Fear

Late at night, at the Bureau of Astronomy.

Song Qing fell into a deep sleep, slumped over the table. Various alchemy tools were laid out on the table, and the charcoal fire in the Pill Furnace was still warm.

At one moment, Song Qing suddenly woke up, opened her eyes, and saw a person in white standing beside her.

Upon closer inspection, he realized it was Senior Brother Sun, whose face was dejected and eyes were dim as he silently watched him.

There was also a white ape nearby.

"Senior Brother Sun, why are you back?"

Song Qing yawned and said:

"Aren't we fighting in Qingzhou? You're not here to ask for equipment again, are you? Please leave me alone. Didn't we just give you a batch of equipment a while ago? I only sleep one hour a day, even an iron man needs rest."

He kept complaining.

Sun Xuanji remained silent, but the white ape beside him hesitated for a moment before whispering:

"Professor Jianzheng may have perished."

The complaints stopped abruptly, and Song Qing was stunned.

At this moment, Sun Xuanji collapsed to the ground with a thud, blood gushing from his seven orifices, and his life force rapidly faded away.

Song Qing's heart skipped a beat. She frantically retrieved pills from her Storage Bag, her voice trembling as she said:

"W-what happened, Senior Brother Sun?"

Protector Yuan stood to one side, looking at Sun Xuanji, and whispered:

"To find out the truth behind the supervisor's death, he personally went to the battlefield."

After taking Song Qing's pulse, her heart sank to the bottom.

Sun Xuanji's very essence was damaged, his meridians were severed, his internal organs were exhausted, and his Primordial Spirit was extremely weak.

Such an injury would be fatal to Warlock warlock.

The reason he was able to return to the Bureau of Astronomy with a white ape was probably because he had some kind of obsession with it.

Protector Yuan saw through Song Qing's thoughts and said quietly:

"It was the wildfire of revenge that propelled him back to the Bureau of Astronomy."

The Star-Gazing Tower located underground.

Zhong Li stared blankly at Song Qing, her eyes bright beneath her disheveled black hair, seemingly glistening with tears.

"The supervisor is dead?"

She murmured.

Song Qing hummed in response, his voice low and somber. His face showed no grief, but his numbness only amplified it.

"Xu Pingfeng, the head of the Earth Sect, the Bodhisattva of the Gara Tree, and the White Emperor, the White Emperor of Yunzhou," Song Qing whispered.

"Senior Brother Sun saw them; they're the ones who killed the supervising teacher."

Seeing that Zhong Li remained silent for a long time, Song Qing said:

"I will go to the palace to inform the young emperor."

He turned and left, and the earth fell into eternal silence.

After a long while, Zhong Li lifted the wooden box beside her, gently stroked its surface, and tears streamed down her face.

"You must get revenge! You must avenge Teacher Supervisor!"

As dawn broke, torches burned atop the city walls of the capital in the dead of winter, but could not dispel the bone-chilling cold.

The dew soaked the surface of the city wall, freezing it into ice in the cold night, making the wall as hard as steel.

The soldiers guarding the city walls, their hands covered in frostbite, gripped their spears. Every now and then, they would breathe warm air into their palms or stretch their hands close to the torches to warm themselves in the frigid night.

"Da da da!"

The sound of horses' hooves grew louder as they approached, reaching the ears of the soldiers guarding the city walls.

In the cold night, a rider galloped to the city walls, slammed on the reins, and roared hoarsely under the watchful eyes of the guards on the city walls:

"Open the door! Urgent dispatch!"

In the imperial bedchamber, the sleeping Emperor Yongxing was awakened by Zhao Xuanzhen. He wearily rubbed his temples, suppressed his temper, and said in a deep voice:

Why have you woken me in the middle of the night?

Generally speaking, anyone who dares to disturb the monarch's rest at this time must either have something terrible happen to them or be suicidal.

Emperor Yongxing didn't think this lackey was tired of living, so the answer should be the former. Therefore, his tone was quite low and his expression was solemn.

Zhao Xuanzhen's face was ashen.

"Your Majesty, an urgent report has arrived from the cabinet: Qingzhou has fallen!"

Emperor Yongxing stood frozen by the bedside, his pupils dilated and his expression frozen.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty."

Zhao Xuanzhen called out twice, and Emperor Yongxing exclaimed "Ah!" as if waking from a dream.

"The memorial is in the Imperial Study."

Before he could finish speaking, Emperor Yongxing threw off the covers, pushed Zhao Xuanzhen aside, and, barefoot and wearing only a white undergarment, strode towards the imperial study.

The imperial study was connected to the imperial bedchamber, one inside and one outside. He quickly rushed out of the bedchamber and arrived at the imperial study.

He walked straight to the desk, picked up the document lying there, and began to read it with a grim expression.

The memorial is divided into three parts:

First, regarding the casualties of the Qingzhou garrison, the total force of 90,000 troops, including the thirty garrisons of Qingzhou, plus troops transferred from the capital and other prefectures, suffered a loss of 60%. The remaining 30,000 troops retreated to Yongzhou.

Secondly, regarding the Director of the Imperial Censorate, Yang Gong believed that something might have happened to him and hoped that the court could confirm his situation as soon as possible.

Thirdly, there is Yang Gong's self-statement, which roughly means that he felt ashamed before the emperor and the country, and only wished to die to atone for his sins.

After Emperor Yongxing finished reading, his hands began to tremble.

"Nonsense! The Supervisor is the guardian deity of the Great Feng, holding the highest rank. Within the Great Feng territory, who can rival him? This Yang Gong is spreading heresy and misleading the people. I will chop off his head and let him get what he deserves."

Emperor Yongxing's face turned ashen, and he slammed his fist on the table.

Now, anyone who dares to say in his presence that the Imperial Censor has gotten into trouble will be shown what the Emperor's wrath truly means.

At this moment, the commander of the Imperial Guards on duty outside rushed in and reported:

"Your Majesty, Minister Song Qing of the Bureau of Astronomy is requesting an audience outside the palace."

"Song Qing has arrived. The Supervisor must have sent word." Emperor Yongxing's spirits lifted, and he called out loudly:

"Quickly, invite him in."

He immediately ordered a eunuch to bestow an imperial plaque upon the emperor.

A quarter of an hour later, the commander of the Imperial Guards returned with Song Qing. The former stopped outside the Imperial Study, while the latter stepped over the threshold and entered the Imperial Study on the scarlet carpet.

"Minister Song, is there any news from the Supervisor?" Emperor Yongxing stepped forward and blurted out the question.

He stared intently at Song Qing, his eyes filled with hope.

In comparison, Song Qing looked like a stray dog, his face pale and his eyes dark.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Tutor has perished."

Emperor Yongxing plopped down on the large chair, as if his bones had been removed.

After a long while, he stood up angrily, pointed at Song Qing and roared:

"Nonsense, Song Qing! Do you know what you're saying? The Superintendent is your teacher, how dare you Curse him?"

He stood up, vigorously waving his sleeves, and roared:

"Within the Great Feng territory, who is the Supervisor's rival? Tell me, who is his rival?"

Song Qing said with a blank expression:

"Senior Brother Sun has conducted a preliminary investigation. It is indeed possible that Master Jianzheng has perished. On that day, an unusual phenomenon occurred in Yunzhou, causing the flow of fortune. After Master Jianzheng's aura disappeared, he was never seen again."

Emperor Yongxing slowly slumped in his chair, murmuring:

"The supervisor? How could he be? Who could have killed him?"

Song Qing said blankly:

"The number of extraordinary experts among the rebels in Yunzhou far exceeds our expectations."

Emperor Yongxing sat there for a long time, seemingly unable to bear the cold, his body trembling slightly.

A tremendous fear enveloped him.

The following day, news of the fall of Qingzhou and the death of the supervising official spread throughout the capital's officialdom, causing a huge sensation.

The courtiers gathered at the Meridian Gate, requesting an audience with the Emperor, but were turned away at the outside.

Emperor Yongxing fell ill; he was frightened into illness.

It wasn't until dusk that the officials saw him in the imperial study. Overnight, Emperor Yongxing seemed to have been drained of his energy; his eyes were unfocused and his face was deathly pale.

The officials were startled, and the chief minister, Qian Qingshu, said in a mournful voice:

"Your Majesty, please take care of your health."

Emperor Yongxing gave a bitter laugh:

"The imperial body? At this point, do I still care about this flesh and blood?"

"Gentlemen, the Supervisor is dead. What should we do? Qingzhou has fallen, and the rebels are locked in a stalemate with Yang Gong on the border of Yongzhou. Once they stabilize Qingzhou, they will inevitably make a comeback and will eventually march on the capital."

The supervisor was the last backbone of the Great Feng.

Left Censor-in-Chief Liu Hongdao:

"Your Majesty, the Great Feng still has Xu Yinluo; we are not without the strength to fight."

Emperor Yongxing shook his head slightly:

"Although my cultivation is shallow, I know what a third-rank martial artist can do and what he can't do."

"Even the supervisor died at the hands of the rebels, so what can Xu Yinluo do?"

Liu Hong was speechless for a moment.

The atmosphere in the imperial study was heavy and silent.

After a long while, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review said in a low voice:

"Your Majesty, why not sue for peace?"

Emperor Yongxing's eyes lit up, but he immediately shook his head and said with a wry smile:

"The rebels are coming in with overwhelming force, intending to seize our Great Feng's territory and replace us. How could they possibly agree to sue for peace?"

"Your Majesty, how will we know if we don't try?" someone said.

"I'm tired," Emperor Yongxing said dejectedly.

"Let me think about it."

The Imperial City, Huaiqing Prefecture.

A simple, unadorned carriage stopped outside the mansion. Liu Hong, who had succeeded Wei Yuan as the leader of the former Wei faction, got off the carriage and went straight inside.

Crossing the front yard, we arrived at the reception room.

Inside the spacious and elegant hall, Princess Huaiqing, dressed in a plum blossom palace gown and exuding a cool and aloof air, sat at the table, waiting for a long time.

"I have already visited the Bureau of Astronomy and met with Song Qing and Sun Xuanji. I'm afraid the Director's fate is truly grim."

The princess's expression was unusually solemn as she looked at Liu Hong, who had entered the hall, and said:

What is the attitude of His Majesty and the other officials?

Liu Hong sighed:

"Without the Chief Censor, His Majesty and the officials have lost their backbone and courage. The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review proposed peace talks, which His Majesty neither agreed nor opposed, only saying he would consider it."

"Negotiations," Huaiqing muttered to himself, then shook his head after a moment.

"The rebels covet the Central Plains and the throne; they would never agree to peace talks. Even if they did, they would demand exorbitant sums first, then grant only temporary peace. It's like being slowly tortured; they'll only die a little slower."

Liu Hong gave a wry smile:

"Your Highness, you have a clearer perspective from an outsider's point of view."

"His Majesty did not hold court this morning; he is ill, frightened into illness. At this time, if the rebels take the initiative to negotiate peace, he will agree without hesitation, like a drowning man grasping at a straw."

As he spoke, Liu Hong's face was full of worry:

"But His Majesty's fear is justified. With the Supervisor dead, who can stand against Yunzhou?"

"Xu Yinluo is only a third-rank martial artist after all. Although the Imperial Preceptor is a second-rank one, is she really willing to die for the Great Feng? Even if she is willing, I'm afraid she has the will but not the strength."

"Your Highness, you have always been wise and resourceful. Tell me, how can we break this deadlock?"

During the discussions in the Imperial Study, he did not oppose the peace talks, not because he didn't know what to do.

Huaiqing remained silent for a long time before slowly saying:

"Better to be a shattered jade than a whole tile!"

Qingzhou.

In the Provincial Administration Office, Qi Guangbo sat behind the large desk that originally belonged to Yang Gong, with a group of generals below him. Ji Xuan sat at the head of the table on the left, and Ge Wenxuan sat at the head of the table on the right.

Of these two, the former conquered cities and fortresses along the way, pursuing and killing fleeing soldiers from Qingzhou, and made outstanding military achievements.

The latter, having made great contributions by capturing Wan County with Qi Guangbo, and also being a disciple of Xu Pingfeng, held a very high position in the army, second only to Ji Xuan.

As for the Xuanwu Iron Cavalry and the Zhuque Flying Cavalry, they belong to Xu Pingfeng and did not appear.

"This is not a military meeting; there's no need to be so formal."

Qi Guangbo laughed and said, "We were able to capture Qingzhou thanks to all of you brothers. Tonight, we'll reward the army with fine wine, delicious food, and beautiful women—you name it, we'll have it."

The generals laughed and shouted:

"Thank you, General."

Qi Guangbo nodded:

"However, from today onwards, you must restrain your soldiers and forbid them from plundering the people. Qingzhou will henceforth be our territory, understand?"

"Yes!"

The soldiers agreed.

Zhuo Haoran, feeling smug, asked:

"General, when will you lead us north? Everyone says the capital is the most prosperous and thriving city in the Central Plains. We brothers are eagerly awaiting your arrival."

Someone laughed:

"Once we get to the capital, you better not mess around. The capital is wealthy, that's true, but beautiful women are more tempting than gold and silver. It would be a real shame if you hurt or killed any of them. I, for one, want to taste what it's like to be with the wives of high-ranking officials."

Immediately someone laughed and cursed:

"You good-for-nothing! If you're going to sleep with someone, sleep with someone from a noble family, a princess, a concubine—aren't they more alluring than those damned aristocratic women?"

Laughter erupted from all sides.

After capturing Qingzhou, the Yunzhou army was in high spirits. From generals to ordinary soldiers, everyone was eager to march north, wishing they could march all the way to the capital in one fell swoop.

But while they may have their thoughts, there are rules and regulations for military campaigns. Now that the rebels have captured Qingzhou, they need to stabilize the territory, appease the people and gentry, repair the city walls, and collect provisions, among other things.

These things take time; it's not like foreign raids where they just plunder, take things and people, and leave in a hurry.

Ge Wenxuan raised his finger and tapped the table.

As the noise subsided, he took the opportunity to say:

"General, I believe that the rest period should not be a time of idleness."

"We can send people to infiltrate Great Feng and spread the news that the supervisor is dead. This will create chaos and boost the morale of our Yunzhou army."

Qi Guangbo gave a positive response. "This plan is excellent."

Ji Xuanze said:

"Our army suffered heavy casualties in this battle and needs to replenish its forces and recruit refugees. However, the refugees have limited fighting strength, and replenishing the mid-level fighting force is a problem."

Qi Guangbo already had a plan in mind, but still asked:

"What suggestions does Zisu have?"

Ji Xuan said, "We can recruit martial arts practitioners from the Jianghu."

This has become a tradition in Qianlong City. More than half of the generals present were originally wandering swordsmen who drifted to Yunzhou and later joined Qianlong City.

Qi Guangbo nodded, looked around at everyone, and suddenly asked:

"Gentlemen, what do you think the Great Feng court's reaction will be without the Supervisor?"

Zhuo Haoran laughed heartily:

"The little emperor is probably so scared he wets his pants."

The generals echoed:

"Without the guardian deity of the Supervisor, the Great Feng is like a sick tiger stripped of its claws and teeth—all show and no substance."

"Only Xu Qi'an can hold the fort."

"Bah, what kind of prestige does he have? A third-rank martial artist may be formidable, but he's no match for the Imperial Preceptor."

At this moment, Ji Xuan chuckled:

"He really can't cause any more trouble. The Demon-Sealing Nail that the Imperial Advisor planted in his body can keep him firmly at the third-grade realm."

Ge Wenxuan smiled and continued:

"The Imperial Advisor is truly a master of foresight!"

Seeing that the topic had gone astray, Qi Guangbo raised his hand, and as the noise subsided, he said:

"That's right. The Great Feng court, from the emperor down to the officials, must be filled with fear and unease right now. So, what if we take the initiative to negotiate peace?"

Everyone was taken aback.

P. S.: I'll correct the typos tomorrow.