Elder Yeji

What was bound to happen has finally happened. The supervisor was absolutely right. All the uncertainties were sealed this winter. Xu Qi'an sighed inwardly.

He wasn't surprised at all by this result, after all, he had been mentally prepared and had long expected this day to come.

Yunzhou was bound to rebel sooner or later, and it was going to happen this winter, so this news was as natural as the changing of the seasons for Xu Qi'an.

"I need to quickly fulfill my promise to the Nine-Tailed Fox and remove the Demon-Sealing Nails as much as possible so I can regain my strength and cope with more changes. Hmm, I wonder what Fuxiang's true form looks like? Is she beautiful?"

Xu Qi'an took out a plan from the fragment of the Earth Book, which clearly outlined his goals.

"The matter of resurrecting Duke Wei will have to wait; let's unseal Shen Shu first. Anyway, I can't find the Ringing Stone right now, and without it, the main pole of the Soul-Summoning Banner can't be forged."

He made some adjustments to the plan, and then beckoned to Mu Nanzhi:

"Let me see the ' Great Feng: Geography '."

The Great Feng: Geography was bought by Mu Nanzhi herself, much like a woman who is about to travel and enthusiastically buys a geography book, taking a look at the relevant folk customs and local specialties wherever she goes.

"Southern Frontier is also within the territory of the Great Feng Dynasty."

Mu Nanzhi muttered in confusion, rummaged through her small bag and pulled out a crumpled book, which she tossed over.

He showed no regard for the book. Xu Qi'an reached out and took it, opening the "Great Feng: Geography." The reason he wanted to read this book was because it contained a very simplified map of the Central Plains.

The thirteen continents of the Great Feng were simplified to irregular cubes.

"Yunzhou is located by the sea, and most of its northern territory borders Qingzhou. If Xu Pingfeng wants to use Yunzhou as a base to launch a northern expedition against the capital, he must first conquer Qingzhou."

"The best course of action for the imperial court to buy itself some breathing room is to keep the rebels firmly in Yunzhou."

"Therefore, the future will see powerful figures gather in Qingzhou."

The Imperial Study.

Emperor Yongxing straightened his back and listened to the argument among the officials in the hall.

When news of the royal family from five hundred years ago declaring themselves emperor in Yunzhou reached the capital, it caused a stir throughout the court and the country.

The officials remained calm, as they had been mentally prepared. If it weren't for the severe cold and the court's preoccupation with its own problems, they would have already taken the initiative to launch an attack southward.

But for the entire officialdom, and even the general public, it was a wake-up call.

Since the end of the Capital Evaluation era, the Great Feng has experienced a series of astonishing events, including the annihilation of the army that was sent to suppress the Witch God Cult, the death of the late emperor, the cold disaster, and now the rebellion in Yunzhou.

Even ordinary people realized that the world was not peaceful and that great chaos was coming, which caused great panic.

As for scholars and low-ranking officials in the capital, their panic and indignation were even greater.

In recent days, students from the capital have been holding frequent literary gatherings, inviting friends to discuss the rebellious party in Yunzhou and the situation in the Central Plains.

"Your Majesty, the rebels in Yunzhou have declared themselves emperors, shaking the court and the public. However, very few know about the Buddhist School sect's support for these rebels. But the truth cannot be hidden forever; this is a great hidden danger."

The Ministry of War's Supervising Secretary said in a deep voice.

The officials' faces were grave. Former allies had turned against them and become enemies, which would undoubtedly exacerbate the panic.

The power of Buddhist School is a fact that ordinary people can also deeply understand.

A rebel army claiming to be descendants of the royal family from five hundred years ago declared itself emperor in Yunzhou and gained the support of the Buddhist School. If this were to spread, it would cause people throughout the land to question the imperial court and the Great Feng royal family.

Although such questioning may not cause any immediate problems, at most it will only lead to criticism in the city and countryside. However, if the situation becomes unfavorable, these criticisms and questions will escalate.

When ordinary people defect to the enemy, they have no psychological burden whatsoever.

After all, they are still subjects of the Great Feng, and even the legitimate ones.

If the rebels really do overthrow the current court in the future, the people may not even be able to raise the banner of restoring the Great Feng.

Throughout history, those who initiate uprisings or provoke wars have always placed great importance on having a legitimate reason for their actions.

That's the reason.

The Minister of Ministry of Justice said in a deep voice:

"Only by curbing the spread of rumors, and by imprisoning and prosecuting anyone who creates panic, spreads rumors, or discusses this matter."

Such methods only address the symptoms, not the root cause; rumors must be suppressed.

Countless examples throughout history have proven that rumors are the best weapon for winning hearts and minds; letting them run rampant is tantamount to handing a knife to the enemy.

Although the gentlemen felt that the Minister of Ministry of Justice's method was a poor choice, it was the best option at present.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yongxing smiled and said:

"There's no need for that. It's better to guide than to suppress. Since the truth can't be hidden forever, let's make this public. This will demonstrate the court's strength and let my people know that I am not afraid of Buddhist School, and the court is not afraid of the Western Regions."

The officials exchanged bewildered glances, thinking to themselves that this was not in line with His Majesty's steady and conservative style of conduct.

The Minister of Ministry of Justice frowned, glancing involuntarily at the composed Chief Minister Wang, a thought flashing through his mind:

Does Your Majesty have a good plan to deal with this?

Emperor Yongxing glanced at the officials and saw that they bowed their heads slightly, adopting a listening posture, occasionally glancing up at him, though they quickly lowered their heads again, but the eagerness in their eyes was undisguised.

His smile widened, a sense of triumph rising within him as he gained control of the court.

"Indeed!" Emperor Yongxing said slowly.

"Not long ago, Xu Qi'an fought against the Witch God Cult, the rebels in Yunzhou, and the Buddhist School sect in Jianzhou, and killed two Vajra Guardians. Now the Buddhist School has no more Dharma Protectors."

"This is a great victory for Xu Yinluo, and also a great victory for our dynasty."

A silence fell over the Imperial Study, and the officials were deeply moved.

"Your Majesty, is this... is this really true?"

Left Censor-in-Chief Liu Hong asked in astonishment, voicing the question that had puzzled everyone.

Although those present were all scholars, their hands wielding only pens, they were also, as the pinnacle of power in the Great Feng Dynasty, quite familiar with the Dharma protectors of Buddhist School.

Dharma Protector Vajra, Grade Three!

What is the concept of "Third Rank"?

The Great Feng now only has Xu Qi'an, a third-rank martial artist, to hold the fort.

Emperor Yongxing nodded.

"This matter will soon spread throughout Jianzhou; it cannot be faked."

Information that the emperor would reveal on such a occasion must be absolutely certain.

The officials seemed to hear the frantic pounding of their hearts; their faces were filled with barely suppressed surprise and awe.

The surprise this news brought them was no less than, and perhaps even greater than, the victory in a major battle.

"Your Majesty, please disclose the intelligence."

"How magnificent! Now we can confidently reveal the news of Buddhist School's support for the rebels to the public."

"Xu Yinluo is already a pillar of our Great Feng Dynasty, and the people's hearts are at ease."

The discussions among the officials continued for a long time without ceasing.

Emperor Yongxing did not stop it, firstly because the small court assembly in the Imperial Study was not as serious as the morning court assembly.

Secondly, he knew that the gentlemen also needed a space to build confidence and vent their emotions. If word got out that the Buddhist School sect was supporting the rebels in Yunzhou, it would cause panic among the people. Weren't the gentlemen worried?

On the surface, he was as calm as a mountain, but inside, he was as panicked as a churning sea.

Xu Qi'an's achievements in Jianzhou were undoubtedly an inspiring feat.

Once this small group of people who hold power has confidence, it will boost the cohesion of the entire dynasty.

After a long while, Emperor Yongxing, seeing that the conversation had gradually subsided, looked at the Minister of War and said:

"I have read Minister Xu's memorial. Qingzhou will become a crucial battleground between the court and the rebels in Yunzhou. If Qingzhou falls, the rebels will have a base for their northern expedition and a buffer zone for troop deployment."

"Isn't simply holding the line too passive for the court? There's no reason to defend against bandits for a thousand days straight. Would it be feasible to launch a proactive southern expedition?"

The Minister of War stepped forward, bowed, and said:

"Going south to punish the rebels is feasible, but now is by no means the best time. The rebels in Yunzhou have been plotting for a long time, and with the help of the Buddhist School, they are likely to walk into a trap if they take the initiative to penetrate deep into enemy territory."

"Furthermore, after the death of Duke Wei, the Great Feng has neither a martial artist at the extraordinary level nor a leader, so a steady and cautious approach is the best strategy."

"Does the imperial court lack capable commanders?" Several nobles and military generals glanced coldly at Liu Hong.

When scholars criticize others, they can be incredibly insightful.

Although a military genius like Wei Yuan is rare, the Great Feng is not lacking in generals with rich experience in leading troops.

According to the man surnamed Liu, the imperial court and military seemed to be suffering from a severe shortage of talent.

At this moment, a supervising secretary from the Ministry of War stepped forward and said:

"We can summon Xu Qi'an back to the capital, grant him military power, and send him to guard Qingzhou."

"Xu Qi'an is a disciple of Wei Yuan and has authored a military treatise, which even the great Confucian scholar Zhang Shen admired. Moreover, he is an extraordinary martial artist; no one is more suitable than him to guard Qingzhou."

Apart from Xu Qi'an, there are no other third-rank martial artists in the Great Feng.

The existence of the Bureau of Astronomy was mostly ignored by the officials.

Chief Minister Wang immediately stepped forward and retorted:

"Xu Qi'an has no battlefield experience; it would be too frivolous to let him lead troops to defend Qingzhou. Qingzhou cannot be lost; the imperial court cannot afford to lose."

He paused, glanced at the few officials who were not Qi Ingestion, and said in a deep voice:

"Xu Qi'an is not invincible. If the rebels have a martial artist at the Transcendent Realm to restrain him, or even kill him, then the imperial court will lose Qingzhou. Furthermore, Qingzhou is already entirely under Yang Gong's control. If we change generals on the eve of battle, aren't we afraid that he will develop disloyal intentions?"

A moment of silence fell over the imperial study; no one offered a rebuttal.

On issues that do not involve factional strife or power struggles, the gentlemen are quite astute, able to clearly and accurately discern the advantages and disadvantages.

Emperor Yongxing nodded and said in a loud voice:

"Starting immediately, troops will be mobilized to reinforce Qingzhou."

After speaking, he looked at Chief Minister Wang: "Xu Xinnian, a junior compiler in the Hanlin Academy, is a disciple of the great Confucian scholar Zhang Shen. He is well-versed in military strategy and has rendered meritorious service in the war to aid the northern barbarians. He must be included in the list of those sent to reinforce Qingzhou this time."

The chief minister paused slightly, then said:

"Yes!"

Emperor Yongxing is trying to use Xu Xinnian to bind Xu Qi'an, making Xu Yinluo, who refuses to obey the court's orders, work for the survival of Qingzhou.

This also subtly hints to Chief Minister Wang that he intends to promote Xu Xinnian, giving the junior scholar a chance to distinguish himself in battle.

The Yan King's Palace.

The former fourth prince, now Prince Yan, sat in his study, where the charcoal fire blazed brightly. He wore a white brocade robe, his jade pendants jingling, exuding an air of nobility.

He held a book in his left hand, and fragrant tea and pastries on his right.

The blue cover bore the title "The Annals of Zhou," and the book Prince Yan was reading was Chapter Thirteen of Volume Two.

The record describes the early life of an emperor during the early to mid-period of the Great Zhou.

That emperor was originally a son of a concubine, with three legitimate princes above him, so there was no way the crown would fall on his head.

But things just happened to be so coincidental. The three legitimate princes either died unexpectedly or were disliked by the emperor in a series of struggles, which ultimately benefited him, the prince born out of wedlock.

"Huaiqing, you are truly my dear sister."

Prince Yan chuckled, "I was too impatient. The struggle between the legitimate sons has only just begun. How could I, a son born out of wedlock, be so impatient?"

Southern Frontier, the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

The night was shrouded in mist, and from the endless, towering mountains came the occasional mournful cry of an owl.

A giant red bird, two zhang long, glided across the mountains.

Upon reaching a certain valley, it suddenly folded its giant wings, and its body underwent a rapid transformation in mid-air. Its feathers retracted into its body, its wings transformed into human arms, and its sharp beak flattened and became lips.

Its head swelled up like a ball, transforming into a human head. But when it landed in the valley, it had already transformed into a heroic man with narrow eyes.

There was a grotto in the valley, and outside the grotto stood two beautiful women wrapped in animal skins, revealing their firm thighs and flat bellies.

"Greetings, Protector Hongying!"

Two alluring women bowed in greeting.

"How is Elder Night Princess?"

The bird demon, Hongying, gazed into the depths of the cave.

"He is still unconscious. We have already sent someone to fetch Protector Aoki," the alluring woman on the left replied.

Hongying frowned deeply and said in a deep voice:

"Who injured Elder Ye Ji?"

P. S.: Today, out of curiosity, I watched some warning videos about cancer and sudden death from official media. After watching them, I felt extremely anxious. Then I took a nap.

Update first, then revise.