intently at Xu Qi'an, gritting his teeth as he said, "What do you want?"

Xu Qi'an, facing the sunlight with an arrogant expression, said, "Three things: First, my previous decision remains unchanged; the soldiers will have three hours of free time each day. Second, remember my identity; you have no right to speak within the delegation."

Is that clear enough?

Chu Xianglong nodded slowly, his face grim.

Xu Qi'an walked over, knife in hand, and sneered, "Third, apologize to me."

In an instant, Chu Xianglong's face twisted slightly, veins bulged on his forehead, and his cheek muscles twitched.

Escorting the princess was a matter of great importance, and one could not act impulsively. In the end, Chu Xianglong relented and said in a low voice, "Lord Xu, please be magnanimous and don't hold it against me."

Xu Qi'an chuckled, "Sensible."

Behind him, a hundred imperial guards grinned, revealing simple, honest smiles.

PS: Thank you to "Half-Step Salty Fish" for the generous donation, and thank you to "Missed Out Free-Range Person" for the generous donation.

This chapter is a bit long, so I'm only updating it now after a half-hour delay. I was planning to wait another half hour to revise it, but I can only update it now and revise it later.